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Hurricanes, Hand Grenades, beignets, and po boys FTW!
that has no basis and belongs in the tabloids. How can people be allowed to post this $4!# without repurcussions?? If you write in the passive voice, cite someone else's "work" as thinly veiled legitimacy and stop short of connecting all the dots in your argument I guess you are not responsible for what the reader takes away. Incredible.
I think it works like this, I don't know for sure, I'm not an insider there
Someone records the game, then uploads it as a torrent. People download it, someone else does the cut up (purges commercials, the drivel from the announcers, and basically puts the action back to back).
Once you have the cut up it takes about 15 minutes to watch the platoon's performance for the whole game. Pattern recognition become much easier if you see them closer to each other, and breaking down film is a lot of pattern recognition.
Usually a guy (BlueSeoul) will do a quick break* down like this: http://mgoblog.com/diaries/ohio-game-wrap-pics
and then we'll get the full UFR a few days later. Like I said, the Michigan fan base is obsessive, and mgoblog is the place where our appetite for MOAR FOOTBALL is quelled.
Some of these guys are paid, some just do it out of their love for Michigan football.
*I say quick only because it appears a few days after the game and before the UFR and is basically highlights or noteworthy items, not the full game. I have no affiliation with mgoblog except that I am a reader and sometimes casual poster there.
3-3....do I have a right to complain that I can't get more than 3 wins?
come on tied for last :)
As soon as I saw it replaced my regular season calendar background.
We have more than 140 Alumni Chapters. Both schools DO have a majority of their alumni in a 300 mile radius but that doesnt take away from the fact that we have many, many more overall.
There are lies, damn lies and statistics. Given such a small sample of games (12) over the entire field (120) with a majority of the games being in-conference (8-9), I understand the the numbers are skewed. Just pointing out...not agreeing. And, that's a top-to-bottom stats, which includes the ACC lowers.
Sorry to post twice guys and gals but after watching that game and seeing some highlights again early in the week, Wilson should CONSIDER (and I stress "consider") removing his advisory request from the NFL Draft Committee/Board. Here's what I saw and will expound briefly:
VTJawo hit the nail on the head: Wilson could not create his own holes in traffic. Though not claiming to be any expert of the RB position, a constant trend of NFL RB's is to not only make guys miss (which DW4 does incredibly well) but to exhibit a proper amount of patience and weave through good defensive lines and linebackers. He was able to do this against Wake, UVA (no cake d-line), and ECU but neither UNC or Clemson, two of the three best d-lines in the ACC where his effectiveness was limited, and that is being kind. The first match-up vs Clemson he created a ton of YAC's on the one reversal run. Other than that- good for 1-2 yards with occasional 7-9 yarder (I was ok with it honestly). But the performance in the ACCCG was head-scratching- hoping that is all it was. As to the patience, a blend of appropriate weariness and wreckless abandon is necessary (RB coach from my high school varsity teams years ago explained this to me when I asked why my fat butt center couldn't be an RB- dumb question, right?), hence his word choice of 'patience'. Though the blame here falls on the offensive line for not opening up any holes, Wilson did not hit the line of scrimmage nearly hard enough, particularly when holes were open, to gain meaningful yards on most carries (Branch and Co. had a hell of a lot to do with that tentativeness without question- mentally DW lost that mathcup and understandably so). On at least 75% of his carries, I found myself saying "why didn't he just put his head down, eyes up, and hit the freggin line?" At times the hole was nonexistent or merely a figment of my imagination as the replay pointed out, but at other points holes were open just long enough, if churnin' from the exchange, 2-4 more yards could've been achieved (running hard and ball-carrier line vision come into question here against an effective d-line). He ran seemingly tentatively from the start even on his better carries. Also the fumbles are a huge issue that needs to be corrected. I know its a product of him trying to make too much at times but we got lucky this year when he did give the ball away. Honestly, I could see him having trouble sticking with a team that plays Sunday Ball if those issues aren't corrected.
If he has a great game against Michigan and Big Blue's disgustingly great defensive line then take that metaphorical bread and run laughing and yucking it up to the bank along with a probable first/high second round pick. If not, don't worry about play-calling and come on back to work on those fundamentals and maybe even get a Heisman while your at it. Unlike for most, its a win-mostly win for DW (I say mostly because of possible injury factor). Even with this I refuse to take away any praise for his game- most elusive RB I think I have ever seen at VT as a fan (was a Miami (BOOO) fan before going to VT) and has the tools to be an incredibly effective RB on Sundays. Hell, he wasn't the ACC Player of the Year because he was mediocre- easily the best RB in the Conference (along with Montel Harris- injury unfortunately kept him off) whose reward was well deserved. Also his speed. Fin (ha).
