Competition

[Rock]

@Boomergump , agree completely.

I never played team sports, but even in individual sports like swimming, running or cycling you're shooting for a time, a distance, or a personal best. If you don't reach it, you try again the next day.

To me college sports above all should be the ultimate in sportsmanlike competition. If you want to live and die through your team, that's fine; that's what pro sports are for. I don't have kids but from what I've heard, the atmosphere you're talking about has become just awful in high school and below. (Our coaches here can speak to that far better than I can.)

College sports are at least supposed to be -- and in our case, are -- part of something bigger. Part of getting an education; part of the traditions, legends and ceremonies surrounding a school we either attended or have chosen to affiliate ourselves with -- for reasons bigger than just sports.

College ball should be enjoyed, above and beyond anything else, except maybe the privilege of seeing our young men become the best they can be.

This is the problem. The short time I have been here, I have noticed GT fans are ok with losing.

WHY???

If you are ok with losing and 6-6 teams, then why even have a team? If you are not out there competing for the W and want to win a NC, why even play?

You think the players are ok with losing? Absolutely not, so why should the fans be?
They aren't out there just for the fun of it. That's what intramural sports are for.

The world (sports world) we live in today is driven by college football. It's a billion $ per year biz. Like it or not, it is what it is.

 

[Rock]

one other thing.
The coaches get paid to win. If they don't they will find someone who will.

 

[AlabamaBuzz]

Again, I know our talent level, and I know that every team after those first 2 have enough or more talent to beat us, if it only comes down to talent. My frustration as a fan/alum is what this will do to whatever momentum we were beginning to see on the recruiting side of things. With that said, none of this is really a big thing in the larger scheme of life. This losing streak too shall pass, and there will be better days for GT football ahead. Now, how far ahead, that is a BIG question. Hopefully, this week will be the beginning of a turnaround.

 

[Skeptic]

We do tend to forget following a loss that the guys across the line are on scholarship too. For the same reason our guys are. Good post. Now good luck.

 

[AE 87]

This is the problem. The short time I have been here, I have noticed GT fans are ok with losing.

WHY???

If you are ok with losing and 6-6 teams, then why even have a team? If you are not out there competing for the W and want to win a NC, why even play?

You think the players are ok with losing? Absolutely not, so why should the fans be?
They aren't out there just for the fun of it. That's what intramural sports are for.

The world (sports world) we live in today is driven by college football. It's a billion $ per year biz. Like it or not, it is what it is.

I don't agree that most fans are okay with losing. I suspect that many (maybe not you) interpret others as being okay with losing because they don't agree with simplistic solutions like "fire the coach."

A person can be not okay with losing and still think that you need to be rational about how you respond to losses and look to make it happen less often.

 

[Skeptic]

This is the problem. The short time I have been here, I have noticed GT fans are ok with losing.

WHY???

If you are ok with losing and 6-6 teams, then why even have a team? If you are not out there competing for the W and want to win a NC, why even play?

You think the players are ok with losing? Absolutely not, so why should the fans be?
They aren't out there just for the fun of it. That's what intramural sports are for.

The world (sports world) we live in today is driven by college football. It's a billion $ per year biz. Like it or not, it is what it is.

Now, seriously. Nobody is "Ok" with losing, else we wouldn't keep score. But how many of those players on the Tech sideline do you seriously think are there lusting for a spot on an NFL roster? And how many are there because collegiate football is great fun, and they can get their education paid for? Just about every year we see a senior leave the program with eligibility left, and not play elsewhere. The fun is gone.

 

[Skeptic]

one other thing.
The coaches get paid to win. If they don't they will find someone who will.

So is where is the news nugget in that one? I happen to think it is possible for Tech to have double digit winning seasons and still retain its academic credibility, but make no mistake, it is much harder doing that than Alabama winning 10. But if you have NC pretensions every year, to be the Alabama of the Ivy League or such, then academics are out and don't pretend otherwise. (As Lee Corso was to discover when he interviewed for the Indiana job eons ago and was asked that question. His response was to recruit "hard-nosed smart kids." That talent pool is both narrow and very shallow. It is a whole other discussion with way too many moving parts for this thread, however.

 

[B Lifsey]

one other thing.
The coaches get paid to win. If they don't they will find someone who will.

So, half of the coaches across the country should be fired every week.

 

[a5ehren]

This is the problem. The short time I have been here, I have noticed GT fans are ok with losing.

WHY???

If you are ok with losing and 6-6 teams, then why even have a team? If you are not out there competing for the W and want to win a NC, why even play?

You think the players are ok with losing? Absolutely not, so why should the fans be?
They aren't out there just for the fun of it. That's what intramural sports are for.

The world (sports world) we live in today is driven by college football. It's a billion $ per year biz. Like it or not, it is what it is.

GT is going to go (now) 15-0 maybe 2-3 times a century in the current CFB environment.

Losing your dang mind every time we lose isn't a healthy way to cope with it.

 

[Rock]

my frustration lies with the fans.

You can't talk out of both sides of your mouth.

We can't be " top 5 team, JeT for Heisman, toughest schedule left, plug and play, top 4 contender, etc."
before the season and after 2 games

and

the same fans be " what do you expect look at the injuries, it's our recruiting, no blocking, bad reads, he didn't pitch it, etc.."
after you get handed 3 L's in a row.

