Heat Check: Destiny’s Dogs? No-bowl Jackets? Whoa, Nelly
Surrounded by the enemy: The Georgia Tech band in Sanford Stadium. (AJC photo by Johnny Crawford)
Our Heat Check arrives just in time to warm what promises to be a chilly week. Face facts, folks: There’s not much happening in local sports.
Kidding.
GEORGIA: Will play for the BCS title — some guy I know predicted they would — with a victory over Alabama on Saturday. Barometric reading: Three weeks ago, people were saying the Bulldogs would have no chance against the mighty Tide. A lot of those same people seem to have changed their minds, and I’m not just talking about Georgia fans. I’m talking about neutrals who see the Dogs as no less talented as Bama. Just as Bacarri Rambo said.
GEORGIA TECH: Paul Johnson now believes his Jackets didn’t give much of an effort in Athens. (Who knew, huh?) But if Tech can rouse itself to topple Florida State — maybe the nation’s most overrated team — in Charlotte on Saturday, the Jackets will be headed for what Dennis Dodd of CBS Sports calls potentially the worst BCS bowl matchup ever: Tech against Kent State. Seriously. Barometric reading: Then again, if Tech loses to the Seminoles, it might not grace any bowl. Tech insiders insist they’ll land in a bowl even at 6-7, but there now appears no guarantee their request for a waiver would be favorably met
FALCONS: Everyone around the team was heartened by the one-point escape from Tampa Bay, for good reason. It was a big-time win over a tough opponent, and the Falcons haven’t beaten many tough opponents … well, all season. Barometric reading: They can clinch the NFC South with a month to spare by beating hated New Orleans on Thursday and then watching the Buccaneers lose at Denver on Sunday.
HAWKS: Remember when it was suggested this team was about to embark on a nice little run? This team has embarked on a nice little run. Having won five in a row, the Hawks hold the fourth-best record in the NBA East. Barometric reading: Check the schedule. They might not lose again anytime soon.
BRAVES: Waiting for B.J. Upton to decide where he wants to play. The good news is that Upton has long been hailed as one of the game’s biggest talents. Barometric reading: The sabermetric reality is that Upton was half the player Michael Bourn was in 2012. According to FanGraphs, Bourn’s WAR (wins above replacement) rating was 6.5; Upton’s was 3.3.
By Mark Bradley
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344 comments Add your comment
Rick James
November 27th, 2012
11:47 am
What’s really sad is some Tech fans think this team deserves to go to a bowl game.If they are allowed to go Paul Johnson’s bonus should be given to charity
NeoDawg
November 27th, 2012
11:48 am
GHSA State Championship Ticket Prices – $20 at the Dome
ACC Championship Ticket Prices – $4.50 on StubHub
The GHSA ticket is a better value.
Lee
November 27th, 2012
11:48 am
AWWWWW and here is poor little suckeye…… Popping off because he knows they don’t have to play the SEC in a bowl this year.
People still laugh at the suckeye nation. No one in the south cares. Every team in the SEC dreams of playing the suckeyes in a bowl for that easy bowl victory. Run along little boy!
Hillbilly D
November 27th, 2012
11:49 am
According to FanGraphs, Bourn’s WAR (wins above replacement) rating was 6.5; Upton’s was 3.3.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=01-2pNCZiNk
year in year out
November 27th, 2012
11:49 am
Same ole same ole. Jawja plays easy schedule, their fans talk trash, they get to the SEC championship game, then get mud hole stomped. Followed by excuses, then wait til next year, Bobo must go, fire Mark Dict. End of story…
m
November 27th, 2012
11:53 am
Here’s a thought – WHEN UGA beats Alabama, the pollsters just drop the Tide one spot to 3 and they play in the Orange and the Gators play Michigan. How ’bout that!
Gerald Abrams
November 27th, 2012
11:53 am
@ DawgFaceBlues…………
Be humble my little friend. Remember, Mr. Spurrier and his Gamecocks took us (UGA) out to the woodshed and bent us over and beat us till we will blue and crying. Our boys (UGA) crawled back to Athens like little beat chickens.
Let’s be humble and just play football. OK?
