Monday, January 31, 2011

Chuck Oliver blogger gets it, exposes Johnson Problem to larger audience

Kudos to blogger Chadd Scott on the Chuck Oliver website, who wrote a scathing piece last Thursday on Paul Johnson's recent misadventures in recruiting. Though we don't necessarily agree with his appraisal of the neanderthal-ish goon as a "smart man," that should in no way detract from the substance of his article.

Scott incisively dissects Johnson's "Aycock Rule" using arguments right out of the FPJ handbook, mentioning the antiquated nature of the practice, the extra recruiting impediment placed upon Georgia Tech, and the indecisiveness characteristic of 18 year old kids. He further calls on Johnson to "wake up, grow up and stop being stubborn."

Scott says that if Johnson is confident in his abilities as a recruiter, he should encourage his recruits to take other visits if that is their wish. He adds that Tre Jackson's visits to FSU and Miami did not necessarily mean Tech was out of the picture for his services-- a point which has only been accentuated now that Jackson may no longer be in line for a commitable offer from either school barring an 11th hour reach.

Scott then turns his attention to the poor overall quality of the 2011 class and to the talent drain which we have so feverishly cataloged:

Jackson is exactly the kind of prospect the Jackets need to be signing and aren't. He's a major talent at a huge position of need for a team that is suffering through a major talent drain.

(...)

it's plain to me that this program is in danger of a major downward spiral - if it hasn't started already. Look at what FSU, Clemson and North Carolina are doing in recruiting. They're getting playmakers sought out [at] all the top programs. Georgia Tech has too many commits from players choosing between it and UAB.

Cue the Slurpers ready to accuse Mr. Scott of being a secret "UGAGer" and of perhaps even moonlighting as the publisher of this very blog.

In all, we must say that Scott's article is an insightful read for any true Tech fan sensibly concerned with the program's welfare. Together with Ingram Smith's sobering assay of Johnson's 2011 class, it indicates Chuck Oliver's website as a welcome haven of objectivity in the often ingratiating world of recruiting news and analysis.

(Credit to WrecksNEffect for the heads up)

6 comments:

  1. You know, there's something about the Tech slurpers that has always amazed me: that any time anyone says anything the least bit critical of Tech/Johnson then that the critic must be a closet UGA fan. Why is it they think the entire institute, excepting Paul Hewitt, is too perfect to find fault with?

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  2. It's much easier to label someone than to address their arguments.
    Fact: if you dislike the work of Obama, you're a racist.
    Fact: if you dislike the work of Bush, you're a communist.
    Fact: if you dislike the work of Paul Johnson, you're a UGA fan.
    Fact: if you dislike the work of Mark Richt, you're also a UGA fan. (That one's actually true.)

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  3. JMar,

    Thinking most UGA fans do not like the work of Mark Richt is a fabrication of Tech and other fans in the college football melting pot known as Atlanta.

    Mark Richt has won consistently except one year with a Freshman QB and transitioning in a new Defense (same excuse Tech uses about their defense last year).

    Tech fans boggle my mind when they want to act like Mark Richt is a bad coach. Mark Richt OWNS Tech.

    Tech fans also always want to say "how many National Championships have all those 4 and 5 stars gotten you", but fail to point out that UGA has NEVER had the best recruiting class in the SEC. And on that note, it really is a compliment to Mark Richt and the Dawg nation that Techies expect UGA to win consistent National Championships.

    So keep hating on Mark Richt, and deem him a "horrible" coach. It makes you look that much dumber when he humbles you (for at least a day) every Thanksgiving weekend.

    The folks of Athens are VERY pleased with Mark Richt. If you fail to see that UGA is on the cusp of turning things around, you need to take off the piss-yellow glasses.

    9-1

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  4. Chad Scot is an Auburn alum, and regular news reader and personality on the Chuck and Chernoff show on 680 The Fan

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  5. To be clear, I said that those who don't like Richt are UGA fans, not that those who are UGA fans don't like Richt. The rest of the country acknowledges that Richt is a top coach; only some, and not all, UGA fans who think they should win national titles every year disagree.

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  6. Tre Jackson lied to the coaches about his visit. Had he been upfront about the process, Johnson might not have been so rigid in his stance.

    When Vad Lee said he might visit other schools, Johnson said it was okay as long as he was upfront. However, Johnson also told him that he would seek out other QBs as a replacement in case Lee didn't sign.

    Lee quickly changed his mind about visiting other schools and did not do so.

    Johnson wants kids to live by their word. If that is too much to ask of a 17 year old young man, then he is not mature enough to play at Tech.

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