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
Bamatard
November 27th, 2012
12:34 pm
ND is not in the ACC in football, sorry. Playing a few games and being in the conference are two different things.
I mean duuuuuurrrrrrrrrh Roll Tide.
scott
November 27th, 2012
12:34 pm
no offence Mark, but I just read your prior column and you have never been so right in all your life. congrat. A few of the posts in response to your column look really stupid in hindsight, such as “Ed Walsh” who said: “Gotta love it. Bradley picks the Dawgs to go 11-1. Which means it will be a laughable melt down when they go 8-4. Should be alot of fun watching the puppy nation raise cane!”
scott
November 27th, 2012
12:34 pm
no offense, either. lol
Dawglasville
November 27th, 2012
12:35 pm
Very happy about the Hawks. I noticed last year that Josh and Al play very well together. I think that this team will at least be as good as the Joe Johnson version, without the guilt of paying out all that money.
Mark, if the Dawgs win Saturday I will start every blog on your page, “Mr. Bradley, you are a genius,” for the entire year. I’ll always be stuck in Munson mode. It is possible but a huge mountain to climb. Go Dawgs.
reality check
November 27th, 2012
12:36 pm
Puppies have yet to play anybody, not playing LSU, Ala for the last 5 years during the season, is the reason no one take these puppies serious.
These over rated dogs will lose by at least 20 and lost their bowl game, and hard up UGA fans will say what they have been saying for the last 35 years wait till next year.
alpha male
November 27th, 2012
12:37 pm
Bama wins, loses to ND…once you get past bama and LSU, the sec is average…
ramguy68
November 27th, 2012
12:37 pm
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.
Yes the would. He would junk the gimmick offense and his recruiting would be better.
captguitarman
November 27th, 2012
12:37 pm
I thought you were smoking ganja when picked the Puppies to win the SEC and advance to the national championship — but here they are — right at the door step. Could they beat Bama? They could, I suppose, but it’s a long shot in my opinion. Remember, it took the best college quarter back to arrive on the scene since Tebow and Newton to beat the Tide, and he is arguably better than both of them – and like Newton he will have an NFL career and possibly a legendary NFL career. Again, Georgia could win, but they don’t have the explosive offensive fire power A & M has.
Jacket 97 = Crackpipe Intervention Needed
November 27th, 2012
12:38 pm
GT Rolls – LOL
Georgia gets beat down – GT fans shouldn’t be talking about beatdowns right now. Sorry again for faceplating all your receivers.
ND is in the ACC in football – Really, what division will they be in next year? Do you think they will win and represent you in the Orange Bowl? Get your crap straight. They are playing a few games, they aren’t in the ACC in football.
macrotech
November 27th, 2012
12:38 pm
In truth, I love GT football….that said, IF we don’t beat FSU (a considerable upset) then I’d rather this team NOT play in a bowl. We haven’t been VERY good in them the past few years and this team just hasn’t shown a fighters resolve. Our D is a joke…CPJ’s time at Tech depends on HOW he deals with this problem. I don’t expect miracles THIS season, but I do expect a strong move in the right direction. LOVE the Triple Option WITH a passing threat, but no D BLOWS!!! Let’s beat those ‘Noles Saturday….GO TECH!!!
murfdawg
November 27th, 2012
12:39 pm
How is GT’s defense going to stop FSU?
Is this the BIG FISH FRY Johnson has been waiting for?
As Tony Barnhart would say “Bless his heart”
ramguy68
November 27th, 2012
12:39 pm
My last comment should read “yes he would”.
Faux Paus
November 27th, 2012
12:41 pm
Seriously, if you are going down to the Dome to buy tickets, be weary of who you buy them from. On the flip side, if you are selling be weary of who you are selling them to. Fake tickets and bogus money will be rampant…
GTBob
November 27th, 2012
12:42 pm
One thing for sure, he would have 3 times as much talent on North Ave. not seen since Bobby Dodd to test your theory.
There is nothing special about Richts recruiting. UGA recruits itself. He wouldn’t have that luxury at GT. He would probably have Gailey talent at best and I don’t think he would even be able to coach them up as well as Gailey did.
