Bradley’s Buzz: ESPN again picks against Tech and Johnson
Not the flavor of the month per Scouts Inc. (AJC photo by Johnny Crawford)
I’m not covering the Orange Bowl. I’ll be in Athens tonight watching Georgia and Georgia Tech play basketball. But I found it amusing to note that, once again, ESPN.com’s Scouts Inc. has picked against the Jackets (in football, not basketball).
A review (and all these links require registration): Scouts Inc. picked Miami over the Jackets in September and was correct; it picked Virginia Tech over GT in October and was incorrect; it picked Clemson over the Jackets in September and also in the ACC title game and was twice wrong. Now it likes Iowa to win 28-24 tonight. And that’s legit: This will be a difficult game for the Jackets, and a lot of people are picking against them.
What’s of greater interest is that Scouts Inc. again gives the edge in coaching to Tech’s opponent. And maybe that’s also fair: Kirk Ferentz is well regarded in the business. Scouts Inc. did the same for the Virginia Tech game — again, Frank Beamer is a proven commodity — but it also gave Clemson the nod in coaching for the ACC title game, and I can’t imagine too many folks see Dabo Swinney as more established than Paul Johnson. (Interestingly, Scouts Inc. rated Tech’s coaching as better than Clemson’s in September. Guess Dabo had a better season than Johnson.)
Maybe I’m being unfair: Scouts Inc. did pick Tech over Georgia and give Johnson the edge over Mark Richt. (Georgia won, as I recall.) But when I see a category breakdown so imbalanced — the Jackets are rated above Iowa at only three of eight positions (quarterback, running back and, interestingly enough, special teams) — you’d have to think the coach of the presumed lesser team has done something right to get his side to 11-2 and a BCS bowl.
And maybe this expression of non-love for PJ simply balances the scales: I’m aware that many among you (read: Georgia fans) believe we at the AJC have fallen all over ourselves in our admiration for the Tech coach. And I’ll concede to a bit — OK, maybe more than a bit — of gushing on my part. Still, I think the man has done a fabulous job. He’s 20-6 in two seasons and has won his conference. As I recall, we around here also sang the praises of Richt when he went 21-5 and won his league in his first two years on the job.
But enough of that. I close with two notes: Scouts Inc. isn’t to be confused with ESPN’s ACC blogger Heather Dinich, who has also picked against the Jackets a few times but likes Tech tonight. (Also by the score of 28-24.) And Mr. Always Wrong — that’d be me — likes the Jackets to win twice this evening. First at the Stegasaurus, then at Land Shark Stadium.
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349 comments Add your comment
Pitiful UGA
January 5th, 2010
12:14 pm
GT rolls tonight in BB and FB.
Mark
January 5th, 2010
12:15 pm
First meaningful bowl game in 50 years. How PatheTECH hahahahaha
what about it
January 5th, 2010
12:16 pm
they don’t like PJ becuase he doesn’t stand on the sideline with a two sided sheet of plays and formations. Folks can not believe that an offense can not work if it is not complicated. Much like Rupp’s shuffle at Kentucky – same play everytime with multiple options dictated by the defense
MR
January 5th, 2010
12:18 pm
Iowa may beat Tech. It will not end the world. I will still be a Tech fan. Better to have been there and lost than to never have been there at all. Two years into a program and win the conference championship ain’t bad. Things will only get better on the flats.
carlos
January 5th, 2010
12:20 pm
Well dang, dawg days…is Iowa accustomed to this “stage” more than GT? Do they have more of a habit of winning than GT? Is the Big 10 really that much better than the ACC? And how the heck did Iowa reach the level of LSU? Were the Miami and UGA games really bigger than the ACC title game?
MR
January 5th, 2010
12:20 pm
Mark, hey stupid. Get in the now. We are there and you aren’t. The past is for loosers.
Buzz Belle
January 5th, 2010
12:20 pm
Jackets are winning tonight.The dawg fans are on here because they have nothing to brag about, no DC to talk about, and no future to crow about. Give it up guys. You are so thrilled to beat us in one game when the real goal should have been to win your conference. Don’t be pissed at us because winning our conference was far more important than beating you this year. Of course we would have liked to beat you, but you wanted to beat us last year, now didn’t you? It must have really hurt bad last year to lose to the lowly Tech huh? It shows in your posts! GO JACKETS & THWG!
