There are a few sports I like to follow other than football and men's basketball. I just haven't gotten around to writing about them. I like following men's soccer, volleyball and softball among the sports Tech sponsors. The Hokies don't have men's lacrosse or hockey teams, which is a shame.
Men's Soccer
The men's soccer team has been dreadful this season, one year removed from a berth in the College Cup semifinals. Last year, the Hokies faced eventual champion Wake Forest in the semifinals and battled hard before falling, 2-0.
This year, the Hokies are 0-4 in ACC play and lost 8-2 last night at No. 1 Wake Forest. The Hokies are 3-6-1 this season. I expected the Hokies to fall off a little bit after losing Patrick Nyarko, Ben Nason and Robert Edmans, but this is ridiculous. Hopefully this is just a rebuilding year for Coach Weiss.
Volleyball
The story of this year's volleyball team is the exact opposite of the men's soccer team. The Hokies typically struggle in volleyball. However, they have won 11 consecutive matches and are 5-0 in ACC play, the only unbeaten team in the conference. They have two of the top five players in the ACC in hitting percentage and have only lost one set in ACC play this season.
Be sure to go check out the volleyball team when you get the chance. Its next home games are Oct. 17 and 18 against Wake Forest and Duke at Cassell Coliseum. Those of you who stay in the 'Burg while the football team travels to Boston (and I know there will be a lot of you who stay home) should go check them out.
Saunders starts tonight
AL All-Star Joe Saunders will start game three for the LA Angels tonight when they get swept by the mighty Red Sox in the ALDS.
Saunders has been strong all season, and pitched well in his final start of the regular season after passing a kidney stone. Saunders is a great guy, but will face Josh Beckett, who right now is the best postseason pitcher in baseball.
Hopefully the Red Sox win 1-0 on an unearned run against Saunders.
Sunday, October 5, 2008
Saturday, October 4, 2008
Hokies win despite playing flat
Was it the gametime of 1:30? Was it the coaches' complacency? Was it that we just weren't up for this game after the last three weeks? It was probably a combination of all of the above. But the Hokies beat WKU 27-13, scored only seven points in the second half and probably lost Kenny Lewis for the season.
Now's probably the best time for the Hokies to have a bye week. Evans once again struggled on the ground, averaging 3.8 yards per carry. He's likely to be the Hokies' primary ball carrier as Kenny Lewis may have ruptured his Achilles' tendon during the game.
In the passing game, no Hokie had more than two catches for the second straight week and Tech had its best luck throwing to its tight ends. Sean Glennon played most of the second half and spent most of it on his back.
The offensive line was atrocious, especially in the second half. Again, I think this had more to do with simply overlooking the Hilltoppers than a true reversion to the Hokie O-line we saw before the return of Blake DeChristopher.
Boston College also won this afternoon, setting up a game between one-loss teams in two weeks in Chestnut Hill. The BC offense played its best game and Chris Crane had an excellent day under center, both throwing and running. He's a poor man's Scott Frost.
The defense played better than the 31 points they allowed. NC State benefited from a few turnovers and a kick return for touchdown.
Now's probably the best time for the Hokies to have a bye week. Evans once again struggled on the ground, averaging 3.8 yards per carry. He's likely to be the Hokies' primary ball carrier as Kenny Lewis may have ruptured his Achilles' tendon during the game.
In the passing game, no Hokie had more than two catches for the second straight week and Tech had its best luck throwing to its tight ends. Sean Glennon played most of the second half and spent most of it on his back.
The offensive line was atrocious, especially in the second half. Again, I think this had more to do with simply overlooking the Hilltoppers than a true reversion to the Hokie O-line we saw before the return of Blake DeChristopher.
Boston College also won this afternoon, setting up a game between one-loss teams in two weeks in Chestnut Hill. The BC offense played its best game and Chris Crane had an excellent day under center, both throwing and running. He's a poor man's Scott Frost.
The defense played better than the 31 points they allowed. NC State benefited from a few turnovers and a kick return for touchdown.
VT-WKU Game Post
Leave your thoughts on the game in the comments. The game is available on the Internet via ACC Select, but since ACC Select sucks, I'll be listening to Bill and Mike on XM Radio.
Friday, October 3, 2008
Q&A with Kige Ramsey
The Hokies face WKU this weekend. While there aren't any good WKU blogs I could find out there on the Internet, there was one person I figured I could turn to for thoughts on the Hilltoppers. Internet legend Kige Ramsey post his thoughts on football regularly on YouTube. You can view his YouTube Sports segments by clicking here. You can also read more about him over at Deadspin.
Kige is an ardent WKU fan and was nice enough to answer some of our questions about the 'Toppers. He may be a man of few words, but if you watch his YouTube videos, you realize the guy is passionate about football and sports in general. Thanks to Kige for taking time to fill out our Q&A.
Q: With the Toppers transitioning to FBS/I-A, how patient will fans be with head coach David Elson? How long before they start expecting to compete for the Sun Belt title?
They will be paitient it will be awhile.
Q: Does Kentucky have enough quality high school players to support three I-A football teams (Louisville, UK and WKU)?
Yes we do.
Q: How tough is it for the WKU's football team to compete with the basketball team for coverage and fan support? Is it similar to Louisville and Kentucky football taking a backseat to basketball?
We are a Basketball state first but we also like football.
Q: The Hilltoppers are 2-3 so far this season, but their last seven games are all against I-A teams. What do you think the Toppers final record will be?
