18 • Friday, July 11, 2003 • Technique SPORTS Beyond the White and Gold Earleywine named interim coach Bad seats? Too damn bad By Kimberly Rieck Sports Editor By Kimberly Rieck dium simply wasn’t big enough to Sports Editor shift visiting teams’ fans into any- Ehren Earleywine, an assistant thing considered nosebleed seats. coach on the Georgia Tech softball Recently the Atlanta-Journal Although I realize there are oth- team for the past two seasons, has Constitution published two articles er factors to look at as well. Freddy been named the interim head soft- on Georgia and other Southeastern Jones, Georgia’s ticket director, ball coach. Kate Madden resigned Conference schools’ uproar over their mentioned that he was disappoint- after five years as head coach to pur- ticket allotments at rival schools. ed for the elderly fans who are going sue other interests. Madden had com- The schools are crying foul over what to have to climb up stairs. Jones piled a record of 161-143 in five they claim to be unfair seating prac- should make a deal with McClaren seasons and was the ACC coach of tices. to hold aside seats in both stadiums the year in 2002. She was also the My first instinct when I read the for the elderly fans who may not be program’s first full-time assistant June 13 article on Georgia fans be- able to climb up the stairs. Since coach before she became head coach. ing miffed about being given “nose- nothing can be done this year about During the past two years as bleed seats” at Tech was to laugh. At the arrangement, Jones should give Tech’s top assistant, Earleywine last year’s Georgia game, I sat with the 339 seats in the lower deck not helped lead Georgia Tech to its two most of the Tech fans in the very reserved for the Red Coats March- most successful seasons ever. The upper deck of Sanford Stadium. Did ing band to all of the Bulldog Na- past two seasons have seen the Jack- I whine or call the AJC? No because tion’s elderly fans and not the ticket ets make its two first NCAA Tour- I understand Georgia doesn’t want holders who give the most money nament appearances and capture the their team seeing anything but red to the school. school’s first ACC title in softball in and black while they’re on the field. In a separate article in the AJC 2002. The team won 90 games the Sure all but 785 of Georgia’s 8,500 from the Associated Press on July 1, last two years, including 52 wins in tickets are not in the upper deck, ticket arrangement practices at all 2002, a school record. In 2002, the but the upper deck of our newly the SEC schools were detailed. Ba- team came within one game of reach- expanded stadium is a helluva lot sically every team in the SEC is now ing the Women’s College World closer than most visitor’s tickets at sitting in the upper decks, further Series. Photo Courtesy of the Georgia Tech Athletic Association Sanford Stadium. So where was up than ever before. As an assistant coach, he worked After Head Coach Kate Madden resigned to pursue other projects, Ehren Tech’s pity party in the AJC last I’m a big fan of the golden rule with the Jackets’ hitters and infield- Earleywine has been tapped to lead the Jacket’s softball program. year? but I understand though that in the ers and coached first base. After bat- Poor Scott McLaren. He’s made high stakes world of college foot- ting .213 as a team before his arrival, Earleywine’s previous coaching Besides coaching, Earleywine has out to be a villain in the article when ball, the golden rule and southern the team average rose to .263 in his experience includes three seasons as been a standout in major men’s fast- really he’s just doing his job. We hospitality doesn’t always apply. If first year. Individually, shortstop Tara head baseball coach at Westminster pitch softball. He was a member of desperately need a home field ad- you give the visiting teams too much Knudsen tied the ACC season record College, an NCAA Division III pro- the USA men’s fastpitch team in vantage which we haven’t had at power on your own turf, it can be- with 16 home runs. Knudsen lead gram and his alma mater. At West- 1998-99 and 2002-03. He earned a many of our big games. Florida State’s come chaos and the visitors’ cheers the quad with a .374 average and minster, Earleywine had a 65-44 gold medal at the 2002 Pan Am band overpowered our own at last can overpower the home crowd. the ACC in home runs in the spring record. He also spent three years as Qualifier. Earleywine is also a six- year’s football game and the Geor- With millions of dollars and repu- with 13. Additionally, catcher Lind- an assistant coach at Westminister time All-America and was an All- gia fans were louder than Tech’s tations on the line, let’s give our say Wood set a conference mark and one year as an assistant at Texas World selection in 1999 by the fans at the 2001 matchup. Our sta- teams every advantage possible. with 27 doubles. A&M-Corpus Christi. International Softball Congress. SPORTS Technique • Friday, July 11, 2003 • 19 faces inin thethe Expansion from page 20 inin thethe ble conference football champion- that either the NCAA must over- ship game would use this type of turn its rule or the ACC must add a crowd structure. 12th team. The $10 million in profits As for basketball, the ACC does that would accrue from this match not plan on splitting into divisions would provide more than half the Damarius Bilbo any time soon. The traditional home- amount needed to ensure that this and-away format will be reformed, 11-team setup will be as profitable RS Sophomore as not all teams in the conference as the former 9-team setup. Quarterback will face-off However, the twice a year. ACC has no Nicknamed D-Bo, he displayed his big-play ability and strong arm on This means that plans at the mo- more than one occasion on the field. At the Wake Forest game, he some match-ups ment to add an- connected with Kerry Watkins for a 69-yard touchdown pass. This season will retain the “The ACC is stronger other team. he’s competing for the starting spot. previous two- today than yesterday “We're not in In high school, Bilbo was the Dick Butkus High School Player of the game format any rush at this Year. He was the Mississippi Player of the Year by USA Today and while others will and may well be at its point. We think Gatorade after leading his team to the state title. In addition, he was an all- play just once. strongest point in its we have got two state baseball player who was drafted by the Milwaukee Brewers as a ACC teams may great new mem- pitcher. also be able to history” bers and we need schedule confer- John Swofford a little time to ence opponents ACC Commissioner bring them into Nina Barlin in games consid- the fold and get Senior ered non-confer- going with our ence – another two new mem- Point Guard nuance from Big 10 scheduling. bers before we jump to any other Named one of Atlanta’s “50 Most Beautiful People” by Jezebel Maga- An expansion to 11 teams will conclusions,” said Wayne Clough, zine, Barlin has made her mark at point guard. During her career, she has also add two play-in games to the Institute President, at the press con- been sidelined with injuries but despite that, she has had many memorable conference tournament, upping the ference. starts for the Jackets. She has frequently led the team in assists. Barlin even number to three. It will be the On the scheduling front, the new earned All-ACC honors in 2002 even though she had missed 12 games bottom four (instead of the bottom conference intends to model its for- with a knee injury at the end of the year. two) playing it out on Thursday mat on the Big 10, where each team A native of Sweden, Barlin is just the second internationally-born night of the tournament to decide annually plays one rival and seven women’s basketball player for the Jackets. She has been a member of the who plays the top-seed on Friday. rotated opponents. This will fit nice- Swedish National Team and the all-star team at the European World It is uncertain whether the new align- ly, since Miami and VT already have Championships. At Tech, she majors in international affairs. ment will have any impact on the annual ACC rivals in Florida State ACC tournament sites, since they and Virginia. have been chosen through the 2011 Nonetheless, everyone seems to Nick Thompson season. be excited at the prospect of a new One of the initial perks and draw- ACC. The leaders of each of the Sophomore ing points of expansion was having existing and incoming schools ex- Golf a conference title game every year in pressed their excitement, as did Geor- football. But since it resulted in an gia Tech football coach Chan Gailey. At this year’s NCAA Championship, Nicholas Thompson closed out 11 teams, it will now take a little “We have added two very strong the season in great fashion by playing the final 36 holes in 2-under-par and extra to get that coveted match.