DAILY GEORGIA TECH SPORTS NEWS

Hey,

Scott here. While I am no longer an active blogger on this site, I decided to do a little link magic below which will allow you to come back and visit to get links to all the latest and greatest in GT news, both with current teams and players as well as key nuggets on former players.

Check back often, because it is updated continuously.

GO JACKETS!!!
Scott

GEORGIA TECH NEWS !!!
News links should appear below - some issues at the moment

A** Kicking

As I watched the U score touchdown after touchdown and saw defensive ends tackling Josh, Roddy et. al. six yards in the backfield, I was reminded of Little Bill beating the crap out of English Bob in Unforgiven.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d2sf70d0-FM&feature=related

My observations:

- 3 Offensive TD’s against BCS opponents since UGA.

- If you have the game on DVR, Miami’s defensive line was so dialed in that he was a half step before the snap count all night long. Georgia Tech was tipping the snap count.

- Eight fault start penalties. Eight.

- Derrick Morgan and Morgan Burnett. You’re GT’s two best defensive players. You haven’t made a play in six quarters. That's 4 1/2 hours! Got to start making plays.

- Brad Jefferson and Cedric Griffin. You haven’t made a play against a BCS opponent in twelve quarters. That's nine hours!! Really got to start making plays.

- UNC coming in next week. After that, Mississippi State in Starkville, FSU in Tallahassee, home to VT. 2-5 is just as possible as 5-2.

- How bad of an offensive coordinator is Patrick Nix?

One week to go

The summer is over. The Red Sox have gotten me throught the summer. Good to be blogging again for another football season.


Because of my work schedule, I'll probably be blogging on Friday nights, Saturday mornings and Sunday mornings during the football season. My plan is to link to articles during the week for the Jackets and their upcoming opponent. I'll try to throw in some football stats that I think are interesting as well.


One week to the first exhibition game, 12 days to Clemson. Let's get started.


Georgia Tech


Collegefootballnews.com has the best previews for each team. Here is the preview for the Jackets:

http://cfn.scout.com/2/859852.html

AJC's Doug Roberson talks about what is expected of Izaan Cross, Julian Burnett, and Jemea Thomas http://www.ajc.com/sports/georgia-tech/3-strong-georgia-tech-124668.html. It also appears that Chandler Anderson appears to be the punter to start the season.

Demaryius Thomas feature by Ray Glier of the AJC. It is also learned that Tyler Melton is out for 2 to 4 weeks http://www.thetandd.com/articles/2009/08/29/sports/doc4a98aefbe66cc150082214.txt?FORM=ZZNR7.

Clemson

Collegefootballnews.com preview of the Tigers:

http://cfn.scout.com/2/859844.html

An article on how Dabo Sweeney and his 30 year old offensive coordinator Billy Napier http://www.postandcourier.com/news/2009/aug/27/tigers-better-play-calling-better-be-good/.

An article about Willy Korn rooting for freshman Kyle Parker to fail http://www.upstatetoday.com/news/2009/aug/27/tigers-korn-not-giving-qb-job/.

Dabo Sweeney article http://www.thetandd.com/articles/2009/08/29/sports/doc4a98aefbe66cc150082214.txt?FORM=ZZNR7.

I watched the ESPN college football preview show. Robert Smith and Kirk Herbstreit pick Georgia Tech to win the ACC. Lou Holtz and Lee Corso pick FSU.

Youtube clip of the day:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NyGQ_lyd83E

Check Back Daily for GT News Links

Hey,

Scott here. While I am no longer an active blogger on this site, I decided to do a little link magic below which will allow you to come back and visit to get links to all the latest and greatest in GT news, both with current teams and players as well as key nuggets on former players.

Check back often, because it is updated continuously.

GO JACKETS!!!
Scott

GEORGIA TECH NEWS !!!
News links should appear below - some issues at the moment

Where is Paul Hewitt Taking Georgia Tech?

I decided to take a little bit of time at lunch to bring up something that's on everyone's mind - where is Paul Hewitt taking the Georgia Tech basketball program.

I don't want this to come off as a negative rant, so it's important for you to know up front that I want to see Coach Hewitt succeed bigtime. He's a great representative of the school. He's an outspoken leader for the student-athlete and the Black Coaches Association. He recruits ultra-talented kids of high character, great work ethic and huge potential. So I want to see him take the program to new heights.

