#Hokies Beamer:"They're exhibition games, they're preseason games. Now it's on to conference games. Now it's down to being really important"— Mike Barber (@RTD_MikeBarber) September 27, 2015
How does this statement resonate with everyone?
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Gut reaction is both disappointment and embarrassment.
On one hand, looks really bad, as if some games don't matter. That's not how you win these days.
On the other hand, it tells the team that there's still something to accomplish. Keep focused on the remaining goals of the season since there's no point in lamenting the past. Fix what's broken and work to get better. In some context:
Net effect? Not something I like to hear from Beamer, but I do see where he's coming from.
Yup.
With the CFP structure this year, a win today would have helped our chances immensely for an Orange Bowl slot.
For reference the Orange Bowl is one fo the Semi's this year along with the Cotton Bowl.
Agree. I knew what he was getting at, but it sounds horrible.
Poorly. It resonated very poorly. Do bowl games not count either? Maybe that would explain your atrocious BCS record Frank. That statement pisses me off.
I think he's trying to shift focus to the possibility that we can still make some noise in the ACC.
He just did a really bad job at it.
Can you please exhibit better?
Flippin Rediculous.....I about flippin lost my shit when I read that! If it's true...its time for him to retire! I invest my money, heart and soul into this program, and a comment like that makes me flippin LIVID!
I think I can see what he was TRYING to say. But that is NOT the way to phrase it. If those are exhibition games I want my money back
WOW.... that is all I have to say. If thats how he really feels about non-conference games, then its time for him to go. Non-conference games are meant to showcase your team and conference to the national media. You want exhibition/preseason games, go schedule creampuff U. I can't help but be pissed after reading that. Anybody that thinks Beamer is still the man to lead us is just as lost as he is.
I can't see this resonating well with anyone. I understand that conference play is important but if the program wants to get back to where it was when the 10-win season streak existed, these games should be treated as as important as conference play. Winning the ACC is good and all, but non-conference is what helps perceive conference strength.
It doesn't resonate well with me, but I get where Beamer's coming from. Ohio State wasn't an exhibition game. Furman and Purdue weren't exhibition games. ECU definitely wasn't an exhibition game. I mean, I'm guilty of saying that I was happy today's game wasn't a conference one, simply because at least we are still capable of reaching the ACCCG, but at the same point, that train of thought is very toxic to a team. The teams that win national championships have the mentality that one game is not more important the other. Are we not trying to get to that game anymore? I'm just saying that a mindset like that walks a fine line.
In today's world of football playoffs there are zero exhibition games.
We haven't bern a legitimate playoff contender for a long time. Frank knows that and just stated it as clearly as possible.
Technically we haven't been a contender since 2014.
I guess Beamer gave up on winning a national championship. Next year, lets make sure VT win all preseason and regular season games.
Well after these two losses, haven't you? Out sounds like he still wants to win the acc which I bet all of us still want.
I have long said Frank would like to win a National Championship but lacks a burning desire to do so. If he had the desire he would not have hindered the program with those terrible hires/retentions between 2006 and 2012.
The only exhibition game on our schedule is the one in April.
Come on, Frank.
There are two.
Thanksgiving weekend is the other.
ugh
So this statement as it reads says Beamer would not care to much to go undefeated... Not calling for pitchforks but you kind of see the ceiling for this team seem a bit shorter
Methinks he needs to look up what pre-season means.
Also this is why the empty trophy case needs to go. The goal is not to win a national championship.
I could be wrong, but I'm pretty sure the trophy case has been gone for a while now.
...and I now understand why.
Hard to believe we've gone from dreaming of the National Championship every year, to dreaming of winning a (down) ACC, to dreams of beating ECU (Which CFB apparently believes isn't important anyways)
Bullshit.
Thanks for all you've done Frank. Seriously what a great ride......but please hang it up now. Your turn Whit!
Whit should know our attendance and contributions will be commensurate with the effort the coaching staff applies.
last i checked...frank doesn't coach the defense...and this one's on Bud (again can't adjust to a mobile QB) and the players on the defense in my book, along with a bunch of bullshit calls by the zebras.
and ironically, to quote bud from another time, i thought motley played his nuts off tonight..certainly he wasn't perfect, but i'll take his effort from tonight any day and twice on sunday. .maybe French will see something different in his film review....but i thought the kid played real tough.....
And last I checked, Beamer is the HEAD coach, so ultimate responsibility for any and all of the team's failures rests with Frank. I've never been one of those who thinks Beamer needs to go, but statements like this, which speak to his philosophy on the importance of winning, kinda weakens my conviction about keeping Frank around.
I understand the point he is trying to make, but as is usually the case with him it's worded very poorly and comes off snobby and dismissive.
Regardless of how Frank feels about the OOC schedule there are quite a few people with a vested interest in how the team performs.
If that's the attitude then I'd rather schedule a bunch of SEC or PAC 12 games every year. I'd be happier (albeit not that happy) going 50% to Florida over the next 10 years than ECU.
Not to make this a scheduling discussion, but I'm a big believer that this is what we should be doing.
I am as well. There are definitely promising "exhibition" games in the coming years.
Oh my God. Is it preseason when the wins and losses are officially recorded and at the end of the "regular season" you refer to, are included in the total? I think they count, Coach. Good Lord. I do NOT see where you're coming from. Show some fire. Your team got jobbed by officials and manhandled by an offense that seemed to be just improvising. For once just own it.
I'm not calling for a coaching change, but Beamer has definitely lost the fire. I kept expecting him to lobby for calls, or AT LEAST a review (The fumble that wasn't, and a few others I can't really recall). But he didn't. He just stood there arms crossed. He should've been throwing a red flag at that one.
