Mailbag 8/31

absterjacket: Are we going to have a face-to-face meetup at a sport this season? It’s been some years since we’ve done that.

Jack: We’ve had some dialogue approximately that in the body of workers Slack…We’ll hold y’all posted.

Jake: That would be neat, and I would be there so long as it’s miles at a recreation I am also at!

Ben: The ultimate time we had an authentic FTRS tailgate (to my expertise) changed into the 2014 ACC Championship Game, and that become prepared absolutely by means of the commentariat, but as Jack said, we’ve had a few discussions, but I would additionally encourage you to speak approximately it inside the gamethread that published earlier these days.

Share in which y’all are tailgating and get to understand every different.

tlbriley: Do you observed ESPN’s cash troubles will bring about fewer bowl video games?

Logan: I assume Bowl video games now not drawing a crowd and viewership, combined with the playoff enlargement, will lead to much less bowl games. I’m now not sure ESPN’s money problems will have a right away effect on the bowl video games, but it can result in bowls being broadcast with the aid of different TV companies.

If ESPN drops the ones games and other vendors are unwilling to choose up coverage of the bowl games it will likely be tough for the bowls to preserve sponsorships, so in that sense there might be fewer bowl games if ESPN does no longer cowl them.

Jeff: I assume we see the networks and conferences have overextended themselves in the next five-7 years.

Disney is actively trying to promote off some of the underperforming media shops and ABC is one in all them.

That would be a massive blow to airing video games.

I am not so certain the extremely good meetings of the next decade are going to get the cash they may be used to getting.

The bowls might be one of the first things cut and a brand new made over playoff for these new outsized meetings may be the opening to do it.

Ben: I should see ESPN dropping some of the decrease-stage bowls in the event that they aren’t truely drawing cash, however it’s going to be a hard promote to get the teams okay with that.

TkTheGoat: Is the Atlanta sports curse over, nonetheless taking place, or did it stop while Braves received the collection in ‘21?

Jack: It led to 2018 when Atlanta United received the MLS Cup in the front of 72k people, then the U.S. Open Cup, after which the Campeones Cup all within a year.

Logan: I’m going to disregard university sports activities for this one considering the fact that schools like GT and Georgia State might not have full backing from all of Atlanta.

The only real pro group nonetheless struggling to locate footing is the Falcons. Braves are a perennial contender.

Atlanta United has struggled of past due but as Jack referred to their Cup wins are latest enough that I suppose they still dangle in peoples minds.

The Hawks are going to always make the playoffs, which is about all you could ask for from an NBA team without pulling collectively a high-quality team with three or extra stars.

The Falcons are the handiest crew that isn’t extraordinary, but their division approach they could nevertheless probably make the playoffs.

I bet it depends on the way you outline a curse, however I think all Atlanta groups are giving human beings an awesome motive to be glad and cheer for them.

Jeff: The curse in general need to be over. The Falcons have the capability to get returned to the Super Bowl and win within the coming years.

The Hawks are the one actual team I can’t see competing for a protracted whilst.

The NBA is just constructed for a handful of groups to personal the league.

I get UGA isn’t in Atlanta however they make up the lion’s percentage of the viewership and had some remarkable flops that live as much as the Atlanta curse. Their curse has truely ended.

Ben: As has already been said, it ended whilst Atlanta United received a identify.

Bill Brockman: I examine that KSU is going the FBS course.

This manner they go from a small however actual threat of being national champions in FCS to never having any practical threat; probably of even being in a playoff.

Why? Does it imply sufficient extra revenue to cover the improved cost plus some left over for his or her different athletic packages?

Logan: I suppose money is usually going to be the most important component for those sorts of choices. I think KSU does need a hazard to contend at the following stage in football and while they’ll by no means win a national championship they may still build their manner to prevailing their convention or playing in a bowl game.

KSU also wishes greater potential TV coverage and wants to grow to be regarded as a first-rate university sports program in Georgia. But yeah, it’s on the whole approximately the cash.

Ben: Money. Even although they don’t have a practical shot at winning a country wide name, there’s so much extra money on the FBS level due to TV offers. They can have the possibility to be broadcast nationally, which they by no means would on the FCS stage besides within the postseason.

Jake: The “the front porch” exposure earned from FBS soccer is in all likelihood also a contributing aspect, similarly to money.

A lot of those actions can also have roots in exposure for the college and recruiting students more normally.

Jeff: In nowadays’s landscape most of the FBS has zero threat of making a playoff. So it is approximately cash and relevance.

If university football does damage into some other layout of divisions the FCS may also get regulated off TV altogether.

BillOBrienEnthusiast: How suppressed are your emotions for the season? 2-10 or worse: Killing small animals at night time. Three-nine: Voice cracking, visibly shaking. Four-8: Eyes welling up. 5-7: It’s first-class. 6-6: Eyes narrowed due to the fact slightly enraged GT could have been better.

7-five: Humble-bragging. Eight-4 or better: Everyone hates you.

Logan: I’m not exactly positive how to answer the query.

I will say I went to the UNC game remaining 12 months and I tried hard now not to cheer because I became afraid if I did God could punish me for buying too excited, in the meantime my wife who didn’t even visit Georgia Tech is the loudest cheerer in our phase for GT sitting subsequent to me. I bet that’s how I feel now, I realize we will win however I’m seeking to suppress my expectancies due to the fact I’m afraid if I get too excited I might be punished by way of the cosmic powers that be by some means.

Ben: If Tech performs poorly this season, I’m now not going to put loads of inventory in it.

Although I think Tech is able to going to a bowl sport this season, I additionally recognize that it’s the first year in a brand new gadget, so there’s a completely real hazard of a few growing pains, so usually, I’ll be pretty reserved unless Tech simply wildly exceeds expectancies.

