#rambling wreck from Georgia Tech

[actionsports01]

Fan Day for Rambling Wreck

Details Set for First Saturday on The Flats Georgia Tech football’s annual fan event to be held Saturday at Bobby Dodd Stadium THE FLATS – Details are complete for First Saturday on The Flats presented by Georgia’s Own Credit Union – Georgia Tech football’s annual Fan Day event – which will be held from 11 a.m-1 p.m. on Saturday at Bobby Dodd Stadium. PARKING FREE parking (including ADA…

[momentspause]

My favorite uncles

There was one cool uncle on either side of the family, each totally unique in their own ways.

Bruce was my Dad's brother and, for that family, hell on wheels. A "rambling wreck from Georgia Tech," he was an engineer for various oil and gas companies. While he might have been from Illinois, he spent most of his life living in Houston (when he wasn't overseas working on projects). He had an RV. He loved the Houston Oilers. He was the uncle who, when he'd visit us when I was a kid, had no problems leaving copies of Hustler out in the guest bedroom. Enjoyed cigars, drinking, BBQs, had a Ruger Redhawk, bought a PS 1 when they first came out, had a converted oil barrel and paddle he'd use for making his BBQ beans, loved his dogs (especially the little ones), was a member of MENSA, knew how to have a damn good time and dammit, he lived life fully. he loved my Aunt Pat with his entire being. He fell in love with her like he'd been hit with a thunderbolt. I remember her telling me the story of the first weekend they spent together. He'd paid for a trip to New Orleans. My aunt got violently ill and he spent the weekend basically with her in the hotel bathroom. They were married within months after that - a wedding I totally remember as child, as I think only the kids who attended (his nieces and me) were sober at the ceremony, my parents included. That was a hell of a party - they took over their condo's pool area, everyone helped with food and booze and nobody gave a damn. Carefree in living, professional at work, and a mess when it came to taking care of plenty of things that would have made life easier for those he left behind. He died about 20 years ago.

My uncle Steve passed last week. "Uncle Captain Steve" was the name I gave him when I was a child, because he had a sailboat he would take out onto Traverse Bay and if we were lucky, we'd get to go. He'd sail it on some of the Great Lakes - in fact, he taught sailing at the Great Lakes Maritime Academy. I knew him more for his photography though. A strong early memory was a lunch at his house with my mom and other relatives there. I remember the house he had with his then-wife Madonna, a painter and nurse. I remember how beautiful the house was, and how it was filled with paintings and photos - especially nudes. I remember his teasing me for looking at them as intently as I seemed to be (and probably was). He was the cool uncle who would take annual trips to Paris and New Orleans for creative regeneration, who enjoyed knowing owners of various restaurants and wineries in the region, who taught photography at the community college in Traverse City for nearly 30 years (and was the head of two different departments during his tenure there).

To me, he had a more laid-back coolness about him, acting and living with intention but without urgency. So lacking was his urgency, in fact, that numerous promises of time or gifts were never accomplished. These were forgiven as "that's who he is." When I was young and wandering with a camera, I remember that he taught me that cameras are merely tools and that you could create good photos with any camera (he'd bring his collection of random cameras to his classes for these demonstrations, apparently). When I was learning photography more seriously, I remember showing him my photos, and learning how to take critiques on them. Whenever we'd visit my grandparents, we'd visit him - after all, he lived in the same town. He took care of them as best as he could, including managing my grandfather's estate. He moved into my great-aunt's house after she passed, a house which was only a couple miles away from another great-aunt's farm. Family was accessible there, and that was a place where I felt that sense more keenly than many other places.

I've learned lessons from both of them. I learned a lot about life and how to live it with fun and joy. I learned the downsides of their attitudes as well.

I still miss my uncle Bruce. I will miss my uncle Steve. But, just as it was when they were alive, I'll miss them for different reasons, and will have distinctly different feelings about them when I think of them.

