Let’s do a mailbag! And how would Tech fit in the SEC?
That’s right I used an exclamation point in the headline. That’s how excited I am about doing our second e-mail mailbag.
Send me any question you may have about any Georgia Tech sport and I’ll do my best to provide you an insightful answer.
I’ll post the answers on a blog on Tuesday at lunchtime. That’s Tuesday at lunchtime. There was some confusion about the publication of the answers when we did the last mailbag.
—
Now, on to the pie-in-the-sky topic that esteemed colleague (to borrow Mark Bradley’s phrase) Tony Barnhart broached last week.
As many of you know, expansion is the topic du jour for several conferences. The Big 10 has openly said it’s considering it. The SEC said it has reviewed scenarios. I await an answer from the ACC if it too has reviewed or is reviewing scenarios.
Should one or two of the conferences make a move, Barnhart suggested that the SEC may turn to the ACC and try and lure Clemson and Georgia Tech, among others, into the fold.
While I think that Clemson and FSU (the other possibility) would be natural fits because of the stadium sizes and geographic footprint of the fan bases, I’m not sure that Tech would. I’m also not sure that they would want to, unless it came to that.
Financially, it’s a no-brainer. Thanks to ESPN’s largess, SEC schools pull in the second-highest per school revenues behind those from the Big 10, which has its own TV network funding the athletics department.
The ACC is in the process of negotiating new TV deals for football and men’s basketball. It’s unlikely to pull in the $2 billion over 15 years that ESPN pledged to the SEC.
While Tech was once a founding member of the SEC, I would be very surprised to see the dominoes fall in such a way that find Tech back in the fold.
Some comparative stats, courtesy of Wikipedia (so take them with a grain of salt). These are meant for talking points only:
College/Metro pop./Year founded/Affiliation/Enrollment/Joined
University of Florida/ (114,916)/1853/Public/51,474/1932
University of Georgia/ (113,398)/1785/Public/34,180/1932
University of Kentucky/ (282,114)/1865/Public/26,054/1932
University of South Carolina/ (127,029)/1801/Public/27,488/1991
University of Tennessee/ (184,802)/1794/Public/30,410/1932
Vanderbilt University/ (596,462)/1873/Private/12,093/1932
Western Division
University of Alabama/ (90,221)/1831/Public/27,014/1932
University of Arkansas/ (73,372)/1871/Public/19,849/1991
Auburn University/ (56,088)/1856/Public/24,530/1932
Louisiana State University/ (223,689)/1860/Public/28,810/1932
University of Mississippi/ (17,265)/1848/Public/15,289/1932
Mississippi State University/ (24,187)/1878/Public/17,824/1932
Georgia Tech/5,000,000+/1885/Public/12,966/1885
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432 comments Add your comment
Tech in SEC funny
April 29th, 2010
1:40 pm
Would finish with 3 or 4 wins yearly in front of Vanderbilt.
HBTD
April 29th, 2010
1:40 pm
Doug. LOL You say………..
The Jackets have faced the Bulldogs with “MIXED” results. 1 and 8 over the last 9 years is “mixed”. Hopefully no one in a decision making postion would ever consider asking tech to join the SEC. Neither their fans nor their players are anywhere close to being of a SEC claiber
YELLOW HAMMER
April 29th, 2010
1:41 pm
tech had their chance and chose to leave the sec ,does anyone really think they deserve another chance after leaving the way they did? WHO’s old enough to remember why tech left the sec ? they couldnt take the beatings every week that the sec gave them. i/e bama , bobby dodd cryed about bama being to rough,so no tech to the sec ,they’ll just leave again after the beatdowns start pilling up. just sayin
Phoneguy71
April 29th, 2010
1:45 pm
Stay in the conference where you can ocassionally win some games and a conference title. You wouldn’t cut it in the BIG BOY S.E.C. Stay where you’re at. Save what little dignity you still amazingly have.
Go Dawgs!!!!!