Decent I would say.
Q: Last week, you picked Nebraska to beat Virginia Tech. How surprised were you that the Hokies were able to to into Lincoln and get a win?
No because Nebraska is rebuilding. Visit KY Sports radio for good KY Sports news.
Kige is an ardent WKU fan and was nice enough to answer some of our questions about the 'Toppers. He may be a man of few words, but if you watch his YouTube videos, you realize the guy is passionate about football and sports in general. Thanks to Kige for taking time to fill out our Q&A.
Q: With the Toppers transitioning to FBS/I-A, how patient will fans be with head coach David Elson? How long before they start expecting to compete for the Sun Belt title?
They will be paitient it will be awhile.
Q: Does Kentucky have enough quality high school players to support three I-A football teams (Louisville, UK and WKU)?
Yes we do.
Q: How tough is it for the WKU's football team to compete with the basketball team for coverage and fan support? Is it similar to Louisville and Kentucky football taking a backseat to basketball?
We are a Basketball state first but we also like football.
Q: The Hilltoppers are 2-3 so far this season, but their last seven games are all against I-A teams. What do you think the Toppers final record will be?
Decent I would say.
Q: Last week, you picked Nebraska to beat Virginia Tech. How surprised were you that the Hokies were able to to into Lincoln and get a win?
No because Nebraska is rebuilding. Visit KY Sports radio for good KY Sports news.
I agree with everything this guy said
There's a guest column on TechSideline right now about the difference between Nick Saban and Frank Beamer. As the headline states, the difference between the two coaches is attitude.
Saban was upset over how his team played in its thrashing of highly ranked Georgia on the road. Beamer was thrilled with his team's escape against mediocre Nebraska on the road.
The main point of the column is Hokie Nation is complacent with winning 10 games a year and competing for an ACC title. They've come to expect not to compete for the national championship and accept their 10-win season.
That's something I touched on before the season. It's time this program took the next step and started competing for national titles regularly. The talent gap has lessened and until we start expecting to be in the national title hunt year in and year out, we never will be.
UPDATE: Naturally, the column is getting grilled on the TSL message boards, both free and paid. Guys, it wasn't a criticism of Beamer, it was a criticism of our complacency. Frank's dancing is fine, he's just using it as an example of what our program's attitude is.
I'm fine with Frank dancing in the locker room. What happens in there should stay in there. But our perceived attitude takes a hit when it looks like we're OK with holding on to a win over a mediocre team.
Maybe if Frank wouldn't post videos of him getting down on BeamerBall we wouldn't have this problem. After all, if I'm not dropping $35 a year to see him dance, I doubt recruits are.
UPDATE NO. 2: Here. I made a diagram.
Saban was upset over how his team played in its thrashing of highly ranked Georgia on the road. Beamer was thrilled with his team's escape against mediocre Nebraska on the road.
While Coach Saban was ranting about how unhappy he was with his team's dominating performance in a win over a top-10 team, Coach Beamer was dancing after escaping with a five point victory over a team that will be struggling to get seven wins. Does anyone else see what is wrong with this picture?
The main point of the column is Hokie Nation is complacent with winning 10 games a year and competing for an ACC title. They've come to expect not to compete for the national championship and accept their 10-win season.
That's something I touched on before the season. It's time this program took the next step and started competing for national titles regularly. The talent gap has lessened and until we start expecting to be in the national title hunt year in and year out, we never will be.
UPDATE: Naturally, the column is getting grilled on the TSL message boards, both free and paid. Guys, it wasn't a criticism of Beamer, it was a criticism of our complacency. Frank's dancing is fine, he's just using it as an example of what our program's attitude is.
I'm fine with Frank dancing in the locker room. What happens in there should stay in there. But our perceived attitude takes a hit when it looks like we're OK with holding on to a win over a mediocre team.
Maybe if Frank wouldn't post videos of him getting down on BeamerBall we wouldn't have this problem. After all, if I'm not dropping $35 a year to see him dance, I doubt recruits are.
UPDATE NO. 2: Here. I made a diagram.
What to Watch vs. WKU
Offense
- WKU runs a 3-4 defense, so if the Hokies wanted to, they could not run a pass play and still win by two touchdowns. I-A opponents are averaging over 264 yards per game and 6.2 yards per carry against the Hilltopper defense. The second half means it's Josh Oglesby time.
- While the Hokies could just give the ball to Darren Evans 20 times in the first half and call it a day, I think they'll try to establish the pass early. Tyrod was able to find open receivers against Nebraska's slow defense and they want to continue to build on what they established last week.
- Jarrett Boykin pulled down two catches for 58 yards against the Huskers, but that isn't exactly establishing yourself. Saturday is his chance to assert himself as the go-to guy among the receivers. No Hokie had more than two catches against Nebraska and Tyrod needs a target he can rely on.
- The Hilltoppers haven't been completely horrible against the pass when they've played I-A opponents. They're giving up 6.4 yards per pass against I-A competition, compared to 5.6 against I-AA teams. I-AA teams are actually averaging more yards per game through the air than I-A opponents against WKU, but that stat is misleading because a lot of those yards came during futile comeback attempts.
- In their three games against I-A teams, the Hilltoppers have given up five touchdowns and intercepted two passes. It won't be as easy to throw against them as you might think, but the Hokies still need to develop their passing game, rather than just be content with running the ball down WKU's throat.
