BG's Press Conference at Georgia Tech

UD Students Say Farewell to Brian Gregory

Quick Update

Mark Bradley of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution provides a quick update on the Georgia Tech coaching search: 

We’ve been saying for a while that Georgia Tech would have to focus on a mid-major coach due to money, or the lack thereof. Trouble is, this looks more and more like the wrong time to be hiring a mid-major coach. Because Chris Mooney just re-upped at Richmond. Because Cuonzo Martin just made the leap from Missouri State to Tennessee. And this leaves the Jackets … where?

Maybe with Gregg Marshall of Wichita State, whose Shockers are still playing in the NIT. Maybe with Brian Gregory of Dayton, although the reaction Friday night to a series of Tweets indicating Tech had already offered Gregory the job was so negative that it had to give pause. Maybe even with Doug Wojcik of Tulsa, although I can’t believe he’d be received any more positively than Gregory would.

And what of Shaka Smart? The VCU wonder — no coach in NCAA history has ever had to win five times just to reach the Final Four — has at least one more game on his calendar, and waiting to interview Smart would not only put Tech far behind its April 1 target date but would also leave the school opened to being turned down at a very late date.

The loose consensus — on the outside, not the inside — was that Tech had been waiting on Mooney. He apparently interviewed Sunday and then went home and said, “More money to stay in place? I’ll take it.” That he’s no longer available and that Martin, whom I’ve trumpeted for six weeks, is moving to Knoxville limits the Jackets’ options but doesn’t mean they still can’t find the right coach.

Last week I thought it would be Mooney or Marshall, in that order. Now I think it will be Marshall. But I’m also thinking the candidacy of Craig Neal — the former Jacket who’s a New Mexico assists — is growing longer legs with every day.

I am honestly starting to feel sorry for Georgia Tech...

Prayers Unanswered?

The angel is a dreamkillerBy now all of our imaginations have run wild and are completely out of breath. Would someone be as kind as to take Brian Gregory off our hands for us? It just blows my mind that someone with such a mediocre track record is currently in the mix at an ACC school. We, being the blindly patriotic sycophants that we are, always reinforce what a great country America is, and no one epitomizes that mantra quite like Brian Gregory.

If Coach Gregory was the CEO of a major corporation he would have been asked for his keycard right after the clock struck triple zeros in Charleston. However, in the collegiate athletic ranks, they ferret out the mediocre and promote them. Consider for a moment that Pat Knight, a plonker who didn't fall too far from the plonker tree, was employed (rather handsomely) as a head coach for three and a half years. Our man Brian Gregory has gone from carrying water for Tom Izzo to being interviewed at multiple BCS programs with just barely a sliver of justifiable accomplishments on his resume.

Sure, you may point to America's escalating unemployment as a troublesome trend. But I defy you to tell me this great land, the home of the Realdoll, isn't in great shape when a man like Brian Gregory is able to making close to a million fucking dollars a year and finish ninth in the Atlantic Ten conference.

Can you just imagine what an interview with Brian Gregory must be like?

"Yes, we...uh..finished 7-9 in the Atlantic Ten. It's a very, very competitive league. A fine league. What's that? Yes, 7 and uh...(coughs) excuse me, 9. However, I'd be remiss if I didn't point out that our body of work was thought of highly enough to be invited back to the NIT, college basketball's longest running post-season tournament. How did we do? Well...um, we played against Coach Cremins -- the man this great institution has named its' home floor after. Bobby was a great guy, we talked about Atlanta actually, said it was a great place to raise a family. Pardon? Well we were -- does anyone hear a doorbell? No? Where was I? Oh yes, thank you, the NIT game against Bobby Cremins. Yes, well uh...we were...beaten by the College of Charleston. Oh, you caught that on TV? That's...that's great. No, I wouldn't necessarily characterize the game as a sound walloping, I believe we were within...a few buckets or so...sometime in the first half.