Thanks and have a nice day.
Nathan
November 27th, 2012
11:54 am
Please help the dawgnation signs out! https://www.change.org/petitions/the-university-of-georgia-athletic-association-send-the-holders-of-the-dawgnation-signs-to-the-sec-championship-game
Patched Tire On I-95 in Jacksonville
November 27th, 2012
11:56 am
Buckeye
Glad to see Ohio St finally play at least one middle of the road decent team;
And you barely beat them; kudos even though Bama wiped them off the map
Hoops Dawg
November 27th, 2012
11:57 am
I am a Kent State grad (Ph.D 1972) and always rooted for the Flashes, who haven’t had much of a team since the 70s (when Jack Lambert and NICK SABAN played there). Pray tell Mark, how does a MAC team that lost to Kentucky ever get an Orange Bowl bid? Is this a joke? Incidentally, if the Kent-Tech matchup is made, Tech’s in trouble.
GTBob
November 27th, 2012
11:59 am
Once I saw GTBob type that he just watched the replay of the Georgia game against Florida ten seconds after someone talked about a play in the game that happened a month ago, I started to get a bit scared of him.
Its called youtube. Took me 5 seconds to find highlights of the game.
MFranklin
November 27th, 2012
11:59 am
As a UGA fan, i would actually prefer to go into this game as the underDawg. Over the years, being favored to win big games has been a like a curse…
Patched Tire On I-95 in Jacksonville
November 27th, 2012
12:00 pm
year in year out
get a clue bud; UGA is back playing their normally hard schedule next year and years to come
wow we had 2 seasons of a fairly easy schedule sure funny how no one talked about our schedule the last 30 yrs
who does your team play; no one ever
Alphare
November 27th, 2012
12:01 pm
it’d be funny if Tech goes to a BCS bowl while UGA plays the outback bowl.
ND_Doug
November 27th, 2012
12:03 pm
Hammer….where do you see those computer rankings? All of them listed as part of the BCS poll (including Sagarin and Massey) have ND #1. Sagarin & Massey both have UF #2.
Jacket Nation Deflation
November 27th, 2012
12:03 pm
Johnson wants to go to a bowl game for his hard headed self, not for the fans. With all the coach firing going on he should be hitting all those teams up for their recruits instead of going to a sorry, nobody cares, bowl game. The recruiting at Tech is more like what you would expect from a division II school. Johnson is a sorry excuse of a recruiter and it shows especially on the defensive side of this sub-par team.
Island Dawg
November 27th, 2012
12:03 pm
I am so tired of the “UGA’s schedule is easy argument”
Bama AND UGA played: Auburn, Missouri, Ole Miss & Tennessee in SEC games & Florida Atlantic OOC
Bama played Arkansas Georgia played Kentucky
Bama played Miss State Georgia played Vanderbilt
Bama played LSU Georgia played Florida
Bama played A&M Georgia played South Carolina
Bama played Michigan Georgia played tech
Bama played Western Kentucky Georgia played Georgia Southern
Bama played Western Carolina Georgia played Buffalo
I don’t see a lot of difference. Maybe you give Bama a nod for Michigan as opposed to tech, but that’s it.
Bama may be the better team but the schedule argument is just moot.
Festus
November 27th, 2012
12:03 pm
Real ranking for SEC teams:
1. Florida
2. Alabama
3. LSU
4. South Carolina
5. Texas A&M
6. Arkansas
7. Mississippi State
8. UGA
By UGA does have the coach with the coolest shades.
slydog
November 27th, 2012
12:03 pm
The difference between sticking with Mark Richt vs Paul Johnson through the lean years? Recruiting and past success at the FBS level, plus the ‘potential’ for better days ahead. Mark Richt got slapped with a new reality when Saban, Meyer, Miles, and Petrino came into the SEC. The bar was raised, program philosophies became more professional, and he got caught with his pants down because he had the longest continuous tenure. The same shoe does not fit CPJ. He won with an already stacked cupboard. Now this cabinet contains his own hand picked ingredients and well,…. look at the players on the field Saturday and they look like they do not belong at this level.
slydog
November 27th, 2012
12:05 pm
It’s sad, because Tech just missed out on Bill O’Brien.