- The Hokies only used five offensive lineman against the Huskers, which is a Catch-22. It's good to have Blake DeChristopher back and have the line build chemistry that was missed during the three and a half games he was good. However, the WKU game is chance to see some depth develop on the offensive line. Because right now, we're still one injury away from everything going to hell in a handbasket. Again.
- I think the Hokies should try to focus on the passing game in the first half to build momentum with Tyrod and the young receiving corps. The second half should be used to develop depth on the offensive line and get carries for Josh Oglesby.
Defense
- The Hilltoppers have made a change at quarterback and have an emerging star at running back.
- This won't be QB David Wolke's first start of the season, but it will be his first in place of regular starter KJ Black. Black was injured earlier in the year and Wolke started against Alabama and Murray State. However, Black returned last week and both quarterbacks were atrocious, combining for 15 yards passing.
- Wolke is the more accurate passer, but less nimble. He'll be a sitting duck for the Hokie pass rush. My guess is you'll see both quarterbacks and like against Kentucky, neither will be very effective.
- The Hilltoppers run the spread so you'll get to see newly-named starter and redshirt freshman running back Bobby Rainey get the ball early and often. Rainey established himself as the Hilltopper best running back against Kentucky. He ran for 99 yards on 11 carries, including a 40-yard run.
- Rainey is also a threat returning kicks. He's had 74-yard and 92-yard kickoff returns in the last two weeks. That's not good for the Hokies. Beamer said after the Nebraska game they've had trouble getting kicks into the end zone.
- With WKU running the spread, a lot of pressure will again be put on the Hokie secondary. The secondary's speed will be needed against a spread attack that features a solid running back. I don't expect the Hilltoppers to score more than one touchdown Saturday, but I think they'll break a couple of big plays. It'll be a good learning experience for Dorian Porch, who is a solid rover against the pass, but needs more work against the run.
Outcome
- The Hilltoppers will keep it within two touchdowns in the first half as the Hokies do well against the spread on defense, but give up a big play for a score. The Hokies will try to throw the ball more in the first half and have moderate success. It'll be 21-7 at half and Tech will roll in the second half when the Hokies get a couple of big plays through the air and then pound it on the ground late.
Watch the box score for:
1. Tyrod YPA
2. VT sacks
3. WKU return yards
4. Turnovers
VT players to watch:
5 - Tyrod Taylor, So., QB
81 - Jarrett Boykin, Fr., WR
6 - Jason Worilds, So., DE
24 - Dorian Porch, Jr., ROV
WKU players to watch:
17 - Bobby Rainey, Fr., RB
3 - David Wolke, Sr., QB
6 - Blake Boyd, Jr., LB
21 - Jihad Morris, Jr., CB
Score: Virginia Tech 42, WKU 10
- WKU runs a 3-4 defense, so if the Hokies wanted to, they could not run a pass play and still win by two touchdowns. I-A opponents are averaging over 264 yards per game and 6.2 yards per carry against the Hilltopper defense. The second half means it's Josh Oglesby time.
- While the Hokies could just give the ball to Darren Evans 20 times in the first half and call it a day, I think they'll try to establish the pass early. Tyrod was able to find open receivers against Nebraska's slow defense and they want to continue to build on what they established last week.
- Jarrett Boykin pulled down two catches for 58 yards against the Huskers, but that isn't exactly establishing yourself. Saturday is his chance to assert himself as the go-to guy among the receivers. No Hokie had more than two catches against Nebraska and Tyrod needs a target he can rely on.
- The Hilltoppers haven't been completely horrible against the pass when they've played I-A opponents. They're giving up 6.4 yards per pass against I-A competition, compared to 5.6 against I-AA teams. I-AA teams are actually averaging more yards per game through the air than I-A opponents against WKU, but that stat is misleading because a lot of those yards came during futile comeback attempts.
- In their three games against I-A teams, the Hilltoppers have given up five touchdowns and intercepted two passes. It won't be as easy to throw against them as you might think, but the Hokies still need to develop their passing game, rather than just be content with running the ball down WKU's throat.
- The Hokies only used five offensive lineman against the Huskers, which is a Catch-22. It's good to have Blake DeChristopher back and have the line build chemistry that was missed during the three and a half games he was good. However, the WKU game is chance to see some depth develop on the offensive line. Because right now, we're still one injury away from everything going to hell in a handbasket. Again.
- I think the Hokies should try to focus on the passing game in the first half to build momentum with Tyrod and the young receiving corps. The second half should be used to develop depth on the offensive line and get carries for Josh Oglesby.
Defense
- The Hilltoppers have made a change at quarterback and have an emerging star at running back.
- This won't be QB David Wolke's first start of the season, but it will be his first in place of regular starter KJ Black. Black was injured earlier in the year and Wolke started against Alabama and Murray State. However, Black returned last week and both quarterbacks were atrocious, combining for 15 yards passing.
- Wolke is the more accurate passer, but less nimble. He'll be a sitting duck for the Hokie pass rush. My guess is you'll see both quarterbacks and like against Kentucky, neither will be very effective.
- The Hilltoppers run the spread so you'll get to see newly-named starter and redshirt freshman running back Bobby Rainey get the ball early and often. Rainey established himself as the Hilltopper best running back against Kentucky. He ran for 99 yards on 11 carries, including a 40-yard run.
