Live from Tech-Tech: Rain (and an upset) could be coming
Georgia Tech's uniforms. Not much gold in them thar duds, is there? (Photo by M. Bradley)
Blacksburg, Va. — Here’s great news. There’s a flash flood warning in effect here until midnight, with a 50 percent chance of thunderstorms at 7 p.m. (Kickoff is at 8, or whenever ESPN decides it’s good and ready.) We mention this because …
Georgia Tech and Virginia Tech were set to play here on Aug. 27, 2000, which was so long ago that George Godsey was Tech’s quarterback and some guy named Vick was playing for the Hokies. The game never came off. A savage storm that Sunday night forced the game to be canceled, as opposed to postponed. In ESPN lore, the memory lingers because Lee Corso’s rental car was struck by lightning. (Without him inside, let’s stipulate.)
For more on the non-game, here’s esteemed colleagues Ken Sugiura’s recounting of it. But I’m not worried about a repeat of the washout, for these reasons:
1. The forecast — and I’ve been watching — has actually improved throughout the day, and as I type it’s only partly cloudy. (It was, I should note, a weird drive up from Greensboro. It poured in Winston-Salem and was so foggy at 2 p.m. in the Virginia mountains that it seemed like night. Then it got sunny.)
2. My rental car is so small — it’s a compact roughly the size of the water closet on an airplane — that I’m pretty sure any lightning would miss it.
As previously discussed, this seems the biggest game in what stands as a massive season for Georgia Tech and Paul Johnson. As previously mentioned, I like the Jackets to win. I have found absolutely no one else in the media who seconds that emotion, but I’m accustomed to that.
If it should rain hard and/or long, it could well hurt (Ga.) Tech and its pitch-it-around option game more, but those sorts of forecasts are problematic. (Va.) Tech figures to be the better passing team, so inclement weather could curtail the Hokies, too. And if the ball gets so slick nobody can hang on, there’s no real handicapping that.
I’ve liked (Ga.) Tech’s chances all summer because I think this looms as a bigger platform for the Jackets than for the Hokies. VPI, as we old folks used to call this school, is expected to win by a touchdown. VPI is ranked; GT is not. VPI has beaten GT four of the past five years. Give the hunger edge to the visitors.
But really, who knows? Georgia Tech could win, or it could lose, or the game could be rained out. Hey, it happened once.
And whatever happens tonight, I’d appreciate it if you’d hang around for all the fun and frolic. And I thank you, as ever, in advance.
By Mark Bradley
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1,439 comments Add your comment
Supersize that order, mutt
September 3rd, 2012
6:46 pm
Kudos to the UGA fans on here today who are actually pulling for (or at least predicting a win for) the Jackets. You have all graduated from troll status…..LOL
Mark Bradley
September 3rd, 2012
6:47 pm
Tech (Georgia) players are warming up. (Kickers, assuming they qualify.)
The uniforms look … odd. All white.
Supersize that order, mutt
September 3rd, 2012
6:47 pm
Damn, Mark, what’s with the filters. I tried to thank the UGA fans supporting the Jackets tonight, and it got blocked. What’s up with that?
Gorilla Biscuit
September 3rd, 2012
6:48 pm
Not a gorilla stomping but VT outscores ya.
Mark Bradley
September 3rd, 2012
6:49 pm
VPI is indeed wearing black socks, white pants, orange shirts and purple helmets.
They look like a quadruple-scoop ice cream cone.
Supersize that order, mutt
September 3rd, 2012
6:49 pm
Mark, what’s with the filters. I have tried twice to make posts that had absolutely nothing negative in them, and both were blocked
Mark Bradley
September 3rd, 2012
6:51 pm
One hour and 10 minutes till kickoff: No rain yet. It’s cloudy but a bit brighter than a while ago.
JustinSyder
September 3rd, 2012
6:53 pm
By all white, I’m assuming they’re wearing the new helmets.
david
September 3rd, 2012
6:54 pm
Yes, I know the person who owns that truck/plate. We lived in the same neighborhood till I move a few months ago. It was on a SUV a few months ago, they must have gotten a new truck.
Still@theKool-aidBAR
September 3rd, 2012
6:54 pm
Hi
roughrider
September 3rd, 2012
6:56 pm
Go Tech ! UGA alum here pulling for the Yellow jackets.
Paul in NH
September 3rd, 2012
6:58 pm
One comment about the GT-WF game – Gailey decided to punt with under 3 minutes left and GT down 9-6. GT never got the ball back. I can’t see Johnson doing that.
St Marys, Jacket
September 3rd, 2012
6:58 pm
Guys-I live in an area with no GT Radio Coverage. Can anyone tell me how to listen to Wes Pre-Game via the internet? Thanks in advance….
Mark Bradley
September 3rd, 2012
6:59 pm
Some Tech alums get really riled when the Jackets don’t wear gold. Well, there ain’t much gold in these uniforms.
A bit on the sleeves. And the logo on the helmet. The numerals are in blue.
Supersize that order, mutt
September 3rd, 2012
7:01 pm
I HATE BLUE !!!!!