Just beat me to the "where is his fire" sentiment.
He makes it seem as if these "exhibition games" aren't important. If so, why bother playing? Is the fire in Coach Beamer gone?
This is the problem with our program. Every game counts Frank, if you want to be the best. Since when did we decide that winning the conference was good enough? Shoot low, get mediocre results. Gotta go for the moon Frank, don't settle!
IF IF, IF that's a true statement and accurate reflection of CFB's view on OOC games, then I think he needs to go. I have always supported Coach Beamer, and being an older fan I have been around to see him when he first took over and built this program. I have a hard time believing that this was in some way not taken out of context, especially if it originated from Mike Barber. My first thought is that this is click bait, but if true, I am disappointed.
The ECU game doesn't count!? Then why did I almost break my damn phone?
I'm glad I'm not the only one who nearly breaks their phone in frustration.
I nearly broke my hand punching my sofa for some reason in the 4th quarter.
I try to not do that as I have broken my hand punching a wall before(see high school). I usually grab for things that can't do much damage. Like my hat. I realize it's silly but I can't help it.
Well, there was a pillow in between. But I was limited in my options because my three year old was eating dinner. Couldn't let the four letter words fly.
My stupid high school mistake was punching the glass in a door because I thought the door itself would be too hard. Busted the glass, cut my hand, and had to pay for new glass.
If it doesn't count, why did my phone get water damaged and I had to spend money in Greenville on RICE to get it fixed again??
He said the right thing in the absolute worse way possible.
He's trying to get these guys to regroup like the 95, 04, and 10 teams, but my gosh can could he have sounded any more stupid and out of touch with that statement.
(Not in the "fire beamer now" camp, but not his biggest fan right now either)
Frank has never been one to put his words together nicely. I'm leaning towards this explanation as well.
Edit: That doesn't make what he said any less ridiculous.That statement comes from a loser's mentality and that's a tough pill to swallow for me.
One of the stupidest statements I have heard Beamer make and I have heard him make many over the last 29 years. Am not surprised.
It sounds pathetic and weak. If I took that approach to my job, I'd be shown the door already...The beautiful part of Frank's tenure is that he built this wonderful program that everyone was uber proud of. The unfortunate part is it's unravelling under his watch, and he seems perfectly oblivious to it or unwilling to confront it. For the longest time, Frank has been too busy selling hotdogs for Stop-In and beating up on cupcakes to address the declining nature of his program. We used to circle teams like ECU on our schedule as an easy win. We're now the ones being circled, and that's a difficult pill to swallow.
He's right that this game really doesn't decide anything.
He's wrong that it doesn't matter.
You either use it like Ohio State did the VT game last year, or you accept it as "one of those things".
As much as I love coach, this is exactly why we will never win a national championship with him at the helm unfortunately...
Glad we were able to buckle down and focus on the real season against Wake last year.
Without seeing the quote myself, I would say simply reading it makes me wonder why I should provide any financial support to a program that thinks there are only 8 games a year.
I get what he meant to say, but he failed miserably, just like his coaching today (again)
If he truly feels this way, then he needs to resign now. Because that attitude has already pulled this program to the point where 7 wins are "good enough". Another year of that may destroy it
Nah, I think Frank's right. Today was definitely an exhibition game. It perfectly exhibited how bad our football team is.
Could sadly be the truth.
If I was one of the fans who rearranged weekend plans, drove to Greenville, sat out in that nasty-ass weather for over four hours, and screamed and cheered until the bitter end... it would resonate pretty fucking poorly.
HEY THATS ME!!!
It sucks hearing that to be honest. We drove 5 hours from DC, spent $60 apiece on our tickets, and stayed two nights in a hotel to be told that our game basically didn't matter.
I love CFB to death but you canNOT say stuff like that. Just come on Frank.
Playing devils advocate what is he supposed to say, " you know our team sucks, we have lost two OOC games and might as well pack this show up". Outside of mistakes made in coaching they have to do something to try and get them to win some games.
He is supposed to say:
We failed to properly prepare our players today and ECU took advantage of many of the same things that cost us last year against ECU. Missed tackles, penalties and dropped passes are markers of a team that lacks proper focus. This does not represent the ethos of our program and will be remedied. Non conference games offer VT an opportunity to represent our fans and conference. We failed to live up to our own high standards today. We are very appreciative of our fanbase especially those who traveled to Greenville and sat in the rain. We need to get better in many areas but we have our conference games ahead of us. This was a missed opportunity but we will improve and strive to beat Pitt.
Exactly!
But that also means he'll (FB) have to hold himself accountable for the lack of preparation. He doesn't like to do that.
+1 for the accountability reference. For a group of guys making enormous amounts of money, they certainly don't seem to step up to the plate when their squads fail to perform. I don't think anyone wants or expects the coaches to burn each other or the players through the media. I think people just want Frank to acknowledge the poor performance on the field from both players and coaches. His comments seem to almost dismiss or fail to acknowledge what we saw out there today.
Comparison, Florida beats ECU & the coach apologizes to fans for the poor performance & promises team will get better. We lose to same team & it doesn't matter it's a preason game. Which coach has a winning attitude.
I still remember watching CFB Daily before the 2012 season began (yeah, remember when they used to consider us contenders before every season?) and remember one of the analysts saying that "David Wilson is gone, but Virginia Tech will plug in another RB and be fine like always." I find myself thinking of that often. I know there are a ton of things that add up to these mediocre seasons we've had, but I can't help but to connect the two. If I'm calling for anyone's job, it's Shane's....
But he has a boxing glove on a stick...
O-line play has been horrendous the past 3, 4, 5 (longer) years. While I wont discount the inconsistency at RB, we really haven't given them much room to work.
