Institutionalized Takes

[ThatGuy]

I have a much more optimistic outlook. Much of this post is based on rumor and supposition, instead of facts that I know to be true.

If Key's contract is heavily based on incentives and the buyout drops off in three years, then let's look at the worst case scenario. We spend three years in a similar situation as we have for the past four. After three years, J Batt has diversified fund raising for GT. Key's buyout drops off, and Collins contract is completely paid. We have more money and no lingering buyouts to cover, so we can go after a high level coach with money waiting to pay him.

Let's look at better case scenarios. Key gets the team to 10 wins and at this point next year is preparing the team to play in the ACCCG and then play in a NY6 bowl game. If all those incentives mean that Key will be paid $3.5-5 million, I don't think that it will be an issue to raise that money under those circumstances.

Maybe it is only hope that we will be in the second scenario, but I think that scenario is more likely than the first. I think the overall scenario makes Key the perfect hire at this point. Fans are behind him. The players are behind him. His risk is low enough that GT can cover it, and his potential ceiling is high.

This. As I evaluated candidates in my mind, I played a lot of “what’s the worst that could happen?” This is why Deion was a non-starter for me from the beginning. We can’t risk our program on a high risk, high reward candidate right now. We don’t have a savings account to bail us out if it doesn’t work.

But looking at the program as a whole, I started thinking, “What’s the best that could happen?” Key was the only candidate for whom both winning and losing have tenable outcomes. Don’t get me wrong - I don’t want the former of your scenarios to come to pass - but if it does, hiring Key leaves us in a much better place to build a sustainable program moving forward. It’s almost as if - shockingly - our AD had a strategy in hiring him. That’s a welcome change.

Either way, I’m not convinced the latter won’t come to pass. We have a huge upside, and a great safety net. That’s why the more I consider this hire, the more I like it.

 

[ThatGuy]

Back to Bryce Koon, we all should remember - as a journalist, your sources are paramount. But as a commentator/columnist (which is essentially what many of the “journalists” at 247 are), your job is to have a hot take.

I don’t know the guy, and his sources may be legitimate - but I certainly wouldn’t put it past anyone in that position to come up with some out there theories to stir the pot, and to pass it off as “sources.” That, again, is the difference between a columnist/commentator and a journalist. And that’s why I’m hopeful that some of his hot takes are simply hot air.

 

[85Escape]

Back to Bryce Koon, we all should remember - as a journalist, your sources are paramount. But as a commentator/columnist (which is essentially what many of the “journalists” at 247 are), your job is to have a hot take.

I don’t know the guy, and his sources may be legitimate - but I certainly wouldn’t put it past anyone in that position to come up with some out there theories to stir the pot, and to pass it off as “sources.” That, again, is the difference between a columnist/commentator and a journalist. And that’s why I’m hopeful that some of his hot takes are simply hot air.

Koon's stuff is all entertainment. Those who throw him under the bus seem to think he's reporting the news or something. For what it is, I find it entertaining.

 

[MWBATL]

The Notre Dame model is the one that makes sense to me. I know this is a minority opinion, in fact, it is likely to be an exclusive opinion but I do not believe football players or athletes at college should be getting paid money beyond their scholarships, books, and other school related expenses.

Norte Dame has unique advantages compared to GT. By law, all universities in Georgia MUST keep funding separate between athletics and academics. Ergo, Cabrera must get creative on how to help solve the GTAA’s funding problems…he cannot simply transfer $50 million to the GTAA. Norte Dame is a private university. ALLdonations go to the school, who then in turn d3cides how much to give to athletics and how much to academics. Completely different models.

 

[DvilleJacket]

I enjoy listening to Koon and anybody willing to talk about Tech for that matter including cdogg!

 

[Heisman's Ghost]

Norte Dame has unique advantages compared to GT. By law, all universities in Georgia MUST keep funding separate between athletics and academics. Ergo, Cabrera must get creative on how to help solve the GTAA’s funding problems…he cannot simply transfer $50 million to the GTAA. Norte Dame is a private university. ALLdonations go to the school, who then in turn d3cides how much to give to athletics and how much to academics. Completely different models.

I understand that but the model we are currently saddled with is never going to work. Cabrera's creativity notwithstanding.

 

[takethepoints]

Interesting take. Monken took over Army in 2014. CPJ went 11-3 in 2014 without him. 2015 was rough and injury laden, and we won 9 games in 2016.

I'm thinking the drop-off after 2016 was because CPJ failed to land a quality replacement for JeT, not Monken.

I hate to keep nitpicking, but he did and quality replacements for JT - Ratliffe (injured out of football), Campbell (injured out of football), Jordan (injured out of football). Then there was the one he never actually got to coach - Graham. And the one who he did - Oliver. It was losing the first three that really hurt.

