Live from the ACC: Good seats available, and Tech wins!
Remember when the ACC tournament was the toughest ticket this side of the Masters? Remember when — Wes Durham just told me this story — North Carolina fans used to contribute to the Alexander-Tharpe Fund at Georgia Tech just to have a way to assure themselves of tournament tickets. (The Carolina allocation was, at the time, significantly more competitive.)
Well, that was then. And this is now. And you could buy ACC tickets on Ticketmaster this week. I know, it’s a function of the economy, but still … when the high-falutin’ ACC can’t sell out in advance, what hope is there for the rest of the sports world?
Not that the first day of any conference tournament, the ACC included, is ever a truly packed house. The big boys don’t play on Day 1. (I’m guessing the North Carolina and Duke teams aren’t even in town yet.) But this afternoon session of Day 1 has the chance to be slim pickings. (Not to be confused with Slim Pickens, the greatest of American actors.) Miami and Virginia Tech don’t travel well, at least not for this sport, and Georgia Tech couldn’t fill the Thrillerdome this season. So I’d assume the Dome folks are praying for a big caravan of Clemson folks headed down I-85.
I’ll be blogging live all day, which could well drive down attendance on AJC.com, but what the heck. I’ll also be conducting the first stages of a grand experiment: I have been issued a BlackBerry Storm and asked to shoot photos and (gasp) even video. “Have fun with it,” the brass told me, and I believe those were the same words Mrs. O’Leary had for her cow Flossie when she sent her to the garage.
So let me know what you think. And if anyone has any BlackBerry tips, I’d love to hear those, too. The day began with me having locked the touch screen, whereupon I employed the time-honored scientific method: I removed the battery and re-started the thing.
Miami and VPI (as us old folks used to call Va. Tech) are about to tip. Tech and the Tigers should get going around 2:30. Stick around, won’t you?
Actual breaking news! (Sort of)
I just saw Jason Capel, who played for North Carolina and who works for Raycom now. I asked him if his brother Jeff is coming to coach Georgia. He said he didn’t think so. Jason said he has heard the numbers being thrown around — Georgia is said to be willing to pay $2 million per season, which is more than twice what Dennis Felton was making — but also said he didn’t think Oklahoma would let Jeff Capel leave.
For the record, neither do I.
Halftime update, Game 1
Virginia Tech leads Miami 28-24. The ‘Canes made a little run late — Jack McClinton actually hit a three-pointer, his one and only — and more than halved their deficit. But I can’t see the U taking this one. VPI is a better team.
Then again, I’m occasionally wrong.
Ticketing update!
I’m told by someone who should know that the ACC doesn’t plan to sell tickets for individual sessions at the box office. (You have to buy a tournament set.) But stay tuned. That could change.
I just saw Tech AD Dan Radakovich and his aide-de-camp Wayne Hogan in the hall, and we agreed this wasn’t the year to bring the tournament to a 40,000-seat venue. Then again, that decision was made years ago. As Radakovich said: “If someone could have predicted back in 2005 that the economy would do what it has, we’d all have kept our money under our mattresses.”
Tech halftime update
The Jackets are tied with Clemson at 39 and have made 51.6 percent of their shots. Clinch has 15 of the 39. Rebounds are even. This is a winnable game for Tech, which I kind of thought it would be. Please follow along on the live blog below in the comments section. We’re having so much fun!
Tech wins!
If you haven’t been following along in the live blog — and if not, why not? — Tech beat Clemson 86-81. Lewis Clinch had a career-best 32 points. Moe Miller was terrific running the team. Gani Lawal outplayed Trevor Booker underneath. The Jackets have now won half as many games in the ACC tournament as they did in the 16-game conference season. Sounds a little like Georgia last year, doesn’t it?
Speaking of which, a weather update
Tech publicist Mike (Moose) Stamus just walked over and said, “We moved our baseball game up 2 1/2 hours tomorrow — there’s a threat of thunderstorms.”