[hellativity]

when i said “im a rambling wreck from georgia tech and a helluva engineer” what i meant was “i completed all the requirements for a degree so now i am technically an engineer but my mental health is in shambles, as is my gpa, (and my finances!) and even if i can get far enough in the job search process to get an interview, i fuck it up somewhere else along the way and don’t get hired”

[oskarlevant]

The All Star Collegians - “Rambling Wreck from Georgia Tech” (1930)

[chasadavis]

The Big Ten(t) conference

Final Answer on Big Ten Expansion: double up and break down by time zones.

9 from the former Pac-12, all AAU members.  1 from the former Big 8/12 and reunited with two of their old rivals.  4 from the ACC, who will be able to afford their release from the awful ACC Grant of Rights.  I know the Georgia Institute of Technology is an AAU member, however I was looking at mcubed, which has series records for each D-1 team and the Georgia Tech Rambling Wreck really belongs with that other conference down south.  14+9+1+4= 28, four seven-team divisions.   

 13 conference games for football, six within their division and a rotation of 7 from the other three divisions.  Therefore in practice, the Central would play the East one year, the Mountain the second and the Pacific third, then repeat so each team has a home and road against every opponent every six years.  27 conference basketball games to play everybody once.  The purpose of conferences is to play each other, so my Illini would play two basketball games a year in California.  Road Trip for me!

Yes, that is my handwriting on graph paper.  I color coded the themed divisions which are mini conferences.  I love trophy games in the Big Ten and all three of my Illini’s are protected here.  The Land of Lincoln (formerly the Sweet Sioux Tomahawk) with the Northwestern wildkitties.  The Cannon with Purdue and Illibuck, the wooden turtle with Ohio State, which is their only trophy game.

[auburnfamilynews]

It was good weekend on the Plains as two official visitors left with the Tigers on top.

National Signing Day is quickly approaching and Auburn has plenty of spots still left to fill. This past weekend went a long way towards hopefully filling a few of those positions with some big time players.

Tigers Lead For Two Top Targets

Both 3* OG Kamaar Bell and 3* LB Octavius Brothers left the Plains last weekend with a clear #1 team in the Auburn Tigers.

Auburn is also now in the lead for 3-star LB and Brevard County, Fla. native Octavius Brothers after his official visit. That’s two players in two positions of need as the Tigers look to round out their 2019 class.

— Justin Ferguson (@JFergusonAU) January 13, 2019

Both are incredibly important targets for the Tigers. Auburn signed only two offensive lineman in December after only signing two offensive lineman in the 2018 class (though they did snag junior transfer Jack Driscoll). The Tigers also only signed one linebacker in the early period and are hoping for two more in this class. Both Bell and Brothers are at or near the top of the want list for both of those positions.

Now Auburn will have to hope no one else can top last weekend’s visits. Bell will be in Louisville this weekend before traveling to Tallahassee, FL at the end of January. That FSU visit is the one that looms large in my opinion. The Noles can sell immediate playing time and that will play a huge role in Bell’s final decision.

Had a great time @AuburnFootball . Thanks for making me feel at home #WDE pic.twitter.com/kDqE0i2jMS

— k ️〽️ ️ELL 4star ⭐️ (@BKamaar) January 14, 2019

As for Brothers, he is no longer expected to visit Ole Miss this weekend but instead travel to Atlanta and spend the weekend with the Yellow Jackets. Miami will then host him late in January and they are probably Auburn’s biggest threat at the moment. As of today though I think both end up Tigers.

Auburn Official Was Certified #WARDAMN @T_WILL4REAL @CoachGusMalzahn @CoachPrinceAU pic.twitter.com/Iv9OhYHtsz

— Oc Brothers II (@Blvd_4) January 14, 2019

Auburn Making Push For Robinson

It’s pretty clear Auburn would like to sign one more defensive back in the 2019 class. Back in December, Auburn hosted LSU commit 4* CB Maurice Hampton who is still mulling over his final decision. The Tigers sent the whole coaching staff sans Gus Malzahn to Hampton’s home over the weekend to let the young man know how badly Auburn wants him on the Plains.

