Hoops - Jeremis Smith's Sister, Journalist

Jeremis Smith's sister, Jerin, wrote this journal entry in the Dallas Star / Telegram and mentioned this to say about watching GT / BC in Boston (they were on an official visit to Harvard U):

While I was in Boston, Georgia Tech was in town playing Boston College. Normally, I get to see my brother Jeremis play when they are at home in Atlanta. It was quite an experience to see how they were treated on the road. My brother was not too popular with the BC fans. Surprisingly, he voiced his support for Harvard as well. He really caught me off guard. I know he didn't realize it, but his words of encouragement meant the world to me.


This week I also received my school transcript and am proud to say that I have raised my grade-point average and class rank. My GPA is now a 4.1, and I am ranked No. 9 in a class of 202. It took a lot of hard work, and without the help of excellent mentors, coaches, instructors, genuine friends and family, I never could have achieved any of this.

Nice going Jerin.

Hoops - JJ Redick - Spread the Love

..... not. Ran across these two articles. The first is an absolute calling out of Coach K by Gregg Doyel. Check it out.

Krzyzewski has a passion and a love for college basketball, and for six days and 20 hours each week, he's a wonderful ambassador. But for those other four hours, his four most visible hours -- two for this game, two for that one -- he's awful. He's noxious. He is, in fact, an eroding influence on the sport he helped build.


Yes, I'm saying it: For four hours each week, Mike Krzyzewski is bad for college basketball.

Then it is an article on JJ Redick, who evidently Bobby Cremins thinks is a better shooter than Mark Price and Dennis Scott.

"He's definitely one of the greatest players ever to play in the league. ... Right off the top of my head, I would say top 10 or top 15. ... He might be the best shooting guard ever in the league." -- Bobby Cremins, ACC TV analyst and former Georgia Tech coach

Please Coach. If you really want that AD job, don't start having "senior" moments like this. Sorry, while I do respect JJ's game, he is NOT one of the top 10 best players to ever play in the ACC. No way, no how!!! Being an offensive marvel does not make for a well rounded game. Sorry. Is he one of the top 10 offensive players in the league's history? Getting closer but no cigar. Is he one of the top outside threats in league history? Bingo. Now you're in the ballpark.

Hoops Recruiting - Illegal Diaper Gifts

Interesting article talking about recruiting kids younger and younger. This from Coach Hewitt:

Georgia Tech coach Paul Hewitt subscribes to HoopScoop and similar online recruiting services. He said he uses them to help evaluate high school players -- not middle school kids. "Pretty comical, isn't it?" he said, when asked about ranking children.


Hewitt said he doesn't waste his time "looking for the next great sixth-grader."


"It wouldn't make any sense because there's just too much time between fifth or sixth grade and the time a player is a high school senior," Hewitt said. "Kids mature at different rates -- not just physically but with their basketball skills."


Hewitt said rankings can turn a great middle school player into an average high school player.


"It's part of the reason some players in the U.S. are less fundamentally sound than in years past," he said. "They play to the rankings and try to influence the rankings by scoring a lot. Meanwhile, the rest of their game suffers. It's kind of like studying for a test rather than studying to learn."

Speaking of Coach Hewitt - here's a great article on Paul Hewitt with some stats from his college career. As usual he's very humble and self-depracating:

His alma mater currently ranks 20th in Division III men's basketball with a 17-3 record.


Hewitt's career as a player, however, was not quite as successful as the current Cardinals team. He averaged highs of just 4.7 points and 3.8 rebounds per game as a senior and speaks the truth about his playing career.


"I was so bad they moved the program back to Division III," he joked.

Then he speaks to student-athletes:

"My biggest concern when I see a conference like [the UAA] is how much study time does it take away from the kids," Hewitt said. "Student-athletes are quite often criticized and stereotyped for not being interested in school. I think if you put a nonathlete in a schedule a student-athlete runs, I think they'll have a much greater appreciation for how much harder student-athletes work. … You really learn how to manage your time as a college basketball athlete."

Then he wraps up with a nice comment on the purpose of collegiate athletics.

"The primary purpose of sports, in my mind, is to bring all of a school together," Hewitt said. "If run the right way and marketed the right way, I think it can be a real galvanizing point for any school at any level, [Division] I, II or III."

Hoops - Jackets Beat the Pack, Break Streak

Just an outstanding afternoon as the Jackets take down their nemesis, the NC State WolfPack by a final of 71-68. Just a nice overall team effort against a tough team. So what was the difference?


POINTS OFF TURNOVERS
Statistically, we reduced turnovers (15 total). However, the key was that the Pack only scored 7 points off those turnovers. Meanwhile the Jackets scored 14 pts off 19 Pack turnovers. For some reason this game our turnovers just didn't result in easy fast breaks. Most occured under the basket or near the baseball and were dead ball to's.


AGGRESSIVENESS OFFENSIVELY
This team showed some nice aggressive offense tonight. They attacked the basket, had a nice mix of inside and outside shots and did a decent job of ball reversal. There was a short stretch in the 2nd half where it looked like they were going to fall apart, but they pulled themselves back together and kept it going.


BUCK FRESH OFF THE BENCH
Fredrick was the man tonight, scoring a career high 22 pts on 9-12 from the floor. Throw in 4 rebounds, 6 assists and only 1 turnover and you're looking at quite a game. Oh yeah - he only played 23 minutes. No kidding...... and he played in foul trouble through most of the game. He hit 2 critical shots down the stretch to lead the Jackets to the victory. However, Coach Hewitt commented in the post-game show that a key was Buck playing fewer minutes. He was more fresh throughout the game........ Even Buck commented in the post-game show that not starting allows him to see how the team is flowing and it is easier to see what they need to he can come right in and contribute. He really seemed genuine in his statements there........... Say what you want, but this team is as much "Buck's" team as anyone else's.........


DOING THE LITTLE THINGS
Free throws, charges, loose balls, hustle, ball reversal. The team did more of those things today than we've seen in awhile. It will take that level of effort for 40 minutes for this team to win more games, but they're certainly capable of it.


DEFENSIVE PRESSURE
Well, the Pack shoots 51% overall and 50% from long range, so how can you say it was a good defensive effort? Well, I saw the game and overall it was good. NCST just managed to hit a lot of long, tough shots. Yes, there were a handful of breakdowns that led to typical backdoor layups and dunks - but not like usual. I was pretty pleased with the level of defensive intensity today.


INDIVIDUAL STANDOUTS
I mentioned Buck already. Dickey had 14 but only 2 boards. Jeremis Smith was mauled much of the day and ended with 7 pts / 6 boards. How about Theodis Tarver. He plays 28 minutes, scores 4 pts, 4 boards, 1 block, 4 assists, 1 steal and only 2 to's. A very solid night for the senior.............. Lewis Clinch was key today. He made some critical hustle plays and ended with 11 pts (4-7), 3 boards, 3 assists and 1 to.


STANDOUT DUNK???
So, which dunk was better? Was it Mario West's high flying throw-down? Was it Sean Dickey's left turn throw-down in a crowd? Was it Jeremis Smith's baseline monster jam? My take - Mario's dunk was the most athletic of the night - hands down. Dickey's was the most physical, as he spun off his guy to left and threw down a monster flush in traffic. But Smiths's was the nastiest, meanest, message dunk of the night. I saw the net crying he threw it down so hard. I mean wow!!


Great win for the team. They stood together and beat one of the best teams in the ACC. Now it's on to North Carolina Wednesday night. GO JACKETS!!!!!!

Beesball - Jackets win Season Opener

The Jackets hold off a late charge by Georgia Southern and win their season opener on a wet Saturday 13-9 - story here.. One nice stat - 7 different players had an RBI. Nice distribution. GO JACKETS!!!

Football News - Changes Coming

Rivals is reporting some very interesting stuff on their premium board. They have asked that it stay premium, so I will only let you know what has been reported on the free public boards.


1. There are big changes coming to Chan Gailey's offense
2. A new offensive scheme will be put in place (Scout board posted the spead offense)
3. Patrick Nix could be calling all the plays
4. Here's the front-runner for the new special teams coach - Charles Kelly.


There is a lot more but I will respect the site and only post what shows up on a public board.


On a side note, it looks like Tenuta won't be getting the Michigan DC job, as they will announce Ron English as their guy.

Football Recruiting Class

From the AJC - check out our class of 2006:

MEET THE 2006 GEORGIA TECH SIGNEES

Defensive tackle BEN ANDERSON South Aiken HS (Aiken, S.C.) • Ht., Wt.: 6-2, 265 • The dish: "My type of school. My type of defense," Anderson says of Tech, which offered him a scholarship his junior year. When he's not rushing passers (six sacks as a senior) or pumping iron (his favorite pastime), "Big Ben" enjoys fishing "... and more fishing," four-wheeling, cranking up the Kenny Chesney and watching cartoons. He expects to make an impact by his sophomore season.

