Favorite Georgia Tech Defensive Stand Of All Time

[Captn_65]

The '65 team, but you have since explained that you were on the '74 team, if I understood you correctly

No...'65 team... defensive captain is correct.....'74 was the trip.......I dated a former Miss Georgia whose first name was Jeannie who ended up marrying a lawyer from Augusta ....Do you know who I'm referring to ?

 

[66TechGrad]

No...'65 team... defensive captain is correct.....'74 was the trip.......I dated a former Miss Georgia whose first name was Jeannie who ended up marrying a lawyer from Augusta ....Do you know who I'm referring to ?

Does her last name (maiden name) start with a P?

 

[Captn_65]

Does her last name (maiden name) start with a P?

No ....Started with a C

 

[66TechGrad]

No ....Started with a C

Oh, so she's not from Augusta originally herself. The only Augusta lawyer from our age group that I know is Andy K., but I can't find his wife's name. And the only Miss Georgia I see from that era whose last name began with C, was Melanie Chapman in 1973.

 

[Captn_65]

Oh, so she's not from Augusta originally herself. The only Augusta lawyer from our age group that I know is Andy K., but I can't find his wife's name. And the only Miss Georgia I see from that era whose last name began with C, was Melanie Chapman in 1973.

JA
Jeanne Cross from Albany.....1963 Miss Georgia I think.

 

[66TechGrad]

OK, I was looking at the Miss Georgias for the Miss USA contest. I found her in the ones for the Miss America contest, and she won in 1962. I can't think off hand of an Augusta lawyer with the initials JA. At any rate, I guess the only connection you and I have is that we were at Tech at the same time. I did re-meet Forrest Inglett (from Augusta) 3 years ago when he came to a game with his son, who posts on this site, and they dropped by my tailgate spot.

 

[Captn_65]

How many 3-sport athletes has Tech had? Jerry Priestly shared starting quarterback duties, got good minutes in basketball (may have started some) and pitched on the baseball team. Not great at any of them but was solid in all. I know, times have changed, but still impressive.

Bob

Jerry was up and down. Won the '64 Auburn game and the '65 Gator Bowl as a substitute .Then threw 5 interceptions against Tennessee. Consistently a decent punter though. It's hard to remember a two sport letterman much less a three sport.

 

[66TechGrad]

Jerry was up and down. Won the '64 Auburn game and the '65 Gator Bowl as a substitute .Then threw 5 interceptions against Tennessee. Consistently a decent punter though. It's hard to remember a two sport letterman much less a three sport.

Jerry is another Augusta product.

 

[jacket_fan]

Captn, I have enjoyed your posts here. Great stories and memories.

 

[augustabuzz]

Mike McNames made the most memorable tackles in that game on the GL..... Don Toner made the win clinching INT.... never met McNames.... met Toner a couple of years ago at a Letterwinners Tailgate.... very nice man.... he was surprised someone remembered he made the INT, but he did correct me it was off Jack Hurlbut, not Namath.

This may not be the GOAT GL stand by GT, but it's in the Top Three & is certainly the best known of the Dodd Era.

Namath had been kno

Mike McNames made the most memorable tackles in that game on the GL..... Don Toner made the win clinching INT.... never met McNames.... met Toner a couple of years ago at a Letterwinners Tailgate.... very nice man.... he was surprised someone remembered he made the INT, but he did correct me it was off Jack Hurlbut, not Namath.

This may not be the GOAT GL stand by GT, but it's in the Top Three & is certainly the best known of the Dodd Era.

Namath had been knocked out in the middle of a Ted Davis- Billy Martin sandwich.

 

[Captn_65]

So true. Namath was knocked out...but still on his feet. He bent over at the waist. Raised his hand to come out but Bryant motioned him to stay in. The McNames and Toner interceptions were two of the four he threw that day. Now you know why. The picture of Billy Martin coming shoulder high and Ted Davis on the other side aiming at the waist made the cover of SI the next week. The Tech team's attitude toward this event was that this wasn't just a game but rather revenge for Darwin Holt's cheap shot on Chick Granning the year before in Birmingham. This was now a blood sport. And every person in Grant Field who dressed in Gold felt the same way. You see, I ate lunch next to Chick later that week in '61. His head was the size of a basketball. His face was the purple color of a ripe egg plant and his eyes looked like two cherry tomatoes. Jaws wired shut. Sucking a soup mixture of dressing and gravy through a straw. Happy Thanksgiving.

