Mailbag 6/22

Is $2,147,483,647.00 the most prime example of peak GT? How much are you giving? - DressHerInWhiteAndGold

Ben: I mean, there are more prime numbers higher than that, and if 5 in 4 Georgia Tech grads are millionaires, I’m sure some can get together and make a donation at a prime amount higher than that.

Jake: I honestly haven’t paid off my current pledge yet, as it is split over a couple of years and I am still pretty recently out of school. I commend on them on trying to do something memorable with the number, at least, though.

Logan: As long as I am still paying student loans I refuse to give any money to GT for anything.

Jack: ^

Jake P.: I think that it’s a funny gesture, and I like the history behind the number, so hopefully the campaign reaches its goal. It does feel very “Georgia Tech.” Considering I’m a student at a state school in North Carolina, I probably won’t be donating anything to this campaign.

Which player from the transfer portal is likely to make the biggest impact on the football team? - WreckBran

Ben: With Chip Long being a big TE guy, I’m very intrigued by the additions of EJ Jenkins and Luke Benson. Benson brings some incredible speed at TE and Jenkins will create a mismatch wherever he lines up, so I think they could be fun to watch.

Logan: We need more O-line. I don’t know if he will, but I’m hoping Corey Robinson II has a big impact on the field and can help with the blocking up front.

Separately, which former player is most likely to make the biggest impact at their new team this fall? Likely Gibbs for Bama, but who else? - WreckBran

Ben: I’m gonna go with a guy you probably wouldn’t think of with this question and say Adonicas Sanders, who transferred to Temple. I was a big fan of Sanders during his time at Tech. I think he is a good, sure-handed receiver. I think transferring down is going to prove to be a good move for him. I think he could have a pretty big season with Temple.

Jake: I like the Sanders pick! That said, I think the easy answer - Jahmyr Gibbs - is also the correct one, just given the magnitude that being a starter at Alabama brings to the table. I will also note that I am excited to see what Jordan Yates can do at Sam Houston State, though.

Logan: I think Jordan Yates is a solid addition to an already talented Sam Houston State Team. Jordan might be what the Bearkats need to get over the top.

Is former assistant coaches becoming Head Coach somewhere else a good metric for evaluating head coaches? I would maybe limit it to going directly from Team A as an assistant to Team B as HC since many head coaches travel around a lot early in their careers. Or is it mainly longevity, which is itself a decent metric. - Bill Brockman

Ben: I would say not necessarily. For example, take a look at a guy like Bud Foster. He was a defensive coordinator under Frank Beamer for pretty much his entire career. He never wanted to be a head coach. Does that take away from his successes? Beamer’s? Heck no. Coaches get hired as head coaches for a myriad of dumb reasons. That doesn’t make them a good or bad coach.

Howdy Y’all,

Hope y’all are doing well in your parts of the world. It’s getting super hot outside. It was still nice though, I spent plenty of time outside last weekend. Got a sunburn riding on a ferry, but only a minor one. That brings me to my question this week.

What is your most memorable minor injury. I’m not talking about something you had to get hospitalized for, but something like a sunburn, a paper cut, or a bruise. Usually you get those from doing something silly anyway, what is your most memorable story of getting a minor injury. Let me know, and have a nice injury free week.

From,

Eugene Horowitz (submitted via email)

Ben: I will go with the time that I bruised my ribs playing Capture the Flag on UGA’s North Campus. I was hiding in some bushes around the building that has the President’s office in it while trying to spy on the other team. As I was sneaking out of the bushes, I slipped off the ledge I was on and landed right on the spiral staircase outside the building and ended up with a very nasty bruise that took up like half of my chest. Thankfully, I didn’t break a rib, but yeah, that hurt.

Jake: Gosh, I am sure I did something memorable and dumb in college, but I missed a big swim meet in middle school when, after a band concert, I jumped up to try to slap the doorframe of my garage on the way back into the house and rolled the heck out of my ankle when I landed funny on the concrete in my dress shoes.

Logan: I got a black eye as a kid from getting to excited at the mall and running full speed towards the Disney store while it was closed. I fell face first into the metal chain door and it gave me a nasty black eye. Honestly I don’t remember it hurting too much other than I felt really stupid, and I learned not to run full speed at an immovable object.

Jake P.: In fifth grade my class was divided into teams for a project called, “BizWorld.” Each team had to create a product to sell at a business fair that students and community members attended. My group made “stress balls” with balloons and lentil beans as the filler. We put cool designs on each balloon (lots of Georgia Tech content, that was for sure) and marketed ourselves as a mental health product. Another group created bracelets using the Rainbow Loom device. I was horsing around that day in class and the teacher called me over for a “talking to.” On my way back, I started talking to the Rainbow Loom team (which for some reason was entirely situated on the classroom floor) and somehow tripped over one of the rainbow looms. In my effort to break the fall, I stuck my hands out. My right hand landed directly on top of another rainbow loom, with one of the studs on the product puncturing a hole in my hand. All my wound needed was a bandaid, but I’m exceptionally glad they didn’t have security cameras in the classroom.