Now the problem - he ain't gettin 'er done. What prompted me to put write this are some recent comments from independent groups about our former players.

EXHIBIT 1:
Alade Aminu goes to the Portsmouth Classic (for top seniors) and leads his team to the championship. He shines from day 1 and completely helps his case in getting a shot in the NBA. Here are comments from DraftExpress, who went back and watched Alade in a bunch of film from his GT days:

Aminu didn’t play a very big role this season at Georgia Tech—in fact, he came off the bench for the team’s final 12 games. The fact that he struggled to make an impact on a team that finished last in the ACC and posted a 12-19 record is a bit of a red flag, but as we learned the hard last year with the way Anthony Morrow panned out, players from this team need to be looked at a more in-depth, especially ones who are only 21 years old.

Comparing the way Aminu played at Portsmouth with what we can now see from his film at Georgia Tech reveals a pretty stark contrast—it doesn’t seem like he was utilized very well at all in college from what we can tell. Aminu was an absolute devastating force as a pick and roll finisher for his Norfolk Naval Shipyard team—thanks to his tremendous combination of size, length, terrific hands and excellent mobility. At Georgia Tech he was barely used in this fashion at all—just 4.3% of his offensive possessions came on the pick and roll. They looked incredibly disorganized in the film we took in, with no point guard, no system, and very little ball-movement. It appeared that Aminu often was asked to play very far from the basket, and pretty much all of his shots were opportunities that he was forced to create on his own.

EXHIBIT 2:
Anthony Morrow was one of the purest 3pt shooters in ACC history, yet he never reached that "next" level in college. As a result he wasn't drafted, but signed a free agent deal with Golden State after lighting up the summer leagues. After a 37pt debut, setting a record for undrafted free-agent debuts, he went on to prove hee belonged, by leading the ENTIRE NBA in 3pt shooting percentage. The entire frickin NBA..... as a rookie...... undrafted.

Then I ran across these comments from a nice feel-good story on A-Mo:

How does this happen? How does a guy not get drafted, not get off the bench in two summer league games, and then lead the NBA in 3-point shooting?

We asked some scouts:

^ "If we knew that ... That's a tough one. His coach at Georgia Tech subbed players in and out so he had trouble getting in a rhtyhm. And he didn't put the ball on the floor well. He had limitations."

^ "He was a little hurt his junior year, but it was kind of mind-blowing that he didn't have a bigger role in college. The chemistry wasn't quite right on that team. He was just too good a player and shooter not to be doing more. His freshman year, I thought he had a chance to make (the NBA), but then by his senior year he wasn't playing as much."

"He's one of the best shooters I have ever coached," Head Coach Don Nelson said. "My goodness, what a surprise."

EXHIBIT 3
Gani Lawal declares for the NBA draft (without hiring an agent). Fine. He improved his numbers significantly his sophomore season while his team went into the tank. Into the tank. Then, this quote:

“He’s a lot like a Thaddeus Young, or Chris Bosh, who went into the league somewhat undefined,” Hewitt said, “but because of their tremendous upside, they turned into better players.”

EXHIBIT 4
There are plenty more exhibits. Missing the NCAA's with Chris Bosh and Jarrett Jack. I know, they were freshman. Barely making the NBA with Javaris Crittenton and Thaddeus Young, then bowing out quickly. Squandered potential with guys like RaSean Dickey, Lewis Clinch, and many more. Never a returning PG. Always the one-and-dones. But when we do keep guys like Jeremis Smith, Anthony Morrow, Aminu, Clinch, it just doesn't make the difference either. Injuries - yes I know. Academic casualties - yes I know. There's always a legit reason why.

Why are guys turning into better players later and leaving GT "undefined"?
Why are 4-year guys blossoming in other people's systems after they leave?
Why are scouts starting to realize that you can't judge GT guys based on their college film?
Why are there always reasons to hide the fact that kids just don't get our on-the-court system?
Why is there always a reason things aren't working out?

At the end of the day, I don't have a clue what it takes to run a collegiate basketball program. I don't have a clue how to coach the game on the floor. But results are results, and we don't have to be experts to know things aren't working out. I just wish I had a better feeling about what was going to be done to change it. We already know that all the freshman talent in the world ain't going to get it done. Now what?

