Well, we tried. And we came together. But we came up short.
@VT_Football There won't be a #GameDay4Frank, but we've got nothing but love for Coach Beamer and the program.
https://t.co/rAMP2ewbLn— College GameDay (@CollegeGameDay) November 15, 2015
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Very classy from the game day crew but sucks they aren't making the trip to Blacksburg.
Well....balls.
I feel like we just got friendzoned.
We had a good idea that this would happen. ESPN wasn't going to have a crew covering Beamer 9 days apart to tell the same story. Plus, no matter how much social media traffic they received, ratings patterns didn't align with a VT Gameday visit.
#GameDay4Frank was never about ESPN, Gameday, or even the football program. It was a way to say "thank you" to Coach Beamer for close to three decades of great memories. So, show up. Be loud. And say thank you.
Hey you know what that is a bummer, but think for a moment, how often have you ever heard of the entire Gameday Crew, not just talking about where they wont be able to go, but basically apologizing for not going?
I DON'T BUY IT. THEY'RE JUST TRICKING US SO WE'LL LET OUR GUARD DOWN AND THEN HIT US WITH THE HUGE SURPRISE
#GAMEDAY4FRANK
Iowa State let us down HARD tonight.
They taped most of that this morning, doubt it was a "just in case." The decision had already been made.
Have they announced where Gameday will be? If it includes OKST then I don't think it was decided this morning.
My money is on OSU-MSU. Both rolled easily today. But I honestly don't think the games today were going to decide whether or not we would get it.
I am going to be surprised if they go to the MSU-OSU game next week rather than waiting a week for the OSU-Michigan game. I was thinking they since they were at Baylor-OU today, they would then come to us rather than another Big 12 game (OK St), and then finish the season with Jim Harbaugh vs Urban Meyer
I hate when I'm right.
But of course! They haven't had their annual obligatory stop in Suckeye land yet. I bet Herbie is giddy.
New campaign. #Thanks4NothingGameDay
It was worth the try, and at least the GameDay staff heard the voice of Hokie Nation.
I think they were classy to address it head on, even if it's not going to happen.
Screw you Gameday, screw you ESPN.
The only Gameday I watched this season was the one at JMU because it was so outside the norm. It's become so sterile, so scripted, that it's not even worth turning on. #Gameday4Frank was another opportunity for them to step outside the boring script but alas, that's too much to ask of ESPN.
You're saying u don't like Gameday covering Bama 3-4 times a year?
While I agree it get's really stale going to the top 5 teams over and over again, you can't blame them. It's about views and ratings at the end of the day. If you don't enjoy the programming you can always change the channel. I only started watching this season to spot the #GamedayForFrank signs.
ESPN is about ratings, not feel good stories.
Somebody better tell them to stop running those feel-good segments that
LugenbillRinaldi is always doing during GameDay, then :)They'll give a feel good segment, but in terms of location, its about who you are (outside the FCS game every year)
I agree with your sentiment, but I think you mean Tom Rinaldi, not Tom Lugenbill.
Right you are. Wrong Tom. I think I had just read something Lugenbill had said on Twitter right before posting.
Seems like they're going to put together a feel-good segment out of guilt to show next Saturday... at anOSU. Still bitter about it.
Correct and Gameday could do a program in front an empty field and the ratings would still be there. It doesn't matter what school they go to. The viewership doesn't watch because of where they are.
I was thinking the same thing. If ratings were location driven, then they definitely wouldn't do an FCS site
I think it's more a "winning" thing.
#WinForFrank
Got to get that bowl game!
Is it time to start the #FoxSports4Frank train?
#ACCNetwork4FrankOnlineOnlyIfNotBlackedOut
classy move by them though I know I at least appreciate the acknowledgement our program got
We are a .500 team... Yes it would be nice to have them here, but we aren't a program worth coming to right now. Even with it being Frank's last home game. If we were at all relevant this year, different story, but we aren't.
I'm pretty sure we're .500 as of Thursday thank you very much
Shit, so we are. Corrected.
We're a .500 team after Thu night. Otherwise, I agree with your take.