Tight end AUSTIN BARRICK Moody HS (Moody, Ala.) • Ht., Wt.: 6-3, 235 • The dish: In 10 years, he hopes to be "in the NFL with my degree and a supermodel wife." For now, Barrick will settle for a chance to compete for a spot on the depth chart a season after hauling in 48 catches for 789 yards and 12 TDs. Barrick, who picked Tech over Colorado, Duke and Vanderbilt among others, says his style reminds some folks of Jeremy Shockey's.

Linebacker SHANE BOWEN Central HS (Pickerington, Ohio) • Ht., Wt.: 6-4, 210 • The dish: He took the most unconventional path to Tech, committing last May, graduating from high school a month later, sitting out the fall while working part-time at a Pickerington pizza restaurant, enrolling at Tech in January and signing Wednesday. A high school safety who could play linebacker in the ACC, Bowen piled up 118 tackles and three interceptions his final season.

Linebacker SHANE BOWEN Central HS (Pickerington, Ohio) • Ht., Wt.: 6-4, 210 • The dish: He took the most unconventional path to Tech, committing last May, graduating from high school a month later, sitting out the fall while working part-time at a Pickerington pizza restaurant, enrolling at Tech in January and signing Wednesday. A high school safety who could play linebacker in the ACC, Bowen piled up 118 tackles and three interceptions his final season.

Defensive end TREVOR BRAY Greenbrier Christian Academy (Chesapeake, Va.) • Ht., Wt.: 6-0, 230 • The dish: Three things that sold Bray on the Jackets: an offense that sends its fullbacks out in pass patterns; a coaching staff he hit it off with; and a Saturday night trip during his official visit to Fogo de Ch‹o, the Buckhead Brazilian steakhouse. "That made my day," he says. Wednesday was a big day at Greenbriar Christian, which never had a Division I-A football recruit. And to think it was Tech's track coaches who first contacted VirginiaÕs reigning shot put champ.

Wide receiver CORREY EARLS Central HS (Macon) • Ht., Wt.: 6-0, 180 • The dish: Welcome to 21st century recruiting. When Earls knew he wanted to be a Yellow Jacket, he zapped a text message to Tech assistant Giff Smith, who fired back a text message saying how happy he was. "It seemed like [Tech] wanted me the most," says Earls, who picked Tech over Auburn and Clemson. Rivals.comÕs 71st-ranked receiver nationally, Earls caught 12 TD passes as a senior.

Running back JAMAAL EVANS Irving HS (Irvin, Texas) • Ht., Wt.: 5-6 1/2, 179 • The dish: Yellow Jackets fans can only hope Evans pans out as well as the last Lone Star State tailback who picked Tech, a guy named P.J. Daniels. In three seasons, Evans piled up 6,349 rushing yards and 65 TDs, enough to garner scholarship offers from Iowa State, Minnesota, North Carolina and Oklahoma State. Rivals.com rates him the sixth-best all-purpose back nationally. He's enrolled at Tech and will practice this spring.

Linebacker/running back SEDRIC GRIFFIN Fairfield Central HS (Winnsboro, S.C.) • Ht., Wt.: 5-10, 201 • The dish: The surprise of last year's class was a lightly recruited defender from a small Palmetto State town who wowed recruiters at the North Carolina-vs.-South Carolina Shrine Bowl. Could Griffin be this year's Vance Walker? "He's a real fast, aggressive football player," Fairfield coach Reginald Kennedy says. Walker, who Kennedy says was clocked at 4.45 seconds in the 40-yard dash, picked Tech over Furman.

Linebacker ROBERT HALL Hawkinsville HS (Hawkinsville) • Ht., Wt.: 6-2, 210 • The dish: A big believer in Chan Gailey & Co., Hall says Tech "looks to be a top contender for a national championship in the upcoming years." That was reason No. 2 for picking Tech over Ole Miss and Purdue, sandwiched between location and potential playing time as a freshman. Future engineering major's likes include: "Forrest Gump," Bill Romanowski and eating cereal -- "with a fork."

Quarterback BYRON INGRAM Redan HS (Stone Mountain) • Ht., Wt.: 6-4 1/2, 172 • The dish: "I have a good opportunity to start in later years," says the slender QB who goes by "Wook." Ingram was sold on Tech right away, not even visiting Duke or Tulane, the runners-up for his services. He piled up close to 1,300 yards and accounted for 13 TDs. The only quarterback in the class, he's rated 25th nationally at his position by Scout.com, 35th by Rivals.com.

Safety De'RON JASPER Dunwoody HS (Dunwoody) • Ht., Wt.: 6-3, 195 • The dish: Jasper's as good a saxophonist as he is a safety, playing the instrument in Dunwoody's jazz, concert and symphonic bands. On the field, he had 62 tackles as a senior, earning scholarship offers from Tech and Wake Forest. His dad, who ran track at Stanford, tried to sell him on the Cardinal, but Jasper had his mind set on Tech after a one-on-one meeting with defensive coordinator Jon Tenuta. "I'd heard horror stories, but he's cool," Jasper said. "He's just intense."

Running back QUINCY KELLY Decatur HS (Decatur) • Ht., Wt.: 6-0, 215 • The dish: You won't find a bigger Tech fan in this class, maybe even this town. "I grew up on Tech football," says Kelly, who picked the Jackets over Arkansas. "So I already feel as if that is where I belong." A speedster who once harbored Olympic dreams -- "I used to like running track more than playing football" Ñ Kelly averaged 8.3 yards per carry and piled up 17 TDs his senior season.

Cornerback LAURENCE MARIUS Key West HS (Key West, Fla.) • Ht., Wt.: 5-11, 160 • The dish: It isn't every year that recruiters flock to the Florida Keys in pursuit of a blue-chip prospect. But Marius had them making it to Margaritaville, where he says he earned a reputation as a cornerback who'll "lock you down." Twelve schools offered scholarships; Tech beat out Spurrier U. and Duke in the end. "My mother wanted me to pick a school with good academics. I wanted a school that was winning. I just combined the two," he said.

Wide receiver DOMINIQUE REESE Auburn HS (Auburn, Ala.) • Ht., Wt.: 5-10, 175 • The dish: Two things Tech got out of trips to Auburn last fall: a stirring upset of the Tigers in the season opener, and a speedy athlete who could play a number of positions for the Yellow Jackets. Reese was a high school quarterback but was recruited by Tech, UAB, Southern Miss and others as a receiver and return man. He threw for 1,300 yards and ran for another 1,000 as a senior.

Wide receiver DEMARYIUS THOMAS West Laurens HS (Dublin) • Ht., Wt.: 6-4, 215 • The dish: Georgia wanted him as a tight end. Tech recruited him as a wide receiver. Advantage, Jackets. "I wanted to play wide receiver," Thomas said. "... [Tech] told me they wanted me real bad and that Calvin [Johnson] will probably be leaving after next year and they'll need another wide receiver." Rivals.com's Jeremy Crabtree says Thomas could be the "jewel" of the class, especially given that he's new to wide receiver and has room to grow.

Linebacker OSAHON TONGO Naperville North HS (Naperville, Ill.) • Ht., Wt.: 6-3, 225 • The dish: "Georgia Tech gives me an opportunity to better myself in many different fields," says the future business major, the brainy son of a chemical engineer and a risk analyst. That's why the hard-hitting linebacker doesn't mind leaving home for college (Boston College was his second choice). Tongo, who had 110 tackles and 12 sacks as a senior, also likes the chance to play for "a defense that's so highly touted."

Chris Bosh - All-Star

In some desparately needed good news for Jacket fans, Chris Bosh has been named to the NBA all-star team in his 3rd season. Congrats!!! Here's a nice article on the former Jacket.... Some very high praise for the young talent in that article.


It is exciting that arguably one of the top future prospects in the NBA is Bosh and possibly THE top prospect in MLB is Mark Teixeira. Go Jackets!! Way to represent.

Where are they now - Ken Whisenhunt?

He ain't with the Oakland Raiders, that's for sure. After interviewing with them, HE said "no thanks" and will stay with the Steelers for now.......

Tenuta - Headed to Michigan????

There are rumors circulating that he might become Michigan's next DC. Hard to believe personally, but here are the links from Kevin, one of our readers:

Hey Scott, thought you might want to have a look at some of these rumors going on about Tenuta. mgoblog speculated (emphasis on speculated) about Tenuta becoming the DC at Michigan (everyone wants Herrmann outta there). Then, everydayshouldbesaturday ran a little piece on it, citing mgoblog. mgoblog returned fire stressing that this was all just rumor-mill stuff. Nonetheless, it is interesting/funny to hear what they have to say about Tenuta and the GT football program.