CovDawg
November 27th, 2012
12:45 pm
Hoping for a Dawg win, gonna be a hard fought game. I just wish everyone would quit playing the game on paper and wait til Saturday night about 7:30 to see which SEC team will get to kick ND’s A**! Put them back in their place. They should have never been ranked that high, especially with a gift from the referees in the Stanford game and a Pitt missed field goal in the second overtime. BTW, why wouldn’t GT schedule Georgia Southern and have two Triple Option teams see who is best. I have a feeling that GSU might just show them who has the better athletes to run the option.
GTBuzz85
November 27th, 2012
12:48 pm
Some serious idiot posts going on like Buzz 333. Tech is routinely ranked in the Top 10 Universities in the nation and in some rankings the world. That is and always should be our strength and focus. Not football. I want to win as much as the next person. But never to the detriment of our academics. Call me naive but I still believe we can do both even as a top university and only 12k of students. We should put the right people in place to figure out how to make both happen – Academic and Administration. In the end, my degree has served me very well. That should never change based on the Win/Loss record of the football team.
Gator Mike
November 27th, 2012
12:49 pm
The SEC CG should be a good game between 2 very good teams. Hopefully, the best t3eam will win and then beat ND which I do not see as being easy because the ND players fully believe they can hang with any team.
It will be interesting.
Gator Mike
November 27th, 2012
12:49 pm
The SEC CG should be a good game between 2 very good teams. Hopefully, the best t3eam will win and then beat ND which I do not see as being easy because the ND players fully believe they can hang with any team.
It will be interesting.
jules
November 27th, 2012
12:49 pm
I heard the ridiculous rumor that GA had some nasty, hateful fans (Tech whiners of course) but from the comments on this board looks to me like it’s Tech with the jealous, nasty, hateful attitude. If Tech were in the running for a possible BCS tiltle game I’d be thrilled for them and proud they’re from the state of GA. Apparently Tech fans hate the DAWGS so much they’d prefer to see them lose than to say a nice word or two, or wish them good luck. I guess years of losing to the DAWGS will do that to you.
You know what they say Techies…if you can’t run with the big DAWGS, just stay on the porch and be quiet. Poor [cry] babies.
DAWGS stomp that Tide all the way to the Gulf. I’m sick of Bama owning the BCS.
you can't fix stupid or Democrats or bulldogs
November 27th, 2012
12:51 pm
UGA needs one person to beat Bama…..Johnny Football but he is in Texas…Murry can’t run so Bama by 21
AAAAA Testing Centers of America
November 27th, 2012
12:53 pm
A 2011 study by a prestigious think tank ranked the English Bulldog in the fourth (lowest) quartile of intelligence for 117 different breeds of dogs that were studied. The actual ranking was, in fact, #117.
Studies by psychologists have confirmed that UGA fans are in the fourth quartile of human intelligence, with an average IQ of 65 (including bonus points for finding the testing center).
UGA athletes had an average IQ of 23, which is slightly lower than a carrot, but they did edge out radishes and cauliflower.
Georgia Tech fans and athletes were graded highest of all, with an average IQ of 128.
Joey
November 27th, 2012
12:55 pm
Notre Dame has to be kicking itself for not signing up for football in the ACC, especially when they see the debacle in Charlotte Saturday . . .
r2 bee2
November 27th, 2012
12:56 pm
The Ga nation is praising Coach Richt now but I remember 2 years ago they wanted to BBQ him. I met Coach Richt in a non-football environment and he is a 1st class person. I feel the same way about Coach Johnson – I hope we can get a good defensive coordinator that can turn our defense around. Over the last two years, MOST of the time our offense was not the problem. We shall see.
atlantafan0125
November 27th, 2012
12:58 pm
As a UGA fan, Im rooting for Ga Tech vs FSU. I was born and raised in Atlanta, so i only hate on tech when they play UGA other than that, more power to them.
CORNY HULL
November 27th, 2012
12:58 pm
I would like to SEE Coach Johnson to have a secret ballot and have the players VOTE on whether they want to go to a bowl. I bet the outcome would probably be split down the middle or 2/3 do not want to go to a bowl, especially to play Kent State. Let the players vote secretly so there are reperrcussions from certain coaches against particular players.
p.s. I know if Mrs. Paul Johnson could vote, she would vote go to bowl. CPJ and his sour attitude would be out the house more because of practicing for the BOWL!!!
m
November 27th, 2012
12:58 pm
Mark do you think there is any chance that you could be a little more objective and quit being a dawg homer a-hole?
