Party in the city where the heat is on: Miami women preview

It's that time again. This week, we preview our miniature vacation to Miami. If you have ever been to Miami (which I have not, I just watch a lot of Burn Notice), you know that everyone there is super hot. However, Google searches bring up mucho porn, and the ratio of gorgeous women in Miami to gorgeous women at the University of Miami is pretty high, so it was kind of hard to find UM women. However, I found these - little heavy on the cheerleaders, but for some reason I don't think that is going to elicit any complaints.

Just kidding, those were USC song girls, but screw it, I like 'em.

Have a good day.

Miami: Georgia Tech's BITCH since 2004

Georgia Tech Football in human form

A friend of mine sent this to me from a Miami Hurricanes message board last night:

This may just be me but I associate rivals with pure, unadulterated hate. When I see someone wearing a rival's gear, I have to remind myself about appropriate social conduct to keep me from tripping said rival and spitting in their face. And I know a team is a rival when I know just as much about their football team and history as my own. <-- Just in case we get into an argument about which school is superior (which UM always is ). As for Ga. Tech, I don't know anything about them except that their coach is Paul Johnson, they run some crazy ass offense, and their guys make my guys eat grass with just one stiff arm. Also, if I were to see someone wearing GT gear walk past me, I think my inclination would be to hang my head down in shame and think "(sigh) .. maybe next year." So, by my definition of what a rival is, no, GT is not a rival. They are our pimp and we are their bitch. And it'll stay this way till we beat them and then beat them over and over again. It's unacceptable that we haven't beat GT since joining the ACC. They own us right now. It's not a rivalry when you can't beat the other team.

I agree with this poster for the most part. It's not a rivalry when you can't beat the other team....except for IN-STATE rivalries. In-state rivalries are in complete leagues of their own. In-state rivalries reek of hatred no matter the long or short term series record. You will hear about your team losting at work, at church, and at your kid's sports game. The sight of your rivals logo makes you want to vomit. That is a rivalry. Simply not being able to beat a team makes you frustrated. We should know, we played Florida State.

This is not just because Ga. Tech was on the side that couldn't win. Just ask furrer4heisman over at Gobbler Country what we're talking about here. VT has won 5 in a row and 9 of the past 10. Is it a rivalry? Hell yeah it is. There is enough hate to keep that rivalry going.

Nix out at Miami

Wow, did anyone not see this coming after that Emerald Bowl debacle? I think my little bro summed it up, "Miami hired Patrick Nix because Calvin Johnson made his terrible offense appear good." I hope we've seen the last of Pat Nix in the ACC, honestly. Maybe Auburn will hire him after they fire Chizik in two-three years.

More on why today is a great day to be a living, breathing football fan

Winfield and I had a discussion earlier in the year, and it basically came down to what school from Florida we would rather beat this year. Winfield, being the lifelong fan, said FSU no doubt. While I appreciated the history, I had to admit that I wanted this game more. As a fairly new Tech fan, I haven't seen us lose to Miami. I'm building my own Georgia Tech legacy, and this series is huge in it. I could have kissed Taylor Bennett last year when he ran two touchdowns in. The come-from-behind Homecoming win in 2006 was an instant cure for my hangover from a night that left pumpkin smashed in every crevasse of my apartment foyer. The upset of 2005 is still high on my list of "holy shit!" football memories, and with us playing on the national stage this year, I just couldn't shake how much I wanted this game.

I have to say, now that it is here, I think I might still feel the same.

Let me paint a picture for you.

In the 4 hours I have been awake, at least half of the students I have seen have been clad in pristine white. Looking out of the library window, the bare twigs and slowly withering leaves of the trees stand out against the white horizon that turns into a beautiful, cloudless blue the farther you look up. It looks cold. It looks like football season. The sun is low in the south, lighting up half of the skyscrapers that will eventually turn in to monolithic candles, lighting up the Atlanta skyline tonight.

In about 8 hours, sirens will scream from the north of campus. They hail the Yellow Jacket football squad, who will run a gauntlet of bright white that's almost as loud as the fanfare around them. Mixing with the scent of fallen leaves will be the fumes from the Reck, leaving Yellow Jacket Alley smelling like victory, and the temperature outside will begin its steep decline into the kind of cold that almost hurts, but brings with it the comfort of the Autumn season. That parade was for the players. The next is for the fans.