Here is the original mgoblog post: http://mgoblog.blogspot.com/2006/02/rumor-du-jour.html
Here is the EDSBS post: http://www.everydayshouldbesaturday.com/?p=1736
And the second mgoblog post: http://mgoblog.blogspot.com/2006/02/unverified-voracity-what-part-of-un.html

The funny part is, all of this happened today...and it all may mean nothing today, because now there are rumors that Ron English (a guy who all Michigan fans really want to be their DC, but was supposed to take a job with the Bears, but now may not be doing that...) will be DC after all. (see: http://mgoblog.blogspot.com/2006/02/ron-english-may-possibly-be-defensive.html).

So...did you follow all that? Kinda confusing, I know...hopefully you can make sense of it.Take it easy,
Kevin

Hey Kevin - thanks for that. There is no doubt that this team can ill afford to lose Tenuta in combination with losing Reis / Wilkinson / Davis / Henderson / etc / etc. Without some type of jolt from the offense we're not going to win more games even with a great defense - we've proven that 4 years in a row.


Stay tuned........

Hoops - Scoring leaders and team success

Interesting comment about national hoops scoring leaders and their team's ability to reach post-season success:

History reveals the consequences of too little balance. In the last three decades, two players among the top 10 scorers in the nation have reached the Final Four. Georgia Tech's Dennis Scott, whose 27.7 average was ninth in 1990, lost a national semifinal. And Indiana State's Larry Bird, second with a 28.6 average in 1979, lost in the national title game to Heathcote's Michigan State Spartans.

Now that's some select company. Cool for 3D!!

Hewitt to shake things up

Well, the starting lineup for FSU is going to look different. In comes Mario West, Lewis Clinch and Theodis Tarver. Out goes Buck Fredrick, D'Andre Bell and Jeremis Smith. Yes, Jeremis Smith. A bit of a surprise, but Smith has not played well during the losing streak, consistently forcing things inside. It's like he and Ra'Sean Dickey decided to swap their game. Could we please have more than 2 guys playing at the top of their game at one time?


Of course, how important is the starting lineup? In my mind, not a lot in terms of on-the-court play. Here's what it is - a message. Coach Hewitt sent that message to Ra'Sean Dickey and he seems to have really turned up his mental game. The starting line-up is about motivation and the mental side of the game. Smith is going to get his regular minutes - count on it. But now he's been called out.


Stay tuned...........

Hoope - Thaddeus Young to Play in Jordan Classic

Thaddeus Young, aka BadThad, has been chosen to play in the Jordan Classic. Surprise surprise, Duke and Carolina had 5 of their recruits chosen between them. Congrats Thad!!!

The recruiting Game

Check out this article about the football recruiting services on the web. Interesting read for sure. I guess we are somewhat naive to think that these recruiting services are totally unbiased. They have bills to pay and they're a business. Tom Lemming, who is quoted in the article, has a checkered history of being a complete Notre Dame homer, even though he presents himself as an unbiased talent evaluator. He's not. As always, insert large grains of salt into mouth before putting all your stock into where our recruits ranked. Coaching is still the #1 factor.......... bbbbuuuutttttt, let's not kid ourselves - you have to get the talent. I kind of see the raw talent level of a recruit as the base, and the ability to "coach up" a player, to develop him physically, add strength, teach technique, fit a system, etc, all contributes to on the field success. But if the base is low, then it your theoretical max top end is lower. The fact that Chan Gailey's classes can't seem to crack the top 30 is no indication that Tech will fail on the field. Quite the contrary. It just means Coach Gailey and staff have a lot more work to do to achieve that success.

Hoops - Let's Talk

Ok, everyone pretty much agrees that the two missing ingredients in this year's hoops team are a true point guard and team leadership. Ok, the first one is easy to get. You need a playmaker. You need a guy who can distribute, control the gameflow, set the tone. While Buck Fredrick has done an admirable job for a guy who is not a natural PG, he has not been the answer to success for this team. I have no doubt in my mind that with Jarrett Jack this is an NCAA tourney team.


Having said that, what about leadership. That phrase is getting thrown around a lot. There is no doubt that upperclassmen provide a steadying influence. They have been through the wars before. But in terms of what a leader actually does on the floor, what are we missing? Are we missing someone to grab everyone for that huddle on the floor. Are we missing that person to put fingers in people's grills and tell them to get in gear? Are we really just missing playmakers to keep the mental focus high through an entire 40 minutes?


What's your opinion? The PG thing is pretty clear. But when people say this team does not have "leadership", what does that really mean to you? Discuss amongst yourselves.

Recruiting - Meet the Walk-ons

..... or "preferred" walk-ons as they're known:

More and more Gwinnett players are choosing to go the preferred walk-on route.
As of Wednesday's signing day, Norcross' Luke Snider, Dacula's Josh Warren and
Duluth's Iain Vance had decided to take that path at Georgia Tech,

Baseball - Rangers Top Prospects - Mike Nickeas

Update on the former Jacket catcher Mike Nickeas:

The Skinny
The Rangers drafted Nickeas out of Georgia Tech primarily because of his skills defensively. He is somewhat comparable to a Taylor Teagarden, with less offensive ceiling and slightly less polished on the defensive end. However, that’s not exactly a bad thing, seeing that Teagarden was just about as polished defensively as a catcher can get coming into the MLB draft. Still, Nickeas impressed at the plate pretty much from the beginning in 2004. He went on to hit .288/.384/.494 for shortseason Spokane and earned himself a promotion all the way up to AA Frisco, skipping two whole full season minor league levels.


This year, Nickeas struggled at the plate all season while battling some injuries. It is hard for the Rangers to get extremely disappointed in his performance at the plate in 2005. After all, what did they really expect when sending a 22 year old catcher with a questionable bat from shortseason A ball to AA ball? The fact that he remained in AA the entire season despite the massive struggle at the plate speaks volumes to the confidence that the Rangers have in him, especially defensively and handling the pitching staffs.


The Future
Nickeas comes into the 2006 season on a high note after hitting .425 in limited action (40 AB) in the Arizona Fall League. One could say that it was Nickeas’ way of saying not to count him out just yet. Although Teagarden has gotten more hype since being drafted this past season, Nickeas still has the leg up on him with a full season of AA under his belt and with Teagarden being sidelined, or at least slowed, by his offseason Tommy John surgery. Expect Nickeas to start the 2006 season at AA and don’t be surprised if he finishes the season at AAA. There aren’t any catchers holding down the Oklahoma job this season and there won’t be any prospects blocking his route. If he stays healthy, hits fairly well, and continues to excel defensively, he could get a look in AAA. Remember, he only turns 23 later this month.


It is safe to say that Nickeas projects as a backup catcher in the major leagues for right now. His solid defense is sure to keep him on rosters for quite some time, but the question remains as to whether he can consistently get it done with the bat. After all, if Einar Diaz can hold down a starting job in the majors for a few years, why can’t Nickeas get a look?

Tech Updates

Some Tech newsletters for your viewing pleasure:


BUZZ Words

The Sting

Hoops - The Aussies Want Mark Price

The same team that wants to sign Luke Schenscher as their marquee player wants Mark Price as their head coach. No kidding. Check it out.

I'm Back - Sort of.......

Wow, a busy business trip and a guy misses a bit. I didn't cover the loss to Boston College. I didn't cover the loss to VaTech (although you can download the ending of the game here). I didn't cover national signing day (although I'll try to give you a peek at the new signees soon). My apologies - just been hectic to say the least. Monday I'm back out on a plane again for a week in Montreal. Getting a family ready to relocate while simultaneously doing a job and raising 2 kids just means less time for the Jackets unfortunately. Have patience with me though. I'll still have some time here or there to get some stuff up. I actually have a couple of pretty fun things in the works I think you'll like.

Hoops Recruiting - Thaddeus Young Update

Thaddeus Young had an off-night the other night, only scoring 19 points on 6-11 shooting, but helping his team beat Boliver 69-67. This is the team with Willie Kemp (Memphis) and Wayne Chism (Tenn). Oh yeah, Young also had 10 rebounds, 7 steals, 3 assists and about 5 blocks on the game televised on ESPNU. How about this nice online highlight clip compilation.


On a different note, Jodie Meeks had this to say about Gani Lawal picking Georgia Tech over Kentucky.

UK recruit Jodie Meeks pitched the Cats to his more celebrated high school teammate, Gani Lawal. But Lawal, a junior, committed to Georgia Tech over Kentucky and Wake Forest last week.


"I'm happy for him," Meeks said. "I'm happy he found the place that's best for him. That's all you can ask for."


Meeks and Lawal play for Norcross (Ga.) High School.


Lawal, a straight-A student, cited Georgia Tech's academic standing and the prestige of playing in the ACC as reasons for his commitment.

If you remember, Meeks had some interest in Georgia Tech but ended up at Kentucky when team needs pushed Paul Hewitt to focus on only one guard in this class - which of course ended up being Javaris Crittenton. Meeks and Lawal are high school teammates and it's good to see these guys support one another in their decisions.


Speaking of recruiting, check out this outstanding article on Coach Hewitt and how he has elavated his level of recruiting at Tech..........