EEJacket
April 29th, 2010
1:47 pm
If the the big tleven goes to 12, then we’re alright. However, given the greed factor, that’s extremely unlikely to happen, and they’re probably going to take Pitt Rutgers and the cuse. When that happens, the Redneck conference is going to snatch Climpson and FSU (or climpson and texas if they can get their hands on them). I’d be EXTREMELY surprised if they even called us, given our smaller-school status, and the fact that we’re not a bunch of angry hicks. However, if Mike Slive considers the academic side of things and decides that he wants to try the whole “research” thing out (as far as I know none of the SEC schools put as much emphasis on that as we do) then I could see them picking up the phone.
AlabamaRamblinwreck
April 29th, 2010
1:47 pm
“Neither their fans nor their players are anywhere close to being of a SEC claiber” is from HBTD’s diatribe above.
This made my sides hurt when I read it. And the misspelled word at the end just topped it off beautifully. Thanks, HBTD, for a great laugh.
davis
April 29th, 2010
1:47 pm
uga fans want to complain about us not getting rings if we were in the SEC??? either way we would sure get closer than uga will. oh, one more thing. When was the last time that uga was in the SEC championship? and if you think you could beat us so much then why wouldnt you want us in the confrence?
GET Real
April 29th, 2010
1:52 pm
Tech could only beat UGA 1 time in the past 10 years and there are better teams in the SEC then UGA so why would anyone believe they would not be at the bottom of the barrel in the SEC?
Joe
April 29th, 2010
1:54 pm
Some people may want Tech to join the SEC, but I highly doubt ANY of the schools mentioned would willingly leave the comfort of the ACC for another league. But keep dreaming…
41
April 29th, 2010
1:55 pm
Trailer trash = SEC “caliber”
supersize that order, mutt
April 29th, 2010
1:56 pm
yellowhammer, when Tech left the SEC, we had winning records against every school except Alabama. And Tech had more SEC championships at that time than did UGAG. Tech left the SEC for several reasons: first Bobby Dodd believed Tech could make more money as an independent (Greed), second, Dodd didn’t like the recruiting restrictions placed on Tech, NOT the NCAA but, by the SEC, and lastly because of his feud with Bear, mainly due to Bear’s refusal to discipline Darwin Holt for his ATTACK on Tech’s Chick Granning in 1961. The feud with Bear ended, and in the 70s, Bear actually sponsored Tech’s bid for re-entry to the SEC. It was, however, vetoed by the Mississippi schools and by none other than Vince Dooley, who didn’t want Tech regaining the pre-eminent position it had had in the state of Georgia prior to Tech’s leaving the SEC.
Dawglasville
April 29th, 2010
1:59 pm
Wiley That was the website I used for my information. I’m fine with sticking to sports but academics got pulled into this by quite a few bloggers.
Phoneguy71
April 29th, 2010
2:01 pm
EEJacket….. Seriously “Climpson”…..seriously? LMAO
So much for the “Superior Education” with Tech Alum and fans. The grammar on here is hilarious. Its like I’m typing a conversation with my 9 yr old.
YELLOW HAMMER
April 29th, 2010
2:02 pm
there you have it , i didn’t know (remember) that tech had tried to get back in the sec already ,so for the 3rd time dont come back
Dawgforlife
April 29th, 2010
2:03 pm
I love how the tech fans love to point to the Independence bowl….It hasn’t been that long ago that tech would have loved the Indeoendence bowl…running out to California and getting your head handeed to you…playing on the blue smurf terf and getting your head handed to you…13 straight bowl appearences but what is your record in those bowls? and what top notch bowls they were
BamaBill
April 29th, 2010
2:04 pm
If the SEC were to expand, I personally would rather see FSU and VT join much more than Clemson and GT. As was stated earlier, Atlanta and the state of Georgia are already pretty much SEC territory..Why in the world would the SEC want Clemson is beyond my comprehension..
Phoneguy71
April 29th, 2010
2:04 pm
supersize that order, mutt Nice going “Ramble ON”. You’re so transparent. Got that off a Tech website eh?
supersize that order, mutt
April 29th, 2010
2:05 pm
Dawgforlife, Tech really has no control over which bowls we are invited to. That’s the result of the lousy bowl contract the ACC has. Regardless, however, Tech SHOULD win those games but unfortunately, for whatever reasons, has not lately.
