Recent Comments
Great choice of name.
Seriously, can you get any cuter than that? And no, a box full of kittens doesn't come close.
Is he finished or is he done?
They also are largest sports alum group by sheer numbers.
Simple answer-> Football brings in the money that helps run a bunch of athletic programs at said school.
So i'll catch flack for this, but isn't this just football players asking for special treatment as football players? Theyre part of the monogram club like every other VT student Athlete alum. If football alums get their own special designation, why should women's soccer, or VT Swim & Dive?
Don't sleep on Neil Everrett. He and SVP are the only way I can watch Sportscenter.
It is difficult for me to wrap my head around how this could have become such a problem. How in the world is this not a win-win situation for all involved. How in the world can we not recognize that in order to trumpet family from the top of Burress, we cannot just forget our brothers and sisters as soon as the dust clears from their exit. The Monogram Club is fine and all, but not the inclusive "bring 'em all back for Homecoming" kind of effort we obviously need, and the ex-players obviously want. There are more ways to contribute than money donations, and if we want their endorsements, we need to foster their involvement. I don't think they're looking to move back in and eat at the dining hall and get a free hang-out, just a welcoming hand and a bit of grateful recognition. Sounds like it's time for Kevin to step up and get this particular ball rolling.
If Leicester blow this, it'll be a collapse of epic proportions. on the order of the 2006 Chick-Fil-A bowl against UGa, except if we were up 21-3 with 5 minutes left...and still multiple the horror of that by a hundred. Then multiply all of that by another 100.
that said, if the bookies offered me 5000-1 that spurs would win the title, i'd put 20 on it
What's going on with Rogers? Is he going to get more than 5 carries? I'm not sure I love that, he's a great complementary piece, not centerpiece.
I'm looking forward to seeing your chart...whenever that is
good thing I've made a chart for that... Now only issue is when to release it and not take away from what French and all the other Staff Members have come up with/are releasing.
Maybe this coincides with the lack of optimum monetary support from alumni as well.
Bucky and Ford I expect will have more yards per touch though. I am really scratching my head with McMillian. Something just didn't look right with how he was used. He wasn't being protected because he was getting carries behind the second team OL.
tbh honest I missed both of these. which makes me sad because I would have def given some love to them. ky is one of my fav hokies and although trey has moved on I still have love for him and want to see him be successful.
Is the timeout so we always have fond memories of TimeCop?
Terrible news about Kyshoen. Like another poster said, Hokies in the NFL just cannot catch a break. Cody Grimm, David Wilson now Kyshoen (just to name a few) all were hurt before they could really get their promising careers started. I mean Kendall Fuller hasn't even been drafted yet and he can't catch a break due to his injury.
Hope the best for Kyshoen!
It's great to see a discussion on this and what appears to be movement in a positive direction on this issue. I had often wondered why former athletes didn't seem to be as big a part of the community especially when you see how other big time programs welcome their athletic alumni. It just felt really odd since community is such a big part of being a Hokie for everyone, not just athletes. We're all about HokieFam and being welcoming and other feelings that are hard to describe but if you're a VT alumni, you get it. But for whatever reason, it wasn't quite the same when it came to athletic alumni.
Yes, many athletes have their own causes or charitable foundations that they focus on, especially the higher level athletes. But getting those athletes involved, even if its just to come to Hokie Club events, makes it more likely other Hokies are to come to those events just to get a chance to be there around names they remember seeing in lights. If Michael Vick was announced as attending a Hokie Club meeting as just an attendee how many people would sign up for that meeting? Maybe the quid pro quo is putting an ad for his chosen charity in the program or that they could set up a table at the meeting. Vick is an extreme example but even those lesser known names, if they were going to be available for signatures, I bet it would add to Hokie Club meetings or events.
If Kevin Jones is going to be the official go between, than make it so that the Monogram Club has a leadership structure that can make suggestions to level of access or other ways the alumni think they can contribute to the school along with how best to acknowledge them when they are around the program.
