Technical Tidbits 7/1

It's July now and we all know what that means! Heat, independence, and nothing but baseball for another two months! Here we go...

Georgia Tech's offensive line is perhaps the most critical part of executing the infamous flexbone scheme effectively -- without success up front, the Tech run game would be as inefficient and stagnant as their passing game already was under Vad Lee last season. That said, it's very encouraging that All-American offensive lineman Shaq Mason expressed a feeling of progress in the line during a recent interview with ESPN. A strong bond between the linemen can make a lot of difference in the way they execute; we saw this with the tight-knit group of Beno, Finch, and Jackson that orchestrated the Tech offense for the past few years, and if the current linemen have meshed as well as Mason suggests then we could be in line to see some great play out of that squad this season. And if I ran a restaurant, rest assured that I'd be lobbying hard to be their designated post-practice food joint like the one mentioned in the interview.

Former Georgia Tech center Daniel Miller may have gone undrafted on Thursday, but that won't stop him from at least making a push to find his way onto an NBA roster by the start of next season -- he will be playing summer-league basketball for the Washington Wizards. Miller, who will likely play alongside estranged Yellow Jacket Glen Rice, Jr. in the Las Vegas league, is a long shot to make the opening day roster for the Wiz, but anything is possible when you have a skillset like Miller's: he can shoot, rebound, block, and pass better than most true centers. The summer league is usually considered to be more of an audition for a Euroleague team than an NBA one -- the folks over in Gortatland (see bottom of post) do a great job of scouting talent that the NBA passes on.

Brian Gregory will likely be coaching for his job this season at McCamish Pavilion, and he'll be doing it with one of the youngest rosters in the ACC. You can look at this two ways: it's great because there is so much talent to develop, but it is not so great because there is little veteran influence on the team. Rising juniors Marcus Georges-Hunt and Chris Bolden are the team elders heading into 2014; there are no returning seniors to be seen for the Jackets. While being the leader of the team will certainly be a tall order for MGH, he seems up to the task in his recent sit-down with The Good Word; his "it's all about winning" attitude will should go a long way for the Jackets in what could be a challenging campaign.

Do you have a burning desire to see Tajh Boyd's touchdown celebration before anyone else? How about a quick look a really awkward conversation between Aaron Murray and Eric Ebron about Murray's girlfriend? An insightful interview with Jarvis Landry, Mr. Anti-Lethargy? If so, I've got the perfect video for you, anchored by the likes of Tajh Boyd, Eric Ebron, and (briefly) Mike Evans. Just for the record, if I saw Jadeveon Clowney on the street I'd probably not make eye contact -- that's one biiiig dude.

Daily Debate: What expectations do you have for the Tech offensive line in 2014? Will it be an improved group or will it regress without it's longtime starters?

I leave you today with NBA center Marcin Gortat, who showed up to his Polish basketball camp in an armored military vehicle. Never change, Europe.

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