Supersize that order, mutt
September 3rd, 2012
7:01 pm
@ St Marys, Jacket —- try http://www.790thezone.com
JustinSyder
September 3rd, 2012
7:01 pm
It would have been better if Tech would have introduced the all white in a whiteout. Against Miami, BYU maybe.
fan
September 3rd, 2012
7:02 pm
Hokies 41, Yellow Blowflys 10
Supersize that order, mutt
September 3rd, 2012
7:03 pm
the Hokies won’t be scoring 41 points on anybody with that offensive line
bulldog steve
September 3rd, 2012
7:04 pm
Johnson never wanted this game. He does not like it when the other teams has a lot of time to prepare for his offense. GT needs VT to make a lot of mistakes, or I think this one could get ugly.
St Marys, Jacket
September 3rd, 2012
7:04 pm
Thanks. BTW – It just occured to me that Jeff Shultz should begin endorsing Massengill. They have alot in common…..
Supersize that order, mutt
September 3rd, 2012
7:06 pm
@ bulldog steve……that is a totally unsubtantiated MYTH. The ONLY team who’s defense has stopped Tech’s offense given extra time to prepare was Iowa. All the other games were lost because of Tech’s non-defense
Techboy23
September 3rd, 2012
7:08 pm
Yellow Jackets!! 31
VPI 21
BLT
September 3rd, 2012
7:10 pm
I’m not thrilled about what I hear about the uniforms but uniforms don’t win games. Win it for Julian! Go Jackets!
St Marys, Jacket
September 3rd, 2012
7:11 pm
Not sure but 790 is playing some generic dude…I thought they were a Flagship….guess not….
Techboy23
September 3rd, 2012
7:12 pm
I think our Defense and Special Teams show up tonight and that makes all the difference in the world.
Spike
September 3rd, 2012
7:13 pm
Shreveport awaits….
Supersize that order, mutt
September 3rd, 2012
7:14 pm
@ St. Marys, maybe they don’t carry the pre-game show, gut I’m surprised if they don’t. Maybe it doesn’t start til 7:30
Supersize that order, mutt
September 3rd, 2012
7:14 pm
Mark……thanks for unblocking my posts
Truth
September 3rd, 2012
7:15 pm
Mark – do you think that tech fans can make the transition from Dragon-Con to football in only a few day? I’m concerend.
go Jackets
September 3rd, 2012
7:15 pm
Chris, if you are still on here, you might want to look up the difference between Lose and Loose…if you are going to blast the Jackets and their fans..this will keep you from looking like a fool
Predictor
September 3rd, 2012
7:16 pm
Virginia Tech is rarely well prepared for their opening game.
Georgia
September 3rd, 2012
7:18 pm
Enter your comments here
GT Legacy
September 3rd, 2012
7:18 pm
It doesn’t matter what anyone says now or what our uniforms look like. Time to button up the chin straps and go win. The difference maker will be our defense and turnover battle. We must get some 3rd down stops and not turn the ball over. Looking for a big game from the Days brothers. Go Jackets!
Spike
September 3rd, 2012
7:19 pm
Are the Hokies big enough fish for CPJ to fry?
Bad Dawg
September 3rd, 2012
7:20 pm
Go Georgia Tech! Va Tech will be tough for sure but I think if Ga Tech gets up early on VT and can run the option effectively they can pull off the upset. Hopefully the D is better this year under Al Groh.
GT Legacy
September 3rd, 2012
7:21 pm
St. Marys Jacekt – Go to 106.7 and stream online. Listening via internet right now.
Gt fan
September 3rd, 2012
7:21 pm
Weather looks to be spinning to the east of Blacksburg – predict occasional sprinkles of gold from them th’ar hills and jackets coming home with a win…….go jackets
Jacket Man
September 3rd, 2012
7:23 pm
All white uniforms with blue “honeycomb” numbers, gold on the sleeves; white helmets with the blue GT logo and gold stripe down the middle.
Jacket Man
September 3rd, 2012
7:23 pm
Forgot to mention the gold on the pants to run with the sleeves.
Techboy23
September 3rd, 2012
7:23 pm
Our Defense and Special Teams should show serious improvement tonight!
JustinSyder
September 3rd, 2012
7:24 pm
I kinda like the unis. I agree that the gold helmets need to come back, but the gold on the shoulders looks pretty cool.
Jacket Man
September 3rd, 2012
7:25 pm
Dang, gold GT’s, too…forgot they swapped out.
Supersize that order, mutt
September 3rd, 2012
7:26 pm
The GT had better be in Gold. That IS our logo
Jacket Man
September 3rd, 2012
7:26 pm
Wanted them to work with the honeycomb design on the helmets better and match the fold stripe.
JustinSyder
September 3rd, 2012
7:27 pm
A white GT on a white helmet?
Innocent Bystander
September 3rd, 2012
7:27 pm
Don’t worry… It’s a gold GT on the helmet. Take a look (thanks to @DeanBuchan): http://pic.twitter.com/y8HWACNm
LakeDawg
September 3rd, 2012
7:28 pm
That GT helmet looks like the ones Tech wore from 68-71. At least its not the “hive” helmet.
JustinSyder
September 3rd, 2012
7:29 pm
Disregard that last post. I don’t know why I said that.
Mark Bradley
September 3rd, 2012
7:31 pm
Please note the unprofessional photo of Tech’s uniforms (the visiting Tech) now included above.