Not buying it. If the stuff at PSU hadn't happened they would have been at Paterno's last game even if they were going through a winless season.
And they will likely be at Saban's and Meyer's.. Sigh.
Maybe Finebaum will have his show there instead
Being a Hokie means being respectful and kind, so I won't act like a bad sport over this, but I'm very disappointed in Gameday. The show originally started out as one meant to show the passion of fans. It's clear now that it's changed over to something that's only interested in having shows for the highest ranked match-ups. We got out over 115,000 tweets, we got people to travel to Tuscaloosa and Waco, and we had representation everywhere. It doesn't matter if we're a mediocre team or not. While they'll go and cuddle up with another top-5 team, we'll be in Lane Stadium cheering our hearts out for the end of an era. Don't know that I'll be watching College Gameday for a while, not that my opinion matters or will even affect the money they rake in.
Too bad Lane Stadium doesn't allow posters. I'm stuck with an outlined Gameday poster...
Well you definitely jinxed it
I've been tweeting at Whit to allow signs for the UNC game, a one time thing.
Not going to happen, but VT football tweeted out that fans should bring signs to the team walk.
We could really step up our paper airplane game if they let us bring signs in to the stadium
Oh good Lord please no...I don't know where the paper airplane thing came from but it's annoying, watch the game for God's sake!!!
I try to stand up and watch the game but the old farts behind me who refuse to stand complain that they cannot see anything. Then they complain when I yell. Since I'm not allowed to have fun around these types of fans, I have to resort to making paper airplanes.
Sounds like you should find new seats. Or tweet/email Rhino sports/Pete Morris and ask what can be done.
They may have wanted to avoid setting a precedent.
We could debate whether any other fanbase would meet the standard of #GameDay4Frank, but coming to Blacksburg would have been an open invitation for other programs to relentlessly spam them. Would that actually have FIT their initial premise of showing fan passion, well, let's not get all crazy here...
Welp I'd still prefer our 3 remaining opponents #LayDown4Beamer
UNC is due for a let down game
Gameday was never coming. No problem with them not coming at all. But I do wish they put a little more effort into the video. Looks like they felt bad and said he guys come over here and record this real quick. Whatever.
Got a kick out of this:
Regardless of outcome, the entire stadium needs to storm worsham field to give Frank an up close salute for 29 great years.
I was thinking the same thing.
I think Hokienation and TKP especially owe Joe a standing ovation and our heartfelt thanks. He stated this movement. Yes a movement, this hashtag was trending, it had tags around the world and all over the US. People traveled to two separate game days with signs, went to numerous football games with signs and got the attention of not just Gameday but sports fans around the world.
THANK YOU JOE
Agreed. I've been a member here for over 3 years and a lurker before that. It's crazy how far along Joe and the rest of the staff have brought TKP. #GameDay4Frank is a reflection of that.
Yes. This effort was nicely done, and a credit to Joe, TKP, and Hokie Nation.
So true. This thing exploded in the first couple of days, and kept up over two weeks' time. What a great showing. The original article was shared about 20k times last I checked, which is awesome. Great job by Joe for the campaign and Bill for the video. I think it was a strong showing of a unified Hokie Nation. Now let's go out there and thank Frank the way he deserves.
And screw the conventional wisdom, let's punch UNC in the mouth and win the damn thing.
Screw ESPN, and screw the ACC. I'm sorry, I know we're a .500 team, but tell me they wouldn't make this a prime time event if Roy Williams or Coach K were retiring. Frank Beamer helped build GameDay into what it is today. Kirk Herbstreit and Lee Corso wouldn't be anything more than a bad Buckeye QB and failed coach if it hadn't been for VT helping them turn that show into something worth watching. The level of disrespect shown by making this a nooner and non-relevant game, coupled with this half-hearted video and coverage of Frank's retirement overall, is absolutely disappointing. Might not be a popular stance, but I'm sticking with it. Hope we crush the Tar Holes next week.
