Technical Tidbits 3/18

While the general consensus is that Mike Bobinski's decision to retain head coach Brian Gregory was a mistake, at least one writer feels that bringing him back serves only to strengthen the program. There are a number of good points in the article about why bringing Gregory back could be helpful, but it's still hard to get fully on board with the argument that a coach who has consistently failed to succeed over four seasons deserves another shot for many people. My support of Gregory faltered as the season drew to a close, even to the point that I wanted to make a coaching change, but the only thing left to do is to be optimistic about the future of Georgia Tech basketball.

For a more objective take on Gregory's return, take a look at this ESPN article detailing Mike Bobinski's decision making process and what exactly CBG's return means for the program. I applaud Mike Bobinski for making the decision that he felt was right and then defending it as strongly as he has while simultaneously acknowledging that it may not be the most popular decision; he didn't dodge any questions. My only fear is that we will see a small improvement next season and take that as a sign of great progress, therefore validating an extension or something for Gregory. If he can turn things around, then great. Just don't forget the first four seasons.

Southern Pigskin recently undertook the great feat of analyzing each coach in the ACC's Coastal Division who is currently on the hot seat with his respective program. The list, which didn't feature Paul Johnson for the first time in what feels like a decade, points out the struggles of over half of the Coastal's coaches to create and maintain a winning tradition at their schools. Namely, these coaches are Miami's Al Golden, UNC's Larry Fedora, UVA's Mike London, and Virginia Tech's Frank Beamer -- all are thought to be great coaches, yet few have experienced any amount of success in the ACC. Golden and London in particular appear to be on the way out if not for a major improvement this season, although I fully expect at least two of the four to be unemployed after the 2015 season concludes. Which two those are depends on what they can make happen in a hurry.

Meanwhile in the NFL, teams are losing young player after young player to early retirement due to health concerns over concussions and brain damage. Just weeks ago, perennial Hall-of-Famer Patrick Willis, a 30-year old, retired from the NFL. He was followed by a rash of retirements, including 26-year-old Jake Locker, 27-year-old Jason Worilds, and now 24-year-old linebacker Chris Borland. Borland, who just finished up his rookie season with San Francisco, came to the conclusion that a long football career would not be worth risking his health, electing to retire rather than to put his brain under more stress. This represents a startling trend for the future of both the NFL and NCAA -- as players are becoming more aware of what the game does to their bodies, they are becoming more hesitant to play.

What does the rash of retirements from the NFL mean for the future of the NCAA?

Have a great Wednesday!