Jeff: I’m watching for a .500 season at the least. Brent Key wouldn’t supply a win total at media days whilst requested, however he made positive to point out that a fair file isn’t going to be perfect.

As for how I react? Let’s simply say I become not given the day without work this night and my control can also regret it when I carry the sport up on my cellphone and those could be able to hear me via my coworkers telephones.

jabsterjacket: How many bowls are being sponsored by using ESPN past shopping for the published rights?

Logan: I consider we had to cast off a few text from this query because jabsterjacket provided an in depth analysis of his questioning in the questions publish, Apologies for slicing that. Honestly I’m not familiar sufficient with the economics in the back of the bowls to provide an accurate response.

I will say I think lots of these bowl video games are most effective retaining sponsorships due to the fact humans realize ESPN may be broadcasting them, if ESPN loses hobby you could see extra bowls drop out of lifestyles.

Jeff: Do no longer quote me on the precise quantity but there are around 15-20 that ESPN owns outright and can determine the matchups within them.

I believe The Athletic did a bowl prediction and tried to provide an explanation for the convoluted mess it has end up.

So, ESPN may want to say that losing any ACC school (the 15 consists of ND, no matter Rudy being offsides) represents a material change in the settlement, except colleges are introduced first.

Not certain how the Mouse could be “glad” with replacing, say, FSU or Clemson with Cal or Stanford.

I bet the GOR might stay intact (that’s among the faculties and the ACC), despite the fact that if payoffs dropped due to an ESPN renegotiation I can’t see how a faculty wouldn’t be able to renegotiate the GOR cope with the ACC.

(this comment were given masses of attention on our mailbag put up, check that put up for a few extra discussion)

Logan: I suppose this is an correct evaluation of the kingdom of the ACC right now.

If the ACC is to keep away from going the way of the PAC-12 they want to add additional individuals due to the fact they recognise they have got groups ready to depart the convention.

All the contract speak with Disney receives complex as you look more into it,

but the quick model is the ACC is trying its satisfactory to ensure it’s miles both able to renegotiate the modern-day TV contract or can be capable of preserve reasonable TV revenue from Disney must schools leave the conference, The vote to feature SMU,

Cal, and Stanford exceeded this morning so I without a doubt needed to rewrite some of my thoughts, I nonetheless suppose groups like Clemson, FSU, and UNC can be looking to leave the ACC as quickly as they can, however now that SMU, Cal, and Stanford had been added this may supply the ACC delivered balance no matter what the Tiger, Noles, and Heels determine to do.

DressHerInWhiteAndGold: Besides GTFB, CFB and PUMPKIN SPICE LATTE; what are you maximum searching forward to in the course of the imminent “Most Wonderful Time of the Year-Autumn”?

I’m hoping for a Barves World Series, searching ahead to the Ryder Cup in approximately a month, and COOLER WEATHER.

Logan: Really looking forward to the cooler weather.

The fall vacations are some of my favorites. Big fan of Oktoberfest beers. Also, you’re proper a Braves World Series might be excellent.

Jake: Atlanta has some incredible alternatives for cycling, and with much less warmness, it will be simpler to revel in those.

When adding a few stops at nearby coffeeshops, stores, restaurants, and other establishments, in addition to simply seeing a few exciting neighborhoods, it makes for a brilliant way to spend a day.

Ben: I’m simply searching ahead to it no longer being 1,000,000 levels out of doors.

Jeff: Both of my women could be in school by using subsequent week. It is each a sad dad time and a what do I do with myself now that I even have a few hours of free time.

Submitted via electronic mail: How do you count on Buster Faulkner to call the game (or at the least start off the sport) for Haynes King to maximise the abilties that got him the beginning role over Zach Pyron?

Ben: I assume Tech to be quite conservative out of the gate. Tech historically has a strong going for walks recreation and with a gaggle of recent men at receiver, I expect Faulkner to be a little sluggish in opening matters up.

Jeff: I am going to move opposite of Ben. King has a huge arm and if they have advanced him in camp he has some guns to gash them early.

It could actually get Louisville on their heels as they try to kind out their side too.

Logan: I think Ben’s answer is the proper one, probably lots of slant, curl, and display routes.

That said, I desire Jeff is proper. Why no longer pop out throwing deep? Let’s venture these guys with what King does pleasant and let him throw downfield.

Submitted thru e-mail: Why is GT called “The Flats”?

Ben: I actually have no concept. I’ll defer to resident FTRS historian Jake Grant in this one.

Jake: That I can assist with. In the pre-Atlanta days, the region in which the metropolis is now located had been a bed of rolling hills, basically the final foothills of the southern leg of the Appalachians, pockmarked by way of valleys and streams.

One such creek ran northwards from the Centennial Olympic Park to what is now Tanyard Creek, that’s north of Atlantic Station and has a pleasing park and path, that is slated to be incorporated into the Beltline as the northern keystone of the loop.

That creek, lengthy on the grounds that diverted right into a culvert, ran directly through the middle of a valley this is now Bobby Dodd Stadium and onward greater or less parallel to nowadays’s Fowler Street.

At the time the faculty turned into founded, this valley became deep enough that North Avenue spanned the location from Luckie Street to Midtown on an extended viaduct.

Tech Tower and the Old Shop were constructed at the west facet of this valley, and the school buildings clustered on what became called the Hill, particularly after the valley was evolved into the stadium, which obtained the complementary name the Flats, signifying the flat backside of the valley.

It is said that for a long term, there have been manholes in Grant Field that ran down in the direction of that water foremost/culvert after the development of the stadium. Even as Tech aims to daytime more water runoff, particularly via the Eco Commons task, the nickname persists today, even though the creek does now not.