Hoops - Jackets Drop 5th in a Row

Well, I'm down in Orlando for a sales meeting this week. Didn't get a chance to see or listen to the game, but by all accounts the team played decent and battled the entire way on the road before falling 66-64. Nice to see Sean Dickey playing another very good ballgame. Nice to see Lewis Clinch finding himself. Now, as the saying goes - if we can get those guys firing on all cylinders at the same time as A-Mo, Jeremis Smith and Buck Fredrick then we just might have something.

A Look Back in Time

Ran across this article from ESPN detailing the hiring of a new head basketball coach at Georgia Tech - some guy named Paul Hewitt

Hewitt replaces Cremins at Tech


ATLANTA -- Mirroring a move that occurred 19 years ago, Georgia Tech has turned to a relatively unknown coach to rebuild its basketball program.


Siena coach Paul Hewitt was introduced Thursday as Bobby Cremins' replacement at Georgia Tech -- where he becomes the Yellow Jackets' first black coach. Hewitt had told ESPN.com's Andy Katz on Wednesday that he was accepting the job.


"There are very few places I can imagine are better for me," Hewitt said. "Today a dream has come true for me and my family."


Hewitt, who signed a five-year deal, was 67-27 in three years at Siena.


"We were looking for a coach who is a great recruiter, a very good communicator and an excellent teacher," said Georgia Tech athletic director Dave Braine. "Paul fits all three of these qualifications very well."


Hewitt, 36, a former assistant at Villanova and Fordham, is known as a strong recruiter and favors a running, up-tempo style popular with fans. Siena averaged more than 6,500 per game over the last two years to lead the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference in attendance.


"I feel like I'm very prepared to take the job," Hewitt said today. "I expect to win next year. I have high expectations."


Braine said Hewitt "coaches an exciting brand of basketball, and he feels confident in being able to bring people back into our coliseum and recreate the Thrillerdome atmosphere of the 1980s and early '90s."


Former Southern Cal coach George Raveling, who Hewitt worked under at USC, told ESPN that Braine said he was "blown away" by Hewitt. Braine told Raveling that he saw Hewitt as another Tommy Amaker, the successful young Seton Hall coach.


Hewitt rebuilt a Siena program that went 23-59 in the three years before he arrived. His contract at the Loudonville, N.Y., school runs through the 2002-03 season, but includes a buyout provision that allowed him to take the Georgia Tech job.


Cremins was a 33-year-old coach at tiny Appalachian State when Georgia Tech hired him as coach in 1981. He pushed the Yellow Jackets to national prominence, recruiting such players as Mark Price, John Salley, Kenny Anderson, Dennis Scott and Stephon Marbury -- who all went on to the NBA.


Under Cremins, Tech went to the NCAA Tournament nine years in a row and 10 times overall, including the 1990 Final Four. The Yellow Jackets fell on hard times during the latter stages of Cremins' 19-year tenure, reaching the tournament only once the last seven seasons.


At Siena, meanwhile, Hewitt guided the Saints to the NCAA tournament in 1999, its first appearance in 10 years. The Saints finished 24-9 this year, losing to Penn State in the second round of the NIT.


Hewitt takes over a program that has fallen to the bottom of the Atlantic Coast Conference. The Yellow Jackets (13-17) will lose Jason Collier, their top scorer and rebounder, and shot-blocking center Alvin Jones may enter the NBA draft a year early.


Cremins announced Feb. 18 that he would not return, saying the Tech program needed a new direction. He accepted $1.5 million to buy out the final three years of his contract.


Hewitt was a late entry into the coaching search after higher-profile candidates Leonard Hamilton of Miami and Bill Self of Tulsa agreed to contract extensions.


Among the others mentioned as candidates for the Tech job were Appalachian State's Buzz Peterson, Delaware's Mike Brey and Dayton's Oliver Purnell.

Football - Downloadable ACC Football Schedule

Nice one-page view of the ACC football 2006 schedule in Excel.

Getting in versus getting out

Yes, Georgia Tech has academic restrictions for incoming student-athletes. Yes, we have entrance requirements higher than NCAA standards. Yes, the entrance requirements are higher than most other NCAA schools. However, the Orlando Sentinel thinks it's not as grand a difference as you might want to believe. They essentially say that we are the 3rd toughest ACC school to get into behind Wake Forest and Duke. and with a "7" ranking in overall difficulty getting in, they have us "equal" to Michigan, Penn State, Texas, Missouri, Notre Dame, and yes........... Georgia.


Now, first of all I disagree with their number ranking of Georgia Tech. Georgia has a continuous pipeline of prep recruits who couldn't get in with heading to some military academy. However, there is a kernal of truth in their rankings, but they only address part of the point.


The main point is not that Georgia Tech is one of the hardest schools to get IN. The point is that:


1. Georgia Tech is one of the hardest schools to get OUT. Therefore you have to recruit kids who can do the work and have to discipline to succeed. Yes, they get excellent academic support, but they still have to work hard. There's no cake-walk at Tech. You earn that degree.


2. Tech has a recruiting disadvantage because of the lack of majors offered. The latest casualty was a 300+ lb offensive lineman (Heath Batchelor), who committed but later found out we didn't offer his major and changed his loyalty to South Carolina. That's a fact of life at Tech. Some kids won't find what they want academically here.


So just "getting in" is only a small part of the picture. There are other elements that make Tech a challenge when it comes to attracting top level talent. It takes VERY special kids to play at Tech - period!!!

Hoops Recruiting Under Paul Hewitt

A nice look back class-by-class at Paul Hewitt's recruiting classes at Georgia Tech at the Golden Tornado blog....

Football - Gerris Wilkinson Shines

Didn't see the game, but Gerris Wilkinson was named the South team's defensive MVP at the 2006 edition of the Senior Bowl. Way to go Gerris!....... "Hey Gerris, now that you've won the MVP of the senior bowl, where are you going to celebrate?".......... Gerris - "I'm going to Disney....... errrr, the NFL baby!"

The Important Stuff

Just outstanding - about 1/3 of the football team had a 3.0 GPA or higher last semester! Way to go team!

The Search for an AD

Good article by Mike Knobler at AJC on the AD hire.

Football - Props for Bobby Dodd Stadium

Nice words from Southern Pigskin website ranking ACC football gameday settings

4. Georgia Tech – Looking for an inimitable and distinct college football setting? Bobby Dodd Stadium at historic Grant Field is dripping with history and tradition. First and foremost, the stadium is the oldest on-campus facility in all of 1-A college football. Grant Field was built in 1913 – and it’s been cattycornered amongst Atlanta skyscrapers ever since. Georgia Tech isn’t home to the biggest stadium, thought recent expansion has pushed capacity to 55,000, but you can’t place a limit on much else. From the right seat in Bobby Dodd, you can see most of Atlanta; from any seat, you can see the city skyline. It’s rare scene, one unlike any other in college football. Georgia Tech fans are knowledgeable and refined. Tailgating is more high-class, though a trip to The Varsity is never beneath them and the whole atmosphere simply has a more polished, professional feel. The pre-game entrance of the Ramblin’ Wreck, a restored 1930 Ford Model A, sends the Georgia Tech band into a rendition of perhaps the most famous fight song in college football and sets the stage for the team’s run onto the field. With so many great teams and legendary names having played at Grant Field, it’s tough not to get caught reminiscing. Better bring your best game, too. The Yellow Jackets once beat an opponent 222-0 at this field.

Hoops - Coach Gary Williams - classy guy

Talk about nice words for Paul Hewitt and Georgia Tech:

"The thing about Georgia Tech, no one has more respect for Paul Hewitt and what he does for this program and the way his kids play, than me. I've gotten to know Paul since he's been in the league, and that's going to be a very good basketball team, it's just a matter of when. When you look at who left here last year, the great players who were a part of the Final Four team, I just think they are very close to being a good basketball team.


"This is a great win for us, because of the respect that I have and our players have for Georgia Tech."

In case you didn't know, Gary Williams and Paul Hewitt have developed a tight relationship since Hewitt came into the league. Williams helped Hewitt out when he first got here and you'll never hear these two guys say anything bad about each other. Of course these two guys might be the poster-boys for breaking up the tobacco-road cartel. Fight the power!!!

Hoops - Jackets Land Gani Lawal

It's official - Top 20 recruit (5-star) Gani Lawal, from the class of 2007 has committed to the Georgia Tech YellowJackets. Rivals ranks him #19 in the nation and Scout.com #14 overall. Gani is an outstanding student (4.0 GPA), very athletic, and a hard worker. He has been described as a very coachable, likeable young man. He's 6'8" 205lb, very talented with excellent skills. He's been compared to Chris Bosh in the past, but he is certainly not as polished as Bosh coming into college and doesn't have the range on his shot like Bosh did. His potential is certainly way up there though. He's a very good inside player, although not as strong with his back to the basket. He needs to gain strength but has a soft touch around the hoop. Personally, I project Lawal as a 3 year type guy, but who knows. He's a hard worker.


Welcome aboard Gani. You made the right choice.


