Gobbler Country: A Virginia Tech Hokies Blog

Movin' on up... to the east siiiiiiiiiiiiide

2009-04-21T14:25:00.000-04:00

To a deluxe blog at SB Nation. Join us! Also, but sure to update your bookmarks, RSS feeds and links.

Click here if you aren't redirected automatically.

Scouting the Spring Games

2009-04-20T16:30:00.000-04:00

Several Hokie opponents in 2009 concluded spring practice this weekend. Here's a quick look at what transpired:

Non-Conference

Alabama

QB Greg McElroy didn't have a spectacular day, but did connect with Julio Jones for a 53-yard TD in a 14-7 win for the Crimson over the White. McElroy threw 2 TDs and 2 INTs, but the young quarterbacks behind him were terrible. The QB job is his.

- Ian R. Rapoport on what Qs Bama answered in the spring. (Brimingham News)
- Predictably, Alabama's D dominated the game. (Southern Pigskin)
- Here's your highlight reel. (Roll Bama Roll)

East Carolina

Big plays were the storyline out of Greenville where Patrick Pinkney completed 19 of 26 for 229 yards and two TDs. The defense carried ECU last season. That trend might be reversed in 2009 with the offense leading the charge.

- Pinkney called it the best spring game for ECU in his six years there. (The Daily Reflector)
- ECU now has depth at skill positions. (AP)

Nebraska

It looks more and more like Zac Lee will be the Huskers' starting QB. He completed 15 of 18 passes for 214 yards on Saturday. Meanwhile, Nebraska's linebackers and secondary didn't fare so well.

- Lee was even accurate on deep balls. (Omaha World Herald)
- Husker Mike was impressed with the skill position players. (Corn Nation)

ACC Teams on Our Schedule

Duke

Continuing our QB theme, Thad Lewis was spectacular for Duke Saturday, throwing for 257 yards and running for two TDs. The Cutcliffe Effect is having a big impact on Duke's QBs.

- Giggity saw a lot fewer unforced errors in this year's spring game. (ACC Now)

Georgia Tech

QB Josh Nesbitt sat out the T-Day game with a shoulder injury. However, that didn't keep the offense from putting up big numbers in a 31-28 win for Gold over White. There were several big plays, but there were also eight fumbles for a team that struggled with fumbles in 2008.

- Photos from the game. (The Legacyx4)
- GT's linebackers were the highlight for the D. (The Legacyx4)
- It was certainly an improvement over the 2008 spring game. (AJC)

NC State

The 'Pack D looks fierce. White beat Red, 10-7, in a game whose only offensive highlight was a 65-yard TD pass by Russell Wilson. Nate Irving's sack on the first play of the game set the tone.

- The offensive line struggle mightily for State. (ACC Now)
- The QBs were mistake-free. (Section Six)
- The secondary was a pleasant surprise for Pack fans. (StateFans Nation)

Virginia

The 'Hoos unveiled their new spread offense and called its QBs down by touch in their spring game, resulting in only two touchdowns. Its tough to know how well a spread offense works without live quarterbacks. So we'll have to wait until September to see if Gregg Brandon's offense will work.

- Vic Hall finally got to throw the ball. (Roanoke Times)
- We still have no clue who the Hoos' QB will be.
- UVa sort of knows who will start on defense. (Daily Press)

Clayton is No. 2 QB, Davis to WR

2009-04-20T14:50:00.000-04:00

From Dave Smith and the SID office:

BLACKSBURG - Virginia Tech head football coach Frank Beamer announced Monday that redshirt freshman Joseph “Ju-Ju” Clayton has been named the No. 2 quarterback for the Hokies’ football team. Redshirt freshman Marcus Davis, who was battling with Clayton, will work at receiver the remainder of this week while continuing to work on his arm strength.

“We still feel that Marcus has the capabilities to be an excellent quarterback,” Beamer said. “At this very moment, we feel that Ju-Ju is ahead of him and we’re encouraging Marcus to work hard on his arm strength this summer and continue to throw and we’ll see where that goes.

“Coming out of high school, I felt like he could be a very good quarterback and I still feel that way. But a couple of his runs on Saturday also showed that we need to get him on the field somewhere and we’re going to work on that part of it.”

This is a smart move. Davis is a better athlete, but Ju-Ju is a better quarterback. Beamer also isn't making the move permanent. It sounds like Davis will be given the chance to work as the No. 3 QB when camp opens again in the fall.

However, it's important to get an athlete of Davis' caliber on the field. Therefore, working him at receiver now starts the process should he still not be QB material in August.

Ryan Williams Can Block

2009-04-20T14:35:00.002-04:00

A question I've heard from some of you is whether freshman RB Ryan Williams has improved the pesky pass blocking that kept him in a redshirt last year. Well, our friend Kyle Tucker answered that question in today's edition of the Virginian-Pilot.

Apparently Williams has no problem rising to the challenge when given an ultimatum:

If he hoped to erase that feeling, the mandate was clear. Williams would be unleashed to run with the ball - an ability never questioned since his days averaging 10 yards per carry for Stonewall Jackson High in Manassas - as soon as he could block well without it.

And that's what made Saturday's scrimmage, the Hokies' second of spring practice, so sweet for the rising redshirt freshman.

On one play, Williams blocked a defensive tackle's path to quarterback Ju Ju Clayton, then noticed a second defensive tackle bearing down on the passer. Williams launched himself at Kwamaine Battle, blasting the 283-pounder off his feet.

For me, the better news comes from KT's blog post last night. Check out Williams' response when asked about his favorite play from Saturday's scrimmage:

ON HIS FAVORITE PLAY IN THE SCRIMMAGE: "When I set to blocks for Ju Ju. I don’t remember who I blocked first, but they were coming Ju Ju’s way. I want to say A.B. Latif, but I’m not sure. But I slowed him down. Then I saw Kwamaine and I released off A.B. because I knew he wasn’t going to get Ju Ju. Then I made a block on Kwamaine and I was looking for more. I was having fun out there. It was like a big play field for me out there."

That tells me Williams knows how to handle the media in addition to blitzing linebackers. Whether or not his favorite play was actually the blocks he set for Clayton on Saturday doesn't matter. He knew what he needs to tell the guys with the recorders and notepads.

There was never a question about Williams' running ability. Now that we know he can pass block, he's ready to be unleashed on the ACC.

News from opponents' spring games coming later today. Until then...

Linkage

Hokies

- PXP of the scrimmage. (Beamerblog)
- The spring game will be broadcast on XM Sirius (good news for yours truly). (HokieSports)
- Demetrius Taylor's hard work should pay off this fall. (Roanoke Times)
- Marcus Davis uses his feet to get back into the backup QB race. (Virginian-Pilot)
- But Ju-Ju Clayton is more impressive in the passing game. (Roanoke Times)
- Matt Waldron's consistency will likely make him Tech's kicker. (Roanoke Times)
- O-line injury woes continue. (Richmond Times-Dispatch)

Atlantic Coast Conference

- Jeff takes time away from honey-dos to discuss BC's QB race and defense with Brian. (BC Interruption)
- BC's QB competition might be a 3-man race now. (Eagle in Atlanta)
- Da'Rel Scott is hurt. (Testudo Times)
- The league office touts its players' NFL accolades. (ACC)
- Offense stole the show in Wake's spring game. (Blogger so Dear)

Stuff Only I Care About

- How to have sex with a picnic table. (EDSBS)
- I remember none of this. (Buffett News)
- Papi finally does some work. (Brownie Points)
- A member of the French Connection isn't happy with the Sabres. (Sabres Edge)
- The Saddledome gets ready to sing. (Globe and Mail)

Busy Weekend for Our Soon to be Vanquished Foes

2009-04-17T21:30:00.002-04:00

The Hokies don't hold their spring game until next week. But this Saturday will mark the end of spring practice for three of our four out of conference opponents and five ACC teams. Duke, Georgia Tech, NC State, france and Wake Forest will all hold their spring games Saturday.

Next week I'll have the talking points from the aftermath of the following spring extravaganzas.

Alabama

Its quarterback situation is all-but-settled with senior Greg McElroy taking the reins. One of the questions facing the Tide is who his back-up will be. Star Jackson is the high-touted youngster, but he's being out played by walk-on Thomas Darrah.

The real position battles to watch with the Tide are at offensive line and in the secondary. The Tide have a lot of talent to replace on a line that struggled against Utah without Andre Smith at right tackle.

The Tide had trouble with pass blocking in the Sugar Bowl and have had trouble running ball in the spring. Although a lot of that has to do with how good Alabama's front seven on defense is. Reading Roll Bama Roll, it appears the Tide's OL is in the same predicament Tech's was the last two seasons:

Do not set that one in stone just yet, though, because with Pendry's philosophy of getting the best five on the field, an injury to just one lineman or the emergence of just one other lineman could completely alter the composition of the starting five.

Nebraska

The Huskers have to replace quarterback Joe Ganz and the three contenders for the starting job have a combined five career passing yards. Those yards belong to Zac Lee, who will likely land the starting job.

The passing situation just gets worse for the Huskers. They lost their two top receivers in Nate Swift and Todd Peterson as well as do-everything running back Marlon Lucky, who was versatile out of the backfield. However, despite the loss of Lucky, the Huskers will be fine on the ground Roy Helu and Quentin Castille are a solid 1-2 punch for Nebraska. Castille ran all over Clemson in Nebraska's second half comeback in the Gator Bowl.

On defense, Nebraska has an excellent defensive line, but is questionable at linebacker and secondary. Both units looked very slow in the two games I saw last year (Tech and Oklahoma). However, I believe Nebraska will be improved at secondary next year. The Huskers have three returnees in the secondary and have added depth with incoming players and another who missed last year due to injury.

Corn Nation believes the depth in the secondary is a strong point for the Huskers:

Depth is a key for the Huskers as they look ahead into the 2009 season. Like the linebacking unit, competition will be heavy for the starting positions. The more defensive secondary players that are available, the more flexibility will be afforded Bo Pelini.

East Carolina

Patrick Pinkney is back to haunt our dreams, but the Pirates have new (OK, old) blood at running back.

Although his career efforts to date have added up to 607 rush yards and six touchdowns, Lindsay has been with the program longer than any other back on the team and was a member of head coach Skip Holtz's first recruiting class.

As hard as Lindsay said it was to be immobilized for the season and lose much of the momentum he'd built the previous three years, the layoff gave him a new perspective on the game.

"It was great in that I really got to watch the game,” he said. “I became a fan. Every time somebody did something good, it made me happy because you always want to see your teammates succeed. But at the same time, I thought, they did all this without me. But I was happy for them. They accomplished all of the goals we set out to accomplish last year."

Duke

Due to injury, graduation and attrition, the Blue Devils only have 57 players in uniform this spring. The real progress for Duke will come in the fall when it has everyone on campus.

Duke only returns 10 starters (five per side of the ball) and that may not be a bad thing. The players leaving may have been part of Duke's four-win season last year, but they were also a part of the atrocious Duke teams of the two previous seasons.

"We have less bodies and more football players," head coach David Cutcliffe said during this week's ACC teleconference. "At this time a year ago we had eight players ready to play defense to some degree of effectiveness in the ACC and on offense we had seven. We are at double-digits in both categories as we evaluate ourselves going into the last week of spring practice."

The important thing for the Devils is the return of their best player, QB Thaddeus Lewis. And unlike last year, he may have a running game to lighten his load. RB Re'quan Boyette returns after missing 2008 with a torn ACL. Cutcliffe said he is back at full speed.

"He had a tremendous scrimmage Friday and was explosively fast," he said. "I saw Re'quan back to where he's going to be a factor. He cut himself loose for the first time Friday and looked like an All-Star performer."

While Duke loses its best offensive weapon in WR Eron Riley, it may have gained one in Boyette. The question will be whether the offensive line will allow him to produce the numbers on the ground Duke needs to be successful with its pro-style offense.

Georgia Tech

The Yellow Jackets' offense tore through the ACC and Georgia at the end of last season before being halted by LSU in the Peach Bowl. They return all of their star players from 2008 and will certainly reap the benefits of going young on that side of the ball last year.

Yes, teams will go into 2009 having seen Georgia Tech's offense and won't be surprised by what it does. However,in head coach Paul Johnson's words, while teams will get better at defending the flexbone, the Jackets will get better at running it.

The defense will be a different story. While the Yellow Jacket offense is fearsome, it's D will certainly lack the bite it had last year. Gone are DE Michael Johnson, DT Daryl Richard and DT Vance Walker.

Johnson will have to fill those key holes in order to have a shot at the Coastal Division in 2009.

"We have some guys who haven't played a lot but they've been in games," he said during the teleconference. "It's going to be by committee a little bit but they've had a decent spring."

I'll be looking forward to a full report from Georgia Tech's T-Day from our friends at The Legacy x4. While usually I'd encourage them to drink enough to not remember anything from the spring game, we could use some good info, so try to stay conscious, guys.

NC State

Like Duke, the Wolfpack are getting an important piece back that was missing from 2008. Running back Toney Baker returns from his own catastrophic knee injury he suffered in 2007.

Because of the nature of Baker's injury, head coach Tom O'Brien is cautiously optimistic about his progress.

"I don't think Toney's 100 percent," O'Brien said during the teleconference. "I don't know how he could be. It's the first time he's been on the field since September of 2007. He has made some strides and it's going to take a while. The good news is he's been out there, competing and working hard."

Baker will replace Andre Brown, who started 12 games last season. Who will be handing the ball off to him may not be as set in stone as it seemed at the end of last year. QB Russell Wilson was first-team all-conference and led the Wolfpack to four consecutive wins to finish the regular season.

However, an injury in the bowl game and the current NC State baseball season has hampered Wilson's progress. Wilson's participation in Saturday's spring game iwll even be limited due to that afternoon's baseball game. Redshirt FR Mike Glennon has had an excellent spring and could demand playing time come September.

"He's worked hard this spring and done a great job," O'Brien said. "Every job is open here and we give everybody the opportunity to challenge for a job. Competition makes your team better."

Virginia

The Hoos will install a new offense under Gregg Brandon this season. Who will be running that offense is up for debate.

Marc Verica, Jameel Sewell and Vic Hall will compete to be the starting quarterback in Brandon's spread attack. Hall ran a wildcat-type offense effectively in the first half against Virginia Tech.

The Wahoos started to go in the spread direction last year. However, the loss of Sewell to academics and emergence of Peter Lalich and Verica as UVa's two options at QB caused it to abandon the spread. Head coach Al Groh said during the teleconference that Brandon was one of the coaches the UVa staff talked to while trying to implement the new offense.

The Hoos' spread attack will be on display for the first time Saturday during festivus. How it looks and who runs it best will be the most interesting thing to watch.

"Until all 11 guys on the line get it, it doesn't look too good," Groh said. "I think looking at it position-by-position, we're starting to gain momentum."

Groh said the progress of the offense will be slow under the new system.

"It's been successful at many other places but by the same token it's not Star Wars," he said. "It's not something no one has ever figured out how to play against. Gregg has done a heckuva job for us and is a bright coach but he's not the Tooth Fairy. He's not going to instantly make it a 70 point per game offense. It's up to player performance and it's player execution that scores points."

Laziness is Next to Godliness

2009-04-17T14:25:00.000-04:00

I'll have a bigger (but probably not better) post later today featuring some actual journalism-type stuff. It's great when you can take the audio from a teleconference and use those quotes to make it seem like you accomplished something.

Until that gets posted tonight, here's your topic for debate:

Who will lead the Hokies in sacks this year? Jason Worilds is the returning leader, but John Graves is having a stellar spring since switching to DE from DT.

Linkage

Hokies

- Perception isn't always reality: Bama QBs vs. VT QBs. (Blogsburg)
- Coach Beamer does not understand your fascination with embedded video. (Roanoke Times)

Atlantic Coast Conference

- n00bs who will have an impact on the 2009 season. (ACC Now)
- The three guys competing for UVa's starting QB job all have sob stories. (Annette)
- The UVa view of the Philip Sims Bama commitment. (From Old Virginia)
- Kyle Parker becomes Willy Korn before Willy Korn can become Willy Korn. (Block-C)
- If you don't have traditions of your own, steal them. (The Legacyx4)

Stuff Only I Care About

- I like to think my constant linking had something to do with everyone's favorite cougar, Kristin Chenoweth, winning Ogle Madness. (The Lost Ogle)
- Fins up! I'll be at tomorrow's show. (Buffett News)
- The Twitter phenomenon has engulfed God's conference. (The Quad)
- If only he had dropped THE c-bomb. (Puck Daddy)
- DACOACHO is sure to win an Oscar for his portrayal of DACOACHO. (EDSBS)
- Some of our favorite calllllage footbawl bloggers are meeting in Vegas for a weekend of debauchery. (Dr. Saturday)

April 16

2009-04-16T00:00:00.001-04:00

April 16, 2007

Beamers Interviewed by David Glenn

2009-04-15T22:53:00.002-04:00

David Glenn talked to both Frank and Shane Beamer this past week on 850 the Buzz in Raleigh. Click here to listen to the interviews.

You'll also find interviews with NC State's Tom O'Brien and Wake's Jim Grobe. Right now both Beamer interviews have errors. Hopefully that'll be fixed soon.

Kam Nabs Pick-6 in Mini Scrimmage

2009-04-15T22:00:00.001-04:00

Safety Kam Chancellor again came through during today's mini scrimmage in Blacksburg. He intercepted another pass and returned it for the scrimmage's only touchdown.

The defense has been getting the best of the offense throughout the spring, especially through the air. Tyrod Taylor was again sub-par, connecting on 3 of 8 passes for 36 yards. At what point should we start being concerned about this?

Linkage

Hokies

- Annette reports Josh Oglesby is doing well but also not talking to the media. (ESPN)
- Tyrod goes to the video tape to improve his mechanics. (RTD)
- Don't count out Cris Hill for the field corner spot (RTD)

Atlantic Coast Conference

- "You've gone soft on me, Jeff." Find out if this quote came from Brian or Mrs. Jeff. (BCI)
- GT is pwning UGa this year. (The Legacyx4)
- Aaron Curry appears to not be an ass hole. (Blogger So Dear)
- But did Dabo contribute to keeping Austin weird? (ACC Now)
- Buzz Blog does a horrible job of putting the sports calendar in bracket form. The Rose Bowl a No. 1 seed? Gimme a break. (Buzz Blog)

Stuff Only I Care About

- A new ECU Pirates logo for current times. (EDSBS)
- Run for your lives. They're letting bloggers on TV. (Goose's Roost)
- I thought Anne was a little kind with her grades. (Sabretooth's House)
- I'm sad to see MacT go. (Puck Daddy)
- Amalie Benjamin (who I love and would in a heartbeat give up my hard-drinking, road-tripping bachelor ways for) discusses whether or not to blame Matsuzaka's arm fatigue on the WBC. PS - I blame the WBC. (Extra Bases)

I'm Concerned About the Kickers (Again)

2009-04-15T01:31:00.001-04:00

The Hokies will have their fourth different kicker in four years in 2009. So far Tech has had solid kicker after solid kicker. But will the Hokies run of good kicking fortune run out this season?

Brandon Pace held Virginia Tech's kicking job for three seasons and made 58 of 68 field goal attempts. Jud Dunleavy took over in 2007 and was 21 of 26, but toward the end of the season was nearly automatic. Dustin Keys took over for his senior year last season and made 23 of 29 attempts, including 17 of 19 inside 40 yards.

It's possible the Hokies could have a fourth consecutive senior kicker. If Matt Waldron wins the job Tech will again have a veteran kicker making his debut. And then in 2010 it will have its fifth kicker in five years.

Waldron was candidate for the job last year, but lost out to Keys. He's the most accurate kicker in camp, but the strongest leg belongs to sophomore Justin Myer. Myer kicked off for the Hokies last year.

If you're looking to make comparisons, Waldron is more like Keys and Myer is more like Dunleavy. Dunleavy went from being the kickoff specialist to the starting job and able to boom field goals. The best case scenario for the Hokies would be for Myer to improve his accuracy and win the job.

Right now, I'd rather have older and more accurate Waldron lining up for a game-winning field goal against Alabama.

Tech's kicker have been reliable since joining the ACC. It will be interesting to see if this is the year the Hokies luck at kicker runs out.

Playoffs Start Today

I'll be busy every night for the next two months. The NHL playoffs start today and I can't wait for the first multi-OT game. It's the best postseason in professional sports (I'm looking at you, UEFA Champions League) and its champion will have to endure two grueling months of hockey.

First round predictions:
Bruins over Habs in 5
Caps over Rangers in 7
Hurricanes over Devils in 6
Penguins over Flyers in 4
(PS - this would mean Sid vs. Ovie in round two)
Sharks over Ducks in 5
Blue Jackets over Red Wings in 7
Canucks over Blues in 7
Flames over Blackhawks in 7

He Finally Got Tired of Sleeping with Models on Top of a Pile of Money

Rumor has it KT will be in Blacksburg to do some reporting this weekend for the Virginian-Pilot. Good. This means we'll have stories with substance rather than Randy King fluff pieces to read.

Silent Tomorrow

Thursday is the 16th. Just one post and it won't have text.

Linkage

Hokies

- "The Animal" could be starting at LB this fall. (Roanoke Times)
- Reasons Beamer's relationship with the media has cooled. (Blogsburg)
- Spring game experiences are different in the 'Burg and Hooville. (The A-line)
- An early look at NCAA 10 improvements. (College Game Balls)
- Guess who's on her way to Blacksburg? (Annette)

Atlantic Coast Conference

- If GT students made the school's PSAs. (The Legacyx4)
- Maryland looks to replace Gronkowski. (Testudo Times)
- The UVa hoops coaching staff appears to be complete. (From Old Virginia)

Opponents

- Under the radar guys for NU this spring. (Husker Mike)
- Spring ball breakdowns of every position for the Huskers, including cheerleaders. (Double Extra Point)
- Bama's front seven is formidable. (Roll Bama Roll)

Stuff Only I Care About

- Holly is on the spring scrimmage bandwagon. (Dr. Saturday)
- Doug and I had similar conversations with our parents over Easter. (Hey Jenny Slater)
- Everyone's favorite cougar, Kristen Chenoweth, is in the Ogle Madness championship game against the second best singer to ever come out of Checotah, Okla. Vote cougar.

Chancellor's Improvement Important for Defense

2009-04-14T12:20:00.001-04:00

The lone interception in Tech's scrimmage Friday came from free safety Kam Chancellor. The senior has built on his momentum from the Orange Bowl and had an excellent spring so far. That's good news for the Hokie secondary, which had major communication issues last season.

Last year was Chancellor's first as a free safety after moving from rover. At rover, he was allowed to roam the field and hit opposing pass catchers and quarterbacks like a Mack truck. He excelled at doing that in 2007 and hopes were high for him going into last season.

But the move to free meant he would have to quarterback the defense and in my opinion he struggled with that early in 2008. Chancellor's job was to call out the coverages for the secondary and the Hokies were burned for big plays through the air, especially the middle part of the field, where Chancellor and whoever was playing rover at the time patrolled.

These big plays hurt Tech most in its losses to BC and Florida State. Pass plays of 48 and 41 yards helped set up touchdowns for BC in the regular season game at Chestnut Hill.

Chancellor did improve as the season progressed and he built better communication with Dorian Porch. Porch took over the rover spot after Davon Morgan was lost for the season during the Nebraska game. Chancellor saved his best performance for the Orange Bowl where he had an interception and two pass breakups.

