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
Good Old Fashioned LAME Jokes
January 5th, 2010
3:35 pm
Nevermind…I get it now. You are old. It makes total since that you don’t have the brain power any more to come up with an original post. Is that lack of brain power the same reason you cheer for an inferior team?
Lookin' forward to smash-mouth football tonight
January 5th, 2010
3:35 pm
CFN picked the Hawkeyes as well. I don’t know who’s gonna win this game, but I think it’ll be the best of the BCS games so far. Iowa has tremendous LBs which will may limit the long toss-to-the-A-back plays, but I think the Iowa D front will pushed around just enough for Dwyer to get some important hard-fought yards in between the tackles. CPJ will probably work in just enough wrinkles to make a few good Nesbitt-Thomas hookups down field.
But I’m worried that the Hawkeye’s O-line will be able to push around the Tech D-line and get hard-fought rushing yards. And if that happens too often, it might be a replay of the UGA game, where Tech just won’t have enough time with the ball to get the W. I think it will come down to QB play for both teams.
Good Old Fashioned Hate
January 5th, 2010
3:36 pm
Well I would rather cut and paste a little humor, than engage in the same BS we all go round and round about day after day on these blogs. Go back and look at the archives and tell me what original blog post has been made today that has not been posted over and over and over again in one form or the other.
1eyedJack
January 5th, 2010
3:38 pm
Good Old Fashioned Hate, You know wha’ they say: See a broad to get that bodiac lay’er down an’ smack ‘em yack ‘em.
Subtitle: EARLY TO BED, EARLY TO RISE, MAKES A MAN HEALTHY,
WEALTHY AND WISE.
Doug the Jacket
January 5th, 2010
3:43 pm
UGA to the Weedeater Bowl, GT to the Orange Bowl.
Good Old Fashioned Hate
January 5th, 2010
3:44 pm
Considering the alternative, I don’t mind getting old.
Good Old Fashioned LAME Jokes
January 5th, 2010
3:45 pm
what’s the alternative?
Vince Dooley
January 5th, 2010
3:47 pm
Greatest Team in Georgia history…..everybody watch this great video !!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-txX4d-51wk
Obvious
January 5th, 2010
3:48 pm
Notice all the mutt fans on this blog? Their season is long over in a bowl game that no one watched and few Dawg fans even attended, which makes Georgai IRRELEVANT this year. Tech has a national prime time BCS bowl game tonight and a Top Ten ranking which makes Georgia Tech RELEVANT. We love having so many Dawg fans jealous of our relevancy combined with the disappointment of their irrelevancy. LMAO
It's Obvious
January 5th, 2010
3:49 pm
Notice all the mutt fans on this blog? Their season is long over in a bowl game that no one watched and few Dawg fans even attended, which makes Georgai IRRELEVANT this year. Tech has a national prime time BCS bowl game tonight and a Top Ten ranking which makes Georgia Tech RELEVANT. We love having so many Dawg fans jealous of our relevancy combined with the disappointment of their irrelevancy. LMAO
Trying to make sense
January 5th, 2010
3:51 pm
The difference between ESPN picking tech to lose and area wannabe people jumping on, better driving , the Tech Bandwagon, is that ESPN writers know sports! They don’t feel the need to jump on the latest bandwagon! They already have access to the free meals at the games and sidelines!
Good Old Fashioned Hate
January 5th, 2010
3:52 pm
What do you think the alternative to growing old is?
Hey "Vince Dooley"
January 5th, 2010
3:52 pm
If my memory serves me correctly, you beat a #19 Nebraska team to win the National Championship in one out of three poles. That pole was later removed.
Yet another example of a barely above average ACC team getting more wins than they deserve and acting like it was a big deal. The 1980 Dogs would have DESTROYED that Tech team.
Hey "Vince Dooley"
January 5th, 2010
3:52 pm
Not to mention about 10 Georgia teams after that.
Trying to make sense
January 5th, 2010
3:52 pm
Doug the jacket…. 30-24!!!!! time to be quite now!
Vince Dooley
January 5th, 2010
3:53 pm
1990’s only undefeated team…………….Georgia Tech !!!!
Good Old Fashioned LAME Jokes
January 5th, 2010
3:54 pm
well, you’ve got senile covered…that couldn’t be it…..
hmmmm….
growing young maybe?
