GT - F$U Analysis & Obama-ween

First of all, Happy Halloween to all! Though I won't be doing anything today for it, I will be sporting the bunny suit at the game tomorrow, so be on the lookout for a bunny in a gold shirt!

But to football - tomorrow at 3:30, the Jackets take on the Criminoles from Free Shoes University (ABC on TV). A big game for both schools no doubt, as a win by either team will lock up a bowl bid.

Losing the Streak

FSU comes in having won 12 straight against Tech, the most recent being a 14-13 win in Tallahassee, in which the Jackets blew a 13-0 fourth-quarter lead. The last time Tech beat the Noles was a 30-0 win in 1975 in Atlanta. CPJ himself noted that he was a senior in HS the last time Tech notched a win against the Bowden-ators. Both teams are very different from the two teams that met in September of 03 (Reggie's freshman year along with Ernie Sims (Lions LB) for the Noles). Should FSU win tomorrow, Tech will have another chance to win next fall in Tallahassee (but let's just take of business tomorrow, ok?)

Win one for the Gipper?

In what very well could be Bobby Bowden's last year in Tallahassee, the Noles have compiled a very respectable 6-1 record up to this point (for reference's sake, they've finished 7-6, 7-6, and 8-5 in the last three years) and are currently ranked #15 in the BCS. A win in Atlanta would certainly be a huge "program" win, but would also be big for what might be Bowden's last year. With Clemson, BC, @Maryland, and UF left on the schedule, a Noles win would put them in a position to finish at least 9-3 and probably lock up a spot in Tampa to represent the ACC Atlantic.

No "W" in "Schedule", but there is only one "L"...

Splitting Tech's season into thirds, the Jackets clearly are in the toughest third of their schedule. The first and second thirds resulted in 3-1 records each, and a 3-1 record in this last third would be nothing short of incredible. FSU is definitely no doormat, but things only get worse from here, with a Thursday night game in mid-November sandwiched between road trips to Chapel Hill and Athens. I don't think Tech will lose them all, but to avoid that, Tech could use the confidence boost provided by a win this weekend.

QB Controversy: Part II?

All over campus this week, many emotionally-driven students have been calling for CPJ to play Shaw a lot more this week, some even saying that if he was in, we would've had a better shot to beat UVA. I respectfully disagree. Though the two fumbles on Saturday really hurt, Nesbitt has made plays all season that I'm not sure Jaybo makes. His athleticism essentially won us the game at BC in early September. CPJ has stated that Shaw might get one or two series in, but if Nesbitt is effective, expect him to play the whole game. Like they say, two qbs = no qb.

Injury Bug

Both teams have been hit with tough injuries. FSU could be without their top two RBs, who are still questionable. Tech is still without senior CB Jahi Word-Daniels, and backup CB Dominique Reese, who has had an INT in three straight, is also questionable after sustaining a head injury last week against the Cavs. The Noles will also be without their #2 WR, Corey Surrency, who has been suspended by Bowden for tomorrow's game.

Third down and...fourth

The Noles defense currently leads the nation in 3rd-down defense, allowing a measley 17.4% of their opponent's third downs to be converted successfully, which is first by around eight percentage points. On the flip side, Tech is converting a respectable 40% of their 3rd downs, good enough for 60th in D1. If Tech isn't able to get solid yardage on first and second down, it's gonna be a long day offensively for the Jackets.

Prediction

This one really is a toss-up. A very even matchup on paper. Two very good defenses, and two offenses still looking for week-to-week consistency. Nothing sticks out that says one team has a solid advantage over the other. But the home factor comes into play here. I don't think Tech loses two in a row at home, not under CPJ. He's been beating up the defense all week (who by the way missed a whopping 30 tackles last weekend) and I think they'll come out with an attitude tomorrow. I see Tech winning 23-21, with the bunny being the difference-maker.

Obama the Candyman?

Check out this audio-only video of Obama-nomics in action...Halloween style:

One of the funniest things ever...

Just visit this website:

http://mingle2.com/dating/phases

I'll have a bit of pre-game GT-F$U analysis tomorrow, followed by some pre- and post-election words on Monday and Wednesday, respectively.

Enjoy.

This never gets old...

This SNL clip was from early 2007 (i think?) and it's still as funny today as it was then.  Enjoy.

The Power of Forgiveness

This morning in church, Abby talked about forgiveness.  The service was very powerful, one of those times you could feel God working in the hearts of everybody in the room.  

I'm presenting to you a great story of forgiveness and the power of love over revenge in a very real sense.  I'll be sharing this story later this school year with my small group, and though this is about six months old, it's impact could last for much much longer.

Tech QB deals with guilt, gratitude
Walk-on Bryce Dykes involved in fatal car accident one year ago

By CURTIS BUNN
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 04/21/08

In Georgia Tech's first intra-squad football scrimmage, walk-on quarterback Bryce Dykes escaped the pocket, got hit and lost his helmet. He plowed on nonetheless, gaining 15 yards and even more in respect from his peers.

