Recent Comments
Currently in Richmond. Communication major, video producer. I can email a resume if you think you may have connections or leads on some opportunities, thanks!
Yes I do. Not sure what to explain about that though.
EDIT: with explanation
Now seeing everyone else's comments I understand what to explain.
Yes I give. I have since 2005 after graduating in '99. I do not donate under my name as I give money to a friend of mine to get her and her husband season tickets. Like most others that cannot donate themselves they are kid poor with 3 little ankle-biters. I personally have not lived in the USA since 2001 and since graduating in '99 have seen exactly two games live in Lane Stadium. Both times I bought my own tickets to the game from other VT fans over the internet as "my" season tickets go to my friend's family.
The two main reasons I give are 1) for my friends who are devout Hokie fans and 2) because I have no other method of supporting the team.
I honestly have no idea about the complaints with HC as others have listed because I am far too removed from all those issues. Parking, tailgate spots, priority seating, etc, etc... no clue. I get no letters or information from HC as it goes to my friend's address, not mine. I just make the annual donation and I just give enough to make sure my friends get to see the games.
Where are you? Resume?
In my opinion I believe grimes stays
I donate to both the HC and the DoE. There are a lot of reasons why I do both so I'll try to make this as short as possible. I worked at the student calling center for 4 years and talked to countless alums asking for donations to the university (separate from HC). Hearing the enthusiasm from these Hokies strengthened my love for the school and will force me to donate no matter what. My degree allowed me to do some awesome things so I'll forever be grateful and hope my contributions help current and future Hokies live their dream.
As for the HC, I started donating upon graduation to be able to buy football season tickets. I've increased my contribution level significantly because 1) I'm able to, and 2) I want better seats. I feel for those that lost their good seats due to reseating but I do think a 30 year old that's given much more than a 60 year old should have better seats. The $100 minimum is just a couple bar tabs or dinners so I don't think it's too much to sacrifice if you really are honest about wanting to help the program. On top of that, it's 80% tax deductible so as long as you're itemizing you'll get some of your contribution back come tax season.
In the end, you can't complain about not paying the coaches if you aren't willing to chip in. I'm not going to stop contributing if we lose a few games because I don't want our program to turn into UVA's. Go Hokies!
Scotch Irish, Pennsylvania Dutch, and Colombian. For those who were curious.
If Pruitt was only at FSU for a year, though, it will be almost impossible to measure the impact of his recruits until the end of '14, or more realistically '15.
MUMBLE MUMBLE GRUMBLE GRUMBLE MUMBLE. I can hear the other ODAC coaches laughing in my head.
The only thing that would be worse would be hiring Ed Ogeron.
Also look at the all-americans he coached. Conaty, Grove, Lehr, Derek Smith. I really want to keep Grimes but if he leaves and we can't pull high level talent, Stinespring is much better that we've had the past 7 years not including last year.
Valid point. Lets just hope a "few good men" step up at backer. If we continue to employ a "shadow" on the QB in our base D, then we'll need someone with some wheels + open field skills.
Gosh I'm torn on this. I honestly want the best for Coach Grimes I really do. On the other side of it, he's made promises to these kids he's recruited. He's also left the job half finished. Of course when a program like LSU comes calling, it's hard to say no. The one downside I saw to the new coaching hires was the fact that they wouldn't be able to see right off the way we see the program and Blacksburg in general.
Stiney was coaching the O Line when we put a lot of offensive linemen into the NFL.
Amen. I have a feeling there will be an extra emphasis on solo/assignment tackling this off-season.
