Blogs

I wonder what this guy will be doing on October 1.

What an exciting offseason to be a Virginia Tech football fan! But before we can discuss the future, we must recall the past.

After a brutal finish to a great comeback season, large question marks developed about the state of the program. Walking out of Sun Life Stadium last January I couldn't help but think how embarrasing it is to continually lose on the stage of national spotlight (Kansas OB '08, LSU, Alabama, Boise, and now Standford!?). As I drove back to the hotel, instantly sobered by the dismal 4th quarter, I prayed that changes would be made. I am grateful for the continuity of the program, but when are we going to take the next step??

   This is your State of the Union. Only, for fellow Hokie fans and the docket has one thing to discuss. Football. It may be that I’ve more fully committed myself to watching any news that arises from the Hokie Camp but something smells different this year, and it’s pretty thick. Sadly however I feel that so many media outlets are pulling the average fan into a whirlwind of information. This isn’t particularly bad as a lot has gone on but with each story this Shane Train is starting to board passengers with a ticket to the future. Great. We have more commitments than any other school currently at 22. A resurgence in rivalry has become of it with UVA vying for more and more top in-state prospects.

Simply a wonderful article by ESPN's Gregg Easterbrook, that I think everyone should see.

For years, football players, coaches and the parents of young players have been in the dark about which of the many helmets on the market may reduce the risk of concussions. The NFL does not mandate helmet types, while many NFL teams refuse even to reveal which helmets their players wear. The National Operating Committee on Standards for Athletic Equipment, which certifies sports equipment, has been AWOL on the issue of helmets and concussions. There's been no place for the player seeking helmet safety information to turn.

     Wide receiver Thomas Smith, from Lafayette High school in the Bay Rivers District of Virginia, has officially committed to Virginia Tech.  Thomas chose the Hokies over more than a dozen scholarship offers, including Ball State, James Madison, Old Dominion, and Norfolk State.  An unproved talent, Smith finished with 27 catches for 558 yards during his Junior season after missing 4 games at Wide Receiver with a broken hand.  Despite this uncertainty that has kept Smith off the radar, his raw tools are undeniable:  he stands 6’4” tall, weighs in at 215 pounds, and runs a reported 4.53 40-yard dash.