It was one of the rare moments in the past year that Dykes was lost in something other than grief.

Recently, he was in a Gwinnett County courtroom, accepting two years' probation for his role in an auto crash that killed Linda Lin Zhu, 40.

Since that night, March 9, 2007, Dykes, 19, a National Honor Society student from Norcross, has suffered guilt, depression and doubts about his future — which brightened when the victim's husband forgave him during an emotional courtroom scene.

"At times, it's been really hard to get through," Dykes said after a recent Tech practice. "It's something that always will be there with me. I'm not going to just forget."

Swiftly, sadness shrouded his face. "But the Zhu family," Dykes said, looking away, "it's something they live with every day, too. More than me."

At the Gwinnett Arena last year, Dykes and a group of friends were among dozens of Norcross High School students who painted their faces blue and cheered wildly as their classmates captured their second straight AAAAA boys state basketball championship.

Not far away, at First Chinese Christian Church in Norcross, the Rev. Michael Zhu was wrapping up a service with his congregation.

Later, the Rev. Zhu, wife Linda and two other friends headed home; Dykes and two friends were en route to school for a post-championship celebration. At the intersection of Peachtree Industrial and South Berkeley Lake Road, they came together.

Forever.

Dykes' Jeep Cherokee struck the rear of the Rev. Zhu's Nissan Altima. Linda Zhu, who was riding in the back seat, was rushed to Atlanta Medical Center. She died.

"Two joyous evenings coming together in a horrible way," said Drew Findling, the lawyer representing Dykes. "Just minutes before, both parties were celebrating."

Dykes was charged on March 30, 2007, with homicide by vehicle in the second degree. There was no evidence of speeding, alcohol or drug use. An investigation determined he was following too closely. Dykes eventually pleaded guilty to reckless driving.

He and his family asked permission to attend the wake of Linda Lin Zhu. The Rev. Zhu agreed. At the viewing, the Rev. Zhu embraced Dykes, who wept.

The two men came together once more at the sentencing hearing.

Dykes, crying the entire time, addressed the Zhu family, apologizing for his actions while asking for forgiveness.

"It's the most emotional thing I've ever seen in 23 years of doing this," said Findling, the lawyer. "That one hour captured the emotions of everyone there: the judge, deputies ... It was draining for everyone."

The Rev. Zhu had already planned to ask the judge for leniency toward Dykes. "That is the attitude I have in this life," he said. "It's my philosophy on the way to live."

The Rev. Zhu said he was made aware by his lawyer and others that Dykes is "a good kid, good football player" and National Honors Society member. "And I saw that he was a good person because he didn't hit and run. And he was very honest," the Rev. Zhu said.

"When he spoke, he was crying. He was sincere. I knew it. He was very sorry and regretful. Also, as a parent of a 16-year-old [son], it was very easy for me to put myself in his parents' shoes.

"I told the judge: 'There should be a balance. We should keep the integrity of the law. But we also should teach.' "

Judge Randy Rich agreed. As part of the reckless driving plea, Dykes is on probation and is required to speak to youths about the necessity of being safe drivers.

The Rev. Zhu's kindness and mercy have astonished the Dykes household.

"An amazing man," said Darryl Dykes, Bryce's father. "I just can't imagine the excruciating pain he has been in, and yet he has allowed us and Bryce to express our regret and sorrow. As hard as it has been for us, I know it has by far been hardest on him and his family. And I just could not imagine being as gracious as he has been with us."

Said Bryce Dykes, whose parents are Tech graduates: "Their family was a lot more receptive than I would have been. They were gracious and merciful. It was surprising, but Reverend Zhu is a great man."

The Rev. Zhu said he is behaving the way he thinks his wife would want.

"Everybody makes mistakes," he said. "Hating doesn't help. Hating cannot bring Linda back to life. It's most important how you deal with it and provide a future for the living ones. My wife would do the same thing. If I meet her in heaven, she will say I did the right thing."

 

Forgiveness is one of the most difficult challenges we as humans face.  After any amount of pain caused by another person, who really wants to say "it's ok that you messed up, and I will no longer hold that against you"?  It's so easy to hold a grudge.  So easy to hate.  So easy to be bitter about someone else's wrong against you.  Forgiving someone is what's not easy.  It sucks.  It takes a super-human love, something that only God can provide us.  Saying "I forgive but I will not forget" is not enough.  We must put our pain fully in God's hands.  This is something He's been teaching me over the past month or so, and today, I was finally able to let go.  I am so thankful to God that He gave me the strength to let go.  Though the pain is still there, I know after some time it will pass away, and there God will be, loving me like He always has and will despite so many reasons on my behalf for Him not to.

I'll end this post with this verse, from Ephesians 4:32..."Be kind and compassionate to one another, just as in Christ God forgave you."

GT vs. Wa-who's?

Tomorrow, the Yellow Jackets entertain the Cavaliers from Charlottesville at 3:30 on ESPU.  Tech comes in having won 11 straight homecoming contests (including a 2003 victory over Philip Rivers and his NC State Wolfpack team), and is a 11.5-point favorite in this contest.

