UGA, Tech and the Falcons as division champs? I called it
In 2012, there was much cause for football celebration in these environs. (AJC photo by Brant Sanderlin)
For a while there, I had to ask myself, “Old son, did you really change your first name to ‘Homer’?” Because that’s what I was getting called by many of y’all. Prompting this charge was my stated belief that Georgia, Georgia Tech and the Falcons would all win divisions. But with 2013 near at hand, this Homer must confess that he considers his prognosticating work of 2012 a triumphant odyssey.
Because Georgia won its division. And so did Georgia Tech. And so did the Falcons. And who called it way back when?
The jinx of all jinxing. The archduke of addled thinking. Dumb ol’ MB.
Usually the annual Accountability Scoreboard serves a three-course dinner of Crow Soup, Crow Mignon and Humble Pie. Not this time. And yes, I’m as surprised as you are.
I predicted every Georgia regular-season game correctly. I did miss on the bigger part of my UGA prediction: The Bulldogs will not play USC for BCS title. (For the life of me, I can’t imagine what led me to pick a Lane Kiffin thing to win anything. I can, however, state with great certainty that it will never happen again.) The Bulldogs did not face LSU in the SEC championship game. Nor did they beat Alabama in the SEC championship game.
But Georgia did beat Florida, a pick I made in May and re-affirmed in October at a time when almost nobody was giving the Bulldogs a chance in Jacksonville. I’m kind of proud of that one, if I do say so myself.
Admittedly, I needed a heap of help to look good on my Coastal Division pick. I was wrong that Georgia Tech’s path to the top would be paved by a Labor Day upset of Virginia Tech. But even if Miami’s self-removal from the ACC title game affixed an asterisk to Tech’s season, the fact remains: The Jackets tied for first place and were the only eligible team left standing.
As for the Falcons: I’m willing to concede I may have underclubbed. I picked them to go 12-4. They could go 14-2. Back in February, I came pretty close to guessing what the Falcons would (and wouldn’t) do over the offseason, and in August I opined that Matt Ryan would have a huge season, which he indeed has. As we got into the season, though, I didn’t think the Falcons’ first loss would come in New Orleans. Tampa Bay was my incorrect choice.
I thought the Braves were a wild-card team, and they proved me right. (There was a time when I even suggested they might sneak up and win the East, but the mood soon passed.) Right after they traded for Paul Maholm and Reed Johnson, I suggested the Braves could play deep into October, but I never actually picked them to beat the Cardinals in the wild-card playoff/in. I’m kind of proud of that, too, because that’s one of the few times I’ve resisted making some sort of call. But if I’ve learned nothing else, I’ve learned that choosing a winner in any single baseball game is a fool’s errand.
Speaking of fools: I did pick the Falcons over the Giants in that wild-card round, and I did pick Georgia over Michigan State in the Outback Bowl. What can I say? My 2012 started badly. But it got better as it went.
I picked only one of the correct Final Four, and I didn’t pick that one — Kentucky, which happens to be my alma mater — to win it all. I went with North Carolina instead. Why did I not pick UK? Oh, I don’t know. Probably because I didn’t want to look like, ahem, a homer. Figured I’d save that part for later in the calendar year.
And I am on record — both written and video’d — as picking the Falcons to go to the Super Bowl (in the video) and win the darn thing (in print just this week). Go ahead and scoff. Homer Bradley will just point to the latest Accountability Scoreboard and smile.
Further reading: The 2011 Accountability Scoreboard (not a bad year).
Grim tidings: The 2010 Accountability Scoreboard (not a good year).
Ancient history: The 2009 Accountability Scoreboard (good on Tech, if nothing else).
By Mark Bradley
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186 comments Add your comment
Bali
December 20th, 2012
5:48 pm
Well Bob….why don’t you just write a fat check to your institution instead of spending pretty much all your time devoted to criticizing everything that is UGA? You’ll probably say that you write your checks in between posts……or when you’re at lunch….or on the weekends…..or when you take time off from UGA blogs to sit back and just peruse your work???
UGABob
December 20th, 2012
5:49 pm
Alllllllllways an excuse, just like most Tech fans.
GTBob
December 20th, 2012
5:49 pm
The seperation in academics between UGA and Ga Tech isn’t what it use to be. If someone thinks otherwise they are a fool.
Tech is ranked much higher overall and in most individual areas that both schools support. Tech has a much much larger endowment and receives much more research funding. Graduates from GT make much more money on average then UGA graduates do. Tech is a member of the AAU. Etc, etc. But hey, you know some guys who supposedly got turned down by UGA and got into GT so they are ahead now.
