Bradley’s Buzz: ESPN’s Dinich now likes Clemson over Tech
According to ESPN's ACC expert, Tech won't win this time. (AJC photo by Brant Sanderlin)
Say this for Heather Dinich of ESPN.com: She’s consistent. She didn’t pick Georgia Tech to win the Coastal Division, and she’s not picking the Coastal champ to win the ACC title.
Ms. Dinich call her choice of Clemson over Tech in Tampa on Dec. 5 a “wacky prediction.” I wouldn’t call it wacky. I’d just call it misguided. You can make a case for Clemson. You can make a much better one for Tech.
Winning the ACC would put Clemson in the Orange Bowl. So where, according to Ms. Dinich, would Tech land? The Chick-fil-A? Nope. She has Georgia Tech falling behind Virginia Tech in the pecking order and landing in the Gator Bowl against a Big East opponent or Notre Dame. (I understand the Chick-fil-A might not want to have Georgia Tech for a second consecutive year, but I also understand that there would be local pressure from Jacket fans to keep Tech out of Jacksonvile.)
But … Notre Dame? Is it even bowl-eligible? And if so, is it bowl-worthy?
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339 comments Add your comment
ashman
November 22nd, 2009
1:44 pm
Thank you Boogie Man for telling em like it is!
MCRP 09
November 22nd, 2009
1:46 pm
Heather has had it in for Tech all year. In her eyes we ‘ruined’ the ACC’s chances of winning the NC when Tech rolled over the hokies earlier in the year. I think she’s also a hater of our offense or doesnt understand it. Whatever, HD….keep picking against Tech and we’ll keep disappointing you!
That said, Clemson is the last school I’d like us to play in Tampa
GT LEE
November 22nd, 2009
1:49 pm
Boogie man makes good points when I see his posts for the most part. We need to play our best in ACC championship game.I think different,dangerous team,playing confident
bt
November 22nd, 2009
1:51 pm
Eric, I don’t work for the AJC and make things up. Dinich claimed a 69% accuracy before this past weekend.
Innocent Bystander
November 22nd, 2009
1:53 pm
Dinich also picked Virginia to beat us. We all know how that one turned out…
maybe first maybe not
November 22nd, 2009
1:53 pm
as another female sportsperson (radio, tv and print) who happens to be a GT grad, I can honestly say Heather is an embarassment to journalism. I noticed that she started choosing the Tech opponents to win in her weekly predictions early on. At first I did not think too much about it but soon came to realize the lady hates CPJ and wants some type of authority over him any way she can get it. We all have our favorites but it seemed to really get to her when GT beat VT which was her conference favorite until they were knocked out thus she turned to Clemson to be her hope. She has mentioned
ashman
November 22nd, 2009
1:53 pm
Just a reminder-clemson almost always crushes sc and it doesn’t matter where the game is played
BOOGIE MAN FROM HARTWELL GA
November 22nd, 2009
1:53 pm
MCRP 09————- THE REST OF GT NATION NEEDS TO READ YOUR LAST LINE……… AND THANKS TO ashman AND GT LEE FOR YOUR KIND WORDS
Mr. Thomas Anthony "The Taxman Cometh" Jones, SR
November 22nd, 2009
1:54 pm
I expect to be taking my family and some clients to se the yellow Jackets play in the Chick-Fil-A Bowl game here at the Georgia Dome in Downtown Atlanta,Georgia on Northside Drive. We have no problem whatsoever with the Tech team playing here on the Georgia Dome. Only some selfish individuals and fans want the Tech team to have to travel elsewhere for the Holidays. Look forward to seeing the Yellow Jackets here over the Holidays!
maybe first maybe not
November 22nd, 2009
1:58 pm
She has mentioned that CPJ is arrogant when I am amazed CPJ talks to her at all. Heather is almost vicious toward CPJ and the GT football program and gives it no merit and credit for accomplishing anything this season. It only fires up the team and the coach even more so I hope they post her comments to ensure the team is well aware of it.
MCRP 09
November 22nd, 2009
2:02 pm
Oh I’m pretty sure the sentiment is universal, boogie. On the bright side, playing Clemson again helps out our SOS….while thumping UGA down the street from me next week probably does our SOS no favors.
RT in NC
November 22nd, 2009
2:03 pm
Clemson did not look good against the misdirections that UVA ran. That’s good news for us and the option.
Clemson has a decent passing game, very bad news for us.
Cuttysark
November 22nd, 2009
2:04 pm
Heather Dinich has been like gold for Georgia Tech all season long. She is just like Art Schlister when he used to bet on football games. Just see who Heather and Art are picking then go to Las Vegas and place your bets on the other team. Just more motivation for the Yellow Jackets!
Go to http://isportsweb.com for more Georgia Tech Football articles as the team prepares to finish out this season against UGA and Clemson in impressive fashion. Go Jackets!