It's good to see his progress at free hasn't stopped with the Orange Bowl. If the Hokies secondary is going to survive in 2009 without Macho Harris, it will be up to him. Without Harris, the Hokies have less room for error defending the pass and can't afford to give up as many big plays through the air as they did last season.

ACC Tennis Tourney This Week

The men's and women's tennis teams will compete in the ACC tournament this week in Cary, NC, which hosts just about every non-rev tournament these days. The men (13-6) open play at 3 p.m. Thursday against Maryland. The Hokies are ranked No. 22 in the country.

The women (13-10) face Wake Forest at 9 a.m. Thursday. The ACC has neglected to either provide a video feed or live scoring for any of these matches.

Linkage

Hokies

- Summer will be lonelier without Harry Kalas. (Roth Report)
- Angela Tincher is blogging from Japan. (Angela Tincher)

Atlantic Coast Conference

- Defense stole the show at Clemson's spring game. (Block-C)
- Comparing Ponder in 2008 to Weatherford in 2007. (Tomahawk Nation)
- Are Miami fans worried about recruits leaving Dade Co.? (All Canes)
- Get your ACC Directors Cup standings. (StateFans Nation)
- Something we can all get behind: BC-BU as part of the Winter Classic. (BCI)

Stuff Only I Care About

- Why you have to love the Stanley Cup Playoffs. (The Kurtenblog)
- Hopefully Joe won't have to shave until at least after Round 2. (Buzz Blog)
- Why Lindy Ruff shouldn't coach Buffalo next year. (Die by the Blade)
- News for those going to the Atlanta show on Thursday. (Buffett News)
- The Barnhart visits the defending champs. (Mr. College Football)
- Amalie Benjamin (who I love and would in a heartbeat give up my hard-drinking, road-tripping bachelor ways for) reports the Sox SS troubles just got worse. (Globe)

Standing Ovation for Ovies

2009-04-13T14:00:00.000-04:00

Joe Ovies and Co. over at the Buzz Blog know how to get my attention.

This has absolutely nothing to do with Hokie sports, but I think it warrants a post. Especially since it involves hockey and hot chicks. Check out the ad promoting Carolina Hurricanes hockey on the Raleigh sports radio stations:

Well done, sirs.

Williams Breaks Loose in Scrimmage

2009-04-13T03:25:00.000-04:00

Freshman running back Ryan Williams had 122 yards on eight carries, including an 80-yard touchdown run in Friday's scrimmage. Most of the carries came against the second-team defense, but by all accounts Williams showed the playmaking abilities that made him a highly sought after recruit two years ago.

Williams' play was the highlight for the offense, although RB Josh Oglesby had solid runs against the first-team defense. The passing game left something to be desired as Tyrod Taylor, Ju-Ju Clayton and Marcus Davis combined complete 13 of 30 pass attempts.

It's becoming obvious at this point that Davis' future with the Hokies is not as a quarterback. I think Clayton and Boone should start getting the majority of the backup QB reps the rest of the spring. The quicker you get Davis to whatever position will allow him to get on the field the better for all parties involved.

On defense, John Graves was a beast. He compiled four tackles for loss, including a sack. His transition from defensive tackle to end appears to be going smoothly.

Linkage

Hokies

- How Oglesby can impact the upcoming season. (VT Fan)
- Eddie Whitley is doing his best Brandon Flowers impersonation. (TechSuperfans)

Atlantic Coast Conference

- The GT O is getting the best of the D this spring. (The Legacyx4)
- NCSU may have a full-blown QB controversy. (Yet Another...)
- A former CB is impressing at QB for Maryland. (Testudo Times)
- Yet another reason I want the NCAA disbanded. (StateFans Nation)

Stuff Only I Care About

- My favorite cougar is in the Final Four against the mayor. (The Lost Ogle)
- The NHL playoffs are two days away... (Puck Daddy)
- ...but won't include the Sabres. (Top Shelf)
- "I have yet to hit someone in the head and it’s not on my list of shit to do." (Full Count)

Things That Get Me to Football: "VT Cheerleader" and "Playboy Magazine" in the Same Headline

2009-04-10T14:50:00.003-04:00

Last week I informed you via the Twitter that Playboy was going to be in Blacksburg looking for VT's entry in its Girls of the ACC issue. From Busted Coverage, via Winfield from The Legacy x4, comes news that one of the young ladies looking to expose themselves to the masses was a VT cheerleader.

Carly Hinchman probably would have been fine if she had tried out for Playboy under an alias and then not told anyone. However, she made a freshman mistake and not only gave Playboy her real name, but also WSLS in Roanoke, who interviewed her and a friend as part of a story on girls who showed up for the audition.

Someone later E-mailed Busted Coverage claiming their post was inaccurate because Carly didn't try out for Playboy. But according to her own words on the WSLS news story, she did.

Since we're still just under 150 days from glorious college football, this story and Carly's status on the team will be worth following.

Scrimmage Time

The Hokies will scrimmage at 4:30 today at Lane Stadium. It's open to the public.

Tyrod Taylor didn't get many snaps during the "mini scrimmage" earlier this week and my guess is you'll see the same today. Ju-Ju Clayton and Marcus Davis will likely get most of the snaps under center.

I'm also interested in how Ryan Williams does. He was lackluster in the mini scrimmage and most Hokie fans will want to see the moves they've heard the kid possesses.

There will be plenty to overly-dissect and put way too much stock into once the stats are posted by Dave Smith and the VT sports info department.

Spring Practice for Tailgaters

I'll be tailgating the OU spring game tomorrow. No, I'm not actually going to the Sooners' spring game. It's all about being prepared for the upcoming season.

It's also highly probable that our tailgate will just be held in our backyard since we're too lazy to drive across town to Owen Field and set up a tent.

Hoppy Easter

Easter Sunday is always a good day at my parents' house because it's the one time a year my mom makes her version of Dirt Cake, which is basically a large amount of crushed Oreos, pudding, cream cheese and Cool Whip layered in a large bowl. I'm sure there are other ingredients, but those are the only ones that matter.

I usually have it as my main course while everyone else in the family looks at me with looks or disdain, concern and/or envy. Plus, having it before anyone else means I'm free to take most of the Oreos, which make up the top layer and are the first to go.

Linkage

Hokies

- Iron Bowl moves to Friday. (College Game Balls)
- LB Bruce Taylor impresses Bud Foster. (Roanoke Times)
- Bill Roth looks at next year's Hokie hoops team. (Roth Report)

Atlantic Coast Conference

- Jeff takes time away from looking at geraniums at Home Depot to discuss BC's new no-huddle offense with Brian. (BCI)
- Wake's receivers are improving. (Blogger so Dear)
- Rosters for Clemson's spring game. (Block-C)
- Paul Johnson + Waffle House = Comedy. (The Barnhart)
- ACC talent continues to make NFL scouts salivate. (ACC Now)
- Former Wazzu PG discusses Tony Bennett (ACCSJ)

Stuff Only I Care About

- Thursday was a bad day for the Sooner State. (AP)
- Orson gets KTFO. (Sporting Blog)
- Beckett's fastball velocity is greatly improved. (Firebrand of the AL)
- Sabres get eliminated. (Muckers and Grinders)
- Amalie Benjamin (who I love and would in a heartbeat give up my hard-drinking, road-tripping bachelor ways for) discusses the impending arrival of John Smoltz to the Red Sox staff and other topics. (Globe)

WTF is a Mini Scrimmage?

2009-04-09T03:38:00.000-04:00

Two big plays highlighted a 40-play mini scrimmage for the Hokies on Wednesday. Tyrod Taylor had a 65-yard TD run and CB Eddie Whitley returned an INT 61 yards for a TD.

Neither the stats nor the Beamerblog mention who threw the INT, but there were two picks by the VT defense. Whitley returend his for a TD and the other was by Jeron Gouveia-Winslow.

I'd love to be excited about the Whitley TD. I've said all along he's the guy I want to step up and take the field corner spot by force. But according to the Beamerblog, it was a gift INT and TD. I guess Whitley was in the right place at the right time. Good for Whitley, but given that it was a "gift pick" in a mini scrimmage, you can't hand him the job by any stretch of the imagination.

From the two sources above, it looks like Tyrod was limited in the mini scrimmage and there probably isn't a lot of stock that can be taken from the stats. I'm more intrested in what happens Friday in the actual scrimmage than in whatever it was that took place Wednesday.

Go Beavers!

The Frozen Four starts today in DC with Bemidji State facing Miami U. and Boston U. taking on Vermont. If you live in NOVA, I urge you to go. There is nothing like the Frozen Four. Hockey fans are a devoted group and its an electric atmosphere. I've been to several Final Fours and the Frozen Four I went to last year topped them all.

A lot of the tickets to the Final Four go to corporate suits who don't care about the outcome. Not so at the Frozen Four. Since this year's Frozen Four is in a non-traditional hockey market, tickets should be easy to come by. Go and thank me later.

Go Bemidji!

Linkage

Hokie Bloggers

- Fulmer Cup points in our future? A vague post by BCO. (Beer Control Offense)
- How bad is the ACC next year if we're supposed to be No. 4 in hoops? (ACCSJ)

Atlantic Coast Conference

- Anatomy of an ACL tear. (Tomahawk Nation)
- The passing game continues to be an issue at GT. (The Legacy x4)
- Brendan tackles the immediate future of UVa hoops. (From Old Virginia)

Stuff Only I Care About

- Stop making me care, Sabres. (Die by the Blade)
- Brad May plays his 1,000th game. In a Leafs uni. *sniff, sniff* (Goose's Roost)
- Interesting interview with Sabres beat writer and blogger Mike Harrington. (Top Shelf)

You Say So Much With So Little

2009-04-08T13:20:00.005-04:00

The Hokies have been dissected by a national blogger for the second consecutive day. Tuesday, the good Dr. Saturday prematurely assessed the 2009 edition of Virginia Tech football. Today, Orson Swindle gave a one-paragraph take on the VT-Bama game.

And like he always does, Orson got right to the point and was neither wrong nor pedestrian.

Why just in week one: Alabama and Virginia Tech have their Skoal-off in the Georgia Dome again, meaning tasty free chicken sandwiches for your correspondent, and perhaps a misleading win for Virginia Tech early. This will prime the Hokie bandwagon for a hefty pile-on until everyone remembers Brian (sic) Stinespring can’t call plays, Tyrod Taylor can’t pass, and that Alabama will improve three thousand times from game one to game six after breaking in a new qb, and will likely look at their worst in game one.

"You're not wrong, Walter, you're just an ass hole."

The Doc and Orson were both on target with their analysis of the Hokies and do it in their own ways. The Doc with near over-analysis and Orson with biting, pithy commentary.

However, they differ on how Virginia Tech's season will go. To me, it seems Doc thinks we'll lose to Bama and then contend for or win a weak ACC. Orson seems to believe we'll beat Bama and then have an average season in a mediocre ACC.

I wonder which season Hokie fans would prefer? Getting the marquee win and then fading down the stretch or getting slaughtered by the Tide but winding up 10-4 with another ACC title?

I'll take the strong finish and building toward 2010 if going 14-0 and raising the crystal isn't an option this year (which it probably isn't).

Linkage

Hokie Bloggers

- Another look at the backup QB race. (Blogsburg)
- I have a feeling we'll want to keep an eye on Coach Stew's Twitter feed. (College Game Balls)
- A discussion on Bemidji's run to this weekend's Frozen Four. (The North End Zone)

Atlantic Coast Conference

- Are GT and Miami a rivalry? (The Legacy x4)
- A look at Wake's defense. (Blogger So Dear)
- A look at Maryland's offense. (Annette)
- Wolfpack Club members get surveyed. (Yet Another...)
- A breakdown of UVa baseball's bullpen woes. (From Old Virginia)

Stuff Only I Care About

- Some sexy possible first round matchups in the NHL Playoffs. I'm particularly excited about Caps-Habs and 'Nucks-'Hawks. (Y!)
- Everyone's favorite cougar, Kristen Chenoweth, is in the Elite Eight of Ogle Madness. (The Lost Ogle)
- Did you see my boy Beckett yesterday? He was fackin' awesome. Amalie Benjamin (who I love and would in a heartbeat give up my hard-drinking, road-tripping bachelor ways for) and a couple of other less talented writers from the Globe break down Boston's Opening Day win. (Extra Bases)

Hokies Get Prematurely Assessed

2009-04-07T19:45:00.000-04:00

The Doc is only few premature assessments deep this year, but he's already chosen Virginia Tech as a target. Hinton takes a close look at Tyrod Taylor and how he actually regressed in his second season under center for the Hokies (sophomore jinx?). His main point is that if Tyrod doesn’t improve in his junior year, we’re looking at basically having a fast Glennon as our QB (my words, not his).

He also looks at our love of Bud Foster and disdain for Bryan Stinespring and brings up a couple of good points. Foster is beloved because the defense remains strong despite losing key players. However, despite Stinespring not having much to work with our fan base still loathes him and blames him for our losses with no praise in victory.

The Hokies have finished in the bottom 20 nationally in total offense three years in a row, a cruel inverse to the success of the defense. It's hard to be creative, though, when you're so limited in the passing game -- all the way around: Tech struggled not only at throwing and catching, but allowed more sacks last year than any other offense in the ACC -- and when your most effective strategy is hurling a 215-pound hammer at the line of scrimmage.

The Doc’s bottom line is that we’re a dark, dark horse for the BCSCG. Our margin for error remains very slim going into 2009 and Tech fans should be more excited for the possibilities in 2010.

My only disagreement with Hinton’s view on our season is on the Alabama game. Yes, Alabama started 12-0 in the SEC last year. But I think it lost too much from that team to just come out and smoke the Hokies like it did last year against Clemson.

And the LSU comparison isn’t valid because we faced the Tigers at their zenith on the way to national title. LSU had yet to suffer the injuries it did that caused it to lose two games. They were healthy, we had no offensive line and we walked into a hornet’s nest in Death Valley that night that in hindsight we had no chance of surviving.

Saunders Sterling on Opening Day

2009-04-07T14:45:00.001-04:00

Former Hokie Joe Saunders started the 2009 season just as he finished the 2008 regular season. By not giving up a run.

Saunders picked up the win on Opening Day for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim of Orange County or California Monday by not giving up a run over 6.2 innings. He allowed three hits, walked two and struck out two. Saunders was victorious in his last two outings of 2008 as well. He combined for 13.0 shutout innings on eight hits with three walks and 13 strikeouts in those two starts.

Saunders was an All-Star in 2008 and led the Angels in wins at 17-7. He compiled a 3.41 ERA over 31 starts.

It's good to see Saunders back dominating on the mound. He struggled in his lone ALDS appearance against the Red Sox, but is establishing himself as one of the more consistent pitchers in the AL. When he pitches well, you hardly notice him. He isn't spectacular and doesn't put up huge strikeout numbers.

It was also fun to see a former Hokie get an Opening Day start. Even if it came because John Lackey, Ervin Santana and Kelvim Escobar are all on the DL. Saunders will have to carry the Angels staff early on if they want to win the AL West like most are predicting them to do.

Linkage

Hokies

- 1999 fiction that almost became reality. (Blogsburg)
- Brandon Dillard again has to work his way up the depth chart. (Roanoke Times)
- Pritchard Hall goes co-ed. (The North End Zone)

OMG! Tar Heels!

- Well, that was quick. (Carolina March)
- Player of destiny and such and such. (Tar Heel Fan)
- Student's point of view. (Tareye or Buckheel)
- When over privileged white people try to riot. (Yet Another...)
- How many of the Heels will return? (Buzz Blog)

Atlantic Coast Conference

- FSU's offense fared better in Monday's scrimmage. (Tomahawk Nation)
- Justin Tuggle might be BC's QB next season. Good, another QB to lose to Tech in the ACCCG. Oh, and insert your own Jeff Joke here. (BC Interruption)
- The man won't keep BJ Raji down. (Eagle in Atlanta)
- We may have bad news for our friend EKR. (Block-C)

Stuff Only I Care About

- Bill Stewart uses the Twitter. Hilarity ensues. (Dr. Saturday)
- More shenanigans on the Twitter: Homer's Odyssey edition. (Holy Taco, HT: EDSBS)
- What does the future hold for the BBWAA? (WSJ)
- The Red Wings are the Tom 'Iceman' Kazansky of the NHL. (Goose's Roost)
- Another example of quality Tulsa business models. (The Lost Ogle)
- Awesome fight from last night's Kings-Flames game. (Hockey Fights)

Hokie Blogs Spring Roundtable Roundup

2009-04-06T15:30:00.000-04:00

A humble group of Hokie bloggers spent last week discussing Virginia Tech football to coincide with the beginning of fall practice. We tackled issues facing the Hokies going into one of the most anticipated seasons in Tech history. It was a great exercise and we got diverse answers from the group. Hopefully we can do it again in August prior to kickoff. Below is a overview of the roundtable as well as links to individual answers.

Linkage

Beer Control Offense
(BCO | HokieJayBee)
College Game Balls
Gobbler Country
The North End Zone
(Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | Q5)
Tech Superfans
(Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | Q5)
Virginia Tech Fan

Questions

1. From reader Riggs: "Are we really going to be that good next year? I just don't see us being a top 10 team given last season's offensive output. Tell me that we're overhauling the offense, or we're adding new packages. Give me some hope."

Our panelists agree that Tech is a Top 10 team with Top 5 talent. However, most of them believe the offense will hold the team back. Specifically the offensive coordinator will hold the team back.

From College Game Balls:

...With that being said we aren’t going undefeated and more than likely will shit the bed against Alabama and 1-2 ACC teams. Why because unfortunately we aren’t overhauling our offense and even more importantly Bryan Stinespring is still calling the plays. In my inebriated state I actually starting to think our offensive scheme works, we just call really dumb plays at the worst times. Like QB sneaking out of the shotgun on 3rd and goal from the one. We always seem to shoot ourselves in the foot.

However, there are a couple of reasons to believe this team can still do something special. VT Fan notes that most of our tough games are at home or on a neutral site. The toughest road test on paper will be the second trip to Atlanta to face the Yellow Jackets.

Another reason is the parallels between the 2004 team and this squad, specifically regarding the quarterback. From The North End Zone:

The last time we went from having two quarterbacks to just one, we went 10-2, won the ACC, and lost by 3 to an undefeated Auburn team in the Sugar Bowl. This time won't involve weed, underage girls, or traffic violations, but I think the mindset is still the same.

I don't know that we will be a top 5 team. I just think that this year is going to be our best shot in a while.

However, after Tyrod, the quarterback situation is murky for the Hokies. Which leads us to Q2.

2. From Beer Control Offense: "Are you concerned about the lack of depth at quarterback? How many significant snaps do you think VT's back up quarterback will get?"

Those who are fretting over the QB situation are, to use their own words, scared shitless. BCO will have the bourbon at the ready in 2009:

Whoever (the backup) is, keep your arm loose, 4-5 games even if for a play or 2, he'll be needed. We could see a lot of Wild Turkey those games, on the field and in section 18 beside the BCO as he screams "GOD NO!!" I think there will be at least 1 game where Tyrod does not start or gets knocked out early, extended stay in the infirmary will kiss preseason expectations goodbye.

In order to mitigate the injuries to Tyrod, CGB suggests running the Wild Turkey formation more often to give Tyrod time to rest each game, instead of using it as a gimmick formation. If I remember correctly, Florida did this when Tebow was a freshman in short-yardage and goalline situations. And I'm pretty sure the Gators won it all that year.

Only four of the responders were not afraid of Tech's lack of QB depth. Those include myself, CGally from The North End Zone, HokieJayBee from BCO and MadJay from TSF.

HJB takes the Alfred E. Neuman approach because if Tyrod goes down, everything will go to hell anyway. MadJay thinks the offense will run the same scheme and put up the same production with or without Tyrod. Myself and CGally point to the fact that the QB usually doesn't determine whether or not we win games.

The way we typically win games is through Bud Foster's defense, which has its own issues going into the spring.

3. What position do you think is most important to the Hokies on the defensive side of the ball this spring? Are there any young players who will step up during spring on that side of the ball?

Despite the lack of depth on the defensive line, our noble bloggeratti was split nearly 50-50 between the linebackers and the cornerbacks. What it comes down to is the Hokies have more holes to fill at linebacker, but a bigger hole to fill at cornerback.

Tech lost two one-year starters at LB, but return Cam Martin as a third-year starter. The players stepping up at LB are young and inexperienced, but are supposed to be the most talented group of youngsters we've had at LB. From VT Fan:

You would think linebacker - Mike and Backer - key positions that are being completely turned over to new starters, mostly Fr and So players. Barquell Rivers and Jake Johnson get good reviews and are penciled in as starters, but behind them are Bruce Taylor and Quillie Odom who were highly touted recruits and I’m anxious to see these guys. I especially think Bruce Taylor, who we thought was headed for the D-line, is a guy to watch.

Those concerned with the cornerbacks are worried because of how important Macho Harris was to last year's D. Not only was he the best player on that side of the ball, he was also the team's emotional leader.

Stephan Virgil will start at boundary corner for the first time this year while SOMEONE will eventually step up and take the field side. Who that someone will be is up for debate. While I would rather see someone other than Rashad Carmichael there, The Northerner at The North End Zone is a fan of his:

He’s the oldest cornerback we have since Macho left, and we have always been relatively strong in the cornerback position. So I think he will have to step up, and you can bet that Foster is giving this guy tons of tape on how the position is played. I have faith in our defensive coaches that this position will not be an afterthought.

I liked the position Where's The Ice from TSF took. He isn't concerned with a certain position on the field. He's concerned about who will be the leader of the D on and off the field:

Harris' personality and gusto for the game made him naturally suited to that role, and his fellow teammates viewed him that way. Every squad needs an on the field leader, and out of training camp somebody needs to assertively take that role in such a manner that the other 10 players on the squad respect him and recognize him in that mold.

However, I personally disagree that someone will come into that role 1/4 through the season. That will be way to late. Hell, even August will be too late for that. Tech's leader on the defensive side of the ball has to step up during spring practice and over the summer.

4. What change would you make to college football's spring football system?

A few responders want to see spring football become summer football. This is for a couple of reasons. First, as CGB points out, it's too disjointed from the August practices. Also, moving it to summer would give us something to do during those months. Pitting it up against March Madness drowns it out with some schools (like UNC).

MadJay from TSF agrees with me that teams should be allowed to scrimmage other schools. And CGally from TNEZ had the most unique response with regards to how the maroon and white teams are chosen:

Additionally, I think they should pick teams like in gym class. I would love to see Glennon's face as he was passed over again and again.

5. From College Game Balls: "What kind of music do you think the team is bumping in the locker room? And is Beamer getting down? I know the '99 team was big into Method Man and Dr. Dre."

HokieJayBee and CGB say the team is probably listening to Lil' Wayne... considering Lil' Wayne is collaborating with every other artist on the face of the planet. Seriously, when is the Lil' Wayne-Taylor Swift duet coming out?

HJB also says Beamer is getting down with the team for the good of Hokie Nation:

I seem to think this Beamer Dance Off is some sort of reward for the players. Beamer, on Thursday before Saturday match-up with TEAM X in a big game, the team is screwing around, the coaches are pissed, losing the team's focus,........"quit that lolly gagging you lazy fVcks, quit screwing around!!!! Tell you what, focus up here tonight and tomorrow at the walkthrough, and I'll let you bump whatever you want to in the locker room after the game and I'll even bounce with you on camera if we kick the sh!t out of TEAM X!!!!" Enormous roar, sudden team focus, big win. Dancing Frankie Beamdog.