I was just thinking this... We are so upset about picking a #1 running back he hasn't done in the last few years and see what happens. All Beamers need to reevaluate their purpose
That line of thinking is exactly what has been wrong with this program for the last few years and even some beyond that. The goal every year should be to win a national title, plain and simple. Yea, most years it isn't realistic. But, to brush off a loss to a team we should have crushed as not mattering because we can still compete for a conference title is a joke. And then we wonder how we can't get any respect on the national level or recruit with the big boys. Why strive to be the best when you can get a nice ACC trophy and go 1-4 in BCS bowl games?
Yea man, no freakin' respect. When I watch ESPN's College Football Live, or any other networks college show, they NEVER mention us. They talk about all the other teams that underachieve every year or whatever team that had a good recruiting year, and might do well.
Look at how crisp UCLA's offense looks. The players even look like they have a sense of purpose. I don't really know where I'm going with this...it's just one loss.
It's alright man, I understand. This isn't the same VT program that we have all known and loved for the last 20 years. An era is coming to an end. It stings, but it's reality.
Truth. And it's still early. Hopefully this will be our last losing game.
Yeah hopefully. But if we are being realistic, it won't be.
Sometimes it really isn't complicated. You've stated the simple, painful truth of the matter.
Dude, I would love an ACC trophy. Or even a trip back to the conference title game
I agree with you, but I'm not sure it even matters whether you believe we have a shot at the national title. Do the coaches tell the players, "ECU is an exhibition game"? If a coach asks a player who played poorly today what was wrong and he says, "it's OK, coach, this was just an exhibition game," would the coaches be OK with that?
I thought the essence of great coaching was convincing the players that every step of every play of every practice of every season is THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IN YOUR FOOTBALL CAREER RIGHT NOW. Yes, only the ACC games count in the conference standings, but TODAY WAS THE ECU GAME. That was the only game that mattered today. And the only thing that mattered to any player's or coach's football career today was beating ECU.
Either you play every down with 100% effort or you don't. From that perspective, even "exhibition games" are not exhibition games! If you're playing an exhibition game today, that's the most important game you're going to play today.
I think that ties into the "National Championship" train of thought. Generally speaking, you need to win every game to get there, maybe you can have ONE slip up along the way. We lost week 1, so we already had our slip up. Every game from then on out needed to be a W. Excusing an extra Loss because we can still have a chance of a conference title is a defeatist attitude, and that is not what this program was built upon. I can maybe understand if we lost a hard fought game to Miami or Gt, but losing to ECU as handily as we did in back to back years is.......well you can insert your own word there.
Today's game is the only game we can win today. That's my point. It's not about what happens in December. Today is September 26, we have ECU on the schedule today, and the only thing that matters in your football career today is winning today's game.
I think we're trying to say the same thing, just different ways. To win a National Title, we have to win EVERY week. To dismiss a loss today because we have a smaller goal down the road is a failure.
That's exactly how I saw the past 3 games when I learned Brewer had a broken collarbone.
That's what these games became with the loss to OSU. If we'd won that game and kept our starting QB, then those past would have meant the world.
I knew we would be trying to reset our offense with those 3 games. Our shot at the playoffs was probably gone at that point and we were looking at the conference games.
I think it was a realistic view from that perspective.
We have 2 wins, I think we end with at least 8 wins.
Refreshing to see a good point on that side of the argument.
The reason for running Motley constantly becomes confusing then ("Whack-a-Motley" is what I'd call that adjustment), when we refused to pull off the training wheels against OSU.
But this point you make is refreshing.
That would be a lot more comforting if we lost that game because of our offense.
this is my chief concern with the rest of the season...especially since Bud has struggled in the recent past with power teams like Pitt and BC. It's pretty clear that we can't handle mobile QBs either. Our defense looks pretty shaky :(
It feels to me like we are close defensively. Two things seemed to happen to us against ECU, both are inexcusable and both are correctable:
1. Fuller wasn't able to go, forcing Stroman into every down service. This wasn't anticipated and screwed us. We should have been prepared for this reality. We will be prepared for it next week.
2. Sommers won the game for them (we win that by 2 scores if they stick with Kemp). We should have been prepared that they would lean on him, they announced during the week he would play and the weather dictated more QB runs. To make matters worse, our tackling fundamentals went to shit. That happens a few games a year for every team and almost always corrects itself with a good fundamental game right after.
Without Conner, I think we can manage Pitt's run and gameplan against Boyd. I expect we hold them under 20. Offensively, Pitt will shut down our RB's but Motley will need to move the sticks. If he has a bad game, we are in trouble. If he plays like he has the last two weeks, we win by 10+.
NCSU will want to be balanced. It will be a tough matchup for us. Defensively, they are much improved. We will need some Lane Stadium magic.
Hopefully Miami will implode after a FSU loss. Duke can't pass. BC has major QB problems. It feels to me like we can get it together. That's five games before GT, I think we can win at least 3 of them, maybe 4.
Love Frank, but I fuchking hate that statement.
Exhibition game? Pre-Season? EVERY GAME COUNTS.
I get it. Still gunning for the ACC, but it leads one to believe that winning the ACC odds his ultimate goal. But..
I wonder how recruits take that statement.
THEY ARE.
LOOK AT HOW WE RECRUIT, AND WHAT HE MENTIONS ALL THE TIME.
Frank mentions winning the ACC all the time in pre/post game and season reviews
All I can think of is Joe Pa not knowing what BCS was, Honestly when does the denial end
Frank needs to realize that doing well in the ACC means nothing if the ACC is perceived as a terrible conference--a perception that it develops after, for example, losing 6 straight games to ECU. If Frank doesn't take these games seriously, we desperately need someone who does.