Bud
January 5th, 2010
12:20 pm
Has anyone at Tech ever checked Paul Johnson’s resume? You know they’ve had past problems. I still can’t believe a red flag didn’t come up when O’Leary put on his resume that he was a past Presidnt of the United States. UGA / DC – Belly Up the money – Muschamp, Van Gorder, or Charlie Strong ( UGA is not an ACC or Div.II school, quit acting like it)
MR
January 5th, 2010
12:21 pm
Nice try carlos but these guys don’t understand logic.
Where's my crack pipe?
January 5th, 2010
12:22 pm
Being ACC Champs is like being the tallest midget..who gives a crap! Iowa rolls
Mark
January 5th, 2010
12:22 pm
haha @ MR “the past is for loosers.” Nice spelling there champ
Jonathan
January 5th, 2010
12:22 pm
Really come on the SEC is not that great remember Bama got beatdown by UTAH!!!! YES UTAH… so until they consistently beat the Mountian West… give it a rest about the ACC… VaTech beat Tenn… and how did that game turn out for the dogs against Tenn?? and we beat VaTech… so there you have it GaTech is the better than UGA they just didnt play like it that night… the series between CMR and CPJ is 1-1… this year is the tie breaker and the beginning of a GaTech lead in the series…
Saint Simons
January 5th, 2010
12:22 pm
30-24!!!!
30-24!!!!
30-24!!!!
8 out of 9!!!!
8 out of 9!!!!
8 out of 9!!!!
Regardless of who wins tonight, Iowa fans are far more classy than those trashy redneck GA Tech fans!
St. Simon's Daddy
January 5th, 2010
12:23 pm
I could be wrong, but I do not think Iowa can stay with Tech. Tech’s speed on the corners will kill the Hawkeyes. Look for some long runs tonite.
The basketball game may not be close. Fox does not have much to work with. In a few years he will NCAA tourney bound. He is a good coach and I think we all can wait.
Go Dawgs!!!!
Hey ATL Buzz
January 5th, 2010
12:25 pm
Hey ATL Buzz, get you facts striaght. UGA will get 1/12 of approx 45 Million while tech will get 1/12 of 25 Million. Now how does that math work. LMAO
MR
January 5th, 2010
12:25 pm
Bud,
Charlie Strong is the HC at Louisville, why would he want to be DC at UGA? CPJ’s resume is just fine. You are right though, UGA is not ACC or Div. II, they are following up the rear in the SEC. I hear CMR has bought property in Shreveport, so he can save the school money next year.
stiggywiggy
January 5th, 2010
12:26 pm
Nice try, dawgies. But dissing the $14,000,000-payout BCS Orange Bowl as a bad game is pretty frickin’ hysterical, coming as it does from a team that went to the Weedeater Bowl, surely the laughing stock of all bowls. You crapped all over yourselves all season, and now you’re embarrassed. That’s understandable. But obviously pretending that THE ORANGE BOWL is no big deal isn’t going to cut it with any knowledgeable fan.
dcp
January 5th, 2010
12:26 pm
Hells Bells – you are right – Tech lost to a 7-5 SEC team, as did the Dawgs badly (UT) which was whipped by VT (oops that is an ACC team). Your point is fine – the SEC is a good conference and UGA has beaten Tech repeatedly – you win. Having said that, the SEC this year was not nearly as good as in past years.
To others – ok, you cannot have it both ways – if the Big 10 is not that good, why did Penn State beat LSU? Why did OSU beat Oregon? Northwestern? hangs with Auburn. Everyone felt the PAC 10 was a very good conference this year and Oregon was hot. Iowa is a good team – if Tech beats them, it will be a quality win. If they don’t, it’s nothing to be ashamed of, unless they get thumped. The SEC has Alabama and FL this year – that’s it in terms of very good teams. The others were all fair (Auburn, Ole Miss, SC, UGA, Ark, KY, TN) to good (LSU) to bad (MSU, Vandy) teams at best.
