Live Chat with Josh Sweat

By: The Fighting Gobbler

on July 31, 2014, 10:41 AM | 42 comments

ESPN will be taking questions for a live chat with Josh Sweat at noon today. If you want to ask him about his decision date, what qualities are important to him, who his favorite coaches are, ect... you can join here.

Forums:

Recruiting

DISCLAIMER: Forum topics may not have been written or edited by The Key Play staff.

Comments

krak_t | 11 years 11 months #

I know this is the world we live in, and it's pointless to argue against it...

Am I the only one a little squeamish about ESPN getting this involved with high school kids? Sweat is a great kid with what looks like a pretty mature perspective for his age, but...

It's one thing to report the news, and highlight great players. Even so, knowing what fame does to so many adults, is it really responsible to thrust that fame more and more on kids?

I know.

Spitting in the wind.

/soapbox

vtnerf

🏌️‍♂️⛳🍀🍺

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| 11 years 11 months # ^

ESPECIALLY now with the $EC network they have their hands on........
Agree 100%.

(But on the flip side...if there HAS to be a positive, it's that ESPN is national and not the hire at will guys like the one out of Tejas that was on Oregon's payroll. Those guys were true sleezeballs, willing to flip a dollar for anything.)

Baltimore Hokie

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| 11 years 11 months # ^

Sorry but 'sleeveballs' sounds like a bizarre birth defect...

dickeyJHokie | 11 years 11 months # ^

It was over once ESPN started broadcasting national HS matchups in August. Might as well get used to it. It's not going away.

Speaking of Sweat and high school match-ups

Oscar Smith (Chesapeake, VA) plays host to Booker T Washington (Miami, FL) in a few weeks - with Sweat on the horizon and Deshawn McClease (VT) going up against Mark Walton (The U) - think of it as a VT-Miami preview!

Alum07

🦃 LEG KING 🦃

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| 11 years 11 months # ^

It's one thing to report the news, and highlight great players.

And therein lies the problem. ESPN purposely ventured away from reporting the news a very long time ago and is now focusing on creating and being the news stories. Its why guys like Skip Bayless and Stephen A Smith get their own show. Its why they have kept around Chris Berman for this long. Its why they're pushing SO hard to get everyone to adapt their home grown QBR system instead of sticking with the industry standard QB Ratings. Its why absolutely nobody was surprised that ESPN went out of their way to get The Decision on their network. Its why they barely acknowledge the NHL exists ever since they lost the contract to NBC Sports while at the same time pushing the WSOP down our throats every summer. Its also why you have seen this massive push to amend the college football system the second ESPN/ABC lost the BCS contract.

So of course I'm not surprised that ESPN is doing this. They've been thinking of new ways to be controversial for the sake of controversy for a very long time. Its who they are.

nubinile | 11 years 11 months # ^

Always remember the "E" is for Entertaining. And the "N" is not for news.

SpiderHokie | 11 years 11 months # ^

ESPN purposely ventured away from reporting the news a very long time ago and is now focusing on creating and being the news stories.

I agree. Apparently ESPN's own ombudsman does as well:
http://espn.go.com/blog/ombudsman/post/_/id/423/when-embracement-of-deba...

Here's the important bit for those who don't want to give ESPN the page view:

As covered in this space before, ESPN has championed an embrace debate mantra for a number of its programs, including the popular morning show on ESPN2 called First Take. This has at times served the network well, growing audience and offering sometimes thought-provoking, entertaining television. Of course, that also means ESPN has to live with -- or at least take more responsibility -- when that particular septic tank overflows.

The latest example came on Friday, when the Ombudsman mailbag justifiably exploded after ESPNs Stephen A. Smith seemed to cast blame on victims of domestic violence in his First Take commentary about the NFLs punishment of the Baltimore Ravens Ray Rice....

Smith repeatedly said that he thought the NFLs punishment of Rice was too light, but created a storm of criticism when he added, Lets make sure we dont do anything to provoke wrong actions. If we come after somebody has put their hands on you, it doesnt negate the fact that they already put their hands on you. So lets try to make sure that we can do our part in making sure that that doesnt happen.

And the most telling quote from the ombudsman about Stephen A.:

I think he was doing what he is paid to do -- pontification on the fly aimed to attract an audience and provoke it into coming back.

Chachi

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| 11 years 11 months # ^

Jim Croce reference...NICE!

JCtaughtMe | 11 years 11 months #

/soapbox Ill hop on, I think its extremely dumb of ESPN to do this. How many bone headed questions are they going to get? Hopefully this is a classy chat and not one to boast pride/school spirit in a bad way. I just don't see this as a positive in any way. What is he going to say that we don't already know..here at TKP we probably know 80% more than the other people so it will be 2 week old news for us.

ashore13

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| 11 years 11 months # ^

This is only a positive for ESPN. It gets them more page clicks and that's all they care about nowadays.

Twalex | 11 years 11 months #

Josh is getting flooded with Hokie questions. Hopefully its not a turnoff like Hand.

