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I said "Lesson Learned"!!!!
By the way, props to Stiney for staying on Brown when it didn't look good fairly recently. We're still in it because of him.
The first domino to fall here is Nnandi. That could happen soon and both UVA and VT feel pretty comfortable. If VT is able to swing Nnandi, I don't think UVA will get Brown....but he might not go to VT either. It feels like Brown's interest in UVA is based on a "everybody else is doing it" sales pitch.
That said, VT still has to consider that this recruiting class will not come together like it was supposed to. Holmes is already gone. Hand very well may choose Michigan (I'd say 60/40 VT right now). We look to be getting the 3* QB, not the 5* QB. I've never felt as great about Walker as most have, and he now says that "An FSU offer changes the game, that's the best program in the ACC." We're taking on our B-list of OL recruits. All and all, even if this "darkest timeline" comes to pass, it will be a very average VT class, in the 20's, 4th/6th best in the ACC.
But the brightest timeline starts with Nnandi and continues on to Hand then a hard push for Brown.
(I am actually avoiding reading the books because I wanted the show to be a surprise).
Yeah, as much as I tried to keep my Sensory Deprivator 5000 on, it just wasn't enough (I am actually avoiding reading the books because I wanted the show to be a surprise).
By the time I had a chance to watch the show (barely 24 hours after airing), I had already figured out what was going to happen. The first hint was actually in the GoT/ACC mashup thread, but that combined with all of the "non-spoiler" spoilers that my friends posted was enough. Lesson learned.
The Onion wrote a great article regarding the episode: http://www.theonion.com/articles/oh-shit-i-totally-forgot-that-happens,3...
Here is a BuzzFeed link for good measure: http://www.buzzfeed.com/h2/pulse/daves4/steps-to-get-over-your-game-of-t...
His Rivals page lists him as a Dec. graduate. That will be big since it sounds like he needs to make some mechanical changes.
Here's a proposition, switch Miami and Clemson in their divisions. Then the crossover rivals could be the following:
VT-Miami
UVA-BC
Clemson-FSU
GT-UMD/Louisville
Duke-Wake
UNC-NCST
Pitt-Cuse
You preserve the FSU/UM game by making them in the same division, losing the chance of an FSU/UM ACC Championship (hasn't happened yet so let's stop waiting around for it) and match teams up with the natural or cultural rival. Big East Rivalries remain alive with us and Miami and Pitt/Cuse. Clemson/FSU has been a heavy hitting match so that remains. The ACC would never let it happen due to the loss of a potential FSU/UM ACC Championship, but it seems to make more sense on the surface. Maybe I'm missing something more though.
AJ can I come over after schoo-oo-oo-oo-ool? After school?
True, but VT is always one to crush said dreams, thus "Dream Killer" seems appropriate.
Hums "AJ's mom has got it going on..."
If it's a big recruiting event, I think the get Personal Touch Catering (the company inside Owen's) to cater a meal where they eat in Lane. Otherwise, I've seen them in West End before.
For anyone else who didn't have any idea who Mason Rudolph is:
So when a recruit comes to campus, do they eat at the dining halls or eat out on the town? How many meals do they get on the university's tab during an official visit? What I'm getting at is that we need to make a 1-2-3 hit list for the recruits to visit when they get to town. Although Hand is the only guy I've heard saying it, I'd bet our campus food would stick in the minds of a few recruits. Assuming three meals, I'd suggest:
Turkey sandwich and redskin mashed potatoes from Hokie Grill
London Broil from West End
and...
I think these two meals are a staple for everyone who goes through VT, and it looks like this thread supports that claim. Feed these two things to all the visiting recruits and see what they think.
BTW, a guy I work with up here, who pays close attention to the Penn State boards, swears that Hand is going to Michigan from the rumors he's hearing.
Only an ACC apologist would kiss the ringed finger of Swoffie and then lump Tech's fans in the same category as FSU fans. Poor form, sir, poor form. For that -1 for you.
Tight end to qb?! He's our guy!
I'm convince Jimmy Johns uses 2x4s for their bread. Souvlaki is two doors further away but many moons better.
I'm glad VT ended up strong in the food area. I remember doing a visit pre97 to Owens and the food was truly sad. I lived in the wing and west end didn't exist yet, so Owens and the newly opened hokie grill were the high end, however Dietrich was the main stop. The omelettes were insane, but the rest of the food took a while to get over, hence the freshmen month period termed the Dietrich runs.