Gentlemen, if I could just quickly focus your attention on my recruiting acumen, I think you'll find that is the area where I really shine, the aspect of this job that will really set me apart from the other candidates. Why just this past fall, I brought in the most highly decorated recruiting class in Dayton's modern history -- you've read what, now? Oh. Wow, you've guys have really done your homework, huh? I'm really impressed! Ok, full disclosure -- the two most promising recruits left almost immediately after the season was done and wanted absolutely nothing to do with me or the UD program. So...when do I get my millions? I was told there would be millions of dollars. For me."

So, where do we stand? Well, everyone and their mother was reporting that Gregory had been offered by Georgia Tech and was leaning heavily towards signing on to coach the Yellow Jackets next season.

While the rest of us dusted off our rosaries and began our novenas, the situation quickly shifted after Chris Mooney, the golden boy of the Atlantic Ten, lost in the Sweet Sixteen to the monolithic Jayhawks of Kansas. Mooney, with his tall frame and Ivy League education, offers an almost ludicrously jarring alterative to Brian Gregory. Gregory, the undersized Naval Academy dropout, is coming off his most trying year as a coach, while Mooney just led his university to its second consecutive NCAA tournament appearance.

How these men are interviewing for the same job defies all logical explanation. It would be akin to Gary Oldman and Gary Berghof auditioning for the same role. If Brian Gregory had a sense of humor, he would refuse all interviews and paraphrase the late Groucho Marx in his reply: "I would never get involved with any basketball program that would have me as its head coach."

All absurdities aside, the timing just doesn't make any sense. If Gregory was in fact offered the job on Friday afternoon -- why would Tech supposedly interview Chris Mooney the next day? One possible explanation was that Gregory is the fallback in the off chance that Mooney isn't satisfied with the compensation Tech is offering. Georgia Tech signed Paul Hewitt to a Gregorian extension and must now swallow $7.2 million to satisfy the buyout agreement between the ex-coach at the school. In addition, Tech is completely renovating its on-campus Coliseum over the next year, an undertaking which will run somewhere between $45-50 million bucks. 

With those financial burdens a major consideration, common wisdom dictates that Tech cannot afford to break the bank in its coaching search. Or can they? Check this odd email I received from Atlanta yesterday:

I am connected to GT bball...also very close to the Mooney family- I have deep ties to the Richmond program from my family, my uncle is a longtime head coach there and was on the committee that brought Chris to UR, is very close friends with him.

He's been GT's #1 the whole time, talked with the AD today and wants the job...they have been talking for a year now when Hewitt was flirting with St Johns.

As for the money thing, that 1.5 number being tossed around isn't accurate...we can offer what we want.

As always -- could be something, could be nothing. Regardless, it echoes the unfortunately growing likelihood that Chris Mooney will be named the head coach at Georgia Tech sometime next week. The hope, what little remains, for Flyer fans is that Mooney either scoffs at the money Tech is offering (in a hopefully overtly Princetonian manner -- a readjusting of his ascot while hissing "Good day, sirs!" in a cantankerous tone) or is merely using his interview in Atlanta as a bargaining chip in some other compensatory pursuit, namely the Missouri, NC State or Tennessee HC positions. Mooney's name has been attached to each program's short-list, how realistic those overtures actually are remains to be seen. (There is also the possibility that the lil' General could come up in the Marquette search if Buzz Williams takes the Oklahoma job. So let's not get emotionally wound up until all options are off the table.)

A 7-9 conference record, a first-round exit in the NIT and losing the two most promising recruits from the freshmen class have defined this season. Now, we must sit idly and hope that enough people turn down perfectly good job opportunities  in order to ensure that our basketball program completely implodes and permits the necessary rebuilding to begin. Brian Gregory is completely on the hook, we just have to hope that someone is desperate enough to reel him in.

The Inside Man

There were percolations that Brian Gregory would be in the mix at Georgia Tech since the job opened up. However, the first concrete instance that BG was seriously in discussions with the Jacket brass came in a random tweet to yours truly around noon today.

