How do you honor the guy who put your program on the map, gave you history like you've never had before, and set standards that he himself is having trouble meeting now which is leading to him retiring?
Nowadays, schools will often erect a statue or name a room or even a building after a figure who has made a difference in their program. I'd love to see the indoor practice facility formally called the Beamer Barn because without him, we'd never have had to build one that was tall enough to be able to practice punting inside. With regards to a statue though, I'm very torn. I think everything he's done deserves a statue without a doubt. We wouldn't be where we are without him, but Beamer is as humble as they come. He is quick to deflect the praise poured on him and credit his coaches and the players. He will always say that "we" helped build Virginia Tech, never "I" built it. So I have a hard time believe Beamer would be happy with a statue of himself because I don't think he will take credit for what he's done here.
So that leads me to ask, how do you honor the man who has been a Hokie for his whole life, lived Ut Prosim out on a daily basis, and is just a good ole boy from Fancy Gap, VA who happened to win some football games over the course of 29 years?
Comments
I can't take credit for this since I saw it on an earlier TKP thread, but I think it's fitting....rename Blacksburg: Beamersburg
And rename Charlottesville to Beamersville, since he's owned that town as well.
He's certainly made it a better place to live.
I'm being overly emotional after that press conference, but I'm of the opinion that you rename everything football related after Beamer and put a giant Beamerface smiling down from the top of Hokievision. It's only right.
Hokie vision = Frank Beamer
A 300 meter colossus cast in bronze, one foot planted firmly on the drillfield, the other planted by the entrance of Lane Stadium, so that all in Blacksburg may gaze heavenward and behold the eternal visage of the who farted look.
Or a really, really nice fruit basket.
I was going to suggest a colossus, but you beat me to it. Only change that I would suggest, any statue or colossus should be made of Hokie Stone.
Mount Frankmore.
Or, Mount Beam-er.
Yes, this. If a statue were erected, it should be carved from hokie stone.
I can see it now...
very Hamlet Sr. of you
That's great. Brilliant....BUT can we erect it in C'ville-er, Beamersville???
I think the only fitting thing to do is to take VT football to the next level.
Finish what he started.
We'll never forget Beamer's contribution, but the journey doesn't end here.
Bingo. Best way to do it is 1) continue the efforts already going on to honor Beamer(I talked about it in the original retirement thread, but basically everything Whit, Buzz and Hokie Nation are doing, keep doing it) and then 2) support the next guy, celebrate like crap when we take that next step and appreciate the crap outta Beamer for laying the foundation to get us there.
1. Rename West End Dining Hall to Beamer's
2. Portrait in Burress
3. Beamer Sauce to remain "Beamer Sauce"
The Fantastic Franks in Owen's are so tasty
In the spirit of Ut Prosim, build a scholarship fund, and make it the most highly endowed scholarship in the nation.
Which you can only win in a punting or kicking contest? Sounds appropriate.
Giant holographic Beamer dancing on midfield before every game
I swear to god they better keep the name the fantastic frank too
I feel like if they change that there will be riots
I feel like they need to add five more sandwiches in honor of him. Just some preliminary ideas:
The Brilliant Beamer
The Coach Speak
Beamer (meat)Ball sub
*All sandwiches served on Beamer Bread*
I'm all for a statue.
The new practice facility for sure needs to be named Beamer. Not sure if "Barn", but can be nicknamed Barn.
But damn. That last home game against UNC: this team better bring it so Lane can get rocking one more time with Frank patrolling the sideline.
Fans better bring it for UNC as well.
I can't speak for everybody else, but I certainly intend to.
Not a way to remember him forever but any chance we could see a throwback uniform? Logo is retired but I think it would be fitting to go old school to remember where it all started. If not then all maroon everything it is.
Allow Sam Rogers to wear #25 for the last home game?
Or rotate the number to a ;player whom exemplifies the Team moniker each week.
Or, in goal-line situations bring back the jumbo package we used to use in the early 2000s with two FBs so that Jerome Wright (#25) can play more snaps than he currently does.
Man, I loved that "I'm gonna step on your face" formation from back then.
Our current uniforms are throwbacks.
Not exactly. The uniforms actually looked like this. Notice the stripes are off the shoulder, not on it.
These "throwbacks" look just like everyone else with that design, except we don't have the longer stripes in the front.
BTW, when the '"throwbacks" became our standard uniform in 2010, recruiting started to slide. I blame Nike for the current state of affairs because they were too damn lazy to give us our own unique brand image.
at least that helmet design would be pretty fantastic. a Matte finish helmet with the three strips and stacked VT would be pretty sweet. a #25 or Beamer way on the back of every helmet would be awesome.
This has close to nothing to do with anything, but I randomly saw Cam Phillips lifting in McComas (not sure as to why he was there?) yesterday and got a selfie with him. Super nice dude.
I'd love to see this for one of his games. Old school uniform, all names reading 'Beamer'.
I like it.
The UVa game?
Somewhat related: does anyone know if they'll sell the Beamer jerseys again at the bookstore? I remember seeing them for his 25th season and I've been kicking myself ever since for not buying one.
