Walmart shoppers! Here’s the scoop on Tech and UGA fans!
Sometimes Tech folks feel overshadowed. (AJC photo by Johnny Crawford)
In years past our annual look at Georgia fans vis-a-vis Georgia Tech has been offered in the spirit of good clean fun. This year, for the sake of novelty (and also because even I’ve wearied of Willie Martinez), the idea will be to help these two neighboring-but-different groups actually understand one another.
And then we’ll all join hands and raise our voices in a spirited rendition of “I’d Like To Teach the World to Sing” and toast one another with Coca-Cola products, and by the way: Did you know Georgia fans refer to Bobby Dodd Stadium as “The Joke By Coke”?
But enough! No more gags from me this year! Instead I offer the observations gained from dwelling among Tech and Georgia folks these past 27 years, eight months and 18 days.
• Tech fans care just as much about football as Georgia fans. This may come as a surprise to those Bulldogs backers who are forever mocking the attendance at Bobby Dodd Stadium. (For the Jackets’ mammoth Thursday night clash against No. 10 Virginia Tech, attendance was announced at 50,140 in a facility that seats 55,000.) But counting heads isn’t necessarily a measure of passion.
Tech’s enrollment is roughly 20,000 — Georgia’s is 35,000, by the way — and a goodly percentage of those students will take their degrees and move elsewhere. (This isn’t to say that no Georgia grad ever moves out of state. Even Lewis Grizzard moved to Chicago for a few months.) But studies have shown that there are more Auburn grads living in metro Atlanta than Tech alums.
Numbers-wise, Georgia is always going to win. That doesn’t mean Tech folks don’t care. They do. Just ask any alum what he/she thinks of a Tech uniform that doesn’t feature the color gold. Or get one going on Bill Lewis’ 2 1/2-year reign of error.
• Just as Tech fans hate being hit over the head with attendance figures, Georgia fans hate hearing about Jan Kemp. When John Davis was a Tech lineman back in the ’80s, he told me this joke: “How do you get a degree from Georgia? Drive by campus and roll down the window.” And there was a time, let’s stipulate, when UGA wasn’t exactly a school of renown, and the Jan Kemp trial only underscored the notion.
But that was then, and under presidents Charles Knapp and Michael Adams the University of Georgia has become a place of pride and achievement. No, calculus isn’t a requirement for every UGA undergrad, but the academic missions of the schools are rather different. Georgia is a broad-based state university; Tech is, duh, a technical institute. Not everyone wants to be an engineer. Just because your diploma is from UGA doesn’t make you a comparative moron.
Not that Tech folks are eager to concede the point. On his Tuesday night radio show, Tech coach Paul Johnson took a call from someone who began barking. Said Johnson: “He just got off from Walmart.” (FYI, the CEO of Walmart is Tech grad Michael Duke.)
• When Tech fans speak of football tradition, they think first of Bobby Dodd. He was everything a Tech fan wanted in a coach. He was smart and his teams played precise football and he won a lot of games and he, not incidentally, beat Georgia eight times running. But that was in the ’50s, and those were different times: College football wasn’t yet a billion-dollar industry driven by TV and recruiting wasn’t a cutthroat nationwide competition.
Reasonable Tech fans — and Tech fans, by and large, tend to be reasonable — cannot envision their team ever again beating Georgia eight times in a row. (Since 1977, Tech has beaten Georgia eight times total.) In their heart of hearts, Tech fans would be satisfied with winning one of every three against their bitter rival. Not coincidentally, Johnson is 1-2 against Georgia.
• When Georgia fans speak of tradition, they think first of Herschel Walker. Yes, the Bulldogs were winning SEC and even national championships and turning out famous players (Sinkwich, Trippi, Tarkenton) long before landing the kid from Wrightsville on Easter 1980, but the Era of Herschel propelled Georgia from the ranks of perennial Southern power to something bigger. By every measure, those were the three greatest years in Bulldogs history.
That said, those three seasons skewed some Georgia fans’ view of their program. Two decades would pass before Georgia won another SEC title. Mark Richt has taken two conference titles and three division championships and his teams have finished in the top 10 five times, but Georgia hasn’t played for a national crown since 1982, and five different SEC schools have finished No. 1 over the past 13 years. UGA fans are still waiting their turn, same as they await the Next Herschel.
