Yesterday, I decided to finish off my summer properly and go check out the Hokie Club's welcome back picnic. I was not disappointed, even with the rain keeping us off the field. First off, a tip of the hat to Outback, as the food was pretty darn good. The rest of the event was very well set up. There was a little ticket/parking pass raffle and a silent auction with some nice goodies. The main event, of course, was a little talk from some athletic department staff and coaches, including an introduction of all the freshmen and newcomers, followed by an autograph session. Here's what I picked up from my time in Lane.
Nick Acree has joined the staff as a strength coach. He's the single most terrifyingly built human being I've ever seen. If there's anyone I want assisting Mike Gentry in the weight room, it's that guy.
The sentiment repeated over and over by coaches, Whit, and other staff was that we're all in this together. As Whit said, "on Saturdays, we're all Hokies." It's easy to see he really, really wants the fans to feel like they're a part of this.
I lost count of the number of times I heard the word "excited." Beamer, Foster, everyone seems to be just plain excited about the talent level on this team.
For those of you wondering how Whit feels about Beamer and whether he'll keep the old coach around, Whit said that the goals of the athletic department are to graduate every kid, play by the rules and win championships, and that Beamer is the best coach in the country and has Whit's full support. Whit has been impressed by how Beamer develops his players on and off the field.
Beamer took a nice little shot at Mike London, asking the crowd if they had seen a little article about UVA graduating their players before reminding us that, since 2001, Tech has graduated 91% of its seniors, is 8th in the country for wins, and has "beat those Wahoos 10 straight times." Also, in the shocker of the day, Beamer is excited about his kickers. As a side note, I thought Beamer looked great. I don't know what it was, but he didn't seem to look like as much of an "old guy" as he did last year, if that makes sense. He's definitely still got the energy to keep things rolling.
Frank did well not to make the same mistake twice when he made sure to mention his "coach at home," his wife, Cheryl (who he apparently forgot about when he gave his first press conference at VT).
Lefty's quick talk made me want to run through a wall. I can't even imagine what it must be like for the guys who actually play for him. He said he's been a lot of places, but it didn't take long to figure out that VT is one of the best. He was very confident when he said the offense would be "an improved unit this year." They've just got to be consistent. He called Frank "the best head coach in the United. States. of America." Seriously, I almost lost it at that point. Is it August 30th yet? I wouldn't be too worried about the players not being ready to go on opening day.
Deon Clarke is hilarious. He's just a guy that's always comfortable, always having a good time, always laughing and smiling. He was having fans sign his table cloth.
I asked Willie Byrn to sign a poster (the one with him and a few other guys on it). I asked him if it was weird signing himself. He said, "yeah... yeah, it is." He's also a pretty funny one. On the other hand, Trey Edmunds (who seemed to be walking around just fine, if anyone's wondering), was pretty excited to sign his picture. It's great to see these guys as just regular college kids having fun.
I found Whit and got to ask him about the music being pumped into the stadium. I told him I didn't want it to be like some other schools where it takes away from the crowd noise. He said he doesn't want to get away from tradition or overdo it, but that there seemed to be times when the stadium just needed a little extra kick, and that's all they're trying to do. If we don't like it, we're free to email him and let him know. Man, I love that guy. Also, he said he's going to try to cut back on the ads to only the bare minimum of what's required by their contracts. He thought last year was a little bit too commercialized. Finally, he mentioned that the band will be mic'd this year, to help them be a bigger part of the action. Seriously, #Whitness.
The last thing I did was talk to CJ Reavis. Just saw him standing by himself, so I went up and introduced myself. He's a very well-spoken, polite guy who seemed to be genuinely enjoying himself. I asked him how he was liking Blacksburg, and he said he was looking forward to the fall when everyone would be there. He said it's been fun, but now it's time to work. I couldn't have been more impressed with how he carries himself and I think he'll be an outstanding representative for Hokie Nation.
Oh, and Coach Moorehead remembered my name, so that was pretty sweet.
Comments
Nice. Glad you were able to make it out. The rain prevented me from making the 2 hr drive (I know, i know). Your comment about moorehead cracked me up.
