Diary of a Georgia Tech Football Player

Live from Boise.

A day in the Life of a Georgia Tech Football Player.

Jan. 3, 2004

5:00 a.m. -- I woke up at the team hotel -- The Boise Motel 6. I asked Reggie Ball, "Why are we waking up so early?" Reggie replied, "Bro, the Humanitarian Bowl kicks off at 9:30 a.m. local time. We gotta get a move on." Reggie can tell time AND read the schedule, that's why he's the QB!

5:15 a.m. -- We settle in for the Humanitarian Bowl Official Pre-Game Breakfast. Donuts and french fries. The donuts were from the day before that the Potato Convention guys didn't eat . The locals say it was the "Mashed Potato Convention" and not the "Baked Potato Convention." Apparently, the Mashed Potato guys are much wilder and crazier when they are in town than their rival Baked Potato counterparts. You learn a lot at this bowl!

5:45 a.m. -- We board the team bus. "Holy Crap! It's cold as hell here!" Reggie informed me that the temperature is 15 degrees, and the wind chill is 5 degrees. Reggie can read thermostats 10 times as good as Suggs. That's why he's the QB!

5:50 a.m. -- The stadium was on the opposite end of town from the hotel. On the 5 minute drive over, we saw 32 elk, 44 buffalo and 2 reindeer. Reggie says that the reindeer on the left was Donner. Kick ass. I love Santa!

6:00 a.m. -- We enter the locker room to get dressed. Reggie says that the turf is blue to match the ocean nearby. Reggie can read maps better than the rest of us. That's why he's the QB! (And he's only a Freshman. Can you beelieve it!)

6:57 a.m. -- My pads are almost on. I'm so proud of myself. This year, I didn't even need the help of the trainers to put on my helmet. Fifth year seniors RULE!

7:00 a.m. -- We head out for pre-game warm-ups. "Man, it's cold as hell here!"

7:01 a.m. -- It's started snowing. I recognize snow because I'm from New Jersey, but this is a lot of the white stuff. Jonathan Smith is totally freaking out because he's never seen snow down in Clinch County. The GT on my helmet is already hidden from the snow piling up. But that's OK because Reggie is our QB, and I'm feeling JACKET!!!

7:05 a.m. -- During jumping jacks, I lean over and ask Reggie, "Why are we playing Tulsa way out here in the cold?" He replied, "Because the refs robbed us in the BYU and Duke games." Good point. SEC Refs are always trying to screw us!!

8:00 a.m. -- We head inside for some hot cocoa. Coach Chan says that if we work really hard and play our rear ends off, we can have marshmallows in our hot cocoa at half time. Does that man know how to motivate or what! I'm giving it my all for the Jackets today.

8:57 a.m. -- Coach Chan has finished his pep talk about marshmallows and how great he was when he was coaching the Cowboys but Aikman was a puss and ruined his NFL career. I don't know how it all fit together b/c I got lost, but the marshmallow part sounded AWESOME!

9:10 a.m. -- We run out of the tunnel in front of 8,000 of the loudest Eskimos you've ever seen! Nobody rocks like they rock in Boise! It was louder than 1/2 of the ACC stadiums we've been to. I bet if they had taken off their gloves their clapping would have been 10 times as loud, but Reggie says that "Cold Bite could set in and eat their fingers off." Reggie is so smart for a freshman. All that weather man stuff is just way over my head. Beesides, Astrology wasn't my best subject so I'm a management major.

9:30 a.m. -- We kick off to Tulsa. These guys look pissed. But I don't care b/c I'm a TECH MAN and I BEELIEVE.

9:31 a.m. -- Tulsa just scored. But that's ok b/c we have Reggie Ball and he's a warrior!

9:32 a.m. -- Tulsa just returned a Reggie Ball INT for a TD. Ouch. Reggie threw it really good, but Smith slipped on a puddle of ice. Oh well, Reggie says we're still 4 TDs better than these guys, and NOBODY is standing in the way of my marshmallows.

9:34 a.m. -- 21-0. We are in big trouble. Hopefully this isn't televised. Reggie says not to worry, that Bravo is carrying the game in black and white to save money so our parents won't even know that we're losing. I don't know what he means, but he is such a leader!

11:00 a.m. -- Halftime it's 35-0. No marshmallows. Coach Chan is super duper mad. But he thinks we can turn it around in the 2nd half like we did against Clemson. Good point.

12:30 p.m. -- Final Score 54-0. Turns out these Tulsa guys were pretty good. Man, it's a good thing we didn't have to play Boise State. It would have been really bad. That's ok b/c Reggie predicted after the game that we wouldn't lose another one this year. AND I BEELIEVE HIM!

1:30 p.m. -- We board the Greyhound bus back to Atlanta. Too bad we can't fly back, but the loser of this game doesn't get as much money as the winner. This sucks but I beelieve in the future!

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