Our excuse making AD

getwrecked wrote
You see Braine as being excuse-driven; I see him as realistic.
<font size="2" face="Arial, Verdana, Sans-Serif">I don't see many (if any) debating the facts of GT being tough academically, not being the state flag-ship univ, etc. The problem is with the perceived Braine-driven notion that these element excuse mediocre seasons and that, given these liabilities, a seven win season is enough to make GT fans happy. GT has and should succeed and strive for championships despite the given obstacles. If GT desires to compete on a "big-time" level, then these are surmountable obstacles--no questions, no excuses.
 
Lucky.. why dont you just schedule some time with Braine and go talk with him in person? If that is too difficult.. give him or one of the associate AD's a call.. .they will take the time to discuss it with you.

Seems to me that would get more done than going on an Internet message board and ranting about it...
 
jacketguy, Braine does not operate that way. He has built a wall between himself and anyone with a "concerned" view of GT Football. You can talk with one of Braine's associates, but Braine is not concerned with what you have to say....unless you plan on bringing large sums of money with you. Braine CAN be bought.
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BOO
 
JacketGuy, I am not ranting. I was merely reporting what I heard in an interview on our "flagship" station prior to a basketball game. I was sincerely perturbed by what I heard from our AD, and decided to convey my feelings here, with my wife, with my coworkers, with my long time Tech friends, and ex teammates.

I will consider your reccomendation that I speak with a senior person at the GTAA. However, I am sure he knows how I feel already..

When I was recruited by TECH, the curriculum was even narrower. Not by much, but it was. I had concerns about my success at TECH, and other schools did their best to assure me I would be miserable here.

However, I was assured by the right people that I could make it with effort and support from the tutors available to student athletes.

Personally, I am eternally grateful that the AD during my time at Ma. Tech was nothing but supportive and positive regarding my chances of academic success with some hard work.

I am a TECH Man thanks to those people in 1978 at the GTAA. I just hope that the kids we need to be recruiting today to win conference championships and to paste ugag 151-7 are being told they WILL make at TECH by today's regime.

If this is ranting, JacketGuy, I am one proud ranter !!
 
Lucky.. the same people who recruited you.. recruited me.. and I still say that you get more done by sitting down with those responsible and talking with them about it... I spent a half a day at the AA offices a week or so back.. it was time well spent..

I heard the same interview, and understand where you are coming from.. but unless we communicate directly with those responsible, then, in my opinion, we are accepting the "7 win" season.. which, by the way, I dont !! In my opinion, I dont care where we recruit, and I dont buy the academic crap.. if those are the standards, so be it.. there are 85 guys in the US who will meet the standard and play ball too... they (the staff) will just have to work harder to get them in here..
 
JG, agree with all in your second paragraph, especially. How did it go at GTAA?
Go Jackets!
 
GetWrecked, I paraphrased what DB said about the 7 wins.
Regarding the context of his statement, here is my recollection: Chris Dimino(sp) was asking him about the purpose of "The Letter". Braine responded by saying he wanted to get ALL Tech fans back on the bandwagon, or something to that effect.
When Dimino probed him on that, DB said, in my recollection, that 60 to 65% of the Tech community was disappointed but content. Dimino then pointed out that as much as 40% of Tech's fan base is not content with the state of the program.

The interview/conversation then turned to what would make the majority of the fan base happy.

Here is where Braine delivered his 7 wins a year statement. What ticked me off about what he said was that 7 wins would satisfy Tech fans. I do not recall getting a questionaire in the mail from him asking what would satisfy me.

I think Dimino does a very good job interviewing people. I do wish he had asked Braine in a follow up question " If 7 wins a year will satisfy the Tech fan base, which 4-5 opposing teams will the fan base be content losing to?"

I will call or email 790, and request a replay of the interview from last week.

As I have pointed out several times, these are not quotes from Braine or Dimino. This is my recollection of the interview.

If 790 does replay it, I will be shocked if the gist of my recollection is not dead solid perfect.
 
