Orange Bowl Redux

LongforDodd

LongforDodd

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DrJacket said:
This morning, I have watched (again) the last 3 scoring drives from the Orange Bowl. Some things stand out, and it made me want to see if I could prompt some of you to share some of your favorite memories if you were there....moments from the game itself on tv or otherwise....and impressions from game that might have bearing on this upcoming season.

Some highlights for me--
* I can remember pulling up to the stadium. We parked and it was about 2.5 hrs. before gametime. Before we opened the door, we could hear this weird sound. Quickly, we remembered the whole Cowbell thing. They were EVERYWHERE. Inside our car, that was all one could hear. My wife said, "That's going to get old. I hope that isn't going to be a problem for our players. That could be distracting." I told her, "The best way to shut those cowbells up is to jump out to a big lead. Maybe our players will do Paul's favorite thing and 'Punch 'em in the nose.'"

* After a stop at the fanfest, eventually we went in and got up on the concourse. Cellphone rang and it was Mrs. CPJ-- "Can you see us yet? We're just about to pull up!" We looked over the edge and right below us was the Ga Tech entourage. Police escort followed by about seven buses. The Ga Tech guys got off the buses and started to file in with a "business trip" look on most of their faces. Not star-struck about being there. Not intimidated, but not clowning around a lot either. Focused like they had something they had come there to do.

* Before the game, one of the Ga Tech football staff assistants stopped through the area where we were seated. She said that, "The guys say the mood in the locker room is good. There's a vibe in there that's good. The guys believe they can come out and do something special. They're up! Not over-hyped. But, not nervous either. Just ready to get this thing going."

* Watching the replay now on dvr, the touchdown that gave us 28 pts had an interesting moment. The camera cuts to the sideline and guys are celebrating. While all good head-coaches are already signaling the special-teams play for the extra point (or the two if they want to), there's something a little chilling about CPJ. That quick camera shot shows "the look." Keep in mind that CPJ likes Dan Mullen. But, that look isn't one of strategy. It isn't one of decision-making. The look I saw had a furrowed forehead and arched eyebrows. It's the one that says, "We're up...and I'm going to push the gas pedal for all the team is worth. We're going to try to mash them. "

* Finally, some of the broadcaster sound bites are fun. (Heard going to commercial after another Ga Tech touchdown) "If you live in the state of Mississippi, you have cause for concern tonight!" Then there was, "An unstoppable force has been unleashed on the SEC tonight!" Finally, "If you coach young players in the option offense, this is one game you want to rack up and use for teaching."

What Orange Bowl images are still dancing around in your head?
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Synjyn barreling down the sideline running over a DB on his way to the endzone.

JT blowing by guys on numerous occasions on his way to the endzone also.
 

Skeptic

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DrJacket said:
That may be the single funniest thing I ever hear about GT football. I think it originated with CPJ. But, it's just so apt. At the ACC championship game in Charlotte, we sat in the end zone. There were mostly GT fans there, but also a handful of Fla State people. One of them turned around several plays into our first or second series. "Y'all ain't thrown the ball yet. When you gonna throw the BALL?!"

I said, "Oh...it's not time to throw the ball yet. Your defense will tell us when it's time to throw the ball." He shook his head and turned around. :(
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great story.
LongforDodd said:
Synjyn barreling down the sideline running over a DB on his way to the endzone.

JT blowing by guys on numerous occasions on his way to the endzone also.
Click to expand...
How about that info graphic with Tech up 42-27 or such. Something like "Points against Mississippi (in bowls): 82 to 20-something as I remember. Cracked me up and showed somebody not only had a sense of humor but a real biting mean streak. (And for those of a certain tilt, a fellow at the gym told me the next week that GT had to stop scoring or MSU wouldn't be able to figure out how much they had to score to catch up.
 
DrJacket

DrJacket

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We had another guy near us at a game. Might have been the ACC championship. Everyone was pulling for their team, but getting along fine.
There was a timeout before we ran a 3rd down offensive play. He yelled to the Ga Tech fans near by, "One more stop and we GOT you!"

I said, "Oh...I see what's happening here. You labor under the assumption that we just play for 3 downs! I want you to count how many times you see our punter. It won't be hard." ;)
 
dressedcheeseside

dressedcheeseside

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Boomergump said:
That just shows their ignorance. They actually did stop the dive fairly well for much of the game, at least the dive to the A gap. CPJ devised a great counter to their strength at DT. The play that was so successful was us actually stacking 3OLs to the play side of center and then pulling the play side OG in the direction of the play and running the BB to the (what would you call it now?) C gap? They never adjusted.......ever. 6 or 8 yards a pop, over and over, until we decided to run an option play or two. A thing of beauty!
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I just watched the replay and the tv announcers never picked it up, either. It shows the brilliance and subtle complexity of our offense. How many different ways do we have to run the dive anyway?
 
dressedcheeseside

dressedcheeseside

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Another benefit of "when we throw it, we mean it...." is we get wide open dump off opportunities from it. In the first half, alone, we had two horizontal passes out wide to Summers, the ol' smoke route.
 
deeeznutz

deeeznutz

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So I just realized my dvr erased my recording of the game. Does anyone know if there's a video or streaming copy of the broadcast? I know they should still have the skycam video on espn3, but I'm looking for the main broadcast
 
kyle.smith828

kyle.smith828

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For those wanting a replay of the game, I found a blue ray of the game and trophy presentation at Barnes and Noble. $20. Shouldn't be hard to find online and it's totally worth the $.
 
dressedcheeseside

dressedcheeseside

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Skeptic said:
the kid wound up with a decent career at GT despite his size, didn't he? And wasn't he the guy who got into the hole ahead of Thomas on his third TD run and absolutely decleated a MSU linebacker? Cut block, don't you know.
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The sheer poetry of the cut block is the defender has to take his eyes off the ball carrier or risk being totally upended like in the play we're discussing. With JT carrying the ball, you're damned if you do and damned if you don't. Taking your eyes off JT for even a split second is fatal.
 

Skeptic

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dressedcheeseside said:
The sheer poetry of the cut block is the defender has to take his eyes off the ball carrier or risk being totally upended like in the play we're discussing. With JT carrying the ball, you're damned if you do and damned if you don't. Taking your eyes off JT for even a split second is fatal.
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Never considered that, but true. It is also a terrific way to level the playing field, so to speak, by size. Having abjectly failed to learn the proper cut block, to the utter frustration of a HS coach, I can say it is a very hard block to execute. Throw it too late and you are up in their chest to be brushed aside. Throw it too early and you are embarrassingly planted face down in the turf, by your own petard, so to speak.
 
DrJacket

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You're probably tired of this growing legend, but I have to tell you-- she did it again. (y)

I came in the door tonight from work. My wife beat me home from her office and was watching the tv replay from the Orange Bowl. By herself. At least the second time I have come home to such a thing.

What I did to deserve this, I could not begin to tell. All I can do is be thankful.:D
 

Skeptic

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DrJacket said:
You're probably tired of this growing legend, but I have to tell you-- she did it again. (y)

I came in the door tonight from work. My wife beat me home from her office and was watching the tv replay from the Orange Bowl. By herself. At least the second time I have come home to such a thing.

What I did to deserve this, I could not begin to tell. All I can do is be thankful.:D
Click to expand...
Are you sure she doesn't have a thing for Johnson?
 
DrJacket

DrJacket

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Skeptic said:
Are you sure she doesn't have a thing for Johnson?
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I can't guarantee. Women are drawn to power. (Men are, too.)

But, I'm pretty sure we're all good on that account. Besides, if she did--she'd be at his house watching the replay instead of ours.
 
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