Twitter handle @detroitflyerone tweeted this somewhat vague message yet would not reveal the school offering our hopefully former leader a contract. I immediately tried to verify the news through my sources, but they were busy clothing the homeless and donating blood to kids with deformities. 

I'm not going to get into @detroitflyerone's identity, but I can say that he is a rather big swingin' dick in the Detroit media scene. So, let's just take a step back and give credit where credit is due. I also want to thank him for coming to the B.R. with this information, that's a great endorsement for our site.

BG to GT?

SPORTSbyBROOKS is reporting Brian Gregory to Georgia Tech:

Subsequent to that post, I’ve learned from a Georgia Tech athletic department source that the school has offered the job to another coach.

I was told today that Dayton coach Brian Gregory has been extended an offer by Georgia Tech but has not yet decided if he will take the job. Also, Wojcik would remain a candidate if Gregory passes.

As I’ve noted on Twitter, the Georgia Tech coaching search has featured noticeably lower profile names than many expected because the school has only allocated around $1.5 million in payroll for the entire coaching staff.

Gregory has been a candidate for innumerable high profile jobs in the past. (His coaching mentor, Michigan State’s Tom Izzo, is known for pushing hard for his assistants to get head coaching jobs.)

In recent years, Gregory has been linked to head coaching jobs at Iowa, DePaul, Alabama, Georgia, Marquette, Rutgers, Boston College and others(!).

Largely thanks to that interest from other schools, Gregory is now under contract to Dayton through the 2017-18 season.

Does the thought of Gregory recruiting and coaching in the ACC bring a smile to anyone else's face?

Live: Dayton v. Georgia Tech

Recon: North Avenue Trade School

Greetings, I hope this missive finds you well. By the time you read this, I will be on a plane headed to San Juan with no intentions of ever returning to the mainland. I figure it's about time I break free from this workaday world and put my undergraduate degree in bartending to good use. However, before I continue my life's journey, there is Flyer basketball afoot.

Is there any need to remind you that we are on the cusp of what could be a defining journey for your Flyers? I didn't think so. My mom used to sneak in hallucinogenic mushrooms into my spaghetti sauce when I was a child, so I find it is easier on my constitution if I look at things from a simple point of view. The most straightforward manner in which to consider anything in life is by utilizing the "Rule of Three." For instance, you are born (one), you live (two), and you die (three). Think about your day. You wake up (one), you go to work/school/commit a hate crime (two), and then you go to sleep (three).

This is exactly the mindset I want you low brows to employ when considering the direction of the regular season:

Step 1: Come back from Puerto Rico with at least a 3-1 overall record. Certainly a two-win combination including a win against Georgia Tech would be preferable over a defeat at the hands of the Jackets and victories against some lesser regarded foes. A win against Tech gives UD a chance at Villanova, which would be a no lose situation. A loss to Tech puts pressure on Dayton to win two games against teams it will be expected to beat.

Step 2: Go undefeated at home against non-conference opposition. This is something the Flyers pulled off last year and should be able to accomplish again this season. Outside of Old Dominion, and maybe Boston University, there aren't too many landmines in the schedule for UD to step on. Beating every non-conference opponent at home would help offset a potential loss at the Pit on New Year's Day.

Step 3: Win at least 11 games in Atlantic 10 play, including one against Xavier. If UD accomplishes steps one and two, they can afford a few slip-ups against the better conference teams (Xavier, Richmond, La Salle). Win around a dozen games and they are sitting pretty come March.  Which isn't to say that the Flyers will have a high seed, accomplishing the aforementioned goals would merely put their tournament hopes at better than average.A gay man and his trident are rarely separated

Trust me, the last time I was this confident I played Russian Roulette with a homeless Vietnam vet. Guess who is still standing and who ended up at the bottom of a sewage ditch?

