Recent Comments

If the NCAA really wanted to do something useful it would pass a rules to protect kids such as:
1) Zero contact before high school. No calls, visits, tweets.. nothing.
2) Can only send offer during a kid's junior year. No verbal, written, social media, hand shake, wink, etc offer of any kind before that.
3) Can only send academic, school material and football program knowledge prior to junior year to assist kids in making informed decisions and not just "loving the coach visit" of a person that may actually leave the program or get fired.

This would solve a lot of problems.

My car has a cassette player...

Does that make me old?

Agreed. Anytime someone would hold up O'Cain as a great QB coach based on Tyrod I about had an aneurysm.

They'd say he fixed Tyrod's "hitch". I remember clearly that was on the agenda, but then Tyrod came into spring practice the next year with the hitch gone, courtesy of Tyrod and his dad working it out during the offseason.

Add in the rb's & the wr's TT had to work with, and TT's mobility to get out of pressure that LT couldn't, and you can't help but question what did O'Cain really do with him.

Then we have LT, and O'Cain famously trying to blame QB issues on Whitfield who is roundly acknowledged to be among the best in his field. That was the moment I knew in my heart the LT was not going to be able to follow up on his debut season in a positive manner, if, for no other reason, than his position coach was entirely too egotistical to hold himself accountable, accept outside counsel, and help improve LT.

O'Cain may have been a good QB coach once. I don't know his history that well.

But I think there is a lot of evidence that his incompetence with LT actively derailed LT's development.

So, in short: Glad O'Cain is gone, and praying every evening to my Hokie Bird totem and a bottle of vintage Wild Turkey that we can hold onto Loeffler for many more years.

Or, you know, be smart/responsible with the money you do get.

< cough > Jimmy Williams < cough >

*jumps to 5 years in the future*

I posted this on the other Ballein Interview thread so forgive the repost. it seems most people came to French's thread for the discussion. I just wanted to add that I think there are LOTS of ways that HC could be attracting more money.

My thoughts from the other thread:

It's clear that HC and fundraising is the #1 issue for the new AD. It's also clear that VT has a lot of needs other than football. I personally have worked with projects that have required fundraising for events, construction of sports and entertainment facilities etc and generally the best way to get a stagnant base to energize is by offering them bait.

For example new facilities are generally sent out for design-build contracts. The advantage here is cost and efficiency. However, the disadvantage is that the design level is not as high. I don't mean to disparage the designers on TKP that work for these companies and I know some here bid for VT projects, but in this day an age world famous design companies are clamoring for work. It used to be I would do a competition and only compete against one company like Fosters or Herzog&DM. But these days these companies are pursuing EVERY legitimate project. VT should branch out and draw attention to the process. Fans would love it. Boosters would love it and could vote for their favorite. Money would come.

Pressure HC to find new management and I am going to add completely overhaul the School's alumni network as well. I live overseas and VT alumni association cannot even tell me a single other Hokie that lives in the same country as me. There is no coordination with either group and no crossover coordination. These two groups should be working hand-in-hand and for a TECH school have one of the most advanced online/social media networking capabilities of ANY school.

Bundle rewards. (This may already be happening. i really don't know) Most HC members are contributing for football but usually creating a personalized reward is something quite attractive for boosters. For example, how about if you contribute a certain level you get a name placard on a seat. That placard could be replaced every year. Your seat could be in Lane, Cassell, the softball field or really any sport depending upon how much you donate.

I realize there are lots of functions for boosters but I read somewhere once that Bama holds random lotteries to reward boosters. For example, a vacation for 2 to the Bahamas, a new car, etc. (Again, maybe HC/VT does this) If I remember correctly these prizes are given by the university and is open to ANY booster that puts money in. When I am doing fundraising I ALWAYS have a lottery. It generally increases yield over 30%

Great stuff French! At 1:05 in the last one where he throws the "Amazing catch" throw, he knew he was gonna get hit, stopped planted firmly and throws a great ball where only his receiver can get it. You can see he has to open up and get hit straight on. That speaks volumes to me. I understand your bulk up comment, but he has a great football mind and team philosophy in my view shown well in that one decision. And the throw was where it had to be.
Also, the offensive plays come to the right a lot in the film. he has to throw across his body several times and the location is darn good to excellent in almost all of them. That isn't easy and he has to do it a lot. He has really good body control for a high school guy, for sure.
He will beat Leal hands down this spring based on the Sun Bowl decisions Leal made in my view. Ford is clearly more cerebral.

Congratulations Joe! Ours came in 2011 and, luckily for me, is the main reason I have almost no memory of that season. Hopefully you have a better time of it. =)

Still one of my favorite uniforms.

Nice breakdown, French.

Personally, I wouldn't be surprised at all if Ford just starts this year to begin with, but I won't hold my breath for it either.

Whoever starts, I think QB is going to be a little rough this year, especially early on. Let's hope we have a strong running game to help ease into it.

This is perfect! Egbert just created sarcastica.

The only down side to it is that in some way it is mocking VT's letter of scholarship offer to recruits.

Fair enough. But something did change, I think starting with the 2008 season. For many years prior to that, at least as far back as my days as a student in the early-to-mid '90s, VT rarely wore uniforms with shoulder stripes. Anyway, my point was that I think they're terrible and I'm happy with any new design that eliminates them.