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
TechMan23
September 3rd, 2012
11:27 pm
Well, at least Mizzou will school UGAly and I won my bet.
FLIE SWATTER
September 3rd, 2012
11:27 pm
YOU JUST THINK YOU GOT BEAT TONIGHT,WAIT UNTIL NOVEMBER. IF YOUR COACH MAKES IT TO NOVEMBER
Nite Owl
September 3rd, 2012
11:28 pm
If you really want to be fatalistic, we’re all just playing to see who gets to lose to Alabama at the end of the season.
trey
September 3rd, 2012
11:28 pm
lol…how bout them hokies girls!
Well, look on the bright side. Tomorrow you can ride of them-there perty gold tricycles down the sidewalk! LMAO
BW
September 3rd, 2012
11:28 pm
Gut wrenching
Reality Tech
September 3rd, 2012
11:28 pm
Hey Nite Owl, if you believe that, how about I got some beachfront property in Nebraska too. You interested in a good deal?
Rd
September 3rd, 2012
11:28 pm
Wow what a bonehead play by ur qb. You should bench him now.
Mark Bradley
September 3rd, 2012
11:28 pm
Sorry. Print duty called. And a lot of rewriting was done in the span of about 44 seconds.
Tough loss. Really tough. Not sure Georgia Tech wasn’t the better side, but it whiffed when the game was there to be won.
Jammers
September 3rd, 2012
11:28 pm
Seriously…. Sack, no gain, anything but an interception. Tevin you are an idiot. Way to let your team down with your selfish attempt to force a ball into 5 defenders.
Techster
September 3rd, 2012
11:28 pm
New uniforms. Same Tevin.
MERRY CHRISTMAS
September 3rd, 2012
11:28 pm
For those who said it was like Christmas, your gift tonight was a turd with whip cream on it. Enjoy it!!!
Skid the Most
September 3rd, 2012
11:29 pm
I have supported Al Groh until now. 44 seconds from victory and he can’t call plays that secure victory. FIRE HIM NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Boobie Bowden
September 3rd, 2012
11:29 pm
beastly dawg – bite me. wait don’t bite, that’s not your style……
squid
September 3rd, 2012
11:29 pm
why is Tevin Washington still our quarterback?!
Mako
September 3rd, 2012
11:29 pm
Hey Techies, can you say Reggie Ball Washington!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Hahahahahahahahahah
Hope 5150 UOAD is laughing
dc74
September 3rd, 2012
11:29 pm
The bettter side ????????????????????
RichmondVaCane
September 3rd, 2012
11:29 pm
GT football = no heart and no soul
Richts waterloo
September 3rd, 2012
11:30 pm
Looks like Yabber Dabber Dabo and Clemsux has the ACC locked. What a pathetic conference
Dwayne C
September 3rd, 2012
11:30 pm
Va Tech 20 – Ga Tech 17
Ga Tech can’t hold a lead with 44 seconds left in the game = LMAO
It’s going to be a long year for Yellowjackets fans. You’re going to get another 8-5 season and heartbreaking bowl game loss, count on it!
Jp
September 3rd, 2012
11:30 pm
Same ol Tech…find a way to lose! They have to get rid of this coach…sick and tired of watching this TO crap….boring! D gives up 50 yards in 38 seconds…u deserve to lose.
Stats
September 3rd, 2012
11:30 pm
Dragon com is still an option
Reality
September 3rd, 2012
11:30 pm
Pj is in over his head , he will be back in FCS where he belongs soon.
dandydawg
September 3rd, 2012
11:30 pm
Wow!!! You guys played one hell’va game. That defense is for real!!! Looks like y’all have something really special brewing on the flats!!! This is one Dawgs fan that was cheering for y’all tonight. Good luck the rest of the way… until you know when!
Techster
September 3rd, 2012
11:30 pm
We miss Stephen Hill’s blocking more than his pass catching.
Stats
September 3rd, 2012
11:31 pm
As Reggie ball says…it’s just a game dog.
dawgs01
September 3rd, 2012
11:31 pm
tough loss tech fans but i have been part of many of those as a dawg fan it hurts way down deep trust me i know. yall played great till that last dumb play but that is what cost most teams close games are dumb plays. yall got a good team. lane stadium is a beast and bud foster is definitely one of the best on the defensive side and every casual football fan knows that.