Great in home visit with the WHOLE Auburn coaching staff. #WDE pic.twitter.com/1lfBJobh3o

— Ⓜ️ (@maurice_hampton) January 14, 2019

But Hampton isn’t the only DB target at the moment. 3* ATH Jammie Robinson is one of the most exciting players in this class. He played at Crisp County the last two seasons with SEC signees Big Kat Bryant and Quay Walker before transferring to Lee County in Leesburg, GA. People would go to see those two play and leave talking just as much about Robinson. He can play all over the field though most schools have him pegged as a defensive back, specifically at the nickel position. Heading into this past weekend, this race was thought to mainly be a Kentucky vs South Carolina contest. Not anymore.

Robinson brought his mom on campus for the first time and it appears the visit was a hit with her. Even more important, Kevin Steele took some time to break down how the Tigers plan to use Robinson’s unique skillset if he were to don the orange and blue next season. This will be a fight to the finish line and he still has one more official visit left with a trip to Knoxville this upcoming weekend. I think the Tigers have turned the heat up in this race and are very much a threat to land the talented athlete. But it could be hard to beat longtime favorite South Carolina. You also wonder if Auburn could take both Robinson and Hampton if they wanted on board. I imagine that’s a problem the Tigers would like to have come signing day.

Say Auburn What’s Popping #wareagle pic.twitter.com/vFXYYgIYzP

— Jammie Robinson (@Jammierobinson6) January 13, 2019

Griffin In Play?

One of the most interesting official visitors this past weekend in my opinion was NC State commit 4* RB Jamious Griffin. Auburn won a wild race for 3* DJ Williams in December and are considered the favorites for 4* Mark-Antony Richards. But Griffin landed an offer in December as well and has quickly become a name to watch in recent weeks for the Tigers. Might Auburn be making a strong late push for the talented back out of Georgia?

Maybe.

Griffin left the Plains saying that Auburn “stands up there with N.C. State” and that a final decision wouldn’t come until around Signing Day. He also stated that the news about Tim Horton no longer coaching running backs would not factor into his final decision. He’s expected to officially visit Georgia Tech (notice how their name is popping up more?) next weekend and Miami the last weekend in January.

I’m a big fan of Griffin but I’m not sure yet if Auburn would be willing to take both he and Richards if they wanted on board considering they signed Williams just a few weeks ago. I also think the Rambling Wreck are a team to watch in this race considering his older brother signed with them last year. The Wolfpack will fight hard to keep the Georgia native in the fold but this race is going to come down to the very end. My super early prediction is that he lands in the ACC with either NC State or Georgia Tech but he’s absolutely a name to track over these final weeks.

AUBURN IT’S BEEN REAL‼️✊ #WarEagle pic.twitter.com/2dEGdTUh7e

— ｣ᗑ⋔ｴꑙ꒤꒚ ﻯℜｴ￡￡ｴℕ✝ (@JamiousGriffin) January 13, 2019

Interesting Monday Visitor

It seems like every single transfer QB has been linked to Auburn so far. The Tigers tried to land Kelly Bryant last month but lost him to Missouri. I’ve seen Auburn’s name mentioned as a school of possible interest for former Ohio State QB Tate Martell though there’s been little actual intel on Auburn’s real interest. There continues to be buzz that the Tigers might be in play for Jalen Hurts as well but yesterday a new name went from speculation to possibly a legitimate transfer target.

Looks like Oklahoma transfer quarterback Austin Kendall is in Auburn, per his Instagram (@bmarcello saw it first). He would be immediately eligible as a graduate transfer. Was a four-star pro-style recruit in the 2015 class. Completed 28 of 39 passes in three years. pic.twitter.com/q64TLJxolO

— Josh Vitale (@JoshVitale) January 14, 2019

Austin Kendall was once the nation’s #9 ranked pro style quarterback in the 2016 class and someone the Tigers pursued hard that cycle. He landed with the Sooners and was thought to be the next man in line in Norman, OK. But surprisingly his name appeared in the transfer portal last week. Very quickly, Auburn’s new QB coach Kenny Dillingham and head coach Gus Malzahn were following Kendall on Twitter. But yesterday’s visit is real concrete evidence that the Tigers are pursuing the talented signal caller.