59jacket
April 29th, 2010
2:05 pm
Doug, How did Chris Jackson (the transfer from Alabama) do in spring training? Nothing was mentioned about him in any of the publications covering Georgia Tech.
supersize that order, mutt
April 29th, 2010
2:07 pm
Phoneyguy, I don’t know what you’re talking about. Those are facts that I am well familiar with, because I was around both when Tech left the SEC, and when Tech attempted to rejoin it. I don’t need to look things up on a website. I know my history. Apparently you don’t.
CatsFly
April 29th, 2010
2:07 pm
I agree that pre-PJ UGa had the upper hand on Tech, although there were some very close contests the previous past 10 years. However, over the past two seasons, and looking at the upcoming season, I don’t see that UGa has demonstrated the upper hand. I could care less about the past. Both teams have had their strong periods over the years. But as of the last three years, UGa=Tech in
demonstrated performance. Talk is cheap.
supersize that order, mutt
April 29th, 2010
2:07 pm
BTW, “Phoneyguy” was actually a mistype, but I liked it so much, I left it. LOL
vahokie
April 29th, 2010
2:09 pm
GT sucks couldnt win one game in the SEC
Phoneguy71
April 29th, 2010
2:09 pm
Well said Bama Bill. Clemson occasionally shows flashes but just can’t make the jump. Maybe the new coach will get em going? But I agree maybe FSU and VT. Hell.. ditch Vandy and bring in UNC.
Dawgforlife
April 29th, 2010
2:10 pm
Supersize…that was a different time Bobby Dodd is not walking through those doors and most every UGA fan I know of would dearly love to have tech in the SEC…We need another conference win. 7-23 is tech’s record against UGA in the Dooley/Richt eras. you have not been able to compete with UGA and being out of the SEC is not the reason for it. But, just think if it was….what if moving to the ACC did cause Tech’s slide into mediocrity?…wow, then you would have the great Bobby Dodd to blame for so great a slide…maybe, he should have played nice with the “Bear.”
Ogre
April 29th, 2010
2:11 pm
I’d love for Tech to join the SEC. It would give UGA an automatic conference win every year.
Dawgforlife
April 29th, 2010
2:15 pm
supersize, just like for UGA, the control both scholls has is winning games…win games get a good bowl…it still gets on my nerves that UGA had to go to the Independence Bowl…but, if we don’t want that bowl…we simply have to win more games…I was making the point that tech fans throw up the Independence bowl with no room to talk considering the bowls tech has had to endure.
CatsFly
April 29th, 2010
2:16 pm
Phoneguy71, “bring in UNC”. You don’t “bring in UNC”, you would “beg” them to come. And you know what their reply would be. They would sooner play with just the “big four” than leave the ACC.
Phoneguy71
April 29th, 2010
2:16 pm
Whew!! Man.. all this talk about “the past” has got me thinking: I wonder what I was doing back in the 70’s? Oh yeah… pooping my diaper.
Phoneguy71
April 29th, 2010
2:19 pm
the only thing UNC is good at is B Ball… thats it! The point I was making is even with their futile attempt at “what they call football” would be better than having Tech in the SEC.
RAMBLE ON!!!
April 29th, 2010
2:19 pm
whatever phone guy. I Have know idea what you’re talking about.
Too Easy
April 29th, 2010
2:21 pm
At least the gnats would fill their stadium more often, and could save the Cokes and hot dogs.
NC Dawg
April 29th, 2010
2:28 pm
When you leave the SEC (as GT did) you can’t return. The answer is no.
HugoStiglitz
April 29th, 2010
2:28 pm
Phoneguy71, UNC is the 28th rated college in the country academically, and number 5 among public schools. They are also a member of the AAU. They are a very strong academic school and they have one of the best basketball programs of all time. Why in the world would they be interested in joining what is basically a football conference?
Bama2010
April 29th, 2010
2:33 pm
Really, GT is a perfect fit for the SEC. All this nonsense about new markets, etc. is stupid. We all see what ‘new markets’ in Miami and Boston did for the ACC. Squat. GT is a founding member, great academics, and is geographically a perfect fit.
The Truth...
