Why have a forum?

[Yukonwreck]

I will admit I am not the sharpest knife in the drawer, but why even have a message board if opinions of all kinds cannot be tolerated? Lexjacket is a solid fan of everything Georgia Tech, and an astute and insightful poster who is frequently funny as hell. But there isn't room for that here? This just became a fuct up place.

[newtclark]

I guess so we can all be told how we should hate CPJ.

[stylee]

This is a strange forum sometimes. I like going back and forth with certain guys. I don't think I'm vehemently pro-CPJ; I think our offensive style is just as good/bad as any offensive style, that Johnson himself is a pretty damn good offensive mind and teaches things pretty well, but that we've had long-running defensive and special teams issues that fall on his shoulders. When I talk about the offense I try to myth-bust and make things clear. I try to be honest about our failings but also specific about them; ie, we didn't get the job done against BYU because our offensive guards were doing a poot job of getting downfield, Vad missed these reads in the passing game, the linebackers overran plays and hung the DL out to dry, etc.

Sometimes I think the counter to this is just "DONT BE A BED WETTER! STOP STICKING UP FOR CPJ THAT OFFENSE DONT WORK RIGHT!" And it's like... I think a lot of us ARENT being ridiculous when we try to be specific with our criticisms, we aren't being silly when we get enthused about beating USC (and others are ridiculous when they don't post anything celebratory about that game...), we aren't being retarded when we say "Yeah, if the defense remains terrible and we have another season like 2013 we'd probably fire Johnson..." and sort of specify what we see as right and wrong with the team under his tutelage.

It's just that it so often devolves from a real discussion into a strange attack/counterattack thing about the offense. Like, no matter what...I guess because that's the easiest thing to see and there's a certain intellectual economy in fixating only on the most obvious thing.

[pckl300]

Wait, what happened with Lexjacket?

[Jim Hart]

No one banned Lex Jacket or anyone else. In fact, no one has been banned from here or suspended for a long time. But if you think that you are unable to post with honesty and in a serious and sincere manner, then we don't want you here. Why have a sports board if it isn't reality based?

If you are a GT grad and so in love with GT that you can't be objective, then we don't want you here. If you are schmoozing with some GTAA personnel and you feel like you have to come on here and blow happy smoke to appease someone at the GTAA, we don't want you here, if you hate Paul Johnson and/or GT and just want to talk crap all the time, we don't want you here. We want a discussion that is objective and reality based.

Yukon, you have been banned from the other GT boards multiple times. You may even be permanently banned for all I know. Not here, I don't think you were ever even suspended or banned here. If it did happen it was a long time ago. You get away with things here that got you banned elsewhere.

As the moderator I have the discretion to direct the flow of the conversation. I want it to stay directed to reality and sincerity, not nonsense and agendas.

Whether you like the coach or not, have optimism or pessimism moving forward, that is each poster's discretion. But don't talk nonsense, I'm tired of reading nonsense posts. 21-19 is horsecrap football. The football we witnessed the past year with 3 bad losses was worst than horsecrap football. That blowout loss to Middle Tennessee State at home was ridiculous. If you want to try and spin a yarn, go over to the Disney board. Not interested in that here.

Whether we end up with 10 great posters here or a thousand. Doesn't matter to me. I want the best GT dialogue on the internet. I want to enjoy and be proud of this place.

Now.. who here has a problem with a GT message board that is reality-based, populated by people with honest and sincere opinions, that have no agendas?

[dressedcheeseside]

The problem with that, Jim, is that everyone already thinks they're being honest. I doubt anybody is being blantently, purposefully dishonest. People have genuine feelings. Some guys just like the state their feelings while other like try and support their feeling with reasons/facts/data.

I agree it would be a much better place if people treated the board as if they were talking face to face. There would be a lot less insulting posts flying around. Guys feel challenged or offended and feel compelled to respond in kind or risk looking "weak" or wrong. I'll be the first to admit I get caught up in that bs waaaay too much. I'll try to do better from here on out.

Fwiw, this is the best board of the lot just like it is. With a tad more decorum and restraint and a little less sensitivity, it'd be even better.

[Ga Tech Navy Nuke]

Jim, Once again, thanks for having the board.

The last three years have been depressing overall, but the last half of last year was better. I'll post a bunch of stats again when I feel motivated, but there is too much else going on. Right now there are no big discussions going on. We just have to wait and see the Spring game and then the fall campaign. The recruiting ended up with a few really good players, and solid players otherwise. Not enough to become elite, but enough to win Coastal.

We are mediocre, but hope springs eternal. Even for GT grads.

[Jim Hart]

The problem with that, Jim, is that everyone already thinks they're being honest. I doubt anybody is being blantently, purposefully dishonest. People have genuine feelings. Some guys just like the state their feelings while other like try and support their feeling with reasons/facts/data.