- Rainey is also a threat returning kicks. He's had 74-yard and 92-yard kickoff returns in the last two weeks. That's not good for the Hokies. Beamer said after the Nebraska game they've had trouble getting kicks into the end zone.
- With WKU running the spread, a lot of pressure will again be put on the Hokie secondary. The secondary's speed will be needed against a spread attack that features a solid running back. I don't expect the Hilltoppers to score more than one touchdown Saturday, but I think they'll break a couple of big plays. It'll be a good learning experience for Dorian Porch, who is a solid rover against the pass, but needs more work against the run.
Outcome
- The Hilltoppers will keep it within two touchdowns in the first half as the Hokies do well against the spread on defense, but give up a big play for a score. The Hokies will try to throw the ball more in the first half and have moderate success. It'll be 21-7 at half and Tech will roll in the second half when the Hokies get a couple of big plays through the air and then pound it on the ground late.
Watch the box score for:
1. Tyrod YPA
2. VT sacks
3. WKU return yards
4. Turnovers
VT players to watch:
5 - Tyrod Taylor, So., QB
81 - Jarrett Boykin, Fr., WR
6 - Jason Worilds, So., DE
24 - Dorian Porch, Jr., ROV
WKU players to watch:
17 - Bobby Rainey, Fr., RB
3 - David Wolke, Sr., QB
6 - Blake Boyd, Jr., LB
21 - Jihad Morris, Jr., CB
Score: Virginia Tech 42, WKU 10
ACC Best of the Blogs: Week 5
BOSTON COLLEGE
BC Interruption: Food Chain: O'Brien Era Accomplishments
"Jeff: Instead of attempting to guess the final score of Saturday's game, or rip Tom O'Brien for all those WTF losses … let's play a little food chain and remember TOB's greatest accomplishments.
Brian: (bites his tongue)"
Eagle in Atlanta: The importance of this game to Jags
"TOB is downplaying the importance of this game. He should. It is just another ACC game for him. While Jags will never admit it, this game means everything. Because of the way the season has played out and because of the guy on the opposite sidelines, Saturday’s results will have short and long term effects on Jags’ future."
CLEMSON
Block-C: DSOT: Maryland Meltdown Mode, Part I
"Now we get the rabid mouthbreathers who have never set foot on Clemson’s campus outside of a gameday and want to get rid of the president of the university because they don’t like what they hear on Gameday. I’d like to toss this guy in a dryer with a pack of razor blades and Magic Johnson."
Sporting Gnomes: Agreed
"Since Saturday’s loss, I’ve been thinking of just how to write what I wanted to write about why it’s time to part ways with Bowden. The situation has become more political, or perhaps more emotional than rational. LawtonFunk wrote to us before the game that he was “getting that Tommy West feeling [he] had back in 1997.” After the game I realized exactly what he meant. It’s just that instead of Tommy West, I’d use the name Larry Shyatt (just because I’m a little younger and wasn’t paying any attention during the Tommy West years). It usually felt like Shyatt’s teams could win any game. But deep down you just knew that they probably wouldn’t win the big ones, and you would never let yourself get too excited because you knew it wouldn’t be rewarded."
DUKE
Dudespin: With USC out of the picture...
"At the game were two representatives to the Orange Bowl. I think they saw about all they needed to see today. Gentlemen, we’ll see you in January!"
FLORIDA STATE
Tomahawk Nation: FSU's WR's Let Offense Down
"Ponder can get a lot better, as he threw three passes that were completions, yet weren't great throws. The wideouts only made ONE impressive catch all day (Fortson over the middle). In just one game, he really put the brakes on the happy feet problem, and stepped up in the (sometimes shaky) pocket to deliver most of the balls. The main thing he needs to do, going forward, is deliver the ball quicker in rythm. Putting the ball in step will allow us to make more yards downfield. The other thing he needs to do is continue to evaluate risk. Against Wake, some thought he played a 'lil too fast-n-loose. He was probably a bit too conservative on Saturday. Through accumulated experience and Jimbo's reassurance that "yes, you really were seeing what you thought you saw", I think he will continue to improve, even if his numbers don't indicate a drastic improvement."
GEORGIA TECH
The Legacy x4: Mark Richt vs. Paul Johnson
"After watching the “game” that threw Alabama into the current national championship picture, I began to notice the complete and total differences between Paul Johnson and Mark Richt. Let’s compare and see why we’re better off:"
MARYLAND
Turtle Waxing: Terps outlast Clemson
"The offensive line had a bizarre day as the run blocking was awful and they were bedeviled by false starts and holding penalties. Yet their pass blocking, which has been an ongoing weakness, was decent enough in the 2nd half for Turner to find his targets. They had five false starts (two of which were inside the Clemson 10 yard line) and at least one holding penalty. I think one holding call was on Landsford Watson at the end of the game. Turner helped his line by getting rid of the ball quickly and avoiding the Clemson pass rush. Take out the 76 yard run by Heyward-Bey and the team had 27 rushes for 63 yards for an average of 2.3 yards per carry. The power running game evaporated against Clemson and their fast and aggressive secondary and linebackers."
MIAMI
All Canes: Growing Pains: Opportunity blows by Canes
"Shannon may be preaching 'finish' to his squad, but it's falling on deaf ears and something has to give. Is it conditioning? Playcalling? A lack of effort due to back-to-back fourth quarter leads? Whatever the case, it's proving to be this team's Achilles' heel and will result in a few more losses if the curse isn't reversed."