Regla de tres II. Let's continue to think about things in simple terms. Let's say you have two guys in the swamplands of Louisiana. Both men sit around all day drinking PBR tallboys and arguing over who can "gig" the most bullfrogs. One man, let's call him Mr. Dayton, doesn't have a lot of experience with this particular activity. He belongs to a frog-gigging club, but it isn't that serious or respected by its peers. The other gentlemen, who goes by the name of Mr. Tech, belongs to one of the most prestigious frog-gigging clubs in the country and has plenty of practice gigging frogs. In fact, Mr. Tech made it all the way to the Frog Gigging Championship back in 2004, losing to one of the better frog-giggers in recent memory, Dr. UConn.

To kill these frogs, each man will use a standard issue trident. A trident, of course, is a three-pronged spear commonly featured in mythical imagery. Each of these prongs have a name. Mr. Dayton's prongs are labeled Wright, M. Johnson and C. Johnson. Mr. Tech's? Why, they are named Lawal, Shumpert and Favors. These prongs will work in conjunction to kill as many frogs as possible. Sure, each man has some backup tridents with lesser prongs, but these two tridents will essentially determine which man gigs the most frogs. The man who kills the most frogs meets up with Mr. Villanova the next day to do it all over again.

By the way, I have it on good authority that Brian Gregory will repeat this story verbatim on Thursday morning to motivate the troops. We are beyond screwed.

What the hey? Many people were surprised to see Georgia Tech, coming off a 12-19 record, debut in the top 25 this season. I call these people fools, and I speak of them in derogatory terms when they are out of earshot. Tech had a total of 10 games against the RPI top 50, and lost a ton of close games last season (going 1-3 in overtime games). The return of Gani Lawal and Iman Shumpert, coupled with the arrival of Derrick Favors and an impressive freshman class, suggest that there is more than enough evidence that Tech will be one of the better teams in the nation this season. Andy Katz is on record saying that Tech has the most talent from top to bottom than any other team in the ACC. Andy Katz is many things--a cheater, a terribly vicious drunk, and a man built for sex. But, he is not, I repeat is not, a liar.

Besides, why look a gift horse in the mouth? Tech being ranked is nothing but positive if you are a Phyler Phan (I'm copywriting that, don't even think of touching it). You want some more butter on your muffin? Of course you do, you're a disgusting animal. How about this, Georgia Tech is the only team in the ACC that will play North Carolina and Duke twice. Do you smell major RPI and SOS points, because I do. A win over Tech could pay huge dividends come Selection Sunday. By the way, this is what you call "dropping knowledge."

Lawal: Messing with Chris Wright's moneyLawal > Favors. I'm getting the impression that some observers expected Derrick Favors to arrive on campus and dominate from day one. As Lee Corso would say, "you better shut your pretty mouth before I stuff it full of tubesteak." (Remember, Lee had a stroke a few months ago) Tech has some depth and experience, and although Favors is obviously a basketball virtuoso in the making, he's got dues to pay. This is Gani Lawal's team until further notice. Favors may not be the second, or even third, option during Thursday's game. Tech has proven scorers in Lawal and Iman Shumpert. Throw in Zach Peacock and a slew of freshman, and it's plain to see that Tech has many options on offense. I expect that Tech will slowly get Favors more involved as the season goes along, but until then Lawal is the face of the program.

I'll be interested to see how many times Kountry Chris and Lawal are matched up on the floor. Their games are so similar that it is hard not to compare the two. What makes the potential clash even more compelling is the fact that both men will likely declare for the NBA at the end of this year and are likely to play the same position on the next level. Unless something miraculous happens, Lawal is virtually guaranteed to be selected before Wright. Which means that Lawal is basically taking money right out of Chris' pocket. Lawal might as well be sleeping with Wright's mother and accidentally leaving recordings of their sexual conquests in Chris' DVD player. That's how personal this thing could get. 

Fresh fish. You hayseeds already know about Derrick Favors. He is long, strong, definitely down to get some friction on.  What if I told you that there were at least three other freshmen who were likely to see significant time and make an impact on tomorrow's game? Would that interest you? Well...tough shit, I'm going to talk about them anyway.

