Taking on The North Avenue Trade School

It has been two years, but CBS Sports is back in Athens. This afternoon is the Georgia Tech vs. University of Georgia football game, and I am back in my spot as the officials stats liaison between the press box and the truck. The weather is glorious and feels like true football weather to this transplanted yankee. Tech, also known by UGA fans as the "North Avenue Trade School", is coming into the game as a 2 point underdog to 7-4 Georgia team. Tech should have been favoured in this game, but after UGA, led by Freshman Quarterback Matthew Stafford, seemed to have put it all together two weeks ago in their stunning 37-15 dismantling of then Number 5 Auburn. Tech will be playing in the Inaugural ACC Championship next week against Wake Forest or Maryland. But they will not be looking ahead. Why? Because this game means everything in the State of Georgia, and Tech Quarterback Reggie Ball is 0-3 against the hated Bulldogs.

It is definitely interesting working with this crew, some of whom I have known since the mid-1980's. Charlie Carlucci, who without knowing it, had taught me everything I know about television graphics, says he has nothing to say about the CBS Sports graphics being unreadable on the television screen. This makes sense since he probably had nothing to do with the design of the "look and feel" of the graphics. Neil Silver from South Carolina is the statistician in the truck, and is crying about what Clemson has done to his Gamecocks in the 1st half today. But in the end it is only a game. Today will just about wrap up the football season for me. Next Saturday, I will be in Atlanta to stage manage the Lincoln Financial Sports SEC Championship Show from the Georgia Dome. I may try and hang around for the game that night, but I really have no desire to see Arkansas and Florida play.

Well it is just about time to get to work. If you happen to watch the game at 3:30 this afternoon on CBS, I will be the guy making sure the talent in the booth, and the guys in the truck, have the right numbers on the air. It really is rough getting paid to watch a good football game.