Technical Tidbits 8/11: Megatron to Canton; Gibbs on Preseason All-ACC Team

Before we get into today’s Tidbits, some readers may be wondering about the schedule. In most weeks, the Tidbits will be appearing on Tuesdays and Fridays, and in some cases, like this week, it will appear on an alternate schedule.

Although his career was cut short by his surprising decision to retire early, Calvin Johnson was able to leave an indelible mark on the football world. Whether it was from his time at The Flats where he set numerous records or his era of dominance in the NFL where he was a six-time Pro Bowler, Megatron was bigger than life. It goes without question that he deserved to be enshrined in the Hall of Fame. And that’s exactly what happened last weekend in Canton, Ohio, the home of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Like Peyton Manning and Charles Woodson, Johnson was among the first-ballot inductees in this year’s HOF class.

My own time at Tech as a student overlapped with Johnson’s time dominating the gridiron as a Yellow Jacket. Even then, I remember the buzz about #21 and how everyone just knew he’d have a bright future. Far more importantly though was what he did to help define the football program. One of the reasons to go to a game back then was to watch Johnson do what he does - he is easily one of the best wide-receivers of all time and definitely the best from Georgia Tech. With his enshrinement in the HOF, Johnson’s legacy is guaranteed to last as long as there’s people interested in the game. As the article mentions, with the enshrinement he becomes only the third Yellow Jacket letterwinner to make it to Canton. Congratulations to him on this very, very, well deserved recognition.

This article was an appropriate addition for today’s Tidbits as it serves as a perfect transition from the glorious past of Georgia Tech football to what very well could be its glorious future (we’re all hoping). Jahmyr Gibbs is one of those players that you can’t help but to get excited about if you pay any time watching his film. It doesn’t matter if you’re a Tech fan or not, you have to admit he’s a special talent. As the article mentions, Gibbs was named to the Atlantic Coast Conference’s preseason all-conference team. The numbers he tallied in Tech’s first eight games speak for themselves and place him in the company of some elite college football legends.

As the season approaches, Gibbs is one of the players I’m definitely looking forward to watching. Earlier, I mentioned how Calvin Johnson had a way of drawing an audience to Bobby Dodd Stadium. People wanted to watch him play. Gibbs in a way reminds me of this. He still has a lot to do to prove himself as an elite running back at the collegiate level, but if he can stay healthy and continue playing at his highest level, it’s easy to imagine his having a similar impact.