Oh and I apparently cannot read- Michigan State was ranked #17 in the final BCS poll. Crappy ranking- definitely got the shaft- but nevertheless under the current format only numbers 3-14 are eligible for the At-Large Pool. So the only team with a legitimate gripe was Kansas State and, to be perfectly frank with all due respect to Michigan's fanbase, program and history (as a historian) ESPN and K-State should direct their anger at Big Blue (lower rank in the BCS poll) but alas the beauties of having an incredible powerhouse history and playing in the B1G. Between the three: program history, money, and TV ratings the Sugar Bowl picked BY FAR AND AWAY the two most attractive out of the pool- Virginia Tech and Michigan. Man its still pretty cool to say that as a VT fan remembering those past BCS woes!
TBozz12- I am still checking it occasionally and agree with you partially- I don't think Denard will be able to pick apart our defense, especially if they are able to play to their full potential. Honestly many of his great throws seem to come on the heels of a lengthy run so the defense seemingly has the run on their minds. Also his arm and decision making just don't frighten me- his legs and ability to move quickly do. I am also concerned, as some of the Michigan fan visitors have pointed out, to their stout/incredible d-line, with which we obviously have major issues with (exhibit A: ACC Championship Game) but that all comes down to whether or not the o-line can get fired up and smack somebody in the mouth. Not just about size and talent though those greatly help- the team seemingly wasn't all that motivated to smack Clemson on Saturday night and we saw what happened. We also saw a team that was truly worthy of their top 5 billing when they played UVA and were indescribably pissed off: they need to return to that form. If they do then I pity any d-line on running plays.
Who knows if people are still reading this thread (seeing as it started yesterday...), but...
I'm usually a bit pessimistic, but I like our chances against Michigan. If our defense is healthy (well, healthy by 2011 standards), I just can't see DR throwing the ball with any success. From there just key in on stopping his scrambling...
I think we'll be fine.
Definitely no worries about motivation. A month of ESPN & every newspaper saying we shouldn't be there should provide a pretty big chip for their shoulders.
Never get old. Keep it up, no matter how depressing the actual game analysis can be..
Wish I could be a little more up par with my X's and O's, but I seemingly get everything that I know from reading French60Wasp's explanations..
I went no better than 4-2 and no worse than 2-4 over the past 6 weeks. Enjoying what is the equivalent of Hurricane Mediocrity the entire second half of the season..
When an Unranked TCU beat a top 5 Boise team, the MWC gained strength. But when a top 25 Clemson team beats the #5 team, the conference loses a ton of points. The whole ranking system is completely idiotic. Notice how we are the 5th and 6th ranked team in the AP and computer polls. The MWC is 5th and 7th, yet their ranked above us?
I adapted LT and DR a la SFII
That would be greatly appreciated! All about harnessing and controlling emotions at times- this is a time where an old coach of mine would've said its cool to let it bubble over the top for a game.
I know the roll call is for the players and plenty blame for their performance should be placed on their effort, or at many points lack there of, but I also once again took real issue with the coaching staff. Absolutely zero adjustments were made by Foster or O'Cain at halftime, just like the Orange Bowl last year, just like the Alabama game, just like the Orange Bowl in 2008 (for the 2007 season). This has become truly a constant trend with Virginia Tech coaches: we'll go into the half tied or with the lead and make absolutely zero changes though the opposition is beginning to key on specific formations or routes. You also have to plan for what the other team may change and exploit. None of this was done and once again, we shit the bed in the second half. The only time we seemingly made miniscule adjustments in a "big" was Boise State and my god...we had the lead late in the fourth! I could be wrong but I am just writing from what perspective I had on the game.
Also, to Bud or Torian, why in the name of all that is good and holy in the world was Bonner lining up eight to twelve yards off his receiver? Every time, Boyd checked to a WR option route and he gave up seemingly 8-25 yards a completion. I understand giving a cushion but that's not Revis, Woodson, Flowers, Williams, or even Harris out there! That's a frosh with little collegiate field experience!
As to DW not getting carries- he was ineffective and only had few medium gain runs. Oglesby was able to push through tacklers. I hoped DW would get more carries but I understood why #2 came in- was just a little more than limited effectiveness.
O-line...(facepalm inserted here). Poor technique, poor footwork, poor mental control- just a piss poor effort all around. I get that Clemson has a stud d-line but at least make it look like you care.
Great writeup 06Hokie- it did capture the frustrations of Hokie fans everywhere Saturday night. About the only positive to be taken from that woodshed beating- and Logan's poise until the end and Whitley's consistency.
BRILLIANT.
Sounds good to me! Hand Grenades will be had by all!
In the conference rankings, the MWC was ahead of the ACC.
http://espn.go.com/blog/statsinfo/post/_/id/33005/acc-slips-in-conferenc...
It's a top to bottom thing, and gotta remember Duke and Maryland (Ha Ha). Not saying I agree, but the rankings are there....
Like I said, I'm shamelessly stealing this from the mgoblog community.
Let's run this town.