ASU RECORD: 0-0 (10-3, Lost to Villanova in FCS playoff quarterfinals)
VT RECORD: 0-0 (11-3, Lost to #5 Stanford in Discover Orange Bowl)
SCORE: (13) VT – 66 ASU – 13
Editor's Note: It seems like The DailyPress pulled her article so think below won't work. For anyone who wants to read it, I pulled it from Google Cache. Also, these are beautiful words. -- Joe
Required reading: Another shooting at Virginia Tech - a snake-bit college by Tamara Dietrich.
This is garbage. This is drivel. This does not enrage me; it saddens me. This is misinformation disguised as journalism – and as such – deserves the amount of criticism that follows.
Virginia Tech is not, as Tamara Dietrich proclaims, a “snake-bit community.” If a truly unfortunate string of occurrences has led her to such a conclusion, that Virginia Tech’s reputation has predominantly become “the school where you’re most likely to get shot,” demonstrates the highest display of ignorance. Virginia Tech is not – and should not – be defined by the individual actions of a handful of people that, mostly, are not affiliated with the university.
DISCLAIMER: I haven't read French's analysis yet. Surely it is more profound than what follows.
Hours before kickoff in Charlotte, I tweeted the following after the commentary in the SEC Championship game piqued my interest. Gary Danielson was describing the change in defensive philosopy going on at UGA:
Some days you are the hammer. Some days you are the nail. On Saturday, the Hokies were the board. The Hokies faced a perfect storm of an offense that utilized misdirection to completely counteract the Hokies "gap-scheme" defensively, coupled with a Clemson defensive line that completely manhandled the left side of the Hokies offensive line and their center all night. When VT did have time, their playmakers didn't make plays. It is easy to be upset with the final score, play calling, officiating, or whatever the gripe. I have tried very hard to remain calm and analytical both during and after the game.
ESPN has really pissed me off. They're a glorified proganda machine for the SEC. If you have to keep telling your audience the game has meaning, than it probably doesn't have any meaning. Hell, they're not even the network airing the game. Why didn't CGD go to Charlotte ? It's the only championship being aired on any of the ESPN/ABC networks. Would it kill ESPN to give some air time to the two most loyal fanbsases in the ACC ? How about a clip of something VT on the intro to CGD ? Hell, even the Yellow Jacket gets air time. I refuse to watch a game that won't change anything but you keep telling me it does. And was it necessary to give Saban free air time so voters don't forgot about his team that is sitting idle ?
Hey y'all, the Primer is back again. From the bottom of my bourbon-soaked heart, I sincerely hope that everyone had a most excellent Thanksgiving with family and friends...and perhaps made some new friends in the successful #occupyScottStadium endeavor. It was quite heart-warming to hear the raucous chant of "LET'S GO! HOKIES!" through the TV.
While celebrating a superb effort against our in-state rivals is dandy, this football team still has two more challenges ahead before we close the books on the 2011 season. Our last game, of course, depends on our effort in a couple of days down in Charlotte, North Carolina, in a rematch with a 9-3 Clemson outfit.
Well folks, our long journey has brought us full circle. The Hokies arrive in Charlotte prepared to face a Clemson team which dominated them in Blacksburg several months ago. The Hokies have improved their level of play since that loss, as several key receivers have returned to health, Logan Thomas has gone from a question mark to THE ANSWER, and the defense has seen growth from their young players standing in for injured defensive stalwarts. Clemson however, stumbles into this game as losers of 3 of their last 4, including being dominated at the hands of South Carolina (who was without several top offensive weapons including Marcus Lattimore.) Vegas has established the Hokies as solid favorites, despite Clemson's win in Blacksburg.
While many credit John Madden for eloquently adapting Yogi Bera’s inane quote to the football realm, it doesn’t take away some of the truth inherently within. Much credit is given to the coaches and players for getting physically prepared to take the field every Saturday for 60 minutes. Champions however, are able to take a winning mentality with them and translate it into success in the face of adversity. For the Hokies, this mindset can not be separated any further from the truth. We’ve often joked here about being a team that turns “a minor setback into a major comeback”.