The Northerner hopes there's at least one song we can all agree is being played on player's iPods:

And of course, Enter Sandman had better be getting some play time or else we have a real problem. But I doubt that even needs to be said.

Amen.

Is it OK to Root Against UNC?

2009-04-06T12:45:00.001-04:00

Some people say you should root for your conference. But I find that kind of difficult tonight as the Tar Heels go for a national title against Michigan State. The Tar Heels represent a last shot at ACC redemption for 2009, but at the same time I really want them to lose.

I don't want Tyler Hansbrough to win a national title in his final college game. I don't want Roy Williams to cut down the nets after spoiling Tech's shot at the Tournament. And I don't want Carolina to get the satisfaction of a national title after taking out both the Hokies and my alma mater.

Most of the time I'll root for the ACC. But I find this Carolina team too hate-able. I cheered for the Heels at the 2005 Final Four. But a lot of that had to do with how rude Illinois fans were that weekend.

It's the same with my love/hate of UConn. I wanted its 2004 team to win the title because of how much I like Okafor and Gordon. But I rooted against its 2006 team probably more so than any other college basketball team in my life because I couldn't tolerate the sight of Gay, Boone, Armstrong and Marcus Williams in the Final Four. I celebrated George Mason's Elite Eight win as if the Hokies were going to the Final Four.

I might do the same again tonight if Sparty can pull the upset.

What about you guys? Are you cheering for conference pride? Or for the Heels to go down in flames?

GO GREEN.

Linkage

Hokies

- Tech is facing lofty expectations this year. (VT Fan)
- Seth Greenberg to Arizona? (Tech Hoops)
- Tyrod's hitch has apparently been ditched. (Roanoke Times)

Atlantic Coast Conference

- Joe is missing the point on our hatred of the Hansbrough Child. He hasn't overstayed his welcome. He was never welcome to begin with.
- Carolina and MSU are familiar foes. (Carolina March)
- A title game preview from Tar Heel Fan. (Tar Heel Fan)
- Christian Ponder struggled in FSU's spring game. (Tomahawk Nation)
- Da'Rel Sc'ott had a ridiculous 14 ypc in Maryland's scrimmage. (Testudo Times)
- NC State's pxp guy offers some chicken soup for your soul. (StateFans Nation)

Stuff Only I Care About

- Opening Day will have to wait. (Extra Bases)
- The Sabres are all but eliminated. (Die by the Blade)
- See Sid fight. (Puck Daddy)

Spring Football Roundtable

2009-04-03T14:00:00.001-04:00

Hokie bloggers have convened (virtually, at least) to discuss matters concerning Tech football going into spring practice. Beer Control Offense, College Game Balls, The North End Zone, TechSuperfans, Virginia Tech Fan and myself took time to answer the same questions. The recap will be posted on Monday. Here are my answers:

1. From reader Riggs: "Are we really going to be that good next year? I just don't see us being a top 10 team given last season's offensive output. Tell me that we're overhauling the offense, or we're adding new packages. Give me some hope."

I don't think we should be considered a national title contender by the media. I want our players to think they have the chance, but I think we play a lot better when people doubt us. It looks like outside of the ACC media we aren't considered a national title contender, which is good. I think a preseason ranking of No. 9 or No. 10 suits this team.

The offense is more talented, but you won't see any dramatic changes to the scheme. There also won't be the gaudy numbers a lot of fans want to see, but that's just not Virginia Tech football. We're going to try and control the clock and keep our defense on the sideline. We aren't going to be a high-scoring offense but I fully expect us to have a more efficient and effective offense.

There are important holes to fill on the defense and depth issues on the offensive line. A key injury to the line or problems with new guys at cornerback and linebacker could derail our quest for a national title quickly.

The Hokies are going to be good and be in contention for at least the ACC championship this year. We won't dominate teams like we did in 1999, but we won't fold dramatically like Clemson did last year.

2. From Beer Control Offense: "Are you concerned about the lack of depth at quarterback? How many significant snaps do you think VT's back up quarterback will get?"

Last year, Tyrod missed the Maryland game and was ineffective against Miami after being injured against FSU. In 2007, he was injured against Duke and missed the BC and Georgia Tech games.

With his history, it stands to reason we're going to need our backup QB at some point. I think the way our offense is set up we won't be in a lot of trouble if we have to turn to Ju-Ju Clayton or Greg Boone. We can rely on the running game for the most part and still win games.

The problem comes, like at the end of last year's FSU game, when we're down and need the backup to bring us back. Cory Holt played well against the Noles, but was just unable to get us into the end zone. It was a tough situation, but not one that happens to many teams.

Usually, you know ahead of time you're going to be without your starter and can prepare properly for the upcoming game with your backup. It worries me that our backup quarterbacks are unknown commodities, but I don't think it will be as big a deal as some are making it out to be.

3. What position do you think is most important to the Hokies on the defensive side of the ball this spring? Are there any young players who will step up during spring on that side of the ball?

I think the most important position is cornerback. Stephan Virgil is moving back to boundary corner and there will be a new field corner this year.

Virgil knows the boundary side because he was a backup there before starting on the field side in 2008. However, I think his size is an issue when it comes to stepping up and helping stop the run.

On the field side, I didn't like what I saw out of Rashad Carmichael last year. To me, he had trouble communicating and being in the right spot a lot last season. I'm hoping someone else can emerge at that position either in the spring or summer unless Carmichael has made dramatic improvement this season.

4. What change would you make to college football's spring football system?

I would allow teams to scrimmage other schools. The end of session spring game would still need to be an intrasquad scrimmage, but at least let teams see how they stack up against each other in controlled scrimmages. Basketball teams are allowed to do it in the summer. Every other level of football does it. College football should be able to scrimmage as well.

5. From College Game Balls: "What kind of music do you think the team is bumping in the locker room? And is Beamer getting down? I know the '99 team was big into Method Man and Dr. Dre."

Of course Beamer's getting down. We've seen the video evidence. We just need some of the guys to step in and improve his moves. At least teach him the eclectic slide or something. Of course, I can't dance at all so I have no room to talk.

As for the team, my guess is the music preferences break down by position:

O-line: Definitely old school stuff. R&B, Motown.
Skill Position: Jay-Z. Gotta be Jay-Z. The skill guys are the ones who get all the pub, so they're probably listening to guy making the most money.
D-line: Biggie and 'Pac. They want a message with their rhymes.
LBs: Lil' Wayne.
DBs: More hardcore. DMX and Tech N9ne. You can't properly KTFO people unless you listen to DMX and Tech N9ne.

Alabama May Have Its QB

2009-04-03T12:20:00.001-04:00

The Crimson Tide's QB competition ended up being as anti-climactic as The Village. Greg McElroy, who backed up JPW last season is all but guaranteed the starting job after impressing in the first few days of spring drills.

A few Tide fans I talked to (OK, OK, the one Tide fan I know) expected freshman Star Jackson to win the job by the time Sept. 5 rolled around. Well, it looks like Star isn't quite ready for prime time. It'll be McElroy who starts against the Hokies. Quoth the Barnhart:

McElroy is ahead and he should be ahead because he has played and knows the offense. Saban and OC Jim McElwain want to keep the competition open so that the players involved develop as much as possible between now and Sept. 5. That’s what coaches are supposed to do. But it’s hard to see Jackson or Darrah or any freshman closing that gap between now and the spring game on April 18. And when everybody returns in August it will be time to get a quarterback ready to play Virginia Tech.

This is good news for the Hokies. Our defense typically fares well against drop-back quarterbacks. However, QBs who can avoid the rush and escape the pocket have a tendency to burn us.

Linkage

Hokies

- Tyrod's footwork appears improved. This is a very good thing. (TechSuperfans)
- BCO uses his own formula to pick UNC to win it all this weekend. (Beer Control Offense)
- The Fraggles have been eliminated. This tournament is dead to me. (The North End Zone)
- A VT hoops recruit will participate in two All-Star games. (Tech Hoops)

Atlantic Coast Conference

- How to cover FSU without really trying. (EDSBS)
- Little Glennon competes for the NC State QB job. (Annette)
- "Hot hand in a dice game, baby girl." (Tar Heel Fan)
- Jeff got permission from Mrs. Jeff to discuss BC's QBs with Brian. (BC Interruption)

Stuff Only I Care About

- Good fight from the 'Nucks-Ducks game last night. (Hockey Fights)

VT Spring Football Guide Available

2009-04-02T14:50:00.001-04:00

The Virginia Tech spring football media guide is available for download here. As always, Dave Smith and Co. did an excellent job. Here are some tidbits from the guide I thought you might find interesting:

Spring Schedule

April 1: 4:30-6:30
April 3: 4:30-6:30
April 4: 11 a.m.
April 6: 4:30-6:30
April 8: 4:30-6:30
April 10: 4:30-6:30
April 11: 11 a.m. Scrimmage
April 13: 4:30-6:30
April 15: 4:30-6:30
April 17: 4:30-6:30
April 18: 11 a.m. Scrimmage
April 20: 4:30-6:30
April 22: 4:30-6:30
April 24: 4:30-5:30
April 25: 2 p.m. Spring Game

Walking Wounded

Three returning starters (OG Sergio Render, DE Jason Worilds and LB Cam Martin) are being held out of spring practice due to injury.

Breakout Candidates

As with previous years, the spring guide lists players at each position who have the potential to step up and surprise during spring drills.

OL: Nick Becton, Vinston Painter, Michael Via
WR/TE: Dyrell Roberts
QB/RB: Ryan Williams
DL: Kwamaine Battle
LB: Jake Johnson
DS: Lorenzo Williams
K: Justin Myer

Be sure to download the spring guide. It includes everything we need to know about the team before the main media guide comes out in the fall. It also includes quotes from all the positions coaches about what they expect this spring.

VT Starts Spring Drills

2009-04-02T02:54:00.001-04:00

Today was the first of 15 spring practices for the Hokies. And like most schools most years, Coach Beamer wasn't happy after the first practice. At least that what it says on the front page of Beamerball.com. The team drilled without pads today and aren't allowed contact until practice No. 4 of the spring.

As a fan, it feels good to enter a spring practice session without worrying about who the starting quarterback is going to be in the fall. This year's spring workout are about building depth. There aren't a lot of significant position battles going on.

The most important position battle on offense may be for the BACKUP QB job. Marcus Davis, JuJu Clayton and Greg Boone will all get snaps under center during the spring. Backup battle will be a topic of discussion during out spring roundtable, which is currently going on around the various Hokie blogs. My answers to our questions will be posted Friday. Look for the round up on Monday.

Linkage

Hokies

-Coach Beamer's site has photos and video from day one. Some of it is free. (Beamerball)
- Good to see KT back in the 'Burg. (Virginian Pilot)
- A look at the backup QB race. (Roanoke Times)
- An April Fool's joke from Tech Hoops. (Tech Hoops)
- And another one from The A-Line. (A-Line)
- ACCSJ keeps pushing this "basketball" thing. WTF? (ACC Sports Journal)

Atlantic Coast Conference

- Annette interviews her Frankie. (ESPN)
- The Pack are getting better and deeper on defense. (ACC Now)
- ATL Eagle looks at Chip Kelly's influence on BC. (Eagle in Atlanta)

Stuff Only I Care About

- Amalie Benjamin (who I love and would in a heartbeat give up my hard-drinking, road-tripping bachelor ways for) has a story on a former Red Sox top draft pick that his teammates won't let him live down. (Boston Globe)
- OK, now the season's over. (Die by the Blade)
- Joe Paterno is senile. (Awful Announcing)

Your Move, Coach Beamer

2009-03-31T15:00:00.001-04:00

From EDSBS comes this news from the University of Kentucky that I wish Virginia Tech had thought of first.

UK coach Rich Brooks has his own collectors edition bottle of bourbon. And it's for charity.

Building on the past success of the Maker’s Mark/Keeneland charitable bottle series that supports projects at the University of Kentucky, Maker’s Mark and Keeneland are continuing the program with the celebration of UK football coach Rich Brooks, whose likeness will be featured on the bottle label. Coach Brooks has led the Wildcats to multiple wins in bowl competition and is the first coach to win three consecutive bowl games in UK Athletics history.
[...]
Maker’s Mark will donate its proceeds from the sales – estimated to be about $200,000 from 18,000 bottles – to an extension program bringing the UK Symphony Orchestra and students from the UK School of Music into public schools and communities throughout Kentucky. UK is in the process of securing matching grants that, if sales of the bottles are successful, may create funding for this unique program in excess of $1.2 million.

Get rid of those White Out shirts Beamer has us buy to help Herma's Readers. I want a bottle of Wild Turkey with ol' Fancy Gap Frank's face on it. I can think of no better way to help the yutes of Virginia learn to read than by getting invisible.

More Tide Comments Over at the AJC

2009-03-31T13:25:00.001-04:00

The best and brightest the state of Alabama has to offer has again enlightened us on this September's VT-Bama game. Tony Barnhart had a blog post today on ACC spring practice and the first item for discussion was the Hokies' opener with the Tide. Take it away, Tony:

1. Virginia Tech begins with Alabama on its mind: Virginia Tech finished 10-4 last season, won another ACC championship, and beat Cincinnati, a slight favorite, in the Orange Bowl. With 15 starters from that team coming back, the Hokies are getting some early love as a potential dark horse for the national championship. Spring practice begins today in Blacksburg (ed. note: Wednesday) and coach Frank Beamer knows that he won’t have to wait long to find out if he’s got a contender. That’s because the Hokies open the 2009 season in Atlanta against Alabama, which will be in everybody’s preseason Top 10. “When you play a big game early—and we’ve done that in the past—it focuses you team better in the spring and in the summer,” Beamer told me when the Sept. 5 game at the Georgia Dome was put together. “You can’t ease into your season. You’ve pretty much got to hit the ground running.” One of the top priorities of the spring is to find a backup to QB Tyrod Taylor, who has a history of getting banged up.

The last time Virginia Tech opened with a game this big was 2004 when the Hokies played Southern Cal and lost 24-13 in Landover, Md. The Trojans went on to win the national championship.

SEC fans, your rebuttal?:

Saint Nick: "The only people that will “hit the ground running” are Richardson and Ingram!!!! Bama wins VERY comfortable!!!!"

Otto: "No VT just another ACC team with alot of preseason hype sorta like Clemson…..oops"

Saint Nick: "Bama’s QB situation will be addition by subtraction. McLeroy has been in this offense for three years. Bama won’t have to depend on the RB’s as they did last year, they will have a much improved passing attack. Last year all Bama fans heard were JPW will be the weak link, and that Bama can’t match up against Clemson’s skill positions. Clemson had 0 yds rushing and no Offensive touchdowns. This year is just more of the same, New ACC team, same hype, same result!!!RTR!!!!"

Otto: "VT has played SEC teams before and more time than not comes up short. VT is a best of the rest team playing in a 2nd tier football conf. Maybe the MWC should take the ACC’s automatic BCS bid."

gatorsam: "Does anyone really care what happens in the A.almost C.college C.conference, or if you perfer: A. association C. Community C. Colleges"

Huh?: "If I’ve said it once I’ve said it a hundred times. Virginia Tech is one of the most overrated football programs in D-1. Look folks, they win alot of games because they’ve played in the crappy Big East and ACC. Out of conference they’ve done about jack diddly squat. Their bowl record is atrocious. Their record against top 25 out of conference teams is atrocious. They just aren’t that great. Good, but never great. Nevertheless, they always find themselves in the preseason top 10 and they’re always a “dark hourse national title contender” every year. I’m sorry but I just don’t get it. OVERRATED.

With that said, I don’t think Bama will be anything special this year. VT might actually do the unthinkable and beat a ranked SEC team. Has that ever happened? I doubt it has."

I think "gatorsam's" comment was my favorite. The irony of an SEC fan calling ACC schools community colleges is just fantastic. Fortunately, there are people out there like commenter "Bo Williams":

Gatorsam, why are you so venomous? Were you not accepted into UNC, Duke, WF, or UVA? With a degree from Gainesville, you can always be a lifeguard

Linkage

Hokies

- Annette thinks Tyrod is the best household name in the ACC. (ESPN)
- The back-up QB situation is a huge question for Tech this spring. (Roanoke Times)

Atlantic Coast Conference

- The response out of Hooville to the Bennett hire is similar to Auburn's response to the Chizik hire. (From Old Virginia)
- Dane wouldn't mind being Cooper Taylor's father in law. (The Legacy x4)
- FSU's defense is having trouble with non-traditional offenses. (Tomahawk Nation)
- Who's the better Tournament coach, Izzo or Roy? (Carolina March)

Stuff Only I Care About

- College football nerds can rejoice in this look at zone run blocking. (Rocky Top Talk)
- Ohio Stadium's "drunk drivers" are finding new ways to get there. (ESSBS)
- More commenting stupidity. (Holly)
- Rob Ray's Mind? Blown. (Willful Caboose)
- Miller could be the difference... in finishing 9th instead of 10th. (Die by the Blade)
- That's a pretty stacked lineup if you ask me. (Extra Bases)

A Sam Wheeler Sighting and Spring Depth Chart

2009-03-30T14:40:00.005-04:00

Annette has the Hokies' pre-spring depth chart over at the Four-Letter Blog. Remember that there are a number of players, especially on the offensive line, that won't be participating in spring drills. Here 'tis:

OFFENSE

SE Jarrett Boykin -- Austin Fuller
LT Ed Wang -- Nick Becton
LG Greg Nosal -- Will Alvarez
C Beau Warren -- Michael Via OR Richard Graham
RG Jaymes Brooks -- Vinston Painter
RT Blake DeChristopher -- Andrew Lanier
TE Greg Boone -- Chris Drager OR Sam Wheeler
QB Tyrod Taylor -- Ju-Ju Clayton
RB Darren Evans -- Josh Oglesby OR Ryan Williams
FB Kenny Jefferson -- Kenny Younger
FL Danny Coale -- Dyrell Roberts

DEFENSE

DE Nekos Brown -- Steven Friday
DE John Graves -- Isaiah Hamlette
DT Demetrius Taylor -- Kwamaine Battle OR Courtney Prince
DT Cordarrow Thompson -- Antoine Hopkins OR Dwight Tucker
OLB Cody Grimm -- Jeron Gouveia-Winslow OR Alonzo Tweedy
ILB Barquell Rivers -- Bruce Taylor
ILB Jake Johnson -- Quillie Odom
FC Rashad Charmichael -- Cris Hill
FS Kam Chancellor -- Lorenzo Williams
ROV Dorian Porch -- Davon Morgan OR Matt Reidy
BC Stephan Virgil -- Eddie Whitley

SPECIAL TEAMS

FG Matt Waldron -- Justin Myer
KO Justin Myer -- Tim Pisano
P Brent Bowden -- Brian Saunders
LS Colin Carroll -- Matt Tuttle

One of the first things I noticed was Sam Wheeler listed as a co-No. 2 at tight end behind Greg Booooooooooooone. Wheeler was last seen being a general bad ass before tearing his left ACL at Georgia Tech in 2007. In my mind Wheeler was Sean Glennon's most reliable target in 2007 before the injury.

He didn't see a lot of playing time in 2008 because he wasn't all the way back from knee surgery. Hopefully he's 100 percent and can earn playing time in the spring and summer. I was a big fan of Wheeler's in 2007 and he's a solid pass-catching tight end.

It also appears Vinston Painter has been moved back to the offensive line. The argument could be made that this is just to provide depth to a depleted offensive line during the spring, but spring drills would be a crucial time for Painter to grow as a defensive lineman. My guess is this move is permanent.

No real surprises on the defensive side of the ball. It'll be good for the younger guys to get more reps at linebacker with Cam Martin out for spring practice. I like the group we have at linebacker, they're just all very green with the exception of Martin and Cody Grimm.

Beamer in the Blogging Business... Sort of

BeamerBall.com has a new blog on its Web site, but no RSS reader which means I'll check it about as often as I call my mom. I know, that's terrible and I should call her more often, I'm a bad son, blah, blah, blah.

Right now it's a glorified Twitter feed, but the big news on there today is Brandon Dillard is cleared to practice this spring less than nine months after rupturing his Achilles' tendon. The other big news is Beamer played 36 holes of golf at Augusta over the weekend. This was one week after he raced at Bristol. Must be nice.

JP Giglio is an Ass Hole

Actually, I like Giggity, but this little snide remark rubbed me the wrong way in his "Final Four cheering guide for ACC fans":

Clemson, Florida State, Maryland: UNC
Conference pride!

Miami, Virginia Tech and Boston College: UConn or Villanova
Conference pride!

"Hardy-har-har, those invaders used to be in the Big East so they must want their Big East brethren to win. Doopy-doop-doop." For the record I'm rooting for Sparty because Carolina AND the Big East can eat my ass with a spoon.

Hockey > Hoops

I caught former OU signee Scottie Reynolds' shot to beat Pitt (yay) and Carolina's smackdown of my alma mater (boo), but most of my weekend was spent either A) cooking dead animals, B) watching college hockey or C) both. What's that? You missed the NCAA Hockey Tournament because you're uncultured? Well, let me recap it for you:

- 3 of the 4 No. 1 seeds lost in the first round.
- 3 of the 4 No. 2 seeds lost in the first round.
- No. 4 seed Air Force shocked Michigan 2-0 despite being out-shot 44-13 to kick off the Tournament.
- Minnesota-Duluth scored two goals in the final 40 seconds to force overtime with Princeton in the first round and then won in OT. The tying goal came with 0.8 secs left.
- New Hampshire scored a pair of third period goals, the last one coming with 0.1 secs left to force OT with North Dakota in the first round and then put away the hated Sioux in the first minute of OT.
- Cornell scored three unanswered goals, the last one with 18 seconds left, to knock off Northeastern, 3-2 in the first round
- No. 4 seed tiny Bemidji State crushed hated Notre Dame in the first round.
- Miami U. held off another last-second comeback by UM-D to advance to its first Frozen Four.
- Vermont punched its ticket to the Frozen Four by beating underdog Air Force in OT on a goal that went through the net and was then reviewed for 20 minutes before being counted.
- BU scored with 15 seconds left to beat UNH to advance to the Frozen Four.
- Tiny Bemidji State completed the Forzen Four with another huge upset of Cornell. The Beavers became the first team from outside a Big Four (Hockey East, WCHA, CCHA, ECAC) to advance to a Frozen Four. Oh, and the Beavers have no clue what conference they'll be in next year because theirs is disbanding after this season.

It was wild, it was unpredictable and I can't wait for the Frozen Four in two weeks. I just wish that I was going. Last year's trip to Denver was outstanding.

Linkage

Hokies

- The softball team won its series with UVa. (HokieSports)
- Bourbonstreet has his Top 10 things to watch in spring practice. (Blogsburg)
- Defense was the downfall of this year's Hokie hoopsters. (Tech Hoops)
- Vote Fraggle. (The North End Zone)

Atlantic Coast Conference

- I now hate Seth Curry. (ACCSJ)
- Miami had its spring game this weekend. (All Canes)
- What FSU WR Taiwan Easterling will experience after tearing his Achilles. Good read that makes me really impressed with how Dillard has recovered. (Tomahawk Nation)
- UVa won a 7 OT lacrosse game that kept me from seeing the first period and a half of UNH-North Dakota. (Good Ol' Blog)

Linebackers Will be Key for Hokies this Spring

2009-03-26T08:00:00.005-04:00

For the second consecutive season, Virginia Tech has to replace two linebackers lost to graduation. Also for the second consecutive season, the Hokies will have to replace the same two linebacker positions.

