Have you ever randomly met any GT athletes/coaches?

[Sheboygan]

Brent Cunningham, Steve Harkey, Brad Bourne, Greg Horne, Smylie Gebhart, Bubba Hoats were all in some Management classes in late '60s/early 70s
Later Rick Strom at a Spring game

Daniel Hord, have you heard of any/all of those players ? They were 50 years ago, lol

 

[leatherneckjacket]

I was in the MBA program with several football players including working on several projects with Michael Braun. To show my age, I also had classes with Mike Mooney, Ed Elisma, and numerous other athletes during my undergraduate days. In fact, I used to play basketball with Mooney, Gallagher, Levine and a fourth football player at the SAC all the time my sophomore year.

 

[Ramble1885]

Daniel Hord, have you heard of any/all of those players ? They were 50 years ago, lol

I know Strom because he was our radio color commentary for a few years.

 

[GT121314]

If seeing them around campus or sharing classes count, I suppose I have a few:

Freshman year, I was walking to Woody's dining hall, and I saw Joshua Nesbitt walking down the sidewalk. For a QB, the guy was huge. I wasn't surprised he was a bruiser-style runner for Johnson.

Caught CPJ a few times walking close to the practice facility. He was always walking fast and with a purpose. Never just strolling down the sidewalk.

I also shared a class with Jemea Thomas. I was wearing a shirt from my high school, and he noticed and asked if I went there. He said we used to play him in his Fitzgerald days, and then he offered me tickets to any game to give to my friends and family. A few years after we had both graduated and moved on with our lives, he sent me a Facebook message asking how things were going. A great stand up guy and amazing football player.

 

[Dustman]

I went to a GT football game and sat behind TJ Barnes. I had trouble seeing around him for obvious reasons. Really cool guy!

Probably a different game, but I sat next to him at a game in section 103. I think I said something like “we could use you out there today” and he laughed.

We saw Jon Dwyer at a game in 2018. My Buddy that goes to games with me has a good eye for recognizing former players.

I ran into PJ Davis’ family in Albany, heading up to the 2013 VT game. Very nice family, and they seemed surprised that a strange old dude in south GA knew who 40 for GT was.

 

[Old School]

Years ago my wife and I stayed at perimeter Marriott the night before the Georgia game. Tech used to always take the team there to stay off campus for home games. On Saturday morning my wife was still getting ready so I told her I was heading down to the lobby and wait for her there with my parents.

The players and coaches were all in the lobby making their way to the buses. After a few minutes the elevator doors open and my wife comes out with Chan Gailey. When she walks up I say “did you talk to coach Gailey?” She got a funny look and says “that was Coach Gailey? Oh my gosh, I didn’t know who he was and I asked him if he was going to the game today!?!”

I asked her what his reply was and she said he responded with “yes ma’am.” Never told her who he was.

Also a great memory was when I was in grammar school, staying in the Marriott for the first time, jumping on the elevator with my brother and realizing we were loaded up with Big John Davis and a couple other linemen. Then going to the lobby And seeing Dewberry, Nate Kelsey, Ted Roof and all our Tech heroes. What a time!!

 

[g0lftime]

I was going up into a doctor's office at Piedmont Hospital & Bobby Cremins walked into the elevator with one of his players ...Super nice & friendly!

Used to run into Cremins jogging around campus and usually with Dalrymple. Ran into Bobby Dodd with his wife at Ansley CC at dinner. Kutcher at the US Open and the US Amateur. Same with Duval. I played on a club basketball team at the YMCA with Billy Lothridge when he was trying to stay in shape in case a NFL team needed a punter.

 

[Dustman]

Oh yeah. Forgot about Kuchar. He was at the Gator Bowl in 2016. Saw him on the way out of the stadium. Hard to miss with people yelling “Kuuuuuuuuch”

 

[MaverickGT]

Played golf with Wes Durham, Paul Johnson, Charles Kelly, Sewak, and couple others from CPJ’s staff.

Met Bobby Cremmins at Kiawah too.

My brother spilled nachos all over Varitek at the peach bowl when LSU clobbered us.

I crashed into Kelly Rhino and his wife at the GT - Clemson game that we won on the BEBE Thomas fake FG for a TD game- I was jumping up and down when we converted like a 3rd and 19 towards the end of the game and fell over into the Rhino family.

Met Dwyer on the sidelines of UGA game that we lost and he was distraught- tried to encourage him to get ready for the ACC championship game that we won a week later over the Tigs.

Met Joe Hamilton numerous times- in Chicago for our game against ND

 

[Sheboygan]

I know Strom because he was our radio color commentary for a few years.