Next HC Wishlist
Probably not going to happen: Richt, Dantonio
Would be good choices: Whittingham, Harsin, RichRod, Shaw, Fitzgerald, Addazio
Probably a year away: Fleck, Morris, Herman
Rich Rod? The guy getting his ass handed to him right now? Not to mention all his shitty baggage from WVU and M?
Absolutely. Our best chance to keep Bud as they are close friends.
Do you want to keep Bud? Seems one game tends to hold a lot of influence in your opinions.
Rich Rod honestly hasn't done anything special since WVU, he also has a lot of issues with players and their families, not what I want VT to become.
Ok
It's not one game. As someone wrote above, every quarterback who can walk straight suddenly becomes a heisman contender when he plays us. DBU is a myth. Our D-line's performance does not line up with its talent or potential. And you don't even need to ask about our linebackers.
If I'm shopping for a new HC I'm looking for the best HC available.
We are talking about keeping Bud with a new HC. Bud probably isn't under consideration as the next HC at VT.
Would you like to keep Bud as DC with a new HC?
I want the best available HC, not the best available HC who is also willing to keep Bud.
If the three best available HCs wants to bring their own DC with them, and the fourth best HC available is willing to keep Bud on his staff, are you going to pick the fourth best HC?
The whole point of moving on from Beamer is to bring change to the program. As much as we all love Bud, I'm honestly not sure just giving him the job (or hiring a "figurehead" HC who will retain a lot of the same staff) will accomplish that.
Of course not. RichRod isn't at the top of my list. But many people value greatly that ability to keep Bud and D here.
Mark Dantonio, for instance, is a defensive coach and likely wouldn't rerain Bud. But his teams are tough as nails. They are what I want VT to be. Dantonio likely wouldn't be interested in VT either. MSU is not only a notch above us right now, but their athletic dept knows how to retain top coaches.
If he can't figure out how to handle mobile QBs, this becomes a really interesting question.
Not being controversial, our defense stinks this year to this point. He has been exposed by the only two teams with a pulse we have played thus far, and ECU was not much until today.
Please remove Richt and RichRod from the list.
Why is wittingham on the list he was bad at.Notre dame and Washington.
Turn on the Utah/Oregon game and familiarize yourself with Kyle Whittingham.
Tyrone Willingham is a totally different dude
Would you have said that after his 2012 and 2013 seasons where Utah didn't even get to a bowl game?
Who do you want as the next HC? Seems like you have exacting standards. It's easy when someone mentions options to pick apart their resumes. Let's hear your thoughts.
I'd like to see what Matt Cambell does, PJ Fleck, like to see what Justin Fuente does, Mark Hudspeth, Herman, Chad Morris, Phillip Montgomery. I'll like to see how they do this year and next. But of course I have standards for th next head coach and winning is not my only standard.
That high risk, high ceiling, low experience path may be one we take. It has worked for Ole Miss and Auburn recently.
Considering Whits hire of Buzz, I doubt that is his preferred path for the revenue machine for his dept, but could be.
Are you thinking of Tyrone Willingham?
He is not the person we are talking about
I think Tyrone Willingham is currently working at a Radio Shack in San Jose.
That is who I was thinking of. I blame Jose ceurvo.
Richrod is like Trump, you may not like him, but he's the front runner.
Based on Internet rumors.
He's not the front runner. He has the crazy fringe 25% and once the field gets whit(tled) down he will still be at 25% and 2 others will pass him. Very similar to Rich Rod you have 25% who would pick him if given an infinite amount of choices but if given 3 legit choices he finishes third.
Like Trump, I DO NOT want Richrod leading my team.
Attitude reflects leadership.
Kids weren't focused because it's "preseason".
I get the gut feeling that Beamer will retire after the 2016 season. I think he'll wait around for that year (Battle at Bristol, Notre Dame, etc.) and see what happens. That could be a huge year. Wonder if he'll consider those games exhibition games??
At this rate, if he waits until then he may retire after the worst season in 20+ years
Looks like I'm in the minority, but I agree with what Frank said. In regards to this year's team, does anyone actually think the OOC games matter or are a huge deal? The only situations where OOC games really matter for any team are:
1. If you have a shot for a playoff spot (realistically, the 2015 Hokies didn't)
2. Current ranking (up to each fan if they care)
3. End of season ranking (early season OOC have minimal impact on end of season rankings, imo...)
4. Recruit perceptions (but strong in-conference showing will trump early season OOC outcomes)
5. Personal fan pride/embarrassment (up to each fan)
Of course you want to win them all, but today's loss by GT to Duke was WAAAY worse for them than our loss to ECU will end up being for us. And if this loss helps us at all for the remaining ACC games (by illustrating the weaknesses we have so we can fix them), then I can live with it.
I see it as just like the NFL (or high school football here in GA) in that the regular season only exists to qualify for the playoffs. And right now, our only playoff berth is the ACC championship game. Since a win or loss to ECU doesn't have any effect on our route to get to that game, it's effectively a pre-season game.
If you go into a season thinking that you don't have a shot at the playoffs, then you probably won't.... I just don't care for that mindset. I get what Frank is saying, but I don't think he said it correctly.
Realistically, we didn't have any shot at the playoffs to begin with and after the opener, there should have been no one left who had any such thoughts about reaching the playoffs. This team just isn't good enough and was never going to be good enough. What's wrong with being realistic about the limitations of the team?
Next year or the year after might be different, but I can't see how anyone can criticize Frank about making this statement right now. What would you rather him do? Step up to the press and act like we just lost a shot at the 2015 national championship? Pretend that we were the #1 team in the country and we were just upset by an unranked AAC team?