Not much else to add here. I agree 100%
The fixed cross-division opponent is really what makes this arrangement suck. Playing only 2 cross-division games wouldn't be so bad if both were rotating. Current setup has us playing FSU, Clemson, NCSU, Syracuse & Wake once each every 6 years. We play Notre Dame once every 5 years. Think about that. We are scheduled to play Notre Dame more frequently than actual full football members of the conference. And don't get me started on ECU.
Off campus, Homeplace should autowin. Seriously, it's amazing and you get as much as you want. And you play football outside while you wait. I think we can get a good sales pitch going for that...
On campus you can't beat the Chicken Bacon Ranch at Owens. Butter toasted bread, crispy bacon, cheddar cheese...
If you've had 3 Chicken Bacon Ranch's in the last 2 days, Fantastic Franks and the Blue plate will get it done. West End burgers are legit as well.
Promise him a turkey leg per sack after every game!
I will gladly fund this.
The SEC Network is based out of Charlotte because ESPNU is based out of Charlotte and a lot of the same equipment will be used. Let's get that out of the way quickly. I highly doubt the SEC placed it there for any greater purpose. Also, the ACC has said they're in the planning stages of their own network. IIRC the ACC will get a bump in payout if there's no ACC Network by a certain date (2018), so if ESPN decides the SEC and LHN are big enough headaches they'll have to pay.
It would be easier for the ACC to set up marquee matchups if anyone could consistently be great. In 2010 Clemson finished the year 6-7. FSU looks to be on the rise finally but they were in the dumper for a long stretch. Miami's staring at the abyss of the NCAA infractions committee. Other than VT (excluding last year) no team has had an extended stretch near the top of the conference. I'd also be willing to bet that if VT had a permanent matchup with FSU/Clemson that after a while fans would complain about the schedule imbalance. Why do I say that? LSU fans say similar things because their permanent SEC crossover opponent is Florida, while Alabama plays Tennessee (who is currently a flaming mess). South Carolina in 2011 won every SEC East game but lost the division in part because their crossover opponent was Arkansas, while Georgia played a weaker Auburn team. SC fans were quite bitter about that. Ultimately, it is what it is. BC is crap right now, but it used to be somewhat of a rivalry when BC had a competent coach and fielded Division 1-A teams. If VT had Louisville and the Cards sunk back into the abyss once Charlie Strong leaves, I am sure fans would be upset that they're stuck playing a bad Cards team. My solution would be to do away with the permanent rivalry games for everyone except FSU-Miami and UNC-NC State, similar to how the B1G will protect Indiana-Purdue once they realign. But there really isn't a perfect solution short of getting every conference back to 12 teams, or the top 64 teams breaking away and creating their own setup.
The ACC's problems have nothing to do with their cross-division scheduling. That's ridiculous. The ACC's problem is they don't win enough games against powerhouses when people are paying attention, especially against SEC opponents. FSU and Clemson got wiped out at home this past season after spending all year screaming for respect. Win games and everything else will sort itself out. All this whining about Swofford and the schedule makes VT fans sound like FSU fans who are convinced the league is out to ruin them. Look at everything Swofford has done recently for the conference and explain where he's failed and how he could somehow get more out of a mediocre football product.
This article from Recruit757 is promising: http://recruit757.com/blog/2013/06/03/hokies-offer-two-tigers/.
Virginia Tech is a leader when it comes to recruiting blue chip lineman Andrew Brown. Class of 2012 running back J.C. Coleman became the first Oscar Smith Tiger to commit to Tech since Greg Boone. If the Hokies can get Bradshaw to commit soon, they might have even more leverage when it comes to landing Brown.
Bunch of morons edited that tape. "Follow the yellow arrow for the QB"
The Summit in Christiansburg has great food. It's in an old mansion up on a hill and I haven't had anything there that wasn't awesome.
Another place in Christiansburg that I would routinely hit when I was in town was Grama's Goodies. It closed down a few months ago but that place had the BEST sandwiches in Virginia, (Da'Shawn) Hands down. They also had awesome baked goods and actually baked our wedding cake. RIP Grama's! http://www.wsls.com/story/21548645/ch