I'm not one much for bulletin board material, and I don't think the speech is a jab at Virginia Tech as much as it is a rallying cry after an emotional win for a coach establishing a culture in a program, but if I heard this as a Hokie player, about what the team "didn't know" and thinking that our team "thought it was just going to show up" it would have me fired up it fired me up. Time to show up in a big, loud way on Thursday and go back to playing like this team is capable of playing.
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To be honest I liked that post game speech. It perfectly tells why we lost. We as fans knew, but none of these players have ever experienced the curse of the carrier dome. They had no idea
I don't hold it against him. I think he may be right. Let's just hope it makes them mad enough to keep it from happening again.
It's difficult for a team to get ranked and then go up against a team with a losing record without letting it go to their heads.
That loss will either break their spirit or deepen their resolve. We'll find out which on Thursday.
Is a win vs. Miami a sign of our spot back in the AP Top 25?
I don't think so. Syracuse, while possessing the potential to be dangerous, was not a good team. Miami has lost two in a row. I don't see how we could be viewed as one of the best 25 teams in the nation.
Yet somehow there is a 3-3 ranked in there. Also several writers still have Tech in their top 25 so a convincing win against Miami I think along with some top 25 losses will get them back.
I don't necessarily agree that Ole Miss should be ranked, but they have certainly played a MUCH harder schedule than we have and have losses to better teams.
VT is only a few spots outside of the Top 25.
If VT wins vs Miami, it's possible to slide in. If they win against Miami and Pitt, I think they're in.
Not that that matters much. What matters more is the chance at the ACC championship, and maintaining control of their own destiny.
I agree with this. If we finish the season strong, we will finish the season ranked, likely garner some preseason respect for next year, and we will view Fuente's first year as a success.
Yeah, I still think the perception is VT had a bad game against Syracuse who has been under performing this season. If you look at UNC, they are in at 22 after getting absolutely manhandled by us. If we beat Miami I think we are in. Beat Miami & Pitt and I think we will definitely be ranked.
By that line of thought, though, you could make the argument that USC, Cal, and Indiana should currently be ranked. But I wouldn't hold my breath.
Who cares? Every time we start talking about rankings, we lose in a game that everyone knows is a trap game. Rankings mean nothing if you're not making it to the CFP, in my opinion. They're just a way for us to argue with opposing fan bases on Twitter about who's better without using actual statistics and game results.
For one thing, to be successful, you have to get used to being ranked without it going to your head.
And for that to happen for a VT team, it usually takes being ranked and losing, which reminds you that rankings don't really matter.
Didnt realize we were the ones suiting up to play...
If fans wanna talk about rankings, or potential wins, or championship games, let them.
Sorry, but when you're emotionally invested in a team, you sometimes refer to them as "we." I'm not the only that does it. If you don't, that's cool too. To each his own.
But the players see what the fans are saying. The social media age has allowed for this. All the talk on Twitter the week following up to Syracuse was "highest ranking since 2014, most weeks ranked in a row since 2013, best team since 2011, best defense in the country, etc."
I'd rather have the team feel like they have something to prove every week, like they did the 3 games before Syracuse. They have something to prove again. They see what the fans are saying on Twitter.
We will beat Miami.
That was a great speech. It's interesting to contrast it with Fuente's speech post-UNC. Coach Fuente seemed to be trying to keep the team from feeling over-confident and coach Barber was building his team's confidence. Both speeches were appropriate. Coach Fuente's task was more difficult especially as seen through the lens of Saturday's game.
He was right
Some of our guys went up there thinking we could just walk through the game and Cuse wouldn't play football.
Which was what their 2-4 record might have led someone (or everyone) to erroneously believe.
You shouldn't need ANY extra motivation to be fired up for a Thursday night game in Lane against Miami. There isn't a team I want to see the team demolish more than Miami (yes that includes LOLUVA and WVU). I always hated Miami more deeply and passionately than any other team in football. Fuck Miami, bring back the Terrordome.
I want to see and hear a game like 2003. For those too young to remember, enjoy:
Muck Fiami!
Whipping the canes at night, wearing @theRealAllMaroonEverything, it just doesn't get any better than that. Still my favorite moment in Lane, ever.
If this team didn't know about the curse at the Carrier Dome, they'd better start reading up on Heinz Field.
It's more about preparation than superstition or Voodoo.
It's never about the helmet color or jinxed venue. It's about knowing your opponent and sometimes comes down to grit.
Do I like us being ranked? Sure, who doesn't? I'll even admit that with the 3 game stretch we had I was believing the darkhorse playoff talk but that's all gone now. So, I give two shits about a number next to our name and I want to win the Coastal.
honestly, if we win the next two games I think we'll sneak right back into the rankings..that's just me though
Yeah if we're 6-2 and in the drivers seat of the coastal we will definitely be ranked again. We have our work cut out for us, will be interesting to see if we bounce back.
Personally, I love the fact that a coach is pumped as fuck after being us. It means we actually matter.