Stinger 2
December 20th, 2012
5:52 pm
Great work Mark. Did Jeff S. congratulate you yet?
I can`t wait to see your 2013 predictions,,,,especially for the Braves.
For what ever its worth, I`m saying they will go at least to the NLCS.
Frank Wren has made some good moves and will make more if necessary.
His extension of Fredi`s contract insures that the Braves have an experienced
field leader who can withstand the insults and complaints of misguided Braves fans.
Fredi`s record for his first two seasons speaks for itself. 89 and 94 wins is not too shabby.
BobDawg
December 20th, 2012
5:54 pm
so Mark, do you want a cookie? Sorry, my wife always says that when I tell her when my predictions come true….
GTBob
December 20th, 2012
5:54 pm
Well Bob….why don’t you just write a fat check to your institution instead of spending pretty much all your time devoted to criticizing everything that is UGA?
I have written plenty of checks to GT. I never miss a roll call.
Mark Bradley
December 20th, 2012
5:54 pm
If I’d known Alabama would score four more points than Georgia, I’d have picked Alabama. That’s the thing that makes predictions fun — and maddening. You don’t know.
UGABob
December 20th, 2012
5:59 pm
Very true Mark! Too bad others on this blog don’t understand that. Kudos to you and great predictions in 2012!
Peter
December 20th, 2012
6:07 pm
Really Tech as a division Champ…… Farfetched….. you mean they backed in to it because of Miami ?
Please with that high school offense… who even cares about watching that boring stuff ?
Discount DoubleDawg
December 20th, 2012
6:07 pm
If tech is so much better it is just shocking as to why they would accept students who UGA turns away… I agree this is a new problem for you and not one you are use to having to deal with. Think about it for a couple of days, ask your friend and I am just certain you will have some stellar excuses very soon.
Gordon
December 20th, 2012
6:20 pm
Discount,
1) Tech freshmen average 100 points higher that UGA on the SAT. Higher in Math AND Verbal.
2) Tech is an AAU school, UGA isn’t but wishes they were.
3) Tech is always ranked much higher than UGA by USN&WR.
4) Tech’s endowment is 3 times what UGA’s is, despite UGA having a 100 year head start.
5) Tech’s football team has a higher average SAT score than any other public school in the nation.
6) UGA might actually be harder to get into based on supply and demand, but Tech it is indisputable that Tech is harder to stay in.
UGA is a good school, but you should stick to bragging about football and stop making a fool of yourself.
Landover
December 20th, 2012
6:28 pm
Thanks for making ATL your home MB. I recall Lewis Grizzard praising you in one of his articles saying ” he is that good”.
Mark Bradley
December 20th, 2012
6:33 pm
Thanks, Landover. Mr. Grizzard was very nice to me.
Gene
December 20th, 2012
6:38 pm
Nice job, particularly on UGA.
Discount DoubleDawg
December 20th, 2012
6:40 pm
Gordon- nothing I have said isn’t true. Nothing.
Look, Tech is a good school. I agree. Tech just isn’t a great school and there is nothing wrong with that.
POOPDAWG
December 20th, 2012
6:42 pm
Congratulations Mark, but you just spoiled the moment by writing an article about it. Somebody else should have been writing this article then everything is kosher. I know , you waited a week and a half and nobody noticed . I will forgive you this time . Merry Christmas!
DMAN
December 20th, 2012
6:44 pm
You picked Tech Mark,you shoudn’t even have a post on this,what a joke!
GTDog
December 20th, 2012
6:56 pm
Oh, just wonderful Bradley. You picked ALL three local teams? I can see the New Years headlines now (in the AJC, no less):
“Falcons first team in NFL history to blow 6 game lead in 2 weeks”
“Georgia Tech stripped of Coastal title in correspondence course scandal”
“Ties to El Keebo Cartel, money laundering force NCAA to void Georgia Bulldogs 2012 season”
By the way….I remember Grizzard mentioning you when you were just starting out, something about being the “best sports guy ever with a Wierd Al afro”?
I’ll buy you lunch for a week if you change your AJC pic back to the afro days for awhile Mark……..
Wet Willie...keep on smiling
December 20th, 2012
6:59 pm
@GTBobby…
Most Tech fans don’t want to buyout CPJ and even if they did they wouldn’t donate $10 million to do it when they could donate to the institution instead. Its called priorities.
Then your program is Duke without the basketball program. Darwin Holt at 165 #’s killed the Ga Tech football program with a mighty forearm. Tech should give up football and save even more money for priorities.
jeffrey d
December 20th, 2012
7:03 pm
If UGA continues to not play anybody
Like Tech?