I definitely agree with you! If Coach K, Roy Williams, Nick Saban etc. etc. etc. were retiring, they'd be there to kiss their feet and bow down to them. OUR Legend retires? Not so much. The very least they could do is not make it a nooner...that really makes me mad. What would be better than Frank's last Lane game under the lights?! It would certainly come close to the Ohio St. atmosphere if not surpass it. Whatever. Screw ESPN, ACC, UVA and Matt Ryan...
Beamer was never a national champion.
And that is why they aren't coming to Blacksburg
It's true.
Hey, Frank may not have been a national champion but he was and is the definition of a winner. So he gets sprinkles.
I get what you're saying, but GameDay=sprinkles.
It would never happen because the excitement would be generated regardless, but it would be cool if the next time they came to Blacksburg, we got nobody to show up to their set.
They weren't there for Frank, so next time it's favorable for their ratings to come here, we shouldn't be there for them.
I was going to suggest that as well. We'll remember this.
I completely agree. After the level of sheer disrespect ESPN showed Frank in the wake of his retirement, the whole dog-and-pony show that GameDay (and frankly ESPN in general) has become can shove it. My interest in the show has waned over the past few seasons, and now I'm done. They can sit in front of an empty parking lot for all I care.
As mentioned earlier, I also only started watching this year to see #gameday4frank signs. It has become hackneyed programming week in and week out. Go HOKIES! On the plus side, it will be easier to coordinate grilling next week. Let's beat a solid unc team, win out and work our way back.
This is what I'm watching for...get the ESPN(1) slot and get all the live look-ins during GameDay and coverage of the pre-game and warmups that we don't always get. Maybe a top-notch crew for coverage.
Could we at least get another 30 second spot on the show?! /s
I'd honestly love to hear their reasoning for this other than "herp derp you're a 5-5 football team". Coming to Blacksburg wouldn't hurt their ratings/bottom line and it would make for amazing television.
They're soft for this
Yeah, I don't understand that. I feel like the people who like watching Gameday, like watching Gameday wherever they are. I don't think people say, "Gameday's in Stillwater? Yay, I can't wait" or "Gameday's in Blacksburg? That sucks, I'm not watching"
#metallica4frank
An incredible response would be a school organized tribute on the drillfield @ say 10am. Get 20,000 people or there with all our Frank signs and show our love for Beamer while letting gameday see what they missed.
That's when the Hokie Walk will be. I imagine this Hokie Walk will be like no other.
Excellent point. Let's make it special.
They need to make it longer. With as short as it it is thousands will be crammed into a small area to get a look at Beamer.
It's not that I'm mad but that I'm just disappointed in ESPN, this is not right... That is all
I actually like Marty Smith.
I am going to DVR the show, fast-forward through everything except this segment, and then that'll be it. I'll be too busy during the day tailgating, going to the game, screaming my face off, and sending off a legend to care about the rest.
Oh yeah. I definitely won't be watching it live. I'll be right there with you sending Frank off the proper way. And honestly I'll just watch it on YouTube if possible. I'll be attempting not to feed any of my viewership towards ESPN programming. If I sound salty, it's because I am.
Trust me guys I think this is going to be more meaningful than just about anything ESPN could have done.
And lets be honest more than most aging over the hill coaches get in their last season while at .500.
They didnt send Kirk, or Des, or Rinaldi, they sent the one Hokie they have on staff to do this, that is a big sign that this could be a damn love letter from them.
Well, Spurrier had a 24-hour news cycle when he retired. ESPN basically camped out in Columbia. Compare that with Frank, who gets a slight mention in the ticker at the bottom of the screen. And while his press conference is happening that Monday, ESPN has no mention of it whatsoever, and SportsCenter is cycling through NFL drama and Nick Saban's weekly media session. I imagine the Marty decision went like, "Hey Marty, hate to bother you, but we gotta do something about Beamer and this gameday thing. You're from there, why don't you put together something for it?" Hell, that video they put out today took all of 10 mins to put together.
The level of disrespect for Frank from ESPN has been significant.
Spurrier also CONSCIOUSLY sculpted his relationship with the media for years.
He always was willing to say something outlandish, while Frank ALWAYS went back to coach speak.
He also at times had some standoff moments, like his "With me or against me" press conference in August.
