January 1st, 2007 was a tough day for sports fans in Atlanta. My alma mater, the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, threw away an amazing first half lead, to lose the Gator Bowl to the number 15 West Virginia Mountaineers. It was sort of confusing to watch, actually, almost as if a completely different team came back out from the locker room to play the second half. WVU was riddled with injuries, and flat out didn't have an answer for Tech's passing game the full four quarters. And despite some pretty amazing numbers by a few of Tech's key offensive players:

Tashard Choice (RB) - 169 yards on 27 carries, with 2 TDs
Calvin Johnson (WR) - 186 yards on 9(!) receptions, with 2 TDs
Taylor Bennett (QB) - 20 of 30 for 335 yards, with 3 TDs & 1 INT

WVU still managed to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. Granted, 14 of WVU's crucial second half points came partly on a trick play that had the West Virginia offensive line crouched over like gargoyles for the entire down, freezing the Tech secondary just long enough for a wide open reception in the endzone. And then again on a fluke kickoff recovery where the ball caromed off the thigh-pad of a Tech blocker and into the waiting arms of a WVU player, setting up another easy touchdown. But Tech just couldn't get anything going in the fourth quarter. And it was difficult to watch such an otherwise well-played game on Tech's part amount to another frustrating loss by a fieldgoal. And then there was the news that the Atlanta Falcons' owner and CEO Arthur Blank had decided to fire the team's head coach Jim Mora. Following 2004's impressive 11-5 NFC South Championship with an 8-8 2005 season and 2006's 7-9 is pretty bad, I have to admit. And losing the last game of the season to Philly's 2nd and 3rd string, despite not having a chance at the post-season, certainly didn't help. But Mora isn't the one out there dropping passes and throwing interceptions every week once November rolls around. So there is certainly enough blame to go around. And that's before even mentioning the injuries this season. Brian Finneran, Atlanta's number 2 receiver out for the entire season. Both starting defensive ends, Patrick Kerney and John Abraham, were severely injured and out for the majority of the season as well. I'm not trying to make excuses, I just don't understand how you can fire a guy with an overall winning record, just because of an off-hand comment about how his dream job would be to coach his former college's football program. You've at least got to give him a chance to get the team healthy and have another go in the following year. After that, give him the axe if you want. So I guess my only hope is that Blank doesn't become Atlanta's own George Steinbrenner and continue to think that you can win championships by buying talent, no matter the cost, and having a revolving door on your head coach's office door....