So Alabama comes to the ATL as National Champion in '61 and on a 29 game win streak heading to another Natty. Now, the naturally reserved, soft hand clapping west stands suddenly morphs into raving bad-*** patrons. In pregame warm-ups, they're yelling at the UA players and telling them where to go and what to do to themselves once they arrive. The Rats in the lower east section get more military like and hurl an empty whiskey bottle at the legend himself...Paul Bryant....who deftly ducks....goes to the Tide bench and places a helmet on his head. The Rats claim victory.

Now, the game begins and from the first whistle it's a real hitter. Between the 20's there was plenty of offense but in the red zones it was a completely different story. Helmet to helmet combat . We score first on McNames interception and two plays later from the 16 we're in the end zone. 7-0 colored Gold. Then it's back and forth until we muff a punt on our 9 yard line in the 4th quarter. UA scores and goes for two which fails. When asked why he didn't just kick the extra point for the tie, Bryant says a champion always goes for the win. So it's 7-6 and we're still breathing. Now, with about a minute left, UA has the ball again on our 14 yard line. Easy field goal kick for the win. But in an effort to get closer, they try a pass for the win. Don Toner (from Bessemer, AL) steps in front of the receiver for the interception and the Golden win. Southern Cal and Ole Miss eventually go on to split the polls for the '62 Natty. " RAMA JAMA YELLA HAMMER.... GO TO HELL ALABAMA ! TECH JUST BEAT THE HELL OUT OF YOU". That's a rephrase of the usual cheer the UA student body yells at the visitors at the game's end, Revenge has never been so sweet.

 

[TheSilasSonRising]

So true. Namath was knocked out...but still on his feet. He bent over at the waist. Raised his hand to come out but Bryant motioned him to stay in. The McNames and Toner interceptions were two of the four he threw that day. Now you know why. The picture of Billy Martin coming shoulder high and Ted Davis on the other side aiming at the waist made the cover of SI the next week. The Tech team's attitude toward this event was that this wasn't just a game but rather revenge for Darwin Holt's cheap shot on Chick Granning the year before in Birmingham. This was now a blood sport. And every person in Grant Field who dressed in Gold felt the same way. You see, I ate lunch next to Chick later that week in '61. His head was the size of a basketball. His face was the purple color of a ripe egg plant and his eyes looked like two cherry tomatoes. Jaws wired shut. Sucking a soup mixture of dressing and gravy through a straw. Happy Thanksgiving.

So Alabama comes to the ATL as National Champion in '61 and on a 29 game win streak heading to another Natty. Now, the naturally reserved, soft hand clapping west stands suddenly morphs into raving bad-*** patrons. In pregame warm-ups, they're yelling at the UA players and telling them where to go and what to do to themselves once they arrive. The Rats in the lower east section get more military like and hurl an empty whiskey bottle at the legend himself...Paul Bryant....who deftly ducks....goes to the Tide bench and places a helmet on his head. The Rats claim victory.

Now, the game begins and from the first whistle it's a real hitter. Between the 20's there was plenty of offense but in the red zones it was a completely different story. Helmet to helmet combat . We score first on McNames interception and two plays later from the 16 we're in the end zone. 7-0 colored Gold. Then it's back and forth until we muff a punt on our 9 yard line in the 4th quarter. UA scores and goes for two which fails. When asked why he didn't just kick the extra point for the tie, Bryant says a champion always goes for the win. So it's 7-6 and we're still breathing. Now, with about a minute left, UA has the ball again on our 14 yard line. Easy field goal kick for the win. But in an effort to get closer, they try a pass for the win. Don Toner (from Bessemer, AL) steps in front of the receiver for the interception and the Golden win. Southern Cal and Ole Miss eventually go on to split the polls for the '62 Natty. " RAMA JAMA YELLA HAMMER.... GO TO HELL ALABAMA ! TECH JUST BEAT THE HELL OUT OF YOU". That's a rephrase of the usual cheer the UA student body yells at the visitors at the game's end, Revenge has never been so sweet.

Thank you so very much for sharing.

A while back there was a post on one of the boards about the loudest game at Grant Field. A lot of those younger than myself understandably said VT, ugag, fsu, cu and others all within past 20 to 25 years. Understandable as I said.