Hall of Canes: Noles coming to town
"The big key this week will be the offensive line, which is expected to again be without injured right tackle Reggie Youngblood. The line started last week with a crushing block by left tackle Jason Fox. But late holding penalties against Fox and center Xavier Shannon hurt the Canes' cause."
NORTH CAROLINA
Carolina March: The ACC Controls Your World
"The next leader of the free world may very well be decided because the Coastal Division includes a Hokie and not an Orangeman. The SEC and the Big 12 may decide the national championship, but the ACC decides the presidency."
Tar Heel Fan: Different Sport, Same Story
"Stop me if you've heard this one before. A player comes to UNC as a freshman in a particular sport, is thrown into the fire his freshman year and is pretty close to an abject failure at his assigned role. This is pretty much the case going forward and during the time the player is despondent, thinks about transferring but ultimately hangs in there. Then, out of the Carolina blue, the starter at his position hurts his ankle and once again he finds himself back in the fray much to the chagrin of fans everywhere. But something odd happens, instead of flopping, he plays extremely well and in the short course of a few games completely redeems the previous years of underachievement."
Tar Heel Mania: UNC vs. UConn: The BasketBowl
"I try to make a point about how UNC and UConn are both really good basketball schools, and how it’s peculiar that we enter this game with a combined 8-1 record (and, for all intents and purposes, should have been 9-0). Instead, I end up making this. Such are the inner machinations of my brain."
NC STATE
Section Six: Desperate Times
"*Picks up phone, dials.*
*Phone rings, goes to voicemail.*
"Na na na na na na na na fishing. Na na na na na na na na fishing. Fish-ing! Fish-ing! Fish-ing! Hi, you've reached Lee F--""
StateFans Nation: Red Means Go - Somebody Gets It!
"This campaign rocks! It portrays NC State as not only ‘cutting-edge’ but fast-paced and generally ‘cool’ while simultaneously exhibiting some pride and confidence without turning people off with excessive bravado or arrogance. (Can you tell I like it?)"
Yet another...: ACC Buy, Sell or Hold: Week 5
"NC State: Sell
The injury rate seems to have slowed a bit. That's about the best I can offer up as positives right now. Russell Wilson is still out with a mysterious shoulder injury (though there are reports that he's taking limited part in practices, which is encouraging), and until he returns it's Harrison Beck's show. And it's a show I don't think most folks like to see. As the weeks tick by, the sand in the hourglass for 2008 continues to run out and the opportunities for State to turn things around before the season ends start to slip away. This week's game against Boston College is huge, as it presents probably the best chance State has to defeat a conference foe, well, for the rest of the year, sadly."
VIRGINIA
The Good Ol' Blog: Maryland week: Orange or blue?
"First off, I hate to break to you guys, but it’s not going to register on game day. Even if you convince 1000 or 2000 people to wear blue instead of orange through the relentless message board posts, that number of people scattered throughout a 60,000+ seat stadium won’t be noticed."
From Old Virginia: Introspectivityness
"Well. When you lose to Duke, people start wondering. When you lose by four touchdowns, and it's your slimmest loss margin all year, they go straight past "wondering" and right to WTFing. It sets off all kinds of historical fact-digging, like, Duke hadn't won an ACC game since 2005. Hadn't won a game by that much since 1998. Etc. etc."
VIRGINIA TECH
College Game Balls: Another Sign You Didn't See on GameDay
"Mathew all I can say to you is touche salesman. We’ve heard about censored or discarded GameDay signs before but dammmmnnn yo."
Wild Turkey CFR: The delicious taste of victory and corn
"IT'S OVER! IT'S FINALLY OVER! My away from Lane Stadium misadventures have finally come to an end. For the first time, I witnessed a victory in person away from Blacksburg as the Hokies defeated Nebraska 35-30 in Lincoln. The smile has yet to be removed from my face. The Hokies used a familiar formula to pull of the victory."
Virginia Tech Fan: Hokies vs. Huskers: Lincoln Trip Report
"Virginia Tech’s high drama season continued on Saturday with its win over Nebraska (whew!). This post has my onsite report of the scene in Lincoln, including the town, the people, the tailgating, and the game. All in all, a great college football destination, where our group soaked in thrilling win with tons of Hokies, thrown in the middle of a crazy college football weekend."
WAKE FOREST
Old Gold and Blog: Sunk: Wake 17, Navy 24
"The most obvious place to start with this one is Riley Skinner. Obviously he couldn't keep avoiding interceptions all season long, but I can't say I expected him to throw four today. After last week's poor performance at Florida State I thought Skinner would bounce back, but it wasn't to be. I've never seen him throw so many poor passes in a game. His fumble only made matters worse. Skinner is still the quarterback of this team. He had a bad day, which happens to everyone from time to time. There's no chance of him being replaced any time soon, but yesterday he just wasn't good enough. It wasn't fun to see."
BC Interruption: Food Chain: O'Brien Era Accomplishments
"Jeff: Instead of attempting to guess the final score of Saturday's game, or rip Tom O'Brien for all those WTF losses … let's play a little food chain and remember TOB's greatest accomplishments.
Brian: (bites his tongue)"
Eagle in Atlanta: The importance of this game to Jags
"TOB is downplaying the importance of this game. He should. It is just another ACC game for him. While Jags will never admit it, this game means everything. Because of the way the season has played out and because of the guy on the opposite sidelines, Saturday’s results will have short and long term effects on Jags’ future."
