Looking Ahead to Blacksburg

Great win Thursday against the Cavs, nice to finally get one back against those guys. They are rebuilding this year and I am sure they will get better, but it seems like things are lining up for this year and we caught an opponent who traditionally gives us fits on a down year. Next week we travel up to Lane Stadium, last year's House of Horrors. I remember being on such a high when we went in there last year and how quickly it came crashing down after we got it handed to us. Hopefully this year we get some payback against those guys and move into the driver's seat for the ACC Championship Game. Don't think we will beat them 51-7, but it promises to be a tough, defensive battle which we will need to play smart, turnover-free football to win. I found this on the Columbus Ledger-Enquirer Site, enjoy. -yb

From the Associated Press...

Yellow Jackets get ready for another Tech-Tech showdown

PAUL NEWBERRY
Associated Press

ATLANTA - A year ago, Georgia Tech traveled north with hopes of becoming a force in the Atlantic Coast Conference race.
After a 51-7 blowout by Virginia Tech, it was clear the Yellow Jackets weren't ready to make a serious run at the championship.
Next week, they'll get another chance to see if they're contender or pretender.
"You don't get over it, especially a loss like that," said quarterback Reggie Ball, who wasn't at full strength for last season's game after being hospitalized with meningitis. "We've got to practice that much harder next week because we know what we're facing."
The Yellow Jackets (3-1, 1-0 Atlantic Coast Conference) had no trouble in their league opener, coasting past offensively challenged Virginia 24-7 Thursday night.
That left nine days to prepare for a road game against the No. 11 Hokies (3-0, 2-0), who will host non-conference foe Cincinnati on Saturday.
"We're putting points on the board and the defense is doing a real good job of stopping them," said Calvin Johnson, Georgia Tech's star receiver. "We're real confident right now."
This is yet another chance for the Yellow Jackets to break out of the seven-win rut they've been stuck in since 2002. The winner of the Tech-Tech matchup becomes the obvious front-runner in the ACC's Coastal Division, which doesn't look very formidable with Miami struggling and the other three schools - Virginia, North Carolina and Duke - already heading toward miserable years.

Follow the link below to read the entire article.

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Macon Telegraph Tech Roundup

If you don't regularly check out the Macon Telegraph, you should. Their Tech coverage is usually on par with, and sometimes better than the AJC. Here is what they have to say about the Jackets as they gear up to face Troy. Enjoy, yb.

From the Macon Telegraph...

Troy Spreads Around Offense - Charles Odum, AP

Lewis Adjusts Easily to Position Change - AP

Follow the link below to check out all the M-T content.

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That's What I Love About Gameday...

EDSBS first reported this, and if it holds true for the rest of the season, it could be the most disturbing thing to happen to college football since Tulane went undefeated. Apparently, ESPN/ABC Gameday now is going to forgo big matchups if they are being broadcast on rival networks, CBS in this case. This would mean that ESPN Gameday, an awesome institution which has made it worthwhile for people to get up before 11 on Saturdays will now pass if the biggest matchup of the week is not being carried on ABC that night.

This weekend, the "Game of the Week" is now Nebraska v. USC???!?! On the same weekend that UF and Tennessee square off and both sets of Tigers go at it? You have to be kidding me. Florida v. Tennessee is one of the classic rivalries in college football and you are going to tell me that Nebraska v. USC is more important in the scheme of things? This game is only going to expose Nebraska as a pretender or make the pundits look smart so they can say, "See USC hasn't missed a step." Is ABC going to tell me that Auburn v. LSU holds less implications for the National Title picture? This is a joke.

I am a capitalist and I would not ask ABC to not do its best to make money, but Gameday should broadcast from whatever game has the most importance that week in the grand scheme of things. This is a subjective measure and I am sure Nebraska thinks this game is huge, but it matters if you are calling something the "Game of the Week". More often than not, this will not be a problem, it is just a particularly awesome week in SEC football. Most weeks, this new move by ABC will serve to promote the biggest non-conference matchup in the country, a noble goal. Unless the biggest non-conference matchup in the country is being played at an SEC (read CBS) stadium. -yb

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Dawan Landry to Start in Ravens Opener

No mention of P.J., but it looks like Landry will get to start for Baltimore against Tampa Bay this Sunday. Is P.J. still on the team? Need a PJ update.