On a side note, this is the earliest Coach Hewitt has ever received a verbal. I believe Alade Aminu was the previous earliest. It appears that Coach is steadily climbing the ladder in terms of consistently bringing in better and better players. Look for the Jackets to now go after a Point Guard and/or a small forward to round out the class of 2007. Evidently the class of 2008 is shaping up to be another huge haul if things play out. Of course, there's some basketball to play WAY before we get that far.

Football - The Schedule is Out

FYI - Presenting your Georgia Tech YellowJackets - 2006 football schedule:


GEORGIA TECH
Sept. 2 Notre Dame
Sept. 9 Samford
Sept. 16 Troy
Sept. 21 (Thurs.) Virginia
Sept. 30 at Virginia Tech
Oct. 7 Maryland
Oct. 14 Open
Oct. 21 at Clemson
Oct. 28 Miami
Nov. 4 at NC State
Nov. 11 at North Carolina
Nov. 18 Duke
Nov. 25 at Georgia

"I Feel Your Pain"

That COULD be a quote from Oklahoma State's Eddie Sutton. Does this situation sound somewhat familiar?


- a team that went to the Final Four two years ago
- lost 7 seniors from last year's squad
- lost 85.6% of their points from last season
- lost 87.6% of their rebounds from last season
- the Head Coach has the youngest team in his coaching history
- starting 3 freshman
- struggling to win games.


What's the old saying - "youth is wasted on the young". Well, there is something to the fact that guys have to learn how to play Div I, ACC caliber hoops. There is something to the fact that players have to learn to be leaders and develop a team chemistry on the floor. There is something to the fact that team play matters more than individual play, so when you put a bunch of guys who were "the man" in high school, they have to learn what it means to play a role.


Read this article, and you'll realize that what this team is going through should be expected - even if we didn't want it to happen. Some Quotes:

"When you start three freshmen in this league, you're asking for problems. You watch them grow and mature, and it's fun. But it takes time."


"You get spoiled having the team we had the last couple of seasons," Sean Sutton said. "He's enjoyed these players, but they've tested his patience. He gets frustrated by the mistakes and having to repeat himself over and over."


The only starter who was on campus last year is guard JamesOn Curry. But he's just a sophomore and struggling to make the transition from the fourth scoring option to the first — a painful process, as evidenced by his misadventures at the end of regulation and in overtime against the senior-laden Buffaloes.


Curry rushed a three-point try with seven seconds left in regulation. At the end of overtime, he opted to throw an ill-advised pass to unsuspecting freshman guard Terrel Harris on the wing rather than take the ball to the basket.


The errant pass was one of three "no-excuse turnovers that were costly" to the Cowboys down the stretch, Sean Sutton said.


And it's what happens when a lineup is bloated with newcomers. These Cowboys are ridiculously athletic and certainly not without skill — some national services ranked them the top class in the country. But they still are the heart of a roster glaringly lacking in even a smattering of veteran stability, especially with junior David Monds and sophomore Marcus Dove battling injuries.

Read that last paragraph again and just accept that the performance curve is going to be like a kid learning to drive - lots of quick stops and starts, a lot of jerking and jolting and it ain't gonna be smooth. But everyone once in awhile we're going to see a little "Mario Andretti" in this group.


I'll root for this team with fire and passion no matter how many games they win or lose. This is a great bunch of players and more importantly people. This team may have weaknesses, but they've got character.


GO JACKETS!!!

Hoops - Jackets Drop 4th in a row

Is it me, or is it a coincidence that NCST, Wake Forest, Clemson and now Maryland played "their best 40 minutes" of basketball against the Jackets? The Jackets drop another home contest to the Maryland Terps tonight in yet another game that wasn't really close, losing 86-74.


Not really sure what to say. To be honest, I've lost my hard edge when it comes to judging this team's play. I said it would be a roller-coaster and I warned you not to get your hopes up too quickly. However, it's what we all wanted more than anything. But alas, the coaster must come down.


Youth and inexperience is not an excuse, but here's what it is - FACT. They play like a group that is very disjointed on the offensive side of the ball for long stretches. It is obvious they are learning how to play together as team. There is some outstanding individual talent here. Possibly the best group in terms of potential in a long time. They are very active on defense but often undisciplined. They go through stretches losing their fire and drive and lately the pattern is to turn up the heat once their goose has already been cooked. They just don't understand yet the intensity required to play night-in and night-out in the ACC. Patience my friends.


There's another side to this that needs to be said. I have not been overly impressed with coaching staff's ability to make in-game adjustments. Clemson switches up their defense, we go stale and never adjust. Clemson decides - heck - we'll keep playing the zone and overplaying the passers. The in-game adjustments have not been impressive of late. Even games where we were leading we let teams get back in it.


So there's work to do. The NCAA tourney looks like a distant galaxy right now. Tech is the only ACC team without double figure victories, as we're stuck on 9. We're 2-4 in the conference with 2 home losses and no road victories. There's still plenty of basketball to play, and there's plenty of room for improvement. You can see the talent. It's there - individually. More coaching, more practice and I think we'll see progress.


Honestly, I'm not down on these guys at all. We all tended to agree that .500 in the conference was a stretch. So that's playing out. Stick with'em. Keep cheering them on and let's see what this group can pull out their hat.

The Bill Curry Hiring Tree

It is not wrong to say that the most important job of an Athletic Director is hiring. The AD that can hire the right people to run the various athletic programs is ultimately going to enjoy the most success. Now, I am still not convinced that Bill Curry is the right guy for the job. With that in mind, I'm curious about the "hiring tree" from Bill Curry's past. In theory, if he had a strong ability in hiring, it would show up with his "disciples" running programs of their own. I don't have the info, but I would appreciate your help in putting it together. So, who worked under Bill Curry that went on to a prominant coaching career with another program - then succeeded or failed? It doesn't really matter how long they worked for him. Just the fact that he hired them is what matters.


While we're at it - how about the hiring tree for Bobby Cremins. Some names that come to mind are Sherm Dillard who did not pan out at Jacksonville and was replaced by another GT guy - Dean Keener. Also, Perry Clark is another former Cremins assistant who went on to an unsuccesful coaching stint at Miami. In Coach Hewitt's short coaching career he already has 3 former assistants running their own programs, which is impressive. Of course their resumes as head coaches are just starting.


Help me out here and I'll post the results later.

Football - New Recruiting Coordinator

It's not official publicly, but it's getting that way. Looks like Geoff Collins is taking over as recruiting coordinator for the Jackets, leaving Western Carolina, where he is currently the defensive coordinator / asst coach / secondary.


Here's his complete biography:

Geoff Collins, like head coach Kent Briggs, returned to his alma mater WCU as defensive coordinator in 2002 after three seasons at Georgia Tech. In addition to his role as coordinator, Collins will oversee the defensive backs.


Over his tenure at Western, the Catamount defense has shown steady improvement. In 2002, Collins helped Ahmed Green earn first team All-Southern Conference, while defensive end Michale Spicer was tabbed All-American.


In 2003, under Collins' direction, the Catamount defense emerged as one of the best in the nation. Despite playing two NCAA Division I teams and three of the I-AA top 15 rushing teams, Western led the SoCon in rushing defense for the first time since joining the league in 1976, while ranking 14th nationally. A further look in side the numbers show Western only allowed opponents to gain 2.65 yards per rush, which was the fourth-lowest total in the nation. What makes that feat even more impressive is that the Catamount defense suffered three season-ending injuries to starting defense backs, forcing players to play multiple positions and forcing true freshman defensive backs Mitchell Dukes and Ryan Nesby to contribute early and often. Three Catamount defenders earned All-SoCon that season, including defensive ends Nick McNeil (first team)and Spicer (first team) as well as linebacker Rod Dunlap.


In 2004, Western Carolina's defense only allowed 301.91 yards per game to end the season ranked 12th nationally, which is the school's highest ever national ranking at season's end. In addition, Western ranked 15th in the nation in pass defense, allowing just 163.64 yards per game. It marked the first time since 2001 WCU was ranked among the nation's top 20 in pass defense. While Western slipped to 41st nationally against the run, allowing just 138.27 yards per game, the Cats held the four of nation's top rushing teams a combined 118.5 yards below their season average, including Georgia Southern (first in I-AA), Wofford (second in I-AA), Nicholls State (10th in I-AA) and Furman (14th in I-AA). In addition to tackle Albert Reid earning first team All-SoCon honors, defensive backs Primus Glover and Bruce Lee were named to the all-league team.


Collins spent the 2001 season as the Yellow Jackets tight ends coach after two years (1999-2000) with the Rambling Wreck as a graduate assistant. In his final year at Georgia Tech, Collins helped tight end Russell Matvay post career highs with 22 receptions for 245 yards.