April 29th, 2010
2:34 pm
Ramleon said “Somebody has to man up to UF” LMAO!!! Tech, why don’t you man up to UGA before talking about manning up to UF… 8 of the last 9 have been LLLLLLLLLLL’s
Bama2010
April 29th, 2010
2:35 pm
Also – if you look beyond football, which Tech is traditionally good it. The school is also good to great at every other sport. Basketball, baseball, golf, tennis, etc. Tech brings more to the table in sports excellence than any of those other teams mentioned.
You're joking, right?
April 29th, 2010
2:37 pm
The SEC is a bug free zone. Let’s hope it stays that way forevermore.
L.S.
April 29th, 2010
2:37 pm
SEC would acquire Georgia Tech, Clemson and Florida State
ACC would acquire Syracuse, Rutgers and Connecticut
Big Ten would acquire Pittsburgh, West Virginia and Missouri
Big 12 would acquire Memphis, New Mexico and Colorado State
Pac-10 would acquire Hawaii, Nevada and Utah
My Wild Cards: Boise St., Brigham Young, UNLV, Houston, Tulsa and Miami-FL
Other teams would remain.
Any thoughts???
Tony
April 29th, 2010
2:37 pm
The day my alma mater lowers itself to joining that league of miscreants is the day I lose interest in its athletics.
SILLY UGA FANS
April 29th, 2010
2:37 pm
Sidney Hill you are a moron. How can you possibley say GT has no competitive teams in any sport? Please look stats up before posting things and making yourself look dumb.
As for entering the SEC it could be a double edge sword. Recruiting should get better, but that could take several years, and the fact that GT cannot get some of these elite SEC players simply because of academics. There was an article in 08 I beleive that listed the Fla. Gators SAT scores and well over half could not even be considered at GT. SEC fans can bash the ACC all you want and talk about how no elite undefeated teams come out of the ACC. Could it possibley be that the ACC has several good teams that threaten each other every weekend instead of two teams that slaughter their counterparts with or without ref help. GT is fine where it is for now and the future only looks brighter.
coachx
April 29th, 2010
2:39 pm
They would do great ! The SEC East needs anoter Vanderbilt to make the schedule easier.
UGA Student
April 29th, 2010
2:45 pm
Mactec Corporation: a $500 million dollar engineering firm based in Alpharetta. CEO and CFO? UGA grads. You Techie chumps need to get your facts straight, UGA is great academic institution and every bit of your hatred comes from the athletic domination of the last 20 years at the hands of the Dawgs. Get over yourselves, nobody but Tech fans believe in your “superiority”
the real Old Gold
April 29th, 2010
2:48 pm
We already know how they would fit in.. they are a founding member. 3 national titles, and more conference championships than Georgia.
YELLOW HAMMER
April 29th, 2010
2:50 pm
wed. april 28 . bama run rules #7 ga. tech in girls softball 13-1 in 5 innings= more beatdowns to come if tech wants to play the sec
UGA Student
April 29th, 2010
2:50 pm
And Supersize, if you truly were around for Tech’s departure from the SEC why do you not hold yourself to a higher standard than all of these other posters? Someone as old as you should know not to engage in immature banter. Im thinking that you are just another young fool who has harbored this false image of UGA and tries to plaster it in whatever arena you can. Pathetic.
GymDawg_HoodRat
April 29th, 2010
2:53 pm
Does Tech even have a Gymnastics Team?
Chan Gailey
April 29th, 2010
2:53 pm
If tech fans are as smart as they calim to be they would know that moving to the SEC would be a horrible decision. UGA has beaten Tech 8 of the past 9 years. The SEC is too good for stupid gimmic offenses like Tech runs. Maybe when Tech can fill their whole stadium of 50,000 there might be a conversation about them joining the SEC but until then those Asians from Tech can keep playing in the ACC.
supersize that order, mutt
April 29th, 2010
2:53 pm
Dawgforlife, actually I do blame Dodd for the slide—-first for pulling us out of the SEC then for being possibly the worst AD any school ever had. Remember, he hired Curry and was responsible for letting the facilities degrade as far as they did before Homer Rice came along and started the efforts to bring all of Tech’s athletic facilities up to standard.
GymDawg_HoodRat
April 29th, 2010
2:53 pm
Gooooooooo UGA GymDawgs! We run this state! #1#1#1#1!!!!