Bird from the fine upstanding Georgia Tech blog From the Rumble Seat was nice enough to help us prepare for Saturday's game against the Yellow Jackets by answering a few questions. But since neither of us really care that much about basketball, it kind of devolved into chest thumping and jocularity about November's football game.
GC: Why has Georgia Tech's basketball team been so bi-polar this year?
FTRS: Youth is the number one excuse in our book. A lot of Tech fans don't want to hear this excuse but imagine a football team that allocates 40% of its playing time to freshmen. 43% of our starting lineups have been freshmen. That's the equivalent of starting nine true freshmen on a football team. The inexperience has proven to be a true burden on the road as costly end-of-game turnovers have done us in in single possession games.
GC: Should Paul Hewitt start updating his resume?
FTRS: FTRS is a big time Georgia Tech homer blog but the sentiment is currently 221:23 in opposition of Hewitt's ability to coach our team. A lot of faith has been lost over the years as Tech has failed to win ANY postseason games since 2005's win over George Washington in the first round of the NCAAT.
FTRS doesn't think Hewitt is leaving any time soon though. Hewitt has a 7 million dollar buyout due to some weird clauses put in his contract by previous athletic director, Dave Braine. If Hewitt doesn't reach the tournament this season, then it may be time for him to respectfully step down. But we don't think Tech fans have the financial motivation to push him out.
GC: You guys coming to the 'Burg Nov. 4?
FTRS: Bird - I'm going. My G/F is from the Richmond area but has friends scattered all across Virginia including family (free place to stay) near Blacksburg. I plan on attending the shamockery that is a night game in Blacksburg. My only concern is crowd hostility. I've been fortunate enough to only attend games in the early day where VT's finest are more subdued.
Winfield/Dane/Ted were unavailable for questioning so I am telepathing their thoughts through my typing hands:
Ted - I will not be able to make it because I am in Kansas. Have arrived to find Fort Sedgewick deserted. Am now waiting for garrison's return or word from headquarters. The post is in exceedingly poor condition, and I have assigned myself clean-up duty beginning tomorrow. Supplies are abundant, and the country is everything I dreamed it would be. There can be no place like this on earth.
Dane - Why wouldn't I go to Blacksburg on November 4th? Did someone tell you I wouldn't be? Is there something wrong with Virginia in November? If I come, can I listen to Red Hot Chili Peppers for sixteen straight hours on the car ride there and back? What food is good in Blacksburg?
Winfield - Depends on my job's location when I graduate. My life is a twisting, turning path of choice and there's no telling where the wind may take me. If my final destination is Bermuda or Inuit Territory, I probably will not make it. If my final destination is D.C., then I'll be there with one of those hard hats that has two cans of brew on the sides. I will also wear a t-shirt that reads, "|-|0|
GC: Which departing assistant was the biggest blow for the Jackets? My pick is Ciano.
FTRS: While your pick is a good start, FTRS believes that the loss of defensive line coach and recruiting coordinator Giff Smith was a greater blow. Giff's units usually performed (minus the 2009 travesty). Giff pulled in some solid recruiting classes including the 2006 class that may have up to four guys drafted in the first two rounds. Only time will tell with our new recruiting coordinator from NC State.
GC: Al Groh?
FTRS: Dan Radakovich and Paul Johnson sat in a dark, smoke filled room and discussed what fire needed more gasoline. Clemson is already a pretty solid rivalry as we've met the Tigers about 75 times. The uga rivalry doesn't need anymore fuel - it's nasty enough. But VT is our only legitimate perennial division title competition.
Who hates VT? Who hates UVA (another Coastal rival)? Who has seen more game film on VT than Frank Beamer and Bud Foster combined? Who is cheap because of a weird line in his buyout deal? Al Groh. He'll work extra special hard to ensure that VT doesn't defeat the Jackets next season. He'll also ensure that we pound the Cavs again. Hell, he can't be worse than what we had in that terrible zone blitz 4-2-5 stack scheme. That garbage stymied the Hokies somehow so Tech fans feel with some semblance of a defense, we can repeat as division champs and TCOB. It's all about the Battle of the Techs and we're the ones with the Belt.