So what does this mean? Well it could mean Gus Malzahn is simply doing his due diligence. Auburn really liked Kendall when he came out of high school and there’s a relationship already there. But it could also mean that in a do or die year for Malzahn, he has no interest in turning this offense over to anyone on the roster or a true freshman QB.

Gus has never been shy about pursuing transfer QBs. The success he’s had with them makes it understandable. But this move would be more surprising to me than the pursuit of Kelly Bryant or Jalen Hurts. Kendall will be a redshirt junior next year meaning he will have two more years to play. That’s more than a stopgap solution. It would virtually eliminate any dream of Malik Willis being the guy and would mean Joey Gatewood and Cord Sandberg are redshirt juniors on the roster when Kendall leaves.

I don’t actually know how real or not real this recruitment might be but it’s definitely something to follow in the coming weeks. Kendall doesn’t appear to me to be the same type of sure thing Jarrett Stidham was a few years ago and does not bring any threat of mobility like Bryant or Hurts. But Gus can’t really afford to take any lumps next year with a young QB. If you don’t trust Willis to be the guy and aren’t ready for Gatewood/Sandberg/Nix to take over then maybe Kendall can be the answer. Fascinated to watch this recruitment unfold.

Charles Moore Has New Leader

Last week, one of Auburn’s top targets in 4* DL Charles Moore reopened his recruitment. He quickly tabbed the Tigers as his leader and it was hard not to get excited about the possibility of adding the talented defensive lineman in February. But it appears things might have changed following his official visit to Gainesville.

Defensive lineman Charles Moore named the Florida #Gators his leader on Sunday after visiting Gainesville. Moore says the #Gators impressed him with their presentations about life after football. Moore talks visit here https://t.co/4NGaPstyd6

— Andrew Spivey (@AndrewSpiveyGC) January 13, 2019

Dan Mullen was the head coach in Starkville when Moore originally committed to Mississippi State so this isn’t a complete shock. He already has a good relationship with that staff and the Gators undoubtedly rolled out the red carpet this past weekend. But I also don’t think it’s time to panic. Moore appears to be a kid prone to visit highs and I would not be surprised to see Tennessee become his top team after that official visit. In the end, Auburn has built some really strong relationships in this recruitment and I still think the Tigers are the team to beat. I would not be surprised at all if he took an unofficial visit to campus too before making his final decision. Either way, this is gonna be a hotly contested recruitment until signing day.

Offensive Line Thoughts

Finally, I wanted to touch on the subject that I know most Auburn fans are concerned about this cycle - offensive line recruiting. The Bell news was big this past weekend and I do think the Tigers are gonna be tough to beat in that recruitment. But even with Bell, Auburn needs at least one more offensive lineman in this class and he should probably be an offensive tackle prospect. The two names that have been most mentioned are JUCO prospect 4* Bamidele Olaseni and 3* Dawand Jones. Olaseni has already officially visited the Plains but still has more visits to go while the Tigers are fighting to get Jones on campus. I don’t feel great about Auburn landing either one at the moment.

More surprising has been the fact that Auburn hasn’t sent out any new offers on the offensive line in recent days. They might have and they just haven’t gone public but I’m gonna speculate they haven’t for another reason. With the adoption of the brand new Transfer Portal, recruiting has expanded even further from just high school/junior college prospects and graduate transfers to any player that wants out of their current situation. Given the limited talent pool now available due to the early signing period, I wouldn’t be shocked if Auburn is evaluating some transfer options that might have to sit out next season but would have at least two years of eligibility remaining starting in 2020.

The Tigers don’t have a clear successor at left tackle on the roster right now. I think Austin Troxell is going to be a very good right tackle for the Tigers next season but besides him, I’m not sure Auburn has ANY SEC calibre OTs available. There are a lot of questions around whether Calvin Ashley will even be with the team next season and even if he is I’m not sure if he will be ready to go in 2020. I would not be surprised if Prince Michael Sammons transfers at some point and I would be stunned if 2019 signee Justin Osborne is ready to start as a redshirt freshman. That’s a pretty bleak picture looking ahead...

