Dec. 20, 2004
ORLANDO, FLA–With the Champs Sports Bowl just one day a way, the trip becomes more like a regular road trip for the Georgia Tech players and less like a bowl trip.
As typical for the day before a game, the Yellow Jackets had a brief walk-through, along with the usual position meetings. Also typical of the day before a game, head coach Chan Gailey and a few key players met with the ESPN announcers who will call the game, Mike Tirico, Kirk Herbstreit, Lee Corso and Jill Arrington.
But the Jackets also attended the Kickoff Luncheon Monday afternoon at the Rosen Centre Hotel, a staple of bowl activities featuring both teams.
The event was emceed by Corso, an Orlando resident. As part of the program, Corso called both head coaches up to the stage for a few comments about the game. When he asked Gailey to tell the audience what the Yellow Jackets needed to do to win the game, the Tech head coach quipped, “Well, Lee, you already know all the answers. Why don’t you tell everyone what we need to do, since that’s what you do all the time.”
Gailey also noted how big the Syracuse team seemed to be, especially standout left tackle Adam Terry, who stands 6-9 and 324 pounds.
A highlight of the luncheon was the presentation of the Scholar-Athlete Awards to a player from each team. Tech’s honoree is senior free safety James Butler, who made the Academic All-ACC football team in addition to his on-field accomplishments.
In fact, 22 Tech football players made the Dean’s List for the recently completed fall semester. Four Yellow Jackets who will suit up Tuesday night are already Georgia Tech graduates, including Nate Curry, who graduated last spring and played this season while beginning work on a second degree, as well as three players who graduated Dec. 11 in long-snapper Andrew Economos, holder Andy Thomson, and reserve quarterback Robby Brown.
The Tech players have had a great experience in Orlando at the Champs Sports Bowl, but the Yellow Jackets are ready to get down to business and play a football game Tuesday night at 7:45 p.m.
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