"Mike" linebacker Brett Warren and "backer" Purnell Sturdivant stepped in as seniors for the departed Vince Hall and Xavier Adibi, respectively. While the duo was not as good as the pair they replaced, the end result was the same: An ACC championship.

The "whip" linebacker positions will again be filled by Cam Martin, who will be a third year starter for the Hokies. Joining Martin will be two players who will be a lot fresher faced than Warren and Sturdivant. It will be important for the Hokies to find replacements at linebacker who do at least as well as Warren and Sturdivant last year.

In addition to the two linebacker spots, it's important for the Hokies to develop depth on the defensive line and find a second cornerback. I don't think Rashad Carmichael is the answer at corner.

LB Jake Johnson

Barquell Rivers (who started in the Orange Bowl) and Cody Grimm (who recorded 7.5 sacks last year) are expected to take over at mike and backer. Hunter Ovens pushed Sturdivant at backer last year and saw some playing time. However, I'm most interested to see what Johnson can do after a year of redshirting and getting whipped on a daily basis by S&C coach Mike Gentry. Johnson is supposed to be a beast and will either add much-needed depth at linebacker or push for significant playing time this year.

CB Eddie Whitley

Whitley is most remembered by Hokie fans for his roughing the punter penalty against Florida State that led to a game-changing touchdown for the Seminoles. However, Whitley improved as the year went on and earned progressively more playing time. I'd like to see him pass Carmichael for the cornerback spot opposite Stephan Virgil this year. I think if Whitley puts on weight and muscle from the 179 pounds he was listed at last year, he could jump into Macho Harris' boundary corner role and keep Virgil at field corner.

DT Vinston Painter

Painter was a highly regarded recruit coming into preseason practice last year. He switched from offensive to defensive line and is expected to be a great player for the Hokies. I'm eager to see what he can do during his first set of spring drills. Hopefully he can add depth to the defensive line.

Get your questions in

Spring practice for the Hokies starts April 1. The Hokie bloggerati will be doing a roundtable to preview spring ball, but we need your help. There are three ways to submit questions to us: In the comments section of this blog post, by E-mail to gobblercountry-at-gmail-dot-com or on Twitter to @gobblercountry. I look forward to hearing from you.

Linkage

Hokies

- BCO looks at next year's basketball roster and how it could include Seth Curry (this isn't going to die, is it?). (Beer Control Offense)

- CGB and Al Groh are here to improve your life. (College Game Balls)

- The North End Zone thinks the second coming is not just nigh. It's here. (The North End Zone)

Atlantic Coast Conference

- Apparently when Tech's season ends, basketball doesn't stop. Who knew? Joe Ovies and the ACCSJ gang talk to SN's Mike DeCourcy about The Tournament and the UVa job search. (ACC Sports Journal)

- Annette reports on how UNC spring footbal practice and its new offensive coordinator. (ESPN)

- GT's passing game is still a work in progress. Good thing they don't really need it. (The Legacy x4)

- Maryland has a lot of issues to work out on defense during spring practice. (Turtle Waxing)

Randomness

- Former WVU kicker Pat McAfee is doing something similar to pro wrasslin'. (Dr. Saturday)

- Some tough matchups in the second round of Ogle Madness. I went with the upset and voted for Kristen Chenoweth even though she's guaranteed a loss. (The Lost Ogle)

- Bring back Trot! (Globe's Extra Bases)

- Wooooooofuckinhooooo! Wait, we're still how far out of the playoffs? (Die by the Blade)

Why Can't the Hokies Scrimmage Other Schools?

2009-03-25T15:00:00.003-04:00

One thing that perplexes me about college football is teams aren't allowed to scrimmage during spring or summer practices. This makes absolutely no sense.

High school teams are allowed to scrimmage prior to their season. And in my state, non-district games have no bearing on whether or not a team makes the playoffs, so those might as well be exhibitions.

NFL teams not only scrimmage, but play meaningless preseason games as well. There's no reason for the level between high school at the NFL to not have scrimmages.

I think it would be in the sports best interest to let teams scrimmage. If not in August, then at least during spring drills. Virginia Tech would get a much better bearing on its players and be better prepared for Alabama if it was allowed to scrimmage Liberty or another team that's close by prior to the season.

This part is probably just a pipe dream, but it might also cut down on the number of teams who load up on I-AA teams out of conference. I'm sure a lot of coaches choose to play cupcakes so they have a better idea of what they need to fix before conference play starts.

Linkage

Seth Curry

- Tech Hoops looks at the odds Seth Curry will end up at Tech. Spoiler alert: Not bloody likely.

- A-Line on The Wahoo coaching search, Seth Curry and the NCAA Tournament.

- Joe Ovies has an interview with Dave Telep that goes over the Curry situation.

Atlantic Coast Conference

- All Canes looks at the effect firing Art Kehoe has had on Miami's offensive line.

- Annette reports Wake cornerback Brandon Ghee has a torn MCL.

- Clemson's coaches aren't All In apparently.

- From Old Virginia has thoughts on the early days of UVa's spring practice.

Randomness

- BCO needs a team to bid on in the Sweet 16. My original pick of Memphis is available, but looking at my bracket he may want to avoid it.

- When Brazilian waxing meets Goodfellas.

- Hockey, pierogies and sexual tension.

- George Kottaras will be Tim Wakefield's personal catcher this year. Once, in Portland, Ore., I saw Kottaras take a foul ball ... um ... below the equator, writhe around on the ground in pain for 10 minutes, get up and finish catching the game. Like a champion.

Don't Forget

- Submit your questions for our Spring Football Roundtable either in the comments or by E-mailing gobblercountry-at-gmail-dot-com. Thanks.

Submit Questions for a Hokie Spring Football Roundtable

2009-03-24T18:00:00.002-04:00

Several Hokie sports blogs have agreed to participate in a roundtable to preview Virginia Tech's spring football practices. However, we need help from you all.

Please submit questions for us to discuss by leaving them in the comments or E-mailing them to gobblercountry-at-gmail-dot-com. Please try to limit the questions to Hokie football or the concept of spring football.

We'll pick five or six questions they will be answered by our panel. The roundup will be posted here after all the bloggers have chimed in.

Participating blogs:

Beer Control Offense
College Game Balls
The North End Zone
Tech Super Fans
Virginia Tech Fan

Watch Williams, OL During VT's Spring Practice

2009-03-24T02:05:00.003-04:00

The Hokies lose only three offensive starters from last year's team. However, there are still a lot of fresh faces that I'm looking forward to hearing about when Tech starts spring practice April 1. The biggest key for Hokies will be developing depth on the offensive line. They'll get the chance to do so as only two returning starters (LT Ed Wang and RT Blake DeChristopher) will participate in spring drills. Guard Sergio Render had surgery on his left shoulder and won't be available.

RB Ryan Williams

This is a no brainer. Hokie fans are excited to finally see the redshirt freshman in action. Williams was redshirted last year because he was unable to earn enough playing time at running back to justify playing him in his first year. Williams had trouble with pass blocking, which will get you on Billy Hite's bad side quickly.

Williams will at least return kicks for the Hokies next season and is expected to provide the lateral-moving shifty type running style in the backfield that complements the hard-nosed running style of Darren Evans. I think you could also see Williams line up in the slot a lot next year as well.

WR Brandon Dillard

Dillard was the star of last year's spring game but tore his Achilles’ tendon in July and missed the 2008 season. I'm interested to see if Dillard's speed is anywhere close to what we saw last spring out of him.

The Hokies need a speedy wide receiver and Dillard can provide that if he's back. If he isn't, hopefully he can at least provide much needed depth at the position.

OL Jaymes Brooks

Brooks played well during the Orange Bowl against Cincinnati for the ineligible Nick Marshman. I'm interested to see which guard position he plays during spring practice. In the Orange Bowl, he played right guard and Render moved to the left spot. We'll find out if that move is permanent this spring.

The key for the Hokies will be maintaining the chemistry and progress the offensive line made toward the end of last year. They have to replace the main cog in center Ryan Shuman, who graduated, and if they can do that they should be able to hit the ground running in 2009.

Who are you interested in seeing perform during spring drills?

Linkage

Hokies

- BCO welcomes a new writer in HokieJayBee. He announces his presence with authority.

- The A-Line looks at the ACC's postseason performance, including that of the Hokies.

- The North End Zone is glad Tech's basketball season (and the weekend) is over.

Atlantic Coast Conference

- The Legacyx4 has an in-depth look at Georgia Tech's first day of spring practice.

- Brendan at From Old Virginia gives his thoughts on the guys at the top of UVa's bball coaching search.

- Impressive research by Tomahawk Nation. Leonard Hamilton does a much better job of improving his players than another hoops coach I know.

- David Glenn at ACCSJ interviews Aaron Curry.

Randomness

- South Park will have a Jimmy Buffett influence tonight.

- An Oklahoma team claimed a hoops national title.

- Burnt Orange Nation took a trip to G'boro for the NCAA Tournament.

- OMG! Miller's back! Too bad the season's dead. However, one Sabres fan still enjoys going to the games. Is she a fellow masochist?

- If The Captain can't hit OR field, what was the point of bringing him back?

An Interesting Way to Boost Attendance

2009-03-23T15:00:00.002-04:00

The VT women's lacrosse team hosts North Carolina at 4 p.m. Wednesday at Thompson Field. The struggling Hokies are 4-10 overall and 1-2 in ACC play. I don't think I ever remember a point where the women's lacrosse team was any good, but that doesn't mean it won't see a big attendance figure Wednesday.

Wednesday's game will feature something called the "Greek Challenge" where the fraternity or sorority with the most members in attendance receives a $100 gift card to the business of its choice. My guess is you'll see a lot of greeks at Wednesday's game because from what I experienced in college greeks get excited about any opportunity to beat other greeks at anything.

Whether its raising money or drinking terrible 3.2 beer, greeks get a kick out of being the best at it. Hopefully it means a spirited atmosphere for the game against the 7-2 Tar Heels.

Attendance to women's lacrosse games are free at VT, but I assume the increased attendance will mean increased concession sales. And if the Hokies were smart and got that $100 gift card donated, it's all profit.

Linkage

Hokies

- Aaron McFarling has greater appreciation for the ADV era than I do.

- BCO really likes IPAs. I can't stand IPAs. To each his own.

- Tech Hoops gives its summer schedule.

Atlantic Coast Conference

- Enjoy it while you can boys. There's no spring break in the real world. /sobs uncontrollably. /applies to grad school.

- Jeff and Brian are too close to call in their Tournament pool. Jeff's only ahead because he had his wife pick his bracket.

- Pretty good motivational ploy by Roy during the LSU game.

- Apparently the near-empty Dolphin Stadium for Miami games isn't because 'Canes fans suck. It's because Miami fans suck in general.

- Spring practice starts at Georgia Tech.

Randomness

- Looks like all that money the Virginia Lottery gives to Virginia Public Schools didn't help Percy Harvin.

- Giglio looks at Gonzaga's history in the NCAA Tournament.

- Sad face.

- It was a bad weekend to be a Sabres fan.

Barnhart Talks Coastal, Tide Fans Talk Tech

2009-03-23T12:15:00.001-04:00

Tony Barnhart, a/k/a Mr. College Football, posted his "What we know and don't know" about the ACC Coastal this morning on his blog. Barnhart has forgotten more about college football than I know, so I was looking forward to this.

Here's what he said about the Hokies:

VIRGINIA TECH (10-4, practice starts April 1, ends April 25)

What we know: Bud Foster’s defense will be very good again. The Hokies’ defense was supposed to be in a rebuilding mode in 2008 but when the season ended Virginia Tech was second in the league in total defense (279.4 ypg) and first in scoring defense (16.7 ppg). Seven starters return but the losses were significant. Victor “Macho” Harris started 40 games at cornerback. Foster also has to find a couple of inside linebackers. According the figures recently released by the school, in the last five seasons combined, Virginia Tech has had the nation’s best defense (263.06 ypg). There is no reason to think that will change in 2009.

What we don’t know: Can QB Tyrod Taylor and RB Darren Evans keep it going? If so, the Hokies are going to be hard to handle on offense. Taylor, a rising junior, was dinged up a lot last season but still managed to record 1,774 yards of total offense (1,036 passing, 738 running) in 12 games. Evans set an ACC record for the most yards rushing by a freshman (1,265) last season. Virginia Tech has won the ACC championship in three of the five years (2004, 2007, 2008) it has been a member and played for the ACC championship (losing to Florida State) in 2005. The Hokies may be the closest thing the ACC has to a Top 10 team in 2009. Do they have a chance to upset Alabama in the Georgia Dome on Sept. 5?

Pretty simple and straight forward. Also, the same thing could have been said in 2006, 2007 and 2008 about Hokie football.

Naturally, Barnhart's suggestion that Tech might beat Alabama brought out the best and brightest the state has to offer in the comments section.

"Roll fuckin' tahde":

From MtnBama: "VT like everyone else will be lucky to score ten points against Bama this year."

From Saint Nick: "Yeah VT will have a decent defense, BUT, Bama will have a GREAT defense!!!! VT or anyone for that matter run on this defense. Scott moving to DB will help sure up the secondary, the front seven will be the best in the country. RTR!!!!!!"

From Got 12? (ed. note - you don't have 12, either): "Once again, by scheduling the marquee matchup of college football’s opening weekend, Bama has already won. This game is about national exposure, branding, and recruiting. One a side note, we will beat Virgina Tech."

From Bob: "Virginia Tech does not fare well in games like this. Their record against top 25 teams from OOC is less than impressive, and that’s being generous. I think they are one of the most overrated programs in the nation."

That is some inspirational shit right there. For those of you who don't speak Crazy Fanatic Internet Shorthand, RTR means "Roll Tide Roll". Of course, there was no mention from Bama fans about how they were actually going to move the ball this year or how this game being on opening weekend might hurt the team that's having to replace its QB, RB and best offensive lineman.

Looks like we're going to have five months of smack talk between Bama and Tech fans leading up to this soiree.

Fitting End to Basketball Season

2009-03-21T14:15:00.001-04:00

This year's Hokie basketball team was known for coming out flat and then having to regroup and make a comeback attempt. With the notable exception of the win over Wake Forest, this was S.O.P. for Tech.

So, naturally, the Hokies came out as slow and sluggish as they ever have against Baylor in the second round of the NIT and were promptly dispatched, 84-66 by the Bears.

It didn't help that Baylor couldn't miss from the field. The Bears shot 66.7 percent in the first half. Center Josh Lomers scored 12 points, all in the first half, to pace them early. Baylor made 10 of 21 three-point attempts in the game.

The Hokies were the polar opposite as they shot 32.4 percent for the game and 24.1 percent in the first half. Tech's "Big Three" of Malcolm Delaney, AD Vassallo and Jeff Allen combined to go 2 for 17 from the field in the first half.

It was an embarrassing opening 20 minutes from the Hokies. Baylor played excellent defense and forced Tech into poor shots. However, the Hokies hurt themselves by being generally lazy, especially while passing.

The entire game can be encapsulated into a stretch with just under four minutes to play. Baylor's Henry Dugat stole a lazy in-bounds pass and reset the offense. Baylor missed a three and Tech got the offensive rebound. However, another lazy pass at midcourt was again stolen by Dugat, who this time took the ball to the rim and jammed it home.

The Hokies were a horrible basketball team to watch this year. They were inconsistent and at times it seemed they were unmotivated. A very disappointing season that had a lot of promise in the preseason is thankfully over.

Linkage

Hokies

- Tech Hoops offers its take on the loss.

- BCO has an accurate visual representation of today's performance.

- VT Fan found it hard to get excited about the NIT.

- The North End Zone has joined the Twitter.

- The Hokie football team dished out some awards.

Atlantic Coast Conference

- As bad as Friday was for the ACC, Giglio says it could have been worse.

- The Buzz Blog says you only have to look at the coaches to see why some ACC teams are still dancing and some aren't.

- My thoughts on Tech's bball season are similar to All Canes' thoughts on Miami's bball season.

- Section Six sees a correlation between beating NCSU and winning in The Tournament.

Randomness

- EDSBS has Erin Andrews naked.

- Anne at Sabretooth's House does her best furrer4heisman impersonation after last night's loss to Philly.

Hokie Baseball Gets 100 Percent More Awesome

2009-03-20T13:50:00.003-04:00

Because the Hokies will be wearing this little number for their game against Georgia Tech at 5:30 p.m. Saturday at English Field. The Houston Astros starburst-style jerseys are a part of Disco Night and old school VT shirts will also be given away.

Yes, they're ugly, but that doesn't make them any less spectacular. I'll pay handsomely for one of those things.

Honoring the Original Hokie

O.M. Stull, who came up with the "Old Hokie Cheer" that eventually gave Tech its nickname, will be honored by the Roanoke Valley Hokie Club. A memorial and plaque will be placed at his grave in Lexington, Va., to honor his contribution to Hokie athletics.

Stull won the school-wide contest to come up with a new cheer (and its $5 first prize) in 1896. He said the word Hokie was just something he made up to draw attention to the cheer.

Hokie Face Baylor in NIT

I'll be having breakfast with the Hokies when they host Baylor at 11 a.m. Saturday at Cassell Coliseum on ESPN. Coach Greenberg is certain the fans will be loud despite the early start time:

We are excited about Saturday's game. It's another national television game and we want to show the country that the "Hokie Nation" is ready to go, 24/7. Regardless of whether it's a 10 a.m. or midnight tip, we are ready to go. Thank you for your support throughout the season and we look forward to seeing you in the Cassell on Saturday morning.

The key for the Hokies will be stopping Baylor point guard Curtis Jerrells. After watching Duquesne's Aaron Jackson drive to the hoop at will against Tech's awful perimeter defense, I worry the same will happen when Jerrells takes on the Hokies.

Jerrells won't put up the same 46 points Jackson had because he has a better supporting cast. If the Hokies can't contain Jerrells, he'll be able to drive, dish and dominate Saturday morning.

The Hokies will need a big game from Jeff Allen to win this one. He can make a difference inside against a Baylor team that isn't great on the boards.

Linkage

Hokies

- KT is in St. Louis covering the NCAA Wrasslin' Championship.

- Coach Beamer will compete in a celebrity NASCAR race Saturday in Bristol, Tenn.

- Tech Hoops thinks the Baylor game will come down to three-point shooting.

- Blogsburg thinks Baylor poses problems for us and is glad the game starts at 10 a.m. CDT.

- BCO gives it up to Aaron Jackson.

- TV Theme Madness continues at The North End Zone. Vote Fraggle.

Atlantic Coast Conference

- Tar Heel Fan is in G'boro cheering on the Heels.

- All Canes thinks Kirby Hocutt should keep his pimp hand strong when dealing with the Irish.

- BC faces BU in a critical hockey showdown this weekend.

- Joe Ovies and Adam Gold interview public enemy No. 1 in Chapel Hill, Jeff Goodman.

- Why didn't you tell me Barnhart was back in the blogging business?!?

Randomness

- Doug thinks brackets can solve anything.

- Buffalo is actually talking about firing Lindy Ruff. I never thought this would happen.

- Ow-ah pitchahs cowntinue to dawminahte in Fahrt Meyahs.

cough, cough

2009-03-19T11:45:00.000-04:00

"Hey, boss, it's furrer4heisman. Hey, yeah ... um, yeah. There's NO way I'm going to be able to come into work today. I think I caught that 48-hour flu that's been going around. Yeah, the 48 hour one. It's like the 24-hour flu but like twice as bad. No. Yeah, I've been throwing up all morning. It's terrible. So, I mean, I'll try to come in tomorrow, but we're just going to have to play it by ear. What's that? Oh, does that start today? I had no idea!"

I'm at home today. And tomorrow. Yeah, there will be hell to pay on Monday, but it will probably be worth it. For every year except My Year In Hell, I've skipped school and or work to watch the first two days of The Tournament (notice the capitalization).

My favorite memory was 1998 when my parents called me in sick so we could go to the Myriad to watch the first round games. Boy am I glad they did:

We bought tickets on the street prior to the game and ended up sitting two rows up, across the court from the Valpo bench. There were a bunch of higher-ups from the school sitting around us and we all went nuts after Drew hit the shot.

What I remember most was that shot woke everyone up. The game started at 11:20 AM or so and the entire arena (which was about half-full) slept through most of the game. Until it started to dawn on us Valpo had a chance.

There were great games at the Myriad that year. Right after the Valpo game, Florida State upset TCU. Two days later, Valpo advanced to the Sweet 16 and Rhode Island joined them by knocking off Kansas, who a lot of people picked to win it all.

What's your favorite three-day work week or three-day school week memory?

The Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Bracket

2009-03-18T14:30:00.003-04:00

Here it is:

Those on Facebook are cordially invited to join The 4th Annual Teddy Dupay Memorial Basketball Pool.

Midwest Region

First Round

Lewwwwwvulllll over ~~Whoever Won Last Night~~ Morehead State
Siena over Ohio State
Arizona over Utah
Wake Forest over Cleveland State
West Virginia over Dayton
Kansas over NDSU
Boston College over USC
Michigan State over Robert Morris

Second Round

Louisville over Siena
Wake over Arizona
West Virginia over Kansas
Michigan State over BC

Sweet 16

Louisville over Wake
Michigan State over West Virginia

Elite Eight

Louisville over Michigan State

West Region

First Round

UConn over Chattanooga
BYU over Texas A&M
Purdue over Northern Iowa
Washington over Mississippi State
Utah State over Marquette
Missouri over Cornell
Cal over Maryland
Memphis over CS-Northridge

Second Round

UConn over BYU
Washington over Purdue
Utah State over Mizzou
Memphis over Cal

Sweet 16

Washington over UConn
Memphis over Utah State

Elite Eight

Memphis over Washington

East Region

First Round

Pitt over ETSU
Tennessee over OSU
Florida State over Wisconsin
Xavier over Portland State
UCLA over VCU
Villanova over American
Texas over Minnesota
Duke over Binghamton

Second Round

Pitt over Tennessee
Florida State over Xavier
UCLA over Villanova
Texas over Duke

Sweet 16

Florida State over Pitt
Texas over UCLA

Elite Eight

Florida State over Texas

South Region

First Round

North Carolina over Radford
Butler over Elleshoe
WKU over Illinois
Gonzaga over Akron
Arizona State over Temple
Syracuse over SFA
Michigan over Clemson
Oklahoma over Morgan State

Second Round

UNC over Butler
Gonzaga over WKU
Arizona State over Syracuse
Oklahoma over Michigan

Sweet 16

Gonzaga over UNC
Arizona State over Oklahoma

Elite Eight

Arizona State over Gonzaga

Final Four

Memphis over Louisville
Florida State over Arizona State

National Championship

Memphis over Florida State

Stuff to Read While Drinking and Filling Out Brackets

2009-03-17T13:00:00.004-04:00

It's St. Patrick's, so I'm doing what I do best all day today. It's not even Noon and I'm on my third Guinness. I'm not an alcoholic, I'm just honoring my heritage.

I'm also filling out what will likely be the worst bracket in the history of filling it out brackets. Seriously, this thing is terrible. I'll reveal my picks tomorrow so you can point and laugh at them.

Everyone has advice on the NCAA Tournament and how to pick it. Well, I can only offer two pieces of advice.