I agree it would be a much better place if people treated the board as if they were talking face to face. There would be a lot less insulting posts flying around. Guys feel challenged or offended and feel compelled to respond in kind or risk looking "weak" or wrong. I'll be the first to admit I get caught up in that bs waaaay too much. I'll try to do better from here on out.

Fwiw, this is the best board of the lot just like it is. With a tad more decorum and restraint and a little less sensitivity, it'd be even better.

cheese, here is my problem with many of the posters, yourself included. The past 3 years most if not all have predicted8-4, 9-3 or 10-2. Both 6-6s were extremely disappointing, the 8-4 in '11 was what some predicted, many figured 9-3 or 10-2 based on the coaching and the talent he has assembled.

So in other words, based on what the posters here have predicted before the seasons started, you have 2 extremely disappointing seasons and 1 that was either about what some thought or a little disappointing to others. In totality, the 3 years have been very disappointing based on what posters thought the coach and the program should have accomplished.

Your OWN expectations.

So how can you and many of the others on this board have any credibility when the team performs way under the expectations that YOU set yourselves, yet you still think the coach is the right guy for Georgia Tech? Using logic and reasoning, why shouldn't I think that you and the others are either dishonest or lacking credibility or know nothing about football or all three?

I do understand that fans are cheerleaders for their team and are often overly optimistic in the preseason. That is fine, but if that describes some of you posters here.. how 'bout putting on a cheerleaders outfit with a gold pleated skirt and a tight white sweater with a gold GT on it and take a picture of yourself and posting it as your avatar? So at least we know to not take you seriously 'cause no matter what you are a cheerleader and your overall objectiveness and credibility is low.

[Lee Reeves]

I will admit I am not the sharpest knife in the drawer, but why even have a message board if opinions of all kinds cannot be tolerated? Lexjacket is a solid fan of everything Georgia Tech, and an astute and insightful poster who is frequently funny as hell. But there isn't room for that here? This just became a fuct up place.

Wait Lex got kicked? WTF he was always so cool to me even though he's much older and we often disagreed, he seemed like a really good guy.

[dressedcheeseside]

cheese, here is my problem with many of the posters, yourself included. The past 3 years most if not all have predicted8-4, 9-3 or 10-2. Both 6-6s were extremely disappointing, the 8-4 in '11 was what some predicted, many figured 9-3 or 10-2 based on the coaching and the talent he has assembled.

So in other words, based on what the posters here have predicted before the seasons started, you have 2 extremely disappointing seasons and 1 that was either about what some thought or a little disappointing to others. In totality, the 3 years have been very disappointing based on what posters thought the coach and the program should have accomplished.

Your OWN expectations.

So how can you and many of the others on this board have any credibility when the team performs way under the expectations that YOU set yourselves, yet you still think the coach is the right guy for Georgia Tech? Using logic and reasoning, why shouldn't I think that you and the others are either dishonest or lacking credibility or know nothing about football or all three?

I do understand that fans are cheerleaders for their team and are often overly optimistic in the preseason. That is fine, but if that describes some of you posters here.. how 'bout putting on a cheerleaders outfit with a gold pleated skirt and a tight white sweater with a gold GT on it and take a picture of yourself and posting it as your avatar? So at least we know to not take you seriously 'cause no matter what you are a cheerleader and your overall objectiveness and credibility is low.

Disappointed in '12 results: yes, very much so.

Optimistic for '13: yes, cautiously so.

Why is it logical, you ask. Easy. College football is not a static event. It changes. It changes season to season and even within seasons. The players change. Some are more critical than others. The most critical position will change and will be an upgrade even though less experienced than the departing incumbent.

Vad and his merry men: Justin, the entire OL, Custis, Sims, Laskey, Snoddy, Summers, Days, Godhigh, Bostic, Autry, Waller, Kallon, Gotsis, Gamble, Chungong, Hunt-Days, Nealy, Watts, Hankins, Harrell, Griffin, Holton, Jemea, and some others that are bound to surprise. Not all these guys are known quantities and not all will excel, but all offer excitement as we see what they bring to the table in '13, none the less.

But mainly..... Vad. He's the kind of player that not only brings more to his own position, he brings more out of everybody else, even the defense. And as much as I appreciate what Tevin did for GT, Vad has the potential to do much, much more.

Then there's the staff changes which are both pluses in Roof and Pelton.

As I've stated many times before, my evaluation of the program is not simply black and white, wins and losses. Yes, my disappointment for '12 does boil down to those absolutes, but the circumstances that led to those outcomes color my outlook for the future. That and new parts that give me hope and see us on the right path.