I mentioned bama game of 62 that my Dad was somehow able to get tickets to.

One respondent, somewhat sarcastically, replied "so that makes 3 of you that saw that game blah blah blah".

Most folks on this board have no concept (outside perhaps of the ones at the Citrus Bowl in 91) what that day was like at Grant Field vs bama. It was loud, insane, unTechlike, as crazy as any stadium has ever been for any college game ever.

I pray that somehow, someday they will be able to experience that at Grant Field.

 

[takethepoints]

From Joe Namath's 1969 Playboy interview:

Playboy: When was the hardest you ever got hit on a football field?

Namath: Well, I hate to give the bastards credit for anything, but when I was in college, Georgia Tech really creamed me in a game. I didn't know one of their guys was coming at me and he just about crunched every bone in my body; I mean, he really knocked the hell out of me. I was almost completely out.

I have always relished this passage. Martin and Davis were murder on D.

Here's the link:

https://thestacks.deadspin.com/playboys-candid-conversation-with-the-superswinger-qb-1229873187

The whole thing is a very entertaining read. He's a character, alright.

 

[GTZachary]

One of my favorites was the stand right before the Muff and the Catch Clemson “the legend is born” game. I believe they picked up like 9 yards on first down and then we held them on 2nd and 3rd and 1. As improbable as the muff was, there was a lot that led up to it that even made it possible. Without that stand we don’t get one of my favorite sequences in sports history.

 

[bobongo]

So true. Namath was knocked out...but still on his feet. He bent over at the waist. Raised his hand to come out but Bryant motioned him to stay in. The McNames and Toner interceptions were two of the four he threw that day. Now you know why. The picture of Billy Martin coming shoulder high and Ted Davis on the other side aiming at the waist made the cover of SI the next week. The Tech team's attitude toward this event was that this wasn't just a game but rather revenge for Darwin Holt's cheap shot on Chick Granning the year before in Birmingham. This was now a blood sport. And every person in Grant Field who dressed in Gold felt the same way. You see, I ate lunch next to Chick later that week in '61. His head was the size of a basketball. His face was the purple color of a ripe egg plant and his eyes looked like two cherry tomatoes. Jaws wired shut. Sucking a soup mixture of dressing and gravy through a straw. Happy Thanksgiving.

So Alabama comes to the ATL as National Champion in '61 and on a 29 game win streak heading to another Natty. Now, the naturally reserved, soft hand clapping west stands suddenly morphs into raving bad-*** patrons. In pregame warm-ups, they're yelling at the UA players and telling them where to go and what to do to themselves once they arrive. The Rats in the lower east section get more military like and hurl an empty whiskey bottle at the legend himself...Paul Bryant....who deftly ducks....goes to the Tide bench and places a helmet on his head. The Rats claim victory.

Now, the game begins and from the first whistle it's a real hitter. Between the 20's there was plenty of offense but in the red zones it was a completely different story. Helmet to helmet combat . We score first on McNames interception and two plays later from the 16 we're in the end zone. 7-0 colored Gold. Then it's back and forth until we muff a punt on our 9 yard line in the 4th quarter. UA scores and goes for two which fails. When asked why he didn't just kick the extra point for the tie, Bryant says a champion always goes for the win. So it's 7-6 and we're still breathing. Now, with about a minute left, UA has the ball again on our 14 yard line. Easy field goal kick for the win. But in an effort to get closer, they try a pass for the win. Don Toner (from Bessemer, AL) steps in front of the receiver for the interception and the Golden win. Southern Cal and Ole Miss eventually go on to split the polls for the '62 Natty. " RAMA JAMA YELLA HAMMER.... GO TO HELL ALABAMA ! TECH JUST BEAT THE HELL OUT OF YOU". That's a rephrase of the usual cheer the UA student body yells at the visitors at the game's end, Revenge has never been so sweet.

Great story, well told. Thanks for that!

 

[augustabuzz]

So true. Namath was knocked out...but still on his feet. He bent over at the waist. Raised his hand to come out but Bryant motioned him to stay in. The McNames and Toner interceptions were two of the four he threw that day. Now you know why. The picture of Billy Martin coming shoulder high and Ted Davis on the other side aiming at the waist made the cover of SI the next week. The Tech team's attitude toward this event was that this wasn't just a game but rather revenge for Darwin Holt's cheap shot on Chick Granning the year before in Birmingham. This was now a blood sport. And every person in Grant Field who dressed in Gold felt the same way. You see, I ate lunch next to Chick later that week in '61. His head was the size of a basketball. His face was the purple color of a ripe egg plant and his eyes looked like two cherry tomatoes. Jaws wired shut. Sucking a soup mixture of dressing and gravy through a straw. Happy Thanksgiving.

