ROSS ON UPSET OF SEMINOLES: "IT WAS NO FLUKE"
OF ALL THINGS (local soccer, another Ruthian record, Georgia Tech’s remarkable victory):
Your Richmond Kickers were up to their old tricks Saturday
night, dropping a 3-0 decision to Union Omaha, which hadn’t
played a USL League One match in two weeks … Former
Kicker JOE GALLARDO scored twice for Union after
BRANDON KNAPP collected what proved the game-winner
in the fourth minute … on a gift goal courtesy of Kickers’
keeper RYAN SHELLOW who lost his balance trying to
control a back pass from teammate JUSTIN SUKOW… and
Knapp swooped in to knock the ball home off Shellow’s foot
for his first goal of the season … Gallardo made it 2-0 in the
19th minute, converting a penalty made possible when he was
taken down from behind by Sukow deep in the box … A 5-11
midfielder, Gallardo was credited with what just as easily could
have been called an own goal, taking a free kick from 20 yards
that clipped a Kicker and changed direction, going high right
while Shellow was moving in the opposite direction in the 84th
minute … It was the 26-year-old Gallardo’s fourth goal. He led
Richmond in scoring with six goals in 2019 when the San
Diego, Calif., native also was named first-team all-star … then
was sent to the Real (Utah) Monarchs of the USL
Championship League for an undisclosed transfer fee … The
win moved Omaha (8-2-3, 26 points) into second place, two
points behind USL League One leader Charlotte … with two
games in hand … The Kickers (3-4-9, 13 points) sit in 11th
place in the 12-team Tier III circuit … two points ahead of No.
12 Central Valley, which has played two fewer games …
Richmond hasn’t scored more than one goal since its last
victory (2-1 over Madison July 3). Kickers have been outscored
30-17, and only Central Valley (minus 15) has a worse goal
differential … Next is a Thursday (Aug. 29) date at City
Stadium (7 p.m.) with the Spokane (Wash.) Velocity (5-4-4, 19
points) … in a Jergermeister Cup match that doesn’t count in
the regular-season standings.
……. WOW! Did you see where the road jersey worn by BABE
RUTH in game three of the 1932 World Series against the
Cubs ... when he called his shot – a home run ... went for
$24.12 million? Wonder what an official AL baseball signed by
the Bambino would go for? … Just asking.
……. Speaking of wow! … As remarkable as Georgia Tech’s
season-opening 24-21 upset of 10th-ranked Florida State was
… and no one – repeat: NO ONE – saw that coming … there
were several things probably overlooked but nevertheless
downright unusual … especially for a first game … Like? Well,
lack of penalties, for one thing. FSU had one for 10 yards, Tech
three for 35 … In 2023, the Seminoles were sixth overall in the
ACC, averaging 56.6 yards of penalties per game … while the
Ramblin’ Wreck was 12th (44.8) … From Dublin, Ireland, the
emphasis in the TV booth was on Tech’s rebuilt offensive line,
which was excellent but equally impressive were QB HAYNES
KING and a bunch of speedy smurfs, catching and running
with the ball in a system predicated on trickery … and extra
effort that surely left the coaching staff convinced it had
concocted THE perfect game plan … On defense, Tech
combined speed with aggressiveness and as sure tackling as
you will ever see. The wonder was the Ramblin’ Wreck needed
a field goal on the final snap to snap FSU’s 15-game winning
streak (13-0 a year ago) … and break a 15-game losing streak
of its own against top 10 opponents.
BOBBY ROSS, the Richmonder who, in 1990, was coach at
Georgia Tech that beat No. 1 and unbeaten Virginia 27-24
on a last-second field goal, watched Saturday’s game at his
retirement residence at Lakewood Manor. “They put a licking
on [Florida State],” Ross, 87, said. “I’ll tell you what … it
wasn’t a fluke.”
……. Wrong again, big boy! WWE rassler SHEAMUS, on
ESPN’s “College Football Game Day” Saturday from Dublin,
said Georgia Tech would win. There was nothing fake about it
either.
Until next time ...
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