A natty this year was never really in the cards. But there's no reason at all that we couldn't win the ACC this year. It's obviously still possible but seems extremely unlikely right now.
Upvoted VPI97 cause there was no reason for anyone to down vote him. I agree completely with the 1st paragraph -the talent on this team is no where what is needed to be a REALISTIC contender for the playoffs. That is just a proven fact if you follow recruiting. Could it happen? Sure, but highly unlikely.
VPI97 said nothing offensive and did not violate any community guidelines.
Has nothing to do with having or not having national championship aspirations. It has everything to do with owning the loss and showing some fire, instead of brushing it off as just a preseason game. Saying these types of things resonates with players. How can he go out there and demand excellence every rep in practice after making a statement like that after a REGULAR season game?
Last year we had to beat uva to make it to a bowl game. We almost didn't
You play to win the game. If you are a winner every game matters
1. Conference perception--more valuable than ever in the playoff era. A pitiful ACC this year actually hurts Tech's chances for next year.
No offense, but this is a terrible attitude to approach any season with.
Winning the ACC is not a chance at the playoff For starters. Or are you just really not paying attention to how the playoffs work in college football?
More importantly, why keep coaching if you don't think winning every game is important? ECU thought this game mattered, and last I checked VT wasn't in the American Athletic Conferenece. it's a losers attitude, plain and simple.
"Winning the ACC is not a chance at the playoff For starters. Or are you just really not paying attention to how the playoffs work in college football?"
I didn't mean the ACC Championship game was a chance at the BCS playoffs...I mean that the only "playoff" type situation this team ever had a chance for was the ACC Championship game. Is there anyone on TKP who actually held some sort of belief that we were BCS playoff contenders this year? Really?
"More importantly, why keep coaching if you don't think winning every game is important?"
I don't think he said winning this game wasn't important...I took his statement as saying that ACC games are more important. That's a sentiment that I agree with. If he wants to treat OOC games as "preseason" games to get us in tune for ACC play, so be it. We certainly need some tuning up before the start of ACC play, that's for sure.
By calling these games "exhibition" games, I think he pretty clearly said they weren't important.
Otherwise, what does that statement even mean?
It's the same attitude he had about bowl games too apparently, which is why his performance in them is freakin awful.
Not true. Bowl games are exhibition games and they are important.
Could not disagree more. You only play 12 games, they are all important. Funny how CFB was dancing and cheering after they beat the worst power 5 team in the country last week but lose again to ECU and they are exhibition games that mean nothing. Retire Frank, been great but time to clean house.
It seemed to me that this was the attitude that was taken in the second half of the Ohio State when Brewer went down and the play calling was just "Don't get Motley injured" and the D started relaxing. It's also the attitude of red shirting everyone as if we are in a constant rebuilding mode for the future. Is it just me or was Lyson much better than Huelskamp in his limited time? Now that the shirt is off all steam ahead.
Frank needs to go. This team has been going nowhere under him for years now. He is potentially hurting recruiting and he routinely gets out-coached in both big games as well as games he has no business being out-coached in. We had our good years with him, he put us on the map, he's done a lot for this program, but it's time for him to go. A statement like this just further reflects how poor this team's attitude and goals are from the coaches all the way down to the players.
Say I'm overreacting all you want. There is just no rational defense for a statement like this unless you are content as a fan with mediocrity. I'm sorry I want more for this team than 8 wins and a token appearance in a shitty bowl nobody cares about.
Saying "this team's ceiling was an ACC title anyway so I agree" is just terrible. We may not be a good team but that is just NO EXCUSE for having an "it doesn't matter" attitude towards any single game, before or after the outcome.
8 wins would be nice after so many 6&7 win seasons
Couldn't agree more.
This team has no chance whatsoever of winning the ACC Championship as they are currently playing, so people need to disabuse themselves of using that to agree with this loser statement by Frank
I agree. I didn't want Beamer to hold on too long and tarnish his legacy at VT, a la Bobby Bowden at FSU. If anyone remembers that fiasco, Bodwen refused to let go until the AD and big boosters forced him out. And then a few years later after suffering through the same malaise VT is suffering through now, they won the NC with their head-coach-in-waiting Jimbo Fisher. I'm not saying a new coach would immediately bring in a NC because VT is not FSU. But every year Beamer hangs on and tries to coach one more year he puts the program one more year behind in having to rebuild from the ground up when he leaves. Every year he coaches and loses to Wake Forest, ECU, Duke, and Boston College, he hurts VTs reputation and prestige that he worked hard to build. VT used to be in the top tier of the ACC with Clemson and FSU. Now, VT is a middle/bottom of the pack ACC team.
It makes me extremely disappointed and angry.
not for the quote itself, or the loss today but because just last week he was shilling the idea that playing ECU was a good thing and beneficial to us. and now he says it's meaningless.
more than anything that makes me wonder what other bullshit he's been feeding me. it makes me question him to the point of being uncomfortable with him leading the team because I have always believed in his leadership. And i hate that.
He could very well have misspoke. I've certainly mis-said things but after having just touted how great playing ECU is I have to question it. If I was a journalist it would be the very first question I ask: how can this be meaningless when you just told everyone it was very beneficial?
Comments like that could maybe should get you fired. I'll appreciate the reduction in my season ticket prices for the preseason vs the regular season games though.
At first I was like
Then I thought about how, when Brewer went down, a sizable number of us here at TKP were talking about the next three (or four, counting Pitt) games as exhibition games for Motley and Lawson to get experience while we waited for Brewer to mend.
Then I read comments here about how people "got what Beamer was saying, though he said it very poorly." I'm going to stay in this camp right here.
