Georgia Tech’s Roddy Jones on 2008 run
Greetings-
A few notes, leading with the top of a fairly lengthy interview with A-back Roddy Jones about his touchdown run. Particularly for Georgia Tech fans with shorter memories, the run has become iconic. I’d think if you could boil coach Paul Johnson’s four years down to one play, that might be it.
Those who attend Tech games know that the game production crew plays highlights from across the decades before each game. The clip of Jones’ run shrugging off Reshad Jones‘ tackle and tightrope-walking down the sideline invariably draws the biggest cheer. Part of that – perhaps a lot of it – is that it was only three years ago. Some of the other plays, there aren’t many people in the stands that were alive to see them and understand their significance.
But, anyway, it’s part of a longer interview I did with Jones that will run Friday.
Q: What did the run feel like?
A: It was surreal. It all happened so fast. I wasn’t really sure if I’d stayed in bounds, I wasn’t sure if they were going to review it. My celebration was one of kind of figuring out what just happened. I remember getting in the end zone and turning around and waiting for a whistle or something. Then we got to the sideline, we were ready for a review and it never came. It was definitely an exciting game to win. The run, I just say I was at the right place at the right time. (Joshua) Nesbitt pitched me the ball and I just tried to make the best of it.
Q: When did you know it had a chance to break?
A: I guess when they lined up the way we designed it, I knew it was going to have a chance. But they actually played it fairly well. They just missed a couple tackles. Sometimes that happens. I guess when I broke the last tackle and started running, that’s when I knew I was going to have a chance to score.
Q: What’s it like to have made a play that’s so iconic in the rivalry?
A: It’s kind of crazy, especially to still be here and have it mean so much to people. I still have people come up to me and tell me where they were when they saw it. It’s a very cool feeling. It kind of shows what the rivalry means to people. It’s very humbling as well to have people say, ‘That’s my favorite run’ or other things like that. it’s very humbling.
Q: Have you gotten any sort of reaction from Georgia fans?
A: Not that much. Georgia fans tend not to even acknowledge that it happened. Mostly, it’s from Tech fans, which is good.
A couple other notes:
1. Tech will go back to its standard B-back rotation with David Sims and Preston Lyons. Quarterbacks and B-backs coach Brian Bohannon (a Georgia grad) said that coaches wanted to give Lyons a chance to heal up some bumps to get him back to 100 percent (or as close as you can get at this point of the season) last week.
“David and Preston have been our guys,” Bohannon said. “We’ve kind of gotten into a little bit of a rotation with those guys, and I would imagine that would be a little bit of our approach, but we’ll see how the week goes and how things develop.”
2. Tech is cautioning fans attempting to buy tickets through secondary markets. The athletic association can’t guarantee the validity of any ticket not purchased through the ticket office or an authorized Tech ticket representative.
Think twice if someone offers you a Post-It note that says “UGA-Tech 50-yard line ticket.”
Seriously, though, I know the Falcons have dealt with counterfeit tickets in recent years as the quality of counterfeit tickets has evidently improved greatly, so do be mindful if you’re going that route. The top asking price for a club-seat ticket is $439 on Stubhub, so there’s certainly incentive for a counterfeiter.
For whatever it’s worth, I know Stubhub has a ticket protection policy, and I imagine other ticket re-sellers have similar policies, though I’d certainly ask about it before buying. With Stubhub, if you get sold counterfeit tickets, your money will be refunded. Which isn’t exactly a guarantee, but at least offers some protection.
3. I’ll hopefully have more information about A-back Orwin Smith after practice, though I’m not counting on much. As you hopefully read, he is going to try to play on a turf-toe injury but didn’t sound 100 percent confident that he’ll be able to play the whole game. As I noted, I’ve been told, read and heard that turf toe can be terribly painful.
With his speed, Embry Peeples is a more than worthy replacement, but Tech would obviously like Smith’s playmaking ability.