First, the serious part: Fill it out backwards. Look at each regional, select the team you feel is strongest or has the best match-ups to get them to the Final Four and put them in Detroit. Then, fill out the rest of the regional. If you start from the beginning, you're bound to put the strongest team in a tough match-up in the Sweet 16 and then go against your better judgment and pick against them. Well, more often than not, that Sweet 16 match-up doesn't happen and you're stuck when you're original team ends up in the Final Four.

Finally, the fun part: Pick one huge underdog and have them winning in the first round. This way, if you're like me and your team isn't in the field, you at least have one rooting interest on Thursday or Friday. It's an added bonus if the underdog you picked is playing a team you hate.

Linkage

Hokies

- TSL has the Labatt Hokie Hotline notes. Greenberg on the officiating: "It is what it is."

- Tech Hoops went to the ACC tournament and naturally visited The Varsity. "What'll ya have!?"

- Niemo also previews the Duquesne game.

- Blogsburg has its unique take on the Dukes. With cheerleader photo!

- A-Line wonders aloud why Tech fans are complaining about the officiating Friday's hoops game after the officiating in September's football game. Good point. [stereotypical Hokie fan] I'll take the football win over a basketball win any day. [/stereotypical Hokie fan].

ACC

- Joe Ovies and Adam Gold interview Tom O'Brien about Irish Christmas.

- Blogger So Dear has advice on filling out your bracket. Don't look at the RPI, folks.

- Jeff of BCI took time out from being a neutered married pussy to attend the ACC tournament.

- TrueCubbie of Tomahawk Nation takes a preliminary look at The Tournament.

- Probably the best read of the week (even if it's from a dirty 'hoo) comes from From Old Virginia with his take on Dave Leitao's ouster. Good stuff. You know, for a 'hoo.

- Doug dissects Dabo.

Randomness

- Tulsa is finally better than OKC at something. Too bad it's making meth.

- Remember when Winfield of The Legacy x4 and I traded texts during the GT-Miami game last November? This is what it would have looked like if we were women. Notice the complete lack of swear words. And neither of them is drunk.

- Woo hoo!

- Double woo hoo!

The Fran Fraschilla Drinking Game

2009-03-16T22:15:00.001-04:00

Living in Big 12 country, I have to watch a lot of basketball games involving ESPN color commentator and former New Mexico head coach Fran Fraschilla. What has amused me about Fraschilla's broadcasting the last few years is he seems to be interviewing for his next head coaching job throughout each telecast.

I'm sure there's a lot of color guys who do this, but Fraschilla is the most blatant. Well, as if you needed another reason to drink on Wednesday, Coach Fran will be calling the Notre Dame-UAB game at 9 p.m. on ESPN. If I'm conscious, I'll play along. But, I haven't lasted 'til 9 p.m. in many a St. Patrick's Day.

Fran Fraschilla Drinking Game

Coaching

One Drink: Fran needlessly over analyzes a mundane situation with coach-speak.
Two Drinks: Fran draws up his own play in an end-game situation.
Three Drinks: Fran mentions he coaches at a lot of summer camps.

Sucking Up

One Drink: Fran mentions the AD of a team involved in his game.
Two Drinks: Fran mentions the coach of another sport of a school involved in his game.
Three Drinks: Fran praises the town/facilities/fans of a school involved in his game.

Players

One Drink: Fran mentions a player as a conference award candidate.
Two Drinks: Fran mentions a player as a national award candidate.
Three Drinks: "I would have won a lot more games if I had (name of player) on my teams."
Finish your drink: Fran takes credit for improving a player at a summer camp.

So there you go. No complicated rules. Just straight forward drinking for when Coach Fran calls a hoops game. Enjoy.

Things that get me to football: Wii

2009-03-16T16:40:00.002-04:00

This is a quasi-regular feature on things that help me make it from the BCSCG to Labor Day weekend and the start of callllllllage footbawl season.

Nothing beats kicking the shit out of middle schoolers online at Mario Kart Wii at 3 in the morning. To date, I have never lost on Moonview Highway.

For a while, Wii Fit was also pretty addicting particularly the penguin slide. We somehow turned Wii Fit into a drinking game, which I'm pretty sure defeated the purpose of Wii Fit.

"Dude, I kicked your ass on 'tree pose'. Drink!"

But now that we finally have Rock Band, that's taken up most of our time. Our band, "Tell Your Mom I Said Thanks," is currently touring Europe performing Rush covers.

Hokies Among 9 ACC Teams in Postseason

2009-03-16T02:45:00.000-04:00

The Hokies are going to the NIT as expected and will host Duquesne at 7 p.m. Wednesday on ESPNU. The Hokies are the No. 2 seed in Auburn's corner of the bracket and if they keep winning, are going to get at least two home games on the road to MSG. Last year, the Hokies were one win away from a trip to New York before losing to Ole Miss.

Duquesne fell one game short of the NCAA Tournament, losing to Temple in th A10 final Saturday. The Dukes are 21-11 and 8-6 on the road this year. They don't have any impressive non-conference wins, but have faced Duke, Pittsburgh, West Virginia and Old Dominion this year.

Only one play from the infamous September 2006 shooting of five Duquesne players is still on the roster, guard Aaron Jackson. Jackson is the Dukes' leading scorer, averaging 18.5 points per game.

If the Hokies win Wednesday, they will face the Baylor-Georgetown winner. The Hokies match-up better against the Bears, but I'd love a shot at the Hoyas in the Cassell.

Pithy Thoughts on the Other ACC Postseason Teams

NCAA Tournament

North Carolina
1 Seed - South Region
vs. 16 Radford Thursday in Greensboro

I expect the Tar Heels to come out of the Memphis bracket and possibly win the national title. They sat Ty Lawson in the ACC tournament like UConn did with Emeka Okafor in 2004. It was a smart move. UNC will avoid the athletic guards that give them trouble until a possible match-up with Jeremy Pargo and Gonzaga in the Sweet 16.

Duke
2 Seed - East Region
vs. 15 Binghamton Thursday in Greensboro

I think the East region will see a lot of chaos. I don't trust Pitt or Duke despite seemingly easy roads to the Elite Eight.

Wake Forest
4 Seed - Midwest Region
vs. 13 Cleveland State Friday in Miami

Wake will either go to the Elite Eight or lose to Cleveland State. There is no in between with this bunch.

Florida State
5 Seed - East Region
vs. 12 Wisconsin Friday in Boise

Boise hasn't been historically kind to the Badgers. I think the Seminoles are a team that could make a Final Four run if presented with the right match-ups. I think a game between them and Pitt would be fun to watch.

Boston College
7 Seed - Midwest Region
vs. 10 USC Friday in Minneapolis

BC went to Minneapolis for a regional in 2006 and lost in the Sweet 16 to Villanova by one point in overtime. I think the Eagles will beat USC and possibly Michigan State if Tyrese Rice takes over.

Clemson
7 Seed - South Region
vs. 10 Michigan Thursday in Kansas City

First-round exit.

Maryland
10 Seed - West Region
vs. 7 California Thursday in Kansas City

The Terps are playing well and could beat Cal, but won't make it out of KC.

NIT

Miami
4 Seed - Florida Bracket
at 5 Providence Wednesday on ESPN2

The 'Canes have to travel to the Dunkies Center despite being the higher seed. They're a threat to make it to NYC if Jack McClinton is healthy.

The Day After

2009-03-14T15:45:00.001-04:00

I thought that 24 hours after the Hokies lost the Tar Heels 79-76 I'd be more rational. I am not. I still put this one squarely on shoddy ACC officiating.

While I'm not convinced the Hokies would have won had a foul been called on North Carolina in the final seconds of yesterday's game, I am convinced it was a foul and the call made on the floor was wrong.

That hasn't changed. Neither has my new-found hatred of North Carolina and Tyler Hansbrough. I used to like North Carolina and used to root for it more often than not when it wasn't playing Virginia Tech. No longer. I already don't watch Duke-Carolina games because it's the most overrated rivalry in sports, but now I don't even have a rooting interest.

I despise Hansbrough as well. With the way he's treated by officials and the calls he gets, he is an honorary Duke Blue Devil in my eyes. His game is about initiating contact and getting calls. I can no longer tolerate the sight of him.

The Hokies were not a good basketball team this year. They were a team that consistently played to the level of their competition and in reality were never a threat to make the NCAA Tournament. They had one big win against Wake Forest doesn't look nearly as impressive now as when it happened. We were a mediocre team at best and the definition of an NIT team. Therefore, that's where we're headed.

Linkage

- Joe Ovies has video of the foul.

- Orson also sees the Hansbrough-Tebow comparison.

- Giglio notes a few more questionable calls.

- ACCSJ thinks we're still on the bubble?

- Tech Hoops was impressed by ADV's play.

- BCO has calmed down a little [beer pun] and is no long hopping mad [/beer pun].

- But The North End Zone will not calm down, thank you very much.

- Tar Heel Fan is happy to survive and advance.

- Yes, Carolina March, Hansbrough did cost us the game. But he committed a foul to do it.

- TarEye or BuckHeel thinks it was the right call, but was made late.

I don't want to talk about it.

2009-03-13T15:45:00.000-04:00

Talk amongst yourselves.

Things that get me to football: Spring Football

2009-03-12T16:00:00.000-04:00

This is a quasi-regular feature on things that help me make it from the BCSCG to Labor Day weekend and the start of callllllllage footbawl season.

Spring football practice is kind of a mystery to me. I don't know when college football teams started having spring practice sessions or when people started caring so much about them. But I do know that the whole thing has gotten so out of control that ESPN has started televising practices and intrasquad scrimmages.

King Football has become so big that the spring game has started to become a hot ticket. Alabama sold out its spring game two years ago. Tickets to Nebraska's spring game started popping up on eBay last year.

And yet, it's another one of those things that college football fans look forward to as much as the regular season, along with signing day and the first day of fall practice. I know a lot of Hokie fans who will tailgate for the spring game as if the Hokies were playing Miami instead of themselves.

What amazes me about the popularity of spring football is it isn't like baseball's spring training, which runs right up to the start of the season. After spring practice, we still have five months of dissecting before college football kicks off. It's a unique phenomenon.

However, it does allow us a taste of what's to come. Hokie fans were excited about Brandon Dillard after last year's spring game until he torn his Achilles' tendon in July. They'll be just as excited to see how Ryan Williams does in this year's game. OK, fine, I'm looking forward to seeing Williams in action, too.

Spring football gives us a taste of what we've been missing and what we can look forward to. In college football, hope springs eternal.

Annette Talks to Stiney

2009-03-11T14:15:00.001-04:00

Annette has a two-part Q&A with Virginia Tech offensive coordinator Bryan Stinespring over at her blog. Part one is here and part two here. While its an interesting read, Annette never asks the obvious question: Whether or not Stiney feels the offense needs to make significant improvement in order for him to keep his job.

This is a make-or-break year for Stiney. He has the talent on offense capable of putting up bigger numbers than the last three seasons. Another sub-par year and Stiney's hot seat may reach its boiling point.

In the interview, Stiney points out that 2009 will be the first time since in three seasons the Hokies don't have a quarterback controversy going into the season. He said he's excited about the way the players are progressing going into spring practice and hopes the offense can become more consistent now that they are more experienced.

He didn't tip his hand when asked about Ryan Williams, only telling Annette that the staff is looking forward to finally seeing him on the field. He also said the staff might have played Williams last year had they known Kenny Lewis was going to get injured.

Also, the Hokies are already preparing for the Crimson Tide:

I'm not going to kid you. We've already taken a look. There's been some breakdowns already. I'm sure on their part, too. Once the game was signed, both schools exchanged film the day after, I think. Most of us understand the significance of this ball game. We certainly understand Alabama and how good they are and what this means for an early game. You want to be as prepared as you possibly can, but again, you're calling at a time of the season where you just come off recruiting, and you're gearing up to start recruiting the next class, and also still going back and still scouting yourself.

That's good to hear. Alabama came into last year's Chick-fil-a Kickoff prepared for everything Clemson was going to do on both sides of the ball. Hopefully the Hokies will be ready for everything the Tide will do.

While he wasn't asked directly about the criticism he faced last season, Stiney did allude to the roller coaster that was the 2008 campaign:

Speaking of the Orange Bowl, you guys win ACC titles like it's nothing ...

BS: Oh this one right here wasn't like it was nothing, (he laughed) this one was a grinder.

I hope Stinespring's ready for another grinder. I know there are a lot of people that refuse to give the guy any credit for anything this team does. Hopefully the offense improves enough to quiet his detractors because that probably means were winning most of our football games.

Linkage:

- Tech Hoops previews the ACC tournament and writes that Jeff Allen needs to have a better game against Miami.

- Beer Control Offense offers his own ACC awards. There's a surprise on the "All Douche Bag" Team.

- VT Fan is done with basketball.

- Kyle Tucker is back with a report on the Hokies off-season weight program. Hey Kyle, be sure to eat at Charlie Gitto's while you're in The Lou next week.

- Joe Ovies is skeptical about ACC realignment. He expects the conference to hold out hope for FSU and Miami playing in the ACCCG every year and keep the status quo.

- NC State fans aren't big fans of the rumored realignment.

- Finally some optimism.

ACC Realignment Rumors

2009-03-10T17:00:00.001-04:00

A modest proposal

College Game Balls pointed out yesterday that rumors abound about possible realignment of the ACC's football divisions. What he found was talk of Boston College and Maryland moving from the Atlantic to the Coastal with Miami and Georgia Tech moving from the Coastal to the Atlantic. This would create more of a true North-South division alignment.

I'm all for it as long as it means the Hokies don't have to play at Miami and at BC in the same season every two years. The new divisions CGB found would help a lot with travel and look like this:

Atlantic
Clemson
Florida State
Georgia Tech
Miami
NC State
Wake Forest

Coastal
Boston College
Duke
Maryland
North Carolina
Virginia
Virginia Tech

And my best guess for Interdivision Rivals:

BC -----> CU
DU -----> WF
MD -----> GT
NC -----> NCST
VA -----> FSU
VT -----> UM

If the Hokies continued to play Miami every year, the only real change to the schedule would be playing Maryland every year and playing Georgia Tech two out of every five years. The problem that arises is how to keep Tech from going to Boston and Miami every other year. The answer is simple. The Hokies will just need to do what Georgia Tech did when it played at Virginia Tech in consecutive years. I'm willing to have the Hokies travel to Boston back-to-back seasons in order for that to happen.

As Brian and Jeff at BC Interruption mention, none of this would happen until after the 2015 football season. But until then, it's fun to speculate.

BCI takes it one step too far

Brian's proposed division realignment looks similar to the one above, but he swaps UNC for Wake as well, which in my opinion would never fly because it makes too much sense. Brian backs up his proposal with all these "facts" and "numbers". But on paper, just looking at the names, the ACC South looks MUCH more difficult than the ACC North. Therefore, it would never pass inspection if it were ever voted on.

Brian's ACC Divisions:

ACC North
Virginia Tech (.781)
Boston College (.656)
Wake Forest (.563)
Virginia (.500)
Maryland (.469)
Duke (.031)

ACC South
Georgia Tech (.656)
Clemson (.563)
Florida State (.531)
Miami (FL) (.469)
North Carolina (.406)
NC State (.375)

Those numbers to the right of each school are winning percentages since BC joined in 2005. But if you factor in tradition and the average North Carolinian's perception of ACC football, Brian's divisions suddenly look like this:

ACC North
VIRGINIA TECH
yankee invaders
wake forest
virginia
maryland
worst team evar

ACC South
GEORGIA TECH
CLEMPSON
F$U
DA U!!!
NORTH CAROLINA
NC STATE

That doesn't seem like a balanced ACC now, does it? It'll never happen. So, while Brian's divisions would be nice, let's just hope for the first ACC South-North alignment that was discovered by CGB. At least then the conference doesn't have to worry about trying to explain why teams are in their current confusing divisions.

Why wait?

What I would prefer is for the conference to expedite the realignment. Just because it announced the football schedule through 2015 doesn't mean it has to let it run its course. Hell, the schedule's enough to figure out it could announce the schedule through 2050 it wanted to. The schedule repeats itself every five years. It's not the square root of pi.

The ACC should just do what everyone else in the country is doing. Blame the economy. But placing the blame on "travel budgets need to be scaled back" the conference can implement new North-South divisions without any batting an eye. Hell, it would be applauded. Get it done.

Putting it off seven seasons would hurt realignment. By then, Obama could have the economy fixed and ACC fans would forget why we were going to realign in the first place and put the kibosh on the whole thing. The ACC needs to act now in case a perfectly good excuse to fix the mess it put us in in the first place goes away (hopefully).

Pop goes the bubble 'cause the bubble goes pop

2009-03-09T15:30:00.000-04:00

Thanks to atrocious shooting and 63-53 loss to Florida State Sunday, the Hokies are officially off the bubble. Anyone who thinks this team is one of the 65 best teams in the country is certifiably insane.

Tech has lost six of its last seven and eight of its last 11 games. The Hokies, to continue our 3rd Bass theme, have been playing like derelicts of Diakite.

The good news is Tech will likely get a couple of home games in the NIT considering how well attended last year's NIT games at Das Casseell were. The bad news is unlike last year this year's trip to the NIT won't be considered a triumph.

Technically, the Hokies aren't completely out of the NCAA Tournament picture. If they win ACC tournament this week, they receive the league's automatic bid. Of course, no team has ever won four games in four days to capture the ACC tourney title.

Tech's first round opponent will be Miami, which is also on the bubble and also finished 7-9 in ACC play. Tech beat the Hurricanes earlier this year in Coral Gables and has a history of success against them. The Hokies also beat Miami in the quarterfinals of last year's ACC tournament and are 6-2 against the 'Canes since joining the ACC.

Linkage

- BCO is just happy Dave Odom was wrong.

- A-Line thinks Coach Greenberg will again try to talk his way into The Tournament.

- Tech Hoops is getting annoyed by the slow starts.

- Brian at MGoBlog breaks down the bubble, including VT and Miami.

- The North End Zone's TV Theme Madness gets underway. Vote for The Elephant Show.

- Brad now has as many NCAA Tournament appearances as Seth.

- Who wants to fight Brian Burke?

Yet Another Must Win for Hokies

2009-03-08T01:59:00.001-05:00

Virginia Tech Hokies (17-12, 7-8)
at
Florida State Seminoles (22-8, 9-6)
Tallahasse, Fla., 2 p.m., Raycom

Enough bubble teams, especially in the ACC, have lost in the last week that Tech's Tournament hopes are no longer a lost cause. If the Hokies beat FSU Sunday, get two wins in the ACC tournament and enough bubble teams blow it in the next week, they could make the field of 65.

But first, the Hokies have to go on the road and beat the Seminoles. Quite frankly, I have no faith in this team coming through in a must-win situation. They blew it enough times last year that they went to the NIT and have proven time and again down the stretch of this season they have no business being in The Tournament.

A loss Sunday in Tally would honestly do us all a favor by taking the drama out of the next seven days.

Linkage

- Tech Hoops says the 'Noles are a one-man show.

- The North End Zone's girlfriend has a thing for dolphins.

- Bourbonstreet over at the newly-named Blogsburg notes that FSU actually wins its close games.

- Tech Sideline actually likes that this game is on the road.

- TrueCubbie at Tomahawk Nation is the best basketball blogger in the ACC. He breaks down the game here.

Happy Birthday!

2009-03-06T01:00:00.002-05:00

On this day one year ago, I realized I needed some sort of catharsis when it came to writing about sports and the Hokies. I combined the two into this blog. The first few posts were really horrible (OK, they've all been really horrible) but thanks for sticking with me and making it worth doing this. Without all you commenters out there (all three of you) I wouldn't want to churn out posts on Tech and the ACC from a thousand miles away.

Thanks again for indulging me. Without this blog, Tech would cost me at least $100 an hour in therapy. Here's to another great year of blogging on the Hokies, the ACC and all the cobwebs I have in my brain.

Things that get me to football: The NHL

2009-03-05T19:00:00.001-05:00

This may or may not become a regular feature on things that help me make it from the BCSCG to Labor Day weekend and the start of callllllllage footbawl season.

Today we are 184 days and exactly six months from the start of Hokie football.

Wednesday night was one of those nights I'm glad I have three TVs with three separate DirecTV feeds in my living room. It was the day of the NHL trade deadline, the Hokies were about to play the Tar Heels and the slumping Sabres were about to face the hated Habitants Canadiens.

My attention and my loyalties were divided. As much as I love Hokie football, Sabres hockey ranks way above Virginia Tech basketball in my sports pecking order. The Sabres and Red Sox play the Twice A Prince and My Gallant to Hokie football's Secretariat. Why do I love the Sabres? Well, a lot of it has to do with this guy:

I don't know why I became so interested in hockey to the point I'm willing to drop the huge price tag DirecTV puts on NHL Center Ice. However, I can understand why most college football fans don't like hockey. It's pretty simple, most college football fans are in the South.

Hockey isn't covered by the media in the South and is seen as a niche sport, most of the southern teams are terrible, not growing up watching the sport means southern fans aren't familiar with the rules and most of them probably don't know how to pronounce Antero Niittymaki or know he's from Finland.

But I love the sport. I love watching guys like Alex Ovechkin and Patrick Kane make magic for Washington and Chicago. I love watching Marc Savard quarterback Boston's top line and Miikka Kiprusoff make sprawling saves for Calgary. I love watching Brian Campbell K.T.F.O. people with their head down in open ice. Even if he's doing it in Chicago now instead of Buffalo.

I love Hockey Night in Canada wondering what the hell Don Cherry's going to wear and who he's going to piss off this week.

The playoffs in the NHL are the best of the four major sports in my opinion. They're grueling and they have the incredible tradition of the Stanley Cup and getting your name engraved on it. And the only reason games on the East Coast go into the wee hours of the AM are because they last four overtimes. Not because they started at 9 pm EDT.

And oh yeah, there's fighting. A lot of fighting.

Hokies vs. Tar Heels Links

2009-03-04T18:00:00.000-05:00

VT vs. UNC at 7 p.m. on ESPN

- Tar Heel Fan has a live blog.

- Tech Hoops emphasizes starting strong.

- Tech Sideline likes that UNC is last in the league in three-point defense.

- VT Fan hopes luck is on our side.

- The North End Zone is just enjoying the ride at this point.

- THF predicts a big win for UNC.

Hokies need redemption against The Hansbrough Child

2009-03-04T08:00:00.000-05:00

Virginia Tech Hokies (17-11, 7-7) vs.
No. 2 North Carolina Tar Heels (25-3, 11-3)

Time: 7 p.m.
Date: Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Place: Cassell Coliseum, Blacksburg, Va.
TV: ESPN

Last Meeting: Tyler Hansbrough's baseline jumper with a second to play was the difference in a 68-66 win for North Carolina in the semifinals of the 2008 ACC tournament in Charlotte...the Hokies played tough defense throughout the game, but were unable to hold on to a seven-point lead with six minutes to play.

Trends: The Hokies have lost four of their last five and five of their last eight games...UNC has won 11 of its last 12 games...Tech is 9-25 against AP ranked teams under Seth Greenberg.

What to Expect: The Hokies have not been good at starting games this entire season. In order to have a chance against the Tar Heels, they will need to start well, like they did against No. 1 Wake Forest earlier this year.

The Tar Heels face Duke this weekend and I expect UNC to at least have Duke in the back of their minds to start off the game. The Hokies better take advantage of this or it could get real ugly, real quick.

UNC has been without its best shut-down defender in Marcus Ginyard and several of the ACC's top guards have been able to have big games against the Tar Heels. If Tech wants to pull off the upset, Malcolm Delaney needs to have a huge game. However, Delaney is not at 100 percent, according to Coach Greenberg during Monday's Labatt Hokie Hotline.

