Observation

[AUFC]

Regarding GT MBB, 9PM games suck time wise for those are normally zonked by halftime. Throw in losing gives folks even less reason spend time watching much less posting or chatting.

The 9pm games this season (Wisconsin, Florida State) have been the most raucous crowds in McCamish. More of those please.

 

[Tech93]

Coming off a bad football season and going into this basketball season has been a disappointment in general as an avid Tech fan. Sometimes can’t understand why we can’t have a consistently good basketball program and after all these years have given up trying to figure that out. The transfer portal, the negativity which flows over from society these days onto the board, and the losing makes one find other ways to spend their time. I still watch all the games and may continue to but in general losing interest in college sports. I donate each year to GTAA and have 4 season football tickets but probably won’t renew this coming year since I live 3 hours from ATL and have lost the energy and enthusiasm to travel in the COVID world to go to the games. In chat, one poster scolds you if you don’t say what he wants to hear and holds himself to be an expert on basketball. It’s that elitist attitude that has always plagued GT and continues to do so. When you take all of the above into account you slowly disappear from fandom.

 

[RyanS12]

10 NCAAT trips since 1990 and the inability to sustain any success after a big season starts to wear on people. We can never seem to follow up big wins or season in football or basketball with a string of consecutive wins or seasons. Especially in basketball… 93 we won the ACCT, then missed the next two… 96 Sweet 16 run was Bobby’s last trip. Paul took us back in 2001, then 2004’s run was followed up by 05’s let down. 2007 is follows up two years of bad ball. 2010 we got back and then fell off the map until last year, which mirrored 1993’s late season success (ACCT champs) only to be bounced in the 1st rd….

I’ll always be a Tech fan but that type of stuff in both sports is frustrating as all hell!

 

[Jetdrive3]

I find this team hard to watch. I like watching how hard Usher plays but the offense is frequently stagnant and there doesn't seem to be much hope it will improve this year.

I haven't been commenting much since I have missed about half of the games and made no effort to watch a replay.

Yep. My wife and I feel the same. My thing is why we can’t recruit our own backyard until the kids leave and then wish to transfer.

 

[sgreer]

I think we are going to slay the transfer portal this offseason. There is a lot of talent in the metro Atlanta area that leaves for greener pastures and figures out they miss home. It is now very easy and there are few blockers from making that transfer happen. What we need is the Walker Kesslers selecting Georgia Tech over Auburn, UGA, Alabama, Clemson, etc...gonna be real challenging because Auburn looks like the next powerhouse and has a ton of momentum.

Now Auburn does not have to worry about getting into trouble with Pearl- NIL=license to cheat

 

[sgreer]

I feel like I have a slight hangover from last season. We had all of the momentum going into the tourney only to get cut down in the first round with our best player out. I know this happens to half of the teams who make it and the team we lost to went pretty deep but I'm still hanging on to "that should have been us"

This season feels like a rebuilding year and it's tough to get excited. I mainly lurk here especially since the board has become so big but it's hard to get on here and see all of the fire the coach nonsense. I want to feed the troll. Okay unlimited budget, who are you going to hire who is going to turn us around? But I know better than that.

The reality is I trust the guy at the helm and we can afford him. For the complaints about interior play, this is literally the first year in his entire tenure we have been so awful and I have to believe Reveno combined with who we have and the portal we can get back on track in that area. The 2019 recruiting class is screwing us up here. Hopefully 2022 doesn't give us a bad year in 2025. Gotta get some transfers in and Coleman level recruits next year and we'll be fine

I hope so- it remains to be seen what next year will be. It’s disappointing to go from ACC Champ to last place. Tech needs to increase support (whatever it takes) to become a force in this state before someone else decides to. Pastner is still young and with the right support Tech could go on a long run.

 

[Vespidae]

At some point if CJP want's to get fans involved his teams need to start the season on a roll and win 11-12 games prior to January! When that day arrives there will be a lot of interest and support! Until then it's meh at best!

I don't have the answer. Of course, I was at the Tit when Mark Price, John Salley, Dennis Scott, Tom Hammond, Craig Neal, Yvon Joseph etc ... ruled GT hoops. I can remember being at the fraternity house and leaving for a game 5-10 min before it started and getting a seat. After Cremins and Company (players above) arrived, GT hoops was EXCITING. It was impossible to get a seat. Playing against Ralph Sampson, Michael Jordan, etc was among the best stretch of basketball ever. I nearly had a heart attack every time Dennis Scott sank a 3-pointer to win.