RT in NC
November 22nd, 2009
2:04 pm
Oh, yeah and Spiller on Kickoffs is terrifying.
BOOGIE MAN FROM HARTWELL GA
November 22nd, 2009
2:06 pm
HOPE TECHIES READ MCRP 09……..ESP LAST LINE……………..THANKS TO ashman AND GT LEE FOR KIND WORDS….JUST TRY TO TELL IT LIKE IT IS……GOOD POST ashman AT1:53…GOOD JOB!
CPJ rocks
November 22nd, 2009
2:06 pm
hey Clempsun, CPJ has more tricks in his bag then what you morons saw the first time around. You cannot outfox a fox or outcoach a coach which is what he is. This team didn’t luck their way into 10 wins, they have heart. GT is either a top 5 team or not so bring the d@mn game on. GT’s mission statement for 09 is “Full Steam Ahead” and like Cutty Sark says “back the train up and run over them again”
VegasGT
November 22nd, 2009
2:13 pm
Stopped reading her ages ago when it became apparent that she was not impartial by any stretch, just bad journalism. Her dislike of CPJ is just too evident.
The good thing though is that she sure provides some great locker room billboard material.
Anyway, who cares, we need to worry about this week’s SEC (ESPN aligned) opponent, UGA.
Focus on UGA.
Go Jackets !!!
BOOGIE MAN FROM HARTWELL GA
November 22nd, 2009
2:14 pm
WHEN YOU KEY ON C.J. ,DABO WILL BREAK ONE OFF IN YOU AKA.—–FORD, PALMER , ELLINGTON ,( WATCH OUT FOR HIM ) PARKER ( PLAYING MUCH SMARTER ). WISH WE HAD HIRED KEVIN STEELE LAST YEAR AT GA WHEN HE WAS AVAILABLE………
secfactcheck.com
November 22nd, 2009
2:14 pm
Heather is seeking traffic on her not so read blog. She has a complex. She has said all year how the ACC is subpar while not even noticing that ESPN assigned her to cover… THE ACC.
Instead, she should have been touting the ACC and attracking traffic from readers outside the ACC. Interesting cases like Wake over Stanford, Miami over OK, GA Tech 2-0 against the ACC with one more game to go. Comparisons of GA Tech’s schedule to say FL’s… Tech shares four teams with FL. She could have made some interesting noise. Instead she chose to beat down the conference and the current poll leader of the conference.
Seeing that ESPN has its contract with the SEC, it seems as though ESPN knew what they where doing when they assigned her to the ACC.
BuckheadNole
November 22nd, 2009
2:14 pm
Not sure what the big issue is about HD. She worked at the Washington Post as the beat Terp writer which got her the job at ESPN. She’s been considerably biased since 2008, when she predicted Maryland was going to have a break out year and win the Atlantic outright. As we all know they finished 8-5. In general, she continues to be biased toward the Atlantic division despite the obviously superior Coastal divison, with the exception of my Noles. She’s had it out for us since she was at the Post. The rumor is we got stuck with her on ESPN as the ACC beat writer because most of the good journalists in the south follow the SEC.
Anyway, let’s hope the ACC makes a good showing this week with CU-USC, GT-UGA, and FSU-UF. I’m predicting 2 out of 3 wins for the ACC… I just wish that FSU was one of them, although I don’t think that’s likely.
As far as the ACCCG is concerned, Spiller, Ford, and Parker will get their points and GT will probably have a slow start. The difference though will be the adjustments that Johnson makes in the second half. He’s a wizard at adjustments which demonstrates his superior coaching talent. Dabo won’t have a clue. GT wins by 10+ points but the outcome won’t be clear until the 4Q.
Good luck to my ACC brethren! Go NOLES!
Delbert D.
November 22nd, 2009
2:16 pm
Clemson didn’t look great yesterday. Good enough, but not anything to scream about. Maybe they limited their playbook.
SEC powerhouse NOT
November 22nd, 2009
2:18 pm
thank you Buckhead Nole, you know what your talking about. Maybe you could post these insightful comments on Heather’s post just this one time.
GT is a football school
November 22nd, 2009
2:22 pm
hey Buckhead Nole, I honestly think FSU can beat Florida, let’s hope so.
Wacky Heather will eat her words
November 22nd, 2009
2:23 pm
GEORGIA TECH will Crush Clemson
after they spank the Bulldogs.
BOOGIE MAN FROM HARTWELL GA
November 22nd, 2009
2:24 pm
DELBERT D. ………………………..I THINK THEY DID TOO (LIMITING PLAYBOOK)……THEY WILL BEAT SC,STILL HAVE GOOD IMAGINATIVE PLAYBOOK VS GT
Delbert D.