Cunningham was a pretty good RB from Eatonton, Harkey was from Atl , played at Westminster and had a cup of coffee with the NYJ. Brad Bourne was a 3 x legacy from North Springs HS in ATL, played DL, very highly awarded during his career. Greg Horne was in the same class as McAshan and was in a Literature class with me, Very funny and a good player also. Smylie Gebhart was a good ole boy from Miss. Didn't say much but was a very good DE in his day. Died at 51 yo. in 2001 and was an AA at Tech.
Bubba Hoats went to JC at Gordon Military. I had graduated HS from there in '68. He came to Tech in '69, so I knew he was a good player as a LB. (He came in with Rock Perdoni that year) He had 3 interceptions against the Dwags that year and we shut out VD's dwags 6-0.
I hope you enjoyed the history lesson. We had some pretty good teams during my years at Tech.

 

[danny daniel]

A player's girlfriend worked for my daughter and we randomly met the couple on a few occasions. When the player's parents who lived out of town could not make the game the player would give me his tickets which I used. I was always a fan but did not attend games very often. As a result of this situation with this player which renewed my GT fandom I bought season tickets the next season myself and have been a season ticket holder and not missed a home game for the last 9 seasons. I was even in Athens 2014 and 2016. I still randomly run into the player who is now married to his girlfriend, with a new baby, and my daughter stays in touch with the player's wife.. Other results are that I am on the Swarm and now very excited about our new Coach ...all thanks to a GT football player..

 

[alagold]

You want old--I knew a bunch of guys in school -late 60s.
To show how things have changed-I was in a SATURDAY morning class and I think I remember our QB,Larry Good ,in there on game day at 9 am. ( vs Tenn I think).
Rick Lewis (DB and Nat DEF back of week for 2 TD ints.) was on my hall in the dorm where I was a counselor.We swapped music albums a lot and I ran across HIS Righteous Bros album last yr in a box in my basement..Great guy ,by the way.
I spoke to Chan Gailey at an alumni clubmeeting when he first came to Tech.I asked him what was his biggest surprise as new coach. He said-"Keeping up with all those recruiting rules"
At another club meeting I sat at the front table with Coach Dodd after he retired.He told a personal story ,that I can't repeat here, that I will never forget. (Not about Tech -btw)

 

[GTNC72]

Whack Hyder many years ago in a restaurant. I just said "hello, Coach" and did not want to bother him off-campus.

 

[4shotB]

Sat next to Coach Bill Curry on a flight from NY to ?. IIRC, he was no longer at Tech but maybe Bama or even Ky. We got an opportunity to chat on various Fb and life topics. To this day, one of the most charismatic people I have ever met in person. Certainly made the flight more enjoyable. I suppose nowadays guys with those jobs are flying private jets and not in first class commercial.

 

[travgt01]

Pastner runs around Chastain park a lot in the summer. I usually give him a go jackets. In passing. Probably should give him a swift kick in the ***. Hopefully he’ll be moving soon. I also see Jon Babul there often.

 

[GT14]

In 2016 I'd just been hired back by GTRI out of grad school and I went for a run from my office and swung by Bobby Dodd. It was Wednesday, Nov 9 after Justin Thomas had been knocked out of the game vs. UNC the Saturday prior and coaches, media, and message boards (this one included) were optimistic that he would be ready to start on Saturday vs. #16 VT.

On my run I saw JT come out of the Edge center with a sling and just *so* sad. I was (and am) a big GT fan and alum, but more importantly at the time I was fresh out of grad school and broke. So I knew that I had to make the first sports bet of my life and put the farm (or lack thereof) on VT. Ultimately, I couldn't figure out how to do so easily, then forgot about it, the didn't think about it again until the broadcast showed Matthew Jordan warming up with JT on the sideline. So my secret was out, no point in betting now, I no longer had insider info.

Anyways, GT upset #16 VT that day and Matthew Jordan ran for 121 yards, although he was 2/7 for 34 yards passing. I haven't had much temptation to bet on sports since.

 

[TooTall]

Ran into this guy outside the east stands couple years ago. We don't get to look folks straight in the face too often lol

 

[Ramble1885]

Ran into this guy outside the east stands couple years ago. We don't get to look folks straight in the face too often lol
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James Banks! Man we could use a big man like him now.

 

[Flajacket]

I was working the sandwich line in the cafeteria in the administration building when Pepper Rogers came in for lunch.

I asked him how the spring game was going to be.

He replied 'Football is like sex. Sometimes it's good, sometimes it's great. But it is always at least good.'

 

[Jerry the Jacket]

Over my 73 years on the planet, I have met many Georgia Tech sports personalities. Two of my most interesting were, Leon Hardeman who I met back in the early 2000"s at an open spring practice session, back when we still did that sort of thing to promote fan interest. He was pretty old then and was very friendly and shared a lot of stories about his days playing for Coach Dodd and how the game had changed since his playing days. A true Tech legend.

I also met Wade Mitchell who played quarterback and safety in the mid-'50s for Coach Dodd at a Golf Tournament at Crystal Lake Golf Course in Hampton, Georgia. Another fine gentleman noticed the GT hat I was wearing and went out of his way to approach me, introduce himself, and let me know how much he still loved his association with Tech.