And that's the last nitpick from me on this topic.

 

[Augusta_Jacket]

I hate to keep nitpicking, but he did and quality replacements for JT - Ratliffe (injured out of football), Campbell (injured out of football), Jordan (injured out of football). Then there was the one he never actually got to coach - Graham. And the one who he did - Oliver. It was losing the first three that really hurt.

And that's the last nitpick from me on this topic.

I agree with all your points, but to continue the nit, if the QB never plays QB, then he failed to land a quality replacement for JeT. That's what I was saying.

Had Ratliffe not been injured, I think CPJs last few years at GT would be vastly different.

 

[Jetdrive3]

Best things to happen have happened. I know people love their conspiracy theories, but to what end? Did we really want a used up coach late in his career?

 

[Jetdrive3]

I have a different take on it. I don't know what the discussions were. But, I have seen some speculation that donors were willing to donate more if Key was hired instead of threatening to stop donations if someone else was hired. At this point, the athletic association would need additional revenue to pay a new coach $5-6 million per year, plus raise the assistant coaches pool, plus increase recruiting, plus set up more NIL money. If @Techster is correct, then in a few years we might be in a position to raise money without the need to appeal to large donors individually. However, at this point we do need that.

If donors let it me known that they would provide more support for Key than they would for other candidates, people seem to think that is horrific. But, posters here were saying things like they would not donate more, nor get season tickets if Fritz was hired. People on here have stated that they are excited about the Key hire and have donated additional money to the AT Fund. We are acting exactly the same way we are criticizing the large donors for acting. The only difference is in the number of zeros.

IF donors were getting together and pushing influence, that is bad. However, is large donors simply decided to do more for a situation they are excited about, that is exactly the same as everybody else. Financially it is much better to have a stable base and the ability to build extra with excitement. A family who lives paycheck to paycheck is dependent on the whims of their landlord. A financially stable family probably owns their own home and can handle emergencies much better. Currently the GT athletic association is living paycheck to paycheck and has to do extraordinary things to simply pay the bills. Get into a good financial situation with revenue greater than expenses from multiple independent sources, and the athletic association will be less dependent on getting people excited in order to survive. Don't blame your landlord for your inability to pay rent, and don't blame the large donors for the athletic associations dependence on them.

I heard talk that the debt and expense of decaying infrastructure are the biggest problems for GT Athletics. Is it true and what are the realistic solutions if so? As for your take, I agree wholeheartedly.

 

[thecrowdedbooth]

Back to Bryce Koon, we all should remember - as a journalist, your sources are paramount. But as a commentator/columnist (which is essentially what many of the “journalists” at 247 are), your job is to have a hot take.

I don’t know the guy, and his sources may be legitimate - but I certainly wouldn’t put it past anyone in that position to come up with some out there theories to stir the pot, and to pass it off as “sources.” That, again, is the difference between a columnist/commentator and a journalist. And that’s why I’m hopeful that some of his hot takes are simply hot air.

All you have to do is ask him, I'm sure he'd love to clear it up

 

[IEEEWreck]

I understand that but the model we are currently saddled with is never going to work. Cabrera's creativity notwithstanding.

I don't really disagree with you there, but what can you do about it? Push leg humpers out of political control?

 

[ThatGuy]

All you have to do is ask him, I'm sure he'd love to clear it up

Got me there. FWIW, I'm hopeful a lot of your takes are just opinion.

 

[RamblinRed]

Keeping money separate between Academics and Athletics is not an unusual position for most public universities.

Also, the vast majority of money given to universities (that end up in their endowments) are given for specific purposes and cannot be used for anything other than that specified purpose.

If you want money for athletics, you pretty much have to have a fundraising drive for athletics.

 

[Heisman's Ghost]

I don't really disagree with you there, but what can you do about it? Push leg humpers out of political control?

Not much can be done but we are currently in the same position as Tulane, Rice, Vanderbilt, Duke, Northwestern and other academic schools that will never be able to match the factories in money, facilities, recruiting, and cheating. IIWII

 

[Heisman's Ghost]

I don't really disagree with you there, but what can you do about it? Push leg humpers out of political control?

I am open to shooting them if that helps.

 

[gorcone]

Cancel athletics.

 

[1BearJACKET]

With regards to Bryce Koon’s reporting/ commentary on Georgia Tech football, I believe that Dawg that he is he kinda relishes being the turd in the punch bowl.

 

[thecrowdedbooth]

With regards to Bryce Koon’s reporting/ commentary on Georgia Tech football, I believe that Dawg that he is he kinda relishes being the turd in the punch bowl.

dang man...

had to read that sentence. a few times before i understood what you were saying

 

[Augusta_Jacket]

dang man...

had to read that sentence. a few times before i understood what you were saying

I still haven't interpreted it...