Mailbag 8/18

Basketball or football? Pretend that football players across the country could only play basketball and vice versa. Would the tech men’s basketball team do better playing football or the football team playing basketball? - Neal Royal

Ben: I think the football team would do better at basketball simply due to roster size and versatility among the players. Who on the basketball team is gonna play OL?

Logan: I’m not sure how this would work for roster size, but we’ll ignore that. I think basketball players are more versatile and can fit in at more spots on the football field, whereas football players tend to be more specialized for their roles on the team. to that point, a basketball player could potentially be a good receiver or running back or even quarterback, but you will be hard pressed to find a basketball player who can play linemen. on the other hand you can probably find players on a football roster who can play basketball, but it is unlikely that it’ll be a linemen or any position that doesn’t regularly use their hands. Long way of saying, I think basketball players have a better likelihood to be good football players generally speaking, assuming they were going up against other basketball players also playing football. On the other hand, I think a football team has a better likelihood to have a few key standouts/stars, but not all football players would succeed or even make the basketball team. TL;DR I’ll take basketball team in this scenario, but both sides have potential in different ways.

Carter: I thought a bit about this prompt, and then, specifically, thought about filling out a basketball roster solely with linemen. Like an entire basketball team of Shaqs. Except they probably can’t dunk as well. But you’re not about to challenge them anyway.

Jake: I once saw a video of Juanyeh Thomas demolish a rim in McCamish during some sort of practice. That’s all I need - give me the football team playing basketball.

You’ve got a date with Ole Sparky at dawn. What’s your last meal; before you touch the green, green grass of home….? - DressHerInWhiteAndGold

Ben: It would probably be whatever I was in the mood for at that particular moment.

Logan: I would get a BBQ brisket baked potato with the works and a chocolate pie from Big Bob Gibson’s in Decatur Alabama. It brings back good memories and is consistently good when they aren’t sold out.

Jake: A Portillo’s Chicago style hot dog with fries and a chocolate cake shake, which is exactly what it sounds like. Easy money.

Dottavio: Teriyaki merlot wings from The Hideaway (Orlando, FL), Walerys Pizza (Salem, OR) and cap that off with A Place at the Table (Raleigh, NC) cinnamon roll.

Please explain the covid eligibility to me. Is Simms a freshman or sophomore? How will they list 2nd year freshmen vs freshmen vs redshirt freshmen vs a 2nd year redshirt freshmen. How does this effect or recruiting / scholarship numbers? - Notwima13

Ben: I don’t believe the recruiting/scholarship numbers information has been released, but as far as eligibility goes, last year did not count as a year of eligibility, and they probably won’t be marked any differently on official team rosters.

Logan: It’s all made up and the eligibility doesn’t matter. That’s right, the eligibility is like pants for a tool booth operator... Whose Line was a fun show.

Carter: Sims is a freshman. Players’ years on the roster are listed as if last year never happened, which is probably for the best. As for scholarship numbers, let’s all pile in the Mystery Machine and find out!

Jake:

Via: Google Images

Georgia Tech and the NIL: Which players on the team are making money and how? Do the players have to reveal their agreements? - YankeeJacket

Ben: Do you have to announce your salary to the public (assuming you don’t have a government job where that information is open record)? Most (I say most because I don’t know that this is the case for all of them) are signing deals with private businesses and would only have to report their income to the IRS for tax purposes. I know a couple players signed deals with Barstool, and I think a couple players have come out with their own personalized brand that is bringing them some money, but I haven’t seen a Tech player sign a deal with Zaxby’s or anything like that.

Logan: If we don’t have players which are making money modeling jackets I will be very disappointed.

Carter: I think a couple Georgia Tech players signed with Barstool? Which, ehhhh.

Jake: I really don’t know, but I sure have been trying to find out. You’d think there’d be more hype around it...

Dottavio: I’m with Jake, surprised GC hasn’t rolled out a special video of the guys and what NIL they have.

Filling stadiums with 50,000 to 80,000 fully vaccinated people in two weeks should not be a problem…but in Texas, Mississippi, Florida, Alabama Tennessee and Georgia vaccination rates are extremely low. Can we safely have the stadiums at full capacity? Is there talk about this at Georgia Tech, the ACC, or the NCAA? Who is making the decision and when will they make it? - YankeeJacket

Ben: Can they do it safely? Yes, but considering the USG is just pretending that the pandemic is over, I’m going to guess they probably won’t. From what I’ve seen, it’s technically a school-by-school decision, but most (if not all) are following the Board of Regents.

Logan: I can assure you that Georgia Tech will not need to worry about having a full stadium.

Jake: Based on how the University System of Georgia has handled the return to school (i.e. not requiring vaccines, nor really coming all that close to that) I highly doubt the athletic department will require it. I think it would have to come from them. As much as I would like to see it happen, and would increase my peace of mind being in the stadium, I doubt it’ll happen. But unless they’re forced, I doubt they’d limit capacity, either.

Carter:

Now that Zaxby’s has sponsored JT Daniels...Are they, in fact, “indescribably good”? - Logan Sandor

Ben: I love Zaxby’s, and their deal with JT Daniels doesn’t change that.

Logan: I would say they’re still good. “indescribably good” though? I don’t think they ever lived up to that billing.

Carter: friendship ended with ZAXBY’S

now

BOJANGLES

is my

best friend

Hello Everyone,

It’s a new week so I have questions and such. Since the football season is getting closer I am trying to ask more questions that actually relate to football and less jokey questions. This week I’ll try to mix a serious question and a jokey question.

1) Of the senior QBs in college football (or QBs who we expect to enter the draft and forgo senior year) which QB do you expect to have the best NFL career? To be clear, not the best year this year or the best draft position, who do you think will be the QB drafted this upcoming year that will have the best NFL career?

Would it be bold of me to say Desmond Ridder at Cincy could be that guy?

2) Which player this year in college football has your favorite name? Nothing about playing ability, purely how much do you like their name?

I’m still a big fan of Storm Duck at UNC.

Hope y’all have a good week. Later,

Ben Affleck (submitted vial email)

Logan: 1) I don’t like Spencer Rattler at the moment, because I’ve heard not great things about his personality, but he is a hell of a player. If he gets it together who knows how good he could be in the pros.

2) Smoke Monday knows what I’m about, you know what I’m saying? If you don’t I’m saying I enjoy smoking Marijuana.

Jake: I completely misread (it’s late) and typed this out originally: hopefully Zach Wilson, since I just drafted him in a keeper league. Or Justin Fields, considering that would be a welcome change for the Bears. For a real answer, I think Rattler is a pretty good guess. As for the second, I honestly haven’t looked for my all-name team player yet.

Dottavio: QB’s- Spencer Rattler is going #1 overall, but Malik Willis and Carson Strong will fly up the boards for ‘22. Whoever is tall BUT also throws far from one knee because NFL Draft scouts / GM’s are idiots.

Best names- Storm Duck is a great one. Spencer Rattler just sounded famous the minute I first heard his name.