4. I’m not sure I want to extend the discussion about Johnson’s remarks, but I find one thing curious about the superiority that some Tech fans (or at least alumni) proclaim towards Georgia fans that hopefully can generate some thoughtful debate. By publicly proclaiming it, I think they’re helping extend one of their most enduring problems – filling Bobby Dodd Stadium.
It should be made clear that Johnson’s comment was referring specifically to the fan who called in to bark, not to all Georgia fans. He had said earlier in the day that most of his interactions with Bulldogs fans are cordial. He said something regrettable and apologized. I think we can all degree that that caller probably needs a new hobby.
This isn’t about him, but rather what feels like a pervasive attitude among Tech fans, if this blog’s comments are any barometer. And even if they’re not very reflective, they’re still comments from unofficial representatives of the school available to anyone with an Internet connection.
I am fairly confident that Dan Radakovich would only be too happy to accept season-ticket orders from whatever Walmart or McDonald’s employee who wanted to place them. However, what blue-collar worker, even if he likes Tech’s offense or Johnson’s brashness, would want to be in a stadium knowing that there are Tech fans who look down on him because he didn’t go to Tech and doesn’t make six figures?
You can say, No, we’re not talking about every Walmart employee. It’s just a putdown of the quality of a Georgia education and its fans in general. It’s just a joke. And not every Tech fan feels that way.
I get that. Regardless, the line of logic is Georgia fan = Walmart employee = inferior to Tech people. I understand it’s a joke, but it’s probably not very funny to people who work at Walmart and people who for whatever reason didn’t go to college.
Further, the “I bet you didn’t even go to Georgia” insult basically is a message, intended or not, to every fan who roots Tech but didn’t go to school there, “You can come visit our country club and we’ll take your money, but you’ll never be a member.”
I imagine none of this is new, and you can call me an oversensitive baby. I probably am. But if you’re wondering why Tech can’t fill up Bobby Dodd or grow its fan base, I think you have to consider it as one reason, however small.
It goes both ways. Some Georgia fans’ use of “nerd” as a pejorative is equally confounding and material for another blog.
Thanks for reading.
Ken Sugiura, Georgia Tech blog
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219 comments Add your comment
J Crittenton
November 23rd, 2011
3:23 pm
If any UGA fans give you lip this week, just shoot them in the face. Worked for me!
TampaDawg
November 23rd, 2011
3:23 pm
LOL Super, it’s hard work passing the filters sometimes. My point is this, both schools have people who have gone on to excel in life, and both have some grads who have gone on to do some “not so amazing things” if you know where I am going. I get sick of the “our grads are better than your grads” crap.
Supersize that order, mutt
November 23rd, 2011
3:25 pm
dawgfan, notice that 3:23 post and tell me how we should respond to crap like that
Delbert D.
November 23rd, 2011
3:41 pm
We all once had a brain the size of a peanut, dawgfan.
Supersize that order, mutt
November 23rd, 2011
3:43 pm
Delbert, I think the jerk who made the 3:23 post is lucky if his brain is even that big
dawgfan
November 23rd, 2011
3:46 pm
Super, do what I do when a Tech fan tries to talk about anything and everything but football: IGNORE IT.
You Techies have yourselves a good Thanksgiving and try not to be too weird in the social situations that come with it. I know that’s hard for you. Good luck.
Out.
Supersize that order, mutt
November 23rd, 2011
3:49 pm
dawgfan, I was just referring to the total lack of class by the poster. I am ignoring him, but it still offends me. I’m not sure why you think we can’t handle ourselves any better in social situations than you dawgs, but in the spirit of the holiday, I’ll let it fly….LOL
I hope you have a good Thanksgiving and a TERRIBLE Saturday.
Delbert D.
November 23rd, 2011
3:50 pm
I’m still working on the 3-D cutting diagram for the turkey. Solidworks is so cool.
TampaDawg
November 23rd, 2011
3:51 pm
I don’t think that guy’s brain ever got past the peanut. There’s always one in a crowd. In the grand scheme of things, it’s still just a game after all. With that I say to Supersize, Carolinajacket, Delbert and the many other regulars, Happy Thanksgiving to you and your families. I am trying to stay off of here for the next 10 minutes so I can finish the backups and get home.