GT D-line vs. UVA O-line

Tech comes in leading the ACC in sacks, while UVA leads the ACC in fewest sacks allowed.  Keep in mind too that the Jackets lead the nation in tackles-for-loss, and should they continue being successful in that department, it's gonna be a long day for the Virginia offense.

Solid article from the AJC about the anticipated matchup between two 1st-round NFL prospects in GT DE Michael Johnson and UVA OT Eugene Monroe, I would encourage everyone to check it out.  Too many times we forget that the game of football is won on the lines.  The old cliche "run the ball and stop the run" still holds true for consistent winning teams.

A different type of streaking...

Tech comes in having won four straight (Miss. State, Duke, Gardner-Webb, @Clemson), while the Cavs have won three straight (Maryland, East Carolina, UNC).   Not sure how much of a role this will play for the Jackets, but I think UVA will have quite a bit of confidence coming in to tomorrow's game.

Home is where the [win] is

Despite low attendance numbers at BDS this year, Tech has enjoyed a perfect 4-0 record at the friendly confines of the Flats this season, by a combined score of 116-28.  UVA however hasn't enjoyed any success on the road, losing their only two road games (@UConn, @Duke) by a combined 76-13.  Extrapolating and averaging, Tech should win 29-7.  Then again, games aren't played on paper.

Also kinda strange...the home team in this series has won every game since 1995, with the exception of a 30-10 UVA win in Atlanta in 2004.  Home field advantage means almost everything in this series, and hopefully we'll see that continue on for at least this year.

3-4 = -1?

UVA is one of the few D1 teams to run the 3-4 defense (for the non-football-savvy of you out there, this means that they use three down lineman and four linebackers as their primary defensive setup; most teams, including Tech, use a 4-3 defense).  Tech faced this scheme against Jax State and Miss State, and those games turned out pretty well for us.  Hopefully this trend will continue tomorrow...

Revenge Factor?

Last year, Tech lost to the Wahoos 23-28 in Charlottesville that Tech could have (and probably should have) won.  Luckily I was at Jekyll Island for our state BCM fall conference so I didn't have to watch us lose.  But I imagine the guys who played for us last year have this memory fresh on their minds and are excited about the chance to redeem last year's game that slipped away.

Last Cavalier visit to Atlanta

The Cavs visited the Jackets for a Thursday night matchup two years ago, but I guess the UVA offense forgot to get on the bus.  Tech won handily 24-7 (wasn't that close), with UVA's seven coming on a second-half, fourth-and-goal trash TD.  CJ had a huge night, including the following long TD (his first of two):

Prediction
Frankly, this game kinda scares me.  Everything, and I mean everything, says we should win this game.  11 straight homecoming victories, GT's perfect home record and UVA's winless road record, the 11.5 line set by the "experts", etc.  On paper, we should win this 23890-0.
Despite the potential trap, I think Tech wins this one handily as well.  UVA is frankly overmatched, and may slow us down for a half (similar to what Duke did), but CPJ will know what to adjust in order to win.  We probably lose this one under Chan Gailey, but no more.  Tech wins 27-13 thanks to 300+ yards on the ground and continues the homecoming streak.
Other Happenings
A...tricylce race?
Tonight is one of Tech's many annual homecoming traditions, the Mini-500.  This race involves a team of four racers driving (if that's what you want to call it) a modded tricycle around Peters Parking Deck on Tech's East Campus.  The race is 15 laps long for the guys, 10 for the ladies.  Speaking from personal experience (I participated last year), this is one of the most grueling physical activities there is, as the race features a ~100 foot stretch up Freshman Hill.  This is no race for pansies, believe me.
UGAy at LSU
The doggies travel to Baton Rouge tomorrow (3:30 on CBS).  The losing team is basically out of the SEC race and the Nat'l Title race, while the winner is vaulted into serious contention for the big chalupa.  LSU comes in after a less-than-desirable 1-1 road trip to Gainesville (21-51 L) and Columbia (24-17 W).  Last time the pups visited BR resulted in a 17-10 win for the Tigers.  I'm hoping the Tigers absolutely destroy the pups on their way to a 6-1 record.  Even if the doggies win, they'll have to faced a pissed-off UF team next Saturday in Jacksonville.
VPI at Free Shoes U.
This rematch of the inaugural ACC championship has a lot riding on it, even outside of wins and losses.  A win by VPI would put them on track to pretty much win the ACC Coastal division and lock up a spot to Tampa win only Maryland, Miami, Duke and UVA left after that.  A win by the Criminoles, coupled with a Tech win over the Cavaliers, puts GT in the driver's seat in the Coastal division, though a tough road remains.  Let's hope FSU can help us out and pull off a big win.
I hope a great weekend to all!  Election Day is less than two weeks away, so get out there and register to vote (if you still can and have not already; whatever you do, don't vote for obama...)!

A Sad Day (Year) for Braves Fans...