Guard Mfon Udofia, who I am going to assume is a white guy, will get some work at the point guard slot. Udofia is like a taller London Warren. He is fast on both ends of the floor and plays the type of defense that would be considered dry sex off the court. 

Glen Rice, Jr., a 6'5" forward,  is probably the cousin of Santino Rice from Project Runway. Please don't quote me on that. The one thing I can say about Rice is that he isn't afraid to shoot the rock. Glen got off eight shots in thirteen minutes against FAMU over the weekend. I bet his high "basketball IQ" will be mentioned at some point during each Jacket telecast this season.

Brian Oliver is a 6'6" wingman with some range. Oliver is definitely one guy Dayton cannot sleep on around the perimeter, as he went 4-for-6 from behind the arc in Tech's opening game. I feel sorry for Oliver because I guarantee people assume he is the son of former Georgia Tech great, Brian Oliver. People must assume that he is that Brian Oliver, Jr. When he tells them that there is no relation, he probably gets looks of befuddlement and distrust. It's has to be hard to remain grounded when everyone around you thinks you're fucking with them.

Tech's gatekeeperSecond fiddle. Iman Shumpert is someone that could hurt the Flyers, hurt em' bad. Shumpert is a 6'5" sophomore guard who poses major problems for UD's defense. Shumpert's freshman numbers will get lead to an engorging, so make sure no one is around before you continue. Ready? How does 11, 5, and 4 sound? That was his freshman year, mind you. In a little league called the Atlantic Coast Conference. Simply put, Shumpert can do a little bit of everything. He can play the wing or he can shift over to the point. The former McDonald's All-American will be followed around by Marcus Johnson wherever he goes. Shumpert's true value is that he doesn't have to score to hurt you. I watched a bunch of Tech games last year, and each time came away with a different impression of him. He can hit the big shot, get the big steal, or make the key pass. Just watch, you'll see.

Georgia Tech hates America. Remember that kid you sat next to in English 101? He smelled like rhinoceros balls and used to eat sardines wrapped in seaweed? Well, he's got nothing on Syed Haris Ahmed. Yep, good ole' Syed was a terrorist, and a Tech student to boot. Imagine if you had to sit next to this kid every day? You were literally playing with your life and didn't know it. Now here is the worst part if you attend Tech (well, not the worst. We will get to that in a second). Half the kids on that campus look like they could be named Syed. So if I'm an incoming freshman, I am staying away from Engineering or Computer Science or any technical field for that matter. I'd major in something like Management or Business Administration. Sure, it's not as impressive as getting your degree in EE, but at least you don't run the risk of dying from a suicide bombing.

Tech Bitch Syndrome. Nothing is more synonymous with the Georgia Institute of Technology that its male-to-female ratio. It currently stands at 30% female. Yup, you heard me. 70% of the students that attend Tech are male. This has led to the "Tech Bitch Syndrome." The following quote briefly explains TBS.

“The ratio is infamous. Men complain that the women are bitches, women complain that the men haven't hit puberty yet. There are three times as many guys as girls, yet there only seem to be about five dateable men on campus - the rest are busy playing World of Warcraft.”

Considering that the average Tech female looks like a veritable train wreck, those that are decent looking are catapulted into the sexual stratosphere. A girl who never got laid in high school is suddenly transformed into Marissa Miller. This leads to two interrelated phenomena. First, men at Georgia Tech (who aren't exactly the most socially adept as it is) become even more withdrawn and intimidated by the opposite sex. Second, girls who couldn't pay people to touch them get superiority complexes.

So, the men never get laid because the numbers are so low and the females never get laid because they get off on being pursued by every guy on campus who speaks English as a first language. Sounds like a goddamn powder keg to me.

