http://www.dailypress.com/sports/dp-spt-babcock-hokies-interview-0502-st...
Virginia Tech athletic director Whit Babcock has the dates of next week's ACC outdoor track and field championships, May 10-12, committed to memory. Not because he's going to don shades and sunscreen and lounge in the stands at the University of Miami. Because the Hokies need only tie Virginia in the men's or women's meet to win the Commonwealth Clash.
The all-sports competition between the state and conference rivals is hardly the primary barometer of success in Blacksburg, but in tandem with the national Directors' Cup standings, it could make 2017-18 a benchmark sports year for Tech.
This has certainly been a banner year for overall Tech Athletic program. In Whit we trust.
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Thomas Jefferson might be spinning in his grave on Sunday evening
In Whit We Trust
If y'all read my live blog of the Annual Hokie Club meeting this year Whit talked even more about this. Even having an in house version of the Commonwealth clash with every ACC team.
I think I missed this. Link?
Also, maybe this competition with Georgia Tech (instead of just the football game) should be the proper venue for the Golden Sliderule Trophy. This needs to happen!
http://www.thekeyplay.com/content/2018/april/14/hokie-club-annual-meeting
Here you go.
Good stuff. Thanks.
An "in house" version would be fine, as it builds support for and around all sports. Bringing it out of house bothers me a bit, at seems like pulling a LOLWahooWaaaaah and saying a football loss does not matter because we play stick sports better than you. Its okay to bring it out against them, but thats only because they don't really have a football team and because then we beat them at their own game. I want to beat teams at their sport - not brag that we beat them in the ones they don't care about.
Well rounded athletic departments do better than single sport ones in the long term.
yeah, but I'd bet schools that are good at one big money sport tend to be more likely to support non-revenue sports and, therefore, have more well round athletic departments.
Chicken versus egg. What came first a well rounded well funded athletic dept or a quality basketball or football program? Look at The schools like Stanford, OSU, UF, UNC etc that finish in top of the Directors Cup standings and look at their overall sports programs.
Which is why I am glad Whit has decided to put us on that road.
I agree, which is why I led with I like it as an in house idea. But I will still duck my head in embarrassment if I hear a Hokie respond to a Clemson fan giving us grief over losing in football by bringing up the Purple vs Maroon Cup standings from the past year.
Never go full Hoo
Please make this plaid.
Whit Babcock interview Part II
http://www.dailypress.com/sports/dp-spt-babcock-hokies-interview-0503-st...
On the future schedule.
Looks like Babcock is aware how bad season football ticket sales are going to be next year. If we have a lackluster season this year, there will be a lot of tickets available.
All good stuff and I think the University of Cincinnati would jump on the chance to play some a home and home with us. They have been trying to get in to the ACC for years and I would think they would like the chance to show they can hang. They would certainly be a better fill-in opponent than Furman or Middle Tenn or something.
If we're going to play an opponent from the AAC, I'd rather it be against somebody other than Cincinnati.
Problem is, I checked the schedules of AAC teams in 2020 and 2021 and it looks like Cincinnati is the only team with a realistic open spot in their schedule. Other teams either already have 4 OOC games scheduled, or already have tough schedules for a G5. In the case of UCF, they already play two ACC opponents in 2020 (UNC & GT) and 1 in 2021 (L'ville).
Therein lies the problem... the most attractive G5 opponents already have schedules lined up, so we're likely to end up playing a program that the fanbase won't get excited about.
I know the majority of Hokie fans would hate it for multiple reasons, but I think a neutral site matchup at FedEx against JMU would also be a decent option. I have a soft spot for JMU since my wife went there, we've had season tickets during their recent stretch, and they play a fun brand of football.
I know it's been done before, but I don't see the upside to a neutral site FBS vs. FCS game. It just seems like more expense and more effort for a minimal potential increase in revenue. If you are a VT fan who does not like dealing with FedEx Field, JMU is not the opponent that will get you to overcome that dislike.
Not to mention the geography wouldn't make sense for two schools that are only about 2 hours away on 81 from each other.
Play at LOLUVA no one plays football there.
My wife also went to JMU, and I would love to play them for the simple reason to get our bragging rights back. It kills me that they beat us the last time they played. My wife doesn't care all that much, but my brother in law (who also went there) never misses a chance to rub it in. Big picture, I don't think it's a great solution, but personally I would welcome it.