Ramblinwreck83
January 5th, 2010
12:27 pm
Sounds like the whiney UGA Fans are out in force. Just be happy that at least one GA team made a BCS bowl. It does help the state in recruiting regardless of which team makes it. Enough about the “if Tech could just be a 7-5 SEC team”. Get over yourselves about that game. The same thing happened in 2008 with #11 UGA losing to an 8-3 ACC team. Next year it might be Tech beating a good UGA team or vice versa. Don’t hate on the AJC about them giving love to Coach PJ. I remember when it was all about Coach MR back in ‘02.
stiggywiggy
January 5th, 2010
12:31 pm
Yeah, big SEC!! Anyone remember what Utah did to the SEC’s elite, Alabama last year? And I see that Clemson, an ACC team that ACC Tech beat twice, whipped up on SEC lowlife Kentucky, which beat SEC loser Georgia. But stats don’t matter to an SEC elitist, do they? You SEC shills are like global warming advocates. We’re just supposed to accept your word for your alleged superiority. Nope. Can’t do.
MR
January 5th, 2010
12:32 pm
And what do you do with all that money at UGA? Certainly not win the NC or the SEC. Hell you can’t even win the SEC east. Face it your time has past. Tenn, Kentucky, and even Fla will continue to have your number. But, you have Vandy’s number. Oh, I forget about the past. Fla wins the SEC, they play for a NC. Ala, wins the SEC and play for a NC. UGA wins the SEC, hello Sugar Bowl. I think the last SEC champ to play in the Sugar Bowl was UGA.
Brunswick-Tech
January 5th, 2010
12:32 pm
Thanks Mark for the vote. Do you think there will ever be a Tech blog thats not followed up by a 1st, 2nd, and 3rd. by dog fans? and what would be their interest in being first on a tech blog? its nice to know that we are so high up on their things to do list every day.
I’ll take Tech ’s rush against a not so hot run def. and prey that our defense holds them to a few 3 and outs. Tech 36- Iowa 24 Go Jackets
MR
January 5th, 2010
12:35 pm
Enter your comments here
knoxdawg
January 5th, 2010
12:35 pm
Tech wins Orange Bowl in a close one. UGA wins BB game in a close one.
Slick
January 5th, 2010
12:36 pm
As a recall Mr. Bradley, you’ve made several unfortunate predictions yourself. To your credit, you’ve always owned up to them. Predictions mean squat. Tech and Iowa will decide this contest on the field. Go Hawkeyes, and go B-Ball Dawgs!!
Pitiful UGA
January 5th, 2010
12:36 pm
UGA fans are morons.
Shane
January 5th, 2010
12:37 pm
He’s 20-6 in two seasons and has won his conference. As I recall, we around here also sang the praises of Richt when he went 21-5 and won his league in his first two years on the job.
The difference Mark is that one did it in the SEC. The other one did it in the All Cupcake Conference.
Because of that Richts accomplishment deserves alot more attention than the other.
dawgfan
January 5th, 2010
12:38 pm
Does Iowa have a stable of big athletic defensive lineman? If so, they will win. End of story. Case closed. Class dismissed.
Paul Johnson cannot beat teams that are deep and talented on the defensive front. This is not opinion. It is fact. If you blow up the interior of his undersized O-line you take away the dive and render his offense predictable. If there is no serious threat up the middle, linebackers and DBs are comfortable focusing most of their efforts on the outside. At that point, its just a matter of sticking to assignments and making tackles. Its not rocket science. Any good defense can do it. Fortunately for Tech, they don’t face too many defenses like that in the ACC.
This is why Georgia Tech will never be a serious threat to do anything other than win the weak ACC occasionally and beat Georgia about once every 4 or 5 years. Of course this is a drastic improvement over Gailey, but hardly anything that we should bow down to as Tech fans would like.
AJC columnists have Tech fans gassed in to thinking that they are flirting with greatness. It makes things like 30-24 all the more enjoyable.
Thanks Mark Bradley.
stiggywiggy
January 5th, 2010
12:39 pm
Hey, dawgies. Troy plays tomorrow in their bowl game. Why not take your redneck schtick to a Troy blog site and compare notes? I realize that your Weedeater Bowl was a bit less pretigious than Troy’s bowl, but at least you won’t look so asinine comparing your own little Shreveport scrimmage game against a 6-7 team, with an actual BCS bowl.