Vince Dooley
January 5th, 2010
3:55 pm
UGA got destroyed by GT in 1990, and UGA barely beat Notre Dame in 1980, I’d put my Money on Tech and I was coaching the Team ……that tells you how good that Tech team was
Greg
January 5th, 2010
3:56 pm
face it
So why is the only thing on these blogs about beating tech this year if that doesn’t define your season? imbecile. Your program is in a vicious decline. It’s a falling knife in stock trading terms. No one wants to catch it.
Son of m
January 5th, 2010
3:57 pm
I’m just mad Chan is still breathing…
Good Old Fashioned Hate
January 5th, 2010
3:57 pm
1eyedJack:
Col’ got to be! Yo!
Greg
January 5th, 2010
3:58 pm
good old fashioned
they were good jokes. ignore the jerks on here. they are unemployed and have no life now their teams season is over.
Richt wears Paul Johnson pajamas!
January 5th, 2010
4:01 pm
How was the weather in Shreveport? Keep holding onto the past like most of you dawg fans hold onto your fat wives and highschool football careers. Strength of conference? FSU vs West Virginia? Clemson vs Kentucky? Virginia Tech vs Tennessee? Anyone catch that LSU game or what about South Carolina?
sean
January 5th, 2010
4:01 pm
SEC is 0-2 against the ACC in bowl games this year. What happened to that mighty all powerful conference Dawg fans?
UGA program has H1N1
January 5th, 2010
4:02 pm
No one wants to coach there. 5 weeks and counting since the departure of poor willie.
Uga is the classless redneck joke of the sec.
Zeier nailed it when he said the fan base is very ignorant.
Greg, Greg, Greg...
January 5th, 2010
4:03 pm
Poor guy. You’re team has a couple of goods years after a decade of worthlessness and all of the sudden you think you are the greatest team in the nation. It’s sad.
I’m glad to see you standing up for your boyfriend though. That’s sweet.
UGA will continue to dominate this state. It’s just the truth.
BG
January 5th, 2010
4:03 pm
Funny! Espn knows that Tech always chokes in the big games.
BG
January 5th, 2010
4:05 pm
Anyone catch the game this year ? UGA beat tech once again. 30-24 all year!!!!!!
Good Old Fashioned Hate
January 5th, 2010
4:06 pm
They don’t bother me. I have lived long enough to have been insulted by better Dog fans than these.
1eyedJack
January 5th, 2010
4:06 pm
Do them Paul Johnson pajamas have footies in ‘em? I like to keep my feet warm.
Richt wears Paul Johnson pajamas!
January 5th, 2010
4:08 pm
If beating GaTech makes your entire season…congratulations.
Hey BG, don’t worry, your IROC is still the fastest car in the trailer park!
1eyedJack
January 5th, 2010
4:10 pm
Good Old Fashioned Hate
When my people come to colonize this planet, you will be on the protected rolls, and no harm will come to you.
MASSDAWG
January 5th, 2010
4:11 pm
HEY STIGGY WIGGY,
DO YOU KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT HOW BOWL REVENUE IS SPLIT? OBVIOUSLY NOT, UGA ACTUALLY WILL RECEIVE MORE BOWL REVENUE THAN TECH, BECAUSE THE CONFERENCE SPLITS THE MONIES EVENLY AMONG IT’S MEMBERS!!! THE SEC HAD 2 TEAMS IN THE BCS(ACC LIKE ALWAYS JUST ONE)….I THOUGHT GT WAS PROUD OF THEIR MATH PROGRAM??? IGNORANCE IS NO EXCUSE…U DO THE MATH!!!!!!!!!!!!
big t
January 5th, 2010
4:13 pm
uga and it’s trailor living fan,s sux
Stat Man
January 5th, 2010
4:18 pm
(UGA) Folks seem to want to say how bad GT would have done with UGA schedule.
I’d like to invite them to wonder what UGA would have done with the GT schedule.
Probably lose to Clemson twice
Lose to Miami
Lose to Virginia Tech
Probably lose to North Carolina
There are a couple teams on Tech’s schedule that are fairly similar to Kentucky (who UGA lost to) like FSU & Wake that the Dogs could have lost to as well, but I won’t go down that road.
So looks like UGA would have had about the same record (7-5) against Tech’s schedule as they played themselves.