• Georgia is Tech’s biggest game of every year. Chan Gailey got fired not because he had losing seasons — he didn’t, not a one — but because he was 0-6 against the Bulldogs. And it’s undeniable that the words “To Hell with Georgia” are sung the loudest whenever “Ramblin’ Wreck” is played.
• Tech is Georgia’s biggest game only when Georgia fans are scared they might lose. This isn’t such a year. Georgia has won its division and is going to play LSU or Alabama for the SEC title next week. Georgia has, to borrow another Johnson line, bigger fish to fry. Which is the primary reason Georgia fans should be wary of Johnson and his team.
By Mark Bradley
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521 comments Add your comment
Big Dawg
November 23rd, 2011
7:46 pm
JoeFan,
do you really believe that? Time to get out of your cubicle and mingle with the crowd. Oh wait…I forgot how socially inept you Nerds are. You have ZERO social skills
TampaGator
November 23rd, 2011
7:46 pm
Big Dawg….
Didn’t you get tired of calling me names earlier in the day? Well…..having worked directly for CEOs for most of my life as a VP of Marketing and Communications…..on many a Saturday and Sunday……I know of which I speak….one a Tech Grad in Chicago….I know first hand of what I post.
But….feel free to continue to call me names and post like a horses as….
JARVIS JONES
November 23rd, 2011
7:49 pm
strap them up
TampaGator
November 23rd, 2011
7:50 pm
….and Big Dawg….
When did I ever say that most of the fans in Sanford Stadium never went to Georgia? I would expect ahout 99 percent of them went there at some point…even if they didn’t graduate from there…and the rest live in Atlanta and Athens. Man……stop making up things and try to be civil once in a while. You might like it….and I know I would. But that just might be impossible for you, I believe….based on your history of negative and insulting posts.
Bill King
November 23rd, 2011
7:51 pm
JUST WIN BABY !!!!!!!!!
What's the Good Word?
November 23rd, 2011
7:52 pm
THWG!!!
TampaGator
November 23rd, 2011
7:53 pm
I know it is Tech-Dawg week….but boys and girls…..there are many highly successful and intelligent grads from both Tech and Georgia…..but most of the Tech grads do not live and work in Atlanta….as this article states. But I would still think that Tech should sell out its stadium every Saturday based on the quality of effort by Tech every week. No excuse for that….Tech fans.
Big Dawg
November 23rd, 2011
8:08 pm
Tampa Gator,
this is the first I have posted on this blog. Quit flattering yourself by saying I have been insulting you all day. Also, what I have I made up Tampa? You claim that there are no grads to fill The Joke and other Nerds have said that the majority of Sanford Stadium’s crowd are not graduates. Be civil? What the hell are you talking about? History of negative posts? Where? You see TampaGator, your drivel is not wanted or appreciated. You get called out on something and then cry uncivilties. Face it, more people like UGA than Tek.
sports
November 23rd, 2011
8:09 pm
Georgia Tech will always SUCK!
Big Dawg
November 23rd, 2011
8:12 pm
You were a VP of Marketing and Communications and worked on Saturdays and Sundays? What company did you work for? First Baptist of Decatur?…..Sorry, couldn’t resist.
stiggywiggy
November 23rd, 2011
8:19 pm
Look, what kind of response can you give to a mutt-brain who brags that he has more fans than you? Should we ask him if he feels inferior to a Chinaman because there are more of them than there are of him? Do guys who have less attendees at their family reunions feel humilitaed before guys with big families?
Dawg fans are proud of the fact that they have been assimilated into a hunkering mass of slobbering rednecks, and we Tech fans have gotten used to it.
stiggywiggy
November 23rd, 2011
8:30 pm
Wow, Big Dawg. I’m impressed. You can fill up your stadium. Are you also impressed that Wayne Newton can fill up a Vegas nightclub?
JD
November 23rd, 2011
8:32 pm
Having gone to UGA and my brother from Tech, I found this article very interesting. Its been a big strain on my GT brothers relationship since its been so one sided for so long. We use to watch the game together but it was just too emotional to endure. He is so pumped this year for a Tech win that he will be hard to live with if the Jackets lose. I have been taking the Larry Munson pessimistic approach that the Dogs don’t have a chance but praying for a win.