I donate. Although new here, I've been a member on TSL since 1998 (about the time I began donating to the HC) back when it was HokieCentral. Hell, I even bought tickets to several bowl games and donated them to the military, ect- so I'm not what I would consider a bandwagon fan. Although we've been REALLY lucky to have been members during this period. While 1998 was a an awful year for losses- they were all heart-wrenching - I got hooked, and so did my wife. I'm '82 guy (dad is '52)- so there's a connection. Certainly a lot of good times- good people - and good food and drink over the last 15 years. We even went to MNC in '99 (I thought, correctly it seems, that we might never be in another in my lifetime)
I am currently at the Golden level, (started at bronze- then to silver, etc.) but I have been getting more and more disenchanted with the process since 2011 or so (actually since the first seat defrag in what? 2008?). Anyway, we really missed the folks we'd been sitting with for years (they watched our kids grow up after all), and struggled with the new digs for several years as we switched around looking for a good home. The process really sucked actually. There were people telling us to sit down on the EAST side for God's sakes! After we finally got settled on the West side-decent seats and neighbors- the team finally started getting on my nerves. I LOVE defense, so I can take a lot- but the offense actually got embarrassing.
This year, the thing that really got me (as mentioned by more than a few) was the Thursday night game getting cancelled - (along with the ACC hosing us on the MIA/ UVA and GT games!) and I let Weaver know it. He was an IDIOT for that- truly. Unforgivable. We really counted on getting the "guys" together for boys night, and it totally screwed us up. And it was a NIGHT freaking game. That was hard to get over....but I did, and stroked a check again. I almost didn't send the donation in this year - but the boy is at VT finally, and I'll be damned if I won't use his apt to save money on hotels as long as he's there. When he graduates next year, I'll probably look at the process again- taking all things into account.
As far as the HC itself- I would say they need to give more points for other things besides just the annual giving piece. All the other crap is just a rounding error relative to that. No incentive, really, for longevity, lifetime giving, bowl games, or other stuff. Not sure how to change that, but why even have the points- they amount to jack compared to the annual check. Just stop giving and start right back up -lose almost nothing.
You know what's worse than daycare? One partner staying home with the kid(s). Avoid that trap like the plague!
By the way, my wife and I have always had a standing rule that we won't give one dollar more to the athletic side than the academic side. We didn't play football, but the Biology and Architecture departments indirectly pay our bills.
Leg to make this green! Also for being French
I'm not sure Bud's D needed tweaking so much as it needed some of the guys sitting on the sideline injured...
I started donating ~3 years ago. I never had any intention of buying season tickets - I'm not driving from Northern VA for a noon kick vs Marshall and I haven't had any issues getting tickets for the games I want. I simply did it to support the program I love. This past fall (when I usually donate) I was very busy running my 1st marathon, buying my 1st house, traveling for work and planning an international vacation and I simply forgot to get around to it. Had the HC reached out to me via phone or even an email to remind me how much they appreciate my donation and how important it is to our student athletes I would have reupped on the spot. But they sent a letter I never got around to opening and they didn't get my money. I will probably join again.
I will say that my biggest complaints are lack of information - like many here I searched out all info on my own - and lack of appreciation for us small time donors that should make up the back bone of the donor pool.
Shane to special teams and we hire a RB coach? Stiney can keep recruiting coordinator
Yes, I have since I graduated in 1998. I do because I enjoy Tech sports. I don't buy season tickets but I have family that has tickets that I can use.
South Dakota? Did you get orders for a missle access facility? Aka hole in the ground.
I think this is a bigger concern than most people recognize. It just adds another highly mobile QB to our schedule. Hopefully, Bud has tweaked his defense to account for running QB's. Otherwise, OSU, UNC, BC...could eat our lunch next year.
Why is your membership in the Hokie Club tied to your purchase of season football tickets? Why not drop the tickets and maintain a donation to the Hokie Club? (even a scaled back donation). A top 15 Program requires a significant investment from the fan base in the form of $$. I can understand not wanting to buy tickets for games you're not interested in attending, but it's easy enough throw $100 towards a better team that you watch on TV.
This IMO is the Hokie Club's biggest problem right now. Nearly views the Hokie Club merely as a mechanism to get season tickets. Not as a method to support the program & athletics in general. That has to change.