Heat Check: Hot Falcons, hot Dawgs – and then there’s Tech
"Don't worry, guys. I know exactly what I'm doing." And he does. (AP photo)
Our weekly Heat Check finds that a warm front has settled over the area. With certain exceptions.
FALCONS: There are three unbeaten NFL teams. This is one. I’d argue that this has been the most impressive one, but sometimes I get carried away. Heat Index: How many times does a team fly across country on a short week and win a game by 24 points on a day it was slotted as a three-point underdog?
MATT RYAN: Leads the NFL in passing efficiency. Just presided over victories in which the opposing quarterbacks were Peyton Manning and Philip Rivers. Heat Index: Yeah, it’s early. But he’s looking a bit like an MVP candidate, is he not?
GEORGIA: Beat Vanderbilt by 45 points and looked great doing it. And it’s not always easy to beat Vandy — ask South Carolina — or look good in the process. Heat Index: The comprehensive nature of Saturday’s victory recalled the Georgia teams of 2002-2004, when great talent was buttressed by attention to detail.
BRAVES: Magic number to clinch a wild card is two. Have crept within 4 1/2 games of Washington, which is the closest they’ve been to first place in the NL East since August. Heat Index: No collapse — epic or otherwise — this time, folks.
MIKE MINOR: Remember when he looked like the worst starting pitcher in baseball? He’s 3-0 in September with an ERA of 1.09. Heat Index: He might just start Game 2 of the Division Series, assuming the Braves get there.
TOMMY HANSON: He’s 0-4 since returning from the disabled list. His ERA in September is 4.57; in August it was 5.74. Heat Index: Not sure he’ll make the postseason roster.
GEORGIA TECH: It’s difficult to score 36 unanswered points in a game and not win it. But the Jackets just did. Heat Index: It’s likewise difficult to yield 609 yards to a Miami team that managed only 262 in a 39-point loss at Kansas State. Leave it to Al Groh, though.
GEORGIA STATE: Lost to Richmond by three touchdowns before the smallest announced crowd in Panther history. Heat Index: If GSU doesn’t win at William & Mary on Saturday — the Tribe is also 0-4 – Bill Curry’s final season could end without a victory.
DREAM: Finished third in the WNBA East after their usual slow start. Will open the playoffs at Indiana on Friday. Heat Index: It hasn’t been a smooth ride — after the month-long Olympic break, the Dream fired their coach and suspended their best player — but they have a track record of showing up in the postseason.
By Mark Bradley
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172 comments Add your comment
bigcalidawg
September 24th, 2012
5:02 pm
In all honesty……UGA could dismantle Tech without throwing a single pass. Do y’all realized that the offensive line is the highest functioning unit on that team?
But Rod, you gotta believe in something. I believe you should have another beer.
Joey
September 24th, 2012
5:05 pm
Hypocrite? I “trash” no other teams. I congratulate Tech when they win – go look on Tech’s AJC blog.
I’d rather discuss UGA with UGA fans..But when opponents’ fans trash UGA, I do reply, usually to remind those fans of their own programs’ past or present problems.
Enjoy that 1-3 start – it’s just beginning, moron. Think – Karma.
By the way, are you the idiot Aururn that called in to ESPN Saturday and called Chizik “a clown?”
Nice . . .
Joey
September 24th, 2012
5:08 pm
Damn MB, you lettin this psycho on here but blocking a reply??
Joey
September 24th, 2012
5:14 pm
I’ll keep it light for MB.
HUH????? is a Auburn fan. What y’all lookin at now? 3-9? 4-8? We will keep you in our prayers, but you know about KARMA.
Your football program has been caught cheating, paying players to sign, for YEARS! It’s on record. It happened.
Karma, baby.
USMC
September 24th, 2012
5:58 pm
Rumor Mill heard on 680 The Fan:
Bobby Petrino to Auburn next year!
HUH?????
September 24th, 2012
7:07 pm
“By the way, are you the idiot Aururn that called in to ESPN Saturday and called Chizik “a clown?””
No, are you the guy that called in bomb threats to schools?
HUH?????
September 24th, 2012
7:08 pm
“Enjoy that 1-3 start – it’s just beginning, moron.”