Before Tech, Collins spent two years as the defensive coordinator and linebackers and secondary coach at Albright College in Reading, Pa. In 1997, the NCAA Division III program boasted the leading defense in its conference and ranked in the top 10 nationally in all defensive categories, while in 1998 the Lions' defense ranked among the top three in their league. In 1996, Collins served as an assistant coach at Fordham University, working with the outside linebackers while also serving as the junior varsity defensive coordinator. He also spent one season (1995) as an assistant coach at Franklin (N.C.) High School while student teaching in the Macon County Public Schools.


Collins tallied 194 tackles as an outside linebacker and defensive back for the Catamounts from 1989-92. He was the team's fifth leading tackler as a junior with 68, while registering six tackles for losses. As a senior, he helped Western to a 7-4 record, logging 62 total hits and five tackles for losses. He began his coaching career as a student assistant on the Western Carolina staff in 1993, when the Catamounts were the preseason No. 1 team in NCAA Division I-AA.


A native of Conyers, Ga., who attended Rockdale County High School, Collins earned a bachelor's degree from Western Carolina in Sport Management and Exercise Science in 1994 and then completed the Education curriculum in 1995. He did postgraduate work in psychology at Fordham University and Georgia Tech.


He is married to the former Jennifer Haynes, who is also a Western Carolina graduate.

Pretty impressive credentials actually. Now, here's my take - you're looking at the possible future successor to Jon Tenuta as DC when he takes a head coaching job. It may not be this off-season, but it will happen and when it does - this guy will be on the short list. After all, why would anyone take a job as a recruiting coordinator only when you are currently a defensive coordinator? Has to be a hint of a promise of a future if you ask me.


Here's the good thing - all indications are that Collins is an OUTSTANDING recruiter. Very aggressive, very persistant and has the personal touch. Student-athletes that were recruited by him seem to have very positive things to say about their experience. So all-in-all this seems to be a great move in a very much needed area - recruiting.

Transparency is the "in" thing

Well, we're going to know who coaches in the coaches poll voted for. We're going to know which schools graduated how many players and which schools have their athletes on course to graduate. Now the NCAA is going to make the hoops RPI data available on a weekly basis starting next week. So transparency is in, except of course when it comes to how they decide which programs get what penalties for their transgressions. In that case it's murkier than a mud-hole swamp on a foggy night.

Where are they now - James Butler

Giants insider on James Butler:

James Butler – The Giants defensive diamond in the rough, the rookie free agent played in all 16 games and even started one. He finished with 18 tackles and a couple of picks, which is quite impressive on an INT-starved club. He might just find himself in the starting lineup next season. Grade: B

Football Recruiting

Evidently we've offered a kicker - Clay Baldwin. Also, it's not a done deal that Demaryius Thomas has switched his verbal to Steve Spurrier. Still could happen, but Thomas is still planning on signing with the Jackets for now............... In the "are you kidding me" file, check out why M.Richardson didn't commit to the Jackets:

Back before you committed to Notre Dame, there was speculation that you would be
giving Georgia Tech a verbal commitment. Is this true? "Yes sir, I was ready to call them and commit to Georgia Tech. I liked the school and I like Atlanta plus Calvin Johnson is my cousin and I would have a chance to play at least one year with him. It was falling into place for me."


What happened to change your mind? "Well, I looked at the situation of being so close to home. If something happened, I couldn't have a chance to learn from any mistake on my own. I would have someone so close that they would be there so quick. I would never have the chance to learn on my own and become a mature, grown man on my own. There's nothing wrong with having family close to help you, in fact it's great but there is something special about making your own decisions and working out problems for yourself. Still, if things get too tough, Atlanta still isn't
that far from Notre Dame."

UPDATE
My loyal readers have spoken and properly reprimanded me for this post. I basically questioned Mo's thought process and used Tashard Choice's decision to come back home as a reason to suggest leaving to "be on your own" is not a great reason. They are right - I am wrong - these kids need to decide their own destiny and going away to school is just as honorable as staying home. To each his own. To my readers - thanks for keeping me on the straight and narrow. And to Mo Richardson - all the best to you at Notre Dame. We'll see you real quick when we clash to start the 2006 season.

It's all about the talent

Interesting post over at the Hive about the relationship between recruiting class talent and on the court success in hoops......... Here's a ranking of the top hoops recruiting classes of 2001 from Scout.com. Now, here was the interesting comment:

When you look at the top10 on that list.


Their freshman year, they accounted for 1 of the 4 final four participants (and a national Championship).


Their sophomore year, they accounted for 2 of the final four participants (and a national runner up... us)


Their junior year, they accounted for all four of the final four participants.

Coaching is critical, but get the talent I say. Get the talent.

Hoops - Brad Sheehan Speaks

Sorry I've been out of action for awhile. Things are busy as my family prepares to sell our house and move to the frigid north of Albany NY. Too bad that when I get there Brad Sheehan will be heading away from Albany and down to the ATL. Well, only bad for me - not for Jacket fans, who have much to look forward to..........


Nice interview with Brad Sheehan........ Here are some choice quotes:

"I'm not really concerend about [scoring 20 or 30 points each night]. It's much more important to me to have a complete game - scoring, rebounding, blocks, assists. I'm not really happy if I score 30 points and have 2 rebounds and 2 blocks. I just aim to have rounded out stats. Besides, I know that if I ever have an off night [scoring], we have a lot of guys around me who can score and pick it up."

"My personality is pretty drawnback and sort of withheld," Sheehan says calmly. "Controlling your emotions during the game - not getting too high when things are going well and too low they are going badly - is a big part of basketball. Getting through the bad parts and being able to keep the strong runs going."

"It was good to see that people had noticed me and had seen what I could do. I guess I wasn't completely sure [that I was ACC material] until Coach Boeheim [of Syracuse] and Coach Hewitt [Georgia Tech] showed up and started talking to me about scholarships. It was just the realization that I really was good and that I really could play at that level. That I was important enough to them that they would come sit in my living room for two hours and tell me why I should play for them."

"I'm a good student," he says, with much more pride than most high schoolers have in that fact, "and the colleges knew that. It's one thing that attracted them to me. And it's one thing that my mom was really focused on, going to a good academic school."

Unlike Perkins or Cain, Sheehan made his decision - Georgia Tech - during the early signing period, ending the possibility of the Shaker gym turning into the second home of various famous college coaches this winter, as it had in 1980 and 1981. Nevertheless, Coach Hewitt dropped in for the Columbia game a few weeks back to check on his recruit.


"It definitely pumped me up to play in front of him. Just to show him how much more I've developed since he saw me over the summer. I wasn't really nervous, it was more of an excitement, it gave the whole team a lot of excitement to be playing in front of a coach that knows a lot of people. If they play well he might mention their name to somebody else and help them get to play in college."


And Sheehan was definitely able to show Hewitt a thing or two. He scored 28 points, grabbed about a dozen rebounds, and had 7 or 8 blocks in Shaker's 72-63 win. Perhaps more importantly, he showcased his mid-range jumpshot, consistently knocking down jumpers in the 12-17 foot range.


"I feel comfortable shooting the ball," he explains. "I feel like I have a really good shot, and it's one of the things a lot of college coaches really liked about me, my ability to shoot. I think it will give me the opportunity to play more, being able to play 4 or 5 [forward or center] until I get stronger and can play the 5 down low at the ACC level."


Although he believes greater strength will be the key to his college career, Sheehan is clearly not waiting till he arrives in Atlanta to start getting bigger. The most striking thing about him from a physical standpoint - once you get over walking down a hall with someone who has to duck under the doors - is that he's no longer all skin and bones. He seems to have really put on some muscle weight since last season, and it shows in his game.


"I lift during the off-season and two days a week during the season. I definitely feel stronger this year. I feel like I'm able to get better position, and I'm not getting pushed out as easily. I'm able to better hold my position on rebounds. Every once in a while I get pushed out of where I want to be. I just have to get to the point where that doesn’t happen."

Coach Hewitt Tackling Race issues - in football

That's right - Coach Hewitt is part of an NCAA panel, put together by NCAA prez Myles Brand, to address why there are so few black collegiate football head coaches.

Hoops - I don't want to talk about it

I really don't want to talk about. The Jackets lose to Clemson AT HOME 72-63, as a result of an unbelievable 27 turnovers. Are you kidding me? We outrebounded Clemson 49-27, which just goes to show you that you have to protect the ball. Since I don't want to talk about it much, I'll just let you know what Coach Hewitt had to say:


On the fact that things were looking ok and it all unravelled:

Well, Clemson's effort was better than ours and turnovers played a huge part in determining the outcome of this game. 27 turnovers on our home floor is just inexcusable.

Does Clemson do something differently against the Jackets?

Well, they take a lot of chances. They get out in the passing lanes. There were times we didn't use the pass fake. Using the pass fake would have gotten them into the lane and we would have been able to go backdoor. But they got us a little edgy, we missed a couple of shots, and got a little more anxious instead of reading the defense accurately. We didn't make the right decisions.

