• Bobby Dodd was criticized for so-called “Dodd ball” that won tons of games but wasn’t “exciting enough” for some pundits.
• Winning coach Bud Carson was dismissed for reasons unknown.
• Tech alumnus Pepper Rogers was censured because he didn’t fit the “Tech image” although he had some big wins while practicing on and playing in some of the worst facilities in the nation.
• Bill Curry was roundly chastised for “movin’ on up”, even though he was a Tech alumnus who beat UGAG and has loved and supported Tech to this day.
• Bobby Ross was nearly ridden out of town on a rail during his first two disastrous years that were followed by a long win streak and a national championship.
• Bobby Cremins took Tech from basketball obscurity to an ACC championship in four short years, yet was critiqued as a coach who could not coach.
• George O’Leary was talked about because of his pumped up résumé rather than for rebuilding a wounded program while orchestrating a string of bowl appearances and the most consecutive victories against UGAG since the days of Dodd.
• Chan Gailey was denigrated in his first year while whipping some very good teams with the remnants of a squad decimated and demoralized by numerous key injuries while still finishing with a respectable seven win season.
Georgia Tech is an outstanding institution that has much to offer on and off the playing field. However, though Tech gives much, it also demands much. That is the Tech tradition that has affected all of us alumni and has driven us to be both successful and demanding in the business world. I am proud of that trait as you should be also.
But I am even more proud of being a compassionate person, and I have great compassion for CG, PH and DB. More than that, I am grateful they are working tirelessly to further improve an athletic program that is better now than at anytime in Tech’s proud history. Superior academics aside, Tech is a relatively small, big-city downtown university of only five colleges – dominated by engineering – that competes head-on with a large state university and a host of professional sports. I know of no other university of similar characteristics that can boast of the quality athletic program we enjoy.
Pray we never win every game at every sport or become all that we might desire. Then what will we dream about? What are your thoughts?
• Winning coach Bud Carson was dismissed for reasons unknown.
• Tech alumnus Pepper Rogers was censured because he didn’t fit the “Tech image” although he had some big wins while practicing on and playing in some of the worst facilities in the nation.
• Bill Curry was roundly chastised for “movin’ on up”, even though he was a Tech alumnus who beat UGAG and has loved and supported Tech to this day.
• Bobby Ross was nearly ridden out of town on a rail during his first two disastrous years that were followed by a long win streak and a national championship.
• Bobby Cremins took Tech from basketball obscurity to an ACC championship in four short years, yet was critiqued as a coach who could not coach.
• George O’Leary was talked about because of his pumped up résumé rather than for rebuilding a wounded program while orchestrating a string of bowl appearances and the most consecutive victories against UGAG since the days of Dodd.
• Chan Gailey was denigrated in his first year while whipping some very good teams with the remnants of a squad decimated and demoralized by numerous key injuries while still finishing with a respectable seven win season.
Georgia Tech is an outstanding institution that has much to offer on and off the playing field. However, though Tech gives much, it also demands much. That is the Tech tradition that has affected all of us alumni and has driven us to be both successful and demanding in the business world. I am proud of that trait as you should be also.
But I am even more proud of being a compassionate person, and I have great compassion for CG, PH and DB. More than that, I am grateful they are working tirelessly to further improve an athletic program that is better now than at anytime in Tech’s proud history. Superior academics aside, Tech is a relatively small, big-city downtown university of only five colleges – dominated by engineering – that competes head-on with a large state university and a host of professional sports. I know of no other university of similar characteristics that can boast of the quality athletic program we enjoy.
Pray we never win every game at every sport or become all that we might desire. Then what will we dream about? What are your thoughts?