CLEMSON
Block-C: DSOT: Maryland Meltdown Mode, Part I
"Now we get the rabid mouthbreathers who have never set foot on Clemson’s campus outside of a gameday and want to get rid of the president of the university because they don’t like what they hear on Gameday. I’d like to toss this guy in a dryer with a pack of razor blades and Magic Johnson."
Sporting Gnomes: Agreed
"Since Saturday’s loss, I’ve been thinking of just how to write what I wanted to write about why it’s time to part ways with Bowden. The situation has become more political, or perhaps more emotional than rational. LawtonFunk wrote to us before the game that he was “getting that Tommy West feeling [he] had back in 1997.” After the game I realized exactly what he meant. It’s just that instead of Tommy West, I’d use the name Larry Shyatt (just because I’m a little younger and wasn’t paying any attention during the Tommy West years). It usually felt like Shyatt’s teams could win any game. But deep down you just knew that they probably wouldn’t win the big ones, and you would never let yourself get too excited because you knew it wouldn’t be rewarded."
DUKE
Dudespin: With USC out of the picture...
"At the game were two representatives to the Orange Bowl. I think they saw about all they needed to see today. Gentlemen, we’ll see you in January!"
FLORIDA STATE
Tomahawk Nation: FSU's WR's Let Offense Down
"Ponder can get a lot better, as he threw three passes that were completions, yet weren't great throws. The wideouts only made ONE impressive catch all day (Fortson over the middle). In just one game, he really put the brakes on the happy feet problem, and stepped up in the (sometimes shaky) pocket to deliver most of the balls. The main thing he needs to do, going forward, is deliver the ball quicker in rythm. Putting the ball in step will allow us to make more yards downfield. The other thing he needs to do is continue to evaluate risk. Against Wake, some thought he played a 'lil too fast-n-loose. He was probably a bit too conservative on Saturday. Through accumulated experience and Jimbo's reassurance that "yes, you really were seeing what you thought you saw", I think he will continue to improve, even if his numbers don't indicate a drastic improvement."
GEORGIA TECH
The Legacy x4: Mark Richt vs. Paul Johnson
"After watching the “game” that threw Alabama into the current national championship picture, I began to notice the complete and total differences between Paul Johnson and Mark Richt. Let’s compare and see why we’re better off:"
MARYLAND
Turtle Waxing: Terps outlast Clemson
"The offensive line had a bizarre day as the run blocking was awful and they were bedeviled by false starts and holding penalties. Yet their pass blocking, which has been an ongoing weakness, was decent enough in the 2nd half for Turner to find his targets. They had five false starts (two of which were inside the Clemson 10 yard line) and at least one holding penalty. I think one holding call was on Landsford Watson at the end of the game. Turner helped his line by getting rid of the ball quickly and avoiding the Clemson pass rush. Take out the 76 yard run by Heyward-Bey and the team had 27 rushes for 63 yards for an average of 2.3 yards per carry. The power running game evaporated against Clemson and their fast and aggressive secondary and linebackers."
MIAMI
All Canes: Growing Pains: Opportunity blows by Canes
"Shannon may be preaching 'finish' to his squad, but it's falling on deaf ears and something has to give. Is it conditioning? Playcalling? A lack of effort due to back-to-back fourth quarter leads? Whatever the case, it's proving to be this team's Achilles' heel and will result in a few more losses if the curse isn't reversed."
Hall of Canes: Noles coming to town
"The big key this week will be the offensive line, which is expected to again be without injured right tackle Reggie Youngblood. The line started last week with a crushing block by left tackle Jason Fox. But late holding penalties against Fox and center Xavier Shannon hurt the Canes' cause."
NORTH CAROLINA
Carolina March: The ACC Controls Your World
"The next leader of the free world may very well be decided because the Coastal Division includes a Hokie and not an Orangeman. The SEC and the Big 12 may decide the national championship, but the ACC decides the presidency."
Tar Heel Fan: Different Sport, Same Story
"Stop me if you've heard this one before. A player comes to UNC as a freshman in a particular sport, is thrown into the fire his freshman year and is pretty close to an abject failure at his assigned role. This is pretty much the case going forward and during the time the player is despondent, thinks about transferring but ultimately hangs in there. Then, out of the Carolina blue, the starter at his position hurts his ankle and once again he finds himself back in the fray much to the chagrin of fans everywhere. But something odd happens, instead of flopping, he plays extremely well and in the short course of a few games completely redeems the previous years of underachievement."
Tar Heel Mania: UNC vs. UConn: The BasketBowl
"I try to make a point about how UNC and UConn are both really good basketball schools, and how it’s peculiar that we enter this game with a combined 8-1 record (and, for all intents and purposes, should have been 9-0). Instead, I end up making this. Such are the inner machinations of my brain."
NC STATE
Section Six: Desperate Times
"*Picks up phone, dials.*
*Phone rings, goes to voicemail.*
"Na na na na na na na na fishing. Na na na na na na na na fishing. Fish-ing! Fish-ing! Fish-ing! Hi, you've reached Lee F--""
StateFans Nation: Red Means Go - Somebody Gets It!
"This campaign rocks! It portrays NC State as not only ‘cutting-edge’ but fast-paced and generally ‘cool’ while simultaneously exhibiting some pride and confidence without turning people off with excessive bravado or arrogance. (Can you tell I like it?)"