Reggie Ball for Heisman
December 20th, 2012
7:05 pm
Buffalo
Fla Atlantic
Ga Southern
Ga Tech
I agree, GT Bob, all four teams were pretty weak opponents, especially the last one.
GTDog
December 20th, 2012
7:17 pm
Yep, Tech grads have higher priorities than sports, yet some of them spend all their free time on sports blogs. Other teams’ sports blogs. Kinda scary if you think about it…..
jeffrey d
December 20th, 2012
7:19 pm
Yep, Tech grads have higher priorities than sports
That’s a lie. You’re always on this blog and Schultz’ to complain about Georgia like it’s your job.
George
December 20th, 2012
7:32 pm
Let’s all agree to improve our writing skills on this blog. I can just see Bradley laughing at some of these posts.
Big Al
December 20th, 2012
7:32 pm
Dat Tech is one fine football team. Mark, you should be proud.
billyBobjacket
December 20th, 2012
7:39 pm
Not that I didn’t (sort of) enjoy playing in the ACCCG, but Mark…you can’t really take credit for picking us to win the division because we actually didn’t…
smarter kids at UGA than GT
December 20th, 2012
7:43 pm
The admission standards at UGA have been far tougher than GT for more than a decade now!
But GT fans that still live in the 90s and never even attended the school, hang their hat on an Institute that is many a diploma factory for foreign kids that return to their native country(don’t blame them).
lanier
December 20th, 2012
7:53 pm
congrats you win a cookie
Pitbull
December 20th, 2012
7:58 pm
Actually Miami won the ACC Coastal Division and chose not to play in the ACC CG.
Tech simply was substituted for the ACC Coastal Division winners.
They lost of course. But you were right on the other two, Mark.
GTDog
December 20th, 2012
8:14 pm
Hmmmm, heff d…..perhaps you’re confusing GTBob and GTDog?
GTDog
December 20th, 2012
8:14 pm
Make that jeff d……………
Thrash
December 20th, 2012
8:15 pm
Hopefully the Falcons have a better fate than the other 2 chumps did.
SSIgator
December 20th, 2012
8:19 pm
So Mark, when can we look forward to your next “warm and fuzzy” article on UGA not winning the SEC-CG? Or are you finally over your mourning?
Thogwummpy
December 20th, 2012
8:37 pm
BUT….let’s be clear for the record: Mark did NOT predict that Valdosta State would win another NCAA Div. II National Championship. Go “Sportscoats” (Blazers)! Would be pretty sweet if the AJC covered all the state’s college football half as well as they do high school… There’s a football powerhouse down there, and there’s hardly a peep about it until the championship game arrives. For sports journalism, that’s pitiful….just pitiful.
heeldawg
December 20th, 2012
8:48 pm
@GT Bob:
The state of Georgia is fortunate to have two fine institutions of higher learning like the University of Georgia and Georgia Tech. They clearly serve different roles, so comparing their academics can be difficult. However, your denigration of the University of Georgia, a sentiment predicated upon decades of athletic jealousy, is misguided and inaccurate.
Here are a few comparisons:
Annual budgets: U.Ga. $1.32 billion
Tech $1.19 billion
Endowments: U.Ga. $760 million
Tech $1.6 billion
Freshman admission statistics 2012: U.Ga. math/Verbal SAT ~1300
High school GPA 3.86
Ga Tech M/V SAT ~1400
High school GPA 3.85
Rhodes Scholars, all-time: U.Ga 22
Tech 3
Kiplinger’s Best Values Rankings among public colleges: U.Ga. 6th
Tech 31st
Smart Money Magazine Best Return on investment in college education;
Tech 1st
U.Ga. 4th
The University of Georgia is the principal undergraduate educational site of the majority of the state’s educators, journalists, attorneys, veterinarians, physicians, agricultural experts and pharmacists. It has the top-rated Landscape Architecture School in the nation, a top 5 rated School of Forestry, and is among the top10 Veterinary schools in the nation. The University has acclaimed programs in business (particularly real estate and risk management), Ecology, Law, English and the Biological Sciences.
In addition, the University of Georgia has won 37 NCAA championships, 130 SEC championships and had 27 athletes participate in the 2012 Olympic Games.
Georgia Tech has won exactly one NCAA title–in womens’ tennis.
Moreover, Georgia simply owns Georgia Tech in football, having won 11 of the past 12 games and 75% of the games overall over the past half-century–which is the exact source of the veritable tsunami of unsubstantiated and/or fabricated drivel that you spew onto these pages on a regular basis.