On the fact that some turnovers were not forced

That's the whole thing. So many of them were unforced. We talked about their pressue coming into the game and we handled that really well. We got a couple of open three's, we got a dunk out of it. When we attacked their pressure, they sank back into a 2-3 zone, and we got very very predictable. They got in the passing lanes and just did not execute the pass well. We underthrew, overthrew it.

On the 5 point sequence with intentional foul and 3pt shot by Clemson

The young man Powell stepped up and made some big shots in the 1st half. He stretched our defense out a little bit. But again, it gets back to the 27 turnovers. They had 12, we had 27. You can't give another team 15 more possesions and expect to win the game.

How are you getting ready for Wednesday night?

Well, all we can do is practice. We have tomorrow off and we'll get back together on Monday and have a scout report ready for Maryland and go play.

It's been a tough week.

We were up and down and made some poor decisions out there like I said. Instead of pass faking and moving the ball to take advantage of an overplaying defense, we played right into their hands.

I will say one thing. Don't forget that this is the youngest team in the ACC BY FAR! By far. It's not even close. I'll put up some stats later to show you. Anyhow, life goes on. By the way, Thaddeus Young was at the game, as well as Nomar Garciaparra and wife Mia Hamm.

Humor - The ESPN Drinking Game

Pretty funny:

Rule No. 8: Jim Donnan. Anytime Jim Donnan appears on screen, all Georgia fans present must finish their drinks and all Florida, Georgia Tech, or Tennessee fans must raise their glasses in salute to Jim Donnan before taking one drink. Anyone who is not a Florida, Georgia, Georgia Tech, or Tennessee fan must listen to Jim Donnan's analysis and take as many drinks as necessary to feel as drunk as Jim Donnan sounds.

What's Buzzin'

ACC PRE-SEASON BEESBALL
The ACC coaches have voted, and they say Clemson will win the ACC this season and the Jackets will finish in 2nd.


MORE ON FAYE
Seth Davis over at SI.com, comments on Mouhammad Faye:

When Georgia Tech coach Paul Hewitt tells me to remember a name, I remember a name. In this case the name is Mohamed Faye, a 6-foot-8 freshman from Africa who is redshirting because he could not get cleared academically by the NCAA. Hewitt told me Faye is very long and skilled and possesses a great feel for the game. When I asked Hewitt to compare him to another player, he said Faye reminds him of Mike Dunleavy.

I wonder if Faye can also play back-up QB........ because as you know the most popular player on the football team is always the back-up QB. By the time Faye hits the floor next season, he just might be elevated to legendary status.


ZACHARY PEACOCK CONTINUES TO IMPRESS
Peacock is averaging 22ppg, 9.7rbg and 3.1 blocks)


PROBATION ON TAYLOR
Advice - don't mess around with 15 year old girls. Former Georgia Tech track star and Olympic gold medalist gets 3 years probation.

Where are they now - Phil Gordon

Interesting article about how poker "stud" Phil Gordon got to where he is today. In case you weren't aware, Gordon is a Georgia Tech grad.

Humor - One for the Ladies

Well, I got a little bit of feedback on the "women = problems" humor yesterday. A good friend of mine sent this from his wife. In the name of equal-opportunity gender humore, the ladies fight back:

Hoops - Jackets Fall to the Deacs on the road

It started ugly. Then it got uglier, and well - it just didn't look like it was gonna pretty up at all. But low and behold the Jackets showed a little fight, a little spirit. Unfortunately they could only get within 8 points after trailing by as much as 28. The hole was just too deep. Wake was desparate for their first ACC victory and they got it with a final of 86-71.


The 1st half was just hard to watch. Lucky for me I was in Albany NY and couldn't watch. It was ugly on the internet too - trust me. A halftime score of 51-28 pretty much ensured that Wake would have to catch group blindness to lose. So how did it get to this at the half? Lackidasical play. Lack of fire. Technically, try 14 turnovers and only 3 assists on 11 first half buckets. Wake, a team prone to turnovers, protected the ball and shot it well. Justin Grey 0-4 inside the arc, 4-4 outside in the first half. Go figure. He ends with 25 points - an off-night. Of course he was only 6-7 beyond the arc.


The 2nd half starting looking up slightly as Morrow came out firing. However, if a 2nd half is being played and Tech fans are no longer listening, did it really happen? Give the Jackets credit. They outscored Wake 43-35 in the half, but still lost by 15.


DEFENSE
Just not there. I don't know how active they really were since I couldn't see what was happening, but Wes repeatedly commented early about how sluggish the team looked. Wake Forest 52% overall and 60% from long range. I don't care how you package it - it was not good defense. the NCST game was different - they shot well and hit tough shots. I know Gray hit some monster bombs, but it sounded like they just had a lot of open looks. Eric Williams just kills the Jackets every time we see him. Tonight was no different as he finished with 21 on 9-12 and grabbed 11 boards.


REBOUNDING
Wake is a good rebounding team and we still outrebounded them 37-36, which is one of the few encouraging signs. Jeremis Smith led with 10 and the rest were spread out evenly.


OFFENSE
Hhhhmmmm. We shoot 42% overall and 44% from long range. However, 22 turnovers - 14 in the first half. Shall I repeat it? The team seemed to have a contest over who could have the most turnovers. It was a close race but A-Mo pulled it out:


TURNOVERS
A-Mo.....5
Dickey...4
Buck.....4
Diaw.....4
Clinch...4
Bell.....1


Other than that, A-Mo had a standout night with a career high 29 points (8-15, 6-9 3pt). Clinch chipped in 14 and Jeremis Smith had another double/double with 10/10. However, Smith had a tough night in the paint only shooting 2-10 and also only hitting 6-13 from the charity stripe. But as usual, his motor never stopped and he just kept battling and battling.


BRIGHT SPOTS
Lewis Clinch and Alade Aminu had very good nights. It's especially good to see Clinch get his game back after the injury as we really need another strong defender and offensive weapon. Clinch had 14 pts (6-12, 2-5 3pt), 4 boards, 4 assists, 1 steal, 1 block, but 4 to's. ...... Aminu did a nice job of filling out the stat sheet with his minutes. He was active defensively and ended with 4 pts (2-4), 3 boards, 2 assists. He helped spark our futile comeback. For a kid in only his 4th season of organized ball you can see a lot of potential.


COACH HEWITT POST-GAME QUOTES:

On the energy:

They came out with a lot more energy than us. They played much more physical than we did. They were 0-3 obviously coming into the game and they played like a team that absolutely had to win, and we played like a team that just showed up and wanted to play basketball, almost like a pick-up game. We didn't come with a purpose and they did.

On the 2nd half:

I think, when you're down by that far, and you just realize how big a hole you've dug for yourself, you start to play with some of that desparation that they came into the game with. I give Alade Aminu an awful lot credit. Jeremis Smith fought and battle the whole game. Lewis Clinch. D'Andre Bell. We had some guys step up and do some things, but the start of the game was inexcusable and really, I'm embarrassed, and I really apologize to all our fans, our students who come out and support this team with a lot of passion.

On Clinch and Aminu:

He (Clinch) is a talented scorer. He's getting his legs back and I think there are some things, just execution of sets that could be improved, but you know, in a game like this it really comes down to the plays you run. It's how you run your plays, whether it's offense or defense - play with energy, play with a lot of pride, which is something that I think he and Alade did, as well as D'Andre Bell.

On running into another hot shooting team:

There were a lot of breakdowns. When you turn the ball over in the middle of the floor you can't defend it. We had two major breakdowns when we backed off of Justin Gray. I think there were 3 times total, 2 in the first half. That's not to take any credit away from Justin Gray and his team, but when you play with a lack of passion like we did in the first half, those things are going to happen. Good players are going to make shots.

Preparation on the next game - focus on Clemson or focus on the Jackets?:

Well, that's the thing with this team. For some reason, once we start to get things going, all of the sudden we slide back. It was very evident from the first two plays, when Eric Williams outran us to get a basket and there was a three when we left Justin Gray alone. It was evident from early in the game that for some reason we just weren't in it mentally. I certainly have to take an awful lot of the blame for that. Obviously we weren't as well prepared as I thought we were. But that's how it goes.

STAT TO KEEP AN EYE ON
The Jackets are now 0-4 when trailing at the half.



MOVING ON
Time to head back home and play Clemson. Time to get that ACC record back into positive territory. This is a MUST-WIN game in order to have any post-season hopes. Rest assurred that Clemson will come in hungry, as they were absolutely walloped by Miami tonight and scored a grand total of 38 points.

The AD Job - Jeff Bourne is on the list

Georgia Tech officials and James Madison AD Jeff Bourne have made contact about the Tech AD job, although an interview has not been setup. Bourne was an assistant AD at Tech under Dave Braine and actually came with Braine from VaTech as well. Here's a nice story recapping his history and thoughts

"Yeah, I think I need to look at it," said Bourne, who worked at the ACC school for three years before taking the JMU job in 1999. "I’ve been there before, I know the university and the program and the coaches."