Two hours later, the Ramblin' Reck will take its place at the top of Bobby Dodd Way, leading the fans who have made the trek not just across campus, but from across the nation to Bobby Dodd Stadium at Historic Grant field. The sun will be setting, lighting fire to the sky one last time before it gives way to the strange glow of the city at night. Inside the stadium, the dark skies and the glowing field lights will let the thousands of those clad in today's colors to glow a bright bluish-white. The skyline will look like it normally does for night games - breathtaking. It is one of the most amazing views I have ever had the pleasure to see, which is only made more gorgeous by what is happening on the field in front of me. The roar of the crowd will thicken. The band will march into place. The players will stare out of the entrance, caged momentarily by the grumble of the Reck's engine.

As the crisp Atlanta cold takes hold of everyone's breath, the Ramblin' Reck will burst onto the field, with our warriors in white close behind.

Given what we've already experienced, the game could almost be considered inconsequential. However, for three and half hours, it will be the most exciting, most important thing in existence for the 22 players on the field and the thousands who are in attendance.


Thank God for college football. It's great to be a Yellow Jacket.

GAME DAY

Ok, so I have been busy/recovering from the ridiculous weekend in North Carolina two weekends ago, so I have kind of been slacking on the posts. However, waking up at 4:30 in the morning in order to deck out in white for the local morning news is more than enough motivation to get back in the writing groove.

First off, to anyone not wearing white tonight - screw you, you officially lose status as fans, at least for the night. Special exceptions go to old people who never use the internet and cannot read the jumbotron at other games. However, there is no excuse for anyone else.

Secondly, I will come out and say I don't feel good about this game. Don't hold it against me, I am just really worried that we may not get any footing on offense, and we may have our defense out on the field too long. We cannot afford to give them the ball within 40 yards 3 times (a la UNC), or even punt the ball that much. Miami's tackles looked pretty capable last Thursday against VT, and with linebackers like Darryl Sharpton staring us down, I get nervous. When you consider we are eighth in the conference in converting 3rd downs, and Miami has held their last three opponents to 21.1% of third down conversions, I get really, really nervous. Did I mention that there's a pretty good chance that Nesbitt won't play tonight? That's enough of being a negative Nancy, though.

The good news- we absolutely CAN win this game. Miami may be 12-1 on Thursday nights, but I'm pretty sure that doesn't mean as much to them as our 3 game streak against the 'Canes do to us. Throw in the national spotlight, the picturesque Atlanta setting for a cold NIGHTTIME game, and the effect the White-Out will have on the momentum of the game - it's easy to see the perfect gametime atmosphere that is fast approaching.

Screw it, I have no predicitons. That's a lie, I have one - today is going to be a great day to be a Yellow Jacket. Screw the U, fear the I, and to Hell with georgia!

Miami Irrational Game Preview

We attempted valiantly to find a Miami Guest Blogger but got no responses. They are either assholes or they are scared stiff of our penetrating questions.

Irrational Game Preview!

What: Miami at Georgia Tech: WHITE OUT!
When: Thursday 7:30PM
TV: ESPN
Will The Legacy Crew be there? Hellz yes!
Will The Legacy Crew be wearing white? You know it!

This Thursday we battle for our ACC lives (along with Virginia Tech’s and Virginia’s) for our faint breath of life for the ACC Championship Game. It will be cold. It had better be white. SUCK IT UP!

Miami Wins If: Patrick Nix learns how to run an offense. If Miami’s D-Line can get through our seemingly “Swiss Cheese” O-Line and get to Jaybo (Yes, I said Jaybo!)

Georgia Tech Wins If: We hold on to the ball. (duh) UNC was the epitome of our season. We rank 117th out of 118 when it comes to fumbles. That’s embarrassing. Tech wins if our defense remembers its former self (Lights out!). Jahi and Vance are back. The secondary praises God for Jahi’s return. The time has come for Jaybo to grow up on national television!

Sidenotes: Miami is 15-1 on Thursday Nights (or is it 13?) Either way, it’s good. Tech has beaten the ‘Canes 3 years in a row.

Irrational Scoring Prediction: The off-week helps the Jackets immensely and the cold hurts Miami’s combo of quarterbacks as we option it down their throats

Georgia Tech 17 Miami 10

Ethical dilemma

This week we are presented with an ethical dilemma that does not involve women, drinking, or escaping the law. The question is simply do we play/risk Josh Nesbitt against the Canes or do we rest him for ugag? Jaybo is clearly a competent backup in that he knows the system but he simply isn't a game breaker like Nesbitt.

In my opinion, Tech handles Miami with a healthy Nesbitt. Hell, Tech has a good shot against ugag with a 100% Nesbitt.

So do we rest him and risk our 1/500 shot at the ACCCG or do we play him, possibly beat Miami, but have a severely weakened offense against the dogs?

