Bowl Streak Breakdown and perspective

     Losses are a tough pill to follow.  And our beloved football team has done more of it lately than we really care to see.  That's tells me, that overall, we must have a pretty good thing going.  Othen than one of the National Brands that has a long history of winning National Titles, is there any other program you'd rather trade places with? Is firing Beamer really the answer? And do we really want to handle it the way FSU handled it? At some level doesn't Beamer deserve better than that? He built a brand where one didn't exist.  Does anyone realize how many top notch coaches respect this program and Frank Beamer himself?  We all saw what happened to Kansas St. with Bill Snyder retired. 
 
     With all that said I wanted to do breakdown of every season since the bowl streak started and give a quick synopsis of that season and that game. I think it may provide us all some perspective:
 
      Before 1993, VT has been to total of 5 bowls.  They went 1-4 in the bowls.
 
     1993-Indepedence Bowl-VT wins convincgly and wins with players that had overachieve.  VT emerges a top 25 program (at least for that season).  No one can predict what has just begun.
 
    1994-Gator Bowl-VT gets shredded by Peyton Manning and the Vols.  No amount of talent and coaching was going to make up for the talent disparity in this game.
 
    1995-Sugar Bowl-VT upsets Texas after starting 0-2 (including be shut out by Cincinatti). Media pundits questioned VT belong in the Sugar Bowl.  Beamerball prevails and VT gets it's first signature win on the big stage.  They beat Miami for the first time this season and would do so 5 years in a row.  Go look at the players that came off those Miami teams and don't tell me that wasn't an accomplishment.  
 
     1996-Orange Bowl-VT hangs with Nebraska (the National Title winner in '94,'95, and '97) for about 3 quarters but just doesn't have the depth or size to keep up with what to turn out to be a dynasty.  VT did win the Big East again this year.
 
     1997-Gator Bowl-Lose badly to a Mack Brown UNC team.  Finishes the season 7-5. Some how managed to get a field goal against UNC.  Mack Brown used UNC as the spring board to go to Texas.  Beamer makes some major changes to staff after this season, particularly on the offensive side of the ball.  Worst season on record during the Bowl streak. 
 
    1998-Music City Bowl-VT beats Alabama rather handly. This Alabama team would go on to win the SEC the next year.  Beamerball is alive and well this year.  Most blocked kicks in a single seaon, including 2 in the bowl game.  It was a wonderful game to be at.  The look on those Bama fans faces with this little upstart team from Virginia kicked their ass was priceless. Michael Vick redshirts. Every loss that season was by less than a touchdown.  The defense that year was amazing.  Seemed like VT was on the verge of something special.  
 
     1999-Sugar Bowl & National Championship Game-VT loses to FSU.  The MVP of the game is Peter Warrick who didn't play a single game all year because of all the field issues but is miracously cleared for the Title game.  Most people don't realized that both of our starting corners got hurt in this game and had to leave in the 4th quarter.  That was the turning point in the game. Ronyell Whitaker couldn't and was never going to be able to cover Warrick.  Watch the highlight reel of the game on youtube sometime.  VT still doesn't have the depth to keep up with a team like FSU.  Ricky Hall also can't play because of a broken foot that happened during practice during the week leading up to the game.  This is the most complete team VT has had throughout the bowl streak and gives Hokie Nation a taste of a National Title for a few minutes. Correction: See the comments below in reference to Peter Warrick. 
 
     2000-Gator Bowl-VT beats Clemson in what would be Vicks last game as in a VT uniform.  VT should have played in a BCS bowl this year but gets jobbed by the selection commitee.  Their only loss was to Miami and Vick couldn't play in the game due to injury.  I'm not sure if VT would have won even if he was healthly, but the game would have been more of a contest. The defense was not as good as the '99 team.  Never the less this was a great team.
 
     2001-Gator Bowl-Loses to FSU in a rematch of the bowl game from 1999.  This was definetly a rebuilding year for VT.  Grant Noel was not the answer at QB.  VT was a dropped 2 point conversion away from beating the eventual National Champions-Miami Hurricanes.
 
     2002-San Francisco Bowl-VT beats Air Force. Bryan Randal's first year as a starter. This team appeared to be really talented but needed more experience. The running back combo of Suggs and Jones did not hurt.
 
     2003-Insight Bowl-VT loses in a shootout with a Aaron Rogers lead Cal team.  VT's secondary is abosulely shredded not only in this game but also in 6 of the last 8 games that season.  VT gets their only win against a top 5 team this seaon.  VT thumps #2 Miami 31-7.  A Miami team that set the record for the number of first round draft picks.  VT had two first round picks themselves.  This team was highly ranked to start and had high expectations.  It failed to live up to any expectations.  It was the 3rd season in a row that VT started strong, but couldn't finish.  The exact opposite problem that VT has had when compared to the past few seasons.  This team probably had as much talent as the 1999 team, but some argue that it was the wrong kind of talent for a Frank Beamer team.  This is the season that gets Bud to revamp his defense.
 
