Tuesday, March 17, 2015

March Madness

Anna’s graduation bio: Anna has attended Veritas since she was in 5th grade.  She has been studying and helping teach art, and won the Most Artistic Superlative her all four years in high school.  Last year Anna painted the yearbook cover as well other pages, and working on the yearbook staff two years.  Aside from art, She taught herself to play the guitar. Anna also enjoys reading, music, and calligraphy.  She is involved at Grace Midtown Church and has enjoyed serving in the high school ministry there.  Having been accepted early, Anna will attend the University of Georgia this fall to major in Graphic Arts.

ESPN: Have you seen the new 30 for 30 about Christian Laettner? I watched most of it last night and it was real good. Interviews with former teammates, opponents, CL, CL’s parents and sisters, Coach K, and Coach K’s wife. Chronicles his entire career from 7th grade and touches on the pros. He looks great, though it’s hard to believe his hair is turning grey. Shows him make an appearance at Rupp Arena. When he is introduced the crowd boos, but he just smiles, then takes a towel and gets down on his hands and knees in his suit and pretends to wipe up sweat near the foul line, where he had famously stepped on the Wildcat player. He lies down on the crowd so fans can take pictures of themselves stepping on him. When Kentucky started selling “I Hate Laettner” T shirts he had “I Love Laettner” shirts. He says 99% of the hate is good natured, and he ignores the bad one percent. A good show.

TECH: In addition to not knowing how to coach the final moments of a game, GT head coach Brian Gregory doesn’t have any shooters/scorers because of his own poor recruiting. One reason he was spared another year is because GT is still paying Paul Hewitt – who is now being paid by two schools to not coach. Perhaps if an AJC writer had connected those dots before yesterday’s retention announcement the GT AD might’ve felt more pressure to make a change. As it is the GT fanbase isn’t mighty enough to hold the AD and basketball program to a higher standard and demand change. Should the Jackets get hot next spring and win the ACC or make the Sweet 16 Tech might be compelled to extend Gregory’s contract – and that would be a mistake. Last Thursday I was talking to Andrew about GT basketball. Back in our day GT was an upper tier ACC basketball program expected to compete for the conference championship and make the NCAA Tournament every year. Perhaps not the powerhouse of a Duke or UNC, but just one rung below.

REID: See where Tech has given G another year. Need shooters !!!! I thought the AD made a pretty good case about money NOT being the reason. They need two more shooting guards for next year. I still say G just needs to first win the games he is supposed to win, which didn't happen this year. He would have had a decent season just winning those games. Will probably watch Ala/Ill tonight even though Ill ought to win big in Ala's home court because of the firing of their coach. I was stunned that Ga Southern was not picked my MCAA or NIT.

ME: What if Gregory brings in two shooters and then still coaches them the same way during the last few minutes of games? Will the record improve much? Georgia State paid back Georgia Southern for whupping them in football a few months ago. I think Southern wouldn’t trade their victory on the gridiron.  

MONDAY: Stopped by Kroger on the way home to pick up dinner. Uneventful evening. On Jeopardy there was a NBA category. I knew all the answers.

TUESDAY: Late to work after taking M to school. Had the Ruby Tuesday salad bar for lunch – only the healthy stuff. Drank water. Will have to nab a diet soft drink this afternoon. Ate with a guy that drives 60,000 miles per year. I’m sure the company pays for his gas and company truck – a humongo Ford F150 pickup. Crazy that even if he gets 20 MPG and gas a cheap $2.50 per gallon he could save $2,500.00 per year if he got a 30 MPG vehicle. That would just about pay for the car payments.

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