 

[IronJacket7]

The joy of winning would be totally absent if it was the only possibility. Try and remember that.

Awesomeness Boomer!

 

[IronJacket7]

I have noticed GT fans are ok with losing.

We are not okay with losing. We are just okay in being good sports about it and not letting it ruin life in general.

 

[IronJacket7]

So, half of the coaches across the country should be fired every week.

That's what I heard too...

 

[Old School]

Great post Boomer, I couldn't agree more! Quite frankly, as a season ticket holder I'm getting tired of the Alcorn State, and Tulane type games. It's a forgone conclusion as to who's gonna win, and I'm leaving by the third quarter. I'd prefer to start with Tennessee, Auburn or any other big program that could, God forbid.......result in a loss. But that's what makes it fun, the chance of losing! After leaving the Notre Dame game a couple of weeks ago, I wasn't down at all. I just realized that they had one salty defense, and we still could have won with a few breaks. Duke was the same. Carolina has a pretty good team. Coulda won all three, but didn't make timely plays. Just the way it goes. We'll win our share. GO JACKETS!!

 

[awbuzz]

... I just assume being a GT sports fan is part of my penance

On a more serious note, I'm confident none of us likes losing. With that assumed fact, many try to be realistic, I.E. we have to play the cards we have. I doubt that Nick Saban would get Top 10 recruiting classes at GT every year.

All of us like to win, but I think we also need to step back and enjoy the thrill of competition. I enjoy trying to play basketball with some of the young bucks, but recognize that most of them will just flat out run circles around me. That doesn't keep me from enjoying the overall experience. I think that was/is part if Boomergump's message.

 

[Captain killem]

Players play the game a coaches job is to put them in position to succeed. We all need to remember they are all human like us and we all make mistakes. Now is the time to correct the mistakes, we can't look back and worry about what could have been. I know the coaches and players are doing just that. If they give their all and leave their blood sweat and tears on that field Saturday, win or lose I will be proud of them.
Should fans get upset, coaches, players, absolutely a little humility goes along way. Now is the time that true fans get behind the team and let them know they have our support. I myself am behind them and the coaching staff 100%. Hindsight is 20/20, we will get better as the season progresses
I don't care if we get 26 5* players or we get 18 2* it's the effort and work that counts. Players leave it all on the field, coaches strategize to your hearts content as for me, I got ya back.

 

[Boomergump]

This is the problem. The short time I have been here, I have noticed GT fans are ok with losing.

WHY???

If you are ok with losing and 6-6 teams, then why even have a team? If you are not out there competing for the W and want to win a NC, why even play?

You think the players are ok with losing? Absolutely not, so why should the fans be?
They aren't out there just for the fun of it. That's what intramural sports are for.

The world (sports world) we live in today is driven by college football. It's a billion $ per year biz. Like it or not, it is what it is.

I think you totally missed my point. I have never, EVER, for one second in my life been OK with losing nor would I expect anybody else to be. That was far from the point. I do, however, acknowledge that it happens if you choose to participate. When it happens, how you deal with it or react to it matters. If you can't handle losing when it happens and it forces you withdraw emotionally or act out like a bitter victim, then you probably shouldn't participate to start with.

 

[Whatllyahave]

As someone stated earlier, the other team has scholarship players too. I hate to lose as much as anyone but the way we lose confounds me. We should have whipped Duke and to completely dominate NC for 25 minutes and then simply disappear for the 2nd half is mystifying. Spotted 21 points we should win every time and to allow the NC QB to go Woody Dantzler on us is infuriating.

I appreciate the kids and most of us have no idea of the effort and dedication required to play big time college sports...it is 24/7/365 and when we get beaten, hats off to our opponents. But there is a vast difference between getting beat and losing...which IMHO we have done the last 2 games. While I agree with the substance of your post, it is frustrating in the extreme to swallow losses like the last two. That said, the spectacle of college football is wonderful and I have been a Jacket fan for 60 years and intend to support our teams to my last breath.

 

[alagold]

To me,the flat fact is that I was so surprised and pleased by the end on last yr than I easily made the assumption that we had moved up a notch in the pecking order possibly this yr.When in truth ,we got a bunch of breaks that made last yr happen.(like the no call for roughing in VT game last yr on our int-it would have killed us- or --not to mention clemsum QB going out). Like the saying goes,the frustration from losing overrides the satisfaction of victory usually.There it is--to me.

 

[Boomergump]

As someone stated earlier, the other team has scholarship players too. I hate to lose as much as anyone but the way we lose confounds me. We should have whipped Duke and to completely dominate NC for 25 minutes and then simply disappear for the 2nd half is mystifying. Spotted 21 points we should win every time and to allow the NC QB to go Woody Dantzler on us is infuriating.

I appreciate the kids and most of us have no idea of the effort and dedication required to play big time college sports...it is 24/7/365 and when we get beaten, hats off to our opponents. But there is a vast difference between getting beat and losing...which IMHO we have done the last 2 games. While I agree with the substance of your post, it is frustrating in the extreme to swallow losses like the last two. That said, the spectacle of college football is wonderful and I have been a Jacket fan for 60 years and intend to support our teams to my last breath.

Well stated and 100% true. Infuriating is an appropriate response and one different from many posters. We got beat once (ND) where we had a slight chance to win, and we flat out lost twice, where we should have won.