Family vs. Factory vs. GATech?

GTRambler

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Tech = That which doesn't kill you makes you stronger for life.

So many youngsters make a 4 year vs a 50++ year decision.

Great point. Certainly many high school football recruits think this way. And then they immediately think NFL after 4 (or 3) years.
 

deeeznutz

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I was just a thought....I remember reading that a lot of Baseball players were actually Hope Schollys not athletic schollys.

Baseball shares a scholarship pool less than the number of players (not sure the numbers, too lazy to look it up) so most players get percentages of a scholarship. It wouldn’t surprise me at all if a lot of them were using Hope to supplement that.
 

katlong

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thought this was pertinent to our conversation:
49781199_10214803247247646_1501498237146628096_n.jpg
 

Heisman's Ghost

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Today several times I heard analysts describe Alabama's football program atmosphere as factory like with both players and assistant coaches knowing full well that is what they are signing up for before with the understanding that they will come out much better at football the other side. Hence the high turnover rate of assistant coaches and player leaving early for the NFL.

Meanwhile Clemson's football atmosphere was described as a family with loyalty from both coaches and players to the Clemson tigers. Assistant coaches rarely leave and players even completing multiple degrees to forgo entering the NFL draft and extending their playing days at Clemson.

Anyway this got me thinking, how would one describe Tech's football program atmosphere? Family, Factory, Something else?

I did not play sports or pledge at Tech, but as a former student, under the old quarter system, "Family" is not the adjective that come to my mind to describe Tech, but words like "Interesting, Professional, Cooperative Students, Grind, Monotonous and Urban," come to mind. Although I did, and still do, love Tech's campus and location I wanted to get out and move on as quickly as possible. Thus, my own experience at Tech was much closer to a work, i.e. factory, than to a family environment. Moreover, CGC comments, about recruiting and preparing player for the NFL and life after, strike me as a more factory than a family atmosphere.

Also It would be interesting to hear from former and current players and recruits on Tech's football program atmosphere.

Clemson is reflective of its head coach who is a quality person all the way around. That said, it is a "football factory" as the term is commonly understood:

A place that prioritizes football over everything else especially academics
A place that organizes curriculum to benefit football
A place that has a game day atmosphere that is choregraphed from long before the players emerge on the field.
A place that has absolutely no restrictions on recruiting and can flagrantly violate any NCAA rule and get away with it
A place that has no problem paying players either openly or under the table using bag men.
A place that utilizes gray shirting, and the process to manage a roster. One way or another in culling unproductive players.
A place that routinely hauls in 4 and 5 star players and top 15 at a minimum recruiting classes.
All of these universities have semi professional football programs in everything but name. It is the reality of the times we live in. That said, the number of true football factories is actually quite small. In order to have one you must possess an administration that is utterly without scruples, will spare no expense and will bend any rule to further the goals of the program. Getting that plus having a fertile recruiting niche is pretty hard to do. Just having a lot of money is not enough. (though helpful to be sure)

At present, I would consider UGA, FSU, Florida, Clemson, Alabama, LSU, Oklahoma, Penn State, Ohio State, USCw, Texas, Texas A&M, and maybe a few wannabes like Auburn (too much under Saban's thumb for the moment), Tennessee (incompetent coaching will cancel out the best intentions), Michigan (recruiting a little shallow perhaps) Oklahoma State, (see Auburn) Notre Dame and Miami (hard for private schools to sustain success but some would put these two in the elite class. This is all speculative and I am sure others will differ. Tech will never aspire to be part of that group so I guess we will be "family". Personally, I would like to be a factory and just go ahead and make the Faustian bargain with the Devil but then I am a sidewalk fan so I do not have scruples like alumni do.
 

Vespidae

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At present, I would consider UGA, FSU, Florida, Clemson, Alabama, LSU, Oklahoma, Penn State, Ohio State, USCw, Texas, Texas A&M, and maybe a few wannabes like Auburn (too much under Saban's thumb for the moment), Tennessee (incompetent coaching will cancel out the best intentions), Michigan (recruiting a little shallow perhaps) Oklahoma State, (see Auburn) Notre Dame and Miami (hard for private schools to sustain success but some would put these two in the elite class.

Ironically, if you were to ask any of the schools above if they consider themselves to be a football factory, they would probably say "no". (I would support your list though.)

Alabama, as an example, has repeatedly stated that success on the football field has translated into ... significantly higher number of applications, more national merit finalists, more research dollars ... and the financial impact on the university makes the cost of a winning football team ... miniscule by comparison.

I would love to see ... state universities (like Alabama, Florida, etc) ... be limited to recruiting in their home state only. After all, as a land grant university, their mission is to education their citizenry. Require all SA's to have declared majors by the end of the first year and show measurable academic progress with a five year graduation rate. And finally, let Division 1 schools pool their vast revenues and distribute them equally so that the playing field can truly be leveled. The differences should be on what schools do in terms of coaching and development and not in terms of unmatchable financial advantages.
 

4shotB

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And finally, let Division 1 schools pool their vast revenues and distribute them equally so that the playing field can truly be leveled. The differences should be on what schools do in terms of coaching and development and not in terms of unmatchable financial advantages.

I am probably in the minority, but I am against any type of redistribution of wealth. Alabama and OSU and the like have realized the benefits of investing in FB. If all teams split the earnings equally, all of a sudden they will have the worst ROI in college FB. Rutgers and Oregon State and Wake Forest will make the same with significantly less investment. What would motivate them to invest and/or improve if guaranteed to make the same cash as Bama and the like, who are doing most of the heavy lifting in terms of generating revenue? These types of ideas, while utopian and ideal, make me shudder.
 

slugboy

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Animal02

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I am probably in the minority, but I am against any type of redistribution of wealth. Alabama and OSU and the like have realized the benefits of investing in FB. If all teams split the earnings equally, all of a sudden they will have the worst ROI in college FB. Rutgers and Oregon State and Wake Forest will make the same with significantly less investment. What would motivate them to invest and/or improve if guaranteed to make the same cash as Bama and the like, who are doing most of the heavy lifting in terms of generating revenue? These types of ideas, while utopian and ideal, make me shudder.
Yes and no. Is it right that Bama gets twice the payment for playing in ATL as did Duke and Louisville. This just creates more division. In order to maintain interest in the sport, there has to be some level of competitiveness. Would MLB attract the crowds all season if it was a forgone conclusion that the Yankees and Dodgers would end up in the World Series every year?
 
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