Originally posted by CrackerJacket:
I enjoyed the interview.

Braine was asked hard questions and made no excuses.

I believe he said that both he and the coaches knew
what the situation was here before they took the jobs
so they have no excuse.

Stop spinning an interview very few people heard in
order to push an anti-Braine or anti-Gailey agenda.
<font size="2" face="Arial, Verdana, Sans-Serif">I think it is time to stop making excuses for the idiotic and decietful comments our AD keeps making. Why didn't we hear anything like this from Braine when O'Leary was here and we were talking about expanding our stadium - the sky seemed the limit then. What has changed to make Braine so pessimistic - it couldn't be new academic requirements because he has repeatedly denied those.
 
Would love to hear that whole interview ...
If he did say Tech fans would be happy this year or any year with 7 wins, I disagree. We had 7 wins in 2002, was anybody happy?

That's lowering the bar and even if you think that's what will happen you don't say it. Even our HC said when asked at last year's recruiting get together, 'how many games do you think you can win', he said 13. He said always go in thinking and believing you are going to win each game, not here to coach losses!

I agree with other posters on this thread that if academics is the key, there are plenty of athletes throughout the country that would come here, make the grade and contribute to a winning football program on a consistent basis. I kept hearing that this coach could take us to the next level - well that has to be a BCS Bowl and a national championship - he's got to believe that as well and must have gotten that kind of feedback from the AD.

I would never put limitations on what we are capable of doing, especially since we've already done them in the past and those of us who were around to see it - expect it!
 
MsTechAnalysis, i agree with your comments. I could see thinking that 7 wins in a bad year, while not okay, is alright as a low point. Or that looking at the situation in a given year that 7 wins would be an okay year. But I also don't think you say that stuff in public if you are the AD. I didn't hear the interview and have heard enough stuff twisted on message boards that I tend to discount most stuff. But whatever was actually said or meant I would hope Braine really doesn't believe all we want is 7 wins a year. I'm sure Gailey isn't willing to settle for that.
 
This morning I emailed Chris Dimino, asking him to re-air the interview for the TECH fans who missed it. (I wanted to hear it again as well)

I did though, ask him to wait until after Wednesday. We'll see.
 
This post is complete freaking GARBAGE!!!

He's upgrading ALL of our facilities BIG TIME. What other AD has ever made THAT kind of commitment to Tech??? Homer Rice sure didn;t, he let them go to pot!!!

you people asking for Braine's head are numbskulls. The guy has come in here and did something I NEVER thought I'd see, He's renovating BDS1!!! Also, he's upgraded all the football facilities, the baseball facilities, he's used the facilities from the Olympics to our advantage. Actions speak VOLUMES over words and his actions show that he is very committed to Tech's success and it's apparent with anyone who isn't just damn blind. For a guy who is in charge of dishing out the money for various resources, that sounds like someone very HIGH on the potential of Ga Tech's success. It certainly doesn't sound like someone who is making excuses. He's putting us in the best position to be successful.

You Braine bashers really just don't have a clue. I can agree on some of the stuff that he's done over the last 6 months that seem questionable. The letter was a dumb move in my opinion. The comments on recruiting the State of GA were dumb too. But they don't come close to outweighing the good this man has done for GA Tech. Way more than any of you numbnuts have done.
 
barrel,
I just scanned through all of the above posts and saw no one calling for Braine's head. I would say that most here recognize Braine's contributions to Tech and some of the very smart moves he made. I think hiring Hewitt was the best move he could have made for the basketball program. I still believe that CCG is a good hire.

I believe that most of the discontent is stemming from, as you mentioned, the past six months during which some of his decisions and actions have been puzzling. Reactions to his letter have been varied.

The main point of contention in this thread is with Braine seemingly stating that Tech fans will be happy with seven win seasons as a result of the high academic standards.