Delbert D.
November 23rd, 2011
3:57 pm
Back at ya, TampaDawg.
beezit
November 23rd, 2011
4:00 pm
Ken, listening to my second instance of your on-air interviews with David Glenn….Do yourself a favor, get a tape of the interview, listen to yourself, then listen to the other people who do talk radio….notice how they enunciate words and project voice…
Delbert D.
November 23rd, 2011
4:01 pm
With respect to my post at 2:28 about possible continued evolution of the species, I just watched the video from the nail salon brawl at the Walmart near Snellville. I think we’re doomed.
Supersize that order, mutt
November 23rd, 2011
4:04 pm
My system slowed down to a snail’s pace for the last 10 minutes, so Tampa is probably gone now, but in case you read this later, Tampa, I hope you and your family have a Happy Thanksgiving also
Supersize that order, mutt
November 23rd, 2011
4:05 pm
what was that, Delbert?
GT1
November 23rd, 2011
4:19 pm
This game is decided in February…..not November. Who can dispute that?
Snellville Jacket
November 23rd, 2011
4:20 pm
Yeah i find the remarks childish at times and Tech sure doesn’t make it easy for the fans that didn’t go there. I didn’t get accepted to Tech but I’m still a huge fan of their sports.
The Institute
November 23rd, 2011
4:23 pm
Just out of curiosity, why would anyone be a tech fan if they didn’t go there, or if they didn’t have a family member go there?
I can see most folks gravitating to the bigger state school, i see it with bunches of folks I know that move here from elsewhere.
The Institute
November 23rd, 2011
4:24 pm
As for WalMart, they have at least one Tech grad working there: the CEO.
But CPJ probably called them out because he made a comment a while back that they only have UGA stuff there, the Tech stuff is next to nothing. So subconciously, he might have a problem with WalMart, and it came out.
Delbert D.
November 23rd, 2011
4:25 pm
Super – See the AJC News page. They have a story plus the video.
Supersize that order, mutt
November 23rd, 2011
4:26 pm
The Institute, believe it or not, my late brother in law grew up a Tech fan, but he attended and graduated from UGA. He was a Tech fan while he was at UGA and until the day he died. None of his family went to Tech either, but his son and son-in-law both did.
Supersize that order, mutt
November 23rd, 2011
4:29 pm
OK, Delbert. And you might explain to The Institute why you are a Tech fan who didn’t go to Tech
Ken Sugiura
November 23rd, 2011
4:32 pm
thanks for the civility. i appreciate it. thanks for the kind words to those who expressed them.
i’ll try to answer a couple questions.
GT-UT – I’m not saying Tech fans should stop taunting. i’m just saying that some of the attitudes i see and read may have an impact on drawing non-alumni fans that the alumni might want to consider. I agree that Tech is a special place and that alumni should feel pride in it. But when I read comments from Tech fans belittling Georgia fans by saying, “I bet you didn’t even go to Georgia,” it is implying that a school’s “true” fans are only the ones that graduated from there. If I were a diehard Tech fan who didn’t go to Tech – and I know of at least one who posts regularly – I’m not sure that would make me feel very good about being a Tech fan.
Uppity fan – I probably am being oversensitive, and I am well aware of the things I read from UGA fans at Tech fans. It doesn’t bother me, in that sense that I’m not a Tech or UGA fan. Again, what I’m saying is, if Tech fans (not all of them) portray themselves as superior, it’s going to rub some people (some of whom may have interest in rooting for Tech but can’t claim the academic credentials of a Tech grad) the wrong way.
Nuclear Adam – Nothing that I wrote communicates the fact that I think all Tech fans are how I described, and, again, I’m not saying you need to stop. I’m just saying it has consequences. Read the second post, from Designer Jacket. It speaks to what I’m talking about.
