Recent Comments
Whatever the caption is, someone be sure to tell him not to sell those.
Still really scary...
Im glad to see him near the top. Great player and guy all around. Lineman dont get a lot of cred.
Here's the link to the entire preview: http://www.athlonsports.com/college-football/top-25/virginia-tech-hokies
FINAL ANALYSIS
Even with a new quarterback, Virginia Tech should be the class of the Coastal Division. The schedule sets up favorably, with four winnable non-conference games to open the season. The Hokies also host Miami and won’t play Florida State or NC State during the regular season. They’re a dark horse national title contender.
They also list the top ten greatest Hokies: http://www.athlonsports.com/college-football/slideshows/top-ten-greatest...
10. Jimmy Williams
9. Kevin Jones
8. Jim Pyne
7. Bryan Randall
6. Lee Suggs
5. Tyrod Taylor
4. Jake Grove
3. Corey Moore
2. Michael Vick
1. Bruce Smith
My list:
10. Cornell Brown
9. Jimmy Williams
8. Kevin Jones
7. Jim Pyne
6. Bryan Randall
5. Jake Grove
4. Corey Moore
3. Tyrod Taylor
2. Bruce Smith
1. Michael Vick
62 Blake DeChristopher, "I can't stop marveling at the efficiency of his flesh covered mechanical legs, like pistons pumping a V8 engine."
68 Jaymes Brooks, "DAYMN!"
I mean really. Apparently he has been watching The Chapelle Show on repeat vs game film. One, Two, Free, Fo, Fif! I plead the fifth!
I wonder what they are thinking. "I wish I was that fast." "I wish I was on the maroon team." "What just happened?"
with all the recent changes in the program to combat stagnation, do you think beamer will shake things up by (*gasp*) NOT deferring in at least one game?
I really have no clue why the Virginia Tech/Penn State game has never been scheduled; however, having Big Ten fans as some of my closest friends, the general consensus among them seems to be that the conference power teams (I.E. Ohio State, Michigan (former power), Michigan State, Penn State, Iowa, and Wisconsin) don't like to schedule games in which there is a real high possibility/chance of a loss to what they see as a team from an 'inferior conference' or NCG contenders. Ohio State seems to be breaking the trend with recent home and homes against Texas, Miami, Virginia Tech (so stoked) and others. If you look at the overall OOC schedules for the Big Ten over the last few years, no games minus the ones listed with OSU really jump out (a couple of Pac Ten/Big Ten traditional match-ups as well) as being awe inspiring in a collegiate football sense. Remember when Penn State played UVA and the billing those games received from ESPN and the ACC/Big 10? I don't and I was watching ESPN religiously at that point (ESPN National Hockey Night was the Wednesdays and Saturdays of my youth) and cannot recall any mention/commercial of the match up. UVA was one of the only names from their OOC for nearly five years that held any national bearing! UVA! Though really speculative, the statements from my Big Ten homies really fits the bill: Michigan probably will wait to see how we fare in the series with Ohio State as will Penn State, Michigan State, and Iowa. If OSU wins both comfortably (which I do not think they will- I see a split along home field lines as a random two to three year prognostication with no evidence whatsoever) then VT and other ACC teams may be getting some future phone calls from the Big Ten "powers." If not, then we may be sticking with the Big 12/SEC/WAC/odd Big 10/FCS OOC lineup. As was explained to me by a Michigan fan, a Penn State fan, and an MSU (?) fan- those prgrams see nothing to 'gain' in a home and home vs VT or most other ACC opponents. If they beat VT, great- they beat a traditional top fifteen opponent with no 'historical' bearing on the program and fans minds (I don't get it either: I would think beating a traditional top fifteen opponent would give those like Michigan, who has been in the dumps recently, more street cred with fans and recruits) while a loss would be devastating for the Big 10 (losing to an ACC team- what they see as an essentially inferior opponent (minus Miami and FSU) in their own little world).
Honestly, as a personal side note, I really want to see VT match up with some other Pac 10 teams. The '04 USC game, though painful as could be, was a memorable match up for both the fans and the program. A home and home vs USC, Oregon, Oregon State, Cal, or UCLA would be amazing for both the football program and fans- who wouldn't want to go to the west coast to see a great match up? Also, as a student attending a Jesuit University for my graduate degrees, I would love to see VT beat the crap out of Notre Dame (an odd hatred is shared by all other Catholic universities for ND) at home and in South Bend.
Foster met with the Iowa defensive coaches last offseason too. Unlike us, Iowa had some mobile monsters at defensive tackle. We were already thin at defensive tackle to start last year, and by the time we played GT Kwamaine Battle was done for the year. It think this year's two-deep at tackle is stronger than last year's, and if we are healthy hopefully it shows against GT.
The tightening up on the chop blocks is going to stymie the Bees a bit. They sprung a lot of their big plays by cutting down guys outside of the tackle box. Remember what they did to Kam? We'll see if CPJ has an answer.