Earlier this year, the Braves broadcast team lost a legend in the form of Skip Caray, son of Harry Caray, in his sleep on the night of August 3rd.  Today, the other man in the duo that told the tales of the greatest sports franchise, Pete Van Wieren, retired after 33 years of entertaining Braves audiences everywhere.  Pete, you'll certainly be missed, and especially after the loss of one of the most iconic broadcasters ever.  Here's to you, Pete.

GT - BCS Sleeper?

This article from College Football News seems to think so.  Their weekly Tuesday Question article is about possible BCS sleepers, and one of the writers lists Georgia Tech as one of these teams:

Q: The sleeper team to watch out for in the BCS race is … 

A: Georgia Tech. The Yellow Jackets have gelled under first-year coach Paul Johnson much faster than anyone could have guessed. And since the team is still adjusting to a new offense and an entirely new staff, it’s safe to assume that its best football will be played in the second half. Josh Nesbitt has been a nice fit at quarterback in the option, and the defensive front is dominating opponents, making life easier on the back seven. In a wide-open ACC, 6-1 Tech has as good a chance as anyone to win the league and represent it in a BCS bowl game. Doesn’t it feel like a decade ago that Chan Gailey was perennially underachieving with this program?

Sarah Palin Rap - SNL

If you missed SNL this past Saturday (like I did), I've posted the video here for your viewing pleasure.

GT-Clemson Breakdown

Nothing short of a huge win for the Jackets this past Saturday, 21-17 over Clemson at "Death Valley".  Some tidbits from the game:

The Bad

We're still turning the ball over way too much.  Three fumbles overall, lost two of them.  We can't continue to put the ball on the ground and expect to win.  That being said, it says a lot about a team who can overcome turnovers (and a fourth-quarter deficit) and still find a way to win.

Tough luck for starting CB Jahi Word-Daniels.  He pulled up on Clemson's first TD with a pulled hamstring, which unfortunately happened during the play and left him unable to make a play on the ball and possibly prevent the TD.  JWD left the game and didn't return.  

Dropped passes.  The biggest one obviously was Thomas' dropped pass in the end zone.  He made up for it though.  IMO, the bigger drop was by Earls (#15) on a 3rd and long in the 3rd quarter.  You can't afford to drop passes in big games like this, they'll come back to bite you eventually.

The Good

Defense was outstanding...again.  Only 249 total yards allowed and they forced SIX turnovers, including two picks by Morgan Burnett and a pick-six by Dominique Reese for Tech's first TD.  Can't say enough about the great job our d has been doin all year.

We finally caught a break w/ the penalties.  Clemson had two questionable calls go against them at critical points in the game.  The first was a running into the kicker call on a Scott Blair punt right before halftime.  With what happened, the call had to be made, but it was probably just a good acting job.  Nesbitt later scored on a QB keeper for Tech's 2nd TD.  The second penalty was a holding call on 4th-and-13 late in the 4th quarter.  Cullen Harper had just completed a 30-yard pass to give the Tigers a first down, but it was called back for the holding.  Looking at the replay, it looks like Derrick Morgan just fell down, but from where the ref was standing it probably looked to him like a holding.  Not that either of these penalties won the game for us, but they probably made a difference.  Keep in mind that a game is not won or lost on two plays.

Great job by the whole team to make another 4th quarter comeback on the road.  It's no easy task, especially at a place like Clemson.  This team has a whole new attitude, and I gotta believe we woulda lost this one had Chan been at the helm.

Also can't say enough about HC Paul Johnson.  It's clear that this team has a do-or-die, never-gonna-give-up attitude.  He expects to win every game and so does this team.

MVP - K/P Scott Blair

Outstanding game by our kicker Scott Blair.  He made two tackles on kickoffs, the second one being the biggest.  With Clemson's Gilchrist running down the sideline on his way to an apparent return TD, Blair chases him down and gets the tackle around our 40.  He put on the afterburners (if kickers have them) to make what might have been the game-saving tackle.  Not to mention getting four of his seven punts inside the Clemson 20.  His only mishap was a missed 50-yard FG; can't really blame him for that one.

Rankings & New Expectations

Yesterday was a day of firsts for this season.  First time the Jackets enter the polls (#21 Coaches and AP).  First BCS ratings of this season, in which the Jackets are a respectable #18.

My only issue with all of this is too-high expectations.  At the beginning of the season, most people would have told you that we would win 4 or 5 games, or 6 at the absolute most.  Now that we are 6-1 (some consider us the best in the ACC), a lot of our fan base is expecting us to win every game.  Not that we shouldn't hope that we'll win out, but we need to face reality.  We have an incredibly tough remaining schedule (UVA, FSU, @UNC, Miami, and @UGAy along with a possible ACCCG appearance), and it might be too much to ask of a young team w/ a new offense to win them all.  The players should absolutely believe and expect to win every game, but we as fans cannot.  If we do, when/if we lose we get upset and start to think "we shoula won this game".  Well you know, you can't win em all.  CPJ and the team will do all they can to win each game, but sometimes, the other team is just better.

