Recent Comments

That compilation was sick. Appreciate that, you actually got me worked up again for the game this weekend bro.

I would argue that we're not quite to learned helplessness yet - at least not to the degree that UVA fans are. ;-)

I expect the Hokies to put up more than 16 points. If anything, this will become a factor of who gets the first stop to take a lead and hold onto that lead by possessing the ball. I think the Hokies win 31-20.

For this particular loss, it was the method of the loss, and how it fits into an overall pattern of what we have seen out of this football program for the last decade or so. All losses are worth the same amount in the W-L column, but not all losses are created equal.

In this case, if we lose 23-20 it stings for a little, but you get over it. We played well, but got beat by the better team. But this time was different. The theme of this game was just complete offensive ineptitude when faced with a team consisting of players of equal or slightly better talent, and that's just a song we've all heard before. The problem is the reason why we haven't had a quality bowl win in almost a decade. Once we feast on a schedule of also-rans who either have less talent than us, inept coaching, or both, we're just not prepared to get the job done against the Stanfords of the world in a bowl.

In Psych 2001 freshman year, I learned about this experiment regarding a behavior called "learned helplessness." In Short:

"In the learned helplessness experiment an animal is repeatedly hurt by an adverse stimulus which it cannot escape.

Eventually the animal will stop trying to avoid the pain and behave as if it is utterly helpless to change the situation.

Finally, when opportunities to escape are presented, this learned helplessness prevents any action. The only coping mechanism the animal uses is to be stoical and put up with the discomfort, not expending energy getting worked up about the adverse stimulus."

This is where I am with this football program. We are what we are. It's not going to change any time soon. What's the point in expending energy and getting worked up about it? It sounds like that's where you are, too.

...Craig James takes notes.

My jaw dropping when I heard that we beat Miami in 1995...Third game of the season, we're 0-2, and the game wasn't on TV (at least not here in wahooland). I was pumped, but stunned because I didn't think we could do it. I've never liked da U and their gangster attitude....love to see them get a whoopin!

Last week I made claim that it was judgment week. A real test for the players and program as a whole. Well.. we all know about how we failed and it was rather pathetic. Yea the D was good, be when I look at the damn scoreboard I don't say "alright! we held them under 30 points!" Sorry.

This week is the judgment week 2.0 for us. I am anxious to see if we come out and play with a really large, dagger-sharp chip on our shoulder and a pissed off "last Saturday wont happen again" mentality.

In my opinion, our response to the loss will give us a true assessment of this football team and its future.

Leaving for Blacksburg in T-minus 7 hours

FWIW - I, too, am in the East Stands (Section 25 to be precise, right next to the student section).

Even though the score was uglier than we've seen the past (eg: not one trip to pay dirt), the offensive performance we saw was exactly what we've seen in the past. You know the reason why we never scored a touchdown? Field position. Our punting woes lead to such a lopsided score.

I would posit that had we good punting, the final score would've been along the lines of 17-10 or 20-10: one less TD for Clemson, and one for us. In the past we've made up for an ineffective offense through defense and special teams. But now all we have is defense.

My point being that the offense we're seeing is basically what we've seen the 5-7 years. It just looked worse last Saturday thanks to our special teams struggles.

EDIT: Whoops - meant to be in reply to scottbeard.

Even though theyve been somewhat dormant the last decade my hatred runs deep for this team. Everytime I meet a diehard fan, psyche no such thing, to any mention of them on TV I cringe. I guess it began a fateful night in '03 when even before I knew about the actual magic of Lane I stood there Freshman drunk swaying in line at a Burger King at 2:30 am reaking of testosterone and beast. Then came the roar of a shirtless hero. First himself, then the rest. MUCK FIAMI! For more effect he ran up to the intercom and screamed it into the loud speaker. If I wasnt pumped before I was ready to headbutt Hokie Stone. The next day I repeated my efforts from the night before and got my first GLORIOUS win in Lane. This is by the way the era of a lottery system that included a slumber party in War Memorial to wait in line for tickets.

Since then I watched our back and forth curb stompings only to graduate and move to the City of Tattoos and Scenesters in Richmond. My first roommates? A Dentist School guy and a Pharm school kid. Cool enough. Until I moved in and say Mr. Dentist in green in orange. I passed by his room and daU was everywhere. I was in the f'ing twilight zone. On top of everything he was a typical douche. I lived there for two football seasons and in that time we were unable to talk or look at one another two weeks before or after the game. F him. F daU. F the Ibis. Its my hate week and im frothing at the mouth for a W.

IM GON BUST EM! they gon get back up, THEN IM GON BUST EM AGAIN!!!

dang it... work's had me so busy I didn't even realize the Oregon-Cal game had already started... so ignore that pick (as I'm sure you would have without me saying this).