Thanks, Beezit- I appreciate your suggestion.
i hope you’ll read this story for thursday’s paper. it has nothing to do with walmart, paul johnson (more or less) or sniping fans.
http://www.ajc.com/sports/georgia-tech/georgia-tech-walk-on-1239057.html
The Institute
November 23rd, 2011
4:34 pm
Supersize, when was your brother in law born? I think that makes a difference. If it was in the 40s, well he got to see the great tech teams of the 50s, and 1990 was probably super special.
I look at my kids and their classmates; tech fans are outnumbered. And ALL of them has some sort of connection to tech.
Ken Sugiura
November 23rd, 2011
4:35 pm
or oversensitive newspaper reporters.
Dave from GT
November 23rd, 2011
4:35 pm
Ken, for the most part it is not a joke. We are serious.
The Institute
November 23rd, 2011
4:37 pm
As for going to Tech vs. not: I’d say 80+% of tech fans actually went to tech, or have a family member that went to tech. EVERY SINGLE TECH FAN I KNOW has at least that much of a connection.
As for UGA, I’d say the percentage is closer to 40%.
Let’s face facts, UGA has owned Tech in football for a few decades now, and that has a BIG effect on fandom.
Supersize that order, mutt
November 23rd, 2011
4:38 pm
Delbert, WOW, that’s pathetic what happened there. You’re right; we may be doomed
Supersize that order, mutt
November 23rd, 2011
4:43 pm
Ken, I don’t know how the other Tech bloggers think, but I think that although a great many UGA fans DID attend UGA, the majority of those who post on here probably never went to any college anywhere, and I’m not sure a lot of them even finished high school. I know plenty of dawg fans personally, some of whom went there, and some of whom did not. But every single one of them is classy. You have to admit that the majority of the negative posts on these blogs by so-called UGA fans probably have little if no education at all. I would like to hope that education DOES produce some level of class, and we don’t see a lot of class in many of the posts made on here.
Supersize that order, mutt
November 23rd, 2011
4:46 pm
The Institute, my brother-in-law was born in the 40s and grew up during Tech’s glory years, but even back then, at least here in Augusta, UGA got more press and coverage than Tech did. And you are right, he and all his family members thought 1990 was spectacular; none of them thought they would ever live to see Tech win another NC, and it was very special for them all.
19
November 23rd, 2011
4:54 pm
I did not go to Tech but have pulled for them since I was a kid. I pull for Georgia too until the last game of the regular season. I try not to get pulled into all of the banter but sometimes fail. It’s just a game but I do get pumped up about it. Looking forward to the game Saturday and I hope it’s a great one.
Go Yellow Jackets!
By the way, it’s “Heady”
Delbert D.
November 23rd, 2011
4:59 pm
The Institute – I grew up wanting to attend Tech but I couldn’t quite get the hang of advanced algebra my senior year in high school. Trig and Geometry, piece of cake. My SAT math score was about 100 points lower than the verbal, so I forecasted that I would not do well at Tech. In college, I tested high for an advanced math course as a freshman, but I made a D…A on the trig component, F on the algebra part. I took the basic courses separately over the next 2 quarters and made F in algebra and A in trig. I finally took algebra for the third time, and this cute girl sat in the row next to me, and she always had problems getting her homework done. I worked extra hard to do mine so I could help her before class every morning. I made an A. Sometimes it takes a bit of extra motivation.
In the 11 years that elapsed between my junior year in college(s) and getting my degree by attending more college(s), the discipline and training I had received in the military removed differential and integral calculus as impossible obstacles; I made A’s in both and graduated with a degree in Natural Science and Mathematics, and paid back my student loans with help from the GI Bill. Using my experience and diploma, I managed to work for over 20 years in nuclear engineering and engineering management and became a Full Member of the IEEE. Later in life, I went back to school and got an MS in Information Systems, applying what I had learned in management of people and projects to a new discipline, software engineering.
That’s not necessarily the best or easiest way to do it. I would recommend starting early on learning the hard stuff, and to keep plugging away.
Delbert D.