Ma’am, I can take a down year as opposed to supporting a team that hasn’t been relevant since Jimmy Carter got booted from office.
Remember dork, it took an Auburn grad to get UGA their last championship.
HUH?????
September 24th, 2012
7:09 pm
“Your football program has been caught cheating, paying players to sign, for YEARS! It’s on record. It happened.”
When were they last caught cheating?
Hint: A long long long long time ago.
HUH?????
September 24th, 2012
7:10 pm
“Bobby Petrino to Auburn next year!”
Rumor has it more UGA players will end up in jail this weekend.
HUH?????
September 24th, 2012
7:10 pm
USMC
Bookman misses you.
21YrSeasonTicketHolder
September 24th, 2012
9:24 pm
Falcons Air Force Strikes Again!
Eric C.
September 25th, 2012
3:40 am
@Huh?????
LSU has a championship caliber defense, but Mettenberger and the offense are not ready for the big stage. I’m guessing they will lose at least two or three games and maybe play in the Cotton Bowl this season.
By the time LSU plays Bama, they will have played at Florida and Texas A&M and vs South Carolina, and they may be out of the top 10… definitely not the match-up we saw last year.
Columbus Dawg
September 25th, 2012
7:36 am
Yeah, and this time the title will be won by UGA while Obama is booted from office. You were saying? Huh????
OkieDawg
September 25th, 2012
11:22 am
- and then there’s Tech
Couldn’t have said it better myself.
I do have to admit I miss the arrogant, over optimistic and elitist attitude of the Techsters. Their attitude of arrogance is gone and they have become defeatist. Now, they want to fire all the coaches and concentrate on academics. Things are really sad on North Avenue. I want the old Tech back! I miss you and its only been 3 days.
LawDawg
September 25th, 2012
11:51 am
At this point, Tech fans talking about Georgia is the equivalent of Guatemala declaring war on the United States. There is no argument about who is the better team. We are ranked in the top 5, you lost to a glorified JV squad.
Not saying UGA can take Tech lightly when they play, but acting like Tech is the better team is simply absurd.
savannahwhodat
September 25th, 2012
1:59 pm
Yeah right…matty for MVP. Until he gets to the playoffs.
ARdawg
September 25th, 2012
4:09 pm
@OkieDawg
That’s just funny right there
dawg4life
September 25th, 2012
6:09 pm
GTBob- Perhaps dawgfan should have rephrased his statement. I think he meant, any GOOD team has made the adjustments. Give us a break down year-by-year of the relevant teams that GT has played over CPJ’s tenure. Miami obviously has them figured out. I know they haven’t done squat against UGA since 08.
The truth hurts the leghumpers... it really hurts
September 26th, 2012
3:03 pm
Georgia Tech plays legitimate student-athletes who will go on to successful careers in industrial management and engineering.
Georgia plays illiterate bozos who would not have met the academic requirements to enter any college or university. The few who actually graduate will have worthless degrees and skills for which there is no demand. Most will be pathetic losers who are a burden on society. Fortunately the CEOs of Walmart and Waffle House are Tech alumni who will give some of them jobs, but even a graveyard shift fry cook has to have some skills and the ability to stay sober.
Yes, Tech fans would love to defeat Georgia more often, but not at the win-at-all-cost price that Georgia pays.
Next time you see a homeless drunk, be kind to him, he may be a former UGA player.
Go Vols
September 29th, 2012
8:44 am
Vols 34, Dwags 21
Jeff
September 29th, 2012
4:00 pm
Tech is done for the season and until Groh and Johnson are gone. For $2.6 million a year you get a home loss by 21 points in Middle Tenn. I think you can get a better season than 2-3 and losses to MTSU, Miami. Never liked his offense, or QBs. Too one dimensional and he has never had a good D. Won’t have to worry about losing bowl game number 5. I am sure the Tech AD will keep Johnson because he is such a “bargain,” if you are an idiot.
Z Dawg
September 30th, 2012
1:54 pm
How sad it is to haer all nerds going after coach Johnson. Where is your loyalty. CPJ is a graet coach and doing a graet job in recruiting. Keep CPJ at the helm and it is only a matter of time where triple option will be a success in ACC. Keep CPJ.