TO: Fans, Friends, and Supporters of Georgia Tech Athletics
FROM: Dan Radakovich, Georgia Tech Director of Athletics
Well, it certainly has been a pleasant start to the 2011 season. My congratulations go out to Coach Paul Johnson and our football team for a pair of impressive performances. We’ll ratchet up the competition on Saturday when Big 12 Conference foe Kansas comes into Bobby Dodd Stadium for a 12:30 p.m. kickoff. As Coach Johnson has said on numerous occasions, revenge is a great motivator for those who care. I’m pretty sure there are a lot of people around the Georgia Tech program who would love to avenge that tough loss a year ago in Lawrence, Kan.
Tech Town Debuts Friday Night
We are looking forward to a host of activities this weekend starting with our Friday night Tech Town Celebration at Atlantic Station. Our participation will begin at 7 p.m. with the band, cheerleaders and a host of former Tech players firing up the crowd for Saturday’s game. The GT pep rally is the prelude to a concert in the park. Food, drink and great restaurants are all part of the evening. The Tech Gold Rush Dance Team will be on hand during the 8 o’clock hour and Buzz will circulate through the complex throughout the evening. The night will culminate at 10 p.m. with a fireworks display. Tech Town will be in full force on Friday nights before every Saturday home game. For more information, visit our Tech Town page.
Dodd’s Boys to Reunite
Game Day Saturday brings a couple of special events on campus. The historically significant and beloved group known as “Dodd’s Boys” will hold its annual reunion prior to the game. Once again, Dick Inman, Taz Anderson and Buck Shamburger have done a wonderful job pulling together this group of players who performed under Bobby Dodd in the 50s and 60s. More than 100 guests will attend this year.
Letterwinners Invited to Tailgate Saturday
Also prior to the game, the Alexander-Tharpe Fund and the GT Letterwinners Club will hold a tailgate and barbeque for all Georgia Tech letterwinners. This will take place from 10 a.m.-noon on Peter’s Parking deck. More than 200 Georgia Tech letterwinners are expected to attend. Tech letterwinners may receive two complimentary tickets to the event. Additional tickets are $10. For tickets and information contact Barb Dockweiler in the A-T office at 404-894-6124.
Game Time for UNC to Be Released Sunday
We have not yet been given the game time for our Sept. 24 ACC opener vs. North Carolina. ESPN / ABC have decided to exercise a six-day option to place our game and two other games involving ACC teams, meaning they will release our game time by Sunday evening. We’ll publish the game time as soon as we have the information. Unless the ACC’s television partners use their six-day window option – like they did for next week’s games – we generally know game times 12 days in advance.
Thursday Games
The only game time outside of this Saturday that is certain is the Virginia Tech Thursday night affair on Nov. 10. That game kicks off at 8 p.m. Speaking of Thursday games, I received some feedback in the past week about the inconvenience of not being able to open our parking lots until 5 p.m. for a Thursday night game. I wish there was something I could do to remedy that situation for those of you who would like to come to campus earlier in the day. However, we must be cognizant that our campus has its work day and classes in session on those days as normal. First and foremost, we are an educational institution and, while I realize the inconvenience to some, I urge all to respect the ongoing mission of the school. The 8 p.m. start for Virginia Tech should offer ample time for arrival and tailgating.
Grab The $99 Triple Option
This new ticket offering has been a hit with Georgia Tech fans, and we want that to continue. This is a deal you don’t want to pass up. Fans can select any three Georgia Tech home football games — excluding the Nov. 26 regular season finale vs. Georgia — for just $99.
Tech’s remaining home schedule includes Kansas (Saturday), North Carolina (Sept. 24), Maryland (Oct. 8), the annual Homecoming game vs. Clemson (Oct. 29) and Military Appreciation Night vs. Virginia Tech (Thursday, Nov. 10). To take advantage of this special offer, fans may purchase tickets through the Georgia Tech Ticket Office, by calling 888-TECH-TIX (832-4849) or by visiting www.ramblinwreck.com/tickets. This is your direct link to purchasing the Triple Option online.
Conference Issues
While the airwaves continue to fill with opinions and speculation, our fans should know that President Bud Peterson, Faculty Representative Sue Ann Allen and I have been in constant communication. We believe the best option for Georgia Tech is a strong and vibrant Atlantic Coast Conference and will work hard to make that happen. Also, should circumstances change, we will be ready for that as well. While not much can be said at this time, know that the ACC office, its member schools and Georgia Tech are engaged and looking at all available options. A strong ACC is important for our future, and we are working diligently to make that happen.
Volleyball Sweeps UGA, Plays at Clemson This Weekend
Congratulations to coach Tonya Johnson and our GT volleyball team for their inspiring sweep of Georgia last weekend. The team (6-3) will participate in its final tournament this week when it makes the short trip up I-85 for the Clemson Classic. The Yellow Jackets will face Furman (7-4) on Thursday night and then Clemson (8-3) in the ACC opener Friday night. Both matches begin at 7 p.m. Junior Monique Mead enters play this week leading the nation in kills (5.38/set) and points (6.1/set). She has four double-doubles this season, six matches with at least 20 kills and has recorded double figure kills in each match this season. Mead is also averaging 2.82 digs per set and 0.82 blocks. Mead just recorded her 1,000th career kill in the Sept. 9 win over Georgia.
Support Coach Gregory
I hope many of you had the opportunity to read Matt Winklejohn’s well-crafted article about basketball coach Brian Gregory and his quest to reach out to all segments of the community. Brian’s personality and fire is contagious, and all signs point to a master re-build of our basketball fortunes. I encourage you to show your support in this effort. We need to sell some season basketball tickets in the coming weeks. This purchase should be a no-brainer. Ten games at Philips Arena against our eight ACC opponents, plus non-conference games with Alabama and Northwestern. Great season seats are available for $300. Let’s show Brian that we are behind him. He is certainly working unceasingly to earn your support. Men’s basketball ticket information can be found here.
Tech XC Heads To Clemson
The volleyball team is not the only team that will head up I-85 this weekend, as the Georgia Tech cross country team will make the same trip up, for a Friday night race. The women will start things off at 6:15 p.m. followed by the men’s race at 6:45 p.m., both of which will be held at the Musser Farms Fruit Research Center. The Jackets will get a first look at the course that will host the ACC Championships later this season and will take on some ACC competition for the first time as the Florida State men, Wake Forest, Virginia Tech, and hosts Clemson will be in attendance.