As for me …
Despite falling on my backside in the attempt to get a blurry post-it-yourself photo (read about it below), I’ll be back to blog live again tomorrow. We’ll start around noon, and we’ll keep going until Tech beats Florida State in the second afternoon game. (Wait a second! Did I just say that? Yes, I did!)
Thanks to one and all who visited and contributed today, and we’ll keep going a little while longer.
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183 comments Add your comment
Julia on Marietta
March 12th, 2009
12:08 pm
Excellent photo, Mark. Think it’s no cruder than your columns. If you were to buy a ticket to the games this weekend, where would you want to sit?
Leland
March 12th, 2009
12:14 pm
Dear Mr. MB–thanks for letting me know about the ticket availability, but I can’t go. I have some other things I need to do. Your pal, Leland
Just a Fan
March 12th, 2009
12:16 pm
If you’re talking on the phone the lock button is on the top (press it in to lock/unlock).
Reno 911
March 12th, 2009
12:23 pm
Keep the Slim Pickens references coming! MB, have you contemplated embarking on a Jim Rome-like “Slim streak”, wherein you might reference Mr. Pickens in 20 consecutive columns?
Mark Bradley
March 12th, 2009
12:24 pm
Ticket update: They’re no longer available on Ticketmaster, but I’m told by ACC folks they’re available at the box office through today.
Not to sound like a homer for the Georgia Dome, but even the upper deck isn’t terribly far away. Anywhere in the first two sections would be a great seat, I’d think.
Mark Bradley
March 12th, 2009
12:25 pm
Reno, I’m contemplating one even now.
Dean Shore
March 12th, 2009
12:29 pm
The ACC Tournament should always be held in NC. NC is central to the ACC. NC loves good basketball and locals will continue to support the tournament even when their team loses out. In NC the ACC Tournament would be a sell out every year. Keep it in NC and it will again be the hardest ticket to obtain outside the Masters.
Boston Williams
March 12th, 2009
12:33 pm
Have the tournament in the state of NC. NC rules college basketball. (NC, Duke, WF, all top-10)
Illini Fac
March 12th, 2009
12:39 pm
So if I want to go to tomorrow’s session, I need to buy the tix today?
Mark Bradley
March 12th, 2009
12:39 pm
Wish you were here, Leland.
And thanks for the BlackBerry pointer, Just A Fan. I’ll be coming back for more momentarily, I’m sure.
Mark Bradley
March 12th, 2009
12:41 pm
Va. Tech leads 22-14 with 5:28 left in the half, by the way. Miami looks awful.
Then again, I guess I shouldn’t be surprised. I did watch the U lose to Georgia Tech eight days ago.
MatthewH
March 12th, 2009
12:42 pm
For those of you saying that NC will sell out every year, you have to remember that whether it is held in Greensboro or Charlotte, it is in a 20,000 seat arena. The GA Dome is 46,000(?). I believe that they’ve sold 20,000 seats. It is all relative.
Joe
March 12th, 2009
12:45 pm
Sell individual game tickets and the ACC might get butts in the seats. As Clemson Alumi living in Atlanta, my wife and I can’t come up with the scratch for 2 tourney books. We’d be there if they sold single game tickets though.
brewdawg
March 12th, 2009
12:59 pm
Mark,
Anybody blogging the SEC tourney today? Or is the SEC so bad this year that it does not warrant coverage? Tech fans: Good luck throughout the tourney from a UGA fan.
Mark Bradley
March 12th, 2009
1:03 pm
Don’t know about the SEC from the AJC perspective, blog-wise. (Esteemed colleague Chip Towers is there, and I’d assume he’ll have something for y’all at some point.)
But I know my longtime pal and esteemed former colleague John Clay will blog live from the Kentucky game, which is starting about now. Click on “John Clay’s sidelines” in my blogroll — halfway up on the right side — to find his fine coverage.
