Hate week

I hate Georgia Tech. Like in an irrational way.

I get unreasonably angry when people say things like, "I want Tech to go 11-1, with their loss to the Dawgs, to make the loss hurt more." Not me...I want Tech to go 0-12, with their final loss a 40 point loss to the Dawgs.

I'm not even sure where the hatred comes from...it's just always been there. As long as I can remember loving the Dawgs, I can remember hating Tech. My hatred really ratcheted up, though, in 1997. I got my first computer, and really discovered the internet for the first time. I can remember going on the old Dawgnation.net site after the Tech game (that was the Corey Allen game), and reading post after post from Techies filled with hate, whining, lies, excuse-making...it was pathetic. As much as I disliked them before that game, that just made it that much worse. Then, in '98, I was at Sanford Stadium when they stole a game (Little Joe was NOT DOWN...that was a FUMBLE), and had to walk through a group of techies tearing apart our hedges. I was running a fever of 103 that day, I was miserable, weak, sick as a dog...and I literally had to be pulled out of there by friends in order to keep me from taking on the whole group single handedly. That's the last time I've even been close to being in a fight, and if that situation presented itself again, I don't know that I've matured to the point that the outcome wouldn't be similar.

The Jasper "fumble?" Don't even get me started...

I was also at the 2000 game, and that was the most miserable experience I've ever had in Sanford Stadium. Cold, wet, infuriating. If I could have found my way to Coach Donnan, I would have fired him myself.

I guess what I am trying to say is...while I'd rather beat the Gayters than any other team, there is no team I hate losing to more than the Gnats. (Which reminds me...why would you CHOOSE to name your team after an insect? Really? That's what you want to represent? Yard pests?)

I hate them, and I wish nothing but bad things for the entire program.

And I'm VERY nervous about tomorrow.

As I posted the other day, I don't like our matchup tomorrow, because I think Tech's strength matches up very well with our weaknesses. To play effective defense against the triple option, you need to play disciplined assignment football and not miss tackles. I sincerely hope that during the off week, we have rediscovered the defense that played early this season, and have exorcised the demons that I think have tortured this defense since the game against the gayters. Ever since that game, the defense has just looked tentative to me, like they're scared to get beat...and that's how you get beat.

On the other side of the ball, I think the news is better. Tech has not seen anything like the offense they will see on Saturday. Nothing this balanced, and nowhere near this much talent in their ACC schedule. They are also beat up in the secondary, which bodes well.

I'm going with my heart...Stafford leads a game saving drive in his last game in Sanford Stadium, and the Dawgs win 34-28.

GO DAWGS!!!!