- The Surgeon General warns of the negative health effects of tobacco products.
Georgia Tech doesn't need such a warning about Tobacco Road.
The Yellow Jackets know the dangers on that famed fictitious North Carolina byway, which runs east from Wake Forest in Winston-Salem, bisects Duke and North Carolina and ends in Raleigh at N.C. State.
A 3-29 record since 1996 makes the route a Hades highway for the Jackets. That mark includes a pair of eight-game losing streaks at the home gyms of this week's two opponents: North Carolina and N.C. State.
Georgia Tech coach Paul Hewitt ignored the history lesson earlier this week, though.
"All the injuries takes my mind off of it," Hewitt said.
The trip down Tobacco Road can't do much to worsen Tech's physical health. Four players sat of practice Monday, including Will Bynum and Ra'Sean Dickey. The pair suffered injuries in Saturday's victory over Virginia; Bynum has a concussion and Dickey strained knee ligaments.
Both should play at 7 tonight against the Tar Heels, Hewitt said.
B.J. Elder will not. He'll miss his third straight game with a hamstring strain and is unlikely to play against N.C. State at 5:30 p.m. Sunday, Hewitt said.
The fourth player, freshman Jeremis Smith, is recovering from a dislocated kneecap suffered during non-conference play.
Smith underwent a non-invasive procedure last week to break down scar tissue around his knee and could return to practice late this week or next week.
Even shorthanded, the Jackets stand a chance of breaking their losing ways on Tobacco Road. They've played well without Elder, defeating Miami and Virginia while taking Kansas to overtime on the road.
Forward Anthony McHenry said Tech won't be intimidated in the rowdy environments of North Carolina's Smith Center or N.C. State's RBC Center. The venues and the fans had no bearing on the previous losses during his career.
"There is nothing different about their courts," McHenry said. "It's their teams. They're well coached. And when they're on their home court and they're feeling comfortable, that makes it real tough on you."
Beware of 'the spot'
Three players, three knee injuries, one spot.
Dickey became the latest Georgia Tech player in the last two years to have his knee buckle in the same specific area of the court at Alexander Memorial Coliseum.
The spot, located on the left side of the three-second lane on the north end of the floor, previously claimed forwards Theodis Tarver and Jeremis Smith.
"Maybe we can get some incense out and wave it around," Hewitt said.
Dickey stepped on a Virginia player's foot while rebounding with less than a minute to go Saturday. His right knee gave inwards, and he fell to the floor immediately.
He limped off the court a few minutes later.
Smith and Tarver's injuries were more serious. Both suffered dislocated kneecaps. Dickey admitted he thought about Smith as he lay on the floor Saturday.
"I thought something was broke," he said. "It turned out to be just a little scare."
Georgia Tech doesn't need such a warning about Tobacco Road.
The Yellow Jackets know the dangers on that famed fictitious North Carolina byway, which runs east from Wake Forest in Winston-Salem, bisects Duke and North Carolina and ends in Raleigh at N.C. State.
A 3-29 record since 1996 makes the route a Hades highway for the Jackets. That mark includes a pair of eight-game losing streaks at the home gyms of this week's two opponents: North Carolina and N.C. State.
Georgia Tech coach Paul Hewitt ignored the history lesson earlier this week, though.
"All the injuries takes my mind off of it," Hewitt said.
The trip down Tobacco Road can't do much to worsen Tech's physical health. Four players sat of practice Monday, including Will Bynum and Ra'Sean Dickey. The pair suffered injuries in Saturday's victory over Virginia; Bynum has a concussion and Dickey strained knee ligaments.
Both should play at 7 tonight against the Tar Heels, Hewitt said.
B.J. Elder will not. He'll miss his third straight game with a hamstring strain and is unlikely to play against N.C. State at 5:30 p.m. Sunday, Hewitt said.
The fourth player, freshman Jeremis Smith, is recovering from a dislocated kneecap suffered during non-conference play.
Smith underwent a non-invasive procedure last week to break down scar tissue around his knee and could return to practice late this week or next week.
Even shorthanded, the Jackets stand a chance of breaking their losing ways on Tobacco Road. They've played well without Elder, defeating Miami and Virginia while taking Kansas to overtime on the road.
Forward Anthony McHenry said Tech won't be intimidated in the rowdy environments of North Carolina's Smith Center or N.C. State's RBC Center. The venues and the fans had no bearing on the previous losses during his career.
"There is nothing different about their courts," McHenry said. "It's their teams. They're well coached. And when they're on their home court and they're feeling comfortable, that makes it real tough on you."
Beware of 'the spot'
Three players, three knee injuries, one spot.
Dickey became the latest Georgia Tech player in the last two years to have his knee buckle in the same specific area of the court at Alexander Memorial Coliseum.
The spot, located on the left side of the three-second lane on the north end of the floor, previously claimed forwards Theodis Tarver and Jeremis Smith.
"Maybe we can get some incense out and wave it around," Hewitt said.
Dickey stepped on a Virginia player's foot while rebounding with less than a minute to go Saturday. His right knee gave inwards, and he fell to the floor immediately.
He limped off the court a few minutes later.
Smith and Tarver's injuries were more serious. Both suffered dislocated kneecaps. Dickey admitted he thought about Smith as he lay on the floor Saturday.
"I thought something was broke," he said. "It turned out to be just a little scare."
