I went to the doctor this week to check out my excitement levels, the test came back "palpable with a slight case of over confidence." The Flyers win over Creighton was to be expected, as the Bluejays came into UD Arena seven point underdogs and missing some of their key cogs. The victory over Creighton gives the Flyers a bit of a psychological boost going into Puerto Rico. Whereas Georgia Tech opened up with a cupcake in Florida A&M, Dayton put it on the line against a formidable opponent. That is not to judge Tech, as UD certainly has its fair share of tomato cans on the horizon. We can make some judgements about Dayton's performance given the quality of opponent. I'm not sure the same can be said of Georgia Tech's 41 point dismantling of FAMU.

Don't fret. John Bird, Winfield Featherston and Dane Kalejta, writers for From the Rumble Seat, are here to provide some clarity. Among the discussion topics: how pro athlete copulation will benefit the Georgia Tech basketball program, Paul Hewitt's tenuous hold on his job,  whether or not anyone outside of Montgomery Country knows about the U. of D., and Georgia Tech's infamous Management major. Prepare to be impressed.

TB: Paul Hewitt’s tenure in Atlanta has been erratic to say the least. Since reaching the championship game in 2004, Tech has struggled to recapture a consistent level of success. The Jackets have only reached the tournament once in the past four years. It seems that Hewitt has been on the hot seat for a few years now. Given the fact that Tech will likely lose Derrick Favors and Gani Lawal at the end of this year (who knows what Shumpert’s immediate future holds), is it safe to say that Hewitt must show significant improvement this year to retain his job?

My seat be smokin'FTRS: We conducted a poll earlier in the football offseason about Hewitt.  There was a limited response but most Tech fans feel that if Hewitt doesn't do something miraculous in the tourney this year with the talent he's got returning, then he's not returning.  NBA attrition aside, Hewitt has been given second, third, and fourth chances and he's just not done much with the great recruits he's pulled in.  I think it's generally frustrating for Tech fans in that we've lived the nightmare that is the 1 year rule.  Our program reaches a turning point and collapses with the signing of a multi-million dollar contract.  This is the make or break year.

TB: Some observers were surprised to see Tech, coming off a 2-14 record in the ACC, picked fourth in the conference and come in ranked #20/#22 in the nation. Obviously, the media and coaches think that the Big Three of Lawal, Shumpert and Favors will spearhead a formidable attack for the Jackets this season. However, the fans perspective is often less optimistic. What are the expectations of the Tech fan base for this season?

FTRS: It's hard to gauge right now simply because so much of our fan base is still focused on football. It's hard to believe basketball season has started already. The fan base is about 50/50. Bird is one of those who thinks this season will produce something special and let Paul Hewitt (his hero) stay in Atlanta for a few more years. Winfield is on the other side of the fence. He is tired of the roller coaster ride that is Georgia Tech basketball and believes that Hewitt MUST do something to protect his job. There is less room to hide from the mediocrity grumblings now that football is winning again.

TB:  Dayton fans are foaming at the mouth (goddamn squirrel pie) to get some insight on Derrick Favors. From afar, he clearly comes with the reputation as a game changer. What is his role on this team and what do you expect from him this early in the season?

FTRS: Simply put: Favors is expected to make a difference. In our only other game of the season, Derrick started, played the 2nd-most minutes (24), and scored 10 points with 8 rebounds. He will start and play alongside Gani Lawal. If Tech was to ever have a Carmelo Anthony-type player for one year, it's Derrick Favors. Expectations are running wild in Atlanta.

TB: Gani Lawal is maybe the most unheralded player in the nation. The man eats double-doubles for breakfast. After flirting with the NBA Draft, Lawal returns for his junior season. For those of us not familiar with Gani’s game, give us a brief overview of his skills.

FTRS: Gani isn't necessarily an explosive big man as much as he's a hard worker (hence all the boards he collects).  He plays hard every single possession and works for rebounds.  Over his three years at Tech, he has improved dramatically in all facets of the game. He is probably the most appreciated player on Tech's squad just because of his decision not to leave for last year's Draft.  In short Gani collects double doubles, blocks shots, and grabs offensive boards like its nobody's business.  His strong presence alongside the raw talent of Derrick Favors will be tough for most of our ACC opponents to cope with.  Good luck.