The Hammer
November 27th, 2012
12:58 pm
ND_Doug:
Don’t look at the BCS Ranking, but the “Predictor Ranking” (as per Sagarin, “PURE POINTS is also known as PREDICTOR, BALLANTINE, RHEINGOLD, WHITE OWL and is the best single PREDICTOR of future games. The ELO_CHESS will be utilized by the Bowl Championship Series(BCS)):
http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/sports/sagarin/fbt12.htm
With Massey, the “RAT” and “PWR” ratings both have Alabama and Oregon at #s 1 and 2:
http://masseyratings.com/rate.php?lg=cf&sub=FBS
Patched Tire On I-95 in Jacksonville
November 27th, 2012
12:58 pm
AAAAA Testing Centers of America
Its hilarious how you Tech fans claim to be so smart yet for some odd reason you seem to not be smart enough to beat a so called bunch of idiots year after year
next
The SEC Rules!
November 27th, 2012
12:59 pm
——- SEC Winner-42 Notre Dame-14——-
SEC IMPLEMENTS BCS PLAYOFF-
The SEC championship game is a play in to the BCS title game. I think last years BCS title, featuring TWO SEC teams is what forced the BCS’ hand and made them create the four team playoff for 2014. But hey, we’ve got half of it right now. The #2 and #3 teams are playing in the SEC championship game to be in the BCS title game.
It would be the 7th consecutive National Championship for the SEC if they win. There has never been such conference dominance in NCAA football, has there?
No matter who wins the SEC title, Notre Dame will be facing as many future NFL players, in one game, as they’ve seen the whole season. With the long recovery time available for the SEC winner, it’s hard to see Notre Dame staying in the game until the end.
Early Pick-
SEC Winner-42 Notre Dame-14
http://thesecrules.blogspot.com/
Dawg Fan Serving Overseas
November 27th, 2012
1:00 pm
Last I checked…. Tech just licked our Dawg Balls…… I’m surprised that you guys even show your face on this blog….. Seminoles are going to absolutely rape your backside this weekend……
DAWGNUTZ
November 27th, 2012
1:02 pm
Would someone PLEASE tell Malcolm Mitchell to act like he expecvts to make those plays, shut up, and get in the huddle?????????
Patched Tire On I-95 in Jacksonville
November 27th, 2012
1:02 pm
r2 bee2
yea coach turkey neck fish fry is a first class person; I didnt realize first class people go out and tell people to punch other people in the mouth
but I guess thats the motto if you’re from one of the most highest crimes streets in America aka North Ave
Donald
November 27th, 2012
1:02 pm
Congrats Bulldogs
Now how about re-scheduling the games against Oregon? Maybe the Ducks will give Georgia back the $250K y’all paid them to agree to cancel the series.
GTBob
November 27th, 2012
1:02 pm
Its hilarious how you Tech fans claim to be so smart yet for some odd reason you seem to not be smart enough to beat a so called bunch of idiots year after year
I am pretty sure Bill Gates would lose to Mike Tyson in a fight. Intelligence has limits in certain areas.
Patched Tire On I-95 in Jacksonville
November 27th, 2012
1:05 pm
year in year out
there wont be excuses from me nor have there been from me
I dont forsee us being blown out this go round
unlike you stupid Tech fans who make excuses for a coach who runs a 1920’s middle school style offense
GTBob
November 27th, 2012
1:06 pm
No matter who wins the SEC title, Notre Dame will be facing as many future NFL players, in one game, as they’ve seen the whole season.
So there aren’t many future NFL players at Stanford, Oklahoma, Miami, Michigan, Michigan St, and USC combined? That’s good to know.
DawgDad
November 27th, 2012
1:08 pm
If (huge if) GT beats FSU will the polls discount the Florida win over FSU? As it stands, Gators would likely get more poll credit for beating FSU than UGA got for beating GT.
When #2 plays #3 one team will lose (right? or did they concoct a system to address this?). Any leapfrog (by Florida or others) over the losing team in the polls is purely subjective.
At least five SEC teams would beat Notre Dame, most handily, and quite possibly seven or eight. I’ll believe this until I see evidence to the contrary.