Shane
January 5th, 2010
12:40 pm
We’re just supposed to accept your word for your alleged superiority. Nope. Can’t do.
Ok here are the facts then.
Highest Winning Percentages By Conference
Conference
Percentage (Record)
Mountain West
1.000 (2-0)
Southeastern
.706 (12-5) now 13-5
Pacific-10
.692 (9-4)
Big East
.545 (6-5)
WAC
.500 (1-1)
Big 12
.438 (7-9)
Big Ten
.421 (8-11)
Atlantic Coast
.182 (2-9)
Independents
.000 (0-3)
stiggywiggy
January 5th, 2010
12:42 pm
Here’s another suggestion, dawgies: consult with Baylor fans. They’ve been where you’re now heading for about sixty years. Maybe they can tell you how to accept mediocrity without looking so pathetic.
BuzztheKiller
January 5th, 2010
12:44 pm
For the classy true UGA and college football fans- thanks for the well wishes and mutual respect. I had the same for you in your bowl and was happy to see you represent the state and the south well.
For the rest of the clown posters who have little knowledge of college football, and despite what you say, live on the Tech blog (must be love or jealosy), enjoy the game tonight as the Jackets win a close, tough game in the final minutes with a long drive. Despite what you say you will be watching along with the rest of the country. Second best BCS bowl next to the big one on Thu!
Sugar- a mis-match that got ugly
Rose- Oregon forgot to show up
Fiesta- snooze fest between two teams that should not have been there
Go Jackets!
January 5th, 2010
12:44 pm
Mark;
Glad to hear your honesty in falling over the performance of PJ and the jackets. It is hard not to. I would be awed to see a UGA coach raise the level of play to and beyond that of Florida of last year or Alabama of this year in 2-4 years. What PJ has done is stunning – transition to a new system of play, keep most all of the existing talent and teach them the new system, and most fun for me is the return of pure enjoyment of a run oriented offense along with the fun of clock strategic domination. Wow! As far as tonight goes – it will be the most exciting game of the week – I have a hunch Alabama Texas will be a low scoring defensive struggle, last night was ….well last night.
Ted Striker
January 5th, 2010
12:44 pm
I’ll buy ya a frosted orange if I see you at the Varsity post-game.
Shane
January 5th, 2010
12:45 pm
We’re just supposed to accept your word for your alleged superiority. Nope. Can’t do.
more facts
Bowl games the last three years
SEC 18-8 ( tops among BCS conferences)
ACC 9-15
Its pretty obvious isnt it.
Heather
January 5th, 2010
12:46 pm
I’m a Tech fan, but I’m not real optimistic about the Orange Bowl. We’ve lost the last four bowl games, and three of those were blow-outs. Johnson did a horrible job getting the team ready for the bowl last year. Unless he does a much better job this year, we lose.
But… GO YELLOW JACKETS!!!
Call me sour grapes, but......
January 5th, 2010
12:47 pm
Tech beats Clemson twice this year. Both times by less than a touchdown. First game, Tech uses an illegal play to win among other things. ACC officials said as much after the game that the substitution play was in fact illegal. In ACC championship game (exciting game wasn’t it?)Tech clearly committed two blatent pass interference infractions…but, they were never called and were committed right in front of an official. Both plays would have resulted in a score which would have changed the outcome of the game. Now I know all you Tech fans (the emotional ones) will call me sour grapes, but a non biased review of the above will ring true. Tech has had a good season and generated a lot of excitement among Tech fans, but anyone who is a true football afficionado will agree. Tech got lucky against Clemson this year. Let the sour grapes responses begin…
Ramblinwreck83
January 5th, 2010
12:48 pm
Shane,
Your comment holds some merrit, but UGA does get alot of really good talent. They are expected to compete for the SEC Championship every year. Many people didn’t give PJ a shot with the offense he brought in regardless of the Conference. It is very impressive what he’s done.
dawgfan,
Does Iowa have a stable of big athletic defensive lineman? If so, they will win. End of story. Case closed. Class dismissed.