The last game I attended at McAmish was about 2 years ago (pre-Covid). I was fortunate to be in the coach's lounge beforehand and in the game debrief afterwards. Good stuff but not great. But then again, I'm comparing to Cremins so I'm biased. I feel for CJP and all the issues/baggage he has had to contend with. That AND the game ... and how players are managed ... has changed dramatically.

I currently teach at Auburn and have faculty season tickets. The games remind me of the old GT games. Students line up 1-3 days in advance (sleeping in tents). The Marketing Dept rebranded the Auburn Arena "The Jungle" .... to play off the Tigers meme. It is high energy. Last night's game against Alabama was standing room only and that was 3-4 deep in the concourses.

As one poster said, almost all of Auburn's current team hails from Georgia, mostly Newnan, Fayetteville, Augusta ... and another two nearby in Nashville and Little Rock. Several are transfers from both UNC (Kessler) and UGA(g) (KD Johnson). The Dawgs program is in the toilet and rumor is the coach will be fired end of season. Ripe time to go recruiting.

For me, GT has ALL the chips to be major hoops program. It's got the ACC, Atlanta, media, entertainment but .... has just had a pall over it during the CJP era. Perhaps it will change? One thing I will say about Bruce Pearl, setting the cheating assertions aside, is the guy is VISIBLE. He's at the local watering holes, he's running outdoor games to gin interest, anything to get and keep fans excited. The players brought pizza to students camping out and you can see the connection between the team and the students during the games.

Again, I don't have the answer I wish I did. Tech SHOULD be a power in MBB. But there are multiple factors that continue to stunt it.

 

[Root4GT]

I don't have the answer. Of course, I was at the Tit when Mark Price, John Salley, Dennis Scott, Tom Hammond, Craig Neal, Yvon Joseph etc ... ruled GT hoops. I can remember being at the fraternity house and leaving for a game 5-10 min before it started and getting a seat. After Cremins and Company (players above) arrived, GT hoops was EXCITING. It was impossible to get a seat. Playing against Ralph Sampson, Michael Jordan, etc was among the best stretch of basketball ever. I nearly had a heart attack every time Dennis Scott sank a 3-pointer to win.

The last game I attended at McAmish was about 2 years ago (pre-Covid). I was fortunate to be in the coach's lounge beforehand and in the game debrief afterwards. Good stuff but not great. But then again, I'm comparing to Cremins so I'm biased. I feel for CJP and all the issues/baggage he has had to contend with. That AND the game ... and how players are managed ... has changed dramatically.

I currently teach at Auburn and have faculty season tickets. The games remind me of the old GT games. Students line up 1-3 days in advance (sleeping in tents). The Marketing Dept rebranded the Auburn Arena "The Jungle" .... to play off the Tigers meme. It is high energy. Last night's game against Alabama was standing room only and that was 3-4 deep in the concourses.

As one poster said, almost all of Auburn's current team hails from Georgia, mostly Newnan, Fayetteville, Augusta ... and another two nearby in Nashville and Little Rock. Several are transfers from both UNC (Kessler) and UGA(g) (KD Johnson). The Dawgs program is in the toilet and rumor is the coach will be fired end of season. Ripe time to go recruiting.

For me, GT has ALL the chips to be major hoops program. It's got the ACC, Atlanta, media, entertainment but .... has just had a pall over it during the CJP era. Perhaps it will change? One thing I will say about Bruce Pearl, setting the cheating assertions aside, is the guy is VISIBLE. He's at the local watering holes, he's running outdoor games to gin interest, anything to get and keep fans excited. The players brought pizza to students camping out and you can see the connection between the team and the students during the games.

Again, I don't have the answer I wish I did. Tech SHOULD be a power in MBB. But there are multiple factors that continue to stunt it.

Good post. Last year our team was exciting to watch. It was CJP’s best offensive team by far. His brand of basketball is often not very exciting. With the right player on the high post it can be efficient but not something that gives fans a lot of wow moments.

Still if he won enough it would be fine. In year 6 at GT he has won 5 more games than he has lost. Hard to generate much excitement with that record.

