What concerns me most right now

[redmule]

Redmule is not being negative. Redmule has watched Tech football since Dodd was coaching, and he knows the Tech tendencies thru many coaches and players. We may come right of the gate and crush all before us, but I expect one of those two games will be surprisingly tough if history is a guide. And that is not a bad thing because you don't learn anything about yourself blowing out lesser competition.

 

[jchens_GT]

If we have trouble in any of the first three games, we will have a battle to win 3 more.

Tulane was not good and as Eric points out, they have their problems too. Of course they will want to win very badly. But if they don't have the physical talent, it will take a lot of luck (or bad play on our part) for them to win / make it close.

I'm more worried about the VT / Miami combination. If we don't win one of those, then the team psyche will be severely tested. I think we beat VT but lose to Miami and have an 8 win season. But with bad luck in the VT / Miami games, we could have an awful season.

To me, this has been the crucible of our season since Johnson started coaching in 2008. If we don't beat one of these two teams, we seem to spiral for a bit afterward.

 

[sidewalkGTfan]

They lost to Syracuse early in the season in Syracuse. Syracuse ended the year beating Boston College and then Minnesota in their bowl game. I'm not sure what that does to change the multi-year transitive property of GT vs. Tulane though

Thanks for the correction and we should still beat them like a drum...

 

[AlabamaBuzz]

Well, I was worried before we lost so many players, so I am past worried, and ready to settle for less than mediocrity as a distinct possibility.

 

[Jean-Baptiste Rochambeau]

Kansas 2010 was about a locker room problem. All reports are the opp this year.

If we struggle in any of 1st three games, it will be a long season.

Soooooooo, you think Autry, Commissiong, and Henry had no friends on the team? Oppositional attitudes towards authority are commonplace among 18 to 22 year olds and can be set off by the silliest of things.

 

[OldJacketFan]

My concern is that camp hasn't started yet and we're having to deal with things such as "what concerns my most right now"

 

[AE 87]

Soooooooo, you think Autry, Commissiong, and Henry had no friends on the team? Oppositional attitudes towards authority are commonplace among 18 to 22 year olds and can be set off by the silliest of things.

It sounds like you're just taking an "Oppositional [sic] attitude" to my post for some reason. I didn't say anything about Autry, Commisiong, and Henry. In response to the OP's mention of KS 2010, I referred to reports coming out of ACC media days from Shaq and Nealy that team unity is better now than its been over the last four years. I also said that if we do lose one of the 1st 3 it would be a long season. Translation: If we lose one of the 1st three then we likely do have the sort of locker room problems we had in 2010, contrary to what the reports suggest. Maybe they arise after the dismissal of those three players, but nothing in what I said could reasonably be interpreted as you have done so.

 

[alaguy]

We will be playing mostly 2nd and 3rd teams by the beginning to middle of the 3rd Quarter. Neither game will be close. Both games will be decided by the end of the first half. I'm not sure GSU will even score on us at all. Maybe they get something if we turn the ball over deep in our own territory.

These are my opinions, but I am very confident in my opinion with regards to the first three games. If we do not manhandle all three of these games, we'll be starting over in 2015 because this coaching staff will not be here, and we'll have missed playing in December for the first time in 18 years.

yep,FB pretty much tells the story.Probably a tougher game vs GSU than we think but the second part of his statement is RIGHT ON. We have little chance vs vt/uM etc if we don't show out in first games. A new staff will be sorting it out later..

 

[Whiskey_Clear]

This season's success will likely be determined by four games. VT, UM, Clemson, and UGA. All the games are important but those four typically mean the most to the fan base. All 4 will be tough to win. All four are winnable though. I for one am weary of all the hand wringing and teeth gnashing. Can't wait for toe to meet leather. Go Jackets! THWG!!!

 

[Jean-Baptiste Rochambeau]

It sounds like you're just taking an "Oppositional [sic] attitude" to my post for some reason. I didn't say anything about Autry, Commisiong, and Henry. In response to the OP's mention of KS 2010, I referred to reports coming out of ACC media days from Shaq and Nealy that team unity is better now than its been over the last four years. I also said that if we do lose one of the 1st 3 it would be a long season. Translation: If we lose one of the 1st three then we likely do have the sort of locker room problems we had in 2010, contrary to what the reports suggest. Maybe they arise after the dismissal of those three players, but nothing in what I said could reasonably be interpreted as you have done so.

You suggested that the only reason we lost at Kansas in 2010 was locker room issues. We were superior in player talent in every category that day, but could not win the game. Many have said there were problems on the team, and I suspect there were, but know no specifics. You offered that we should win our games this season where we will be the vastly better team because you have heard no problems in the locker room---me either. But the fact remains we have had 10 players leave that locker room since January. It would seem logical that there is at least an "unsettled" atmosphere going into the season.. I mentioned the 3 dismissed players only because I know that players often form allegiancies to their stablemates that run deep. Bill Lewis lost the team when he played Luginbill instead of Davis. I was merely pointing out that dismissing 3 guys from the team will be traumatic. Heck, look at the meltdown on the message boards. Imagine if it involved you BFF.

 

[AE 87]

You suggested that the only reason we lost at Kansas in 2010 was locker room issues. We were superior in player talent in every category that day, but could not win the game. Many have said there were problems on the team, and I suspect there were, but know no specifics. You offered that we should win our games this season where we will be the vastly better team because you have heard no problems in the locker room---me either. But the fact remains we have had 10 players leave that locker room since January. It would seem logical that there is at least an "unsettled" atmosphere going into the season.. I mentioned the 3 dismissed players only because I know that players often form allegiancies to their stablemates that run deep. Bill Lewis lost the team when he played Luginbill instead of Davis. I was merely pointing out that dismissing 3 guys from the team will be traumatic. Heck, look at the meltdown on the message boards. Imagine if it involved you BFF.