Bluntly put Spurrier even from my perspective was the more interesting coach to cover. Frank never wanted to give the media much, treated them nice and was never mean, but never exactly open compared to a personality like Spurrier. Who was also lets be honest much closer removed from a relevant team, being just one year after finishing #4 in the nation.
Just look at the disparity between coverages, though. And that's all just because the good ole head ball coach said something quirky now and then? Or relevance? Yeah, he had USCe ranked highly a few times in the past 2-3 years. But we were in the top 5 only four years ago in 2011. And how many conference titles or BCS bowl appearances has Spurrier had since he left Florida? Since he won the title with UF in '96, he won the SEC in 2000...and that's about it.
You can't convince me that this is anything other than blatant disrespect and arrogance by ESECPN.
Fair enough.
I think you are being pretty close-minded about all of it. If Spurrier being the more quotable coach that actually used the media getting more coverage cant make sense as opposed to Frank always keeping them at a polite distance doesnt make sense then oh well.
I think its a very narrow view then of a wide wide sport but you are welcome to it, I wish you a good day and Go Hokies.
Add in the fact that he has a trophy. As mentioned above, Beamer never won the big one. Beamer has been Marino'ed
ESPN is a shitty organization. I was hoping that they had some level of respect remaining to honor a legend that helped build one of their biggest programs (College Gameday). However, they have moved on. Anyone associated with College Gameday can go fist themselves.
You need to calm down brother.
Trust me signs are pointing to us getting one of the best Gameday segments ever produced.
The crew just demonstrated that they have immense respect and appreciation for Frank, they have NEVER apologized to a school for not being there.
And they very specifically didnt pick Rinaldi, or Luginbill, or Kirk, or Des to some out to do the segment. They picked the most prominent and vocal supporter and Hokie at ESPN in Marty Smith to come out to do the segment, the result is going to be a shit tone more meaningful than getting up at 5am to stand behind a stage.
I have no complaints about Marty Smith being the man to bring Frank's retirement story to the nation. I think this is just the tipping point for me in finally kicking the ESPN addiction that this nation has. Generally they don't produce good content anymore, there is a reason why they just laid off a ton of people and one of their top shows is First and Ten.
This guy is 1k% correct. The whole org needs a redo from top to bottom.
They just tweeted that they're headed to Columbus for the OSU-MSU game. I don't know how to link tweets on here (how do u do that, i haven't been here very long) but it's on the College Gameday twitter page. I was kinda thinking they'd go to the Baylor-OK State game.
Click the "..." (More) then "Embed Tweet," copy and paste the code it gives you. But I already did that above, so just keep that in your back pocket for future use.
Oh, I'd been trying to link tweets like I link everything else. No wonder.
Thanks.
GameDay and $eC$pn can go and f-king f-k and fist themselves! I'm sorry but that is absolute classless bullshit! F-k 'em. F-k 'em all. Completely classless shitholes.
I gotta say. I love your rants.
The lack of self awareness in this post is at near record levels.
#notcoolESPN
#emptythanks
#disappointmentrunsdeep
#forgivebutnevereverforget
#ourmemorynowandnotyoursESPN
I'm sure that there's going to be some pregame festivities and honors for Frank Beamer. What if ESPN did a special ESPN3 online-only broadcast to cover pregame? They already have cameras and crews set up in the stadium. It doesn't have to be an elaborate production.
..sigh
I know a lot of people are disappointed about this not happening. This is huge to us and he is a college football legend. But let's think about this from their view, there is probably a vast majority of the country that doesn't care. Not sure why people are surprised that ESPN went for the ratings.
Location of Gameday in no way effects the ratings.
If i recall is more than just location (i haven't watched gameday in a few years), there are storylines and other location focus reports. As much as i would like to watch a show where they talk about VT and Beamer, i just don't see the rest of the nation getting it.
I know some speculate that if other coaches retire that ESPN would be all over it, but not like they had gameday for Spurrier.
If so many are salty about ESPN and think it is status quo and predictable, stop watching then.