November 23rd, 2011
5:01 pm
Ken, that is a fine story on Darryl Dickey.
19
November 23rd, 2011
5:03 pm
When I was in the military and thousands of miles away from home I always loved to see the Tech “GT” or the Georgia “G”. It reminded me of home. Of course, I would get homesick after that.
Please remember the men and women in uniform this holiday season, they’ll be homesick too.
TampaDawg
November 23rd, 2011
5:04 pm
Hey Super, I appreciate that and I did see it earlier but was hustling to get done for the day. One quick remark about the “fans who didn’t go to school for the school they cheer for” debate. I have been to a couple of colleges down here. I have some friends who have gone so far as their MBA. I have friends have no college at all (many of them are FAR more successful in life than those with the degrees but more on that in a second). The point is, I can’t draw a connection to the education leading to class, because many of these schools nowadays, UGA included, certainly don’t teach that and in some school’s cases (a couple of Ivy league schools come to mind) they teach just the opposite.
As for an education defining success, it certainly depends on your definition of success. My idea of success has nothing to do with working a 40 hour a week job regardless of who it’s for or what my title is. My title does not define me or my success in life. It’s just a title. For me, success is simply about how well did I lead and provide for my wife and kids. It’s about how many lives did I impact during the course of my life. It’s about being able to ask myself “did I make a difference?” and coming back with a resounding yes for an answer. That’s success and quite honestly, MANY of those who have done that in their lives won’t even entertain the thought of pointing to a degree as the biggest part of making that happen. All that being said, I still encourage those that WANT to go to college to do so, including my own kids, but I preface it by saying, make sure going there lines up with what you ultimately want to accomplish. Don’t just go because that’s the status quo in society. Observe the masses and do the opposite. The most successful people in the world did just that.
Specifically to “the Institute”, great debating with you this week. We may not agree on things, but I appreciate your passion,.
To all, stay safe this weekend, eat well, cheer hard, let’s have a great game and …
GO DAWGS (sorry, I had to).
TampaDawg
November 23rd, 2011
5:06 pm
Great story Delbert and 19 .. and yes, I still have some of my brothers in Afghanistan, think of them this Thanksgiving. I have spent one over there myself. No fun.
Supersize that order, mutt
November 23rd, 2011
5:08 pm
Tampa, I agree with everything you said, except the last line. Replace that with GO JACKETS !!!!
Supersize that order, mutt
November 23rd, 2011
5:09 pm
Delbert, I LOVE that extra motivation you got in that Algebra class. LOL
Supersize that order, mutt
November 23rd, 2011
5:09 pm
Ken, I agree with Delbert: that was an excellent article on Daryl Dickey
Randy From Macon
November 23rd, 2011
5:09 pm
The Institute – I did not attend Ga Tech but I love the school, its academics, and its athletic teams. I am a football season ticket holder and love coming to Atlanta and watching Tech football. I would never choose to support UGA for the following reasons;
Tech is an academically demanding school
Tech is a unique school
Bigger (Georgia) is not better
Tech is in Atlanta, a great city
Tech athletes conduct themselves much better than Georgia’s
I have many friends and family who also did not attend Tech and they love the Jackets and have disdain for Georgia. GO JACKETS and THWG!
Supersize that order, mutt
November 23rd, 2011
5:10 pm
19, I had no idea that you did not go to Tech. Glad you found your way into the light in spite of that. LOL
Supersize that order, mutt
November 23rd, 2011
5:15 pm
Randy, good for you. Give ‘em hell, Jackets !!!
TampaDawg
November 23rd, 2011
5:20 pm
LOL, Supersize .. and one more thing on cheering for a team you whose school you didn’t attend, it’s ok. It really is. 19, it’s really ok to do that. That’s a freedom we all have. Besides, I never played for the Bucs or the Braves, but I cheer for them too like crazy.
Truth be told, I grew up in Atlanta and Jacksonville, then Tampa. A Dawg fan the entire time. My dream is to one day have the tickets, the means and the time, to live in Tampa, run my business down here, and still attend Dawg games on the weekends.