There was a time (Big East days and early ACC days) when Tech players would be absolutely amped for these non-conference games. They flourished at the idea of absolutely thrashing the other team, regardless of their title.
Today, Frank Beamer called East Carolina, a program we traditionally beat up on, a preseason game. While what he said is most likely being misinterpreted, WE USED TO BEAT THE SHIT OUT OF TEAMS IN THESE GAMES AND HE CALLED IT A PRESEASON GAME AFTER WE LOST.
I'm not sure what has happened to this program. No, this is not one game. This goes way, way back. 2006, we messed around and nearly lost to Cincinnati. 2007, we beat ECU 17-7, lost to LSU 48-7, then beat Ohio 28-7 in a very sloppy showing. 2008, we lost to ECU in the opener, beat Furman while only scoring 24 points, and messed around with Western Kentucky. 2010, we lost to JMU. 2011, we messed around with ECU and Arkansas State. Then things completely hit the fan in 2012.
This team is missing the fire it used to show in these non-conference games. I'd like to see it come back. I'd like to see us up 56-0 at halftime (2002 Arkansas State). I'd like to see players jumping all over each other in congratulations after making a sack or picking up a big run. That is missing right now in the program, and I think it is pretty evident that it falls on the coaching staff. Especially when your head coach is quoted as saying that this is a preseason game.
I'm probably still working off some anger from today's game, and definitely need to think on this for a while when I calm down. But my gut reaction is...confusion really. But I do know one thing for DAMN sure, and that is that Meyer, Saban, hell insert the name of any even remotely successful major college football coach, don't think of OOC games as being "exhibitions".
You only have the right to call this a "pre-season" game if you win it.
If you lose it, it was your superbowl. If you lose it, you lose some respect. And in today's football environment, respect is what gets you to the playoffs or a national championship. Not this year, but another year.
I get what he meant, but it would have been better left unsaid. It would have been better to have said "Tomorrow we start with a clean slate in the ACC."
I think that's really what he meant, anyway.
It was a "fire" me type quote. Now I'm not saying we should fire him at all. However that basically was a fuck this shit I'll try to do better next weeek.
I imagined Beamer doing the big balls dance while saying these games don't matter.
If that's what he meant then he needs to resign.
College football unfortunately isn't for fun anymore, especially not for the schools. No business would keep someone around that doesn't care about being successful
This may be the worst thing I have ever heard Beamer say, and he's had quite a few head-scratchers over these last 900 years of coaching at Tech. Like the guy above said, "attitude reflects leadership". If that's the attitude of the coaches and players, then we've got a loser's mentality. I can't believe that Virginia Tech football, the team that I love, has come to this. What an embarrassment.
If the head coach treats OOC games as "exhibitions" even though they count in the W-L column, then of course they aren't going to be ready to play.
Yes, I'm worried if everyone else doesn't agree
Quotes like that are why I stopped donating to HokieClub. All games matter. He didn't word it poorly. That's his mentality nowadays. That kind of mentality won't get the program to the top levels of college football.
If fans want "top level" college athletic programs, everybody's contributions matter, starting with the coaches and ending with Hokie Club donations. Everyone has a part to play.
Beamer is near the end of his coaching career, and he really has taken the program to a different level. Someone else will have to take it to the next level. But that's going to require good leadership AND fan sponsorship.
Hokie Club donations also support the basketball program, which in my opinion will be improving over the next several years.
WTFBEAMER!
This isn't news. He has always said the real season was conference play. I can remember him saying that back 10 years ago on TTL.
This must be the attitude that helped us win the ACC after the JMU debacle.
And I guess it helped us lose to JMU, as well.
So this week it doesn't matter but my next week you're supposed to have the team ready to play for the games that do matter?
It's a BAD look. There is no other way to spin this comment. Other OOC teams seem to have no trouble acting like the games matter when they play us.
This is how Frank used to look at bowl games. And that's why our record in those during his streak is pathetic. If that attitude applies to regular season games now too, then what is the point? Maybe Whit needs to make these exhibition games against the Furmans of the world free for our fans that give more of a shit than our coach. If he honestly believes that, I have no idea how you could motivate a 19-20 year old to care much about them.
What will his excuse be next week when Pitt runs the ball down our throats or when NC State runs gangbusters with their mobile QB in front of a less than full Lane crowd.
"What will his excuse be next week when Pitt runs the ball down our throats or when NC State runs gangbusters with their mobile QB in front of a less than full Lane crowd."
" We are still in the hunt" that is what he'll say.
Loser mentality here! I see an old man that has lost sight of a dream. Too many years chasing it and he is worn out. I used to think Bud should get his shot but don't support that either. If Sir Shane takes the helm I am really out of here. Pathetic statementl
Every game counts. If they were preseason games, he shouldn't have been playing his starting Qb against Ohio State, or any of the starters for that matter.
Tough to keep ponying up for season tickets every year for so many preseason games.
This is the attitude of a sour grapes fan, but should never be the attitude of a coach.
This is what I wanted to hear today:
"Today was dammed disappointing and we saw a lot of things we don't want to do again. We have to get better and you'll see the results of our work this week against Pitt. And I'm gonna go out back and slap Shane upside the head for not giving Travon more carries."
But, as a fan who can do nothing but be hopeful, I'm now praying for a 2004 style season where we don't drop another and get to a good bowl.
Can't wait until his retirement, hopefully whit cleans house and gets us a much younger coaching staff that has some fire left in it...
I can't imagine Whitt is happy with hearing that; and on top of the player fines fiasco, is starting to seriously work the phones for Frank's replacement.