According to the AJC, Jahi will most likely be back as will Vance. Both players lining up against the Canes will be huge.

It's not as bad as it looks. Yeah, I said it.

Right now the ACC is the laughingstock of the college football world, and rightly so. The only team from the ACC that is ranked right now is Wake Forest. Now, I don't mean any insult to the Deacs, but that would basically be like Vanderbilt becoming a top team in the SEC in 5 years from now. No one would give them their full credit, everyone in the SEC would still say "whatever, they are just Vandy," and everyone outside of the SEC would make fun of the conference for having Vandy as their best team.

It's true, as I posted before... the ACC, for now, blows. It is ridiculous. There is no respect for the conference anymore. FSU now also applies to Fresno State. Gone is Miami - Miami(FL) now takes its place. Georgia Tech plays second fiddle to uga. Now Clemson, in the year it is supposed to be in the MNC hunt, has gone and dropped the ball.

Brace yourself. You will be shocked to read that I don't think it is as bad as it sounded on Sunday. In fact, on second glance, it seems like the ship is finally righting itself. Expansion may be finally happening, 3 years after it actually happened. Hear me out on this one.

Georgia Tech, who malaised through the past six seasons with spurts of brilliance and dregs of just plain badness, finally has a coach that, well, acts like a coach should. Paul Johnson is a proven winner, who is expected by basically everyone (apart only a few Bulldog fans and other uneducated nobodies) to be very, very successful. FSU actually kind of had a decent season last year, toppling the ranked Alabama Crimson Tide, losing by a field goal to Wake Forest, and knocking off Boston College from the #2 spot. Honestly, they would have beaten Kentucky in their bowl game if it weren't for the trouble they found a few dozen of their players in, resulting in a depleted squad and a touchdown margin loss for the New Year's Eve game.

Clemson will always be solid (except for 2 games out of the year where they get embarrassed), and even though VPI lost to ECU, they will be back. Miami is on the upswing - GT fans like to think Randy Shannon is a moron because he kept a moron (Pat Nix) around for more than a year. Say what you will - they have the talent to win some big games, and as of right now, in my view, look to be Tech's biggest ACC opponent this year. Apparently Shannon has cleaned house (which, at Miami, would obviously take a looooong damn time) and has the program running like it isn't made up of a bunch of drug slingers and criminals - the first step to becoming competitive year after year. I'm not calling Miami to win this weekend against Florida; however, I will make it known that Miami hasn't lost to Florida during my lifetime, and they damn sure don't want to start now. It won't surprise me one bit if that game surprises everyone else, especially the Gators.

As I said already, BC grabbed the #2 spot last year, and even though a few dozen other teams seemed to do the same thing, it was still impressive. I think the team as a whole will continue to get better, and eventually be better over all without relying on Matt Ryan to make it rain like a true baller.

The jury is still out on UNC, and Duke can suck it until they go 3-5 (this year marks a decade of them not doing so) in the ACC and win a decent OOC game. And, even though I've already kind of talked smack about Wake, they are a good damn team (it's weird, it's almost like I'm turning into a Wake fan...).

So, what exactly is happening? In the Atlantic, Wake is great, BC is good, and FSU has the chance to become good to great again (even if it takes Bobby Bowden finally leaving to do so). Clemson will remain very solid, Maryland can play ball, and NC State will continue to embarrass the state of North Carolina in everything it does. In the Coastal, GT and Miami are both going to be damn good teams, and will easily challenge if not surpass Virginia Tech every year for the Coastal Title, starting this season (these two teamse will also very successfully carry the banner for the ACC in OOC games, mark my words). Not saying VPI won't compete, but I think everyone else is growing up around them very, very quickly. North Carolina will hopefully shape into a solid team, but I am not sold on the predictions that they will start winning conference or even division championships. Virginia - well, screw UVa. Duke will have at least 1 conference victory this season, and that will be against UVa, who is really, really at risk of having a 1 win season. More like the Cavalqueers. (Anyone who is a UVa fan, go ahead, bookmark this entry, mark October 25^th on your calendar, and remember to email me at EffinDane at gmaildotcom. I always manage to eat my own words.)

That's right, BC, Miami, and VT will be strong, strong teams, in addition to GT, Wake, Clemson, and hopefully FSU. All of these teams will get better, very, very soon, and as much as any commentator wants to bring up this season, these teams will be competitive with anyone in the country. (Except for USC, because Jesus is to humanity what Pete Carroll is to Trojans football).

This whole post may be completely wrong, and sorry if it is. However, I do think I have made some pretty valid points. The ACC blows, at least for now. Soon though, the mega-conference will finally arrive.