I think the issue last year was more that the rotation didn't make sense. I would wager that a majority of the fans who were upset with the RB rotation last year aren't against rotating backs in general as much as rotating them situationally.
It baffled my mind when we played 3 different running backs on a 5 play series. And we played certain backs in certain situations, so defenses could key on the RB and have a pretty good idea what type of play was about to happen.
I'm fine with giving a guy a full series and then pulling him out for the next guy. Or, if you're driving down the field pull a guy out and let his relief finish the series. But don't just throw a guy in there every time you have 2nd and 6 and then pull him out after that play. Stick a guy in there and stick with him until he needs a breather.
Furthermore, the rotation at the RB position can be a whole lot more effective when all of your runningbacks can threaten the defense in the same ways. When you have 3 different guys who each have their niche the defense can key on that. When you have 3 different guys who can all do the same thing the defense won't know what set of plays to expect based on the RB lined up behind the line since they all can execute all of the plays.
Think of it more as a multi-back system, just without multiple backs on the field at the same time. This offense is designed to keep guys fresh by rotating them, but running at a high tempo to get guys in a rhythm. Lots of times last year McMillian was gassed and folks were screaming (as much as one can scream on a chat board) at the coaches for pulling him out. This year, he should still be relatively fresh throughout the game by getting a blow more often.
I agree that we should be seeking connections to these folks in hopes that they will make contributions, be it financially or not, back to the program, but the historical numbers show that athletes who donate money to their University are a small minority of all professional athletes. Some folks are just less philanthropic than others and many of them would rather give their money or time to a local organization that helps kids, families, recruits, or women than give to their alma mater.
So if a NFL coach of a Super Bowl winning team thinks there are issues I'm going to go with, there are issues. He is a resource the program should be using EVERY DAMN YEAR.
Even if it was true that all they had to do was ask, how is it that what might easily be the Athletic departments biggest financial group of alumni to tap into in terms of recent affiliation to potential large donations, the school isnt taking it upon themselves to reach out, rather than waiting for the former athletes to reach out. We have discussed on here how its pretty unbelievable that the Hokie Club has less than 10,000 members or somewhere near there, so if you cant grow the quantity fast, at least focus on those that might bring the most impact dollar wise.
The school calls me at least once a month looking for a donation and the most I have ever donated in a year is $250 so far, and here we are with people that have the chance to make the largest impact on our programs and we are not being proactive? You always hear stories of how the players from "da U" are back at school, preparing for their next season in the pros or working their way back from injuries, and they are setting the example for the next generation of athletes coming out of that program.
Especially in the summer, when most of the campus is empty, I wouldnt be opposed to former athletes being offered reduced meal plans, dorm rooms and access to all the facilities if it will help them get that extra year in the pros or continue to pursue their dream of making the pros. Its one more season we could see the Virginia Tech name on their profiles before games, one more year to cheer for them and one more lucrative season that might become the tipping point in a major donation to the school and even if they dont make the donation, just showing our current players what is expected of an NFL athlete year round could bare fruit for many years to come.
Involving those players that have gone on to other successful or even unsuccessful careers can bring life lessons on life after sports, some pitfalls to avoid, and possibly even lifelong connections to make athletes successful even if they arent destined for the NFL. Bringing these folks together might even mean that those that have the unsuccessful stories might catch a break from someone that has taken steps in the right direction.
You dont want to be the school that is just putting their hand out for a payback, you want to be the home that these athletes yearn to return to and improve upon for those that come after them whether by dollars or due diligence in setting the example, giving a talk to the team, assisting with major projects at the school. Some of these athletes have connections to people that could pay greater dividends than just money donated. School wants to get a star singer on campus for a concert, or wants help getting members of the media to talk to students, or something else along these lines and we have people that can now reach out to them legitimately and request their help rather than being just another cold call.
This might end up a blessing in disguise. The demanded profit margin and and the escalating cost of broadcast rights will force some of the bloviating egos out the door. The end result might just wind up being an enhanced focus on... actual sports.