Game Twelve: Revenge of the Nerds?

November 25^th

Vs Georgia Tech

Ask a Georgia fan to say one word about the Georgia Institute of Technology and you’ll likely get one word – Nerds. Or NATS (North Avenue Trade School). Or Yechs. Ok, so there’s no shortage of names to call those guys. What makes the last few years so interesting about this in-state rivalry is not that the Dawgs have won the past five. It’s that the Nerds, er, the Yellowjackets had won the previous three before then, yet had to “vacate” the wins because they played ineligible players. So truly, the last time Tech beat us was in 1990. That was the year they won the National Champ………I’m sorry, that was the year they won the CO-National Championship.

This year the game could go either way. Seems like Coach Chan Gailey over there has figured out how to win some big games. Well actually, he’s already done that (Auburn, Miami), but now he’s figured out how not to lose the ones he shouldn’t. Tech has an all-world receiver in Calvin Johnson. Even the sorriest of quarterbacks can get the ball to this guy. He’ll be playing on Sunday next year. But their defense keeps getting better and better and better. The only reason I like the Dawgs this year is that the game is at home and we have our only open date before this game. Two weeks to heal and strategize. Or, two weeks to lay around and get stale.

I’ll tell you one thing. Georgia fans sure will miss Tech QB Reggie Ball. He’s basically GIVEN us two games and was ineffective in the other. Does being a senior allow him to finally develop his leadership on the field? Does being a senior give him the experience to not make the mistakes that he’s made in the past? Who knows, but I’d rather stick 3 guys on Calvin than 2 guys on Reggie.

Am I optimistic? Yes. But the Dawgs have lost quite a few games that they shouldn’t have because the other team wanted it more. I just feel like it’s our turn. I’m sure Tech feels like it’s their turn, too. But to quote Bernie Casey in “Revenge Of The Nerds”:

“…..but I feel that I must tell you, you have very little chance. I mean, after all……you’re nerds”