Personally, I see no reason to release Braine.
But that's just one numbskulls/numbnuts
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opinion
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Sorry for taking your post out of context Spellingbee. I just think Braine has done tons of incredible things for Tech and has had a few questionable moves. Most of the negative has happened over the last 6 months. I just wish people would give him more credit and I thought your post wasn't giving him much credit.

Guys like BobbyDoddsGhost would rather sit around, bitch and moan about anything negative anyone has ever done. He's down on Tech and can't see any positive from anything. my guess is he hated Tech while he was there and enjoys taking any pot shots at the school when he can. He probably failed out, went to UGA and now has a complex. the fact that he said Braine can "be bought" is ridiculous. A gut like that needs his arse kicked up and down the block a few times. Ghost, I'll be happy to give you my seat numbers next year too so you can look me up.

Braine has done a lot of things that I just can't see any other AD getting accomplished, especially Homer Rice. Braine was and still is a great hire for GATech. I would agree though that he needs to sit an evaluate his comments over the last year and try and improve upon his PR tactics with the alumni of this school.
 
Originally posted by BarrelORum:
Sorry for taking your post out of context Spellingbee. I just think Braine has done tons of incredible things for Tech and has had a few questionable moves. Most of the negative has happened over the last 6 months. I just wish people would give him more credit and I thought your post wasn't giving him much credit.

Guys like BobbyDoddsGhost would rather sit around, bitch and moan about anything negative anyone has ever done. He's down on Tech and can't see any positive from anything. my guess is he hated Tech while he was there and enjoys taking any pot shots at the school when he can. He probably failed out, went to UGA and now has a complex. the fact that he said Braine can "be bought" is ridiculous. A gut like that needs his arse kicked up and down the block a few times. Ghost, I'll be happy to give you my seat numbers next year too so you can look me up.

Braine has done a lot of things that I just can't see any other AD getting accomplished, especially Homer Rice. Braine was and still is a great hire for GATech. I would agree though that he needs to sit an evaluate his comments over the last year and try and improve upon his PR tactics with the alumni of this school.
<font size="2" face="Arial, Verdana, Sans-Serif">Ms. Braine/aka BOR:

I feel you pain.

But all Dave and company needs to do is bring in a good season next year and support will be 100%; win all the games we are supposed to win and upset or at least make it close on a few others and you will be amazed at the support Tech fans will give the AD and his staff.

Yes, BOR and others, there is a high correlation between program success and fan support.
 
bor,
I'm with you on Coach Braine.

You seem to be a bit down on Homer Rice though. Why is that? Obviously the worst move he made was hiring B*** L****, but he has done much for GT athletics as well.

-Total Person Program which is nationally recognized and copied.
-Wardlaw Center which houses, amongst other things, the Homer Rice Center for Sports Performance which incorporates the TPP.
-Bill Moore Student Success Center
-Back to natural grass in '95
-The National Association of College Director of Athletics named their AD of the year after him.
-17 ACC coaches of the year.
-17 years at Tech.

He, IMO, really set the table for success. He defined what being a student/athlete is all about and provided the avenues and opportunities for success. And we did have a football NC and a Final Four appearance with him at the helm as well as a NWIT championship.

I believe it was time for him to go and focus on taking advantage of all the programs and facilities in place to produce winning teams and fine GT men and women.

Braine has the ability to take us forward, and has done a great job with the things you have mentioned except for--as we all have voiced puzzlement--the past few months.

Bottom line, we see eye to eye on Brains, but give Homer Rice his due also.

Sincerely,
numbnut
 
My problem with Homer Rice was that if it wasn't for the insistence by his coaches like Cremins and Ross, are facilities would have been more of a joke than they were. Our facilities were a complete nightmare when he took over. It took 10 years just to get something somewhat respectable. This was ridiculous in my opinion.

Home Rice did a lot of things, but our facilities I cannot give him much credit for.

The natural grass thing was a move he made because of two things. 1.) Pressure by alumni and 2.) At that time the reports on astro turf and injuries were making the news big time. It would have hurt us badly if he didn't change to grass.
 
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