Is Tech Going The Way of Vanderbilt?

F

Father WASP

Flats Noob
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I kid you not. This morning's news reports have the Vanderbilt President declaring war on athletics. His words, not mine.

This just goes to show if you let any pipe smoking, liberal moron with a crusade run amok what can happen to an institution.

Where do you think Clough hangs his hat. My guess he's right at home with this limp wrist from Nashville, and smirks right along with the Triangle crowd - UNC, State and Duke - when tossing anti-football strategies over their wine and brie.

But, at least at Vandy they officially shut down the athletic department, here, we have Braine who has done much of the same unofficially through incompetence.

Solution? Fire Braine now and send notice to Clough that it is not his money, his seats, or even his football program. He is a public official and has been hired as a steward. He is a servant of the people. As such they could lose that arrogant attitude for starters.
 
Originally posted by Father WASP:
they could lose that arrogant attitude for starters.
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<font size="2" face="Arial, Verdana, Sans-Serif">Gee, anybody else around here got an attitude?
 
What these people need to know is they are hired help nothing more nothing less and there are people out there waiting to fill thier shoes the minute they leave.
 
OF, I kinda beelieve they have
the "Napoleon Complex."

Or maybe they think the title
of Prez. gives them the authority
to rule the world.
 
You know, I disagree with some of the changes we made that Clough has to have been instrumental in. But to equate him with Vandy's pres doesn't make any sense to me. I mean would the Vandy pres been a staunch supporter of expansion? Would he have championed adding VT to save expansion when the UNC/Duke crowd had all but derailed it? I'm not a big supporter of Clough FW, but just because he's done some stupid things doesn't mean he's that stupid.
 
I guess I gotta go against the grain. Call me a "pipe smoking, liberal moron" but I actually admire what Vanderbilt is trying to do. The hypocracy of todays college athletic culture is undeniable.

Of course in the short run, practically speaking, its like walking into a gun fight with a knife. Unless everyone disarms (and I don't think Tennessee or Texas or Michagan will soon) you need to keep up the arms race or fall back to Division II.
 
Let me add that I don't think GT is going the way of Vandy. But if GT's leadership decided to choose academics over athletics then I would support that.

Personally I think GT does need to choose for the long term future: 1) Go the way of Vandy (or even further) or 2) Merge with GSU, become a huge state university with a broad curriculum and kick the hell out of the UGA's and FSU's in everything (athletics and academics). Otherwise we will always struggle to keep our head above water - with stuff like flunkgate, Joe Burns, ETC. Especially with the Virginia Polytechnic and State University (that is Virginia "Tech") and Miami comming into ACC next year.
 
Interesting tidbit. Vandy is a private school so that wouldn't apply to them.
 
I wouldn't lump NC State's attitude towards football in with that of UNC and Duke. Their chancellor is squarely behind Amato.
 
I don't think Clough flies all over the country trying to raid teams for other conferences if we are going the way of Vandy. I'm not even sure if this move by Vandy means anything, it looks more symbolic to me than anything else. I do think Clough has some serious challenges ahead with the new NCAA req's on eligibility. It seems our response now is to raise admission standards which may push us in the direction of Vandy in terms of success. I hope Clough has a plan.
 
His support of expansion was good. However, his backing of Braine and refusal to accept his resignation speak volumes.

In the corporate world whenever you get someone who is an incompetent or has a knack for alienating a large percentage of the people he comes in contact with - don't blame him, blame his boss. It's so convenient to have a hatchet man out front. It is no different on a college staff.

We don't need to get into a chronological list of the incidents that have occurred on Braine's watch, but at this point Clough has made it clear he is in the boat with him.
 
Originally posted by goldmember:
I'm not even sure if this move by Vandy means anything, it looks more symbolic to me than anything else.
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<font size="2" face="Arial, Verdana, Sans-Serif">Think you're probably right. The general consensus is that this is Vandy's way of canning their AD and making a bunch of vainglorious statements at the same time.

-related articles in the Tennessean-
 
FW, most probably agree to some extent on your feeling about Braine and Clough. But to equate what they've done with Vandy doesn't make any sense. Like I said before, they may be dumb but in a different way.
 
