I go to Kennesaw. My girlfriend is a Tech student and I completely fell in love with the campus and the Jackets in 2007. Before that, I was a Clemson "fan" (I never went to the games, my family is just from SC and my aunt went there) hence the "cu" in my name. After going to just ONE GT football game I was hooked and got rid of everything orange in my closet/room. Don't get me wrong, I've still got some love for the tigers, but they can't even come close to how I feel about the Jackets.
I defy you to find someone who loves the Institute more than I do (besides The Jacket ;)). I sat in classes with my girlfriend there to kill time on Fridays when I didn't have class at KSU. On the weekends I hung out with old high school friends there and went to parties. I helped my girlfriend's sorority and friends' fraternities prepare for homecoming and Greek Week activities. Hell, I even ran in the cake race my freshman year of college even though I couldn't win it! I bought season tickets this year but sit in the south stands with a block of some of the most die-hard students at Tech. And for crying out loud, I spend most of my free time debating and discussing all things GT on StingTalk.
So no, you don't have to go to Tech or have gone to Tech to be a fan. Fan is short for "fanatic", and as long as you love Tech and support the Jackets, you're a fan whether you went there or not.
That's completely idiotic of that UGA guy to say. Technically, he didn't go to Georgia so therefore he is not a fan by his own rules.
To Hell with Georgia, and I'm a Ramblin' Wreck from Georgia Tech and you are too.