Also, welcome!
Given Weaver's Penn State background does anyone know why we haven't scheduled a game with them, is it JoePa?
The Nebraska home/away was tight, even better that we won both.
By the time Penn State happens, given JoePa and Beamer's age I am sure we could come up with a good "bowl" name for it...FedEx isn't too far from them either it would dominate the map literally and figuratively.
I remember shortly after leaving school having some good rivalry between UVa grads on both football and engineering, but not they just kinda blend into the surroundings it seems. Maybe it's our huge footprint in NOVA or they are just below my personal radar, but they really don't bother me. Joe's swatting a fly analogy works for me.
That being said, must-win of "10" is spot on. I have a feeling their fanbase's level of obnoxiousness is like a case of mold lurking behind the dry wall, just waiting to flare up given the right environment. No mercy. Let's keep it lurking.
Can we start the Heisman campaign now for DW?
GT has pretty crappy fans, generally the fair weather type and super rude when they are 'good'.
I would give the Georgia Tech the highest loatheability possible for 2 reasons. The first, you stated - the winner plays for the ACC title every year. Second, we KNOW what they are going to do, and they do it anyway! I thought we would learn something from the Orange Bowl tape of GT vs. Iowa, but we didn't really show any signs of stopping them last year (until Nesbitt's injury). That game always seems to be a toss up, so I'm always uncomfortable with it until it's over. Plus we're the REAL Tech.
its an orange effect game....or maroon sprinkles were on back order. Throw maroon rice at the wedding?
I would prefer more maroon though.
I am not originally from the area, never made the trip to Lane Stadium North (because I had 9+ hour drive home for Thanksgiving), and haven't spent any serious amount of time with their fans. However, every sports argument I've had with a UVa fan goes along like this:
Hoo: any insult from the entire universe of UVa insults
Hokie: we beat you in football
Hoo: we beat you in sports that don't matter
Hokie: we beat you in football
They are so far below where we are as a program (and they know that), that it's like shooing a fly away.
UVa being better would only make beating them more enjoyable. In 2007 they actually thought they had a chance to win and play for an ACC Championship, it was cute. For my money, watching us strangle the hope out of them was far more enjoyable than rolling them in any game where they've taken the field lackadaisically.
As far as mercy towards them, I show no quarter.
I have long wished that our neighbors in C'ville would loosen the bow ties a little bit and actually focus on football. Honestly, it kind of gets old beating the shit out of them seemingly year after year. I have run the gamut of every joke I could think of with my UVA friends on an annual basis and they seem to just not care much any more (shocker I know).
This "rivalry" would be much more entertaining and enjoyable if the 'hoos were relevant or even managed to field a competitive squad. I am convinced that our Miami rivalry has developed and grown because of what usually hangs on the line each time we play.
Don't get me wrong, I have no desire or intention to lose to our blazer-clad in-state competition but I just wish they would make things a bit more interesting than they've been over the past 8 years.
Virginia
All-Time Relevance: 10
Current Relevance: 6
Loatheability: 4
Must Win: 10
Really? Only a 4? Far off-base as no way it isnt an 11 and will never be any less.
Make the Commonwealth Cup meaningful again? This is a joke, right? Taking pounds of their flesh annually is meaningful.
It is disappointing that anyone who spent time in Bburg would ever consider any form of mercy for that crowd on I-64. You obviously have no contact with any of those people.
I like the WVU rivalry as a fan of the intensity but I've been up to Morgantown for a game and can see why the older alums don't want that game with the sheer hatred they have up there for visiting VT fans. It could work as a game in FedEx possibly and possibly after a couple of years the vitriol will go down.
I loved the Nebraska series. I'm also already looking forward to the Ohio State series coming up. Those big out of conference home/away series are awesome.
My dream "Worlds Greatest Cocktail Party" type rivalry but out of conference would be if we would play Penn State in FedEx for a few year series. Would be a definite sell out every year, close game to please the big alum base in Northern Va, and a huge game for recruiting purposes to try to get a hold onto the NJ, PA, MD recruits. C'mon Beamer make it happen with Joe Pa and have a game that has a struggle hold on the Mid Atlantic region every year.
we should have kept playing West Virginia. that was an awesome rivalry. i also want to keep playing Nebraska. those were some good games and i thought we were developing what could have been a good rivalry because you know Nebraska hating loosing last year and would be hungry for a win this year. good analysis.
i want one so bad. all those cake shows on TV need to do some spots cakes
Agreed with hoqiez on UNC's d-line. Also the fact that "Almost 2/3's of Florida State's starters made one of Steele's team" causes some concern if we meet them down the road again. On a final note I do like our list as well. Solid on the offensive side of the ball but could use some help on the defensive back end. Bud will get the ship righted in that regard so I have little worry there.