Paul Johnson cannot beat teams that are deep and talented on the defensive front. This is not opinion. It is fact. If you blow up the interior of his undersized O-line you take away the dive and render his offense predictable.
Are you serious? Clemson, UNC, VT all have really good defensive lines and GT beat all three of them and Clemson twice. Your comments don’t hold water and you know it.
BuzztheKiller
January 5th, 2010
12:48 pm
Hey Shane- enjoy the game tonight as I know you will be watching every minute! Go spout your “facts” and SEC love on the other blogs!
Jackets win a close tough game in the fourth quarter!
stiggywiggy
January 5th, 2010
12:48 pm
Sorry, Shane. Those stats make no sense. The Mountain West is 2-0??? What the hell does that mean? Against whom? You must be a dawgie. Hint: “Stats” is short for statistics.
Heather
January 5th, 2010
12:50 pm
Hey dawgfan, how did you enjoy Shreveport?
Get used to it, that’s the kind of place where mediocre teams like UGA go every year.
dcp
January 5th, 2010
12:51 pm
Shane
If we have it your way, you should win EVERY game (18 and 8 is not good enough)- the ACC is weak, the Big 10 is not competitive, the Big wast?. Just the SEC and all of its greatness – break off from the NCAA and just play each other since no one approaches the mighty SEC.
Shane
January 5th, 2010
12:53 pm
Sorry, Shane. Those stats make no sense. The Mountain West is 2-0??? What the hell does that mean? Against whom? You must be a dawgie. Hint: “Stats” is short for statistics.
Those are the stats for the BCS games. They dont include this years results.
Here is the link dummy
http://www.bcsfootball.org/bcsfb/alltime
scroll down to the bottom to see the by conference results.
Yes the Mountain West WAS 2-0 until TCU got beat last night. Now they are 2-1
Dawg Days
January 5th, 2010
12:53 pm
carlos
January 5th, 2010
12:20 pm
Well dang, dawg days…is Iowa accustomed to this “stage” more than GT? Do they have more of a habit of winning than GT? Is the Big 10 really that much better than the ACC? And how the heck did Iowa reach the level of LSU? Were the Miami and UGA games really bigger than the ACC title game?
As a matter of fact Carlos, Iowa does have a better represenation on the big stage than Tech. You dont have to go back to WWII….They have played in the Rose Bowl 3 times since 1981, the Orange Bowl in 2002, and beat LSU in the Capital One bowl in 2004. They have been to numerous other bowls, but not the Humanitarian, Emarald, or Silicon Valley bowls.
Again Techies, dont let the facts get in the way of your blogs…
cattle dawg
January 5th, 2010
12:53 pm
Your an honest guy Mark. thats why I respect your writing.
dcp
January 5th, 2010
12:53 pm
Clemson has at least 2 or 3 DL going to the NFL. Tech played poorly in their game against Miami and LSU – no one debates that, but generalizing that any team with big atheltic DL’s can shut them down is absurd.
Shane
January 5th, 2010
12:54 pm
Just the SEC and all of its greatness – break off from the NCAA and just play each other since no one approaches the mighty SEC.
I agree
stiggywiggy
January 5th, 2010
12:54 pm
Great, Shane. Keep compiling those stats. Hell, I’ll even give you permission to include the WEEDEATER BOWL ( the game where some lowly SEC team beat a 6-7 team) if you want to bolster your position.
GT's made it
January 5th, 2010
12:54 pm
It’s nice to see so many dog (I can spell) fans consumed with GT. Did you SEC morons catch Va Tech’s beat down of UT. Get used to it UGA. Your #2 in the state now. Maybe ya’ll can have a decent season next year. I hope so. Playing a trap game against a lesser opponent to close out the year before the title game will get old. Enjoy the game tonight and tell your mama daddy said hello.
Shane
January 5th, 2010
12:54 pm
Sorry, Shane. Those stats make no sense. The Mountain West is 2-0??? What the hell does that mean? Against whom? You must be a dawgie. Hint: “Stats” is short for statistics.
here is the link
http://www.bcsfootball.org/bcsfb/alltime