The Tech-UGA rivalry could start to look like Tennessee-Vanderbilt if Clough doesn't change his ways. He has to stop worshipping at the altar of SAT scores and graduation rates. UGA puts players in sheltered classes in majors like sports studies and child care devevelopment so they will graduate although they will have a useless degree that doesn't qualify them for any real job. The 950 rule has turned out to be a joke. We have a player in Daryl Smith who is academic all-ACC with an 850 SAT score. We had a player flunk out who reportedly had over 1100 on his SAT. Gailey's first recruiting class is almost non-existent due to the academic casualities. It's a sad commentary when we reject a kid who lives 3 miles from Tech because of his SAT score. If you look at how thin we are some positions, it's scary. We are effectively on self-imposed probation and that will catch up with us in the coming years if things don't change.
 
The Tech-UGA rivalry could start to look like Tennessee-Vanderbilt if Clough doesn't change his ways. He has to stop worshipping at the altar of SAT scores and graduation rates. UGA puts players in sheltered classes in majors like sports studies and child care devevelopment so they will graduate
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<font size="2" face="Arial, Verdana, Sans-Serif">Why would you want to emulate this? Georgia Tech is special BECAUSE of its academic rigors.

The 950 rule has turned out to be a joke.
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<font size="2" face="Arial, Verdana, Sans-Serif">There is no "950 rule". Gailey and Braine have both said so. It's a guideline to go by that triggers a harder look at a student's other qualifications.

It's a sad commentary when we reject a kid who lives 3 miles from Tech because of his SAT score.
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<font size="2" face="Arial, Verdana, Sans-Serif">So the main qualification is that they live close to Tech and play football? The sad fact of the matter is 90% of Georgia athletes that can qualify to attend Tech DO NOT WANT TO COME TO TECH!

We are effectively on self-imposed probation and that will catch up with us in the coming years if things don't change.
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<font size="2" face="Arial, Verdana, Sans-Serif">Yes, we are, and the situation has been addressed and changed.

Sounds to me as though you feel that Tech merely exists to field a football team for your entertainment. That the needs of the 98% of the other students and the professions that Tech's graduates fill are an insignificant factor when compared with football.

Tech has been, is, and will be in the future competitive in all fields of collegate sports. If you expect more than that, then place your allegance with one of the football factories. Like Auburn.
 
It is not Clough's job to play Arthur Blank. He's got a prestigious national school to run. Football is EXTREMELY important to me, but let's not take it out of the bigger context.

Kirbee, of the three options you mention, I'd have to go with #3 - "struggling" as we are. Gailey's gonna do it and we're gonna be in the upper third of the ACC consistently. Hewitt's got it going, and we sure can't complain about baseball, golf or our other sports.

The worst option would be destroying the school's unique character and national reputation by merging with GSU. That would be Armageddon, the complete and utter destruction of Georgia Tech. I'm sure many of us would be looking for another school to adopt and support.

I'd much rather the "Vandy option" as second choice. Maybe not on fall Saturdays, but every other day of the year GT is much better being thought of with the Vandy's, Rice's, Northwestern's etc. than with the FSU's or the SECesspool schools.
 
Bee4 I respectfully represent the other contingent.

Given the two extremes I'd rather have somebody like Adams than someone who wants to kill football and turn us into an intramural playing Emory or Oglethorpe.

This is not that complicated. A competent administration with integrity and personality can keep Tech's academic reputation intact as well as a high tier athletically. But it does take some hard work.

But, given the two extremes, I'd vote for the GSU merger. Some of those majors would get quite competitive to what Georgia, Miss State and Auburn throw out on a recruits table.

Woe for the days when BDS becomes the site of the fraternity championship or the PE site for volleyball.
 
No offense but this post is ridiculous.

Georgia Tech is HIGHLY COMPETITIVE in one of the most rigorous academic and athletic Division 1-A conferences in the land, INCLUDING football (unlike a Duke or Vandy). Comparing the athletics and support of athletics at Tech to a Vanderbilt, or the self-serving and elitist actions recently taken by Chancellor Gee is illogical at best. When is the last time Vandy baseball or Golf was #1 in the land? When is the last timne Vandy broke the Top 25? When is the last time Vandy went to a bowl or beat a strong SEC rival?

Tech has proven time and time again that it is as strong an institution as any in regards to athletics, yet the inferiority complex that was so ingrained in the 80s STILL rears its head in posts such as this.

Tech does not need nor has it ever needed GSU to further itself. GSU wishes it had the resources Tech has...why would we give them away?

Tech stands alone and looks good doing so.
 
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