Technical Tidbits 11/25: Happy Thanksgiving Tech Fans!

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! This is definitely one of my favorite times of the year, not just because of the holidays, but also because of the general excitement in the world of sports. We have all the college rivalry games that are coming up, the NFL playoff races are starting to heat up, the basketball season (pro and college) is in full swing, and in general, there’s a lot going on in the sporting world.

For the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football program, of course, this means Clean, Old-Fashioned Hate is back after a one-year hiatus thanks to the pandemic — by the way, I wouldn’t be utterly devastated if this year’s game got canceled too, given what I think is in store for Tech this week. After last week’s shellacking courtesy of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, the Yellow Jackets should be primed for another [Aerosmith] kicking. This time from u(sic)GA.

With that said, before getting into today’s Tidbits, I thought I’d share my plans and perhaps a useful strategy for others to watch the game. Save up as much of that Thanksgiving turkey from today as you can and whether you’re tailgating at home, at the stadium, or from wherever you will be watching the game, make sure that turkey is on the menu. If you’re lucky all the excess tryptophan could have you in a perfect slumber and you’ll doze off right there on the couch (or wherever you’re sitting) just before the first quarter is over or the bulldogs’ score their first 28 or so points. Maybe a better alternative is to just watch some old Columbo re-runs on, but as of now, it’s a game-time decision.

Okay, so when your college team’s offensive coordinator compares the defense of his team’s upcoming opponent to an NFL team’s defensive unit, you know someone is already trying to find some wiggle room. The best lead-up to a bunch of excuses we can expect post-Saturday from the Tech coaching staff is nothing more than an excuse itself a few days before the game.

That kind of sounds like what Tech offensive coordinator Dave Patenaude is getting at in his statement from the article. To be fair to the Yellow Jackets and their OC, the bulldogs’ defense does deserve credit; it’s an impressive unit. And thanks to Notre Dame, Tech fans can at least go into Saturday’s game with little if any expectation of seeing a Tech offensive player cross the u(sic)GA goal line (my money is on Tech giving up at least one safety, so I won’t rule them out from crossing their own goal line).

So, I get it, enough piling up on this team. This is the last game of what has turned out to be another pretty miserable (and more than likely 3-win) season. Someone queue head coach Geoff Collins for his last set of takes and excuses for the season that is winding down, and mercifully, after Saturday, we can put all our football thoughts and hopes into hibernation mode for the winter. #THWG

Yes, indeed it is that time of year where Tech fans can stop anticipating their football team will appear in a bowl game and avert their attention by other sporting and non-sporting matters. The spirit of the season is the theme of this article. As it mentions, the Georgia Tech Student-Athlete Advisory Board is holding its 21st-annual Michael Isenhour Toy Drive at Saturday’s football game. Fans can bring donations to the game — both toys and monetary donations are welcome as the article mentions.

I like the timing of the event, which is being held during Saturday’s COFH game. And from what I like to imagine that the article doesn’t mention, stout offensive linemen, an astute secondary, and a coherent gameplan will be welcomed contributions as well. All kidding aside, this is an important time of year as it allows us to recognize and give thanks for things that are often overlooked. With that said, have a safe and happy holiday!