Academics and Football...does GT care?

[BigDaddyBuzz]

I don't want to talk about the game. It was awful on all 3 fronts and we got zero help from the officials. But i do want to say this and I have already e-mailed Bud on this.............
Whatever academic idiot from GT that scheduled Fall Break on a home football weekend should be fired. That is complete bull****. The schedule was out in February. We could have easily set the school calendar accordingly. What a joke. The student section was half full for a 5-0 team in a division game. Until this SCHOOL shows it cares about athletics, we will never turn the corner.

 

[YJAlleyCat]

The academic calendar is set up far in advance of the football schedule. I believe we sometimes consider its timing when making our schedule requests to the ACC but our wishes are not always granted.

 

[DCSS]

Are students forced to leave campus during Fall Break? Are they not allowed to come back for the game? Does the GTAA need to plan on handing out t-shirts or Star Wars masks for every game to get the students interested? I think our student section is great, but they were noticeably absent for a team that was undefeated.

 

[tugdog235]

Most people make plans well before than the last Saturday on going places, especially if you are going somewhere out of state. I expected a much smaller turn out.

 

[Wrecking Ball]

I will tell you something:

If we don't get with it, Georgia Southern pass us by because as CPJ noted they "get it." They're going to Boise state it - dominate sun belt and play big boys until they knock them off at least semi-regularly.

That prospect should galvanize the pointy headed administrators but my guess is it won't.

 

[GTpdm]

I will tell you something:

If we don't get with it, Georgia Southern pass us by because as CPJ noted they "get it." They're going to Boise state it - dominate sun belt and play big boys until they knock them off at least semi-regularly.

That prospect should galvanize the pointy headed administrators but my guess is it won't.

I don't think administrators are the pointy-headed ones in this thread. Georgia Tech is one of the top public universities in the country, and is world-renowned for the value of the education it provides and the quality of its graduates. Are you really trying to argue that we should reorganize our academic priorities just to suit the attendance needs of the football program...so that we can be more like world-unnoticed Georgia Southern?

If you feel that confident about giving advice to the Georgia Tech faculty about how to handle our responsibilities (yes, "our"—I am a GT faculty member, as well as a fan), then perhaps you'd also like to go to the CPJ radio show in person and explain to coach why we should run more plays out of the shotgun on 3rd and short—since it would be more exciting and draw greater attendance.

If you want an academic program subservient to the football program, why follow Georgia Tech? I hear there's a community college in Athens that does just that. Or you could just follow Georgia Southern, after they pass us by. Whatever.

 

[GTNavyNuke]

I agree with the inference you (@BigDaddyBuzz ) have made that Peterson doesn't care much about football. But the example of the schedule is likely something which is far out of our control. Glad to see you are sending out e-mails to Peterson though, maybe I'm wrong (it happens too much).

Basically, we are GT and our reputation and net worth is not enhanced (in their view) by athletics. Other things like research grant money and academic ranking among peers is far more important. But rather than rant, here are my old thoughts: I'm thinking about going to the Homecoming ALumni gathering again, but only iff I think I can stomach it. http://gtswarm.com/threads/why-is-this-year-different.1841/page-4#post-33879

Edit: For @GTpdm , we can and should retain academic excellence. But we should emphasize football more from the Hill. It won't happen IMHO since Peterson's career is dependent on not offending the Board of Regents which is run by UGAg grads or sympathizers. He has lower risk and higher gain things to work on. Just politics.

 

[WreckinGT]

I don't think the student section would have been that much better if the game weren't scheduled during fall break. Unless its a night time white out game against a quality opponent, our student section is always going to be a bit sparse. A 12:30 game against Duke is never going to pack the student sections.

 

[Wrecking Ball]

@GTpdm Stanford is also a world class institution with incredible sports. And no, I didn't suggest structuring the institute around a sport. I said take the sport seriously. 85% of the faculty are incapable of the kind of coordination it takes to properly replace the lid on a pen, and they resent athletes because of it.

 

[LibertyTurns]

Are you really trying to argue that we should reorganize our academic priorities just to suit the attendance needs of the football program...so that we can be more like world-unnoticed Georgia Southern?

No, what many like me are suggesting is we try to be world-class at everything we choose to do. If we're capable of figuring out how to crank out gene splicers & rocket scientists, then we should be fully capable of:

a. Figuring out how to attract and retain athletically and academically talented young men to man our football team, basketball teams, baseball teams, golf teams, swimming teams, track teams, etc.
b. Building and continuously improving on the most technologically phenomenal athletic facilities in the country coupled with state of the art practice facilities, etc.
c. Staffing our support teams (nutrionists, trainers, etc) with those on the cutting edge of technology by partnering with researchers from all the major professional sports research labs
d. Leveraging our science and technology prowess to maximize the capabilities of the student-athlete we do have
e. Collecting, analyzing and processing performance data to provide our coaches with tactical advantages on the field thesame way we do the classroom and in research

These are just some ideas. We don't give short shrift to community service because we spend every waking minute in the library do we? We just accept lack of commitment to athletics from GT's leadership because it's part of our culture- we like to brag about all the braniacs at GT so we can put ourselves on our elitist intellectual pedestal and it makes us feel superior to the unwashed masses. When it comes to sports we use it as our excuse.

We need a stategic change of direction otherwise we'll always be what we are. A top notch Institute that maintains sports programs on a not to interfere basis with what we consider important in life. It's kind of like the house or car we buy. We need to make sure it's nice enough so it supports our purported position in life, but the GT men of the world are too damn practical and will only commit enough money to ensure it's reliable and functional- not an off the charts purchase that makes the rest of the dudes in the office drool. We do the same with our sports teams. It's our nature and if you think Peterson's changing it, I've got a bridge to sell you.

 

[Mack]

I will tell you something:

If we don't get with it, Georgia Southern pass us by because as CPJ noted they "get it." They're going to Boise state it - dominate sun belt and play big boys until they knock them off at least semi-regularly.

That prospect should galvanize the pointy headed administrators but my guess is it won't.

Spend one of two games a year at Statesboro and its clear........the fans and the players expect to get a big check for playing the big boys and they.................expect to win.....new addition to the stadium is very neat...for 30 bucks you can have a wonderful time and see good football.