I expect the Tar Heels to be at their best when in transition with Ty Lawson. Therefore, the Hokies need to have the same type of game they had against the Deacs. Tech was able to minimalize Wake's transition offense and Jeff Teague by taking quality shots and not letting Teague run the fast break.

Tech is not going to win the battle on the boards against college basketball's Tim Tebow and company. The key will be taking advantage of whatever second chances it gets with offensive rebounds because they will be few and far between.

As much as I want Tech to keep this game close and win it, I just don't see it happening. UNC is just too good. I expect the same type of game we saw over the weekend against Duke. UNC will keep Tech at arms length most of the game (eight to 10 points) and Tech may make a run late to make the final score close.

If Tech loses this game and beats FSU this weekend, it will have the same resume it had going into last year's NCAA Tournament. A loss on Wednesday means the Hokies will need another marquee win in the ACC tournament in order to be safe on selection Sunday. The Hokies would also have to hope teams that are out of The Tournament don't win automatic bids.

Hokies win if: UNC completely over-looks them and they are able to contain UNC's fast break.

Heels win if: It takes care of business and dominates the boards as expected.

Final Score: North Carolina 80, Virginia Tech 72

Calm before the storm

2009-03-03T13:10:00.001-05:00

Tomorrow's a busy day for my remote. There are things we both care about, such as the Hokies' game against the Tar Heels and their NCAA Tournament fate. But there are also things only I care about, like the NHL trade deadline, the return of Thomas Vanek and the Sabres' game against Ah Oui, Les Canadiens de Montreal. It will be an interesting day, to say the least. I'll have a full preview of Tech-UNC manana.

The roller coaster ride that is Hokie Hoops 2008-09 really needs this win. Without a victory over Duke or UNC, the Hokies essentially have the same resume for this year's Tournament as last year's. There are just too many teams with better RPIs and resumes than Tech for the Hokies to get into the field without a eye-popping win in the next two weeks.

Linkage

- TSL has its weekly Labatt Hokie Hotline notes.

- The A-Line wonders aloud if Coach Greenberg is in a New York state of mind.

- BCO has his review of the Duke game and Bulls & Bones brew house.

- I don't think the VT game is on the minds of UNC fans.

- I'm not surprised.

Catching up on the Coastal

2009-03-02T15:05:00.001-05:00

The Hokies are currently the favorite to win the ACC Coastal this fall, but they won't be without challengers. Miami has its perennial storyline of youth and potential. North Carolina has talent, but needs to replace its entire receiving corps (sound familiar?). Georgia Tech returns a high-powered offense, but lost a lot on defense.

Tech has the latest start (April 1) and is tied for the latest end (April 25 w/ BC) to spring drills in the ACC this year. So we'll have a good idea of the other teams in the league, particularly our division, are looking before we even hit the field.

Here's a look at our primary competition in the Coastal.

Miami Hurricanes
2008 Record: 7-6, 4-4
Spring Start: Feb. 24
Spring Game: March 28

The Hurricanes have two new coordinators for 2009. Mark Whipple becomes Miami's OC after spending last year on the Philadelphia Eagles' staff. The new DC is John Lovett, who previously was an assistant at North Carolina. Whipple's hire brings the most change to Coral Gables as he runs more of a pro-style offense. The Miami bloggerati is high on Whipple.

Whipple wants Harris making quicker reads. Release the ball quicker. Find #2 if #1 isn't open. Expose mismatches by lining running backs up against linebackers. For the first time in forever, running backs are learning more passing routes and will be more involved in the passing game. This is something that's been talked about at Miami for years (Who hasn't forgotten about Coker talking about Devin Hester or even Graig Cooper becoming "the next Reggie Bush"...)

Rivals/Yahoo! has its take on the 'Canes as well. Miami appears to be reevaluating its talent and trying to figure out how to put it to its best use. What a novel concept!

In off-the-field news, Miami took a stand against kids who are too big for their britches by pulling a scholarship offer to highly touted Wichita recruit Bryce Brown. I applaud Miami's decision.

North Carolina Tar Heels
2008 Record: 8-5, 4-4
Spring Start: March 2
Spring Game: April 2

Because it's March, the only person who really cares about UNC football is Annette.

The Heels' receiver situation mirrors that of Virginia Tech's going into 2008. If the Heels follow the Hokies lead, they'll let their run game do everything early on and let the defense hold on for dear life. It'll give you gray hairs and a drinking problem, but it will also give you the best chance to win when you have no passing game.

Shaun Draughn emerged as the go-to running back at the end of last year, so Greg Little may see more action through the passing game, so sayeth Rivals/Yahoo!.

I expect UNC's defense to be fairly stout next year. I'm a big fan of Quan Sturdivant and Deunta Williams, who were both all over the field last year against the Hokies.

Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
2008 Record: 9-4, 5-3
Spring Start: March 23
Spring Game: April 18

At the end of the regular season, the Jackets were playing better than just about any ACC team. However, their momentum was derailed in the Georgia Dome by an LSU team everyone expected to have no chance against Georgia Tech's option attack.

The Jackets were just learning their new offense at this time last year. Now they can work on adding new wrinkles over a year into the Paul Johnson era. It looks like they're going to show a lot of different looks out of the flexbone.

...but what if Nesbitt spends a little time at A-Back, even if only at practice? Not only will his reads improve, but what on earth does a defense do when it sees Lucas Cox at B-Back with Dwyer and Nesbitt at A-Back? Having Nesbitt throw out of a sweep play to Dwyer, Hill, or our favorite Demaryius Thomas, and we are seeing some exciting things happen with a scheme that most people write off as a football system of yore.

That all does sound scary. Johnson may have to employ all of those tricks next year because he's defense won't be nearly as potent as last year. Gone are Michael Johnson, Darryl Richard and Vance Walker from the defensive line and Jahi Word-Daniels from the secondary. Basically, their four best defensive players in my opinion. However, Sedric Griffin and Morgan Burnett are back, so all is not completely lost, just mostly.

Help Rename TSL's Blog

2009-02-27T17:00:00.001-05:00

I always thought TSL's Blog had a, well, ummmmmm..., overly-long name. However, now you can help rename TSL Blogs: Off the Beaten TSL Path. And like any good name-the-doohickey contest, there's a fabulous prize. You get one free month of TSL Pass if your name is selected.

Click here to contribute your entry. Please note this is a message board post and this link will eventually expire.

So far the leader in the clubhouse has to be "Blogsburg" which is my personal favorite as well. I made my own contributions, but mine were lame. It's a fun endeavor. Some of the other good names I noticed were "Turkey Tracks" and "The Deep Fryer".

Another shot at the Dukies

2009-02-27T13:05:00.002-05:00

Virginia Tech (17-10, 7-6) vs. No. 7 Duke (23-5, 9-4)
Saturday, Feb. 28, 2009
Cassell Coliseum, Blacksburg, Va.
3:30 p.m. (ABC)

White Out conditions await the Duke Blue Devils Saturday in Cassell Coliseum. The Hokies will host the country's No. 7 team and fans will wear white shirts to raise money for Herma's Readers.

It's the second match-up between the Hokies and Blue Devils this season. Tech traveled to Cameron Indoor Stadium Jan. 4 and was humbled 69-44 on FSN. Tech never had a chance in the first game, as it shot 36.7 percent from the field and committed 18 turnovers to seven assists.

No Hokie played particularly well in that first match up. Malcolm Delaney led the team with 12 points, but did not have an assist and committed three turnovers. Cheick Diakite was solid, going 4-for-6 from the field for eight points with five rebounds.

The second half was especially forgettable for Tech, as it managed just 13 points. Tech had trimmed a 13-point Duke lead to eight at half before failing to answer the bell in the second half.

Tech has the momentum after a big road win over a ranked opponent earlier this week at Clemson. Duke is experimenting with a freshman point guard and will be without guard Nolan Smith, who suffered a concussion against Maryland.

In order for the Hokies to pull off another upset, they'll need a big game from Delaney both in points and in running the offense. He has to play at his highest level and make his teammates better. The Hokies aren't going to have a lot of success on the boards against Duke, so a high shooting percentage is crucial. The Hokies were out-rebounded 38-28 last time they played Duke.

The Hokies hope history repeats itself Saturday. In 2005, Tech traveled to Durham early in the year and were beaten by 35 points. The Hokies then stunned Duke 18 days later in Blacksburg.

Linkage

I'll link to more Duke previews from various Hokie blogs as they are posted.

- Tech Hoops' keys to the game offers A LOT of sexual innuendo.

- The North End Zone deserves a slow clap.

- Bourbonstreet offers his unique perspective on the Duke game.

- C'mon people, CGB is in a hurry.

- Tar Heel Fan thinks the hoops team needs two more wins in the regular season or a run in the ACC tourney to make the field of 65.

- Doug gives props to two of Lynchburg's finest eateries.

- Hokie wrasslers now know where they need to place March 7 to make the NCAA tournament.

- Any chance last night was also Beth Dunkenberger's last home game as Tech's women's coach?

OT: Things I'm Not Giving Up Because of Lent

2009-02-26T16:00:00.003-05:00

Because I'm not Catholic, I'm not observing Lent. But, I didn't celebrate Fat Tuesday either, so I'm not a hypocrite. After all, every day in my house is Fat Tuesday.

However, I've heard from a lot of friends, both Catholic and non-Catholic about all the things they're giving up for the next 40 days. Most of it is just complaining. Anyway, here are the things I won't be doing for Lent because I already don't do them. Add your own in the comments.

1. Non-breakfast items at McDonald's

I saw Super Size Me in January 2005 and haven't had a burger or nuggets or anything from McDonald's that isn't served before 10:30 AM. Why didn't I just give up on McDonald's period? Because McGriddles are just that delicious. Get off my back.

2. The NBA

From Bird's retirement until last year's Celtics-Lakers finals, I only watched one NBA game from start to finish. That game turned out to be the Pacers-Pistons brawl. I was in Waco, Texas, to cover an OU-Baylor football game and the only thing to do in Waco was sit with the other writer in our hotel room, drink beer and watch TV. The only thing on was that game. I took as a sign I was correct in not watching the NBA. I tried to watch last year's finals. It was meh.

3. Auto-erotic Asphyxiation

(I decided not to do a Google Image search for this)

Never really saw the upside to this.

4. Sugary Pop

I've drank solely diet soda for a few years now. It started when I kept getting sick from mixing bourbon and regular coke. Once I switched to diet it fixed everything. And drinking diet helped me drop a few lbs.

5. Climbing Everest

It's not because I'm not athletic (even though I'm not athletic). It's because I don't trust sherpas.

Hokies at the 2009 Combine

2009-02-26T15:30:00.000-05:00

Yes, I know I'm way late on this. You can add the NFL combine and draft to the list of things I don't really care about but I tolerate because they help me get to Sept. 5. Recruiting is on the same list.

Full results

Macho Harris, CB

40 Time: 4.61
Position Rank: 32/35
Top Performer: 4.46 (Lardarius Webb, Nicholls State)

3-Cone: 6.68
Position Rank: T3/8
Top Performer: 6.59 (Malcolm Jenkins, Ohio State)

Shuttle: 3.98
Position Rank: 2/8
Top Performer: 3.96 (Kevin Barnes, Maryland)

Orion Martin, DE

40 Time: 4.88
Position Rank: 11/28
Top Performer: 4.64 (Lawrence Sidbury, Richmond)

Follow Gobbler Country on Twitter

2009-02-26T14:15:00.000-05:00

Tweet, tweet.

Links and random thoughts from the abyss that don't qualify for a full-fledged blog post will be tweeted. If you follow the blog on Twitter it will help my self esteem and happy blogger is a better blogger. OK, that's probably a lie. I'm at my best when I'm angry and/or so drunk I think I'm invisible.

Hokies have hope after topping Tigers

2009-02-26T11:50:00.001-05:00

Just when I thought the season was over, the Hokies go and do something like this. Tech went on the road and beat Clemson 80-77 last night to snap a three-game losing streak overall, a three-game road losing streak and a four-game losing streak against Clemson. Tech is now back on the bubble with Duke and UNC coming to Blacksburg in the next seven days.

Now I think if the Hokies win two of their next three, they're in the tournament. Wins over both Duke and UNC almost guarantee a spot in the field, according to research by ACC Now's JP Giglio. A win over one of the two at home and a win on the road in Tallahassee to end the year, to me, would also get them in The Tournament. The Hokies would be 9-7 in ACC play, including 4-4 on the road if they did that.

And should the Hokies play their next three games like they did last night, they will be tough to beat. Malcolm Delaney is back to the form he showed at the beginning of ACC play. He scored 26 points, including four 3-pointers.

The Hokies again struggled from the free throw line as a team, but the three players they need to excel at the line, Delaney, AD Vassallo and Hank Thorns, combined to make 14 of 17. The one downside is the Hokies were again out-rebounded by a team that doesn't exactly dwarf them inside. Jeff Allen's five offensive rebounds were key, though.

This is a very inconsistent team that I still don't think is very good. However, they now have hope and momentum going into a very difficult three games to end the regular season.

Linkage

- Tech Hoops recaps things.

- Tech Sideline thinks Hank Thorns was the hero last night.

- BCO can now start counting down the days until the Duke game.

- North End Zone thinks Clemson defecated in their sleeping quarters.

- VT Fan thinks one more win will be enough.

- Block-C gives us credit for coming out focused.

- The Gnomes are going to start watching American Idol after last night.

Slumping Hokies take on Tigers

2009-02-25T16:00:00.001-05:00

Virginia Tech (16-10, 6-6) at Clemson (22-4, 8-4)
Littlejohn Coliseum, Clemson, S.C.
7:30 p.m. ET | ESPN2

Virginia Tech finishes its regular season ACC slate with four games against the top four teams in the ACC standings: at Clemson, Duke, North Carolina and at Florida State. The first of Tech's run through the gauntlet is tonight against the Tigers.

The Hokies have lost three in a row and five of their last seven. Tech has also lost its last three road games and four of its six road games in ACC play. The Hokies' struggles against Clemson have been well documented as they've dropped four consecutive match ups with the Tigers, including a 86-82 decision at home on Jan. 29.

The Hokies led that game by 15 points just before the under-16 media timeout in the second half before watching the Tigers out-score them 38-19 to end the game.

It's been a long time since Tech's "Big Three" (Malcolm Delaney, AD Vassallo and Jeff Allen) have all clicked at the same time. If the Hokies have any chance of making the NCAA Tournament, all three will need to be on tonight.

If the Hokies lose tonight, it's officially football season. If they win, they have momentum going into back-to-back home games against Duke and UNC.

Linkage

- ACC Sports Journal says the Hokies aren't quite ready for prime time.

- Tech Hoops has its always in-depth preview of the trip to Littlejohn.

- Tech Sideline points out the Tigers actually shoot better in Blacksburg vs. VT than at home.

- Block-C has its take, calling us "a complete team." They don't watch us very much, do they?

- Coach Beamer supports Mike Vick's effort to return to the NFL.

- Maker's is actually a bourbon, Brian.

Giglio: Keep VT, Boot BC and Miami

2009-02-24T15:20:00.000-05:00

JP Giglio of ACC Now wrote another one of those columns that waxes poetic about the salad days of the ACC when all that mattered was basketball and every basketball team played each other twice. It's the same type of column you see about five or six times every ACC basketball season. It's so common there's pretty much a formula for it.

All of them start with getting rid of the three Big East teams that ruined everything and going back to being a nine-team league. Except, in this case, Giglio didn't get the memo. He'd be OK with a 10 team league. The team he'd keep?

Give back the football money, ACC. Seriously, it's not too late.

We all make mistakes. Just admit you made one in expansion and give Boston College and Miami back to the Big East (but keep Virginia Tech, please).

Ten teams is all you need. The only casualty would be the colossal failure that is the ACC Championship Game in football.

The upside? A true football championship, with every team actually playing each other, and the return of the round-robin in basketball.

You like us! You really like us!

Interesting Take on Kevin Newsome

2009-02-23T17:51:00.000-05:00

Virginia Tech missed out on quarterback prospect Kevin Newsome, who signed with Penn State. Many Hokie fans were furious that Tech wasn't able to sign Newsome, who had indicated he wanted to come to Blacksburg.

However, there is at least one person who isn't sold on Newsome's quarterbacking skills. ESPN's Tom Luginbill mentions this in his list of schools with top incoming talent that will participate in spring practice.

He lists Penn State and talks specifically about Newsome. Because the column is pay material, I can't give you a direct quote. Basically he said Newsome needs a lot of work if he's going to play quarterback at the college level and that he would be better suited at linebacker or safety.

Newsome's a great talent, but I think Hokie fans may have overreacted over him not picking Virginia Tech. There are few guys who are can't miss guys and at least according to Luginbill, Newsome isn't one of them.

Recruiting as a science is as exact as meteorology. Getting worked up over whether or not an 18 year old chooses your school is futile. For everyone who says he's the next Michael Vick there's at least one person who says he's overrated and will never contribute. Newsome's probably somewhere in the middle.

NIT-picking Hokie Basketball

2009-02-23T13:12:00.001-05:00

Considering the depths this program was at prior to Seth Greenberg's arrival in Blacksburg, it seems kind of trite to complain about the Hokies going to the NIT for the second consecutive season this year. But since complaining is kind of my shtick, I'm going to do it anyway.

Tech lost at the buzzer (again) Saturday to FSU, 67-65. It was a typical Virginia Tech game. The Big ~~Three~~ One and Overrated Two were the only three players in double figures, the Hokies failed to answer the bell, then fought back to make it close.

This year's Hokie team has been able to play to the level of its competition more so than any team I can remember. How can the same team that beat the No. 1 team in the country on its home court be taken to the final minute by Georgia Tech and later get curb-stomped by UVa, the two worst teams in the league? How can this team constantly get beat on last-second baskets?

Simply, I don't think this team is as tough as they'd like you to believe. Yeah, they play tough defense and will work hard on the boards, but as far as mental toughness, I just don't see it. Exhibit A would be Jeff Allen's gesture toward the Maryland student section last week.

This Hokie team should be an NCAA team. They have the talent. When you have two guys who are as talented as Allen and AD Vassallo are supposed to be and you combine them with a guy who will probably go down as the best point guard to come through Virginia Tech in Malcolm Delaney, you should be able to win enough games to make The Tournament.

But this team has failed to close the deal. It's lost five of its last seven games and is about to face the top four teams in the league standings, three of which have already beaten them this season.

It's over. Because this team has failed time and again to get quality wins other than the one over Wake, it is doomed to the NIT. An 8-8 ACC record is not going to get this team into the Tournament. If it can win three of the next four games, giving them three quality wins and a 9-7 record, it's possible. But there is no way that's going to happen. But I'm sure all four games will be close. The Hokies are good at doing that.

Praying for Ryan Miller

Speaking of games that both define a team and ruin a season, my Sabres won't be making the playoffs this year. Not having a rooting interest in the playoffs sucks, but at least they get me through June in the battle against college football's offseason.

Goff shots, nothing but goff shots

Brendon de Jonge continued his solid start to the PGA Tour season with a Top 10 finish over the weekend. With de Jonge and Johnson Wagner already succeeding on Tour and Jurrian van der Vaart starting his post-VT career, we may start to see more Hokies at the top of leaderboards in the near future.

VT hockey team wins conferece

The club-level Virginia Tech hockey team won its conference tournament over the weekend. The Hokies beat Duke 5-2 to capture the ACCHL Tournament. The Hokies have won five of their last six games. Tech may or may not be competing in its regional tournament for the right to make nationals. We don't know and I find the final Southeast regional rankings to be a little odd.

Linkage

- Annette thinks Macho Harris is going to be one of the toughest players to replace in the ACC next season.

- Scalp 'Em has the opponent's view of the FSU win over VT.

- BCO was too busy gambling (OK, it was for charity) to watch Tech's loss.

Bricks, Ovie Time and Links

2009-02-19T12:30:00.001-05:00

There are some days I wish I lived out East and was able to see the Hokies when they're on regional TV. Then, there are some days I'm glad watching the Hokies isn't an option. Last night definitely fell into the latter category.

Without Cheick Diakite's 4-for-5, the Hokies shot 33 percent last night against the Wahoos in a 75-61 loss at the JPJ. The fact is this just isn't a very good basketball team. Yes, they beat No. 1 Wake Forest. But so did Georgia Tech and NC State. Jeff Allen wouldn't have made a difference last night as Tech continues its death spiral toward the NIT.

For the record, today is day 1,545 of Virginia Tech's continuous possession of the Commonwealth Cup.

Um. Wow.

If you didn't see Ovechkin's goal last night against the Hapless Habs, take a look. The best part of this goal was the pass to himself off the boards. Incredible.

You Should have Seen the Rorschach Test

Dane over at The Legacy x4 decided to play Hokie football word association with me after I had been overserved at a bar. Hilarity ensued.

So You're Saying there's a Chance

CGB finds a link on Rivals that says we're one of six teams with a legit shot at the national title. Am I the only one who thinks the talent level will be down across the board in college football next year? It just seems like there aren't nearly as many great teams going into next season and right now it's a two-horse race between Florida and Texas. Everyone else is very flawed. Maybe I'm just trying to talk myself into thinking Tech has a chance to hoist the crystal next season.

Linkage

- Bourbonstreet over at TSL Blogs lost a bet on last night's basketball game. Read the comments.

- Will Stewart from TSL helped ACC Sports Journal take our pulse. Most of it was about basketball and recruiting, neither of which I care about right now.

- Annette is ripping off the BC Interruption guys and will give us a Mt. Rushmore for every football team in the ACC.

- Roy Williams wasn't the only one dropping F-bombs last night. BCO has his reaction to the basketball loss.

ACC Best of the Blogs: Scheduling and Hoops

2009-02-17T20:05:00.001-05:00

Because it's the off-season, these posts are infrequent and irregular. But, here's what's going on around the ACC. Sadly, the ACC lost a great blogger last week when Jeff from BC Interruption decided to end his own life ... by getting married. Our condolences to Brian.

BOSTON COLLEGE

BC All Access: Boston College Upsets Duke
"The atmosphere in Conte Forum was electric as the Eagles dazzled the sellout crowd. Fans packed the arena early and created a hostile environment throughout the game. The victory brought upon a massive rush of students as they stormed the court in celebration."

BC Interruption: Role Play: BC Hoops, ACC Football Sched and Gaylord Hotels
"Brian as ACC scheduler: Well, we had to wait to see how some of these out of conference games were going to pan out. We wanted to wait until the teams from North Carolina gorge themselves on creampuff opponents in early September. And we also want to take an extra amount of time to ensure teams like Florida State, Virginia Tech and Miami (FL) have the most favorable schedule possible. Because those programs sell! Some say we have a football perception problem. What better way to fix that than give those programs the easiest schedule possible in terms of when who plays who and screw the little guys! I'm looking at you, Duke, Wake Forest and Boston College!"

Eagle in Atlanta: First (delayed ) reaction to 2009 schedule
"Considering we already knew the opponents this is a dream slate for Spaz's first year. I think we get nearly every team when and where we want them. We don't deal with any awkward trips or Thursday night games. Seven games are at home. The toughest road game is at Virginia Tech, but we know we can win there (neutral fields with the Hokies are a different story)."