I have to agree with what others have said in this thread. People who watch GameDay don't watch it because of the location. They would probably get similar ratings regardless of going to Columbus or Blacksburg. IMO they went to anOSU to keep with the status quo of what GameDay has become which is uninspired and predictable week-in and week-out. But people continue to watch.
Yeah, I mean this is the same network that aired The Decision.
Are we really that surprised?
Not suprised, espn has been garbage for awhile. F**k it.
Let's tear the TarHoles a new one.
#WinOutForFrank
Go Hokies!
#boycottgamedaynexttimetheyreinblacksburg
I'm sure that will help make them come again in the future.
Gameday coming to Blacksburg is better for VT than it is for ESPN.
So now you would rather spit on the legacy that Frank encouraged of fans showing up?
Yep, thats the Hokie Spirit.
I thought the ridiculous length of the hashtag would indicate the sarcasm and patronization of the sour grapes attitude going around. Shew boy I was wrong.
Also, may I suggest taking a more "adult" attitude and not be such a drama queen.
Or just hold up signs #FrankDeservedBetter
Well, crap. The result sucks but the effort was fun. It was nice to have a distraction from fretting over who our next coach will be.
Already tweeted game day and herbstreit, when VT is a top 10 team again I told them to stay away #unwanted we don't need game day to be great, game day needs us, they did back then and they do now. I can live without watching them, they are not Hokie football! I hope they leave Frank Beamer out of their mouths, they can't show him respect don't talk about him then!
UNDEDICATED fans go ahead and down vote me I have more to live for then a turkey leg!
You do realize how immature and petulant that sounds right?
You know what would have changed the conversation, winning a few of close games this year, or Frank looking at the clock at any point in the last minute vs Duke, or an ounce of push vs Pitt.
Mediocre teams, and mediocre coaches dont get Gameday, Bowden didnt his last year, why do we think we should be special?
Virginia Tech is about Inventing the Future not being stuck in the past.
I will welcome Gameday the next time they come, it would mean we are relevant and a quality team again. I dont want any part of a pity trip, schools like JMU can get their pity trips.
go join 11warriors.
Are there adults there?
Did I read that wrong or did you just refer to Frank Beamer as a mediocre coach?
He's produced four consecutive mediocre seasons.
That doesn't dismiss the previous 20 some years though. Sure you can call him a mediocre coach now, but calling him a mediocre coach during his whole career at VT is a little ridiculous.
I can live with Gameday not coming, but thinking that Beamer has been nothing more than a mediocre coach during his time here is disrespectful to him, Bud and everyone that has built the program to what it has become (not saying you or DBHT think that he was a mediocre coach his whole career, but I have noticed a very small portion of the fanbase that thinks he has.)
No one thinks Beamer has had a mediocre career, the last 4 years have just been disappointing at best. We are not relevant in college football today. We are not feared by teams and we're not a 'quality loss.'
As DBHT14 said, Bowden didn't get gameday in his last year, and he spent 14 years straight in the AP top 5. Why should we be so special?
So maybe a more appropriate assessment would be that he has been mediocre lately rather than labeling him a mediocre coach. Every great, no matter what they do, has their fall. The man built a program you now follow and have such high expectations for, referring to him as mediocre seems pretty ridiculous to me.
not sure we should base relevance on whether or not gameday comes to VT. They aren't exactly relevant unilaterally themselves. did you see the lack of turnout they had 2 weeks ago for a "relevant" game? ratings may be high but that show is predicated on the live fervor of fandom.
While I respect your opinion that gameday didn't come because the lack of relevance and that Beamer was not open to media, I also respectfully disagree.
gameday is a studio show on campus that is meant to show the passion of the fans. But routinely they come up short on the fan passion side of things. and one of the biggest reasons for that is they spend too much time with the same fans. the appeal is lost on those teams except for handfuls of diehards. that is not what the show is about.
Other than Corso putting on the mascot head of his selection there is little to no interaction with the fans directly. So why do they need to be at the big game during any week at all? they don't. they could go anywhere and still run their show. and if they spent more time at the non-relevant programs, as you say, then the fan appeal everywhere will increase.
