Kirby Syndrome or Syracuse Envy?

jwsavhGT

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Obviously the last couple of days have been difficult for GT fans and, unfortunately, our season has not gone as we had hoped. However, I've been reading some things on FB that trouble me as a GT alum/fan. I gather that some "fans" have been making disparaging comments on social media and that some of our "fans" are actually booing our players during the games. I have also seen posts that reference where one of our kickers from the TN game received death threats for missing a field goal. If any of these posts are true then I am truly ashamed that we as a fanbase are forgetting that these are ONLY games and these players are 18-23 year old young men that put their health/safety on the line each week for Our Team!

I truly don't think any of our student/athletes OR any of our coaches want to be where we are now. I truly believe that our student/athletes AND our coaches are too competitive to be satisfied with how things are going and are working on improving the situation. I believe in Our Team & Our Coaches and I will continue supporting them for the remainder of this season and for future seasons to come.

As always, Go Jackets - Sting 'em!
 

JacketFromUGA

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Just because people criticise certain things doesn't mean they want him fired. Some people here seem satisfied with a 4-3 record and it's annoying.
right. but as I said. at least 3 posters on this board have said they want him fired. Granted they say that after every loss but they still exist.
 

dressedcheeseside

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Just because people criticise certain things doesn't mean they want him fired. Some people here seem satisfied with a 4-3 record and it's annoying.
I haven't read one poster who is satisfied with a 4-3 record. Some are able to put the losses into context however. Two are by one point, one was against the defending natty champ, none were in BDS, all three were against teams that score 30 to 40 better in recruiting rankings and all three were against factory programs with budgets that dwarf ours.
 

SteamWhistle

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Yeah it's cool winning 7-8 games a year but it's not cool losing to pretty much the same teams every year. (Miami, Georgia, VT, Clemson) Before you reply talking about last year, look at CPJ's record against those 4 teams. Stansbury gotta do some work so we can keep up with those 4.
 

jacob

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I haven't read one poster who is satisfied with a 4-3 record. Some are able to put the losses into context however. Two are by one point, one was against the defending natty champ, none were in BDS, all three were against teams that score 30 to 40 better in recruiting rankings and all three were against factory programs with budgets that dwarf ours.
And hopefully Stansbury is doing what is needed for us to catch up to those factories. Been reading alot of stuff that says he is doing things to help significantly.
 

herb

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All of this reminds me of the saying about the difference between involvement (Georgia Tech admin) and commitment (Alabama, Clemson, dwags), "The difference between involvement and commitment is like ham and eggs. The chicken is involved; the pig is committed."
 
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Just because people criticise certain things doesn't mean they want him fired. Some people here seem satisfied with a 4-3 record and it's annoying.
We are right where I thought we'd be. Heading for 5-6. If we are all good with that, so be it. If we are not allowed to criticize things, then we must accept what we are.
 

dressedcheeseside

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Yeah it's cool winning 7-8 games a year but it's not cool losing to pretty much the same teams every year. (Miami, Georgia, VT, Clemson) Before you reply talking about last year, look at CPJ's record against those 4 teams. Stansbury gotta do some work so we can keep up with those 4.
How many STEM schools have a winning record vs the 4 toughest factories on their schedule every year? None. But not because they lose to them. They don’t even play any.
 

dressedcheeseside

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So why is it when we win a little more like last year or ‘14 or ‘09, nobody questions the coaches or even the administration commitment so much? Eliminate any two out of a dozen bad breaks and we’re 6 - 1 and ranked. Those seasons I mentioned above would look like this one if not for a handful of fortunate bounces. There’s a lot of truth in coach’s favorite cliche. Guess which one I’m thinking of...
 

Skeptic

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We should be 6-1 right now, and we all know it. Kids have to finish games, but coaches have to instill this characteristic into the team.