CLEMSON

Block-C: 2009 Clemson Football Schedule
"The Tigers will face out of conference foes from Middle Tennessee State, Central Michigan, Coastal Carolina, and Sakerlina. The Tigers will face their regular Thursday embarrassment early this year, traveling to Atlanta on September 10 to face Georgia Tech."

FLORIDA STATE

Tomahawk Nation: How can FSU fill their wide receiver void?
"We discussed Jimbo's extensive use of the depth chart throughout the season and despite our concerns (that Ponder and his wideouts couldn't get in rhythm because the reps were spread too thin), it looks like it might be paying off. Many players got significant reps last year, and despite losing three more wideouts than we expected (Carr was a senior), those losses might not be as bad because of the valuable experience gained by the backups."

GEORGIA TECH

The Legacy x4: 2009 Yellow Jacket football schedule is out
"I kind of wrinkled my nose at the idea of not playing Clemson closer to mid-season, but the more I think about it, the more I like it. We get a nice warm up game, then hit the ground running by playing people we love to hate and hate to love."

MARYLAND

Testudo Times: 2009 Football Schedule Announced
"It's going to be tough to open the season at California. It would have been nice to get a game against James Madison under our belt first, but it will be a good, early test for this team."

Turtle Soup: Franklin to Replace Friedgen (Eventually)
"I think it’s a great move for all the reason’s they discussed above and Franklin seems to have a passion for the University, saying he can’t think of another school that can offer all the things Maryland can offer a student-athlete. Will that be enough to get the blue chip recruits? It hasn’t so far, but with the class we just got and this ‘continuity’ announced today, perhaps we can take that next step."

MIAMI

The 7th Floor: Like a doll's eyes
"Aside from former linebacker Brandon Marti joining Robert Marve in proving that we really, really, reeeeeeeally need to stop recruiting white guys, all of yesterday's news comes from Lovett's presser. Lovett acknowledged the challenge of arriving 12 days before the start of spring ball, but said he's already hit the ground running and "all the kids I have met have exceeded my expectation in terms of how to present themselves." Team MVP Matt Bosher will shatter this illusion later when he uses his entrée fork to eat a salad, and suffers the humiliation of being shown to the door by the footman."

All Canes: What's new at the U
"Kirby Hocutt joined Shannon at the function and it was stated that Miami's athletic department raised upwards of $4.5M last year with the move to Dolphin Stadium. Though the stadium needs more bodies in seats, it's hard to argue with the bottom line. The Canes left the Orange Bowl for money and for a strapped program, it's hard to argue with almost a $5M increase... in a down economy, no less."

NORTH CAROLINA

Carolina March: UNC 101, Duke 87
"Four straight wins at Cameron. With the turnover in college basketball, there won't be that many players at UNC next season who have played with guys who have lost in Durham. There's no fear there. Thompson and Davis both, 60% free throw shooters that they are buried four from the line in the faces of a screaming crowd. Neither of the freshman seemed lost for long - only Drew when he kept losing his footing on the wet Duke floor - and Thompson was positively gleeful for most of the first half."

Tar Heel Fan: Oh Yeah…The Football Schedule Came Out
"There is also the matter of UNC playing two I-AA teams this season. The 2nd game came about when Butch Davis canceled a home-and-home with Colorado but could not find a suitable I-A opponent willing to come into Chapel Hill. Playing two I-AA teams means only one of those games can count towards bowl eligibility. At least Duke and NCSU are doing the same thing sparing us any trash talk about the schedule."

NC STATE

StateFans Nation: 2009 Football Schedule Released
"End with Carolina, so it looks like the ACC is finally starting to see the marketability of this rivalry rather than the contrived nature of the Carolina-Duke football “rivalry.” Also, since we’re apparently marked for a Thanksgiving Weekend home game every season, then making it the biggest game of the season is the most practical solution to ensure a max-capacity crowd."

Yet Another...: A look at the 2009 football schedule
"What a wonderful, wonderful site to behold: The front offices of the ACC acknowledging that this game -- not the Duke/Carolina matchup for the Victory Bell -- is the state's most significant college football game."

VIRGINIA

From Old Virginia: The schedule, obviously
"No long stretches of home games or away games - only two each consecutively. The only time we don't have a home game after a road game is early, after the Southern Miss game, which I feel like we should win. All this strikes me as a good thing. As schizoid as we were last year, and for the most part still pretty bad on the road, I think coming home after all the road games is a good way to re-align the psyche if/when we take another dump on somebody's field."

VIRGINIA TECH

Beer Control Offense: Putting the Beer back in Beer Control Offense
"The dual party ass clowns might actually do something to help out us Beer drinkers ... via helping the brewer's themselves. Not sure how the BCO feels about this since I think 70% of the stimulus bill is horseshit, this looks like it may actually give some relief to breweries. Either way it's beer news."

College Game Balls: CGB Off-Topic: The Types of Drivers I Hate
"She sees you coming from 500 feet away. Plenty of time to turn onto the road you are barreling down. 400 feet. You can see it’s clear both ways yet she isn’t turning. 300 feet. If you want to turn now is the time. 200 feet. She must be extra cautious and is waiting for you to pass. 100 feet. She decides to turn now. You slam on you brakes to avoid an accident and curse."

Tech Sideline: Can I rant for just a second?
"Schmadtke’s mistake, assuming I’m interpreting his comments correctly (always a dicey assumption), is a common one made by college sportswriters, who also like to write that the difference between a school winning a conference championship and not winning one is the $17 million paid out by the BCS bowls. No, it’s not — BCS money goes to the conferences, not the schools. Get it right!"

VT Fan: I Picked a Bad Game to Watch the Hokies Up Close
"I’ve watched this team all year, and frankly that was the worst I’ve seen the Hokies so far. It wasn’t any one thing, they just didn’t have the enery, focus, or sharpness they’ve had most of the season on Saturday. Malcolm Delaney and Jeff Allen especially had bad first halfs. In many ways, it was a case of Maryland just coming out more ready to play, fresher, more energetic, and shooting the lights out."

WAKE FOREST

Blogger So Dear: Startling Statistic: Jeff Teague's last six games
"With Ish Smith on the floor, Teague far too often watches Ish and does not look to score. The two are good on the floor at once, but they could be better. In addition to this, it is incredibly hard to keep up the pace that Teague had. He was seeing a huge hoop and finishing a high percentage of his shots."

OT: Baseball spoiler alert

2009-02-17T18:37:00.000-05:00

Considering Alex Rodriguez took steroids while playing for the Texas Rangers from 2001-03, his "cousin" is probably named "Ivan." Considering how many Rangers from that era have been caught using steroids or outed in the Mitchell Report, I'd almost be willing to bet on it.

Annette is at it again

2009-02-17T16:48:00.000-05:00

This time, she thinks we need to watch out for the Dukies in ~~Lane Stadium South~~ Wallace Wade Stadium.

and watch out for Duke (seriously). The Blue Devils came dangerously close to beating the Hokies with their backup quarterback in Blacksburg last season.

At this point I'm starting to wonder if she is trying to get fired from ESPN so she can go back to covering the Terps. The two games she singles out as being difficult are our games against Duke and UVa. That's right, the only two ACC teams that didn't go bowling last year.

We have to play at Georgia Tech and Maryland and those are the only two games she singles out? She loves her some PJ and Fridge, so you'd figure those would be the two games she'd pick us to have trouble with. Nope. We better watch out against Dook and the 'Hoos.

Then again, maybe Annette is sneakier than I thought. She knew we would criticize her love of Georgia Tech and Maryland if she mentioned those two as our toughest games, so she went the other way with it. In the words of Muldoon from Jurassic Park, clever girl.

In other news...

- The N&O's Luke DeCock (snicker) writes that our game with Alabama is the best game involving an ACC team this year.

- Tech Hoops previews tomorrow's game at france. As always, it's a must-read before watching the game.

- The Sabres get another shot at Justin Pogge tonight. We gave him a thorough ass-kicking thanks to porous defense and never-ending odd-man rushes last time around. Hopefully the "Hockey Gods" don't punish us after his defense forsakes him again:

RIP Allen Calloway

2009-02-17T02:50:00.000-05:00

Former Hokie basketball player Allen Calloway died Sunday after a long battle with lung cancer. Calloway was only 25 and played for the Hokies from 2002-05. Read below for more on Allen's story.

Roth Report: Hokie Nation loses a special family member
Tech Hoops: Former VT Player Allen Calloway Passes Away at the Age of 25
Tech Sideline: Allen Calloway Passes
Roanoke Times: Former Virginia Tech basketball player Allen Calloway succumbs

Hey Jeff, how many games are you suspended?

2009-02-16T19:15:00.000-05:00

HT: Testudo Times

"This many."

Allen will miss the rivalry game against the 'Hoos, who are coming off a big overtime win against Clemson. That's fantastic. They've got momentum and we've lost two consecutive road games. I really wouldn't be surprised if we lost Wednesday.

The good news is UVa doesn't have a remarkable inside presence that will suddenly be able to dominate in the paint with Allen out. The key for the Hokies will be stopping Sylven Landesberg, who's name says "I'm a 7-2 white center from Lithuania," but is in fact a high-scoring slashing guard from NYC.

The Hokies are also facing yet another coach under fire in Dave Laitao. However, unlike the previous coaches under fire the Hokies faced, does not have a championship ring as a player or head coach.

Look for this to be a tough game for the Hokies, even though he was shut down by the 'Hoos in the last meeting, he's still one of Tech's three most important players and will be missed. And because he did something stupid and immature, he's suspended for an important conference road game.

Also, note that this suspension is coming from VT AD extraordinaire Jim Weaver, citing his incredibly stupid "Hokies Respect" campaign. Weaver should just let the league suspend Allen instead of claiming to do it himself to promote his stupid, cartoonish program. Every fan base has its idiots and we don't need laughable cartoons to tell us to settle down or former players telling us to respect others.

To paraphrase Carlin: Fuck Weaver, fuck Hokies Respect ... and fuck everyone now that I think of it. Sometimes in blogging you have to generalize.

Look, Allen screwed up. Does it make us look bad? Yes. Does it make every fan outside of Virginia Tech think all Hokies are like this? No.

Not even the Deadspin commentariate was vile toward Allen. In fact, the only comment that was even about the game came from frequent commenter and Hokie fan "Frank Beamer's Goiter":

Allen was never in the game from the first minute and neither was most of the team, keeping up with Greenberg's style of playing up/down to each opponent's level.

Weaver had no reason to get on his high horse and take down one of our own to try and save face. The league should have handled the Allen situation.

Showcasing Lane Stadium

2009-02-16T02:07:00.002-05:00

A friend of mine who's as a big a college football fan as you will find wants to road trip with me to Lane Stadium this year. However, being an Oklahoma grad, he's unwilling to miss an OU home game.

Therefore, we've come up with two choices for his Lane Stadium experience: Sept. 26 against Miami (an OU off week) or Oct. 29 against UNC on a Thursday. Being a veteran of the last three Thursday Night specials at Lane, I know how insane the place is for those games.

However, Miami is Miami. So what do I do? Do I suggest he come to Blacksburg for the guaranteed night game against the Heels and then high-tail it back the next day so he can see OU play K-State? Or do I bring him to Blacksburg on a Saturday when the Hokies play one of their most hated rivals? Right now, I'm leaning toward the Miami game. What are your thoughts?

UPDATE (2:40 pm): Unanimously, the vote is for the Thursday Night game against UNC. Now, the questions is how do I convince him to skip the OU-KSU game on Oct. 31 and go to The World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party/Coke Orgy instead?

Happy Valentine's Day from Jeff Allen

2009-02-14T22:00:00.000-05:00

No. 0 let the Maryland student section know they were No. 1.

Hat Tip: Testudo Times

OT: Weekend guide for single people

2009-02-13T17:00:00.003-05:00

CGB has his own off-topic discussion at his blog.

Tomorrow is Valentine's Day. Or, as us single people call it, "Saturday". I live with two other guys who are in long-term, committed relationships. So, I'm going to have the house to myself tomorrow, which is going to be awesome.

Here's how I plan on getting through the day. Leave your own ideas in the comments. Unless your idea is to watch NBA All-Star Weekend. No one cares.

Morning: Golf

I've played golf each of the last three Valentine's Days. The courses are deserted. While all the slow-playing hacks are off with their wives at some restaurant I can't afford, I'm on the course enjoying one of the few days I can walk without having a bunch of bald, fat, ass holes in carts complaining how slow I am since I'm on foot.

If you're not walking, you're not golfing.

Afternoon: VT at Maryland

This is for those of you on the East Coast only. I'll probably just play another nine holes. The Hokies have had the Terps number as of late and Gary and Grievous are on the verge of a complete meltdown.

Can we make Gary and Grievous live together and then give them their own reality show? I'd watch that. Then again, I DVR "Tool Academy" so I'm probably not the best test audience for whether or not a reality show is good.

Late Afternoon: Hooters

The V-Day crowds are always fun at Hooters. Plus you'll occasionally be assigned a waitress who's single and desperate on Valentine's Day. Or at least one willing to act that way for a fat tip. It doesn't really matter.

Evening: Hockey Night in Canada

Thank you, NHL Network, for giving me this wonderful gift. This week it's Pittsburgh at Toronto and Calgary at Phoenix. The Leafs have given Sid fits this year, particularly on HNIC, so that will be a fun game. Calgary is at least a fun team to watch and has one of the better goalies in the West. Plus, I can only imagine the suit Don Cherry is going to break out for Valentine's Day.

Night: Wild Turkey Rare Breed

This is my Valentine's Day present to myself. Costs just as much as flowers.

Your 2009 Hokie Football Schedule

2009-02-13T01:30:00.000-05:00

(click for larger)

If the Hokies are going to keep making barrels in 2009, they're going to have to face three distinct and equally challenging parts of their schedule. Get ready, because I'm going to be running the barrel metaphor into the ground all season long.

September

Tech's schedule is conveniently divided into three equal parts by the calendar. September is the most convenient travel month with three home games and a neutral-site game. However, Tech will face three of college football's premier programs in Alabama, Nebraska and Miami. Alabama saw a resurgence in 2008 under second-year coach Nick Saban. However, in 2009, Alabama will have a new quarterback, running back and a revamped offensive line. I think the Hokies luck out by facing them to start off the season.

Nebraska is the same slow Nebraska we saw last season. And this year the Huskers will also have a new quarterback and lose their best running back and receiver. Again, I'd rather face them early. Same with Miami, which is still a young team. Later in the year, the Hurricanes will be a force to be reckoned with. But facing the Canes early and at home strongly favors the Hokies, in my opinion.

October

October sees the Hokies' first two true road games. The month starts with a trip to Lane Stadium South to face the Dukies. A week later, Tech faces a team it hasn't beaten in the regular season since 2005. The BC game won't be on a Thursday night in Blacksburg for the first time in a while. With all that the Eagles lost on defense and with Dominique Davis getting the reigns full time, it will be interesting to see how both teams are playing going into this game.

The month ends with the Hokies facing their two main competitors in the Coastal, Georgia Tech and North Carolina. Tech has won its last two trips to Atlanta, but the Jackets and their triple-option played very well at home last year. The schedule of the North Carolina game I feel favors Virginia Tech. The Hokies have a bye week before facing the Tar Heels and catch them on a Thursday night, when Lane is at its fiercest.

November

The season ends with Tech playing three of its final four on the road. That's the exact opposite situation of last season, when the Hokies had three of four at home to close the season. Conveniently, Tech won its three home games and dropped its one road game in that stretch.

These road games include a Thursday night non-conference game against ECU, Tech's first trip to Maryland since 2005 and the traditional post-Thanksgiving game against UVa. Sandwiched between the Maryland and UVa games is a home game against up-and-coming NC State.

Overview

So what's the hardest portion of Tech's schedule? Well, by the end of the season it may very well be November. While on paper, the teams don't seem as challenging as Tech's opponents in September and October, don't discount the fact that three of them are on the road. Dowdy-Ficklen will be a hornets nest for the national TV game and the Hokies aren't used to traveling to College Park. And of course the 'Hoos will be motivated to get the Hokie monkey off their backs.

No matter what, the Hokies are certainly going to have to earn their barrels this year. By the time November runs around, they will have already faced three powerhouse programs, a team that has their number in the regular season and the two teams likely to be their main competition for the division crown.

It will be anything but easy.

CRuhland's 2009 Desktop Schedules

2009-02-12T16:10:00.000-05:00

Clark is at it again. Almost as soon as the schedule was released, he also released four good looking desktops for your perusal. Below is my favorite. Click here to go download these from Clark's site.

VT's Schedule Features Brutal September

2009-02-12T16:00:00.002-05:00

The Hokies finally have their football schedule, so we can all start making travel plans. I'll have more on it later today.

2009 Virginia Tech Football Schedule
(* - ACC games)
Sept. 5: vs. Alabama (Atlanta)
Sept. 12: Marshall
Sept. 19: Nebraska
Sept. 26: Miami*
Oct. 3: at Duke*
Oct. 10: Boston College*
Oct. 17: at Georgia Tech*
Oct. 24: BYE
Oct. 29: North Carolina* (Th.)
Nov. 5: at East Carolina (Th.)
Nov. 14: at Maryland*
Nov. 21: NC State*
Nov. 28: at Virginia*

What Others Are Saying:

ACC Now: Ken Tysiac assumes we will lose to Alabama.

Tech Sideline: The Hokies may be on the road a lot toward the end of the season, but those games are winnable.

All together now: Awwwwwwwww!

2009-02-12T02:35:00.004-05:00

Congratulations all-round!

Congrats to Jeff from BC Interruption for making the decision to ruin his life by getting married this weekend. Awwwwwwwww, they're getting married Valentine's Day weekend. Ain't that sweet?

Congrats to the Hokies for beating the Jackets/Sid Bream Speed/Winfield/Dane/Bird on Wednesday. Is "ass kicking" hyphenated? Just kidding. That was a lot more difficult than it should have been.

Below - Master P celebrates the Hokie Hoops win (NSFW)!

Congrats to the entire ACC, for having something to talk about in the morning. The ACC is (allegedly) announcing its football schedule at 11 AM EST.

Congrats to the Sabres, for sucking in their first game with Vanek on the IR. This is going to be a looooooong three weeks. Good thing Les Canadiens are firmly in the tank.

VT 2009 vs. Clemson 2008

2009-02-11T13:06:00.001-05:00

I'm late on this because everyone's favorite Mouseketeer is no longer in my RSS reader. Maybe she should be for the entertainment value. Seems she posted a Hokie-heavy mailbag Tuesday in which she compares the Hokies to last year's Clemson team and insults a Hokie fan who insulted her.

Basically, here's what I can gather from her reaction to Mark Schlabach ranking Tech No. 5 and the previously mentioned mailbag:

1. Annette is pretty embarrassed she was so high on the Tigers (even though they had no offensive line) and they proved her wrong.
2. Annette doesn't want to make that same mistake again with the Hokies.
3. Even though the Hokies do return a lot of talent on both sides of the ball, Annette thinks they will fail because the expectations will be too much for them to take.
4. Annette's take on the 2009 Hokies is they aren't nearly as good as the best teams in the country or that much better than other top ACC teams, but because they're the Hokies they're going to win nine or 10 games anyway.

Does that about sum it up?

Look, the Hokies aren't going to win the national title next year. But they aren't going to fall on their faces like Clemson did, either. The main reason is because Clemson was coached by this guy:

That, and the Hokies didn't lose four offensive linemen after last season. If we can find a center, we'll be fine. Annette seems to think that Tyrod WILL get injured at some point next season and we'll be doomed. But could Greg Boone and JuJu Clayton be that much worse than Sean Glennon was for the latter portions of his career? I think either are perfectly capable of handing the ball off to Darren Evans and Ryan Williams and letting the defense do its thing.

Our lesson here is two-fold: Don't get caught up in the hype when a team hasn't proved itself and don't think history will automatically repeat itself because the same hype is surrounding another team. It's way to early to be comparing the 2009 Hokies to the 2008 Tigers.

As long as we're waiting

2009-02-11T08:00:00.002-05:00

Since we have to wait until tomorrow for the schedule to arrive, I figured this blog could use some awesome. So, here's JCVD killing the Penguins mascot in Sudden Death. Enjoy. The Pens face the Sharks tonight in what will be one of the best games of the week. It's Sid, Malkin and Co. hosting the team with the best record in the West. Also, my Sabres face Ottawa tonight before hosting the Sharks on Friday.

As for today, I'll post news if it happens. Tomorrow I'll have a breakdown of the scheudle.

Schedule to be Announced Thursday

2009-02-10T12:20:00.000-05:00

From the league office:

We know that many of you are anxiously awaiting the release of the 2009 ACC Football Schedule. We are happy to let you know that your wait is nearly over. TheACC.com will unveil the 2009 ACC Football Schedule on Thursday, February 12 at 11 a.m.

Jay Bilas on Expansion

2009-02-10T00:47:00.002-05:00

Jay Bilas gave an extensive interview to ACC Sports Journal touching on a variety of topics. One of them was expansion. Jay isn't a fan.

ACCSports.com:
This summer was the five-year anniversary of ACC expansion. From a basketball standpoint, how did you feel about it then, and how do you feel about it now?

Bilas:
I thought it was a mistake when they did it. I still think it’s a mistake. I think the early results have borne that out.

You can make an argument that expansion has hurt ACC basketball. I’m not sure it’s done anything for ACC football, frankly. The Big East has come out the big winner in this. The Big East is the best basketball conference in the country this year, in my opinion, even though the ACC is very strong. I think the Big East has more quality teams top to bottom.

The thing I don’t like about it is, the elimination of the round-robin — playing everybody twice — I think was a big mistake. If money was the deciding factor or football was the deciding factor, then fine. But from a basketball perspective, I don’t think it has helped in any way.

Let's take a look at the records of the expansion teams in ACC basketball conference play before I tackle the really dumb part of Bilas' statement:

2004-05: 15-17 (.469 VT & UM only)
2005-06: 22-26 (.458)
2006-07: 24-24 (.500)
2007-08: 21-27 (.438)
2008-09: 15-13 (.536 through Feb. 9)
TOTAL: 97-107 (.475)

Does the guy have a point that it hasn't helped ACC hoops? Maybe. Looking at the standings since BC joined for the 2005-06 season, there have been two good teams and one craptacular team out of the expansion teams.

Until an expansion team contends for a regular season crown, wins the ACC tournament or makes a run in The Tournament, people like Bilas who pine for the salad days of ACC basketball will be able to make the argument that ACC basketball just isn't the same with the Hokies, 'Canes and Eagles included.

However, I'll disagree that the Big East is currently the best basketball conference. Sure, everything looked good when Notre Dame and Georgetown were highly ranked, but those two schools are solidly in the tank with big losses against UCLA and Duke, respectively, on its resumes.

What I really take issue with is that Bilas said he doesn't think expansion has done anything for ACC football. He doesn't elaborate on that part, probably because he realized just how stupid that statement was. I'm sorry, but which two teams have played each other in the ACC title game the last two years?

The point can be made that basketball isn't as exciting for the blowhards like Bilas who want all the Tobacco Road teams to play each other twice a year, but I don't think the league has been hurt by the three expansion teams. But football without Tech, Miami and BC would be just plain ugly.

Football Schedule Coming Tuesday?

2009-02-09T17:30:00.000-05:00

UVa filled its non-conference schedule today by adding Indiana and according to JP Giglio at ACC Now, the full conference slate will be announced manana.

Rumors and such on the TechSideline.com message board have Tech's game with ECU getting moved to Thursday, which would mean the Hokies would have four days to prepare for a trip to play the Pirates after playing Nebraska. So, I kind of doubt that will happen. Hopefully we'll find out tomorrow.