LOL
November 23rd, 2011
8:37 pm
Here’s what it breaks down to – Tech fans have little penis syndrome. Thats it.
Delbert D.
November 23rd, 2011
8:38 pm
“Meyer has agreed to a seven-year, $40 million deal.”
Quote from ESPN article, “Urban Meyer Denies Reports…”
stiggywiggy
November 23rd, 2011
8:38 pm
CPJ SHOULD apologize. Comparing dawgs fans to retards is an insult to every red-blooded retard in America.
Delbert D.
November 23rd, 2011
8:39 pm
Same article: “…Ohio State said Wednesday that Meyer will be announced next week as the next head coach of the Buckeyes. “
uga cowards and hyprocrites
November 23rd, 2011
8:41 pm
MARK RICHT called his player Shawn Williams a dumb@ss, where is Richt’s apology? Why does richt recruit dumb@sses?
MabletonDawg
November 23rd, 2011
8:41 pm
Thanks UGA24-7 for making my day for posting that awesome prayer! Go Dawgs!
stiggywiggy
November 23rd, 2011
8:42 pm
Hey, LOL. Why are you examining and measuring the penises of fans of other teams? You say they are small? Looks like you might have a little Sandusky in you, mutt-breath.
WALMART
November 23rd, 2011
8:44 pm
got a news flash for you uga dogtards…STORE MANAGERS at Walmarts make around 200,000 a year. The CEO makes well over 2 million. Thanks for all you donut eating walmart scooter riding inbreds from athens that are too lazy to walk because you have eaten yourself into laziness. Walmart appreciates your business
DILLIGAF
November 23rd, 2011
8:46 pm
I have one question. Why is the word penis being mentioned on a blog about football?
Can you please take that somewhere else?
UGA/85″
GATA!
stiggywiggy
November 23rd, 2011
8:48 pm
You’re asking me to take my penis somewhere else??? Where? Effies?
45ACP
November 23rd, 2011
8:50 pm
Delbert, we conservatives already know that the news media are a bunch of retards.
Delbert D.
November 23rd, 2011
8:51 pm
More confusing ESPN stuff
This sounds ominous:
“though Fickell has not been in the loop, he will be taken care of”
“No. I won’t,” he said Wednesday.
More from Fickell:
“I know there’s a game at noon on Saturday.” “I don’t think this is the time and the place.”
Right, Luke. This is Wednesday, and the game is at Ann Arbor.
Delbert D.
November 23rd, 2011
8:55 pm
45 – I’m going to be an editor and start making big bucks. I can twist the story as good as anybody.
Delbert D.
November 23rd, 2011
9:01 pm
Same page from ESPN: “Ohio State Crushes North Florida” “Sources said Mickey Marotti, the strength coach at Florida, would join Meyer.”
Truly devastating news in Gainesville, for sure. The strength coach, ohmigod!
dale morphy
November 23rd, 2011
9:12 pm
I grew up pulling for Tech unless they played Georgia. I continued this way of thinking even through the parity years of the 1990’s when the Tech game always seemed to be a crap shoot. However, to my mind the average Tech fan has become so obnoxious to deal with in the last 5 years or so that I now pull for them to lose every single game. I find both Tennessee and Alabama fans utterly annoying. You cannot talk football with them because the Bama fan just starts chanting “Roll Tide” and the Vol fan just starts singing “Rocky Top”. Inane. Tech fans are worse than either. Try to talk ball with them and they just want to talk about how much they hate UGA, or you personally as a Dawg fan. Blech.
Go Dawgs.
Southside Drug Rep
November 23rd, 2011
9:14 pm
Bloody Marys in The Varsity parking lot 9am Saturday morning before walking across to beat Tech again. Cheers and happy Thanksgiving football fans.
9-4 Ralph
November 23rd, 2011
9:18 pm
I burned my degree,
I’m flying a Georgia Tech flag right now.
Your Friend on FB
November 23rd, 2011
9:22 pm
Paul Johnson is an immature bafoon
boo boo
November 23rd, 2011
9:27 pm
Paul Johnson has one of the best coaching records in all of college football.