TruthHurts
November 23rd, 2011
5:27 pm
This article completely misses the issue at hand. The only reason GT faithful talk about the relative fan bases is because of the non stop, undeserved ridicule piled upon the athletics – football in particular – of GT by UGA ‘fans’.
If you attend GT you learn one thing – compete and win. A graduate of the Georgia Institute of Technology bears no resemblence to the UGA graduate, let alone their typical sidewalk fan.
We are superior in almost every objectively measurable way to the University of Georgia. This is simple truth. Even so, we would not bring it up at all if they had the sense to treat us with an ounce of respect. They do not.
If they are offended by the truth, so be it.
GIVE ME A BREAK
November 23rd, 2011
5:30 pm
Report: UGA professor violated harassment policy
TampaDawg
November 23rd, 2011
5:31 pm
@TruthHurts – “We are superior in almost every objectively measurable way to the University of Georgia. This is simple truth. Even so, we would not bring it up at all if they had the sense to treat us with an ounce of respect. They do not.”
I think I found the majority of the problem in this paragraph right here. Especially that first line. Just because you graduated from GiT doesn’t make you superior at anything. It’s just a fact and that superiority complex means you probably won’t get very far in life until you can practice some humility. Supersize should be your example. He’s a fine fella regardless of where he went to school. If they guy told me tomorrow that he actually went to UF, I would still respect him. No one respects a person who makes statments like you do because backing them up isn’t up to you, it’s up to the students. That’s the truth.
Supersize that order, mutt
November 23rd, 2011
5:44 pm
Wow, Tampa, I am flattered. And I have to humbly say, I am undeserving of your praise. You just haven’t seen me at my worst. LOL
Delbert D.
November 23rd, 2011
5:44 pm
I have to post the following to tie things up. I was born in Athens, my brother graduated from Georgia (twice), my sister is a crazed Georgia fan who send me red and black clothes, stuffed animals, Christmas tree ornaments, candy and what-not every year; plus I have to wear a Georgia Santa hat and be photographed in it by her when Georgia beats Tech. My wife attended Georgia, briefly. My daughter-in-law graduated from Georgia. My step-brother and lifelong friend is a Georgia fan, along with the 20-something people in his immediate family. My favorite uncle is a Georgia graduate (and farmer). His daughter is a graduate, as is her husband. Their kids will be Georgia graduates, without a shadow of a doubt. All of my old high school friends are Georgia fans, including the ones who went to Ga. Southern. My brother tells me he roots for Tech except when they are playing Georgia, but I’ve never believed that for 1 minute. My former psychiatrist is a Georgia graduate (he used to get snarly and mutter stuff about discipline when I’d bring up the 2008 game). It goes on and on.
It usually gets pretty crazy around here this time of year.
TampaDawg
November 23rd, 2011
5:45 pm
Personally, I am ok with these rankings. So the “superior in almost every objectively measurable way” statement couldn’t be more wrong.
http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges/university-of-georgia-139959/overall-rankings
Fact is, as an engineering school GiT is among the best, HANDS DOWN. But guess what Mr. TruthHurts, there are more areas of study in this society than engineering. As I stated, when my company needs to bring in a new engineer, regardless of whether it’s electrical, mechanical or otherwise, GT is certainly one university we look at. For other areas of business, insurance, finance, accounting, contracts, personnel or whatever, they aren’t on the list. GT is GREAT at what they do in the tech fields, but the superior comment kills you because they aren’t great in fields outside of that.
TampaDawg
November 23rd, 2011
5:47 pm
Delbert, that is the FUNNIEST post I have read on here in a LONG LONG time. Have a great one my Georgia(based) brother.
Supersize that order, mutt
November 23rd, 2011
5:47 pm
Wow, Delbert, you sound like you need a whole new family. LOL
I hope you make one of them wear a Tech Santa hat when the Jackets win, and I hope that happens this year. HO HO HO, it’s good to be a Yellow Jacket!!!