A little local Flavor - Matt Ryan Camp

For a friend:

Matt Ryan is doing a camp on June 6th for 7-14 year olds. The official link is: http://procamps.com/toppsmattryan

Also, you will recieve an instant $10 discount for using the code "mattqb".

Hoops Story

Nice win on senior night, but there are issues.

http://www.accsports.com/articles/200903034858/crothers-the-wreck-that-is-georgia-tech.php

Football - 2009 Schedule Thoughts?

So here is the 2009 football schedule. What are your thoughts?

2009 Georgia Tech Football Schedule
Date Opponent Site Time TV
Sept. 5 Jacksonville State ATLANTA TBA TBA
Sept. 10 (Thur.) Clemson
Sept. 17 (Thur.) Miami
Sept. 26 North Carolina
Oct. 3 Mississippi State Starkville, Miss.
Oct. 10 Florida State Tallahassee, Fla
Oct. 17 Virginia Tech ATLANTA
Oct. 24 Virginia Charlottesville, Va.
Oct. 31 Vanderbilt Nashville, Tenn.
Nov. 7 Wake Forest ATLANTA
Nov. 14 Duke Durham, N.C.
Nov. 28 Georgia ATLANTA

Signing Day Thread

Post any signing day info or discussion you would like to have here.

Open Thread

What's on your mind about Georgia Tech Sports?

Quick Hit - Paul Johnson Articles

That LSU bowl thing was quite the debacle. Hard to watch. Hard to take. However, let's just put it behind us as "one of those games".

In the meantime, ACC Sports has published a three part article on Paul Johnson that is quite good:

PART 1
PART 2
PART 3

Great Holiday Video - UGAg Hitler

Back for a quick hit.

GT - LSU Preview Video from Tigersportszone.com

Cool youtube vid put up by a Tigers fan. It's a pretty solid highlight reel for both GT and LSU. Good stuff for getting pumped about the bowl.

Go check out more GT blogs!

Obviously no one has been tending to GTSB lately, but of course we want you to get your GT news and fan commentary all the same. I assume most of you know the message boards The Hive and BBuzzoff, but there are also several solid GT blogs out there. Please go check these out while we're away... as well as when we're around.

• First off, there's the PlayatGaTech.com blog. This is run by the GTAA, and is more of a marketing tool for recruits than anything, but it's a good spot to see where the Jackets have been in the news.
• TheLegacyx4 is definitely the best place right now for your GT blog needs. The language is a bit saltier than around here (but not extreme), so if you're reading with your nine-year-old or something, be aware.

(Note to any GT bloggers out there: If I did not include your site on this list, it is not meant as an insult. It is because the site has not updated much lately. The main point of this post was to offer places where you can expect to read new stuff.)

GT - UGA Highlight video

Video from the GTAA's official football blog.



When you're done checking that out, be sure to watch WSB's clip of DJ Shockley wearing GT gear, a result of a bet between Shockley and Falcons teammate Keith Brooking. The smack talk between Brook and Shock is classic.

Paul Johnson, ACC Coach of the Year

It's official! After CPJ led his first Tech squad to 9-3, above all expectation, Coach Johnson was named ACC COY by the Atlantic Coast Sports Media Association (ACSMA), the same folks who choose the AP All-ACC team.

Coach Johnson will be honored Friday at the ACC Coaches and Awards Luncheon in Tampa, along with other individual winners from around the conference. Congratulations, Coach!

...Now bring on the national hardware.

"The Man Who Broke Our Drought" by James Demby

Last week we referenced the poem "The Man Who Broke the Drought," by Georgia alumnus Harold Walker.

In the comments from our post about the Drought, we learned that the late Mr. Walker's grandson James Demby ended up at Tech, despite his whole family being Dawgs. After Saturday's game, James wrote a poem of his own. His poem follows this funny story he sent along with it.

Thanks a lot of sharing with us, James.

My family had Thanksgiving dinner at my mothers brother's (Harold's son) house, and they asked me to say the blessing. So, I said a blessing giving thanks for how fortunate we all where during these hard times and how fortunate we were to be able to spend the time with family, and at the end I said, "dear God please help Georgia Tech beat Georgia".