Side Notes

Huge game for Calvin "the Freak" Johnson yesterday for the Lions in a losing effort to the Vikings.  He had two catches--one for 58 yards and the other for a 96-yard TD.  No, that wasn't a typo.  NFL.com has a video of the catch, but it's not working for me (maybe it will for you).  Maybe they should just line him up at QB, I'm sure he has a respectable arm.  If not, then just trade him to a team that will allow him to flourish.

The boys in Chestnut Hill got a big win for us Saturday of VPI, 28-23 despite having a -4 TO margin for the game.  That loss by VPI puts us in a much better situation to win the Coastal division.  Assuming we win our remaining conference games, VPI only has to lose one more conference game for us to lock up our spot at Tampa.  Just like us, VPI's road isn't easy at all, with remaining games @FSU, Maryland, @Duke, @Miami, and UVA.

Party in Tampa

Quick word of congratulations to the Rays of Tampa Bay for winning game seven of the ALCS last night 3-1 over the Boston Red Sox. I'm not a fan of either team, but I've been rooting for the Rays throughout these playoffs. I will continue to do so as the Rays begin the Fall Classic against the phils starting this Wednesday in Tampa...err...St. Petersburg.

Side note: the GT homecoming shirts are pretty sweet. Got my first one since being a Techie (might as well considering it's my last year).

I'll have GT-Clemson break down later today, but for now, I have class (and hopefully we'll be getting our tests back).

Tech-Clemson Preview

Tomorrow the Jackets travel up 85 to take on the Tigers of Clemson University at 12 (TV: ESPN, Radio: 790 the Zone).  For those of you living in a cave for the past week, Clemson fired head coach Tommy Bowden on Monday (they say he "resigned", but that doesn't tell the whole story of how much pressure he's been under for underperforming).

At the least, tomorrow's game has a lot of meaning for both programs.  Tech needs a win to stay in the Coastal division title hunt (along with two VPI conference losses).  A win at Clemson would leave the Jackets one win away from their 12th straight bowl bid with UVA, Free Shoes U., @UNC, Thug U, and UGAy left.  Clemson needs a win for respect and confirmation that they made the right move by ousting CTB.  A win by Tech would put Clemson at 3-4, with @BC, @FSU, Duke, @UVA, and USC left.  

The Offensive O-Line

So I have a class with one of our offensive lineman, Joseph Gilbert.  Gotta be honest, the guy looks like a rhino, and I would not want to be lining up across the LOS from him.  Unfortunately, like every aspect of football, the O-line isn't about one guy.  It's about five guys working together to open up holes for Nesbitt, Dwyer, and the A-backs.  I believe the line will be much improved after last week's poor effort (only 79 yards on the ground, 210 short of our season average).  Then again, don't be surprised if Clemson's D is playing with passion tomorrow after the emotional turmoil this past week, which could make things worse for our O-line.  Good article about our line and how they've had a tough time transitioning to the CPJ's new schemes (though you wouldn't know it considering we're 8th in the nation in rushing ypg).

Nesbitt Returns

Sophmore QB Josh Nesbitt will be making his first start in three weeks on Saturday after suffering a pulled hamstring in the first drive of the 38-7 win over Miss. State.  He says he's mentally ready for the Clemson game, but it's hard for any player to get used to the speed of the game after a prolonged injury-induced layoff.  Nesbitt might get off to a slow start cause of some rust, but expect him to be back to 100% mentally after the first drive (also--a slow Nesbitt is much better than Booker in at QB).

Clemson wins if...

They win the turnover battle.  And Willy Korn has a near perfect game and throws no picks.  And Davis rushes for over 100 yards.  It will take a balanced attack by the Clemson offense to keep Tech's ferocious defense on its heels.

Tech wins if...

Any of the above three do not happen.  After a tumultuous week like this for the Tigers, it's tough to ask a team of 18-22 year old guys to go out on the field and give all they have for their school.   Not to mention Clemson will be without RB CJ Spiller, arguably their biggest playmaker.  Clemson has also been making changes on their O-line, which is not a good recipe leading into a game against the team that leads the nation in tackles for loss.  And that's just the beginning of the problems for the Tigers.  Keep in mind that Tech is coming off a much-too-close 10-7 win against Gardner-Webb a week ago, and you can bet that CPJ has been roasting our guys all week.  Don't expect another clunker by the Tech offense after what happened last Saturday.  Don't forget about Nesbitt being back at the helm for Tech.  He will bring a new dimension that was lacking with Booker under center.

Prediction

Tech wins 27-10.  I don't see Clemson getting any more than 250 yards on offense.  Expect Tech to force 2+ turnovers against an inexperienced QB in Willy Korn and to shutdown James Davis.  Nebsitt has a solid day in his return.

A video to leave you with...

Turning point of last year's 13-3 Tech win over Clemson in ATL.

Disappointments, Pre-Clemson Video, Great Verse

So last night's Heroes episode was pretty much terrible. Too many new characters, too many loose ends, it's actually becoming very much like Lost--started out awesome, then drastically dropped off. Heroes was actually one of the two shows I watched on a regular basis (the other one being the office). So it made me think of some other disappointments.