November 22nd, 2009
2:26 pm
BuckheadNole –
That was another exciting game for your ‘Noles yesterday. I hope you guys get a decent bowl against an SEC team.
While you’re at it, beat Florida!
jambee
November 22nd, 2009
2:27 pm
ESPN in general continues its putdown of the ACC. Predict its best team, a top ten team, to lose and you support the effort. The ESPN/SEC marriage/contract leads to such bias.
BOOGIE MAN FROM HARTWELL GA
November 22nd, 2009
2:27 pm
FSU CANT BEAT OFF MUCH LESS DREAM ABOUT BEATING FLEMIDA…………
ashman
November 22nd, 2009
2:27 pm
Enter your comments here
ashman
November 22nd, 2009
2:30 pm
I know PJ is a good and innovative coach but clemson has done a much better job this year at making halftime and in game adjustments than in years past-something lacking in the tommy bowden era
Fire Mike Slime
November 22nd, 2009
2:31 pm
Where did Heather play football?
scott in acworth
November 22nd, 2009
2:32 pm
Not sure who is the most arrogant, you or your fellow AJC sports idiot Jeff, but why you and the entire downtown, big city jerks think Paul Johnson is so much better coach than anyone else, especially any coach from Clemson is beyond me. Is Johnson a good coach – sure; is he the best in the country – doubtful. Yet, all we hear is there is no way GaTech will lose to Swinney. Well, guess what bonehead, if not for a still waiting to be discovered holding call (two years in a row by the way) on the last Clemson drive, the Tigers might would have won the game in Atlanta against the World’s Most Brilliant Coach. EVERY person who watched the game would tell you Clemson was the better team, just got off to a horrid start. Does that mean Clemson wins in Tampa – of course not. But it grinds the nerves of every sane sport fan to see “journalist”, who self-believe they know more than anyone else, act like Swinney is a pathetic, low level coach who can’t compete with the great Paul Johnson.
Let’s see what Tech does next year when they lose Dwyer, Thomas and Morgan and Clemson loses Spiller, Ford and Sapp.
Maybe the AJC should look at why their readership continues to drop; are readers saying no to more of this dribble masquerading as journalism?? Maybe Coach Johnson can use his supreme powers and advise you on this subject.
Fire Mike Slime
November 22nd, 2009
2:32 pm
Wasn’t she the kicker at Colorado?
BOOGIE MAN FROM HARTWELL GA
November 22nd, 2009
2:33 pm
ANOTHER GREAT POINT ashman………….THIS IS NOT A TOMMY BOWDEN TEAM…..
Delbert D.
November 22nd, 2009
2:34 pm
Clemson averaged less than 3.4 yards/carry against UVA.
Metal Jacket
November 22nd, 2009
2:34 pm
Heather, stay home and burn something.
BOOGIE MAN FROM HARTWELL GA
November 22nd, 2009
2:35 pm
SHES TELLING IT LIKE IT IS……TRUTH MUST HURT…………..
GIVE ME A BREAK
November 22nd, 2009
2:35 pm
Does anybody really care what she thinks.
Red Neck
November 22nd, 2009
2:36 pm
She’s mad because no one at Tech would date her.
BOOGIE MAN FROM HARTWELL GA
November 22nd, 2009
2:37 pm
CLEMSON PLAYED JUST WELL ENOUGH TO WIN………BEWARE
Fire Mike Slime
November 22nd, 2009
2:38 pm
If Tech loses their last 3 games, maybe they will be able to keep their Johnson.
GIVE ME A BREAK
November 22nd, 2009
2:38 pm
Did the bulldogs really lose to Kentucky?
ashman
November 22nd, 2009
2:38 pm
Delbert-virginia’s problems this season haven’t been on defense-but cu did score 34 points and of course they were running out the clock in the second half and playing reserves
BOOGIE MAN FROM HARTWELL GA
November 22nd, 2009
2:39 pm
SHE LOVES ATHENS TOWN ………………
GT Joe
November 22nd, 2009
2:41 pm
When did Kentucky start a football program?
Triple Option
November 22nd, 2009
2:42 pm
Clemson will fall apart, like they always do
…… MIiss Heather.
BOOGIE MAN FROM HARTWELL GA
November 22nd, 2009
2:45 pm
ABOUT THE SAME TIME GARDNER-WEBB DID………DIDNT YOU MASH THEM LAST YEAR ( 7-0)
Keep USA #1
November 22nd, 2009
2:45 pm
Her opinion not worth a damn, just another sports writer with attitude.
DVJ
November 22nd, 2009
2:45 pm
I cant wait for Cox to make GT defense look like a powerhouse
http://dawgsvsjackets.blogspot.com/
GIVE ME A BREAK
November 22nd, 2009
2:46 pm
What does a woman know about football? Go shopping.