The 46-year-old Bourne, who graduated from Bridgewater College in 1981, said he thinks he fits the description of what Georgia Tech is looking for in an A.D.


"I believe they want somebody who they feel has an understanding and a tie to Georgia Tech, who understands the coaches and the expectations of the program and has a sense of the culture at Georgia Tech," he said.


What are those expectations?


"They are literally to compete at the highest levels in the ACC," Bourne said. "They fund their programs competitively. They want to win championships. They want to continue to be at the pinnacle of the ACC programs."

By the way it was Bourne that hired Dean Keener away from Tech to be the JMU head coach (and replace another former Jacket assistant Sherm Dillard).

Engineering Humor

A co-worker of mine sent this to me. I thought I would share

Football - Gailey doesn't expect further changes

Quote from Coach Gailey:

"I don't anticipate any other moves," Gailey said Tuesday after announcing the resignations of David Wilson, the recruiting coordinator and special teams coach, and Tommie Robinson, the tight ends coach.

David Wilson did take a bit of a parting shot at his players

Tech ranked last in the ACC in kickoff coverage last season, and it ranked in the bottom half of the league in punt and kickoff returns.


Wilson took pride in the punt coverage team, which ranked third in the ACC and hasn't allowed a punt to be blocked since 2003.


"You do the best you have with the players available to you," Wilson said. "You see the high point with the punt team and you see the other levels of where they fall below that."

I guess it's not a problem to say stuff like that when you're not planning on getting another coaching job.


Coach Gailey does not plan on making any hires prior to signing day Feb 1.

Where are they now - Michael Southall

Remember the recruit that Paul Hewitt took because he was under pressure from the 5/8 rule and he wanted to sign a big man? He took this guy instead of waiting for some kid named Emeka Okafor and the rest, shall I say, is history


From Gregg Doyel - "Where the Wild Ones Are"

After nearly a year in jail, center Michael Southall is putting up all-conference numbers for Louisiana-Lafayette. Louisiana-Lafayette must be proud. This week's Ten for Tuesday went looking for some long-forgotten players and found them ... still playing college basketball. Who knew?


1. Michael Southall: Southall has a rap sheet you wouldn't believe, but there he is, playing for the Ragin' Cajuns. It's probably a coincidence that he has an NBA body (6-foot-10, 236 pounds) and is averaging 14 points, 7.6 rebounds and 3.6 blocks. Here's his rap sheet: Arrested in May 2000 for delivery and possession of marijuana. Arrested in April 2001 for violating his bond by running away from police. (Those two mistakes cost Southall scholarships at Kentucky and Georgia Tech and landed him on three years of probation.) At ULL in 2003 Southall played well but then was suspended for academic reasons and went afoul of his probation by testing positive for alcohol and marijuana, and skipping meetings with his probation counselor. That earned him a sentence of one year in jail. ULL took him back, but the Ragin-Cajuns are just 4-11. To which I say: good.

Come on, everybody deserves a 25th chance.

Football Signing Day Celebration

From RamblinWreck.com

Georgia Tech will hold its annual Football Signing Day Celebration on Wednesday, Feb. 1 in the Heisman Club Lounge at Bobby Dodd Stadium/Grant Field. Head coach Chan Gailey and his staff will discuss Tech's 2006 football signees.


Click here, to purchase tickets, priced at $15. Free parking will be available in Peter's Parking Deck.


Doors open at 6 p.m. with dinner served, and the program begins at 7 p.m. Fans should enter through Gate 9 on Techwood Drive.

Hoops - Jack vs Fredrick

DistrictJacket over at the Hive has compiled some stats comparing Jarrett Jack's first 14 games as a starter versus Buck Fredrick's first 14 games. Of course Buck's come as a sophomore, but Jack also didn't have to switch positions either.


FGs: ...........................Zam (52/138) 38.3%; .....JJ (31/81) 38.2%
3FGs: ..........................Zam (11/40) 27.5%; .....JJ (9/30) 30.0%
FTs: ...........................Zam (29/41) 70.7%; .....JJ (39/58) 67.2%
REBs (OR/DR/TR): .....Zam 9/39/48; .....JJ 10/47/57
Scoring (Pts/PPG) .....Zam 144/10.3 .....JJ 110/7.9
Assists (Tot/APG): ....Zam 60/4.3 .....JJ 87/6.2
TO: .........................Zam 54 .....JJ 53
Minutes: .................Zam 426 .....JJ 432


Certainly not a dramatic difference if you ask me. I think Buck is "getting it", and you can see his game developing. Quite frankly, it's developing in a fairly short period of time when you consider he just started his first conference slate. Not bad.

Football - Two Coaches Resign

As expected, special teams coach and recruiting coordinator David Wilson has "resigned". He has indicated he will leave coaching and work for a charitable organization. In addition, Tight End Coach Tommie Robinson has "resigned" as well. Robinson and Wilson had both been on the staff for 4 years, and Robinson actually played for Gailey at Troy State during their national championship season.


The big question is not about who is departing, but how the assistant coaching jobs will be filled. Let's think about this - special teams was terrible this season and recruiting cannot be labeled an "A" at this point, so letting go of the specials teams coach and recruiting coordinator makes some sense. But what's with the Tight Ends coach? It was certainly a very under-utilized portion of the offense. Maybe the TE development has been too slow and that's way. Maybe this actually makes room for some other coaching moves within the staff. Giff Smith or Patrick Nix would be likely candidates for the recruiting coordinator job in my opinion. Smith did the job for three years at Tulane. Both do a good job in that area and Nix probably wouldn't mind beefing up his resume so he can get a dream job at his alma mater Auburn.


Maybe eliminating a TE coaching job allows Coach Gailey to bring in someone at a "higher" most impactful role on the staff. Maybe we bring in an offensive coordinator finally. Maybe this makes room for Nix to do something else. Maybe not. Maybe we bring in a talented QB coach. Maybe not. Maybe Buddy Geis takes over the QB's since he's had experience there in the past.


Here's a name you might be seeing soon.......... again.


Should be interesting to see how this plays out. The bottom-line is that for many Tech fans, some new blood provides hope for change, particularly around the offense. These announcements were certainly not the "blood-letting" that some would have preferred, but again, let's see what happens now.......

Hoops - Cheers to Gregg Doyel

In his latest column, he had this to say about the Paul Hewitt / NCST student incident:

Bravo: To Georgia Tech coach Paul Hewitt, who verbally scalded the handful of North Carolina State fans taunting Tech's Theodis Tarver for having his academic eligibility dismissed, then restored.


Safety school: Hard to believe those idiots taunted Tarver about academic anything. Um, hello? He goes to Georgia Tech. You go to N.C. State.

Love it..............

The International Man of Mystery

There's been a a lot of discussion about our "International Man of Mystery" Mouhammad Faye, but the problem is that very few people have actually seen him play. I have a small treat - we have contacts with people who HAVE seen him play. Here's what we have heard about his time with the team so far:


SIZE / ATHLETICISM
Faye is about 6'8" - 6'9" and on the light side. He needs to add muscle and strength. However, he has a wingspan over 7'. He is a very athletic guy with good jumping ability and is quick off the floor.


FAYE THE PERSON
Like Paco Diaw, Faye speaks about 4 different languages. Once he got good grades in the fall, the NCAA gave him his eligibility for next season. He is now on scholarship. He's no dummy for sure and the main issue as we reported last fall was the acceptance / transfer of credits of some of his foreign classes.


DEFENSIVELY
Faye seems to be a guy who can probably guard the 2-4 spots. He's long, quick and athletic, fitting the mold of the kind of players that Coach likes. Evidently he has an excellent work ethic and plays hard, so his defense under Hewitt's system should be good.


OFFENSIVE SKILLS
Faye is a very versatile player and his offensive skills are more developed than say Paco Diaw. He can shoot the 3pt shot and he can play the post and mix it up underneath. While he has some back-to-the-basket skills down low, he is more of a face-up offensive player. The best description for him is probably a versatile shooting forward. His ball handling skills are average.


COMPARISONS?
Coach Hewitt actually compared him at a recent call-in show to Thaddeus Young. However, it's safe to say that his skills are a pretty large notch below badThad's. He was probably talking about his physical attributes as much as anything and the type of game he plays. He's also not as strong as Thad.


CONCLUSION
The sad truth is that Faye could have had a much larger impact this season had he been eligible than when we see him next season. With the arrival of Thaddeus Young, there are not likley to be large minutes for Faye. He will be a solid guy to bring off the bench next season and another base-building guy for the next 4 years. The truth is that next season very well might be THE deepest team in the history of Georgia Tech: Let's look:


PG - J.Crittenton, Z.Fredrick, P.Diaw
SG - A.Morrow, L.Clinch, M.West
SF - T.Young, D.Bell, M.Faye
PF - Smith, A.Aminu, Z.Peacock
C - R.Dickey, B.Sheehan


Wow! Now interestingly, that's 14 scholarships. Don't ask me where the extra one will disappear to.