Technical Tidbits 10/30

Travis Jorgenson's ability to bounce back from his season-ending injury just one season ago could be a key development for the success of the 2014 Tech basketball squad. The red-shirt freshman will likely become a starter at some point for the Jackets (if he doesn't begin the season as one) and a full recovery is absolutely imperative if Tech wants to make any sort of impact on the race for the NCAA Tournament. He is an immensely talented player with the potential to be truly great, but it all starts with a 100% return to the court.

While Saturday's win over Pittsburgh was a hands-down improvement for the Tech defense over their terrible showing against UNC just one week earlier, Paul Johnson still sees a lot of room for improvement in pass coverage. This sentiment has obviously been echoed by thousands of screaming Tech fans, but hearing it from the big man himself really drives home the point -- coverage absolutely has to improve if the Jackets hope to stay relevant in the ACC Coastal hunt and a shot at FSU.

Tired of SEC propaganda but have no idea how to channel said anger? I imagine that Rolling Stone had the exact same feeling when they published this article about the SEC's biggest cheerleader, ESPN. First of all, let me give some major kudos to Rolling Stone. As a major news medium, it is hard to come out and take a shot like that at the giant of all giants, ESPN. I agree with just about every point the writer made and nearly everything was a completely valid argument. No matter what you feel about all the SEC propaganda stuff, the pure and simple truth is that ESPN has a lot to gain from SEC teams being in the playoffs. We all like to have fun with Jameis Winston and his antics, but the article points out a number of situations in which he has taken much more heat for his actions than other high-profile players in the SEC. That is just one example of the many biases which ESPN seems to hold in favor of the SEC, but I don't want to go into the topic anymore. Time for you to read and draw some conclusions of your own.

Now that you are nice and angry with ESPN, it's time for the NCAA to take their daily dose of hatred from just short of everyone in the nation. Today's edition comes in the form of Todd Gurley's suspension, which is causing quite a stiracross the nation because it is simply unfair and unprecedented. The NCAA has historically come down hard on anyone who violates their rules -- we as Tech fans know that as well as anyone -- yet they seem to have forgotten all that they stand for after handing out a measly four-game suspension to Gurley following $3,000 worth of autograph sales. That. Is. Garbage. There is no reason that Gurley should be able to violate rule number one and get off with FOUR GAMES away from the team. For that matter, there is no reason that uga should go unpunished. The school won't even get a single year of probation or have to vacate any wins for their part in the happenings. I don't care that the rule is stupid. I don't care that players should be able to profit off of their names. The problem is that those two points are all we've hear about in regards to this whole situation. No one in the media is willing to call out Gurley for making a bonehead mistake, but we all grab at the opportunity just to use it as ammo against NCAA policy.

By the way, for every ounce of anger I have towards the NCAA for making such as stupid decision, I have two more ounces directed towards uga because the school is APPEALING THE RULING. That is flat out crazy. They should realize that the NCAA let them off easy and save any shred of respect that others may have for them as an institution. Most of that respect was lost when they did not act swiftly in suspending Gurley for an extended period of time.

What you you think about the Gurley situation? How about ESPN's love affair with the NCAA?

Have a great Thursday!