And why are you (UGA) pointing to your “tough” schedule anyway? Outside of the Tech game, you only played 3 ranked opponents (AND LOST THEM ALL) while Tech played against 3 ranked opponents and went 2-1.
Jake
January 5th, 2010
4:18 pm
yep mass..that’s why the sec refs made damn sure fla and bama didn’t lose in the regular season.
Gotta love the socialism of the bowl system. Just like Obama.
MASSDAWG
January 5th, 2010
4:19 pm
WHERE’S JOE HAMILTON OR STEPHON MAUBURY WHEN U NEED THEM???
Trying to make sense
January 5th, 2010
4:21 pm
Greg… you can’t talk until you win! and calling people names usually means they are talking about themselves! So that would make you a im…… and as far as trailor and unemployed people does it make you a bigger and better man to keep talking about your own people!!! none of you techies are worth my time I will go to the DAWG blog where people who know football hang out! You guys are just simply ignorant about football!
By the way when tech gets beat tonight will you crawl in your hole like you did after we BEAT YOU AGAIN this year? I think I know the answer to that! Bye losers!
Pitiful UGA
January 5th, 2010
4:21 pm
We are all obsessed with GT…..we are just a pitiful program…..
MASSDAWG
January 5th, 2010
4:25 pm
hEY STAT MAN,
USING YOUR LOGIC, TECH WOULD HAVE A LOSING LEASON WITH UGA’S SCHEDULE!!!
OK.ST,SC,LSU(WE SAW THAT LAST YR IN CHICK-FIL-A BOWL), AUBURN,FL,AK,AND DEFINETLY UGA(30 -24, BY THE WAY, IN CASE U FORGOT)
Not Disappointed
January 5th, 2010
4:30 pm
Let’s go Jackets! It should be a good game!
Alphare
January 5th, 2010
4:31 pm
Did Craig James say that? Does he have a son with the Iowa team?
Good Old Fashioned Hate
January 5th, 2010
4:33 pm
1eyedJack
I look forward to meeting the parental units
LM
January 5th, 2010
4:35 pm
GA Tech has a porous defense. Prediction: Iowa 34 – GA Tech 21
Starring Kam Fong as Chin Ho
January 5th, 2010
4:35 pm
When Paul Johnson farts, Bradley’s eyes water. Tech loses in a close one
Richt wears Paul Johnson pajamas!
January 5th, 2010
4:35 pm
Actually MISSDAWG, a portion of the bowl money gets split with the conference and a portion goes directly to the school.
Where is Herschel Walker when you need him? Oh wait, he is doing Zaxby’s commercials and he still thinks he plays football. That’s right, I did it, I made fun of your baby Jesus Dog Fans.
I wish UGA were going to receive more money though, Richt’s spray tan habit is killing the program!
Navigator
January 5th, 2010
4:37 pm
I love the pick up brigade, they can be counted on to say some wonderful things. I guess when the boss is on your a$$ about no cleaning his area before he punches his time card, he has to take it out on something. “Duh, Tech would be Vandy if they were in the SEC”, I like that one.
Suck it Nerd
January 5th, 2010
4:38 pm
Tech needs to pound Iowa tonight. It will be a tough game but I think CPJ will have the Jackets ready. Tech by 10.
Stat Man
January 5th, 2010
4:40 pm
You can always tell a redneck – just look for anybody that uses all caps!
Anyway MASSDAWG: If you took the time to actually read what I wrote instead of tuning out after seeing it was anti-UGA, you would realize that I was rebutting those UGA fans that wanted to compare schedules but only wanted to do it in one direction. I never said anything about how Tech would have done against UGA’s schedule because that was not what the point of what I was trying to say.
Now then, go unpack your bags after your 3 day stay in beautiful Shreveport, LA and and relax and wait for the game tonight so you can root against Tech – which, for some reason, so many UGA fans seem to want to do (as opposed to most Tech fans, who could care less about UGA games as we have better things to spend our time on).
P.S. – Go back to some remedial English class (ask a UGA football player, he can probably recommend one) and learn how to write correctly.
Heather
January 5th, 2010
4:43 pm
Miami is soooooooo much nicer than… Shreveport.
And it’s sooooooo much nicer to see student-athletes representing the state than the illiterate goons from UGA.