Number 1: The media. Especially during an election year, good grief. You'd never know that Obama had only ~140 days in office as a US Senator (compared to 21+ years for McCain). It also appears that the media has gone on a character-shooting spree, aimed at the voting public. If you are not voting for Obama, you are deemed a racist. It's sad that some people will choose to vote based solely on race, but it's even more sad that the media has turned any non-Obama voter into a monster.

Number 2: The general driving public.  Seriously, when did driving become a secondary priority when behind the wheel of a car?  It seems like people are either reading the newspaper, on the phone, texting, figuring out their GPS units (which, I believe have hurt the map-reading ability of most drivers), or some combination of these.  While on this topic, I saw a car that had the GPS unit mounted on the windshield right in front of the driver!  It wasn't offset to the middle of the windshield or anything, it was right smack in the way of the driver!  How does one drive carefully like that?

Another thing...why do some people hang out in the left lane?  Do people not know that the left lane is for passing or otherwise swift driving?  If someone's passing you on the right while you're in the far left lane, something is wrong.  Maybe that person is too busy watching their GPS tell them where to go...

Number 3: Myself.  Ever since Confluence (annual GA State BCM Conference), I've been thinking about why I do the things that I do.  God definitely spoke that weekend through David Platt about looking at ourselves and asking that question, and how glorifying God and expanding His kingdom should be our motivation for everything.  But looking at my life, I did not see that.  What I saw (and many times continue to see) is me doing things because I want to do them, or I'll make up some "Christian" justification for why I do something.  I have been struggling with the things I do and say because I see that a lot of what I do is for me only.  I know God has been disappointed in me because of this, but I'm trusting that He will continue to show me how to do things for Him.  On top of this, things in my life have been kinda hitting me all at once the last month or so.  Some may say I'm in the middle of a "valley of life".  It's been difficult for me to be excited about life recently.  A bunch of small things have added up at once, and I've taken a negative look at these things that may not be so negative.  Enough about me though.

This weekend, the Yellow Jackets travel up to SC to take on Clemson at "Death Valley" (the real Death Valley is in Baton Rouge, otherwise known as Tiger Stadium) at 12 on ESPN.  I'll have more pre-game analysis Friday, but for now I want to show yall this video from the Tech-Clemson game last year (a 13-3 win for GT).

And I'll leave yall with this verse, from Habakkuk 1:5..."Look at the nations and watch--and be utterly amazed.  For I am going to do something in your days that you would not believe, even if you were told."

Tidbits - GT vs. Gardner-Webb, Flag Football, Interview, "The Ratio" (not necessarily in that order)

So I got back last night from Boston after my interview yesterday with Mass. Electric.  It went very well (at least I thought, and I have certainly been wrong before) and I have a feeling they'll be offering me a job very soon (2 weeks at the most for a yay or nay according to them).  But I think things went pretty well for my first full-time job interview.  In the end, I know God will put me where He wants me to be, and that is incredibly reassuring.

Tomorrow marks the sixth game of the Yellow Jackets' regular season against the Bulldogs of Gardner-Webb.  I don't know enough about them for a solid pregame analysis, so I'll limit this to the following:

Key Questions for GT vs. Gardner-Webb

With possible injuries to Nebsitt and Shaw, who will be the starting quarterback for the Jackets?

It looks like Calvin Booker could get some quality PT against the Bulldogs this Saturday, but honestly it doesn't matter.  Dakota Fanning could start for us at QB and we'd still win on defensive touchdowns.  It'll be good for CB to get some snaps though, he's earned it.

Can the Bulldogs catch the Jackets looking ahead to Clemson next week?

No.  CPJ would not allow that.  But even if the Jackets were looking ahead to the showdown with the Tigers next week, Tech would still win by three TDs or more.  The talent gap is just too much.  In order for the Bulldogs to win, two things would have to happen: 1) Tech would have to be ripe for the upset and 2) GW would have to be used to winning (they are currently 2-3)

My prediction: Tech wins 49-3.  Starters out at half, but the second and third teams keep the heat on.  GW gets a late FG--Tech is definitely capable of the shutout but remember, it's very difficult to keep your opponent off the scoreboard at all in any sport, but nearly impossible to do it in two consecutive games.

The End of a Great Season...

The Big Cuddly Men's 2008 season came to an end this past Wednesday with a 26-18 loss to Backfield in Motion (CCF).  I was in Boston at the time of the game, so I couldn't play, but I was still cheering my team on from 1000 miles away.  From Jordan, our team captain, it apparently was a great game that came down to us not making a stop when we needed to and not converting a big 4th down.  They say you can't win em all, and it's true, but I'm very proud of our guys to playing the best flag football team at Tech down to the wire.  I suppose I am glad that we won the last game that I was in, but I am sad that I wasn't there to see our team play.

"The Ratio" - the GTGs

Swaff and D-Bay have done it again.  The GTGs, as they call themselves, have put out their third music video, known as "The Ratio".  For you non-Techies, the ratio refers to the high ratio of guys to girls at Georgia Tech, an anamoly among US public colleges.  The video was released last night and is already a hit on YouTube.  Great work guys and keep it up.