 

[OG-T]

Moses avg 3pts as a FR, 2 for 31 from 3; 6pts as a Soph, 20% from 3.
Jose shot 20% from 3 his Soph year.
DeVoe avg 9pts as a FR.
Khalid avgs as FR, So & Jr - 4, 3, 4ppg.
Usher was a bit shaky his first year at Tech.
All this to say, we have players on the roster who are solid, very encouraging and deserve a little faith and support in their trajectory.
Deebo - super talented shooter, vastly improving defender, is already a serious shot taker, and appears crazy humble; TEAM first. Hope he stays to become leading scorer next year.
Sturdivant - he has shown reliable flashes, add in growing consistency and he’s a sure double figure scorer.
Deivon - a wild card. Great skills and difference-making athleticism; hope he puts positivity to his passion and not pout. As reliable lead guard, need to keep whole team up and not let self spiral down.
Bubba - I think he’s coming back. And if healthy, he’ll be an old man leader.
Kelly - love his skills. Seems like his strength and knowledge will quickly grow and match his shot. He’s a better shooter than shown.
J. Moore - for me, I’m most excited about his potential of all the FR. I felt early in season, he should be on court. He makes things happen is active - can be out of position, true - but just has that IT to me. Diamond in the rough; he’s going to make huge jump before his upper class years.
Maxwell - unlike his name, he’s had health issues. I love that he’s the type of 3 point sniper that other teams seem to have. He’s a craftier, guttier defender than I thought he’d be. Thot he might be too slow, but he puts himself in position to D up. Get healthy, be consistent and we have a great weapon.
J. Hill - another I think will be a great role guy for years if he stays.
Rodney/Meka/Saba - this is the only area that I have pause. All great, team-first guys, but they don’t have the full skill set that the ACC starting bigs have. I feel there will be movement here, with door possibly swinging both ways. Feel that Pastner hits Portal hard to find the high post shooting/passing/driving threat.

I fully support Pastner, like the assistants, and like the program’s passion and culture - it seems like a place that players enjoy. Keeping all the good ones with sharing minutes could be tough with the ease of Portal. The most important game is the next one - let’s start a win streak.

 

[RyanS12]

I saw someone mentioned style of play and Auburn. I think that’s one thing hurting us too. We play a somewhat boring style of offense and Josh demands defense. While auburn and other SEC teams are playing fast pace, run and gun style of offense that the HS kids all want to play now, with little D. I think he really hurt himself this year by not trying to switch it up and push the temp more. We have nothing in the post that can do what Lammers, Banks or especially Moses did. Trying to run through Saba or Howard at the foul line has been a disaster this year.

 

[GTbball2016]

I saw someone mentioned style of play and Auburn. I think that’s one thing hurting us too. We play a somewhat boring style of offense and Josh demands defense. While auburn and other SEC teams are playing fast pace, run and gun style of offense that the HS kids all want to play now, with little D. I think he really hurt himself this year by not trying to switch it up and push the temp more. We have nothing in the post that can do what Lammers, Banks or especially Moses did. Trying to run through Saba or Howard at the foul line has been a disaster this year.

The tempo this year is actually faster than last year. Unfortunately the offensive efficiency has gone from elite to awful.

 

[Connell62]

I saw someone mentioned style of play and Auburn. I think that’s one thing hurting us too. We play a somewhat boring style of offense and Josh demands defense. While auburn and other SEC teams are playing fast pace, run and gun style of offense that the HS kids all want to play now, with little D. I think he really hurt himself this year by not trying to switch it up and push the temp more. We have nothing in the post that can do what Lammers, Banks or especially Moses did. Trying to run through Saba or Howard at the foul line has been a disaster this year.

Just my personal opinion, but I think that Auburn's success has a lot more to do with the fact that they have two players in Kessler and Smith that are future NBA'ers.

They were both 5 stars and top 10 players in their class. If you are willing to play the game, you can get nice pieces like that and make your offense look totally different.

Last year, we averaged 75pts per game which was only .08 pts out of 2nd. It's not like Moses led the league in assist last year. James Banks wasn't knocking down 12-15 footers with regularity.

This is the same offensive system we have ran from day one and had a lot of success with. Even in the off-season, you don't scrap because that is what they current players know.

Had he gone in a completely different direction, I think that it would look worse than it does today. The difference between this year and the last two is is we had seasoned, players who were making shots.

 

[Fatmike91]

I haven't been commenting much since I have missed about half of the games and made no effort to watch a replay.

This says it all. I didn't watch 3 or 4 football games this year either and made no effort to catch a replay on those either.