TB:  Iman Shumpert is a nightmare to matchup with at the two guard, Lawal is almost impossible to shut down, throw in Favors and Tech has a three-headed monster that can rival just about anyone in the nation. How does Hewitt balance this year’s attack to get the most out of this team?

FTRS: Honestly, this is the most talented group of big men we've had since Chris Bosh and Ed Nelson.  It'll be interesting to see how Hewitt coaches this team because typically we live and die in transition with big, strong guards and wings.  Tech fans are looking for Shumpert to have a great season just because no one can key on our guards when they've got to worry about two legitimate threats to score down low.  Concerning guard play, D'Andre Bell will also be a key figure in this game.  He returns from a spinal injury and he is the emotional leader of this year's squad.

TB: Atlanta is home to so many current and former pro athletes in the offseason that their seeds were bound to be spread around the city at some point. Georgia Tech is taking advantage of this phenomenon as freshman Glen Rice, Jr. joins the squad this season. (I was shocked to learn that Brian Oliver was not the son of the former Tech great of the same name.) Talk a little bit about the incoming class. Who can we expect to play a major role early Thursday morning?

And you will know him by the trail of deadFTRS: Derrick Favors is definitely the cream of the crop.  He'll be the most noticeable freshman on the court and will probably receive the most minutes as he'll mostly be splitting time with Gani.  Mfon Udofia and Glen Rice will see some PT but Hewitt has shown a-likin' to Udofia.  Udofia started at point against FAMU and may start against Dayton.  This early in the season we're gonna see what we call "Hotel Hewitt."  Lots of guys in and out.  Hewitt's micro-managing style is at its peak during the pre-ACC season.  I think a lot of the PT will be dependent on how confident Hewitt feels about Moe Miller.  It appears Hewitt hasn't really caught the Moe Miller fever and is platooning the point guard position for the first few games.

TB:  Although Tech is primarily known for its Engineering program, its Management major has received some notoriety for a curriculum that is very “athlete friendly.”  What is your take on GT’s management major? Is it easy as publicized? Are regular students allowed to enroll in these courses?

FTRS: Management's curriculum isn't necessarily on the level of the engineering coursework recently featured in the NY Times but the College of Management offers pretty legitimate degrees compared to the average Basketball Factory-type school.  This ain't basket-weaving major.  How many schools do you know that require players to take coursework involving even one Calculus let alone two?  The Institute doesn't hide anyone from the rigors of Georgia Tech academics, athlete or not.  We expect everyone to attain a world class education.  Management has a lot of athletes but it is mostly populated by Georgia Tech students seeking accounting degrees, management training, or pre-reqs for graduate work. In summary, the only people who can joke about the management majors are the engineering majors on campus.

TB: Be honest, you know nothing about Dayton. Without referring to the interwebs, what can you tell me about the Flyers off the top of your head?

FTRS: Oh surprise surprise! Winfield lived in the Dayton area during Oliver Purnell's tenure. So there is some knowledge but it's dated, Winfield, what do you got? Oliver Purnell had the opportunity to leave and coach for Virginia Tech but chose not too. He now coaches in Clemson and has put that program on the map. In the late 1990's, Dayton played Purdue out west in the NCAA Tournament and lost in the 1st round. You play in the Atlantic-10 conference and y'all hate Xavier. Also, your football program isn't very good but you play in the Pioneer League. That's about all I got/remember!

TB: Prediction time. Vegas figures to make Tech a slight favorite going into Thursday’s contest. What’s your take? Give me the winner, margin of victory and player o’ the game.

FTRS: Well, Hewitt is 10-4 all time in early season tournaments.  He seems to love the tournament style play because he's usually got good depth, if anything.  GT is dangerous in the early season. We have so much turnover season-to-season through NBA defections and academic casualties that it is incredibly difficult for Hewitt to develop team chemistry.  On the other hand, it's very tough to game plan for GT because there literally is no college film on our starting lineup early in the season.

We at From The Rumble Seat predict a close GT win because of our returning talent.  Expect GT to give up a big lead to start the game and eventually whittle down the Flyers.  GT wins ugly one in early morning contest: GT 85, UD 79.  MVP: Gani Lawal with a double double, of course.