Interview & FF Playoffs - Second Round

Big win by Big Cuddly Men (#8 seed) Monday night, 28-6 over Failed Abortions.  Round two is tonight at 8:10 against CCF (#1 seed).  Hopefully the rain will die down by tonight so the boys in blue can pick up a win.  Some might call tonight's game the "Battle of God's favor".  I'd like to think that God roots for both teams ;)

In other news, I'm about to head to the MARTA station so I can get to the airport for my flight to Boston.  Tomorrow, I'll be interviewing with Massachusetts Electric Construction Co. (MEC for short).  Not sure exactly what position it'd be, but I'm looking forward to it nonetheless.  It's my first interview for a full-time job, so I'm really excited.  Plus, I get to go to a place I've never been.

Have a great Wednesday, and I'll have Tech-GW pregame analysis on Friday!

Big Cuddly Men Flag Football Playoffs - First Round

Tonight marks the first round of the Big Cuddly Men's chase for the school championship with a 9:15 start against Failed Abortions (really? @ team name)  We're coming off a big 40-0 win against diversity last Wednesday and we're more than ready for our first game.  We're the #8 seed, which wins when/if we win, we'll most likely be facing #1 seed Backfield in Motion (CCF).

Here is our group in the Independent bracket:

That's all for now, I have to be on duty at the BCM til game time.

GT-Duke Game Recap, As Promised

Yesterday, the Yellow Jacket defense put on a show en route to a 27-0 win on the Flats over the Duke Blue Devils.  Here are some (many) of my thoughts from the game.

The Good

Great D by the Yellow Jackets.  A great example of individuals working as a team to stop the ACC's (formerly) second-best passing attack.  Duke QB Thaddeus Lewis had little time all game to work under the heavy GT pressure.

The GT offense put on a show in the second half yesterday as well.  24 points (shoulda been 31 if they had called R.B.'s TD a catch) scored.  Clearly CPJ made some adjustments in the locker room, and they paid off well.

Also, we were most likely one fumble and one missed TD call away from putting up 41 points.  Not bad at all.

The Not-so-good

Shaw and Dwyer fumbled the exchange on a simple dive play midway through the first quarter on the Yellow Jacket's first drive.  This may have not been such a big deal had it not been at the Blue Devils' 8-yard line.  We can't pass up opportunities like that against the remaining teams in our schedule and expect to win.

If my memory serves me correctly, we had two false starts on 4th down tries yesterday.  Penalties are never a good thing, but are especially killer on 4th down attempts.  

Offensively, the first half was pretty much a nightmare.  Three points and a costly fumble in the first quarter.  Granted we had the lead, but with this offense 3-0 at half is underachieving.

Maybe this is nitpicking, but it appears we're still having a few problems on special teams.  We can't get the punt return game going at all, though that may be a product of good punting and punt coverage by Duke.

Airing it out, the flip side

Duke came in the better passing team, and we came in 114th (out of 119) in the nation in passing ypg (~95).  However when the final whistle blew, we had more passing yards (230) than rushing yards (224).  Goes to show you that if you place too much effort on stopping the run, we can beat you through the air.  Great game plan by CPJ.

QB Controversy?

True freshman Jaybo Shaw played very well in yesterday's win, building on a great performance two weeks earlier against Miss. State.  Jaybo turned the ball over less than Nesbitt (granted, he's also played less).  So does this now mean that Shaw is CPJ's man at QB?  I don't think so.  Nesbitt's still the better QB in terms of pure talent.  There is a lot to be said for the way Jaybo has executed our offense, but it's not like he's played road games against Oklahoma and LSU.  Nebsitt has that road experience and is great at making plays when the original play breaks down.  I just hope his hamstring will continue to get better this week and that he will be able to get some quality snaps in against Gardner-Webb in preparation for Clemson in two weeks.

Player of the Game

Gotta go to B-Back Jonathan Dwyer.  Had a career-high in rushing yards (159) and had a few big runs despite Duke's aggressive play at the LOS.  More importantly, his running set up all the pass plays to Thomas (career-high 230 yds on 9 receptions, including an 88-yard TD) and set up all the toss sweeps to Roddy Jones (though they weren't as successful as some may have liked; he had 26 yds on 10 carries).  He continues to be the workhorse for this offense and does a great job at running north and south.  Honestly, why is this guy not getting more Heisman consideration?

Game ball goes to...

...the Georgia Tech defense.  Lost in all the talk about the installment and resultant success of Paul Johnson's offense is the effective play of the defense.  They came out with a chip on their shoulder after allowing 406 yards (although only 7 points) against Miss. State two weeks early.  Duke had a measly 132 yards of total offense to go along with nine first down (to put in perspective--about two first downs per quarter).  We also forced eight punts and gave up only 2.7 yards per play on defense.  They say defense wins championships, and while this was only a regular season game, we sure did display some championship-caliber defense.