Yes, this is a retread from earlier in the season, but that mock was so incredibly awesome we need to double up on ole 8-Ball. Check out the first Mock here for some inspiration. Good work last week. I'm fairly certain if we keep Mocking, the team will keep winning. My humble weekly offering:
Damn that was satisfying. I will write that again. Damn that was satisfying. Following our festive consumption of succulent turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy, and a tall glass of Avery Brewery Joe’s Pilsner, we nervously spent our time with family and friends nervously awaiting perhaps the most important football game to take place between Virginia and Virginia Tech in the last decade. I know I did. I ground on my teeth while I slept envisioning Logan Thomas running away from UVA’s pass rush. I woke up at 6:00AM Saturday morning in a cold sweat after a nightmare where UVA successfully bled the Hokie defense with short passes and power off tackle runs. I won’t lie to the readers of The Key Play. I was a nervous wreck.
Story is here.
A great weekend all around, I'd say!
This is from the local NBC affiliate:
Here's a link to the story: http://www.nbc29.com/story/16130903/virginia-tech-vandals-play-dress-up-...
Interestingly, the local news glossed over the beating of the son of my wife's friend on the corner last night. He's hospitalized with a concussion and other injuries. He is a VT student. No details, but it's unfortunate that someone has to resort to violence in this manner.
Inspired by HokiESQ.
Semi-final vs. #5 Syracuse
Defensively, for the first 28 minutes of the game, the Hokies looked very stout. Syracuse could not hit a shot. Virginia Tech turned the ball over too many times and could not take advantage of their hot shooting and their tough defense. Despite this, the Hokies led 29-27 at the half.
The second half started off similar to the first, with teams trading baskets and Virginia Tech building a 7-point lead. However, at the 12-minute mark, Syracuse could not miss. They went on a run that crippled the Hokies chances, and took an 11-point lead after a big run. The Hokies cut it down to 5, but fell short and lost 69-58.
The Positive
The University of Virginia has posted its best record since 2007, thanks to the coaching effort of Mike London.
As you all know, Lane Stadium North issued an ABP to all Wahoos to guarantee that Scott Stadium would be filled to capacity this coming Saturday. Thankfully, the UVA ticket office was able to accomplish its goal... but with no help from its apathetic fan base. Virginia Tech Hokies gobbled (no pun intended) up a majority of the remaining tickets. Alas, for the Cavaliers, it seemed that the YouTube sensation "I PLEDGE" video was for naught.
Because of the overwhelming response by Tech fans, I decided to put together our own set of pledges:
Like most of you, I'm a little miffed by everyone dogging Virginia Tech as a Top 5 team.
It's easy to point to Tech's schedule and say they shouldn't be Top 5 because they haven't beaten anyone.
Fine, but let's look at three other teams everyone had/has no problem sweating:
Oklahoma State
Before the Cowboys' tough loss to a 6-4 Iowa State team, everyone was saying they had an outstanding shot to beat Oklahoma and play for a national title. I would have been OK with that before the loss (pun intended on OK).
But who had Oklahoma State beaten? Baylor and Kansas State. That's it.
Texas A&M is 6-5, Missouri is 6-5, Texas is 6-4. So, those games shouldn't mean jack.
Editor's Note: I didn't think it'd be possible for Box to outdo his work over the last couple of months, but here we are. Let's get out mock on. --Joe
Well, we're now 3-0 on the new and improved MascotMock™. Thanks for the patience and hard work but lets really hit it hard this week. These "people" deserve nothing but our unrelenting disrespect and teasing. Lots of material so no excuses not to help out and degrade our enemies.
How fitting is the annual matchup between VT and UVa happening only a short few days after Thanksgiving. A day spent gorging ourselves only to be lulled asleep by massive amounts of food and uninteresting football match-ups. For the past several years we've casually gone into this diluted rivalry game more than certain of the outcome. While in Undergrad I'd even debate taking the extra day to continue my Occupy The Couch protest in lieu of making the game knowing full well any ramification would be minimal. This year has changed. The light of the fire from our neighbors in the north have gone from a flicker to a blaze. THIS UVa team is actually licking their chops AND believe they have it in themselves to win.
Here it is. One big game that has implications on Commonwealth bragging rights, recruiting supremacy, an ACC championship, a BCS bowl, and a long shot at playing for a national championship. Any Hokie football player, whose focus is not 100% on not only winning in Charlottesville on Saturday, but making an emphatic statement of dominance, should be punched right in the dick.
From a matchup perspective, UNC provides Virginia Tech with a pretty good "scout team" look for what UVA does and does not do. UVA uses a multiple pro-set offense and a base 4-3 defense, both very similar to what we saw from UNC. I have only watched one UVA game this season (the debacle against Florida State) and I saw the following tendencies.