Politically Correct
November 23rd, 2011
9:28 pm
honest question: why are UGA fans so fixated on the fact that GT cannot sell out their 55,000 seat stadium?? Is it really THAT important??
DanTheDawgFan
November 23rd, 2011
9:28 pm
1-9 vs. Georgia uder Mark Richt. That’s all that needs to be said nerds!
Dawg Whisperer
November 23rd, 2011
9:29 pm
The North Ave. Trade School football head coach may have to consider a new trade at Walmart if he loses to UGA yet again. At least PJ has guaranteed he won’t be the next friendly greeter at Walmart. I’ll know for sure after Saturday.
DanTheDawgFan
November 23rd, 2011
9:32 pm
TampaGator This is Hate Tech Week! Go away.
I'm flying a ..... Georgia Tech flag right now
November 23rd, 2011
9:35 pm
those dawgs are gonna get
“STUNG”
Mobile Dawg
November 23rd, 2011
9:40 pm
Shoot low boys, their nest is underground.
Truth about the Academics
November 23rd, 2011
9:41 pm
The truth about the Academics at GT vs UGA is NOT that they are more difficult at GT … its that GT’s TYPE of Academics is much less popular. There is a SEVERE decline in this country, and especially in Georgia, of kids who want to study anything related to Science and Math. That and the social fear of being branded a “Nerd” just for being interested in Science and Math and wanting to go to GT.
Are there any fish for me to fry next week? Is Duke a bigger fish than VPI? Could we keep the ACC trophy if we won it anyway because we're on probation?
November 23rd, 2011
9:46 pm
Techies lack social skills and are not attractive people….neither is Paul Johnson.
K.Conway
November 23rd, 2011
9:47 pm
Tech grads move back to India and Pakistan after graduation unless they open Dairy Queens! The Dorks don’t like football anyway…only those old dudes that loved the 50’s and all those white tech teams go to the games.
Are there any fish for me to fry next week? Is Duke a bigger fish than VPI? Could we keep the ACC trophy if we won it anyway because we're on probation?
November 23rd, 2011
9:50 pm
good point K. Conway…..how many terrorists go to Georgia Tech to learn nuclear engineering? The nerds are more interested in computers than football and girls.
Cdpridg
November 23rd, 2011
9:56 pm
Tech has won a dozen since 64…a dozen lol! 8 since 76. Tech wins when we let them. Why do we still have to schedule these chumps. Strength of schedule always goes way below the mendoza line when we play the trade school
M
November 23rd, 2011
10:02 pm
No wonder the nerds and the ajc writers want Richt gone…he owns you. gt has ONE legal win since 1990! 21 years!
indianman
November 23rd, 2011
10:02 pm
georgia is going to be 10 and 2 go dogs beat yellow jackets
CPJ
November 23rd, 2011
10:05 pm
I’M A RAMBLIN WRECK FROM GA TECH AND A HELLUVA FREAKIN QUEEEER! A HELLUVA HELLUVA HELLUVA HELLUVA HELLUVA FREAKIN QUEEEER! JUST LIKE MY TERRORIST ROOMMATE, I TAKE IT UP THE REAR1 I’M A RAMBLIN WRECK FROM GA TECH AND A HELLUVA FREAKIN QUEEEEER!
bubba4dawgs
November 23rd, 2011
10:19 pm
Surely, the Nerds don’t believe their front line will push around the Dawgs “D” line! I don’t believe they’ve seen the likes of the Dawgs this season. There’s a lot of beef up front. I bet your candy butts will be kinda worn out by the second half! GO DAWGS!!!!
TampaGator
November 23rd, 2011
10:39 pm
Dan the Dawg Fan….
or GDawg…….
or BigDawg….
or whatever current personality you are living in at the moment…….
I am not going away…..just like all those multiple images in your multiple personality posting disorder.
THWG
November 23rd, 2011
10:44 pm
Calidawg. Its funny because all UGA classes are dummied down so they dont have to help out their athletes. And the grad rate is not embarrassing, its a testament to how hard it is to graduate from Tech. They dont just give a diploma to anyone like UGA does
GTFan
November 23rd, 2011
10:46 pm
The President of Walmart is a Tech grad…