919hokie

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| 11 years 11 months #

Here are some interesting answers.

Early playing time is definitely something I want to do. It's my goal. To be an freshman playing a lot. When I began the recruiting process, I wanted to be an SEC football player. I thought the level of competition would best prepare me for the NFL and people wouldn't question the level of competition I was playing against. I got that out of my mindset now. I think all the top schools prepare you, and if you play at a top school and have success -- people won't question your level of competition.

-This response looks good for VT.

Some schools definitely talk the Jadeveon Clwoney thing, and say I can be that type of player. Some schools say they need me to help them get to the next level and win the national championship. I do like the Jadeveon Clowney comparisons, but I really like schools telling me they think I can help get them over the top.

-This looks really good for VT.

The campus and facilities are probably a tie. Georgia, I can say, had the best indoor football facilities I have been to. Florida State and Georgia probably had the nicest campus and facilities combined. Ohio State also has a very nice football facility. Virginia Tech too. They are all nice. I haven't seen Oregon's yet.

-This could be good for VT, with the new practice facility.

The coaches that impress me are the ones that first try to get to know me, and then talk football after that. Some coaches want to talk football first, and then try to get to know me. The football part is very important too, don't get me wrong, but I like the coaches that want to get to know me first then talk football.

-I would hope that we are trying to get to know him.

buggzy | 11 years 11 months # ^

i wonder if the SEC Defensive player of the year almost going undrafted helped him get over his initial thinking...

JCtaughtMe | 11 years 11 months # ^

Or maybe the fact that the SEC is in a downward spiral?? SEC isn't even that good other than top 3-4 schools.

krak_t | 11 years 11 months # ^

Not to nitpick, but isn't that pretty much true of any of the big 5 conferences?

JCtaughtMe | 11 years 11 months # ^

point in case, the fact that people rave about the SEC is hilarious. I'm fine with Bama fans being all hotty toddy, they deserved that with their recent performances...but when ESPN/fans of other under .500 SEC teams/fans say oh SEC SEC it makes me want to throw up

Alum07

🦃 LEG KING 🦃

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| 11 years 11 months # ^

When you have Vandy and Kentucky fans getting puffy chested because Alabama won a National Title, and even worse, when ESPN is supporting and fueling this mindset, there is a huge, huge problem. I don't like Florida State, but I appreciate the fact they blew a very large hole in this thinking last year. The fact that Oklahoma curb stomped Alabama as well was just icing on the cake.

papilgee4evaeva | 11 years 11 months # ^

Of course, SEC apologists -- those that subscribe to the mindset -- would say that Alabama was uninspired and didn't care since it wasn't a championship game. Just like when they got run over by Utah in very similar fashion.

Alum07

🦃 LEG KING 🦃

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| 11 years 11 months # ^

Oh, and head cheerleader #1, Nick Saban, even tried to play up this line of thinking during the SEC media days. I truly appreciate how Bob Stoops methodically slapped every bit of his argument back down to earth.

"They said 'the SEC this, the SEC that,' " Stoops said. "I said, 'You talk like all 14 teams are this, that and the other thing.' I said, 'You have to give credit to the first one or two that have won the national championship, but don't act like they're all doing that.'

"The year I said that, the bottom half of the league was like 0-36 against the top half of the league. The bottom half of the league isn't beating anybody. So they jumped on that I was getting on the bottom half of the league. Things circle and people only say what they want to hear. What I said wasn't false. The bottom half wasn't beating many people. That was my only point."

Stoops realized he would be criticized even more if the Sooners had lost the Sugar Bowl.

"After we won I didn't have to hear anybody after that," Stoops said. "That's the bottom line. Everybody had their computers loaded and their microphones loaded, and they had to delete it. That was it.

"It felt good; it was positive. Because I know everybody was ready to jump on us, on me in particular, on what I had to say, if we went the other way. That all had to be deleted. There's a little bit of validation in what I had to say. Fortunately it worked out in a positive way. I still believe in what I said."

Bob Stoops responded to Alabama coach Nick Saban's comments about the Sugar Bowl being a "consolation game" as quickly and decisively as the Sooners did in last season's 45-31 upset of the Tide.

"They didn't look like it was a consolation game on that first drive when they scored a touchdown and everyone thought they were going to rout us," the Oklahoma coach said. "I've been in plenty of those [non-national title games]. We've played in a bunch of national championship games, right? ... That's a good one.

"So that means I've got a built-in excuse the next time we don't play for a national championship?"

http://espn.go.com/college-football/story/_/id/11254478/oklahoma-sooners-bob-stoops-bashes-nick-saban-consolation-remark

papilgee4evaeva | 11 years 11 months # ^

Bob Stoops' stock rose in my eyes after that initial interview. Even more so once he and his team backed it up.

papilgee4evaeva | 11 years 11 months # ^

I'm fine with Bama fans being all hotty toddy

That is hilarious that you would say that, considering Alabama's divisional rivals.