Very disconcerting to project the Braves starting lineup based on who they have on the roster today. To complement their good pitching the Braves need to be strong defensively up the middle, and they need (1) a right-handed bat between Heyward and Freeman, (2) a center fielder who can play (i.e., not Schafer), and (3) a bench. Hard to envision this team not taking a huge step backwards in the standings in 2013.
Justin
November 27th, 2012
1:09 pm
Dawgs need to quit talking about GT – that win was expected and it’s old history now. We get it, you run GA. Big deal. We run AL and the SEC until someone takes it away. Dawgs have your shot at earning respect SAT night. Whatcha gonna do?? Roll Damn Tide!!!
BILLY JACK
November 27th, 2012
1:10 pm
I BET THE PRESIDENT OF THE ORANGE BOWL IS THINKING ABOUT KILLING HIMSELF-JUST THINKING OF THE POSSIBLE MATCHUP BETWEEN TECH AND KENT STATE.
Buzz
November 27th, 2012
1:10 pm
Dawg Fan Serving Overseas, please tell your fellow servicemen and women thanks for serving. As for you, not so much.
Buckeye
November 27th, 2012
1:11 pm
patched,
Bama v. Michigan was game #1 if I recall. Would you agree that any team of note, Bama, dogs, A&M,
Buckeyes are a better team today than they were Week 1?
You lost big to USC. FL lost to USC. You beat FL. The dogs today are not the same dogs that lost to USC.
That’s why you play the game and “on any given Sunday” hold true.
Comes down to motivation, execution, turnovers, special teams and the bounce of the ball.
I’ll stick with my prediction, thank you
Patched Tire On I-95 in Jacksonville
November 27th, 2012
1:12 pm
GTBob writes
“I am pretty sure Bill Gates would lose to Mike Tyson in a fight. Intelligence has limits in certain areas”.
Wow what a stupid comparison; again I thought Tech people were soooo smart
Both Tech and UGA are colleges that have Div I level football programs; with one school Tech claiming to be such a smart school
Since Tech is such a smart school; shouldnt they have such smart coaches and players smart enough to beat a bunch of idiots
For some odd reason I didnt realize both Bill Gates a computer expert and Tyson a Boxer were in the same field of work
Thanks Bob for such a moronic statement
Buckeye
November 27th, 2012
1:14 pm
patched,
Oh, two more things, key injuries and depth. I’ll take Bama’s depth.
Regarding Michigan, you’ve not faced the likes of Denard Robinson who should be healthy come 1/1.
Hopefully, you’ll face Johnny Football before he’s done.
Dawg in Sewer
November 27th, 2012
1:17 pm
Weeess losesss byess 100. Backss to thesesss Sewwers. Ruffffsss. Ruggss.
Savess usesss Chaioksdawgs. Eatss theress kickkerss.
Buckeye
November 27th, 2012
1:18 pm
I’m also a believer in MO. Early MO never wins. The dogs are going to spend so much energy too early based on the fact that they’ve not played on the BCS stage compared to Bama.
Bama is used to the stage. USC and the Cocktail Party are nice stages but do not compare to the SEC! SEC! and BCS stages.
The dogs will have the early Mo but Bama will impose their will over 4 quarters.
Buckeye
November 27th, 2012
1:20 pm
tom brown,
Where art Thou?
GTBob
November 27th, 2012
1:21 pm
Since Tech is such a smart school; shouldnt they have such smart coaches and players smart enough to beat a bunch of idiots
I am not sure you got the point. No matter how smart the coaches or players are, they are not going to play better football than the overgrown angry illiterate thugs at UGA. If Albert Einstein came beck from the dead and devoted his life to coaching football he wouldn’t be able to devise a plan to overcome massive differences in size, speed, and talent.
DrC
November 27th, 2012
1:22 pm
To Tech bloggers – NOTHING you post can change that UGA mauled Tech in the annual game that means more to you than any ACC or BCS championship ever could….your program is in disarray and we hope you will find a way to become relevant again for the sake of our once great rivalry.
Bill
November 27th, 2012
1:24 pm
Mike Smith is for sure stubborn keeps giving the ball to turner,turner is done in the NFL he is to slow lost a step. As for as Tech could’t hppen to a nicer school same goes for Auburn Florida also. Lsu and The saints are another bunch of bums. Hate NEW orleans and La.
Ted M
November 27th, 2012
1:25 pm
How come Tech wouldn’t be playing Big East team in the Orange Bowl?