FLIE SWATTER
September 3rd, 2012
11:31 pm
T echMan23 how does it feel when somebody stays on your blog. Better depend on Mizzou,cause yellow flies cant defeat us. Where is GTBob,cant be found. WE OWN THIS STATE UGA
Nite Owl
September 3rd, 2012
11:32 pm
@Reality Tech:
What do you mean? You don’t think Alabama’s head and shoulders above everyone? That’s all I meant. Not saying GT or VT will be there to play them in the BCS championship. Just saying it’s all a race for second place as far as I’m concerned.
See, I’m trying to drown my sorrows by pointing out the meaningless of it all. Let me stare into the abyss in peace, my good man.
Roddy Jones's trapper keeper
September 3rd, 2012
11:32 pm
wait until Paul Johnson gets his players in the program.
Lynn43
September 3rd, 2012
11:32 pm
I’m sorry Georgia Tech lost, but I love “kickers”. My grandson who has graduated was a “kicker”. What joy and excitement it added to this old granny’s life.
311raiders
September 3rd, 2012
11:32 pm
Gt sucks as usual..wait there is the b back dive for a yard again….tired of this garbage year in and year out….who cares about gt football? It is irrelevant again…brimg back chan this sux!
NCJacket
September 3rd, 2012
11:32 pm
Been a lifelong Tech fan. But I can not watch any more with TW as quarterback.
Nite Owl
September 3rd, 2012
11:33 pm
@RJtk:
Have to admit, that made me chuckle.
Stats
September 3rd, 2012
11:33 pm
PJs arrogance catches up with him again
Richts waterloo
September 3rd, 2012
11:33 pm
Techs defense looks as Bad as UGA against Buffalo
CPJ is a Genius
September 3rd, 2012
11:33 pm
Coach Johnson is no genius. His offense looked totally inept tonight.
For the Tech fans who said it was like Christmas, enjoy the moral victory. You guys have a lot of practice in this department.
Dave
September 3rd, 2012
11:33 pm
Reggie Washington
Reality
September 3rd, 2012
11:33 pm
Nite Owl, both of these teams would finish 4 th or below in either SEC division.
UGABud
September 3rd, 2012
11:34 pm
How does it fell when somebody stays on your blog fish fryer and GTBob. WE WILL BEAT LIKE A DRUM AGAIN THIS NOVEMBER HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
OkieDawg
September 3rd, 2012
11:34 pm
OUCH…again
Techster
September 3rd, 2012
11:34 pm
We are Georgia Tech! We are used to snatching defeat from the jaws of victory. Seriously. How do you let them convert fourth and 4 with 13 seconds left for enough yardage to get into field goal range?
Jacket1985
September 3rd, 2012
11:34 pm
I swear, when was the last time Tech won when the defense had defend until the clock ran out. Play great defense for the most part all night and then can’t play defense for 44 seconds. Knew we were sunk once it got to overtime.
Same ol’ Tech
Richts waterloo
September 3rd, 2012
11:34 pm
Clemson has the ACC in the bag and they suck too…..
moorman
September 3rd, 2012
11:34 pm
WELP…………….there goes mark’s predictions about tech, georgia and the falcons winning their divisions…………lol
dawgs01
September 3rd, 2012
11:34 pm
all of you dumb dawg fans rubbing it in that might be us next weekend bc we are playing a night game in what will be a hostile environment against a team led by an extremely talented QB. Similar situations. I never rub it in. In college football what goes around comes around.
dandydawg
September 3rd, 2012
11:34 pm
Great game Jackets! Your defense is a BEAST and looks for real!! Good luck until November!!!!
collegeballfan
September 3rd, 2012
11:34 pm
It is called choking. Tough loss. I hate giving the game away.
The best blocking from the OL was when Chamberlain, Mason, Finch, Uzzi and Beno were the offensive front.
OkieDawg
September 3rd, 2012
11:35 pm
Great D…No O.
5150 UOAD, Smart Enough and Other Tech Trolls
September 3rd, 2012
11:35 pm
Enjoy the moral victory!!!! You have had A LOT of practice in this department
Reality
September 3rd, 2012
11:36 pm
Louisville would win the ACC,