NativeAtlantan
March 12th, 2009
1:06 pm
I have a hard time believing the ACC isn’t going to put single session tickets on sale. I think a lot of people would be down there in a heartbeat. Like others say, 2 tourney books is a ton of money. I’m just interested in coming down for a session, and I figure I can find tickets on the street or on Craigslist at face or less.
Coastal
March 12th, 2009
1:08 pm
Mark, probably a dumb question from what i’ve seen of GT crowds this season, but are you expecting a big GT crowd for the game today? GO TIGERS!!!
Coastal
March 12th, 2009
1:22 pm
might help if i read the article above.
Mark Bradley
March 12th, 2009
1:30 pm
No, Coastal, I’m not.
And I apologize for being out of pocket here for the last 10 minutes. Would you believe I’ve had Internet connection issues?
Mark Bradley
March 12th, 2009
1:32 pm
43-37 Va. Tech, 10 minutes left. Still not much of a game.
Mark Bradley
March 12th, 2009
1:41 pm
Over now. Virginia Tech by 17, if anyone cares.
SunnyD
March 12th, 2009
1:46 pm
I don’t get why the ACC would rather have 20K fans in an arena that seats 46K, than have 20K fans in a sold-out arena that seats 20K. Why? I don’t understand it. ACC tournament should be in Greensboro at the Coliseum, every year, period.
Mike
March 12th, 2009
1:51 pm
Yeah, the price for the ticket book for the whole weekend was ridiculous. The ACC swung and miss with their ticket selling/pricing policy for this one. I wanted to go but thought the price of the book was ridiculous. Now I’m just skipping out on the whole weekend unless I can get some single session seats.
Coastal
March 12th, 2009
1:52 pm
Wish Charleston, SC had a bigger arena to host the ACC and/or NCAA tourney (like the NAACP would let it happen anyway). I like the tourney being in Greensboro, but there is nothing to do there. At least Atlanta and Washington provide stuff to do when the games aren’t going on.
Joe
March 12th, 2009
2:04 pm
65-47 VT. Clemson next…GO TIGERS!
Try This
March 12th, 2009
2:14 pm
Guy here at work bought his Clemson tix on Stub Hub. Seems the NC peeps buy books for both sessions, then sell the tickets to the games they don’t want to attend. So he was able to buy the tickets he wanted for short money. Even with fees, he only dropped $17 per ticket for each game. Good seats, too.
Matt
March 12th, 2009
2:15 pm
Well, it sucks to be unemployed… but what a day to be unemployed! You’ve gotta love March!
Mark Bradley
March 12th, 2009
2:20 pm
God love you, Matt.
Tech game is about to start. More Clemson fans here than Tech folks, it seems. (Of course, it’s hard to tell Clemson fans — they were such understated colors.)
The Dude
March 12th, 2009
2:25 pm
Wear dude… wear. Here’s to Tech giving something for fans to smile about. Surely they can’t lose three to Klimp’s Son, but you can bet I’ll call them all Shirly if they do.
David
March 12th, 2009
2:26 pm
GT alum watching on RAYCOM in Raleigh, NC.
I am shocked – SHOCKED – that Tech’s not the primetime game.
Next year, true believers…
Mark Bradley
March 12th, 2009
2:28 pm
Tech’s up 10-2 after three minutes. Clinch hit a three to start and just drove for a hoop.
Matty Ice
March 12th, 2009
2:28 pm
Mark, any celeb sightings? I’ll be there tonight so give me a head’s up.
Mark Bradley
March 12th, 2009
2:30 pm
Tech 12-9 at the first TV timeout. Clinch has seven already. How come it took this guy 3.9 seasons to turn into Michael Jordan?
wes
March 12th, 2009
2:30 pm
Derrick Favors skip school ? He there?
wes
March 12th, 2009
2:31 pm
Stuck @ work…
Has Gani fouled out yet?
Mark Bradley
March 12th, 2009
2:32 pm
Dave Odom. Wimp Sanderson. Dan Bonner. Jeff Capel’s brother Jason. Roger Owens, who’s from Maysville, Ky., and whose wife Maurita was one of 16 children. That’s about it for big names.