From News Channel 8, Washington D.C. -

BUCCANEERS OFFENSE VS. RAVENS DEFENSE

Patrolling the Baltimore secondary and looking to make Simms pay for any mistakes will be free safety Ed Reed (37 tackles, 1 INT), yet another Ravens player attempting to rebound from a substandard 2005 showing. One season after notching a league-high nine interceptions, Reed was severely limited by a high ankle sprain last year, missing six games and looking like a shadow of his former self in several others. When healthy, Reed (who shifts from strong safety) will combine with corners Chris McAlister (1 INT) and Samari Rolle (1 INT) to form one of the most talented secondary units in the league. The newcomer to the starting group is strong safety Dawan Landry, a fifth-round draft choice out of Georgia Tech who picks up a first-string job following the free agent defection of Will Demps to the Giants. Anchoring the Baltimore pass rush will be ends Terrell Suggs (8 sacks, 2 INT) and Trevor Pryce (4 sacks with Denver). Pryce comes to the Ravens after amassing 63 sacks in nine seasons with the Broncos.

Follow the link below to read the entire article.

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AJC GT Roundup

Samford coming up doesn't necessarily create a lot of buzz in the sporting world, especially with the Dawgs and South Carolina squaring off this weekend, but here are the links to the GT content on the Journal-Constitution. -yb

Dietician Tips the Scales in Jacket's Favor - by Mike Knobler

Nix: Third-down intensity needs work - by Matt Winkeljohn

Tech Beat Blog - by Matt Winkeljohn

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Molder Shares First Round Lead in Utah

From Golf Magazine Online...

Molder and Parel ahead in Utah

Sandy, UT (Sports Network) -

Bryce Molder and Scott Parel each fired rounds of eight-under-par 64 on Thursday to share the first-round lead at the Utah Classic at Willow Creek Country Club.

Ken Duke and Craig Lile are knotted in third place at minus-seven. Aaron Barber, Michael Putnam and former U.S. Amateur champion Jeff Quinney share fifth place at six-under-par 66.
Molder began on the 10th hole Thursday and promptly chipped his third shot to three feet to set up birdie at the par-five hole. Two holes later, at the next par five, he pitched inside a foot for his second birdie.

At the par-three 15th, Molder hit an eight-iron to eight to set up birdie. The former Georgia Tech standout closed his opening nine with a 12-foot birdie putt at 17 and an eight-footer at the par-four closing hole.

Follow the link below to read entire article.

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Notre Dame Thoughts

Yesterday was hump day and now it is time to start focusing on Samford, but let me just throw in my thoughts on the game and ND in general.

1. ESPN Gameday was awesome. Our tailgate was set up right next to Bunger-Henry and so we could see almost everything. I love that this game had so much press and excitement around it. The only thing I was surprised about was how quickly they tore everything down after the show. I was a student when they came to campus in 2000, and I don't really remember that much about it, so maybe this is the way they do things. Either way, it was awesome to have so much of the college football world focused on Tech and our game with the Irish. And there were no UGA flags.

2. The game was great. It seemed like 12 hours of tailgating had worn people out by the second half, but everyone still managed to get up for the big plays and for the most part the stadium was going bananas. Notre Dame fans were really cool and with few exceptions have I ever had such football focused discussions with an opponent's fans. I was very impressed and would look forward to a game with Notre Dame any time. I think a lot of the Tech fans I spoke with felt the same.

As for my last post which drew so much fire from Notre Dame fans, not that I think any of you are reading now that the game is over and you have Penn State to think about and post angry comments on their blogs, get over it. You are Notre Dame fans, your school is probably the greatest football program of all time. People love to take shots at those who are on top. Because you are so prolific the times when you fall short or take missteps, perceived or real, it gets noticed. Do you think the Yankees care that everyone wants their team plane to crash in a fiery inferno?

I posted my buddy's article to stir up emotions before the game. He constantly rants about Notre Dame and chose to collect all of his thoughts in one article. I do not care that much about Notre Dame but he does, so I did not fact check. If there were factual errors, I am sorry. Please note that my friend's article was posted BEFORE THE GAME. I have nothing but respect for Notre Dame and their fans and I hope you run the table from here on out. Your team was classy and so were your fans. I have no hard feelings about the game and I hope no one else does either.

Now onto Samford...lets score at least one touchdown a half, and show the world we got game. -yb