Then, Saturday, about twenty minutes after the game ended I received a call from my uncle informing me that I would no longer be saying the blessing at his house ever again.

That is where my pray Thanksgivings line comes from.

"The man who broke our drought"

Now we all revere John Heisman
And Bobby Dodd's praises sing
While talk of 1990
Still makes the heavens ring.
But now we have a new hero,
Oh what glory he's brought back,
We finally beat old Georgia
With his triple option attack.

Stand up ye loyal jackets
Wherever you are this day
Raise up your glass and give a cheer
For magnificent C.P.J.

I cheered him all this season
As he fought for every game
Using an "antique" offense
Where no one man gets the fame.
“Three yards and a cloud of dust,”
His detractors they would say.
Three yards were now quite enough
For wily old C.P.J.

He has not even started
This champion of mine.
He will build a better team
Which hard work will refine.
Though these are not the best of times
Of one fact there's no doubt-
We all can pray Thanksgivings
For the man who broke OUR drought!

James Walker Demby

GT to the Chick-Fil-A Bowl!

Barnhart's saying it at the AJC, and Scott just tweeted it: Georgia Tech will be playing in the Chick-Fil-A Bowl against LSU. (Yeah, I kinda still like calling it the Peach Bowl, but Chick-Fil-A is a product I love so I can accept their corporate overlording of the bowl game.)

The Champs Sports Bowl and Gator Bowl are both still possible, but Barnhart's a reliable source, and the other options don't seem likely to me. The Gator Bowl would be ecstatic to invite Florida State, who will essentially bring a home crowd to Jacksonville. The Chick-Fil-A Bowl, as the AJC noted the other day, strives to arrange the best game possible, and GT is playing well down the stretch. Also, based on listening to "The Good Word" on the radio, it sounds like Radakovich has established a good relationship with Gary Stokan, president of the Chick-Fil-A Bowl.

This will make a rematch of the 2000 Peach Bowl, when Tech got beat by LSU 28-14. I recall how miserable I was on the MARTA ride home from that game, with their corndog-smelling fans. I blame that more on me than them, though; I was in high school and still didn't "get it." Speaking of LSU fans, you'll want to prepare one of these if you're going to tailgate for the bowl game:


Your historical notes on this bowl selection: Georgia Tech has never won the Peach Bowl/CFA Bowl. LSU is undefeated in the Peach Bowl (four appearances). Also, you may hear fans say we play there every four or five years, but that's historically untrue. GT has played in three Peach Bowls: 1971, '78, and 2000.

The one reason we want this bowl invite, despite being o-fer in the series so far? (I learned this face in Cromartie's Clean Old Fashioned Hate.) Only three teams in the country have won each of the seven eight oldest bowls (Rose, Orange, Sugar, Sun, Cotton, Gator, Citrus (CapitalOne), and Liberty): Alabama, Georgia, and Georgia Tech. Only one team has won each of the eight nine oldest bowls (Peach is the eighth ninth): Georgia. If and when we win the Peach Bowl, that will be a point of pride for all Peach State fans, not just the boys up the road.

Congrats to GT's All-ACC winners!

Today, the Associated Press announced their All-ACC team. Georgia Tech had one unanimous selection, Mr. Jonathan Avery Dwyer. Dwyer was the only unanimous selection from ANY team on offense. GT selections listed below, full list here.

The Jackets had more players on the first and second team than any other school. Tech led with seven players selected, followed by Boston College and Florida State with six. (UNC, Clemson & VPI 5; Maryland & UVa 4; Wake & Duke 3; Miami 2; NC State 1)

First place votes are two points; second-place votes one point. The All-ACC team was selected by the 67 members of the Atlantic Coast Sports Media Association.

Offense
First Team
Jonathan Dwyer, RB (134 votes)
Andrew Gardner, OT (107)

Second Team
Cord Howard, OG (45)

Defense
First Team
Michael Johnson, DE (99)
Vance Walker, DT (62)

Second Team
Darryl Richard, DT (50)
Morgan Burnett, S (85)

Honorable Mention
Derrick Morgan, DE (26)

Sucks to be You (G A)!

Here are some sweet GT-over-GA-styled Demotivators. I saved the best for last.

(Note: Someone posted these to facebook. If you made them and you'd like to see your name here, just post in the comments and I'll give credit where credit's due.)