Seriously, Moorehead is just an all-around great guy. I can't say enough good things about that man both professionally and personally from the times I've seen him coach and gotten to talk to him. He's one guy I really hope Whit/Beamer make an effort to keep around.
Dude, I'd want this as my epitaph.
earlier this spring in April I went to Bull & Bones with my family. I passed by a table full of coaches - among them were Moorehead and Stiney. I was about 15 yards away and gave their table a wave. Stiney gave me a look like 'who the heck is this guy?!' and Moorehead gave me a wink. It was very funny and awkward. Bottom line, i love our coaching staff
Thanks for the write-up. I'm glad to see the welcome back picnic transforming and becoming something more interesting. Back in the day, I remember dry hamburgers and just seeing the team down on the field before everyone went home.
Yeah, a solid chunk of the team was there, they introduced all the newcomers (the QBs, Williams and the kickers got the loudest cheers), and served steak and grilled chicken. Steak wasn't half bad either.
#Whitness has been such a breath of fresh air.
He can even make Outback food delicious.
Never let an opportunity to diss uva go to waste. Frank Beamer is awesome
I agree with Scot Loeffler. Frank Beamer is the best college head coach alive. He just needs a national championship.
I know as long as he has a good QB , a good kicker, and his health is good, he will keep fighting for the championship trophy.
From the look of it, he's got #3, and from the sound of it, he's pretty sure he'll have numbers 1 and 2 here pretty soon.
Man, I like the way you wrote this story. I felt like you were pumped to share and you did a great job of that. Thanks for sharing.
I want to second this. I could feel your excited and enthusiasm with each word.
Thanks, guys! If it seems like I'm pumped, it's because I am. The intangibles on this team are incredible. Gentry talked a lot about how the guys are working really hard, have great chemistry, and are ready to go to war with each other. There's just an excitement and energy around the program that I haven't seen in my five years here. The youth and lack of experienced talent will likely lead to some bumps in the road, but no doubt it'll be a fun season.
Great to hear about Nick Acree joining the staff.
Its a damn shame this guy didn't pan out. I remember when this guy committed to us and I was so excited, thought he had to potential to dominate at the collegiate level and be a high round pick. I saw him at one house party I was at during my time at VT, couldn't believe how big and muscular the dude was, it was unreal. Glad to see he is still with the team helping with what he does best.... getting frickin' big/strong
He's huge... utterly terrifying. I'm really bummed that we never got to see him pan out under Grimes/Searels. He definitely has all the physical tools to be a first-rounder.
He honestly must have worn an 4XL t-shirt, at the very least, just because of his chest alone.
I dont know why but I keep thinking about that carnival they had on Saved by the Bell where Slater was arm wrestling people for prizes. I think we should do something similar with Acree.
Great write up! Thanks for bringing up the music with Whit. I think it's an interesting balancing act we all want. Preserve the old school traditions while keeping up with the times. You also mentioned you think Frank will hang around a while. We've all heard the bitching and moaning that he's past his prime/when will he retire. The grass always looks greener on the other side. I love the respect he has for his coaches. I tried to remind everyone in another thread that we've only had the new offensive coaches for one season. I love the stability Frank brings to the staff and I hope that continues for a long time.
I was really pleasantly surprised about how good Frank looks. I can't put my finger on it, but he just looks good this year. He looks more energetic, more excited, and again less like an old guy. Maybe it was the haircut. Talking to him and listening to him, I can't imagine that this is his last year. Anything can happen, but I'm all about Whit extending that contract ASAP. And Whit's answer to the music concern was perfect. He's very conscious of overdoing it and very much open to fan consideration if things don't work out. I'm not sure I'll ever see a better hire by VT.
He's been rockin' the hipster glasses lately. That's gotta be it.
I have to agree. The couple of times that I have seen Beamer interviewed this year his speech has been a little faster and he leans forward like he is about to jump up. I wonder if Whit has had him coached by a PR expert? At any rate, he is definitely exuding more energy. In the past, you could kinda sleep walk through his interviews.
There is no way Frank misses Bristol in 2016.... No. Way.
I'd say Bristol put that in the contract... there's no way they get near the money they're currently expecting from ticket sales if Frank's not involved.