Get over it, Bob. The “academics” argument that you perpetually hide behind is simply a lot of smoke and mirrors.
mike on lake hartwell
December 20th, 2012
9:05 pm
that outback bowl was a win in every respect, just not on the scoreboard.
you get a pass on that one.
Ken in Alpharetta
December 20th, 2012
9:09 pm
gt bob just got punked by heeldawg. Great job heel!!
Dawglasville
December 20th, 2012
9:12 pm
heeldawg – Great stuff, wasted on trolls. You see, Bob, like the other Tech trolls like to thump their chests because they are engineers. All other careers are of course are secondary at best.
dap01
December 20th, 2012
9:17 pm
GA Tech is not the champion of anything. They are the 3rd best team in Georgia. They have a losing record. If they are the champion of anything, the ACC must be a NAIA conference.
BobDawg
December 20th, 2012
9:25 pm
SSIGATOR… It is Christmas time and we all need “Warm and Fuzzy”…. I’m over the SEC game and it was a classic, don’t you say??? We have our sites on the “Cornhuskers” and hopefully that is not a bad name ala Rob Parker?!
Old Gold
December 20th, 2012
9:28 pm
Tech is a joke!
Growler
December 20th, 2012
10:02 pm
Impressive picks Mark, congrats. But the “Stedy Fredi” column still lingers… and I’ll never give the Braves the free pass for the Wild Card debacle that you did. One game: Yes. Playing like a bad little league team it: No.
1Dog
December 20th, 2012
10:04 pm
Dogs roll again in 2013—book it. Another beatdown over fla and tennessee, win the SEC easily. This time, GA beats alabama for the title. Murray will not be denied!
daddo
December 20th, 2012
10:07 pm
I think the safest prediction one can ever make is that Georgia will not win the national championship.
DawgNole
December 20th, 2012
10:12 pm
GTBob
December 20th, 2012
5:43 pm
If I would have know that Florida would turn the ball over 6 times and pretty much hand the game to UGA then I might have chose differently. If they played again tomorrow I would pick UF and im pretty sure they would be favored in Vegas.
____________________
This after you spent most of the season insisting to me that fla wasn’t that good. I tried repeatedly to educate you, but you would have no part of it. Glad you finally see the light.
THE Dixie Redcoat Band
December 20th, 2012
10:20 pm
UGA still didn’t win the SEC!
Olesmoky
December 20th, 2012
10:29 pm
Can’t wait for your 2013 prognostications..
diamonddaveincali
December 20th, 2012
10:59 pm
Mark since you added the final four, which I might add has nothing to do with the city atlanta or state of georgia, I want to know why you left out the Champions League in 2012. You are a sports columnist, right? why did you leave out soccer?
Not that special...
December 20th, 2012
11:02 pm
“The University of Georgia is the principal undergraduate educational site of the majority of the state’s educators, journalists, attorneys, veterinarians, physicians, agricultural experts and pharmacists. It has the top-rated Landscape Architecture School in the nation, a top 5 rated School of Forestry, and is among the top10 Veterinary schools in the nation. The University has acclaimed programs in business (particularly real estate and risk management), Ecology, Law, English and the Biological Sciences.”
Is this supposed to be impressive? Every single engineering program at GT is top 10 in the nation, with most being top 5. GT’s business school is ranked right behind Emory and higher than the “prestigious” Terry College of Business.
And please don’t even get me started on the Rhode Scholar argument…..
First, you have to be a liberal arts major to earn a Rhodes scholarship. So it’s basically a miracle that GT has any to being with. UGA also has a 100 year head start and has twice the student population so it’s statistically almost a given that UGA will get one every year or two.
The second, and much more humorous….Bama has more Rhodes Scholars than UGA. So based on your (and most of DWAGNATION’s) logic, Bama is academically superior to UGA
So let’s get this straight. Based on the K-12 public education provided in Georgia, all of us should be hooping and hollering that we have such fine colleges in this state. GT and UGA have very different strengths so it is difficult to compare them directly (ie Rhode scholar explanation). I can almost guarantee that GT is respected a lot more outside of the state of Georgia than inside the state thanks to people like you and the rest of dawg nation. In summary, UGA is a good school that offers a few great programs and is respectable on a regional level. Georgia Tech is a great school where almost every program offered is top tier and is recognized and respected worldwide.
If you were to mention GT and UGA to an educated/business person in England/France/Italy/Greece/Russia/Japan/China/etc, which do you think will be recognized? I’ve personally experienced this, and I can tell you it is not UGA.
KEN COWART
December 20th, 2012
11:09 pm
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