Our History in Pivotal Games

[Jean-Baptiste Rochambeau]

I think this list of games actually says more about you as a pessimistic fan than it does about Tech's actual record in important perception games.

Give us your three games since 1980, that propelled us into the national limelight. I will hang up an listen off the air.

 

[Jean-Baptiste Rochambeau]

I'm excited about this game, but it is not a make-or-break game for this season or for this program.

you are exactly right, but it wasn't my point. Beating Clemson last year, beating Georgia, winning the Orange Bowl were all great wins, but they didn't elevate the perception of the program like a win Saturday will do.

 

[Jean-Baptiste Rochambeau]

In JBR's defense, I do get it. Turning the corner with a win Saturday would likely greatly enhance a positive, big-picture change in our perception by the media and others on a national level. In the ACC, only FSU and Clemson have that or have had that since 1990 (and maybe VT). But again, I totally understand where JBR is coming from. It is about changing the national presumptive perspective. As it pertains to the actual quality of any football team in any given year, pre-season rankings are meaningless; we all know that. But too often the stage is preset by the pre-season rankings and, as a season progresses, the moves up or down in the rankings from week to week for teams that are mostly winning are all still pegged (think albatross) to their pre-season ranking. This year, as it pertains to us, one loss early in any game, big or small, will send us plummeting. If we had, for instance, FSU status, not so much. If GT can produce a second amazing season and win at least 3 of the 4 "BIG GAMES" and achieve a regular season record of 11-1 or better, the narrative will change and we will be better positioned to remain higher in the rankings in future years when we are placed higher at the outset ("SEC-ish"). A 10-2 regular season would only extend our opportunity to turn the corner for another year. Anything less, and we are the same old GT we have been for a long time; up and down... top 20 sometimes, sometimes not... never horrible, but never creme de la creme. This Saturday matters... A LOT!

A preseason number 3 drops to number 7 or 8 after a loss; a preseason number 15 drops to 23 or worse, depending... and which hole is easier to climb out of?

Saturday's game is HUGE for our program! HUGE! I am feeling very confident that we can win this game and change the presumptive perspective! The national spotlight stage is being laid out for us! All our men have to do is to stay focused and find a way to effectively deal with the first-away-game/potentially-intimidating-environs and execute CPJ's and CTR's game plan.

BTW, my mom was Salutatorian at Savannah High in 1941. Fun facts.

 

[deeeznutz]

Give us your three games since 1980, that propelled us into the national limelight. I will hang up an listen off the air.

You can't blame us for the media not giving us our proper due when we take care of business, that's on them. What will you say when we win this game and the media makes the story more about why ND lost (ie injury escuse) than why we won? I have very little faith that anything we do in this game will move the needle in a permanent fashion...next game we lose would be "proof" that we aren't as good as our ranking and it'd go right back to the same old crap.

 

[Boomergump]

you are exactly right, but it wasn't my point. Beating Clemson last year, beating Georgia, winning the Orange Bowl were all great wins, but they didn't elevate the perception of the program like a win Saturday will do.

Really? The win in the Orange Bowl last season wouldn't have elevated the perception of the program more than the game this Sat would? SEC team who had been number 1 for half the season and we crushed them? Right after we had beaten a UGA team that many had thought was a top 5 kind of opponent on the road? I am really confused and not sure of where you are going with this.

 

[deeeznutz]

Really? The win in the Orange Bowl last season wouldn't have elevated the perception of the program more than the game this Sat would? SEC team who had been number 1 for half the season and we crushed them? Right after we had beaten a UGA team that many had thought was a top 5 kind of opponent on the road? I am really confused and not sure of where you are going with this.

The quote about "this says more about you as a fan than about our program" was spot on. This guy is overly pessimistic and focuses more on our failures than our victories.

 

[DC Bee]

SEC team who had been number 1 for half the season and we crushed them? Right after we had beaten a UGA team that many had thought was a top 5 kind of opponent on the road?

And then the season ended and GT fell right out of the Top 10 in the preseason because we don't have the staying power that other teams have and therefore don't get any benefit of the doubt. GT has to fight for any all all respect it gets on the national spotlight. They're talking about GT right now because they have to. I hope GT gives them more to talk about.

 

[SavannahBee]

IMHO, the game this Saturday has special significance precisely because it builds on last season's great successes. Without those, this wouldn't even be a topic of conversation. Just my 2 cents.

 

[SavannahBee]

you are exactly right, but it wasn't my point. Beating Clemson last year, beating Georgia, winning the Orange Bowl were all great wins, but they didn't elevate the perception of the program like a win Saturday will do.

Awesome! My firm designed both the new Savannah High and more recent renovations to the old Savannah High on Washington Street.

 

[bass ackwards]

Really? The win in the Orange Bowl last season wouldn't have elevated the perception of the program more than the game this Sat would? SEC team who had been number 1 for half the season and we crushed them? Right after we had beaten a UGA team that many had thought was a top 5 kind of opponent on the road? I am really confused and not sure of where you are going with this.

Not to mention that there were only a few games that day so anyone with even the slightest interest in CFB was watching which may not be the case this weekend. We caught a lot of eyes and gave them a helluva show.

 

[TechPhi97]

I won't go into ancient, ancient history on this, but we have had a handful of games in the last 25 years where we had a golden chance to make a statement about the program.
1991 Kick off Classic, defending National Champs; spit the bit against Penn State, spiraled down, coaching staff jumped ship, enter B*** L****.
1999 Gator Bowl against Miami. Having beaten Georgia three in a row, we had a chance to move into elite territory. Would have been 19 wins in two years for O'Leary. Nope.
2009 against Georgia. At home, beat them the year before, we were the better team. Couldn't do it.
2009 Orange Bowl. The big spotlight. The perfect storm. An inferior Iowa team. Got embarrassed.