Louis T
March 12th, 2009
2:32 pm
GameTracker tracking from Asheville, NC. Go Jackets.
Ace
March 12th, 2009
2:33 pm
Capel to Georgia? How about Capel to Georgia Tech?
wes
March 12th, 2009
2:33 pm
As per ur question about Lewis….he was studying too hard.
LOL
pws
March 12th, 2009
2:33 pm
Well, if GT can hang on to the ball and not turn it over, then they may have a chance. Mark, how about counting the turnovers for us, so we will know whether or not to stay until the end of the game…..I’m not sure I can watch another one when they keep turning the ball over. Let’s hope Lewis knew what he was talking about yesterday…
Mark Bradley
March 12th, 2009
2:35 pm
Bad foul by Clinch, his second. He sits with 12:52 and Tech up seven. He has nine of Tech’s 16 points.
Louis T
March 12th, 2009
2:35 pm
Mark – The reason is two words….Paul Hewitt. Go Jackets.
Mark Bradley
March 12th, 2009
2:39 pm
Clemson’s press is eating Tech up now. Jackets have had to call two timeouts in backcourt — in backcourt, I say — in the last minute.
Tech up one now. Clinch back in.
Mark Bradley
March 12th, 2009
2:40 pm
I’ve got three turnovers by Tech in the first 8 1/2 minutes. Which isn’t all that bad, considering.
Matty Ice
March 12th, 2009
2:42 pm
Mark, any truth to the rumor that Corey Feldman is going to perform a halftime show? Don’t hold out on us.
Ace
March 12th, 2009
2:43 pm
Tony Bennett from Washington State should be the future coach of Georgia Tech! Very young and bright coach with the coaching pedigree to compete in the ACC.
Mark Bradley
March 12th, 2009
2:47 pm
Oh, and the security guy who tried to eject me from the 1990 ACC tournament is here, too. Remind me to tell you about that someday.
Mark Bradley
March 12th, 2009
2:48 pm
Tony Bennett left his heart in Pullman, Wash. (Sorry. Can never resist.)
ERIC
March 12th, 2009
2:48 pm
GO JACKETS!!
Ted Striker
March 12th, 2009
2:51 pm
Mark: Blackberry Tip #231. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Melt 1/4 butter in 8 inch baking dish. Add 1/4 c. sugar & 2 tsp lemon juice to 16 oz. blackberries. Add 2 cup flour after combining with 1 c milk. Bake 45 mins
Mark Bradley
March 12th, 2009
2:51 pm
Clemson ahead now 24-21, Lawal at the line when play resumes after the third TV timeout. The press is making the Jackets play faster than they should, which is pretty much the purpose of pressing.
Mark Bradley
March 12th, 2009
2:52 pm
Thanks, Ted.
And I’m told by the famous Melinda Mazo of Atlanta, Ga., that Dickie V. will be here tomorrow.
Joe
March 12th, 2009
2:53 pm
Refs calling a foul on Clemson almost every single GT possession.
ERIC
March 12th, 2009
2:53 pm
I’m at work Mark, GO JACKETS!!
Mrs. W
March 12th, 2009
2:55 pm
Thanks for the update on Capel. I went to school with him, and I wondered what happened to him. Most importantly, GO HEELS! Let’s take it all the way to the NCAA Championship!
David
March 12th, 2009
2:55 pm
I like the energy, but the execution seems a little ragged…can they keep this up the whole game?
Mark Bradley
March 12th, 2009
2:55 pm
No Corey Feldman, I’m afraid. And no Marty Feldman, alas.
Notre Don't
March 12th, 2009
2:56 pm
Turney at GA Dome . . . there’s your answer. There’s not a worse place to watch a BB game. Also, ACC is really down this year. UNC and the Duke “Lil Scrappy White Guys” . . . that’s about it.
crackbaby
March 12th, 2009
2:58 pm
Mark Bradley blogging all day?
I’m soooo excited….
ZZZZzzzzzzz….
