Former GT Prez Bud Peterson revisits Georgia Tech’s role in last realignment frenzy

[BigDanT]

Another point that has been brought up numerous times is Tech's attendance. It has always been a problem except when we are really good. But even still take a look at this 1992, a top 25 match up between NC State and GT who still is starting the QB who won them a national championship. Look at all those empty seats in the old north and even along the sidelines. Is attendance bad because Tech fans don't want to see ACC football? Or is attendance bad because we just don't have many fans?

It depends. Look at 1990 Tech at uGA. There was ALOT of gold in their stadium. Look at white outs against Miami and FSU in 2014 and 2015 respectively.

Both had more fans than 2014 Clemson at Bobby Dodd. But the 2011 Clemson game was rocking. I’m not sure what to tell you but timing and everything else makes a difference.

What also makes a difference is that Academically Tech doesn’t value in state students or have nearly as many options as does uGA.

 

[BigDanT]

It depends. Look at 1990 Tech at uGA. There was ALOT of gold in their stadium. Look at white outs against Miami and FSU in 2014 and 2015 respectively.

Both had more fans than 2014 Clemson at Bobby Dodd. But the 2011 Clemson game was rocking. I’m not sure what to tell you but timing and everything else makes a difference.

What also makes a difference is that Academically Tech doesn’t value in state students or have nearly as many options as does uGA.

Also look at 2009 COFH. Was mainly tech folk. That’s cause we were good and they were bad.

 

[savbandjacket]

Back then it was because nobody wanted to see ACC football. Now it's because we sadly lost a majority of our fans.

This is the answer. We (are) an SEC school in the middle of SEC country. No one in Georgia GAF about the ACC unless it’s FSU or Clemson (which should also be SEC schools). People here would rather watch paint dry than watch any of the NC schools play football.

 

[rocky top buzz]

You can't pull up footage from 30 years ago and use that as evidence for today's fanbase. I do think our stadium is a pinch bigger than what we need given the state of our program, but there's potential for filling it out. There's a lot of casual sidewalk fan support for GT in Atlanta, they'd pull for GT if we're putting out a solid product. If we ever start winning big and taking our share from uga, I think it would pretty easily fill up. But inconsistency year to year I think is hurting our efforts there tremendously, prior to GC.

The point of the 30 year old video is that people think fan interest is a new problem now that the SEC has essentially taken over college football (SEC won what, 3 national championships in the 90's? They haven't lost 3 since we went to a playoff).

 

[FightOn!Jacket]

The B1G is good. But there is no debate whatsoever. They are not nearly as good as the SEC. And the level of competition in the Big Ten would be much easier than the level of competition we would face in the SEC.

That’s not the point though. In the worst conference as it is now, GT is averaging 2 conference wins a year lately. So to move to either conference is a massive challenge at this point. So I don’t know where the 2-3 extra wins are coming from.

 

[GTCrew]

"Given the things that we knew at the time"

Seems to be a reoccurring excuse around here for major leadership blunders.

I was screaming at the time to join the Big 10. I was in the distinct minority.

 

[00Burdell]

I was screaming at the time to join the Big 10. I was in the distinct minority.

Yeahbut road trips to Minnesota.

Which are actually awesome.

Here’s my take on our response to the B1G back in 2010

 

[Valdosta_Jacket]

We’re ahead of Vanderbilt for sure. But I don’t think you’re giving South Carolina enough credit. SC has beaten UGA 33% of the time since 1990. And they have not been beaten nearly as lopsidedly as we have when they have lost. Over the same time period we have beaten UGA just 23%.

Tech has 4 national championships and one of the winningest programs of all time. Not to mention, Heisman. We are not SC.

 

[The Jacket]

“If I had to do that all over again, I’d make the same decision,” Peterson said.

Anybody else keep rereading this over and over and over again

 

[savbandjacket]

“If I had to do that all over again, I’d make the same decision,” Peterson said.

Anybody else keep rereading this over and over and over again

He should be thrown off the top of Tech Tower.

 

[DeepSnap]

He should be thrown off the top of Tech Tower.

Not to mention he ran one of the, if not the, most corrupt (and indicted) MaTech administrations of all time.

 

[savbandjacket]

Not to mention he ran one of the, if not the, most corrupt (and indicted) MaTech administrations of all time.

And violated the due process rights of several students.

 

[clapper]

99% have better facilities over GT.

Honest question. What facilities do 99% of the SEC/B1G have that we do not?

