A rarity in softball - double no-hitters

How about this. GT plays Alabama, GT wins 1-0 and BOTH teams fire no-hitters. Talk about rare. It happened this week (story here). "Following a one-hour, 15-minute rain delay in the third inning of game one, the Yellow Jackets were able to scratch the game's lone run across on a walk, a stolen base, a sacrifice and an advance to home on a double steal attempt for a 1-0 lead."

Keaner trying to keep his recruits

First order of business when taking a new HC job - make sure the signed recruits are "stroked" properly and will still show up on campus. (story here). That's what Keaner was doing even before he turned in his resignation letter to GT.

Where are they now - Kyle Bakker

Bakker got a victory for the Rome Braves, pitching 3 scoreless innings. (story here).

Hoops Recruiting

Here is an article about UK and an update on their recruiting class, including mention of Randolph Morris, whose family is not returning phone calls right now. (I don't blame them)................ Here's another article on the UK situation with quotes from recruiting analyst Bob Gibbons.............. Meanwhile, looks like Aaron Pettway will make his official visit to GT this weekend. This article mentions that as well his recruitment by Miss.St.

And here is an article on the recruiting efforts on Morris by another UK recruit - pushing hard.

Rating the NBA Rookies

Chris Bosh gets a strong showing on the list, and years from now, this class may end up being one of the best in a LONG time.

Changes at Linebacker

- Gerris Wilkinson, who started the spring at strong side outside linebacker is now working at middle linebacker.
- Chris Reis looks like he will flank Gerris on the strong side, and
- KaMichael Hall on the weak side linebacker position.

Obviously it is a challenge to replace three talented linebackers (Smith, Fox, Brown). For the full story, click here............... Here's the AJC spin.

Hoops recruiting - Adrian Thomas

The Sun-Sentinel Class 6A-5A-4A Player of the Year has had GT assistants watching him game. He is a junior. (story here).

UNC's hoops recruiting class could fall apart

Been discussed before here, but here is the latest with quotes from recruiting analyst Bob Gibbons. Could go from 4 top 50 players to only 1, with one getting busted on drug charges and 2 possible NBA draft entries straight from high school.

Who says GT girls aren't hot?

How about Miss Georgia, who just finished in the top 10 of the Miss USA pageant - who also happens to be a management major at GT. Not bad at all............ Of course the deck may have been stacked - guess who one of the judges was? None other than our own John Salley.

Luke Schenscher humor

From DIME Magazine (list here):

11. Utah Jazz (Last week No. 12) - Maybe the Jazz should just give up so they can get a lottery pick and draft Georgia Tech's Luke Schenscher.

Not exactly what the list is about, but there it is.

The Morris wait continues

Well, Coach Hewitt is of course going to continue to wait out Morris, but says that we will not use the 'ship just to use it if he doesn't come. (story here).......... This article mentions Morris at the bottom and says his decision will come in May.

NFL Draft Notes

Well, talk of the NFL is heating up as it gets closer........... Here, a mock-draft has D-Smith going #36 to the Lions. From the article - "36.Detroit Lions: Daryl Smith LB Georgia Tech- Daryl would be a quality edition to a mediocre Lions defense. He would compliment Boss Bailey and help set up a future dynamic duo at linebacker."

This site looks at the top linebackers in the draft and actually has K-Fox listed as the #4 guy and D-Smith #5 and Tony Hargrove comes in at #19 and a real wild card in the draft.

From article:
4. Keyaron Fox, Georgia Tech (6-2 3/8, 227)
At the combine, a hamstring problem limited him to lifting (28 times). At Georgia Tech's Pro Day, he ran two 40s in 4.73 and 4.79, the short shuttle in 4.24 and the three-cone drill in 7.11. He also had a 361/2-inch vertical jump and a 9-foot-6 broad jump. Named MVP of the Georgia-Florida All-Star Game (10 tackles, pass breakup, forced fumble). At Georgia Tech, he played as a true freshman in 2000 but missed three games with a broken arm. He started for three years and had 155 tackles in 2003. Played some defensive end during games in 2002. Aggressive, nasty, great temperament for position, hard worker. He can play in space. Rangy-type frame.

5. Daryl Smith, Georgia Tech (6-1 5/8, 234)
Only lifted at the combine (24 times). At Georgia Tech's Pro Day, he ran two 40s in 4.60 and 4.63, the short shuttle in 4.21 and the three-cone drill in 7.25. He also had a 361/2-inch vertical jump and a 9-foot-3 broad jump. He played baseball in high school; also a linebacker. He played in the Georgia-Florida All-Star Game. At Georgia Tech, he started 10 games as a true freshman in 2000. He returned an interception 70 yards for a touchdown that season. He started the past three seasons. He had 122 tackles in 2003. A high-effort player who gives 100 percent every play. Has good strength and athletic ability. Good, thick upper body. Can play in space. Size is a question mark; not as big as you would like, but can run.

