I expected to win the Coastal again. I mean look at the competition --Duke, UNC, UVA, Miami and VT. I expected BC and VT, both home games, to be the toughest conference games this year.
I thought GT could handle the likes of UVA and Maryland on the road (as well as Miami coming up) --but I was obviously wrong. GT are not world-beaters, but they have better talent than either of these two teams. This is why I am so disgusted right now because it's just like the end of last season --missed opportunities.
I am a realist here --while I would like to think GT could reach elite status within the confinds of the ACC, Tech's history over the last 30+ years tells me otherwise. But despite that history I still think it can (and should) be done --again, within this conference.
This was supposed to be the year that GT had a legit shot at following up on last seasons achievments (that fell by the wayside at the end of the season) with an ACC championship. Then build from the success of this year and move the program into elite status in the conference and stay there.
But no --here we sit at 1-3 in the conference --still losing to inferior teams on the road --pinpointing one or two plays or coaching decisions that seem to have gone wrong. I'm really tired of it.
There has to be a way for this team to reach the next level in the ACC --and stay there. How do we get it done?
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This will go down as my true venting post here. I don't think it's irrational for me to have these expectations for this program. I want this program to be successful --I've suffered through the doldrums of GT being an independent --getting it's bell rung the first few years of being in the ACC, to then go 9-2-1 and win a bowl game with Todd Rampley in at QB.
Then a coaching change saw the program hit the ACC basement again --only to win a MNC three years later. A couple of years later that HC left for the NFL and the program damn near fell apart under BL.
GO'L brought GT out of that to it's most success since the days of Dodd --but as good as the offense was, the pourous defense kept the program from reaching the next level. Then came the CG era --which like the GO'L era-- never saw the program hit bottom. There have been 10 straight winning seasons --but this program is stuck in neutral. No, not stuck in neutral --this program has peaked and it feels like it's about to take a step backwards.
We can't take a step backwards --not now --particularly not with the conference down. The conference is down and we're sitting nearer to Duke and the basement of the Coastal than we are the top of the standings. Think about that.
Ok I'm done --thanks for listening.
...as always GO JACKETS!