JCtaughtMe | 11 years 11 months # ^

boom i was wondering if someone would get this. Leg for you sir

Alum07

🦃 LEG KING 🦃

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| 11 years 11 months # ^

Ugh, didn't like the sound of that. When you're the afterthought as a kid is going over a list, it means you're the lowest on that totem pole. Which is a bit of a punch to the gut considering the money that has been put into overhauling our football facilities over the past few years.

coach mcguirk | 11 years 11 months # ^

I'm just focussed on this one right now:

"When I began the recruiting process, I wanted to be an SEC football player. I thought the level of competition would best prepare me for the NFL and people wouldn't question the level of competition I was playing against. I got that out of my mindset now."

THAT is the hurdle, the freaking mountain, really, that just magically went away. Everything else is totally manageable.

JCtaughtMe | 11 years 11 months # ^

We also have a state of the art athletic field in the makes right now. That will be a huge pull for recruits in the next few years!

petebuddywilson | 11 years 11 months # ^

Pretty sure it was mentioned in another thread that facilities are low on his priority list. Every school he is considering has nice practice facilities.

Hokie_x3_Hi | 11 years 11 months #

Most of the "analysts" on there seem to think Sweat is ours to lose. We have stiff competition, but we probably have the upper hand in his recruitment. A good OV and a good season on the field could be enough for him. Let's hope that is true.

Alum07

🦃 LEG KING 🦃

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| 11 years 11 months # ^

They all said the exact same thing about Hand at this point last year. Thankfully, it appears Sweat has a completely different mindset going into this, which should help us out.

Hokie_x3_Hi | 11 years 11 months # ^

Yeah, Hand was the same way last year, but Sweat and Hand play the recruiting game way different. If we don't have Bud, Shane, Guerry, Wiles, and Frank all trying to woo him, we're doing it wrong.

ohherro

🥁STICK IT IN🥁

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| 11 years 11 months #

The chat is a little crazy with a bunch of different conversations going on at once, so I tried to pick out some of Josh's responses:

Early playing time is definitely something I want to do. It's my goal. To be an freshman playing a lot. When I began the recruiting process, I wanted to be an SEC football player. I thought the level of competition would best prepare me for the NFL and people wouldn't question the level of competition I was playing against. I got that out of my mindset now. I think all the top schools prepare you, and if you play at a top school and have success -- people won't question your level of competition.

I will probably announce my decision a week or two after my final official visit. I was thinking about announcing at The Under Armour All-America Game or at my school.

My visit to Ohio State is when the Buckeyes play Virginia Tech.

The worst recruiting pitch. I had a coach tell me that I would have a chance to play a little, maybe get some reps, but not much chance to start as a freshman. It was pretty much a small chance to play, but not start. That school is not under consideration anymore.

Some schools definitely talk the Jadeveon Clwoney thing, and say I can be that type of player. Some schools say they need me to help them get to the next level and win the national championship. I do like the Jadeveon Clowney comparisons, but I really like schools telling me they think I can help get them over the top.

I've known Larry Johnson since my rising sophomore year. I'm building a good relationship with Coach Johnson. I listen to everything he says. He's one of the best around, and he has put a lot of players in the NFL.

I'm not really sure what I'm looking for on the official visits yet. That's why I'm making them. I know the schools I visit, I can't get my degree at which is important. I guess it's finding the right fit. The fit and relationship with the coaching staff's is important.

The campus and facilities are probably a tie. Georgia, I can say, had the best indoor football facilities I have been to. Florida State and Georgia probably had the nicest campus and facilities combined. Ohio State also has a very nice football facility. Virginia Tech too. They are all nice. I haven't seen Oregon's yet.

The coaches that impress me are the ones that first try to get to know me, and then talk football after that. Some coaches want to talk football first, and then try to get to know me. The football part is very important too, don't get me wrong, but I like the coaches that want to get to know me first then talk football.

coach mcguirk | 11 years 11 months # ^

Thanks for the reports, guys. I really didn't like the idea of him getting nestled under the ESPN wing, to be honest.
But these quotes have me so giddy I'm about ready to pass out! Gooooooooogly!
creepy smile

hunterhokie | 11 years 11 months # ^

anyone else think the school not under consideration anymore is bama?

coldblood4vt

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| 11 years 11 months # ^

Sweat probably realizes that he is an elite 4-3 DE and doesn't want to be converted to a 3-4 OLB.

JCtaughtMe | 11 years 11 months # ^

And looking at Bama's past LB's most of them are not doing so hot in the NFL

ProudHokie | 11 years 11 months #

I hope none of you guys jump off a cliff if he decides to go elsewhere, we may be a favorite but anything could sway his decision. Be prepared for the worst and hope for the best!

coach mcguirk | 11 years 11 months # ^

I'm totally grounded about this.
ears

AZHokie22 | 11 years 11 months #

At this point in time its hard to get too excited until he signs on the dotted line, especially with FSU and Ohio State on that list. He seems to have a different mindset, but who is to say really. If he ends up just really liking one coach or what not...

If he really does like to hear a team say that they believe he can help get them over the top, the VT staff better be texting him pictures of the empty trophy case as much as is allowed