     2004-Sugar Bowl-VT loses a close one to an undefeated Auburn team.  We can look back and now realize this was a team that had a great defense and was lead by a QB with great leadership but at the time this was a team that over achieved.  This was the first season in the ACC.  People expected VT to finished as low as 7 or 8 in the new ACC.  After the 0-2 start, no one could have thought this team would turn it around.  This was one of my all time favorite teams desptie the bowl outcome.  VT was litterally a dropped pass away from winning this one. This season was not a failure by any means.  This is one of 5 seasons where VT loses to the team that would win the National Title.  This season also starts the 10 wins streak.
 
     2005-Gator Bowl-VT beats Louisville.  This is  another team that could have challenged the 1999 team in terms of talent.  Plus this team had some depth.  The problem was that Marcus Vick relied on his talent and never honed the craft of a being a QB as evident in the games against Miami and FSU.  The short comings of this team had more to do with the talent on the field than it did with the coaching. The defense finishes #1 overall.  Ask Hunter Cantwell about his noise sometime.
 
     2006-Chick-Fil-A-VT loses to Georgia.  The defense finished as the #1 overall defense again after this season.  Unfortunately the lack of an Offensively line and Sean Glennon knack for throwing to the wrong jersey was too much for this defense to overcome. Like 2009 VT was probably the best team in the ACC but couldn't win it.
 
     2007-Orange Bowl-VT underachieves and loses to Kansas-Once again the defense was outstanding.  Unfortunately similar problems on offense.  Luckily VT had some great receivers. Because of the poor O-Line Frank is forced to burn the redshirt on Tyrod. Playing calling and the managing of Bowl prep comes into serious question after this loss.  It obvious that VT was the more talented team, just didn't end that way. This season was full of heart break and some kicks to the gut. One Matt Ryan heave away from playing for a National Title again.
 
     2008-Orange Bowl-VT beat Cincinatti to get the 10th win.  Luckily the ACC was so weak this year, VT could win despite the 5-3 conference record.  A loss to ECU forces Frank to burn Tyrod's redshirt permantley.  The lack of experience at WR makes this one of the worst offensive teams VT has put on the field during the bowl streak.  But this is only the 2nd team to win a BCS level bowl. Luckily Darren Evans proves to be the stud the offense needed that season. I believe the Firestinespring movement really starts to heat up this season.  Was the problem with this seaon because of the coaching or the lack of experience on offense?
 
     2009-Chick-Fil-A-VT beats Tennessee decivesly.  The defense couldn't get off the field against GT and their triple option.  This proves to be the game that prevents VT from winning the ACC again.  A Ryan Williams fumble costs VT the game against UNC the next week, and the other loss is to Alabama (who goes on to win the National Title).  Despite not winning the ACC, this team ends the season looking like one of the better VT teams.
 
     2010-Orange Bowl-Lose badly to Andrew Luck and the Standford Cardinal. The offense is the reason VT wins most of their games this season. Was this an anomally? Or was it because the Offense finally had the talent it needed.  The defense needed to be rebuilt.  A lack of talent in key positions on defense was obvious.  And yes, they lost to JMU the following week after Boise St.  The first team since expansion to go undefeated in the ACC.  Tyrod plays his best game in the ACC Championship game.  Proved he deserved ACC player of the year and went out as the greatest QB to play at VT (yes I think he was better than MV7). 
 
     2011-Sugar Bowl-Loses in OT to Michigan team that it man handled statifically in all areas except converting for TD's in the redzone.  All everyone noticed the issue because of the way the bowl game played, the problem reared it's ugly head all season.  This team could drive the lenght of the field, but could not convert when it needed to.  The defense appears to return to the Bud Foster type Defense VT fans are accustomed to. This team acheives the 11 win mark, the most wins VT has ever achieved in one season. To win a National Title, can a VT team win games 12, 13, and 14?
 
    8-10 record during the bowl run.  It could definetly be better, but how much better? 10-8? I only see two games in this run VT should have won. And there is at least one or two they should have lost (at least on paper).
 
     2012-???-Does the Bowl streak end? Does the 10 win streak end?Are we really headed for disaster however one wants to define that.  At this point, based on most of the reactions, it's already a disaster.  Or was this game another low point that VT seems to hit a lot of seasons but manages to bounce back from?  The problems are not just on offense, although it's the most glaring.  The problem with the offense this season is the slow starts.  It's proven later in games it can drive the length of the field and convert TD's in the redzone.  It even appears to be really good when forced into the two minute drill.  The defensive front seven seems to be pretty good, but the secondary is a glaring weak link and has cost us at least one game.  It obvious this not a national title team, and you're fooling yourselfs if you thought this team was going to get it done.  Has anyone seen a team like Alabama or LSU in person? It's much like the 1996 team versus Nebraska.  They're bigger and faster and two to three deep.  There is just not enough talent or depth to keep up with team likes this.  
 
      I think several factors have led our beloved program to the point it is at now and I don't think it's all on the coaches.  Only two teams that have never won National Title have played for one during the BCS era and VT is one of them.  BTW, neither of those teams won.   I don't think that's a coicidence.  I'm not saying there's a conspiracy, but I am saying there are so many things stacked against you if you're not one of the "Majore Brands" with the pedigrees.  Every team usually has to grow through some sort of rebuilding phase or down season.  If that means it's 7 or 8 win season for VT, I'll take it.  It's something I think Beamer is still capable of fixing. