Out of the closet

Rope and General, I appreciate the information. I understand your positions, and any seemingly opposite position I might take is not an attempt to discredit anything you might reveal to us or anything you might say.

I realize you have been in the midst of the action and are aware of most of things that happen at Tech.

Both of you have stated on the board you worked directly with O'Leary, and I am sure you liked him and respected him. I am also aware, to a point, most of your posts will be biased toward him as a matter of the natural order of things.

I see some of the posters taking your comments in an attempt to link them with Gailey and to use them to help discredit Gailey as a coach. I do not see you correcting them when they try to use your answers to turn it into an anti-Gailey affair.

It appears your remarks are mostly toward the administration. I have even asked GW directly if Gailey was the problem and was given the assurance that he was more a victim of the problem.

So, there will be times when I might take an opposite position, because I am very much in opposition to an unfair lynch mob mentality by some on this board.

I will continue to defend Gailey's right to have a fair chance to use his abilities this year to produce a won-loss record with a new coordinator and to stamp this year as his chance without holdovers from the last regime.

From my point of view, it is the right thing to do. Not that I am enamored of the man, but I would want the same chance for any coach representing GT.

I will not be disrespectful of your knowledge of the system, because I have not been in the arena there, but I might see something that is a cause for concern to my viewpoint.

Thanks for all the inside information you are revealing to the board.

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welcome nate!!! your insight is very much appreciated and i know,you know whereof you speak!!! got any eligibility left???(we wish)
 
I personally do not know the man, whereas the others I do. I know he was told not to worry about academics. I can't believe that he would be out playing golf after this debacle while, Clough, Braine and crew met to discuss academics. One of my issues with Gailey is firing Father Mario. Catholic or not this guy is an institution. GOD is MAD!!!
 
Nate, ND56 and others: I am over it; it just seems that many others are not. You were players, evidently, but that just means that you were a step or two faster than many others. You are just one among thousands who have played for Tech, and hundreds who played for GOL. You are to be admired for your athletic prowess and abilities; your opinion is not to be distinguished as an athelete (thousands before and thousands afterwards) but you do have certain credential as per GOL. That is fine, and it is not in any manner to be discredited. I would never have been for his leaving, but he did and he is gone. Would I welcome him back? Most certainly: Anytime. And really wished that he had been phoned the minute N.D. pulled thier reversal. Please, I do not undermine his work here. He was an organizational genius. I wish he had loved us as much as we loved him. Still I do not "Blame" him for taking his life time dream job and am truly sorry for the pettiness that kept him from fulfilling that dream. He would have done wonders that have not transpired since Frank Leahy. That being said, all I ask for is a completely free, and honest chance for this guy: Gailey. Honestly, I do not think he has been accepted from day one by many. He was not my 1st or 2nd choice. 1st I like the guy from B.C. and think that Braine should not shoulder blame for
Gailey because Tom was his first choice, but refused by others. My second choice was the guy from Fridgen's staff. He would have been phenominal in my opinion, but there were those who had the dui hang-up. (Wonder if this will be used in recruting against UGAG now as much as those were so certain that it would be used agains us??). My third choice was Mac (really sorry he did not get a chance but he didn't....d..mn!) But when Gailey was chosen, I tried to make the best of it, and think that I have. I just cannot understand why others have not put the success of Georgia Tech Football above personal feelings???? Sure he lost games, but who is to say others would not have.And what is his record relative to the year before when we were truly "loaded" with an ideal schedule?? I just grew up playing with the hand I was dealt and that is it! I figure that is life. Until a person reaches true maturity they will never have that philosophy. Get over it? I am and have: I just wish everybody else would.
 
Since we seem to be airing all of our evidence hearsay and otherwise, let's try these own.

O'Leary did try to come back at a reduced rate.

No one has refuted it.

Gailey asked if he could keep the old staff, and this was quashed by braine.

No one refuted this either.

Both of these seem logical, and being a newbie on this board, I don't know if they have been discussed.

Gailey would never give you a straight answer since he made the quote when asked, "When did you accept the job?" Gailey, "Whenever Coach Braine said he offered"

In finding out if the other were true would be of no benefit, but food for thought.

"Discuss amongst yourselves!"
 
First Point, Nate, I am sorry, but no one tells me what to say or what not to say. GOL is gone.

Now, I know you played for him and you liked and respected him. That is great, and I have no problems with it.

I also liked some of the things he did and disliked others, "but so what?", I am sure that has been true of my assessment of all coaches at Tech. I used to get beside myself watching Dodd have the team kick on third down over and over.

Now, I could care less, at this present time, how O'Leary stayed with the academic problems and made sure it worked to provide the athletes with the right incentive. It has absolutely nothing to do with what is happening at Tech today.

Again, O'Leary is gone. When he left, the present administration changed the system and straddled a naive new coach with a system that is out of whack and needs some changes to bring it back into whack.

This is not Gailey's fault if the system was changed. He had to accept it to get the job here. The coach at Boston College turned down the offer because he already knew how it would affect the SAs.

To compare O'Leary's methods to Gailey's at this time is pure folly. For those who have tried to use the lynch mob mentality against Gailey, it is immoral and wrong.

The right thing to do is give Gailey this year with his own OCs, and the same advantage as O'Leary had. Let Gailey coach this year and let's see what the won-loss record will be.

It is useless to compare the discipline under O'Leary and Gailey. Both have their own methods and the only thing that will count in the end is wins and losses. It makes no difference which method of discipline is used. It makes plenty of difference as to the ability of the coach to produce wins.

For your comparison of the program being in shambles, O'Leary was 7-5 his last year with a top ten rated team that fell apart during the season. Gailey was 7-6 in his first year. So much for the shambles part. As for this year, no one at present knows how many games Tech will win or lose.

So, if you don't want me to say GOL is gone, then don't start bringing him up to compare him to todays situation. Now, if you want to attack the administration that has changed the landscape and made it harder for the athlete, be my guest.

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Hey General, Nate and Rope...please tell me what a no-alum,low dollar donor season ticket holder can to to help right the ship at Tech. Anything? Who should be written, called or e-mailed?

Price Memorial Gold
 
Truly great thread. Incredible information from the inside by some people who know. As far as Gailey goes techsamillion, speaking for myself, I don't think he has caught on because he has not treated this job as the most important in the world to him. He waited to start the job when he was hired in the middle of recruiting season. What some deemed a positive (loyalty to former employer) I deemed a negative in that he either had no clue on the college game or he thought that as an NFL coach, coming back to college was a way to grease the way to retirement. He has done nothing in my book to change my thinking and this latest fiasco, while certainly not even 10% his fault, shows he should have at least known what was going on. I have issues with O'Leary too (he mailed in his last season as soon as ND started calling) but George did understand how to run a program. Chan has not demonstrated that. I am not saying he can't learn, but a big detriment to this process is Dave Braine. Fire Braine and let's see what Gailey can do.
 
Wood, many would call me gullible, but I believe your every word.........as much as I would have made diffenent decisions based on what you have said:
But where does that leave us......we are at a place of catastrophic cataclysmic decisions: WhAT WILL BEST BENEFIT TECH, esp, TECH FOOTBALL????
Simple or complex, let's do that and forget what might have been, as much as it galls our bellies.
Hey, everybody!, it does not matter chan or non-chan; brain or non=braine, Clough or non Clough: Let's make the best of where we are and what we have NOW!!! Either that or go to the DAWGS!!!!!!!
 
GW - I think the staff decisions by Braine are known - I have never heard about GO trying to come back. All I remember in this realm was his agent hoisting a public trial balloon right after the ND thingy went down.

Any insight into that bit of mutton would be welcome!
 
Rope GW and Nate - thanks for your insight. I have said all along that SA is a different situation and that the school and coaches owed something to their players. Those things that Nate says GOL did in my opinion are NECESSARY, Anybody can sit back and say it is the kids responsibility and give Gailey another year.
 
"GOL isn't the issue. Neither Bill Curry nor Bobby Ross nor Bill Lewis had an academic disaster of this manitude, and "the system" that some are associating only with GOL was in place even before them. The issue is--What should be done to assist SA's from this point on to support them in earning their degrees? Afterall, coaches stand in the living rooms of parents and make all kinds of promises. At GT, the greatest selling point was, "We'll help your son/daughter succeed!"


Hey, thanks again, Rope great information and wisdom...........I say, let it all hang out.
There is so much subterfuge, facade, and blatant hypocrisy in colleg sports (esp. football and basketball) that the truth needs to be told. Again: Thank you for your courage!!!!!!
 
I am open to conversation, and am speaking from my perspective. That is why I felt it important to come out front and identify myself. I just don't see anyway to rebuild good will and trust without a housecleaning. If you see a way, I would like to see it. We need to bring someone in who knows what they are getting themselves into, and that things are probably worse than they seem. brain needs to step aside before more feces hits the fan. Believe me it is coming and it is not just from the academic side. I am man enough to admit when I am wrong. These people are truly taking responsibility for nothing. If it is all the students fault why has the academic staff doubled in size and the budget tripled from the Homer Rice days? These are some of the questions that need to be asked.
 
The thought about Braine offering the job to Gailey is a moot point I have covered on the board since the beginning.

Since Braine made it perfectly clear from the very time the search was begun, "no member of the present staff will be interviewed or given consideration for the head coaching job".

This sealed it at the very beginning. It was set in concrete and the committee and Braine went searching for a coach with head coaching experience.

I have heard Braine and the committee did deviate one time when an interview with Jimmy Robinson proved to be very fruitful. I also heard it was nixed because he did not have the head coaching experience.

Now there was no way in the world Mac could become the head coach at Tech. It was impossible.

He was a UGA player with no appreciable coaching diversity, there is a dorm named after his family at UGA, it was impossible to promote him above O'Brien or Roof, and it is rediculous to promote a person to head coach based on one game.

An interim coach for one game does not produce 1% of the duties expected of a head coach. Braine or any other AD in the world would have been laughed out of the business had they promoted Mac to head coach. Again, an impossibility.

Now, Tech was in the process of preparing for the bowl game and Mac kept pressing for an interview for the head coaching job, even though he was told from the beginning, "none of the present staff will be considered". He even allowed some of the football players to make intercession for him to Braine.

This was becoming devisive and a problem while the kids were getting ready for the bowl game. To keep the kids morale up and to keep Mac from blackmailing his way into the coaches chair by using the bowl game, Braine agreed to give him an interview.

It was merely to stave off the problems being created by Mac and some of the players in preparation for the game. Braine promised him he would not sign a head coach until after the bowl game. The promise was met even thought Braine and the committee already knew Gailey would be the one signed after the bowl.

Braine did not sign Gailey until after the bowl game.

The whole problem was Mac. He tried to force his way in as head coach when he knew from the beginning he could not get it. It was impossible from the very beginning.

I doubt seriously, Mac will ever get much higher than an offensive line coach in college. He does not have the credentials required for a head coaching job.

I am convinced to this day, the real dislike of Gailey by many on the board is a result of those who wanted Mac to get the job, and feel slighted because their egos were not catered to.

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Toting that flute around so long has skewed your logic. People on the inside, especially players, have opinions that carry more weight. So when you jump in on that de-emphasize football crowd, you are taking us one step closer to the Dogs. True fans would be wise to listen to what they're saying, look at the landscape in Division IA, and take steps to clean this mess up. It starts with Braine - simple enough.
 
Father Wasp, you are getting farther and farther away from reality. I have never played a reed type instrument, maybe a steel guitar at one time. So, I guess you are out in left field again with the flute thingy.

No, you are in right field, that is where we place the weakest players.

A person may be on the inside, and his statements are to be looked at and weighed, but opinions are equal. If someone plays football it makes him a player at his position and nothing else. It gives him no superiority over any other person. It does not make his opinions the Bible.

The only persons I see trying to demphasize the football crowds are those trying to run down the program and hang the football coach. I believe the statements by many of the mob is, "I will not buy anymore season tickets until Gailey is fired". Right on, true fan! Either I get my way or else.

I will listen to what anyone says, but I make up my own mind about the truth.

I will listen to those who have worked at Tech under O'Leary. I will consider carefully everything that is stated by them, but I also realize these same people either lost there jobs when O'leary left or quit those jobs when he left as stated by them on the board.

So, I take everything with a grain of salt. Truth has certain values to it. If you study the Bible, you can learn to discern the truth from the opposite of truth.

One value of truth is that you are fair and use moral guidelines in dealing with people and events.

To attempt to crucify someone without giving them the benefit of the doubt, without letting them have a fair opportunity to prove themselves, and to do it for spite is not part of the truth.

I will listen to all, put all the facts together, and the circumstances, and make my decisions based on the situation from the angle that apears to be the most truthful and non-biased. It has served me well over the years and has proven to be quite accurate.

At present, I see a huge morality issue in the attempt to fire Gailey without giving him this year to prove himself. These same people gave O'leary 2 1/3 years to prove himself and his record was worse in that time than Gailey's record is for the one year.

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This Gailey vs O'Leary stuff may be fun for some but it's pointless IMO. The real issue here is now we get our academic house in order in terms of providing the proper support to SAs. As was said somewhere in this thread, the program that Braine evidently dismantled started with Homer Rice not O'Leary. He did understand the importance and he did aggressively follow it but the structure was from the AA from what I can tell that was eliminated before Gailey got here.

What has to happen, and soon in my mind is a dramatic change in the program. It has to be public, since we're airing so much dirty laundry in public, and it has to be something that speaks to significant change. Otherwise it looks like we did nothing. And we can't just "fix" things quietly. Someone has to go. They can be reassigned but there has to be a major move that the papers can even understand.

Once that's done we can focus on the current players and put them back under the microscope and we will have something to tell parents of prospective SAs to convince them we're serious about their kids getting their education while they play for Tech.
 
Originally posted by techsamillion:
And then he (King O'Leary) left the peasants who struggled continually for success of Georgia Tech
Football Land. But the KIng was not long for his throne, for he had not been as honest with others as he had expected others to be honest with him.
And, alas, the kingdom for which he was born to inherit, disinherited him. And he fell, never to arise again to the gates of splendor (think I am wrong, then hide and watch) So, now, do we erect an intangible statue to the "GREat ONe" or do we go on and get about the business of being a great football program?? Some of you people are such weaklings that you pine after the one who has rejected you and mistakenly live for what might have been.
Shame!!! When I am rejected, then ANATHAMA to the rejector!!!
Bill Curry, George O'L. or anyone ele.It is then my job to topple his kingdom. To beat the stuffing out of him at every opportunity, whether directly or whether through some other team's shallacking. I have that much self esteem. To me ANYONE who does not consider Georgia TEch as the elite among the elite is despicable and "found wanting". I care not for anyone who is not of this pursuasion.
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<font size="2" face="Arial, Verdana, Sans-Serif">Tech: We ALL know Coach O'Leary left of his on volition ... that's not what this thread is communicating. If you have something in place that worked and it was put there by the previous coach ... WHY WOULD YOU CHANGE IT!! And, if you are the NEW Head Coach - why don't you get involved and ask. For a guy that had been away from college football for so long, and Troy State at that, I would have tons of questions to ask and would have put MY PROCEDURES IN PLACE. Hell they are HIS TEAM!! I would have even called the previous coach - they do stick together!

Chan Gailey has a roll here, or do you think he should not be responsible for the kids he coaches? I can't imagine having an employee under my direction (like a player) and not sitting down with them from time to time to know how they are doing, do they have any issues, can we help are you over your head?

From Pee Wee League up - your coach is everything to you! Even if the reigns of academia were taken away for that position, does that mean he felt it wasn't paramount for him to know and be on top of things? Just cause my boss says take the day off, it doesn't mean I can forget who I am and what I'm responsible for and who I serve and who makes out my check.

Heck, because of my responsibities as an HR Manager and I have no backup - if and when I go on vacation, I check my messages daily because in the position I have - my employees and management may need me! I can't drop the ball. I may not have to do anything but I can't drop the ball!!

If I'm a player at Tech and I can't be lead by my coach - there's something desparately wrong here! This coach dropped the ball by not taking his position and all that goes with it seriously. Your team is your family!

You can't be in those athletic offices and just let everything go over your head. Heck, did we hire a coach that can't do all these things, did Braine feel that way after he took the job ... if that's the case as to why academia was taken away, the problem is bigger then all of us.

Reponsiblity lies everywhere but I can't imagine taking this job and not asking how it works and then laying down how "you" as the leader want it to work - was he that damn passive - for $900k a year, if you work for me there better be more that you come to the table with!
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