Recent Comments

you could build another stadium for that much...

Exactly. Plus, it makes it darn near impossible for the defense to key on any one guy if they have to be worried about a deep threat, shifty slot guy, solid running game and a smart, accurate QB who can take off if needed. Balance = happy Hokies.

Didn't realize that they had shut Smith down completely. If Barksdale doesn't play, it means Raines really needs to step up.

As the previous comment hits on, its the lack of what I think of as fundamental basketball that is missing that makes me lean towards JJ needs to go.

Big men should know how to shoot in near the glass and be able to take a ball up strong.
Guards should not have trouble shooting free throws, and everyone should be at least 60% from the line.
No set offense consistently.
Clock management in the final minute of each half. JJ must have spent some time with the TimeCop in the off season.
The inability to run the fast break effectively.

Does some of this attribute to youth and talent? Sure, but quite a bit goes to coaching as well. The VCU debacle was a great example. Its something VCU consistently runs on every opponent but with two weeks between games, you couldn't ensure that your team knows how to beat a trap? Floor responsibility and assignment basketball are essential and they looked lost at best.

Its also the player management issues that continue to be a trend, his fault or not, they reflect on a coach when you have seniors sitting on the bench because they are in your dog house.

Given time though anyone could come up with a good year or two.....how much time is acceptable? How low does the program need to seem? If JJ can find some way to win two or three games the rest of the way he might get another year but I wouldn't be surprised if he was gone the day the season ends.

Do I have faith that someone else can be successful? Sure, but that's also why I want us to target the list of mid major programs for the coaches I listed above, because they have proven they can be successful at the school that they are at.

This is unreal. But, we've all seen the figures on how much revenue they reel in, not to mention their contract with NdBC...

im by no means an expert but there's a couple of troubling signs IMO
1) complete lack of offensive identity - no set plays really. it looks like guys playing pick up basketball at times
2) free throw atrocity. now i have no idea how JJ runs practice, but practice should not end until the players hit a bunch of them
3) team was completely unprepared for VCU's havoc even with something like 2 weeks to prepare
4) lack of communication between JJ and media/public on issues such as why Raines wasnt receiving playing time

Just because other schools do it doesn't mean I want VT to. I take pride in the fact that VT runs a very clean program in all sports. Winning is not so important to me that I would throw away Virginia Tech's reputation just to win some basketball games.

Capitals.
Sorry, but that bothered me.

As far as your reasoning, I'm fine with it. There's a DC-Pittsburgh rivalry for hockey, and rivalries are great. I don't like the Penguins at all, even if they are far better than the Capitals right now.

My thought is just the random football fans that just go "Redskins fans are the worst fans ever, I hate them all," and they're like Dolphins fans or something. It just doesn't make sense to me.

My dislike for the skins is actually because of the capitols. When the crosby-ovi rivalry was at its peak I would get so much shit for my sid jersey. I noticed many of the capitol fans would also have redskins stuff too so it became hating dc sports in general. And bryce harper only furthered my dislike of dc teams

I know mine arose from the ridiculous media coverage of them pretty much anywhere in the state. I grew up in Hampton, and EVERY SUNDAY AND MONDAY there was at least a full 2-page spread of nothing but Redskins coverage in the Daily Press, and probably one page for the rest of the league combined.

And now, even in Blacksburg, it's the same way, the only NFL team that the media focuses on is the Redskins. The problem is, now the Redskins are twice as far away from here as the closest team, the Panthers. Stop laughing, I'm trying to make a point.

The Panthers are easily day-trippable from Blacksburg, and I actually know some Panthers fans at Tech. Panthers tickets are also a lot more accessible to students (read: CHEAPER) than tickets to FedEx Field. I get that the Skins are probably the highest-represented team in the area, because of the students from NoVA and the 757, but I don't understand why the true "local" NFL team gets zero attention from the media.

Champs of the preseason.