Mark Bradley
March 12th, 2009
2:58 pm
Keep up which — the ragged execution or the energy?
Knowing Tech, I’d say they can manage both.
Rufio
March 12th, 2009
2:59 pm
Can we get a few more frequent updates, as the box scores are useless that i can access at work.
That would be awesome.
Greg Pruitt
March 12th, 2009
2:59 pm
Mark,
Please reach over, lift the headphone off that goofy announcer Tim Brandt and ask him: HOW COULD TECH FINISH STRONG IN A 2-14 SEASON? He has said that three times now.
brian
March 12th, 2009
3:00 pm
as for tickets, never fear the full booklet, go down there and you can buy them for pennies on the dollar. Always could even when ACC tourney was in NC – the only ones you couldn’t buy for were the UNC/Duke games. Else there are ALWAYS sellers. For cheap. And this year is even worse since the dome has so many seats. The only people who should buy the books are the ones who just want a guarantee and are too lazy to scalp.
don
March 12th, 2009
3:00 pm
Should have been at Phillips.
GA Dome has terrible sightlines for hoops.
Mark Bradley
March 12th, 2009
3:01 pm
Clemson by one — 3:33 left in the half. Not a bad game, given that it’s No. 12 against No. 5.
pws
March 12th, 2009
3:02 pm
OK, How many turnovers, now? And is the ref who threw me out of the Virgina game last year at AMC for having a wipe off board with “MISSED CALLS, IIIV” there?
Mark Bradley
March 12th, 2009
3:03 pm
I guess going 1-1 over the past two games is what Mr. Brant is referring to, though I’d concede that’s quite a stretch.
brian
March 12th, 2009
3:04 pm
mark, gamtracker has clinch with no fouls – which is it 2 or none? and it shows 2 fouls on peacock, miller, and storrs…
Matty Ice
March 12th, 2009
3:04 pm
Hey Mark, what are the rules for alcohol sales? Is it available to anyone or do you have to have a suite? I’m sitting in the section behind the press rows and need to know if I should be flasking it up or can buy at the Dome. If you fail to plan you plan to fail…
Just a Fan
March 12th, 2009
3:08 pm
8 turnovers so far per wes
Just a Fan
March 12th, 2009
3:08 pm
make that 9
Ted Striker
March 12th, 2009
3:09 pm
What’s with all this BB talk? Any fetching women there? Hot coeds? Cheerleaders? Chicks just waking up after a rough night at the monster truck jam?
David
March 12th, 2009
3:10 pm
Airball…and now for the Fridge run
Mark Bradley
March 12th, 2009
3:10 pm
Tied at halftime. Tech’s doing OK. The game is terribly scattered, but the Jacket didn’t get to 2-14 by playing textbook ball.
Just a Fan
March 12th, 2009
3:11 pm
Time to get some work done
Ace
March 12th, 2009
3:11 pm
Genius Halftime Adjustments Time! Lets count how many ballscreens we run in the second half!
Ted Striker
March 12th, 2009
3:14 pm
Paul Hewitt’s Halftime Speech: “The white zone is for immediate loading and unloading of passengers only. There is no stopping in the red zone.”
Mark Bradley
March 12th, 2009
3:15 pm
You’re right — no fouls for Clinch. I don’t know what I was thinking.
Mark Bradley
March 12th, 2009
3:16 pm
Moe Miller has two fouls — and the unwise one of which I spoke. Sometime the ol’ blog just gets going a little fast. Know what I mean?
don
March 12th, 2009
3:16 pm
The game to watch that’s on right now is Arizona/ AZ State. Herb has his hands full.
Mark Bradley
March 12th, 2009
3:19 pm
Nine turnovers at the half for GT — still not unreasonable. The Jackets can take this one.
the real Old Gold
March 12th, 2009
3:19 pm
How about we don’t continue to throw the ball out of bounds on every other possession. I predicted this. First have they’d play like the Tar Heels, the second half (mark my words) they’ll play like the South Arkansas Crop Dusting Community College Greyhounds.
jacket71
March 12th, 2009
3:23 pm
See Lawal is 3/8 from the field. How is Clemson defending or is he throwing up bricks?
