My 3-0 Tech Weekend!

Oh sweet victory! As much as I love Tech Volleyball, the football game over F$U was just glorious. Nerve-wracking, no doubt, but finally - a win! Ina and I joined our friends' tailgate and hung around until near game time. We didn't have tickets and thought we might pick up a pair near Bobby Dodd Stadium; otherwise, ... well, we weren't sure what we'd do. I played a little hardball, but Ina was the real tough sell even though I don't think she intended it. Heck, I felt like the good cop. Well, we took two home side seats on the north 30 and with a couple beeps at the gate, we were in for a fateful afternoon.

Our seats were great, a little higher might've been nice, but we were sitting near some nice Tech fans and a few pleasant 'noles as well. After the usual pagentry, the game had started, and boy did it feel good. The 'noles scored first, but I wasn't detered and neither was the team. Up and down for both teams; it was a fun and exciting first half, but Tech took the lead. My expectations were lifted, but I was not comfortable.

- and with good reason. The second half was slower and with an injury to our quarterback, things turned sour very quickly. But I'll tell you what. With dread of another loss in my heart, I still shouted and chanted and didn't let up. It came down to a play with less than a minute to go; if F$U scored, it was over. Run up the middle. The ball is loose! Into the Endzone. Don't pick it up! FALL ON IT! We've got the BALL! We did it! 31-28! Paul Johnson and the Jackets have finally beat the Seminoles!

There was true elation as the students and other fans swarmed the field. I cannot imagine why event staff and police gave any grief to them at first, but I suppose they at least have to appear like they are disapproving from fear of some lawsuit. The band played what seemed like a straight 15 minutes. Fanfare. White and Gold. Ramblin Wreck. Bud. Finally, the students wandered away, the band played The Horse, and on we went. Life was good.

Bookending a nerve-wracking yet fantastic football game over F$U were two sweet games in O'Keefe. In a three-way tie for second in the ACC and only one game out of first, Georgia Tech Volleyball is on fire after winning two excellent matches this weekend. On Volleyballoween, the Volley-Jackets fended off the Hokies who earlier put a notch in our loss column. It was nice to get a hug from VT assistant coach and former Tech player (and one of my favorites) Jayme Gergen before the game. Saturday, elated after witnessing such an amazing game on Grant Field, I joined the percussion section to cheer on the the Volley-Jackets as they dealt swift vengeance upon the Cavaliers. *The battery (strictly the marching percussion) was off at BoA so I played cymbals for most of the game and snare for Bud.

What a weekend! Oh, and I heard a big monkey was running down the streets of Atlanta away from Tech. Guard your backs.