19. Tony Hargrove, Georgia Tech (6-3 3/8, 269)
Hargrove ran his 40s in 4.68 and 4.70. He had a 39-1/2-inch vertical jump, a 10-foot-2 long jump, 30 strength lifts and ran 4.24 in the short shuttle and 7.14 in the three-cone drill. Hargrove didn't play last year (academically ineligible) but has sure gotten the attention of scouts around the league. This is a wild card in this year's draft. He could go in the third or fourth round as a linebacker or defensive end.

Check out this impressive article on Tony Hargrove from SI.com. You NEED to read the article. I started to paste in some quotes, but I would end up pasting the whole dang thing. It is a fascinating look at a guy on nobody's radar who puts up "freakish" physical workout numbers and all of the sudden he is flying around the country working out for all kinds of teams and being talked about as a possible 2nd round pick. Also note the comments about him flunking out of GT. Note his workload - Calculus, Accounting II, Financial Management. Don't give me crap about cake classes for athletes at GT. These are the classes EVERYONE takes - athletes included.

On Tony Hargrove:
"....Teams that run the 3-4, like Houston, are intrigued with Hargrove's ability to play outside rush linebacker, and still be able to put his hand on the ground and generate pass rush in the 4-3 -- a rare combination in today's NFL. Once considered a likely second-day sleeper pick by many clubs, Hargrove ruined that plan with his workout, which exhibited his almost freaky blend of explosiveness, speed, strength and high motor.

"People always fall in love with measurables,'' said Atlanta head coach Jim Mora, whose Falcons have visited with Hargrove, a prospect in their own backyard. "You see a guy with his size and his explosion and ability to run and jump, and you say, 'Wow. I can make something of this guy.' It doesn't surprise me that people are talking about him in the second round...."

Here's more on D-Smith / K-Fox (story here):
Georgia Tech's Daryl Smith, 6-1, 234, is a smart inside linebacker who is rarely caught out of position and offers all of the intangibles teams love. But he's a marginal athlete and runs a 4.7, which could drop him into the third round.

Tech teammate Keyaron Fox, 6-2, 227, is an athletic and explosive outside linebacker, though undersized. He flashes and is disruptive at the point of attack. Fox can cover backs and tight ends and would be a solid pick in the third round.

ProFootball Weekly says that the Eagles will grab D-Smith.

Everyone looking for "the next Paul Hewitt".

Well, St.John's didn't get their guy Paul Hewitt, but they did get "a young Paul Hewitt". What? Hewitt is barely 40 years old and you're getting a "young" Paul Hewitt. Wow. The new hc is Norm Roberts, an assistant at Kansas (story here). From the article - "Roberts, who withdrew his name from consideration for the SMU job, has been described as a young Paul Hewitt. Hewitt, who has spoken highly of Roberts, guided the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets to the national championship game this season."............ Here's another version chronicling the search and the candidates and the final choice............ Here's the AP Story.............. Here's the NY Post article, which seems to endorse the move. Hewitt even gets quoted. Without heading over to the St.John's boards, my bet is that most of that fickle fan-base is probably ok with this move, even though it is a risk. They all know that aversion to risk 5 years ago cost them Paul Hewitt.

In other coaching news, Miami named Frank Haith their new hoops HC, an assistant with Texas under Rick Barnes. And check out this article reference - "Two weeks ago, Dee set out searching for the next Paul Hewitt, who has taken Georgia Tech's programs to great heights in a relatively short time." So Paul Hewitt has become a catch-phrase, the next big thing......... Here's more on the hire............. Here's one more on the Haith hire.

Guess what - Dwight Howard is going pro....duhh

Looks like a formal decision will be announced on Wednesday. (story here).

Also on Wednesday, Ben Gordon of UConn is expected to enter his name into the draft. (story here).

Also, Lamarcus Aldridge will make it official that he will go to college at Texas, making that recruiting class probably #1 or 2 in the nation. This guy is compared to Chris Bosh a lot. (story here).

UConn goes after vandals

Check this out.................... and the article about them now getting caught.

Pictures of Coach Hewitt throwing out the first pitch

Click here for a handful of photos from the game.

Here are a couple more, donated generously by someone at the Hive:

Clemson Proposal to renovate Death Valley

Check out proposed plans to renovate and add more seats with the "West Endzone" project. (click here for pics).