Nuff said.
That is on the money and not a soul on the board would disagree. (I think.) But a coach, any coach, doesn't forget how to do that over the winter. I am one of those who thinks luck plays a role no matter how you prepare against it. Some things cannot be explained otherwise. Which is to say that to lose in the final seconds because you had a team at 4th and 11, two of your guys in the right place tip the pass ... and it falls into the arms of a prostate eligible receiver for a first down? How does a coach prepare for that? I'm pretty sure they have tip drills, and D backs practice catching a ball, but you know, sometimes stuff happens. I am unhappy. The coach and the team are unhappy. Everybody is. But I gotta say I was really, really happy when a certain Georgia coach decided to pooch a kickoff late, with a 3-point lead, a LB with good hands was where he was supposed to be and ran it back far enough to help set up that magic moment of OT... All of that was skill and preparation. But the inexplicable short kickoff decision? Now, that was luck.

We still don't know how good this team is. Some think really good. I don't agree because I see holes and weaknesses, but the truth is I am not a football guy so I can be wrong. Hope I am. I just don't think it is the coach and preparation because I cannot imagine playing for a coach as pugnacious as Johnson and not being combative. But if they are not, then that is on the coach and natural events must follow.
 

dressedcheeseside

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That is on the money and not a soul on the board would disagree. (I think.) But a coach, any coach, doesn't forget how to do that over the winter. I am one of those who thinks luck plays a role no matter how you prepare against it. Some things cannot be explained otherwise. Which is to say that to lose in the final seconds because you had a team at 4th and 11, two of your guys in the right place tip the pass ... and it falls into the arms of a prostate eligible receiver for a first down? How does a coach prepare for that? I'm pretty sure they have tip drills, and D backs practice catching a ball, but you know, sometimes stuff happens. I am unhappy. The coach and the team are unhappy. Everybody is. But I gotta say I was really, really happy when a certain Georgia coach decided to pooch a kickoff late, with a 3-point lead, a LB with good hands was where he was supposed to be and ran it back far enough to help set up that magic moment of OT... All of that was skill and preparation. But the inexplicable short kickoff decision? Now, that was luck.

We still don't know how good this team is. Some think really good. I don't agree because I see holes and weaknesses, but the truth is I am not a football guy so I can be wrong. Hope I am. I just don't think it is the coach and preparation because I cannot imagine playing for a coach as pugnacious as Johnson and not being combative. But if they are not, then that is on the coach and natural events must follow.
I disagree with it. Coaches can only do so much. When it comes to intangibles, kids either have them or they don't. For the most part, we recruit these very aspects.

As far as what a coach can do to instill confidence and attitude, I am not one bit disappointed in our staff's efforts. A team's personna reflects that of the head man. Nobody, and I mean nobody, is more confident, driven, focused, competitive and full of attitude than Paul Johnson. I am a little disappointed in our team leaders in this regard, however, because this is where the team's belief in winning either continues or falls apart once the hitting starts. When your leaders have "deer in the headlights" on their faces, it doesn't instill much confidence in self or team.

Forget about all the mental mumbo jumbo, missed reads, missed assignments, going the wrong ways.... we lost 90% of the one on one physical battles Saturday night.
 

GTech63

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And hopefully Stansbury is doing what is needed for us to catch up to those factories. Been reading alot of stuff that says he is doing things to help significantly.
None of us or the coaches or team members are satisfied with where we are, record wise, at present. But with the money of W. Buffet I don't believe we will EVER be able to challenge Bama or the Dawgs except for a year where we get a lot bounces going our way. The playing field is not level. Look at the punishment from NCAA at UNCheat. Academics at Bama and Dawg U will never be as stringent as at GT. The non-punishment of The Cheats will make the divide even greater.

I for one, enjoy being a degree holder from a World-Class Academic school with competitive sports programs and doing right with our SAs. Look at what happened to Baylor when they go after players to compete in football against the powerhouses.