So now, here we are. Once again on the threshold of greatness. Heading to South Bend, Indiana, favored against the holy grail of Notre Dame. Win and we change the perception of millions for years to come. Fail and we are---well, a good team from the ACC.

1990 UVA?

Geez, you're a big buzz-kill right now.

 

[Declinometer]

.

 

[Northeast Stinger]

I will try. Last year's Georgia game. What if we had lost? Would it have mattered as to how we are perceived by the masses? Because we beat Georgia last year, and because we beat Mississippi State, we now have the chance to make the statement: "we are a top______________ team". Is it top 20? Is it top 12? I don't know. But If we had lost to Georgia, FSU and Mississippi State last year, we wouldn't be in the position we are tonight. Because of those wins we have a chance, slim as it is , to be the program that beats those teams, and continues to be very good into the next season--to infinity and beyond!!!!
My original point was we have been here multiple times before and have never gotten it done.

Seemed to me at the time that we had a pivotal win against Clemson in 2009. I was not sure we would pull that off. Then we had to play them a second time for the championship. Talk about pivotal. It almost never works out well when you have to play a team a second time for a championship after you have beaten them already. Just ask LSU.

 

[Northeast Stinger]

In JBR's defense, I do get it. Turning the corner with a win Saturday would likely greatly enhance a positive, big-picture change in our perception by the media and others on a national level. In the ACC, only FSU and Clemson have that or have had that since 1990 (and maybe VT). But again, I totally understand where JBR is coming from. It is about changing the national presumptive perspective. As it pertains to the actual quality of any football team in any given year, pre-season rankings are meaningless; we all know that. But too often the stage is preset by the pre-season rankings and, as a season progresses, the moves up or down in the rankings from week to week for teams that are mostly winning are all still pegged (think albatross) to their pre-season ranking. This year, as it pertains to us, one loss early in any game, big or small, will send us plummeting. If we had, for instance, FSU status, not so much. If GT can produce a second amazing season and win at least 3 of the 4 "BIG GAMES" and achieve a regular season record of 11-1 or better, the narrative will change and we will be better positioned to remain higher in the rankings in future years when we are placed higher at the outset ("SEC-ish"). A 10-2 regular season would only extend our opportunity to turn the corner for another year. Anything less, and we are the same old GT we have been for a long time; up and down... top 20 sometimes, sometimes not... never horrible, but never creme de la creme. This Saturday matters... A LOT!

A preseason number 3 drops to number 7 or 8 after a loss; a preseason number 15 drops to 23 or worse, depending... and which hole is easier to climb out of?

Saturday's game is HUGE for our program! HUGE! I am feeling very confident that we can win this game and change the presumptive perspective! The national spotlight stage is being laid out for us! All our men have to do is to stay focused and find a way to effectively deal with the first-away-game/potentially-intimidating-environs and execute CPJ's and CTR's game plan.

Will not try to speak for others here but I know I was not disagreeing with the idea that this game could be huge if we win it. I just resist the notion that Tech always fails when it comes to winning a big game. I also resist the notion that it is pivotal. Who knows if it is pivotal or not at this point? I certainly don't know that. VPI thought they had a pivotal win at Ohio State last year, I am pretty sure.

 

[Northeast Stinger]

IMHO, the game this Saturday has special significance precisely because it builds on last season's great successes. Without those, this wouldn't even be a topic of conversation. Just my 2 cents.

Exactly. But that is a different point than the one first put forth. As someone said already, the more you win the more important each game becomes. That kind of removes the notion of pivotal, don't you think? Otherwise every game on the schedule becomes pivotal as long as you are winning.

No, the original statement was something about if we had lost to uga it would not have meant that much because we were expected to lose, yada-yada, same with other big wins last year not being pivotal, but this year THE game is Notre Dame. Some of us are just resisting squeezing this one game into epic historical significance.

 

[stevo0718]

Like Coach Johnson says each win makes the next one bigger.

Silly question. As a GT fan we are internally consumed with the feeling that we will eventually blow it, but have the hope that this time will be different. I have faith that JT has "it" and will keep us from fudging it.

There is no need to remind us of previous failures.

 

[Boomergump]

Yup. Every game is pivotal. You either take a step forward, or you take a step back. That is 180 degrees of "about face" pivot. They are all big.

 

[Captain killem]

Lots of doom and gloom in this. I remember a very good football coach once said " if ifs and buts were candy and nuts we'd all have a merry Christmas". I see no correlation between what was and what is to come. We play the games one at a time. Previous performance does not predict current. Line em up on Saturday and let's see what this swarm of jackets can do.

 

[txsting]

Exactly. But that is a different point than the one first put forth. As someone said already, the more you win the more important each game becomes. That kind of removes the notion of pivotal, don't you think? Otherwise every game on the schedule becomes pivotal as long as you are winning.

No, the original statement was something about if we had lost to uga it would not have meant that much because we were expected to lose, yada-yada, same with other big wins last year not being pivotal, but this year THE game is Notre Dame. Some of us are just resisting squeezing this one game into epic historical significance.

Hiring CPJ was a pivotal moment for our football program. Piv-ot-al: of crucial importance in relation to the development or success of something else.

The result of a single game merely extends or reverses short term momentum, which can be recovered with subsequent wins, or squandered by ****ting the bed in Durham.

The notion that this game somehow pivots the program to a different future plateau is absurd. It is like lovable 20ozBulldog claiming a particular game would change the fortunes of the next 3-7 years. You're selling sand, Jean.

 

[sidewalkGTfan]

I think this list of games actually says more about you as a pessimistic fan than it does about Tech's actual record in important perception games.

First thing that came to my mind...