So Alabama comes to the ATL as National Champion in '61 and on a 29 game win streak heading to another Natty. Now, the naturally reserved, soft hand clapping west stands suddenly morphs into raving bad-*** patrons. In pregame warm-ups, they're yelling at the UA players and telling them where to go and what to do to themselves once they arrive. The Rats in the lower east section get more military like and hurl an empty whiskey bottle at the legend himself...Paul Bryant....who deftly ducks....goes to the Tide bench and places a helmet on his head. The Rats claim victory.

Now, the game begins and from the first whistle it's a real hitter. Between the 20's there was plenty of offense but in the red zones it was a completely different story. Helmet to helmet combat . We score first on McNames interception and two plays later from the 16 we're in the end zone. 7-0 colored Gold. Then it's back and forth until we muff a punt on our 9 yard line in the 4th quarter. UA scores and goes for two which fails. When asked why he didn't just kick the extra point for the tie, Bryant says a champion always goes for the win. So it's 7-6 and we're still breathing. Now, with about a minute left, UA has the ball again on our 14 yard line. Easy field goal kick for the win. But in an effort to get closer, they try a pass for the win. Don Toner (from Bessemer, AL) steps in front of the receiver for the interception and the Golden win. Southern Cal and Ole Miss eventually go on to split the polls for the '62 Natty. " RAMA JAMA YELLA HAMMER.... GO TO HELL ALABAMA ! TECH JUST BEAT THE HELL OUT OF YOU". That's a rephrase of the usual cheer the UA student body yells at the visitors at the game's end, Revenge has never been so sweet.

Thanks for sharing. I had forgotten about Coach Bryant wearing the helmet.

 

[DeepSnap]

Then threw 5 interceptions against Tennessee.

Was sitting next to Jerry in Upper West at the 1972 36-36 tie with Rice, one of the wildest games ever at Grant Field, when Eddie McAshan tied Jerry's INT record. All he could do was chuckle, just I did when someone broke my dubious distance & number of miscues records.

I was a Student-Assistant for **** Bestwick under Rock Fulcher & we had a ton of recruits that day. Only time I've met him, though he wouldn't know me from Adam.

 

[DeepSnap]

Tucker was the #1 NFL draft choice....NY Giants... When you're a player, you really are a part of a large fraternity. We all go through the same initiation. Winter conditioning...weights...mat drills.Then there's spring practice when the rest of the student body is at the beach. Then the summer workouts have you sweating bullets. Then it's time for fall practice. Finally it's 12-14 weeks of game time. We all do the same work involved to get ready. We all have injuries. We all know the sour taste of defeat and we all know the thrill of victory. We really are a brotherhood. Off the field friendships are easily formed.
Tucker and the boys from Auburn. Namath and the boys from Bama. Preston Ridlehuber, Pat Hodgson and the boys from Georgia. After all, Hotlanta is the natural habitat of the South's most beautiful women. So it's cold beer and hot women. ...........And football is forgotten. It's party time with your brothers.

Thanks for stating this so eloquently to this group...... Many still "don't get it" that way back when, we went home each summer - if you weren't handling bags for Delta on a ramp at Hartsfield - & that's where we earned our spending money for the rest of the year. If you were in summer school, unlike today, it was to regain eligibility, not to graduate in three years. Meanwhile, back home after a day pouring concrete with a curb & guttering crew or working in a carpet mill, your worked out & ran sprints with your buds that happened to play at Auburn, Georgia, Tennessee, or wherever.

You hated each other for 60 minutes, one day a year. As soon as the final whistle blew, you shook hands, quickly caught on gossip, and moved on. But you're buds for life.

 

[Gtbowhunter90]

This entire thread is AMAZING!!!!

 

[jacket_fan]

Captn_65, your posts have been the best antidote for what has been happening lately, and I greatly appreciate you sharing with us. Thank you for reminding us the great traditions from Techs past.

From now on, you are my favorite poster on the board!