Add on to the fact that Beamer, despite never winning a championship, has become one of the sports legendary coaches. (maybe you don't believe that.) It is a feel good story that could have been something extremely special rather than the routine they will do. And you better believe had they come it likely would have been the largest crowd they had ever received.
so i'm not buying your argument, and i think you calling everyone else who believes gameday disrespected Frank as narrow minded is ironically narrow minded itself.
i think that it is insulting they aren't coming. A slap in the face. i appreciate the video and i appreciate the story they will run that day, but they should have made the correct decision to come and honor a legend. In the end, running a business that is about making sports entertainment means connecting to the feelings of the fans. if feel good stories like that weren't good for business then they would never make any 30for30 pieces, sports movies or any of the hundreds of feel good things they produce.
so sorry, but this is a load of bullshit, and they should be called on it.
I wouldn't go as far as to call it insulting. They have a big game between two playoff contenders, in a location they haven't visited this year with a big passionate fan base. They made a smart business decision. If MSU had lost to MD or OSU lost to Illinois yesterday, I would think it would be more up for debate. But they made their decision in the same way they've always made it - take the roadshow to the biggest game of the weekend. Can't fault them for that.
So we liked GameDay, and wanted them to come, but since they didn't, we don't like them any more?
I agree with HOAT.
I could see a justification for them coming to Blacksburg, but I can also understand them going to what they think is the best game of the week as well.
That's where we disagree.
The show could literally be anywhere and do it's job on reporting college football. i understand they are making a business decision but i disagree with the reasoning of that decision.
If it's only about the big game then it's simply a funnel for ratings to the big game. but they have proved that gameday survives outside of the big game, hence jmu, and can still deliver ratings.
...
Why don't we just set up a gameday-like stage and let the video production department do one anyway? I'm sure there will be tons of former players in town for this one, they can each get interviewed and we can make our own gameday. With blackjack! And hookers!
Hookers! What are we Louisville?
Apparently, some of us really need a vent thread every week.
As bummed as we all are, don't tweet anything bad towards GameDay. There is a little game in Bristol next year that will likely attract them when we play Tennessee
Wow there are some really childish comments in this thread. Yeah it sucks they didn't come, but let's be real, the chances of it happening were always low. Boycotting GameDay and cursing them just destroys what Beamer built by making it famous in the first place and after such a huge showing of support all this bitterness reflects bad on VT and by extension on Beamer.
Let's all calm down a little and look at it a bit rationally.
Agreed. Trying to lure Gameday was never about ESPN, it was about sending off a living legend in style. And you know what, we still are going to send him off in style, just in a different way that I'm sure Frank will appreciate.
Yep. Lets be honest too. The team came out flat as hell against Georgia Tech after just tweeting about it. Maybe it's a blessing in disguise haha.
I woke up this morning with that bad taste in my mouth like you get the day after a loss. I appreciated the video, but I still got the subtle message: "You were relevant. You aren't relevant now. We're moving on."
Which to me is the biggest missed opportunity. About three weeks ago, ESPN had big lay-offs. They couldn't let the on-air "talent" go because of contractual obligations, so they gutted the production staffs, including some twenty-year veterans. From the time that Frank announced his retirement, I always thought that this would be a great springboard to discuss how much college football has changed over the past 29 years. Time to interview Tom Osborne, Bobby Bowden, Mack Brown, Steve Spurrier, etc. A chance to talk about how the country has moved from the Rust Belt manufacturing, meat and potatoes football of Nebraska and Oklahoma to the Sun Belt and West Coast high tech, sleek offenses. What has changed to quarterbacks, to O-lines, to skill positions during that time? How did Beamerball influence the current landscape?
Would the experienced producers have seen this for the opportunity this it was? Not sure. All I know is that the ESPN decision reflects what I see in so much decision-making today. Go for the expedient, go for what is right in front of your nose.
It's not just about Frank and respect. It's about perspective.
P.S. I also appreciate TKP for the depth of the reporting, and especially for the perspective. That's why I will be sending another donation to TKP this week. Thank's, Joe and staff!
You're welcome, and I sincerely appreciate that.