As for Frank his job one today is to go full Bobby Cox channeling George Patton with the head of officials and or Swofford and getting the penalty against Huelskamp rescinded. I'd actually be happy if he get fined/suspended for a game for pushing this and publicly calling them out for the two calls. If he won't even attempt to protect his players I'm hard pressed to see how they care for him or the program.
At least I now know why players like Hand and Nnadi choose to play elsewhere. This really hurts my perception of Beamer
This, sadly, is probably part of that equation.
I can't speak for how Beamer comes across when you are sitting in his office. But if there is a whiff of this kind of mentality, I would go in the other direction too if I was an elite recruit.
Disappointment. That has been the theme over the last several years. There was so much hope going into this season. It's a real let-down when the chips don't fall your way, but it's an even bigger let down when the head ball coach starts making lame excuses for these pathetic performances. I don't understand the angle. Frank shouldn't be patting his players on the back and handing them participation awards. He should be pissed off. He should be adamant that these kind of performances are unacceptable and declare that these issues will be fixed. Behind closed doors I expect Frank to work the players really hard this week. I don't know if that will happen. But when he's addressing the public, its disappointing and embarrassing when he passes this game off as unimportant. That's just not the case, Frank.
this is a very good description of what I believe has been the theme of our program since Tyrod left: complacency
or in language frank can understand: a lack of want-to
Disappointed but not surprised. He's always hinted that this is the mindset, now he's just admitting it.
We've officially entered the Bobby Bowden old man in a job for too long in a game that has passed him by phase of the Beamer Era. At this point, every year Beamer remains as coach is another delay in the time it will take to get us back to where we should be as a program. I just hope we don't set ourselves too far back in the process.
I wonder if Frank would like to vacate all those pre-season wins from his record if that's what they are to him. Not the winningest active coach now are you?
And if we do win out this loss will be the primary reason we aren't in the playoffs.
Just a stupid comment all around from our head coach. And an even worse mindset to have.
at this point, does anybody really see this as a likely scenario? ECU is not a garbage team but they're not a very good team either. I'd say that at least 3 of the teams in the ACC that we're going to play this year are better than ECU. If we can't beat ECU I seriously doubt we have the horses to run the table in the ACC.
For the first time since I've been a fan of VT football, our offense has looked better than our defense pretty consistently through the first 4 games. That concerns me..
I think it's possible, although not the most likely scenario, that we get through ACC play with two more losses. In that case, we'd have a pretty good chance of winning the Coastal (since no team since 2011 has gotten out of the Coastal with fewer than two conference losses). That's my realistic best-case ceiling for this year. Once you get into conference championships, anything can happen since it's one game.
I hope we win out and Frank raises a middle finger to each and every one of us. Unfortunately.....I just....I don't see that happening in the slightest.
The winning out, or Frank flipping the bird on national TV? ;)
I'd say we have about the same chance for both to happen and that hovers right around -1% lol
He sure didn't say this after we beat Ohio State last year...this is a recurring pattern with Beamer, he overhypes wins (granted OSU last year was a big one but dancing with a hat on sideways after beating a very poor Purdue team...seriously?) and then overlooks bad/really bad ones.
He's an unabashed self-promoter when things are going well but is overly sensitive when things haven't gone his way. He should be more level-headed, like he used to be in the beginning of our ascent as a football program.
Got to call you on bashing his dancing with the team after a win. What would you like the HC to do not have fun with his KIDS! The team seemed to enjoy seeing it, former players don't seem to mind. Call out the teams prep etc but come on man.
what's the point of celebrating after an exhibition game?
This is the FB I have known since 2004. The ceiling has always been ACC championship, but if we somehow win the bowl game that's great. He will never be fired up in an interview and bash the other team. We have been very fortunate from 2004-2011 to string together 10+ wins that long. We had the right group of coaches and the right quarterback (Randall, Marcus, Tyrod, Logan) at the right time with a little bit of luck in the middle. When the fans clamored for change we lost that group of coaches and we're not able to secure the offensive coaches we needed to be successful. In that string of success, we just didn't have that extra umph to win it all (bowl games included). To argue (what if frank was gone/stinespring was fired/what if Marcus obeyed the law/what if we had more 5 stars/o-line was better/if frank had more fire, etc.) is futile. The discussion is great, just not when we start hurting each other. We were definitely spoiled with the success we did enjoy for as long as we did. I think the administration will figure out what needs to be done at the end of the day, but in the meantime, I am going to enjoy Virginia Tech football for the collective joy it brings me every season (the camaraderie with friends, the delicious game-day food, the feeling I get when I hear enter sandman and see the Hokie Bird running out onto the field) win or lose. That's what keeps me going now every year. It's hard to not be emotionally connected to a team you care about so much, but at the end of the day life is too short. Go Hokies!
Not surprising
We here it every year
Lets see if this rings a bell
Beamer, who was glassy-eyed afterward, summed up the game like this: "I thought we had it a couple times and then didn't have it. I thought they made some great plays and we helped them a little bit. But that's the way it is. We have our conference to look forward to and we have to get past this one and move on."
Loss to Cincinnati 2012.
I've heard many other times too.
Beamer knows what we all know; the season doesn't start until we're playing nooners in front an apathetic crowd. Am I right?
I've been a Beamer apologist. A year ago I would have shrugged this quote off as "classic Beamer." He's never been great at the words good. But no matter the context, you can't say this after losing to ECU two years in a row. You can't say this after losing to ECU by making the same mistakes you made a year ago. You can't say this while fielding the same mistake prone, uninterested looking team that has lost these types of games for four years. You can't say this because it shows how unaware of the current state of your program you are.