Where are they now - Tony Hargrove

From ESPN here:

Sleepers: End Tony Hargrove (Georgia Tech) didn't even play in 2003, after he was ruled academically ineligible, but certainly bears consideration. He is a pure outside rusher, who can really get upfield and had double-digit sacks, and might project to linebacker in a 3-4.

Nexst season's hoops recruits

Well, we lose Bynum, Luke, Isma'il, McHenry, Elder.... possibly Jack...... if Morris comes a possibility he goes. If all these things came to pass, we would be looking at 7 departing players (worst case). Needless to say, next season's recruiting class is just as important as the one Coach Hewitt just signed. "FreshJacket2007" over at the Hive just posted a look at some of the key players we are looking at (link here).

Here is the list (with Rivals rankings shown):

PG -
1. Bobby Frasor(IL) - 33rd - Tech in his top 8 - scholly offered; tough hard-nosed player
2. Byron Eaton(TX) - 57th - We're on his radar, should be able to climb up his list with NC appearance (was teammates with Chris Bosh one year)
3. Josh Thornton(DE) - 74th - Not in his top 4, but we are in the mix
4. Denis Clement(FL) - 95th - In the mix
5. Brian McTear(CA) - NR - KU is at the top right now, beating them early next year could move us higher up his list
6. Sean McCurdy(NJ) - NR - Could become a top recruit, coached by Bobby Hurley
7. Justin Wheeler(SC) - NR
8. Jermonte Bush - NR - can put points on the board., from Tallahassee

SG -
1. David Huertas(FL) - 19th - Five Star, in the mix, Ariz and KU leaders, another situation that makes the KU game huge next year (visited by Hewitt last week)
2. Austin Jackson(TX) - 35th - Tech is probably his leader right now, great baseball prospect as well
3. KC Rivers(NC) - 59th - Tech is in the mix along with NCState and Wake, doesn't have any favorites yet
4. Sead Odzic(IL) - 99th - Have a great chance to land this kid if unable to lure Jackson or Rivers

SF -
1. Rashad Woods(TX) - 22nd - Medium interest at the moment
2. Calvin Miles(TX) - 28th - Not strongly in the mix, can play SG
3. Casaan Breeden(SC - Marlboro County) - 47th - In the mix along with a lot of SE schools, no favorites (teammates with Ra'Sean Dickey)
4. Jamal Boykin(CA) - 54th - Great shot at landing this SF
5. Octaviaus Spann(GA - College Park) - 58th - Competing with Louisville and UGAg for this local recruit, great chance at landing him - scholly offered
6. Rasheem Barrett(GA - Stone Mt.) - 68th - Another local SF prospect, many SEC and ACC schools in the mix

PF -
1. Theo Davis(CAN) - 23rd - Rising star from up way North, would be tough to get him so far south
2. Amir Johnson(CA) - 29th - We don't have a great shot at getting Amir, one of the best recruits in the nation
3. Rashad Chase(GA - ATL) - 72nd - We have a great shot at this local big man(6'7, 225)
4. Mike Freeman(MD) - 100th
5. Jay Brown(GA - Griffin) - NR

C -
1. Tyrell Biggs(NJ) - 38th - Big big man with tremendous upside, if we beat KU next year, we have a great shot at landing him

Buck Fredrick the real deal on and off the court

Well, we looked at Anthony Morrow earlier in the week. Now lets look at Zam "Buck" Fredrick. Bottom line - Buck is a winner. He has been on his high school varsity team since he was in 8th grade. They have been to 5 straight state championship games. They won 3 times, including recently in his senior year. Some stats of interest:

8th grade......... 10 points/game
freshman.......... 20 points/game
sophomore....... 25 points/game
junior................ 31 points/game
senior............... 34 points/game (and 8.5 boards, 5 assists, 3.5 steals, shot 52%FG, 79% FT and 42% 3pt)

And how about these academic stats:

#1 in his class
4.5 GPA
1200 SAT score

His game is a combination of long-distance range and ability to get to the hoop. He handles the ball well and seems to get to the free throw line A LOT. He is a big guard at 6ft, 200lb. When I saw him in person, my opinion was that he was not quite ready for a grueling full ACC season. He will benefit from Coach Hewitt's off-season conditioning would help. The great thing is that he is not expected to fill an empty hole. He will have an opportunity to grow and contribute as a #1 back-up with both Jack and Bynum at the PG spots and Elder at SG. He will not have to play major minutes but should defnitely be in the regular rotation.

Just another example of the quality young men Coach is recruiting - smart, well-spoken, talented, coachable. Everything indicates that he is excited about getting to campus and runnin' with his new team. Definitely looks like he will help carry on the legacy for the program.

To see more pictures from my gallery when I saw him in person - click here (the password is "stinger92").