Mark Bradley
March 12th, 2009
3:25 pm
Crop Dusting Community College? I went there!
David
March 12th, 2009
3:26 pm
Ted Striker…the Clemson halftime coaches’ confab:
“Johnny, what can you make of it?”
“Oh I can make a HAT, or a BROCHE, or a PTERADACTYL…”
BTW, RAYCOM just showed Terrel Owens in the crowd…
Mark Bradley
March 12th, 2009
3:27 pm
Since you asked … Lawal authored one of the worst shots in the history of the sport. Alone on a fast break, he pulled up from 10 feet and hit the top corner of the backboard.
Mark Bradley
March 12th, 2009
3:29 pm
Tech by five now, 18:44 left. Clinch hit another three — he has 18 points — and Peacock dunked. Clemson called timeout.
And it only makes sense that T.O. would be here. ESPN’s around.
GT08
March 12th, 2009
3:30 pm
Terrell Owens has a house in Atlanta thats why he is in the crowd….some announcers are just ridiculously dumb. They were saying that he just likes basketball and have been kicked out of every other city. Where did raycom get these guys….everyone on this blog could do a better job
David
March 12th, 2009
3:32 pm
Maybe T.O. will run out on the court and do crunches during the break
Guess he was in Chattanooga watching his UTC guys take another SoCon title Monday and figured he’d get in some ACC action?
GT08
March 12th, 2009
3:33 pm
that was a sick dunk by Lawal
Mark Bradley
March 12th, 2009
3:37 pm
Clemson closes within three at the under-16 timeout. Clinch just left with some sort of minor injury. (And yes, I’m sure it’s Clinch this time.) But I just saw him walk to the scorer’s table, so he’s well enough to play, apparently. He has 21 of Tech’s 49.
the real Old Gold
March 12th, 2009
3:42 pm
This game is ours if they’ll play fundamentally sound for the next 10 minutes or so. They’re not a terrible team, just fundamentally terrible. I mean, I’ve seen high school teams that are more sound.
Mark Bradley
March 12th, 2009
3:43 pm
Now Shumpert is gimpy. Tech by six, 13:09 left.
George P. Burdell
March 12th, 2009
3:44 pm
I’m surprised how much pressing Clemson is doing. I understand if you lose you go home, but having to play 4 games could be very tough if you are running the full-court press this much.
Mark Bradley
March 12th, 2009
3:47 pm
Lewis Clinch is playing like it’s the last game of his career, which it could be. He has 24 points — just hit a catch-and-release trey — and just outfought a Clemson player for a rebound. But, Tech being Tech, Alade Aminu lost the ball out of bounds.
cricket
March 12th, 2009
3:47 pm
go to next page
Reno 911
March 12th, 2009
3:47 pm
“The fog’s getting thicker”
“And Leon’s getting LAAAaaarger!”
Chris
March 12th, 2009
3:48 pm
“Don’t give me this ‘Red-Zone, White-Zone’ sh** Jim, I know what this is about–You want me to have an abortion, don’t you!”
marseilles mutt
March 12th, 2009
3:48 pm
Whoa! Wait a minute! I got in here late. By insinuating that one went to Whatever Crop Dusting College, I am to assume- even fom the “Chief” Blogger- that anyone here ACTUALLY knows how to fly? An ‘airframe’ that is; naw, I can’t buy that.
Nothing up here in the ‘Land of the Lost’ MB, but Big East and (gag) Big 10 BB. Please comment, faster and update more often, if you will.
Many thanks. Go Jackets
Wait, TO is there? Real TO’s- Time Outs- have a greater frame of reference. Trying to hold attendence down, huh?
.
Mark Bradley
March 12th, 2009
3:50 pm
Tech 56-53, inside 11 minutes. Aminu just made a nice play, following his own miss. Then he lost the ball again.