Prediction: I kept going back and forth on this one. I considered UD's record away from the Arena. I thought about how the Flyers have been successful against BCS teams over the past few years. I even factored in how high Rob Lowery is likely to be during this trip and Gregory, feeling luckyhow that might affect the rest of the squad. My initial belief was that Tech's Big Three would likely outshine UD's Big Three (my illuminating trident scenario) and that would result in a Flyer loss. However, on second thought I am going to go back to old reliable, the theory I've been pitching since the beginning of last year. The theory holds that UD wins any game it absolutely has to in order to keep their momentum moving forward.

Although not as necessary as the win over Creighton, I still deem this game as a must-win for the U of D. A win against Tech would more than likely mean that the trip to the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico will be a successful venture for the Flyers. For Dayton to continue on the righteous path, a win over the Jackets is required. This is in direct contrast to Phil Collins' way of life, where no jacket is required.

Regardless, I think the Flyers win a close one. The defense steps it up and holds Georgia Tech to under 60 points. Dayton wins this one 63-60, with Chris Wright once again leading the charge. Wright finishes with 17 points and 9 boards. Johnson & Johnson give UD enough offense to keep the Jackets at bay. Brian Gregory begins wearing a shark's tooth necklace and continues to do so after the Tech game, as he considers it his lucky charm. The necklace lives a short life, as Gregory is forced to remove it one evening after his wife tells him to, "take that fucking thing off your neck. You look like Jimmy Buffett. If I wanted to marry someone who looked like Jimmy Buffet I would have moved to Florida, got an ankle bracelet and started selling burlap ponchos out of the back of my Volvo. Fucking asshole."

***Blog News***

• The site will be in the capable hands of Oliver and O'Brien. If Donoher posts a single word, someone email me immediately. 
• I'm going to try and live-blog the games simply because I want to try and contribute something while I am in Puerto Rico. These live-blogs will not be humorous or informative, and I will more than likely quit after the first timeout of the Georgia Tech game.
• There is a pink polo in our lost and found. If not claimed by the end of the week, it's mine.

An Interrogatory with: Georgia Tech

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.

Puerto Rico Tip-Off Field Announced, Mostly

The field for the Puerto Rico Tip-Off Classic has been mostly set, as 7 of the 8 teams have been announced.  Why would you want to announce the whole field at one time?  That would make too much sense.  I am pretty sure it's symbolic, as the United States legally recognizes Puerto Ricans as 7/8 of a person now.  Progress comes slowly.  In addition to your Flyers, Villanova, Georgia Tech, Indiana, Kansas State, UAB and George Mason will be participating in the tournament.  According to our man Doog, the eighth and final team will come from the SEC. 

This is an excellent way for Dayton to get out of the gate next season.  The tourney is comprised of teams even your senile Grandma,  the one that lost all of her money investing in a dog-fighting training video series, has heard of.  UD will play three games, regardless of wins and losses.  Taking a quick look at the field, it appears that the Flyers will have the advantage against most of the competition, as the other squads will either be rebuilding or still on the proverbial rebound.  At first glance, Nova and Georgia Tech would appear to be the two most complete teams going into next year.  The Wildcats lose three senior starters and possibly Scottie Reynolds, but still return plenty of talent in the back court and a recruiting class that probably cost a lot of money.  Tech will return two starters and bring in all-everything recruit Derrick Favors for his first and only collegiate season.

However, just like your aforementioned Grandma, the Flyers will be experienced and deep.  This tournament reminds me of the Maui Invitational UD won back in 2003, in the sense that the tournament is winnable (define that how you will) and probably not the strongest Tip-Off field in recent memory (2008's field had five tourney teams: Xavier, Memphis, Missouri, Virginia Tech and USC).  Regardless, if I close my eyes I can already see Marcus Johnson holding the MVP trophy and my girlfriend bailing me out of a San Juan jail for punching a police horse in the head.  Its decapitated head.  If you can rub two nickels together then you should try to join me in America's sassiest unincorporated territory, even if you don't think you can resist the siren song that is Ohio in late November.