I can't see VT agreeing to it if they did, there's no way you can handicap yourself like that over one game.. what if Frank gets sick, his wife gets sick etc, and he decides to retire early? (knock on wood)
VT has built it's brand above and beyond relying on one head coach, even though that one head coach is the main reason for the success of the VT brand
I highly doubt Bristol really took that into consideration. Tennessee, even with Butch Jones in charge, has been a cluster for a while, and the guys in Bristol have to know Beamer is up there in age and could retire at anytime.
The fact of the matter is, they pulled in the 2 dominant fanbases in their region in an effort to sell out 160k seats to a football game. They're banking on the fact that people WANT to travel to watch VT and UTenn football at any opportunity, but especially when its driving distance. They know this game is going to break records regardless of who the coaches are.
I agree with both your (both replies) points, but on the other hand...
1) Let's consider who was in charge when the contract was signed (Weaver. And Weaver signed all kinds of weird contracts, like 500 years worth of home and aways with ECU... gross exaggeration, I know, but you get the point). It may not explicitly state "Frank Beamer must coach" in the contract, but the Bristol execs fully expect him to be coaching at Bristol in 2016.
2) The promotional value of Frank Beamer doing game marketing, press conferences, and events at the Speedway leading up to the 2016 football game (both promoting the Bristol races and the 2016 football game) is invaluable to a place like Bristol, which is struggling to fill its seats for only two weekends (and only six major races) out of a year. NASCAR fans alone aren't getting it done. Bristol needs crossover fans from other sports to remain relevant. Much like what you said, Alum07, who better to tap into than HokieNation? But getting Frank on board is crucial to getting Hokies on board. When you fundraise, you absolutely want small donors, they are very important. But you also want one big name donor who is going to attract the masses (See: Beyonce and Jay-Z support of Obama's 2008 campaign. Same idea here.). Frank's the name and figurehead of HokieNation, so they need him to be as successful and profitable as they possibly can be.
3) Fancy Gap Frank is a known NASCAR supporter. Bristol absolutely wants him involved in this and on the field on September 10, 2016.
If Beamer planned to retire before 2016, I think that Bristol would have made every effort to get this game in before then. I fully believe they got a promise from Frank regarding his ability and intention to coach the game in 2016 before this deal was inked.
Reading my first comment, I could have explained better what I actually thought the first time around (the last couple of sentences of the huge reply), then could have avoided this excessive dissertation of a comment... my apologies, guys!
Is it too late to move Nick Acree to TE?
There was a Hokie club picnic yesterday?
Is that the one up in northern. VA?
Nope. Lane Stadium, Blacksburg, VA.
I knew about fan day but knew nothing about the picnic.
How do I miss that?
you guys.... are getting me. ...too....HYPE!! I cannot wait!!
Everything that was mentioned got me excited except for this part. I know everyone wants to hear the band more, but I can't help but worry about how well this will actually work. I can understand trying to mic the HTs only because they are smaller and are often harder to hear, but I've never had an issue hearing the MVs, or rather at least hearing the main melody of the song. I'll be interested in how they implement this because if done poorly, it will make the band sound worse. Either way, I'll be looking forward to seeing the changes in the gameday environment when I get down there this Fall.
This is a very common thing at most schools. If done right, been to games at LSU and UGA and it sounded fine.
Yeah, with the recent upgrade to the sound system in Lane, it shouldn't be too difficult to get it to sound good.
And if not, it sounds like Whit actually cares to get feedback!
Funny
It's not the sound coming out of the speakers, it's the way they would set up the mics and how they pick up the sound. But we will see how it goes. I believe some schools use several mics placed in different sections throughout the band so that they can properly balance everything whereas all I've seen used for the MVs, granted it was for TV broadcasts, was 1 mic on either side of the band at the very front.
Yeah, I've seen that too. I doubt that's something Whit would do; he actually wants the band to sound good throughout the stadium.
Again, I've never felt there was an issue hearing the band inside Lane, but I'm interested to see how they do this.
Eh, sometimes if you're higher up in the East stands or in the South EZ you don't get more than the gist of the song. I mean, who doesn't want more MVs anyways, right?
Yep... there are quite a few places where you just can't hear the band in Lane.