Yet another...: ACC Buy, Sell or Hold: Week 5
"NC State: Sell
The injury rate seems to have slowed a bit. That's about the best I can offer up as positives right now. Russell Wilson is still out with a mysterious shoulder injury (though there are reports that he's taking limited part in practices, which is encouraging), and until he returns it's Harrison Beck's show. And it's a show I don't think most folks like to see. As the weeks tick by, the sand in the hourglass for 2008 continues to run out and the opportunities for State to turn things around before the season ends start to slip away. This week's game against Boston College is huge, as it presents probably the best chance State has to defeat a conference foe, well, for the rest of the year, sadly."
VIRGINIA
The Good Ol' Blog: Maryland week: Orange or blue?
"First off, I hate to break to you guys, but it’s not going to register on game day. Even if you convince 1000 or 2000 people to wear blue instead of orange through the relentless message board posts, that number of people scattered throughout a 60,000+ seat stadium won’t be noticed."
From Old Virginia: Introspectivityness
"Well. When you lose to Duke, people start wondering. When you lose by four touchdowns, and it's your slimmest loss margin all year, they go straight past "wondering" and right to WTFing. It sets off all kinds of historical fact-digging, like, Duke hadn't won an ACC game since 2005. Hadn't won a game by that much since 1998. Etc. etc."
VIRGINIA TECH
College Game Balls: Another Sign You Didn't See on GameDay
"Mathew all I can say to you is touche salesman. We’ve heard about censored or discarded GameDay signs before but dammmmnnn yo."
Wild Turkey CFR: The delicious taste of victory and corn
"IT'S OVER! IT'S FINALLY OVER! My away from Lane Stadium misadventures have finally come to an end. For the first time, I witnessed a victory in person away from Blacksburg as the Hokies defeated Nebraska 35-30 in Lincoln. The smile has yet to be removed from my face. The Hokies used a familiar formula to pull of the victory."
Virginia Tech Fan: Hokies vs. Huskers: Lincoln Trip Report
"Virginia Tech’s high drama season continued on Saturday with its win over Nebraska (whew!). This post has my onsite report of the scene in Lincoln, including the town, the people, the tailgating, and the game. All in all, a great college football destination, where our group soaked in thrilling win with tons of Hokies, thrown in the middle of a crazy college football weekend."
WAKE FOREST
Old Gold and Blog: Sunk: Wake 17, Navy 24
"The most obvious place to start with this one is Riley Skinner. Obviously he couldn't keep avoiding interceptions all season long, but I can't say I expected him to throw four today. After last week's poor performance at Florida State I thought Skinner would bounce back, but it wasn't to be. I've never seen him throw so many poor passes in a game. His fumble only made matters worse. Skinner is still the quarterback of this team. He had a bad day, which happens to everyone from time to time. There's no chance of him being replaced any time soon, but yesterday he just wasn't good enough. It wasn't fun to see."
Hokie fans will decide election
From Carolina March comes this bit of info:
According to an article in the New Yorker, Barack Obama could need to carry Virginia to win November's election. The Commonwealth typically votes Republican, and win the state, he needs to win over the staunchly Republican Southwest portion of the state (including Halifax Country, rep-ra-zent!). And, of course, most of SW Va. is Hokie fans.
It helps Obama's cause that one of his biggest supporters is former Democratic Governor Mark Warner, who is wildly popular among Republican and Democrat Hokie fans alike. Why? Because Warner is almost solely responsible for getting the Hokies in to the ACC.
That's right, Hokie fans. You may decide this election.
According to an article in the New Yorker, Barack Obama could need to carry Virginia to win November's election. The Commonwealth typically votes Republican, and win the state, he needs to win over the staunchly Republican Southwest portion of the state (including Halifax Country, rep-ra-zent!). And, of course, most of SW Va. is Hokie fans.
It helps Obama's cause that one of his biggest supporters is former Democratic Governor Mark Warner, who is wildly popular among Republican and Democrat Hokie fans alike. Why? Because Warner is almost solely responsible for getting the Hokies in to the ACC.
In office, Warner repaid the region by persuading two high-tech companies to move to Lebanon, and fought to get Virginia Tech—Virginia Polytechnic Institute, in the Blue Ridge town of Blacksburg—into the Atlantic Coast Conference. “Mark Warner has become part of the culture,” Saunders says. “We accept him as part of who we are, if for no other reason—God damn, he got V.P.I. into the A.C.C.! I mean, it’s a big damned deal.”
That's right, Hokie fans. You may decide this election.
Thursday, October 2, 2008
Ike Whitaker Suspended
The athletics department issued a release today stating wide receiver Ike Whitaker has been suspended indefinitely for for violating team policy.Whitaker, who was the lone returning receiver with a catch after the suspension of Zach Luckett, played in three games and caught three passes for 14 yards this season. He had been receiving less playing time in favor of younger receivers like Xavier Boyce in recent games.
Whitaker wasn't listed on the two-deep at either split end or flanker for this week's game. My guess is this is more of a Brandon Ore-type suspension than a Zach Luckett-type suspension.
By all accounts, he had turned his life around after entering alcohol rehabilitation in 2006. He was able to return to the team and see time at receiver last year. He had developed into an excellent run blocker from the position.
My guess is the former quarterback was told what he needed to do to see more playing time and he just didn't do it. Hopefully Ike can get things together. The team will be fine without him, but I wish him the best of luck.