If I'm UVA, I'm giving Muffin Top Ruffin a call ( anyone see the one man wet t-shirt contest he was having before the half? ESPN finally gets us a clear camera shot on the field, & it's of wet moobs. Thanks). I can't imagine he'd cost much, & he's proven that he can beat us.
See everyone at Pitt. If we look like we did this week, I'm spending the rest of my Saturday's eating Wendy's BBQ while watching Dr. Ken. Cheer or lose your seat!
I hate to have to admit it, but the fact he made that comment no matter the context, shows it time for him to retire. The players, the other coaches, and us fans/supporters invest way to much for him to only be interested in winning the division. And I guess the "biggest event ever at tech"(OSU game) should have been a whole helluva lot cheaper since it was only an exhibition game. This should be and needs to be the nail in his coaching career coffin. I for one won't give another $ or attend another game while he is still head coach. And that pains me to say
Topping it all off frank essentially dismisses as meaningless a good win by his professed buddy Ruffin McNeil. Beautiful
It is this mindset that leaves our Nat Champ trophy case empty.... Seems they can't win games when they should...mindset going in drives result
even though Bieliema is a douche canoe at least he has some accountability.. just once I would love to hear Beamer say we got out coached out played and out classed.
Rodgers blames the players for losses now, apparently. So, we're screwed with our coaches/managers until changes are made, aren't we? Neither guy is willing to take accountability for the performance on the field.
#Rogers4Coach
oh dear lord between LFC and VT its been an atrocious start to the year..
i feel your pain, i sincerely do. only been waiting since 1990 for a championship by either team (coincidentally that was my freshman year at VT)...still, could be worse. imagine if you're a chelsea/UVa fan. yikes.
CFB helped me make an important decision....I'm going to forgo the Pitt game and attend a family/friend gathering. If he isn't committed to every game then why should I be? I'm a little older than some of you and I have really enjoyed the rise of VT football, but we are headed back to 1987 levels if changes aren't made. I am purposefully not selling my 4 tickets in section 10 because I want Whitt to see plenty of empty seats...not just in the upper decks. I know I don't make or break the program but it is my only way to protest.
What, the first game of the season?
I think this emotional thread has blurred two very different things: Coach Beamer downplaying a loss and Coach Beamer down playing the importance of a game prior to playing. You will never convince me that this staff didn't do everything in their power to get this team ready to play for a W. It is a very different thing to attempt to keep spirits high after a loss than saying games are not important. Beamer has never been a smooth talker, so I'm not surprised to hear these comments at all.
Now for all those that like to say they aren't donating, or aren't attending, or aren't watching games because Beamer has shown that it isn't important, I say this: You were either looking for a reason to stop anyway, or you are saying unreasonable emotional things after a painful loss. I hope it's just the latter and will fade away as the week goes by.
My $$ is already spent so the investment is there, but for 1 week I'm going to put something else in front of VT football. I'll be back and will probably be at UVA for the last game. I support the program and the school (2x graduate and season ticket holder). I just feel like it is time to change leadership. You may disagree as is your right, but my opinion is that CFB is not the right coach for VT anymore.
For all those fans who say they are going to skip going to games to protest Frank's stupid statement, I will be there and cheering for the players who will be trying their best to win the damn games.
Same here. It's hard to draw the line between supporting the players and not supporting a coach who made a dumb comment. I choose to be at the game and support the team I love. Although, I can understand the viewpoints of those who choose not to go.
Oh great and now we start the time of the year where we start infighting among the fan base on who the better, out shall I say who the True Hokies are...
All I will say is
No one walked up to Beamer, asked him what he thought of out of conference games and he said they don't matter. He was addressing his team based on the current situation. He is trying the get them to look forward and focus on the new goal, which is winning the ACC.
The sad thing, to me, is that I believe this is actually how CFB looks at it. Ever since I can remember, in spring and summer interviews, Frank always says "Our goal is to win our division and go to the ACCCG". This has always sat very poorly with me. To me, it sounds like that is his ultimate goal. He is perfectly happy with us winning our division and playing for an ACC championship. I would much rather have him say "Our goal is to win the ACC and play for a NATIONAL Championship. I just think that he goes into every season only playing for a Conference Championship as opposed to a National Championship. I get the whole thing about being realistic, but if your goal isn't to win the National Championship, why would we continue to pay him gobs of money and keep him around? Is everyone content with losing to ECU and GT and Miami and whoever else and squeaking into the ACCCG? It just doesn't make sense to me. Yes, going 10-2 in the regular season is a good season. But we still continue to suck in big games and bowl games. Our 1 BCS bowl win the past 15 years was against Cincinnati..........
I think all the resonates with high school recruits. IMO, this is why we do not land the big time 5* recruits on a regular basis, because these are the kids who are playing to win NATIONAL Championships, not Conference Championships. This is purely speculation and I have no facts to back this up, but I would bet that during the recruiting process, Beamer talks to kids about how they can come to Tech and help us win Conference Championships and play in bowl games year in and year out. Whereas on the other hand, Nick Saban and Urban Meyer tell kids that they can come in and contribute to winning their conference, getting a playoff berth and then help win a National Championship.
Frankly, I think the big time high school recruits simply don't see us as ever competing for a National Championship again while Frank Beamer is here. I know that it all depends on what certain kids look for out of a program which is why we are still able to land some every now and then, but as competitors, isn't every athlete looking to win the highest level championship they are capable of winning? I know from my days of competing in high school sports, I would have much rather been a piece of a State Championship team than be a star on an average team. To me, that's just what it is all about, winning it all, and that isn't the attitude of CFB and I believe recruits see that.
Rant over.
P.S. I love Frank Beamer and appreciate everything he has done for this program. We just won't win a NC with him as our coach.