Giglio has a good breakdown of the conference schedules in preparation for tomorrow's presumed announcement. He says Tech is one of the teams getting a good break.

Va. Tech: The Hokies avoid FSU, Wake Forest and Clemson and go to Duke, which is basically another home game.

Quit using "Va. Tech"!

Hokies save season against Pack

2009-02-09T14:20:00.001-05:00

Virginia Tech's season was in the process of going from slow decline to rapid free-fall for much of Sunday afternoon. The Hokies trailed by 18 points with 13 minutes to play and eight with two minutes left before an improbable (and perhaps referee-assisted) comeback gave them a 91-87 overtime win over NC State.

Tech needed this one. The win stopped a two-game losing streak, a six-game losing streak against State and moved them to 5-3 in conference. With its toughest stretch of conference games quickly approaching, there was a big difference between being 5-3 and 4-4 for the Hokies.

Nothing is going to be easy for this year's team. The Hokies are incapable of blowing anyone out, however they usually play well enough to keep themselves from getting blown out as well. This isn't the last we've seen of the Heartattack Hokies.

Tech is halfway through its ACC slate and has its two toughest remaining tests, Duke and UNC, at home. I think if the Hokies can win one of those two games and go 2-2 in their remaining conference road games, they will be an NCAA team.

Unfortunately for the Hokies, they are still getting minimal production from their supporting cast and are struggling on the boards. However, their free throw shooting has gotten better as Malcolm Delaney and AD Vassallo combined to go 15-for-15 at the line against NC State.

What others are saying...

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. At Tech Hoops, Niemo has a thorough breakdown of Sunday's win and where the Hokies need to improve.

We're flawed, but so is everyone else. Beer Control Offense thinks the Hokies can finish 10-6 in conference, but they could also collapse. And he asks for suggestions for the ACC All-Douche Bag Team.

Nuts and bolts, nuts and bolts... StateFans Nation has some gripes with the officiating. Just about all of them are substantiated.

...but back to bashing Sidney Lowe. Caulton Tudor says the Pack have no one to blame but themselves. Am I the only one who thinks Jeff Capel will be in Raleigh next season?

Ditto

2009-02-05T23:40:00.000-05:00

College Game Balls makes fun of the 'Hoos in a way I wish I had thought of first.

Read read read read.

Hosley to Flower at Tech

2009-02-04T14:05:00.000-05:00

LOI Day has come and gone. The Hokies pulled in 20 commitments, including one they didn't expect. Cornerback Jayron Hosley signed with the Hokies after committing to South Florida previously. Hosley is from Delray Beach, Fla., and went to the same high school as the legendary (in my mind) Brandon Flowers. Flowers was an All-American corner at Tech and is now with the Kansas City Chiefs.

Hosley is the same height and about the same weight Flowers was when Flowers arrived at Virginia Tech in 2004. Here's hoping Hosley turns into the same shut-down hitting machine Flowers was in the three seasons he played for the Hokies.

We have now come to my favorite part of recruiting season: The part where it's over. We can now resume talking about players that will actually have an impact for the team next season and where the Hokies need to improve. Hell, we can also talk about basketball if we're feeling frisky.

The fact is recruiting season gives more fuel to the fire that college sports are corrupt and ruining America's yutes. So, let's move on. Nothing more to see here. Well, other than maybe these links:

Kyle Tucker has returned: KT returns from his grueling schedule of drinking mai tais and sleeping with models on top of piles of money to bring us some LOI Day blogging, including inside info on the Hosley commitment.

Pharaoh, let my recruits go: VHT offensive lineman Morgan Moses is a 'Hoo. This is the part where Hokie fans dismiss Moses for academics and character issues because a recruit they wanted signed with a rival (WTF is wrong with me? I'm being a real ass hole today.).

But we still ruled in-state: Despite the Moses miss, we still pulled in a lot of the best the Commonwealth had to offer according to the TSL guys.

Nubian!: Peak makes Orson's All-Name Team. He's no Euclid Cummings, though.

Rivals Rankings: The recruiting Gods have us No. 23 in the country, No. 4 in the conference. Not too bad.

One down, three to go: Slowly but surely, we're getting healthy for the playoffs, which are a mere three months away.

LOI Day Survival Kit

2009-02-04T10:40:00.001-05:00

No surprises so far for the Hokies on signing day. The key names have all faxed in their LOIs. Tech has hauled in a decent crop of players who, with minimal exception, won't see the playing field for another two years, if at all. So we can stop obsessing over them. Unless of course you're bored at work like I am. In which case you can check out these links to pass the time.

Live Video: VTPhreak4evr is nice enough to stream ESPN's round-the-clock coverage of the signing bonanza.

To Catch a Recruiting Predator: You didn't think this many old men could obsess over 18 year-olds without Chris Hansen getting involved, did you?

ESPN Recruiting Guide: At least the esteemed Heather Dinich gave us "best gameday atmosphere" in the ACC.

HokieSports.com Ticker: OMG! DW faxed in his LOI!

HokieSports Recruit Profiles: See all the stats your favorite recruit posted against inferior competition.

TechSideline Message Board: It's like alcoholics anonymous, but with more booze and less crying (that last part's probably not true).

Why I Consider Myself a Hokie, Recruiting and More ESPHeather Stupidity

2009-02-03T15:55:00.001-05:00

[rant]

Monday night I went to the Oklahoma-Tennessee women's basketball game in Oklahoma City to witness Pat Summitt's 1,000th career win. Needless to say, it didn't happen and it was two hours of my life I'll never get back. It was the first women's hoops game I've ever gone to out of my own free will and will be the last for a while.

If you like turnovers, missed free throws and questionable officiating, women's hoops is the sport for you!

As some of you may know, I'm a Hokie fan, but a graduate of the University of Oklahoma. I don't consider myself a Sooner and I rarely go to OU games, even though I live within walking distance of Owen Field. Well, Monday I was reminded why I'm a Hokie.

Despite the fact their women's team just had one of its biggest wins in program history (on ESPN Big Monday, no less) and had just beaten the team that most casual fans associate most with the sport, OU fans could do nothing but bitch and moan while leaving Ford Center after the game.

Why? Because Courtney Paris fouled out, ending her string of 112 consecutive double-doubles. I won't get into why I think Paris is the most overrated player in the history of any college sport. It would waste your time and I would be admitting I pay any attention at all to women's hoops.

However, because the streak ended and because OU fans felt Paris had been hosed by the officials on all five of her fouls and had been fouled every time she missed an open layup (which was a lot on Monday), they booed relentlessly after the game and walking out of the Ford Center, it felt almost as if OU had lost. God, I had OU fans.

That's why I'm a Hokie. I like to believe Virginia Tech fans would have handled the situation a lot better instead of being the unbelievable pricks most Sooner fans are.

[/rant]

Recruiting news

David Glenn on Hokie Recruiting: ACC Sports Journal has a must-read breakdown of how Tech did building its recruiting class, where it went right and where it went wrong. If you're still on the "Fire Stiney" bandwagon, you'll want to ignore the part under the Top Recruiter sub-head, but there's a lot of great information here.

Great class, but...: VT Fan thinks we have another solid recruiting class. But the gorilla in the room is that it's bereft of a quarterback.

Jagodzinski'd: Kudos to Georgia Tech for pulling an offer from a recruit who committed then made an official visit to Auburn. My question is could Virginia Tech get away with doing this? How would our fans react if Beamer made a similar move?

ESPHeather gets deleted from my RSS reader

For her sake, I hope ESPN made her write this crap. This article annoys me mainly because I don't follow recruiting and really don't care.

The level of talent you bring into a program doesn't matter if it doesn't develop or gel (FSU) and you shouldn't get credit as a great recruiter if you take average talent and turn it into a winner (Wake Forest). It's all nonsense. Recruiting only exists to give us something to care about that gets us to Spring Football.

Arguing about who is the best recruiter in the conference is a worthless endeavor.

A basement worth envying

2009-02-02T02:45:00.000-05:00

What a horrible weekend in so many ways.

Anyway, here's what my basement will look like should I ever get married. Just imagine Lane Stadium instead of Ohio Stadium.

Bruuuuuuuuuce: Hall of Fame Hokie

2009-01-31T15:40:00.001-05:00

Former Hokie Bruce Smith was one of six elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame today. He will be inducted Aug. 9 in Canton, Ohio.

Smith will be the first Hokie player inducted into Canton, according to the Hall of Fame's Web site.

Smith terrorized college quarterbacks while with the Hokies, collecting 46 sacks and 71 tackles for loss. He was a two-time All-America selection and won the 1984 Outland Trophy for top college football lineman.

He was the first overall selection of the 1985 NFL Draft and played 19 seasons for the Buffalo Bills and Washington Redskins. He owns the NFL's career sack record with 200.

Smith was already selected for the College Football Hall of Fame in 2006.

Congratulations, Bruce!

ESPHeather Interviews Ryan Williams

2009-01-30T15:15:00.002-05:00

Heather Dinich at ESPN's ACC blog threw a bunch of softball questions at Ryan Williams and then posted his answers. Williams said all the right things: The coaches know best with regards to the redshirt, he and Darren Evans get along, blah, blah, blah.

Williams did say this, though, which has me giddy:

"Right now, I have the starting punt return job, so I'll be on the field as far as punt return, but I've been saying little things to the coaches here and there about playing me at wide receiver, and I don't know if you noticed or paid attention to the Wild Turkey package with [tight end Greg] Boone. [...] Yeah, I want to get into that. I just want to be used for everything. I want to be the most dangerous person on the field at all times."

Hopefully this means he'll be a Percy Harvin-type player for the Hokies next year, getting the ball anyway we can get it to him. And with a power run game to back it up with Darren Evans, I'm starting to ~~drink the Kool Aid~~ believe when it comes to our offense next season.

Return of the Heartattack Hokies

2009-01-30T15:00:00.000-05:00

I thought we got all of this out during football season. However, watching this year's Hokies hoops team can be just as hazardous to your health as watching the 2008 edition of the football team.

Every meaningful game for the basketball team has come down to the wire. And more often than not, the Hokies have failed to come away with a win. After winning two close games on the road against then-No. 1 Wake Forest and Miami, Tech dropped another heart breaker last night against Clemson after leading by 15 in the second half.

It's important the Hokies pick themselves up starting tomorrow at BC. Tech's next six games are very winnable before it gets a second shot at Clemson. I think the Hokies can go 5-1 over their next six and be 9-3 going into the Clemson game on Feb. 25.

Don't discount the importance of these next six games. Because of the difficulty of the Hokies' last four, this group of games will make or break Tech as a Tournament team. If the Hokies struggle, they will have a hard time making the field of 65.

Who should be on VT's Mt. Rushmore?

2009-01-29T08:00:00.001-05:00

I am blatantly ripping off the guys over at BC Interruption, who in turn borrowed the idea from ESPN.

Basically, ESPN is doing a Mt. Rushmore of sports for all the states by picking the four most important sports figures they have to offer. So who should be on a Mt. Rushmore for Virginia Tech sports?

My Hokie Mt. Rushmore:

Frank Beamer. Made Virginia Tech football. This one is a given.

Bruce Smith. The Hokies' first No. 1 overall pick in the NFL draft. Was a beast for the Hokies and had a Hall of Fame career in the NFL.

Angela Tincher. The most dominant player in their sport in Hokie sports history.

~~Bombo~~Bimbo Coles (apparently I decided to mate Bimbo Coles and Bombo Rivera). Beloved Hokie hoops player that had a solid pro career.

Also Considered: Michael Vick, Brad Clontz, Joe Saunders, Jim Druckenmiller, Dell Curry and of course Will Muthafuckin' Furrer.

The Michael Vick Question

Should Michael Vick be put on the Hokies' Mt. Rushmore? I say no. For something like this, you have to consider how the person has represented Virginia Tech even after leaving the university. Vick is no longer representative of what being a Hokie is about and I don't think he belongs.

So who would you put on the Hokies' Mt. Rushmore? Would you put Michael Vick on there? Let me know if I'm wrong.

Wrasslin' is Wranked

2009-01-28T22:00:00.000-05:00

Congratulations to head coach Kevin Dresser (yes, I had to look that up) and the Tech wrestling program for the first ranking in program history. The 15-1 Hokies are T-No. 13 in the latest Coaches Poll. Tech also has three individual wrestlers ranked in their respective Top 25s.

With the success last year's Iowa Hokieyes had in the NCAA Tournament and the impressive start by this year's team, its obvious this program is starting to get some serious talent.

I'm not a big fan of wrestling and the only time I've ever watched it was when I was forced to cover a wrestling dual in Ames, Iowa. Still, it's good to see another up-and-coming Tech non-rev sport, along with golf, the soccers and softball. The volleyball team even had a fast start this year. Just more evidence that moving to the ACC has helped Hokie sports across the board.

Grab the Rolaids, we're playing Clemson

2009-01-28T19:00:00.001-05:00

Virginia Tech Hokies (14-5, 4-1) vs.
No. 12 Clemson Tigers (17-2, 3-2)

Time: 7 p.m.
Date: Thursday, Jan. 29, 2009
Place: Cassell Coliseum, Blacksburg, Va.
TV: ESPN2

Last Meeting: Tech blew its chance at a possible NCAA-bid-sealing win in Clemson in the last game of the regular season...two free throws by Demontez Stitt with 3.8 seconds left gave the Tigers a 70-69 win...AD Vassallo led the Hokies with 23 points, including 3-for-4 from behind the arc...Tech committed 20 turnovers.

Trends: Every game between the Hokies and Tigers since Tech joined the ACC in the 2004-05 season has been decided by four points or fewer...five of the six games have been decided by two points or fewer...the Hokies have lost their last three games against the Tigers and are 2-4 against them since joining the ACC (1-3 in Blacksburg).

What to Expect: Tech Hoops, which is a much better blog than this one, has an in-depth preview of the Clemson game. Their preview also refers to Clemson as "starting out hotter than Casey Beamer...," which is deserving of a standing ovation.

If history is any indicator, this game will come down to the wire. And looking at the rosters for these two teams, I don't expect this game to be any different. The Hokies and Tigers are mirror images of each other in size and point production. Neither team starts a player taller than 6-9. Both have three main guys who score the basketball. Both have a guy who, when hot, can't miss from any spot on the floor. And both have interior players that produce points.

The difference is at point guard, where the Hokies are getting much better production out of Malcolm Delaney than the Tigers are out of Demontez Stitt. Delaney even has more assists and a slightly better assist-to-turnover ratio than Stitt (1.4 vs. 1.3).

The key to this game will be Delaney, who played very poorly the last time these two teams played. He was 1-for-7 from the floor and had one assist in 27 minutes. Hank Thorns didn't play very well either at point guard in that game. Improved point guard play and fewer turnovers I believe will lead to a Tech victory in this game.

Another match-up to watch is Jeff Allen against Trevor Booker down low. Assuming the two are guarding each other, it will be fun to watch. Booker leads the Tigers in scoring and rebounding and I think the two are evenly matched.

Hokies win if: Malcolm Delaney has a solid game, both scoring and taking care of the ball and the Hokies make their free throws down the stretch.

Tigers win if: Trevor Booker is a beast in the paint and Terrence Oglesby gets hot behind the arc.

Score: Virginia Tech 64, Clemson 63

How I'd like the schedule to look

2009-01-27T19:00:00.000-05:00

Those of us who make our travel plans for football season as far in advance as possible are eagerly awaiting the ACC to release its 2009 football schedule. We know who the Hokies will be playing the first four weeks of the season and we know the UVa game will likely be the weekend after Thanksgiving. The rest of the schedule, including which games will be on Thursday, is a complete mystery. However, I know how I'd like the schedule to look.

What We (Sort of) Know:

Schedule
Sept. 5: Alabama (Atlanta)
Sept. 12: Marshall
Sept. 19: Nebraska
Sept. 26: at East Carolina
Nov. 28: at Virginia

2009 ACC Home Games: Boston College, Miami, North Carolina, NC State

2009 ACC Road Games: Duke, Georgia Tech, Maryland, Virginia

Teams I'd Rather Catch Early:

Boston College. The Eagles will likely have Dominique Davis under center in 2009. He didn't play very well in the games he started last season and I'd rather face him before he gets seasoned. Also, the Eagles will be replacing key cogs on defense.

Maryland: The Terps have a great running back returning in Da'Rel Scott. But they have three offensive linemen to replace.

Teams I'd Rather Catch Late:

NC State: The Pack were the most improved team in the ACC from the first half of the season to the second. This year, they're a known commodity and could contend for the Atlantic. Catching them late means we'd have a full season's worth of film on Russell Wilson to prepare with.

Duke: Last year's ACC race was a complete fustercluck at the end of the season. Having Duke as our second-to-last conference game helped in 2008 because it gave the Hokies a near automatic W while chaos ensued around the conference.

How I Hope the Schedule Looks:

Sept. 5: Alabama (Atlanta)
Sept. 12: Marshall
Sept. 19: Nebraska
Sept. 26: at East Carolina
Oct. 3: at Maryland
Oct. 10: Boston College
Oct. 17: BYE WEEK
Oct. 24: North Carolina
Oct. 31: at Georgia Tech (Thursday?)
Nov. 7: Miami (Thursday?)
Nov. 14: NC State
Nov. 21: at Duke
Nov. 28: at Virginia

What do you guys think? The Hokies would close the season with two road games, but other than that I think something that looked like this would be beneficial to Tech. What do you want the schedule to look like? When would you like the bye week? Who do you want to play on a Thursday (one road, one home)?

2009 Offseason Checklist: Defense

2009-01-23T16:00:00.001-05:00

Quick list of things that need to be addressed during spring and summer practices:

1. A second cornerback

Stephan Virgil will likely do what Macho Harris did last year and move from field corner to boundary corner. But who will move into Virgil's old spot? The leaders for the job going into the spring are junior Rock Carmichael, who in my opinion wasn't very good last year and sophomore Cris Hill. I'd like to see hill have a good spring and summer camp and go into next season as the starter.

2. Improved play from the free safety and rover

Communication between Kam Chancellor and Dorian Porch improved as the season progressed. Porch was impressive at rover after the injury to Davon Morgan and Chancellor saved his best game for the Orange Bowl. It took him awhile, but perhaps Kam has finally settled in at free.

3. Defensive line depth

The Hokies were very lucky with injuries to the defensive line in 2008. Nothing major until the Orange Bowl when Jason Worilds' shoulder finally became too much to take. Worilds and Nekos Brown will be the starting defensive ends going into next season, but behind them are a lot of question marks. The progress made by Bruce Taylor and Steven Friday at DE this spring and summer will be an important storyline to watch.

Mandel: Hokies could have been a Buzzsaw

2009-01-22T17:00:00.000-05:00

SI's Stewart Mandel has a story today comparing the Hokies to The Buzzsaw That Is The Arizona Cardinals. He gives the positives and negatives of the current BCS system and how a playoff could hurt college football rather than help it.

One idea he throws out is the 9-4 Hokies getting hot at the right time, just like The Buzzsaw, and cheapening college football's regular season.

The Virginia Tech Hokies are a more appropriate college parallel to the Cardinals. The Hokies won the ACC last season with a 9-4 record. They were ranked 19th in the final BCS standings and hadn't entered the national-title discussion since the preseason.

However, in a playoff, Virginia Tech would have been guaranteed a berth. (Every other major sport, college and professional, gives first dibs to conference/division champions. College football wouldn't be any different.) Who's to say the Hokies couldn't have gotten hot, pulled off a couple of upsets and won the whole thing?

A national champion with four losses. There goes your "meaningful" regular season.

Just more fuel for the Playoff vs. BCS debate.

2009 Offseason Checklist: Offense

2009-01-22T12:30:00.000-05:00

Quick list of things that need to be addressed during spring and summer practices:

1. Improved passing from Tyrod Taylor

The infamous "hitch" in Tyrod's delivery was never more visible than when I re-watched the Orange Bowl. His throwing motion just looks unnatural. If that's why he's having issues with his accuracy, especially on deep balls, it needs to be fixed. Also, Tyrod's trust in his receivers improved greatly throughout the year and should carry over into next season.

2. A center

With Jaymes Brooks' performance in the Orange Bowl, the Hokies appear to be set at four of the five positions on the line. However, they will have to replace center Ryan Shuman, who in my mind was the most consistent offensive lineman we had last year. Beau Warren played 44 snaps last season, including 34 against Duke. How effective he is and how well he is able to gel with the rest of the line will be important to the running game in 2009.

3. Unleash Ryan Williams

Williams was redshirted last year, partly because he needed to improve his pass blocking. He was apparently a beast on the scout team last season and should be ready to contribute next season. If he has the hands, why not use him on some Percy-Harvin-type plays while lined up in the slot? Everyone is excited to see if Williams can live up to his hype, so let's get him the ball as many ways as we can.

Hokies Upset Unbeaten Deacs

2009-01-21T23:15:00.000-05:00

Virginia Tech held on to beat No. 1 Wake Forest, 78-71, Wednesday at Joel Coliseum. It was the Hokies' second win over a No. 1 team in the last three years. Tech beat then-No. 1 North Carolina on Jan. 13, 2007, in Blacksburg. Tonight's win was obviously a huge one for the Hokies, who get their first NCAA resume padding win of the season. Tech's win also means there are no more unbeaten teams in D1 hoops.

Why this win was more impressive than the one over UNC:

- It was on the road. The Hokies went into a hostile environment to knock off the top team this time around. While I thought the Hokies lost their composure at times in the second half, they played solid defense at the end and weathered the storm.

- This Hokie team isn't that good. The 2007 team was experienced and deep. This team is young and finally learned how to win a big game. After so many close calls the final two seasons, it was a relief to finally win one of those.

Why this win was less impressive than the one over UNC:

- The Hokies didn't play well. Tech missed several free throws while trying to ice the game and seemed like they were trying to give this one away. Each Hokie took turns making a dumb decision on the offensive end in the second half that gave away points and gave momentum to the Deacs.

- Wake didn't play well either. The Deacs were out of their element in the first half as the Hokies made the game ugly (just the way we like it). Wake needed an amazing hot streak in the second half to wind up shooting just over 43 percent. Wake also committed twice as many turnovers (16) as it had assists (8).

A season-changing win?

The win tonight makes me feel this team has finally learned how to win. The Hokies have given away so many big games the last two seasons I almost forgot what it was like to get a big win in basketball.

Had the Hokies come from ahead to lose tonight, I would have considered this a lost season. We would have had to forget the NCAA and hope for the NIT. However, with a quality win like the one tonight and the quality of play in the ACC this year, the Hokies will have a strong NCAA resume if they can get to nine conference wins like they did last year.

Tonight's win not only feels good, but makes me feel good about the rest of the season.

2009 Schedule Due in 'Early February'

2009-01-21T13:15:00.000-05:00

The ACC's Beyond the ACCtion blog has an inside look into how the conference's football schedule is made. According to the blog, the 2009 ACC football schedule will be released sometime in early February.

Some conferences, including the Big 12 and SEC, already have their conference games scheduled. However, because the ACC gives the television networks so much input into the schedule, we won't get ours for another two to three weeks.

Also, the Hokies will only have one bye week next year as conferences with title games have to play 12 games in 13 weeks in 2009. Personally, I'd like Tech's bye week to be Oct. 17 (OU/Texas Weekend), but it would probably be most beneficial to the Hokies to have a bye week between its non-conference and ACC slates on Oct. 3.