Credit where Credit is due

Give the Duke defense some credit.  They came in hearing all week about how GT was gonna run over them and were able to force more negative plays than I've seen all year against our offense.  They didn't miss many tackles and shut down the inside run (for the most part) after a few big runs up the middle early on.

Key Stat

How bout this: the Jackets had the ball for 38 minutes and 46 seconds yesterday (resulting in a 21:14 TOP for Duke).  Teams not named Missouri will usually have trouble getting into any kind of offensive rhythm if they only have the ball for about 5 minutes a quarter

Prediction Results & Analysis

So I thought this would be much more of a shootout than it was, and I clearly underestimated our defense.  Congrats to our guys for proving me wrong, and you can bet that I won't underestimate our D like that again.

Looking Ahead

Next Saturday the Bulldogs from Div. 1-AA Gardner-Webb come to the Flats for a 3:30 kickoff.  In all likelihood, this should be a warmup game for the Jackets in preparation for the road game at Clemson on the 18th.  The only chance the Bulldogs have of keeping this close is for us to be looking ahead to Clemson, which I don't think CPJ would allow.  Don't be surprised if we hang 50+ on GW.

Gun Control Means *Two* Hands...

What a great day today.  Beautiful gameday weather for the Duke game (a 27-0 win by the Jackets, more on that tomorrow), got to hang out with the parents all day (whom, by the way, I am incredibly thankful for), and saw Vandy pull off the upset against the Tigers of Auburn University.  

This past Friday's Technique (Tech's weekly student newspaper) had a pretty good article about the issue of guns and their role(s) in the upcoming election.  Contained in this article was a simple chart explaining the recent gun-related bills in the GA Congress, including the recently-passed House Bill 89.  The chart presented three arguments in favor of "gun control", which I will breakdown here:

Argument #1: "Georgians have the right to be safe from gun violence in their homes and in public, including schools, churches and places of work"

Fundamentally, this argument sounds legit.  I mean, who doesn't wanna be safe from gun violence?  But I'll take this argument further--who doesn't wanna be safe from any violence?  Take cars, for instance--personally, I'd like to be safe from automobile-related violence (such as hit-and-run and vehicular homicide), but does that mean that I shouldn't drive or I should want to restrict others from driving?  One may say that gun-related deaths are more common than vehicle-related ones, but the facts disagree.  In 2004, there were 42,636 deaths caused by car crashes in the US, compared to 30,694 deaths caused by firearms in the US in 2005.  Simply put, both vehicles and guns are tools whose purpose(s) are defined by the user.  In the wrong hands, both can be killing machines.  It is impossible for us as a people and as individuals to always be completely safe from any form of violence, but eliminating the respective tools from the picture is not only impractical, but only a solution for the symptoms, not the root problem.

Argument #2: "Only trained law enforcement should carry guns at certain public places like mental hospitals"

I'll agree with this one based on my limited (read: nonexistant) knowledge of the level of security at mental hospitals.  My guess is that there is always some form of armed law enforcement at these hospitals, and clearly this is not an environment conducive to individuals carrying concealed weapons (for the same reason said carrying should not be allowed for prisoners).  The respect and responsibility needed for a person to carry a fireman cannot be expected to come from the mentally-impaired.

Argument #3: "The availability of guns makes deaths or critical injury more likely in domestic violence, criminal activity, suicide attempts, and unintentional shootings"

First, let me make this clear--any unintentional shooting is a result of the respective gun owner exercising his or her irresponsibility.  Now for the meat of the argument--on the surface, this is also seems like a solid point.  But again, I'll counter with another example, that being arson.  I would argue that the availability of fire-causing tools makes arson more possible and more dangerous.  Any angsty teenager can go to Home Depot with a few bucks and come out with a propane torch, matches, and/or a stick lighter and start a forest fire or burn down someone's house.  Should we then ban all sales of matches, ligthers, and torches?  I imagine this would also be impractical and would not stop arsons from happening.  This goes back again to trying to fix the symptom rather than the cause...any one with the ill will to cause physical or proprietary harm will do so, regardless of the availability (or lack thereof) of materials.

Argument #4: "It is possible to reduce the number of deaths and injuries caused by gun violence with reasonable legislation"

This arguments brings two dangerous results.  First, how do we define "reasonable legislation"?  Is this possible?  Second, even if we are able to define "reasonable legislation", this legislation would only apply to the responsible and law-abiding gun owners (which makes up a huge majority of gun owners).  As the saying goes, "if you outlaw guns, only outlaws will have guns".  It may be old-fashioned, but it still holds true.  

Conclusion

As these four arguments show, the backbone of gun control is either emotionally based or not looking at the big picture.  Sure, it's easy to look at one situation of a child being killed by use of a gun and say "guns are bad".  But too often we forget about the legal and responsible use of guns every day by law-abiding citizens.  Apologies for the cliche, but remember this--guns don't kill, people do.  The lack of presence of any type of firearm will not prevent people from hurting each other, as those intent on harming others will just find a way outside of just guns.