GTBob
November 27th, 2012
12:05 pm
And dont give me that Mark Right cant do any better than the Paul Johnson at Tech argument.
Mark Richt would have a hard time winning 6 games at Tech. He would have no idea what to do if he actually had to coach.
Alphare
November 27th, 2012
12:05 pm
Both teams have a lot to play for this weekend: Tech for a BCS bowl, UGA for NC.
A win-win would a double win-win for the state of Georgia.
TechRon
November 27th, 2012
12:06 pm
First, I cannot understand why we feel we have to kick the other guy while he is down.
Second, good luck to the Dawgs. They deserve to be there and if they can win it, they will likely beat ND and be National Champs. They will be as worthy as anyone else, so good luck to them.
Third, Tech should stay home if they lose to FSU (which is almost guaranteed). I should think that it would be an embarrassment to go to a bowl with a losing record. This team and it’s “coaches” are a disgrace to the institute. Tech should clean house and start over.
Fourth, The Falcons deserve a lot of credit. They have not dominated, but they do win. It is not easy to win a road game and they have done a lot of that. Well done. I hope they go all the way. It will take luck, but they have a lot of good players and very good coaching. Hats off the Arthur for putting together a terrific bunch. Plenty of room for improvement, but they are darn good.
Thomas Not Concise Brown
November 27th, 2012
12:06 pm
Mark Bradley, that’s mean, giving Georgia false hope.
what neutral person says Georgia can win? i call bs on that. i see the opposite, i see people who hate Alabama and would do anything to see them lose admit this is a blow out win for Alabama.
slydog
November 27th, 2012
12:08 pm
GTBob
November 27th, 2012
12:05 pm
And dont give me that Mark Right cant do any better than the Paul Johnson at Tech argument.
Mark Richt would have a hard time winning 6 games at Tech. He would have no idea what to do if he actually had to coach.
One thing for sure, he would have 3 times as much talent on North Ave. not seen since Bobby Dodd to test your theory.
Fan
November 27th, 2012
12:09 pm
Of course Rambo says that UGA is better than BAMA…he plays for UGA! I see that it was mentioned that Fla State is the most overrated team, but what about UGA??!! Who have they played except for Fla??? C’mon people!! ROLL TIDE!
slydog
November 27th, 2012
12:09 pm
He might even help clean up the crime around the surrounding neighborhoods
DONNAN OF A NEW ERA
November 27th, 2012
12:09 pm
“Everyone around the team was heartened by the one-point escape from Tampa Bay, for good reason. It was a big-time win over a tough opponent”
Yeah, those Bucs are just terrifying everyone, aren’t they?
MFranklin
November 27th, 2012
12:10 pm
Island Dawg – Well said, thanks!
dawgs7413
November 27th, 2012
12:11 pm
I love how people say UGA hasn’t played anyone…. Oh Bama has????
They skipped GA , SC, and Fl so don’t use that!!!
Jo
November 27th, 2012
12:12 pm
I am a TECH fan but after the pounding the will receive by FSU, I think TECH needs to avoid a bowl and start looking for a defensive coach with talent. Even against the Dogs, they Jackets could march the ball almost at will and VAD will be a great QB. However, TECH will not be better than mediocre ever unless they play some defense period.
GTFAN
November 27th, 2012
12:13 pm
I can’t wait to see the look on UGA’S face when Bama beats them!
Jimmy Crack
November 27th, 2012
12:18 pm
W ins
A bove
R eplacement
T ellsme
S quat
dawgfacedboy
November 27th, 2012
12:20 pm
Why are the Kent Sts. of the world playing in BCS games?? I’m sorry but when you sign to play at Kent St. it tells everyone that forfeit your chance at playing for a major university and competing in big time bowls. Kudos for getting a scholarship, it’s a great accomplishment. That being said, putting a Kent St. in a BCS bowl game slaps the face of any top 10 team that played in a real conference against real competition every week. What’s worse, is that on a given Saturday Kent St. could beat anybody in the country. However, playing in the Big 10, Pac-12, Big 12, SEC, and ACC (ok, maybe not the ACC) they would be a 6-6 team.