I would gladly buy several of those in a variety of sizes to ensure I always have one that fits for the rest of my life.
I think we should wear throwback uniforms and helmets. Every player has the name Beamer on their jerseys. That would be pretty Bada$$.
In case the gif above isn't specific enough, look three posts above yours in this thread.
Didn't see it...but have now...
I think a statue is needed, but I think how it is done should support whom Frank is (and will always be). To him, there is no I in team. Therefore, determine a location for it and get the design done, but don't do it and install it in that location until the time is right (which is NOT for a while).
In parallel with this, there are many ideas in this thread. Do some of them, but they should be in the spirit of Team and Ut Prosim. To honor and respect him, honor him in a way that reflects his method of guidance.
The scholarship is a great idea.
Also, we could name the entire VT sports complex after him. Then there would be:
Worsham Field at Lane Stadium in The Virginia Tech Frank Beamer Sports Complex
Cassell Coliseum at The Virginia Tech Frank Beamer Sports Complex
English Field at The Virginia Tech Frank Beamer Sports Complex
etc.
Virginia Tech Carilion Court at Cassell Coliseum at The Virginia Tech Frank Beamer Sports Complex.
Sucks to be the PA guy trying to say that one.
Nice! Thanks for the assist. I forgot about the court name.
Might be easier to say that the Hokies are blowing up C4! (Carillion Court @ Cassell Coliseum)
Endowed special teams coaching position!!
It would be neat that for every qualifying special teams play, money goes to the Beamer Ball scholarship fund. I'm sure some local business or corporation would get on board to sponsor it.
Win the four remaining games on the schedule!
Going to a bowl game would be a fitting tribute.
I mentioned this in another thread but I feel like a stadium name addition is inevitable and necessary. Some derivation of Lane-Beamer stadium or Beamer-Lane Stadium. Don't want to take a name off or disrespect anyone.
If not, something on that campus other than a road needs to be named after the man.
I don't even know who Lane is.
Rename TOTS to Beamers
Honestly a statue by lane is great, a scholarship, and name the indoor facility. Honestly I wouldn't care if everything is named Beamer, going to miss him. Btw I don't think we should get rid of Beamerball as he made it a standard on special teams. As long as we put our best players on those plays and continue to return kicks and block kicks it should always be referred to as Beamerball. He started that tactic
Beamers eye at midfield like LSU does with the tiger eye
The Beamer Cup
Don't have the skills to make this graphic, but I envision a "Touchdown Beamer" in the end zone, somewhat similar to ND.
That would look nice painted on the back of Cassell overlooking the practice field.
I think there should be a statue, but it should be at ground level where people can pose for pictures with it rather than up on some concrete stand. Frank was a man of the fans and the symbolism wouldn't be right if it was propped up high.
I like this idea. I think it should be similar in size to the former Joe Paterno statue. The Bear Bryant statue is too big to accurately represent Frank's humbleness.
This should be the statue...
If that were done in bas-relief at the main entrance to the stadium, that would be sweet. Nothing too outlandish, just like the man it represents.
My two ideas:
Really like idea # 1 and naming it after Mama Beamer. I think that would mean more to him than just about anything.
Ah yes, the Student-Athlete A.S.S.
The name just screams excellence
Wait, so is this out of the question?
If RR is hired I'll send all my Hokie Club money towards building this, or anything lose CFB wants built on campus.
That would be just So Sweet!
Not sure of the rules for painting the field but It would be cool if they lined the 25 yardlines with M&O for the UNC game (M-W-O so it is visible still).
Long term, the practice facility is named the Beamer Barn.
The thing with a statue, where do you put it? SW corner of the stadium? That is the biggest area but not necessarily the most visible to a lot of the fans since many come from the NW lots.
Maybe have his statue giving high fives to folks driving down Beamer Way?
Beamer Tunnel entering Worsham Field at Lane Stadium
What about his office.....? Seems strange for someone else to occupy it....
In assessing politicians, I'm pretty sure random selections would improve what we currently have.
I'm new to TKP but a long time reader. I'm not sure if it has been suggested , but how about a TKP Frank Appreciation shirt? I have a DBU shirt and love it already. It could have quotes, a voted picture? Or records etc. I wanted to make a thread on this but I am a newbie. I'd love input from all and maybe Joe will see this.
I really want a shirt too. I wanted just a plain shirt that said Beamerball, and it turns out there isn't one? I must have imagined that. I checked with the Campus Emporium and Alumni Hall and came up empty. I then went online, and while I didn't find anything there, I did see that a news article that a store in Blacksburg created a shirt that simply says "Thank You Frank" for $12 and the benefits go towards Herma's Readers.
I would love a shirt with BeamerBall across the back and maybe a 25 on the front.
Players all have "Beamer" on back of jersey for UNC game. I went to UNC for pharmacy school, have a lot of friends who are diehard fans, and while I don't root against them I want nothing more than for the Hokies to run through their asses on Nov. 21st.
CONVINCE COLLEGEGAMEDAY TO COME TO BLACKSBURG THATS HOW!!
#GAMEDAY4FRANK
I'm going to solicit my city (Colorado Springs) to rename my street "Beamer Way"