I'll try again. I did not say that I "have heard no problems in the locker room." I said that I have heard people saying that it's the best that it's been in 4 years. I was not relying on lack of bad news but the presence of the opposite news. You can surmise all you want about the situation being different than reported, and I understand your reasons, but it still doesn't justify you sarcastically putting words in my mouth about the three dismissed guys having no friends. Even if you're right, it would still fall into the "long season" that I mentioned in my initial post.

By the way, it's this kind of post where you don't seem to be actually conversing with me (by ignoring some of what I say and taking the rest out of context) that has led me to suggest that you are just trolling.

 

[iceeater1969]

Kansas 2010 was about a locker room problem. All reports are the opp this year.

If we struggle in any of 1st three games, it will be a long season.

iN FIRST THREE
We must play the whole roster and still win by double digits. Winning by 49 will not get coaching contract extensions.
We must get experience and see who can and can't help. Wish miles was here to get playing time - da.... It I hate losing speed!

 

[Northeast Stinger]

I'll try again. I did not say that I "have heard no problems in the locker room." I said that I have heard people saying that it's the best that it's been in 4 years. I was not relying on lack of bad news but the presence of the opposite news. You can surmise all you want about the situation being different than reported, and I understand your reasons, but it still doesn't justify you sarcastically putting words in my mouth about the three dismissed guys having no friends. Even if you're right, it would still fall into the "long season" that I mentioned in my initial post.

By the way, it's this kind of post where you don't seem to be actually conversing with me (by ignoring some of what I say and taking the rest out of context) that has led me to suggest that you are just trolling.

The ACC media day interviews with our players produced the positive statements you allude to. One that I recall being made was that this year "no negative attitudes are being tolerated by the team." It is conceivable that certain dismissals were actually welcomed by the team though I have no evidence of that.

 

[AE 87]

The ACC media day interviews with our players produced the positive statements you allude to. One that I recall being made was that this year "no negative attitudes are being tolerated by the team." It is conceivable that certain dismissals were actually welcomed by the team though I have no evidence of that.

See the archive of the last chat. Eric and one other contributor reported a team-leader(s)/player(s) who reported just that sort of reaction.

 

[GTNavyNuke]

Here's a question about what to be concerned about.

Should I be concerned that the loss of 13 players will hurt the ability of scout teams to get the starters ready? We only have 85 on roster / scholarship. Won't this hurt a lot in the ability to scrimmage?

 

[AE 87]

Here's a question about what to be concerned about.

Should I be concerned that the loss of 13 players will hurt the ability of scout teams to get the starters ready? We only have 85 on roster / scholarship. Won't this hurt a lot in the ability to scrimmage?

No. (jmo)

 

[takethepoints]

In today's football environment, I don't think there is any such thing as an "easy game" against another Div 1 opponent. We should win all three games, but it'll come down to both offensive and defensive consistency. If we play decent, average Tech football – about like Syracuse or UNC last year – we should win. If we play like we did against VT, we could have problems.

Let's hope for the former, shall we?

 

[dressedcheeseside]

Redmule is not being negative. Redmule has watched Tech football since Dodd was coaching, and he knows the Tech tendencies thru many coaches and players. We may come right of the gate and crush all before us, but I expect one of those two games will be surprisingly tough if history is a guide. And that is not a bad thing because you don't learn anything about yourself blowing out lesser competition.

Illeism/ˈɪli.ɪzəm/ (from Latin ille meaning "he") is the act of referring to oneself in the third person instead of first person.

 

[Bigb]

In today's football environment, I don't think there is any such thing as an "easy game" against another Div 1 opponent. We should win all three games, but it'll come down to both offensive and defensive consistency. If we play decent, average Tech football – about like Syracuse or UNC last year – we should win. If we play like we did against VT, we could have problems.

Let's hope for the former, shall we?

lol

So Syracuse last year was "average"?

 

[Boomergump]

I expect every game to be tough. If it ends up being a cake walk, great. If we do happen to lose to one of the first three games......it will mean we are 2 and 1 heading into the 4th game, nothing more. Time and time again over the history of sports we have seen superior teams lose to inferior teams at some point and still go on to have good seasons. Yet we still say stuff like this and obsess over future events. It boggles my mind. Why, just a couple years ago VT started out losing to 2 teams, one of which was James Madison. They went on to have a good year.

Unexpected losses are likely to have an effect on a team. I'll grant you that. However, many times it is positive, as it can focus a team and improve their practice habits while also ridding them of the tendency to look past opponents. You never know. They could throw in the towel too, just like some on this board might. That is why you show up and play each one.

I'll be rooting for TECH in every game and will certainly be disappointed if we lose early in the schedule. However, I'll be just as excited to watch the rest of the season play out, either way. More can can gleaned observing how the games played out than just the W or the L. If we are dominated at the LOS in one of those early games, regardless of winning or losing, then it is likely to be a long season. If we double up their yardage but throw a pick 6 and have a blocked punt deep in our end and lose, then it will be hard to draw conclusions.

PLaying a football season is not like a manufacturing process, where a hiccup along the way ruins everything. Cheer hard every week and enjoy the ride.