I applaud this decision.
Yeah. Not sure about that one at all myself. Hopefully it's done well...
Has Whit half-assed anything so far? I have total faith that he did his due diligence in making sure this is done properly and managed by professionals.
I mean we don't have a whole lot to go off of so far. I'm also disappointed that they're going to pipe in more music, but that's personal preference. I'd rather hear either band, amplified or not, than something piped in.
i don't think music will get piped in all the time. I don't remember where I saw it but Whit clearly said its not going to be in between every play but there are times it would be great. IMO the execution of Enter Sandman with 5 seconds left was a split second decision and it worked out very well. I would imagine that type of insertation(heheh) of music is the type Whit is talking about. The split second go for it "and this stadium is going wild" type. We as fans have no idea what #WeavertheBeaver said/emphasized for sounds/jumbotron other than the HokieRespect and way too many commercials.
We have to make sure that they never EVER play Zombie Nation - it's UVA's non-fight song. Every time it comes on, a cavalier falls off a horse.
Zombie Nation is so PSU shower scene only
Wait... if every time it comes on a cav falls off a horse, wouldn't we want it to play all the time to laugh at the comedy?
PSU may have us covered for Zombie Nation plays... but yea, we can add to the hilarity!
Yeah I was torn. I can't stand Zombie Nation. I hear it pumped through the Beaver Stadium speakers seemingly all day every home game day, flooding my house with noise.
Having said that, I'll rest easy each time I hear it knowing a friend of mine somewhere is bucking a wahoo off his back.
Hehe
That was one thing I was ecstatic/surprised to hear Whit say: they're going to only put in the bare minimum of commercials and last year, the games were far too commercialized. He's willing to sacrifice a chunk of revenue to improve fan experience. Wow. How often did we see that before? Or anywhere else even? I really get the feeling from him that his priority is the fans and he's restrained by finances, not the other way around.
Honestly, if he's giving the bare minimum of the contract, he may not be giving up any revenue at all. And the reality is that if the gameday atmosphere returns to its glory days, the revenue will return as more butts fill the seats.
Not to mention the rise of merchandise sales and the national tv coverage/exposure.
He's a long term thinker. If he gets the fans to come back and improves the experience the results are more ticket sales, more HC donations, etc.
Ba-bam. Exactly. Both you and Hokie_x3 have it exactly right. He's thinking long-term and seeing the opportunities that present themselves by delivering an awesome live game experience for fans.
Loved the write up. Got me pumped for August 30th. Just a side comment about Nick Acree, his Facebook status last week said something about returning to his passion of playing football and that numerous head coaches were contacting him about coming to play. So I'm not sure how long he'll remain on our staff. He also commented on the diet he will go on to get himself back into football shape;
"1. Sufficient supply of creatine and branch chain amino acids.....abundant dessicated liver tablets.
2. Drink a gallon of bear milk a day. Plus 12-16 egg whites."
The guy is a monster. But nonetheless I wish him the best of luck and hope that he makes it big time if he indeed does decide to leave and play somewhere. Met the guy at a few parties my freshman year and was surprised at how genuinely nice and polite he was despite the fact that he could probably eat me
I'd be surprised if he was able to. If I recall correctly he had knee problems and that led to the end. Those don't just heal up, especially for someone his size.
No offense to the guy at all, but he seemed like one of those guys who skipped leg day at the gym. Absolutely massive dude from the waist up but didn't have the strength in his legs which led to the knee issues.
Well, that's awesome that he's been contacted about playing. I don't doubt that last bit at all. Every time I've seen him, he's always smiling and joking and having a good time; seems like a good guy. I hope he's here for a while, but if he gets a shot to play football again, I couldn't be happier for the guy.
So after the welcome back picnic, I talked to Whit about the music and some other things, and he told me to email him after the first game if I thought there was anything they could improve on. Well, I did. About a day later (after a very nice automated email telling me he gets a ton of emails and, while he can't respond in the most timely manner, he reads every email in full and would eventually get back to me), he responded. Here's what he said:
I just love the fact that Whit is open to improving the fan experience and receiving feedback from the fans (what a concept). Every move this guy makes is just awesome.
#Whitness