So don’t be shocked if instead of landing a 3* backup plan, Auburn instead attempts to add a transfer from a Power 5 program with the hope that he will be ready to start in 2020. Who that might be, I have no idea but I at least wanted to throw out the possibility that Auburn could be looking at non high school and graduate transfer targets. This will continue to be one of the most important spots to fill in the 2020 class.

War Eagle!

from College and Magnolia - All Posts https://www.collegeandmagnolia.com/2019/1/15/18182793/2019-auburn-football-recruiting-kamaar-bell-octavius-brothers-name-auburn-leader

[jax-in-the-box5]

It's been a week, and I'm terrified my belly button ring is infected ...I've been cleaning it well and not irritating it...but it itches and it's red and scabby....Ugh I'm probably just paranoid.

[momentspause]

Among the spices we keep, there's a mason jar filled with sugar that contains vanilla bean pods, sliced lengthwise. My aunt Pat used to keep one of these in her kitchen, so she could have vanilla flavored sugar for her coffee.

Pat died this morning.

She was the second wife of my uncle Bruce, and they, as a couple, were the "cool" relatives in my family. Their love was a thunderbolt and the love was immediate. He was a boisterous engineer (a rambling wreck from Georgia Tech) who traveled the world designing oil refineries. She was from Boston, but adopted Texas as her home and spent years working for the State of Texas, mostly with wildlife preservation (including bats). Once, she had to help remove raccoons from NASA's HQ.

The first time I remember meeting her was at their wedding. They basically took over their apartment complex, got all their friends over, had people volunteering and contributing food, booze, whatever. God only knows how they were conned into having me as the ring bearer. I don't remember much of the reception, but I imagine most people didn't either. The next morning retrieving the floating candles from the pool was a slight chore, but since I wasn't hungover, I got volunteered.

She loved animals, and was always in love with making sure they were cared for. There were always rescues living with her and Bruce, from Daisy the smiling (and dumb....oh so dumb) dalmatian, Cody (whose antics never amused the African Grey parrots - one of whom would chastise Cody with impersonations of Bruce), the parrots themselves (the first words one of them ever said was "I can talk, can you fly?"), and the ones I knew best of all, Little and Buddy (her last rescued dog, who had to be put down only a couple months ago). Lest we forget - there was the wooden cigar Indian, named Clyde, who resided in their backyard and, after she sold the house (which was used as a fix and flip on a reality show) stayed with the RV she spent the rest of her life living in.

Pat was a strong feminist, politically aware, and a lover of life. She and Bruce lived with exuberance and joy, and his loss almost 20 years ago was always felt. She herself prepared squares for a few of her friends which are on the AIDS quilt.

The closest I've come to getting a tattoo was visiting her in Houston when I was in graduate school (she and Bruce once sent my little sister and I home from a visit to them with fake tattoos, a joke my mom didn't appreciate as much as we did). She was a football fan in her own way, loving Houston's football teams (the Oilers and Bum Philips, and as an eventual substitute, the Texans). I do remember her casually mentioning that she had sex with Ken Stabler a couple times (her own description of sex in the late 70's/early 80's was "sport f***ing"). She and Bruce were members of Mensa, and introduced me to many of their friends from there and had far too many stories about parties she went to with them (one of my favorite comparisons was that Mensa parties were like the S&M parties she used to go to, except less screaming). They were the only relatives on that side of the family to own handguns (I remember being allowed to hold them one visit - Bruce's Ruger Redhawk .357 and Pat's Taurus hammerless .38)- and were always careful with them. 

She was an extra in “Urban Cowboy.” 

She was in Chicago in 1968 and was up a tree during the riots. She unashamedly told J and I about her abortion and how she once gave a guy a blowjob at the Astrodome for $100 - in the same conversation. She took care of her parents in their old age, and never begrudged them.

She had a candle shop for a number of years, traveling to trade shows - and we were the recipients of many of her creations. She sold furniture to numerous sports stars in Houston, but was never star-struck.

Tonight, there will be rum and cokes (one of her faves, though we never shared her love of Bacardi - we have better rum), Pickapeppa sauce (she loved it and we came to appreciate it), and I'm sure some other treats, though we won't recreate some of her infamous microwave dishes she'd have for football games.

She was a rara avis and will be missed.