Seriously?? I will be asked to watch Kent St play in a BCS bowl game?? I’ll be missing that one, no matter who they play.
gtforever
November 27th, 2012
12:21 pm
I have always believed that the head guy sets the tone and expectations for the organization of which he is head. For the cosch to state that his team did not put fortn much effort says something about the coach. I would not want to work for or serve under such a person. The head guy is supposed to lead by example, not criticize his team when expactations are met met- it is his responsibility to set thoee expecetations and to insure that they are met or exceeded.
Patched Tire On I-95 in Jacksonville
November 27th, 2012
12:21 pm
GTBob
Richt would have already played for several national titles if he were the coach at Tech
why
cause you only have to have a little coaching skill and only beat one team to win in the ACC and go undefeated
Jimmy Crack
November 27th, 2012
12:21 pm
It is funny how the media (and the trolls) say that Georgia didn’t play a strong schedule because they missed #2 ALA, #7 LSU and #9 A&M, but they don’t talk about how Alabama missed playing #3 GA, #4 FLA and #10 SCAR.
In fact, both UGA & ALA played against 2 teams ranked in the top 10 by the end of the season and both went 1-1 against those ranked teams.
Kirby Smart
November 27th, 2012
12:21 pm
After we destroy UGA, they will be begging the ACC to let them in…
graphite
November 27th, 2012
12:23 pm
The breeze blowing across the Bay at Org.Bch say’s Bama in a cake walk.Boil the shrimp,ice the beer and enjoy repeating as Nat’l Champs…..RollOn…….
SCOREBOARD
November 27th, 2012
12:23 pm
Here we go again.
We can’t beat you, so let’s talk about how your next opponent will.
You tech douchenozzles are pathetic.
Enjoy the holidays without the stress of another bowl loss.
Patrick
November 27th, 2012
12:24 pm
FSU overrated? I think not. However, as a Tech fan, it hurts the ACC to have us in the Championship. We suck this year, plain and simple. Just let Miami or NC play, pretty please?
Old Dawg
November 27th, 2012
12:24 pm
This just in: Clemson, Florida State and Georgia Tech have received and accepted at-large bids to the 1-AA playoffs.
As the top seed in the Division II playoffs Virginia Tech earned a first round bye. Wake Forest is the No. 3 seed in the Division II playoffs. North Carolina received, and did not accept, the top seed in the Division III playoffs.
Patched Tire On I-95 in Jacksonville
November 27th, 2012
12:25 pm
Jo
Marched at will on UGA
Im confused Tech couldnt even score on UGA; how is it that they could march at will
and Vad a great QB LOL
Until you guys get a Manzel; Tebow; or the QB from K-state you dont have a QB in that joke offense
Keep trying though Tech might one day keep it close and lose by a field goal to UGA
Patrick
November 27th, 2012
12:25 pm
Oh, and good luck to UGA. It’s time for Bama to take a seat. I may say, “To hell wit’ Georgia,” when we play ‘em; but outside the State Line, much respect.
Bamatard
November 27th, 2012
12:27 pm
We’re gonna stomp the Dawgs in a cake walk. Time to pull out my crotchless teabaggin’ jeans and fill up the Spike 80DF tank.
Roll Tide.
Tony Smith
November 27th, 2012
12:28 pm
As a Tech fan, I believe that ANY 6-7 should not go to a bowl. If Tech should somehow beat FSU, someone needs to keep sharp objects away from the Orange Bowl committee.
Athens Dawg
November 27th, 2012
12:29 pm
Who is the home team?
Jacket 97
November 27th, 2012
12:30 pm
ND will end up #1
ND will be ACC next year.
ACC Rules!
Jacket 97
November 27th, 2012
12:33 pm
UGA will get KICKED by Alabama.
UGA 7 – Alabama 52
GT will KICK FSU!
GT 35 – FSU 14
Patched Tire On I-95 in Jacksonville
November 27th, 2012
12:34 pm
Tell me again ESPN who did Oregon play this year????
Oh thats right they only beat 1 top 25 team and wow it was Oregon St