I believe we can recruit better but we need to find the SA with academic capability and moral character to be called a Yellow Jacket. They are out there. But we aren't the Irish, with parochial schools all over the nation, feeding players to them. We have to beat the bushes. We need to be innovative in our recruiting and in our marketing of what a degree from GT is really worth. We seem to have made great strides in this direction in the CPJ/CTR tenure. The positive vibes about the AD also provide hope this will continue and improve.

I love the character of this team. They are a great bunch of young men. I for one don’t believe winning is every thing. How you win is a major part of the equation. The moral compass of our nation and the world is askew. I believe how we are doing it here at GT is a contribution to righting that compass.

NO I AM NOT HAPPY WITH NOT BEING 6-1 BUT I am happy not being Baylor, Rice, Purdue, or Arkansas, or Texas A&M getting beat 35-14 by Missy State at home where the 12 th man exists.

Close losses really hurt but I thank our young men for working hard, fighting through adversity and giving us the opportunity to beat anyone one we play.

Go Jackets!! Fight!! Swarm!! Sting /em!! Win!!! THWG!!
 

dressedcheeseside

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None of us or the coaches or team members are satisfied with where we are, record wise, at present. But with the money of W. Buffet I don't believe we will EVER be able to challenge Bama or the Dawgs except for a year where we get a lot bounces going our way. The playing field is not level. Look at the punishment from NCAA at UNCheat. Academics at Bama and Dawg U will never be as stringent as at GT. The non-punishment of The Cheats will make the divide even greater.

I for one, enjoy being a degree holder from a World-Class Academic school with competitive sports programs and doing right with our SAs. Look at what happened to Baylor when they go after players to compete in football against the powerhouses.

I believe we can recruit better but we need to find the SA with academic capability and moral character to be called a Yellow Jacket. They are out there. But we aren't the Irish, with parochial schools all over the nation, feeding players to them. We have to beat the bushes. We need to be innovative in our recruiting and in our marketing of what a degree from GT is really worth. We seem to have made great strides in this direction in the CPJ/CTR tenure. The positive vibes about the AD also provide hope this will continue and improve.

I love the character of this team. They are a great bunch of young men. I for one don’t believe winning is every thing. How you win is a major part of the equation. The moral compass of our nation and the world is askew. I believe how we are doing it here at GT is a contribution to righting that compass.

NO I AM NOT HAPPY WITH NOT BEING 6-1 BUT I am happy not being Baylor, Rice, Purdue, or Arkansas, or Texas A&M getting beat 35-14 by Missy State at home where the 12 th man exists.

Close losses really hurt but I thank our young men for working hard, fighting through adversity and giving us the opportunity to beat anyone one we play.

Go Jackets!! Fight!! Swarm!! Sting /em!! Win!!! THWG!!
Great post. Could not agree more!!! You get it! The only thing I disagree slightly with is the money thing. A large increase in budget spent well could go a long way in "find(ing) the SA with academic capability and moral character to be called a Yellow Jacket."
 

GTech63

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------ The only thing I disagree slightly with is the money thing. A large increase in budget spent well could go a long way in "find(ing) the SA with academic capability and moral character to be called a Yellow Jacket."
I don't disagree but IMO we will never be a year in, year out, top 5. Yes, a perennial top 20 is possible with a lot of infused money. But as long as the NCAA maintains an uneven playing field, cheating will give less academic schools an extra advantage for yearly top 5 ranking.
 

Skeptic

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I

...Forget about all the mental mumbo jumbo, missed reads, missed assignments, going the wrong ways.... we lost 90% of the one on one physical battles Saturday night.
There were times I thought Clemson's threes were whipping our ones, and times I know their twos were beating our ones. They are very big and very fast and very quick, built to specs, according to Swinney, to compete for national championships. He thought they would have a third straight bite at it this year, and still might, so we weren't playing a broken up team in a rebuilding year. The whole GT situation can be and is argued every season, but regardless of the severity of it, it is going to be an uphill battle every single season. Of course it could be worse: have everything needed and still bottom out. I am talking about you, UNC.
 
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