/

 

[sgreer]

I don't have the answer. Of course, I was at the Tit when Mark Price, John Salley, Dennis Scott, Tom Hammond, Craig Neal, Yvon Joseph etc ... ruled GT hoops. I can remember being at the fraternity house and leaving for a game 5-10 min before it started and getting a seat. After Cremins and Company (players above) arrived, GT hoops was EXCITING. It was impossible to get a seat. Playing against Ralph Sampson, Michael Jordan, etc was among the best stretch of basketball ever. I nearly had a heart attack every time Dennis Scott sank a 3-pointer to win.

The last game I attended at McAmish was about 2 years ago (pre-Covid). I was fortunate to be in the coach's lounge beforehand and in the game debrief afterwards. Good stuff but not great. But then again, I'm comparing to Cremins so I'm biased. I feel for CJP and all the issues/baggage he has had to contend with. That AND the game ... and how players are managed ... has changed dramatically.

I currently teach at Auburn and have faculty season tickets. The games remind me of the old GT games. Students line up 1-3 days in advance (sleeping in tents). The Marketing Dept rebranded the Auburn Arena "The Jungle" .... to play off the Tigers meme. It is high energy. Last night's game against Alabama was standing room only and that was 3-4 deep in the concourses.

As one poster said, almost all of Auburn's current team hails from Georgia, mostly Newnan, Fayetteville, Augusta ... and another two nearby in Nashville and Little Rock. Several are transfers from both UNC (Kessler) and UGA(g) (KD Johnson). The Dawgs program is in the toilet and rumor is the coach will be fired end of season. Ripe time to go recruiting.

For me, GT has ALL the chips to be major hoops program. It's got the ACC, Atlanta, media, entertainment but .... has just had a pall over it during the CJP era. Perhaps it will change? One thing I will say about Bruce Pearl, setting the cheating assertions aside, is the guy is VISIBLE. He's at the local watering holes, he's running outdoor games to gin interest, anything to get and keep fans excited. The players brought pizza to students camping out and you can see the connection between the team and the students during the games.

Again, I don't have the answer I wish I did. Tech SHOULD be a power in MBB. But there are multiple factors that continue to stunt it.

uga will decide at some point to be good and will take over that sport as GT has failed to do so. Unless something changes big time. I believe it has nothing to do with Pastner- He is a good coach and will continue to improve- still very young

 

[Wrecked]

I personally don't think this board is overly negative given the condition of the two revenue sports. I have long advocated for putting more money into BB and basically do everything to lock down Georgia as a feeder to our program. FSU and Auburn should not be getting this kids, period. We should be in the top three for the majority of the top players in the state. No reason we can't do in BB what UGA has done in FB.

And I like the game chats as an out of state fan, feels like Im at a bar watching the game.

 

[LargeFO]

I personally don't think this board is overly negative given the condition of the two revenue sports. I have long advocated for putting more money into BB and basically do everything to lock down Georgia as a feeder to our program. FSU and Auburn should not be getting this kids, period. We should be in the top three for the majority of the top players in the state. No reason we can't do in BB what UGA has done in FB.

And I like the game chats as an out of state fan, feels like Im at a bar watching the game.

Agreed. It’s insane we can’t recruit our backyard better.

 

[Connell62]

Curious if there’s anyone here that has knowledge of the financial situation for GTAA back in the days of Cremins…I think that many would consider those days our hey day.

Obviously, the landscape of college basketball is completely different, but I just wonder where Cremins salary was in comparison to his peers. Was he considered to be middle of the pack, above average?

How was the financial health back then? I know we didn’t have stadium cost, so I assume we where in better spot. While I followed the program back then, I had no clue about that type of thing.

 

[YlJacket]

No idea of Cremins’s salary but pretty sure that was the time that the ACC made more in TV revenue than any other conference.

 

[Jetdrive3]

Why is recruiting ATL talent so difficult? Most of the ATL talent at Tech are transfers…why? I just don’t understand. Why is it so hard for the taller players to crack the lineup? This is the ACC don’t you have to have tall players to get out of the abyss?

 

[AUFC]

How do we convince Todd to go all in on basketball? You make a bunch of Final Fours, the football success is going to follow. I know football is higher revenue but I don't see us winning the southeast football arms race without going that route. We are also going to fade into irrelevancy when the CFB super league gets formed in the near future anyway.