Meet the Hilltoppers
The Hokies face Western Kentucky University for the first time in football Saturday. It will be homecoming for the Hokies and we'll get a look at the new home uniforms with the orange sleeves for the first time. Judging by my replica, I think they look pretty good. We'll see how the real things look Saturday.
Here's a look at WKU:
WKU Hilltoppers
Location: Bowling Green, Ky.
Conference: Sun Belt
2007 Record: 7-5 (1-5 vs. I-A)
2008 Record: 2-3 (0-3 vs. I-A)
Head Coach: David Elson (6th season)
Stadium: Houchens Industries-LT Smith Stadium (23,000)
Why the Hilltoppers?
The area of Bowling Green where WKU is located is known as "The Hill".
Past
- Won the I-AA championship in 2002.
- Were coached by Jack Harbaugh from 1989-2002. Jack is the father of former Bears QB and current Stanford HC Jim Harbaugh and current Baltimore Ravens HC John Harbaugh.
- Former players include Rod Smart, better known as "He Hate Me" from the XFL.
Present
- I-A transitional team.
- Count toward the 120 I-A football teams, but are ineligible to win the Sun Belt or play in a bowl until 2009.
- Had to move up to I-A football because they were not in compliance with Title IX. They actually had too few scholarships for men.
- After going 1-5 vs. I-A opponents in 2006, the Hilltoppers face 10 I-A opponents this season.
Western Kentucky on YouTube
It ain't exactly Enter Sandman:
Highlights from the Kentucky game:
Here's a look at WKU:
WKU Hilltoppers
Location: Bowling Green, Ky.
Conference: Sun Belt
2007 Record: 7-5 (1-5 vs. I-A)
2008 Record: 2-3 (0-3 vs. I-A)
Head Coach: David Elson (6th season)
Stadium: Houchens Industries-LT Smith Stadium (23,000)
Why the Hilltoppers?
The area of Bowling Green where WKU is located is known as "The Hill".
Past
- Won the I-AA championship in 2002.
- Were coached by Jack Harbaugh from 1989-2002. Jack is the father of former Bears QB and current Stanford HC Jim Harbaugh and current Baltimore Ravens HC John Harbaugh.
- Former players include Rod Smart, better known as "He Hate Me" from the XFL.
Present
- I-A transitional team.
- Count toward the 120 I-A football teams, but are ineligible to win the Sun Belt or play in a bowl until 2009.
- Had to move up to I-A football because they were not in compliance with Title IX. They actually had too few scholarships for men.
- After going 1-5 vs. I-A opponents in 2006, the Hilltoppers face 10 I-A opponents this season.
Western Kentucky on YouTube
It ain't exactly Enter Sandman:
Highlights from the Kentucky game:
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
Let's Do Some Lines: Week 6
Here are the ACC lines for Week 6 with my picks in bold. All lines are from Bodog, the official illegal online gambling site of furrer4heisman.
BC -9.5 at NC State
- I don't see a lot of points in this one.
Maryland -14 at Virginia
- UVa has quit.
UConn +7 at North Carolina
- Hopefully they'll play Sexton more.
Duke +14.5 at Georgia Tech
- This is a very even matchup. I'll take the Devils to cover. Amazingly, both teams are 3-0 ATS.
Florida State +2 at Miami
- This is a straight-up guess. I like FSU's talent and defense more.
WKU +27.5 at Virginia Tech
- Hopefully Hokies can keep the O rolling.
Other teams I like:
Air Force -6 vs. Navy
- I'm riding USAFA until it loses me money.
Oklahoma -27 at Baylor
- We'll see exactly how far the Bears have come.
Colorado +14 vs. Texas
- No way both will be unbeaten going to Dallas.
Kentucky +17 at Alabama
- Let down game?
Florida -25 at Arkansas
- Arkansas is terrible.
How I did last week against the spread:
ACC: 6-1
Correct: Duke, Maryland, FSU, Navy, USF, VT
Wrong: Miami
Nation: 2-3
Correct: UConn, Oklahoma
Wrong: Florida, Auburn, Fresno
Year to date:
ACC: 18-12
Nation: 14-9
Total: 32-21
BC -9.5 at NC State
- I don't see a lot of points in this one.
Maryland -14 at Virginia
- UVa has quit.
UConn +7 at North Carolina
- Hopefully they'll play Sexton more.
Duke +14.5 at Georgia Tech
- This is a very even matchup. I'll take the Devils to cover. Amazingly, both teams are 3-0 ATS.
Florida State +2 at Miami
- This is a straight-up guess. I like FSU's talent and defense more.
WKU +27.5 at Virginia Tech
- Hopefully Hokies can keep the O rolling.
Other teams I like:
Air Force -6 vs. Navy
- I'm riding USAFA until it loses me money.
Oklahoma -27 at Baylor
- We'll see exactly how far the Bears have come.
Colorado +14 vs. Texas
- No way both will be unbeaten going to Dallas.
Kentucky +17 at Alabama
- Let down game?
Florida -25 at Arkansas
- Arkansas is terrible.
How I did last week against the spread:
ACC: 6-1
Correct: Duke, Maryland, FSU, Navy, USF, VT
Wrong: Miami
Nation: 2-3
Correct: UConn, Oklahoma
Wrong: Florida, Auburn, Fresno
Year to date:
ACC: 18-12
Nation: 14-9
Total: 32-21
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