 

[aeromech]

“If I had to do that all over again, I’d make the same decision,” Peterson said.

Anybody else keep rereading this over and over and over again

It is not at all unlike the arguments made by those defending the one who lead us out of the SEC. Peterson is never going to admit to himself that he made a mistake. Just like the supporters of that guy from the past will never admit he made a colossal blunder.

 

[aeromech]

He should be thrown off the top of Tech Tower.

It is more likely we will erect a statue to him somewhere on campus.

 

[rghoae]

The political leadership in this state cares little about GT.

This is incorrect. They care very deeply about GT. They care very deeply that Tech does not have the slightest bit of negative influence on UGAg athletics.

They will actively work to undermine Tech having any chance of athletic success. I saw this first hand in the 2000s. And further, at least at the time, even Tech alumni in the political leadership supported these efforts.

They blocked several attempts by Tech to expand some highly successful non STEM degrees. Tech’s only intention was to grow programs that were seeing a lot of success and growth…football considerations were distant at best for Tech leadership,..however, any minor athletic benefit Tech might gain was the highest priority for the pols. So they blocked it on the pretense that they wanted the colleges to focus on their primary goals (STE in Tech’s case).

However we know this was pretense because not much later theh approved an engineering school for UGAg. Even if you bought the argument that GA needed a less elite engineering school, there are many other GA colleges that would have been much better fits, including State.

 

[rghoae]

You can't pull up footage from 30 years ago and use that as evidence for today's fanbase. I do think our stadium is a pinch bigger than what we need given the state of our program, but there's potential for filling it out. There's a lot of casual sidewalk fan support for GT in Atlanta, they'd pull for GT if we're putting out a solid product. If we ever start winning big and taking our share from uga, I think it would pretty easily fill up. But inconsistency year to year I think is hurting our efforts there tremendously, prior to GC.

Ive never seen evidence of casual sidewalk fan support for Tech.

What many fail to understand is that Tech suffers from not just competing with UGAg, but also the Falcons.

Miami suffers from this as well, and that’s despite their NFL counterparts being the Dolphins.

You’d be hard pressed to find an urban school with much sidewalk fan support where there is also a pro team. The only exception are the LA schools, and thats because they had a crazy run of decades without a pro team in the 2nd largest market in the country.

 

[MidnightJacket]

Ive never seen evidence of casual sidewalk fan support for Tech.

What many fail to understand is that Tech suffers from not just competing with UGAg, but also the Falcons.

Miami suffers from this as well, and that’s despite their NFL counterparts being the Dolphins.

You’d be hard pressed to find an urban school with much sidewalk fan support where there is also a pro team. The only exception are the LA schools, and thats because they had a crazy run of decades without a pro team in the 2nd largest market in the country.

Sidewalks in a big city with lots of entertainment options aren't going to support a loser, that's for damn sure. Winning cures everything.

 

[ricejacket]

Ive never seen evidence of casual sidewalk fan support for Tech.

What many fail to understand is that Tech suffers from not just competing with UGAg, but also the Falcons.

Miami suffers from this as well, and that’s despite their NFL counterparts being the Dolphins.

You’d be hard pressed to find an urban school with much sidewalk fan support where there is also a pro team. The only exception are the LA schools, and thats because they had a crazy run of decades without a pro team in the 2nd largest market in the country.

The Rose Bowl and LA Coliseum are half empty for USC and UCLA games

 

[Supersize that order mutt]

This is incorrect. They care very deeply about GT. They care very deeply that Tech does not have the slightest bit of negative influence on UGAg athletics.

They will actively work to undermine Tech having any chance of athletic success. I saw this first hand in the 2000s. And further, at least at the time, even Tech alumni in the political leadership supported these efforts.

They blocked several attempts by Tech to expand some highly successful non STEM degrees. Tech’s only intention was to grow programs that were seeing a lot of success and growth…football considerations were distant at best for Tech leadership,..however, any minor athletic benefit Tech might gain was the highest priority for the pols. So they blocked it on the pretense that they wanted the colleges to focus on their primary goals (STE in Tech’s case).

However we know this was pretense because not much later theh approved an engineering school for UGAg. Even if you bought the argument that GA needed a less elite engineering school, there are many other GA colleges that would have been much better fits, including State.

I posted similar thoughts a few weeks ago and was stunned at the negative responses I received from several on this site who just ignorantly deny that any such things ever happened. Be prepared for the same treatment by some on here who just refuse to believe these things ever happen or happened in the past.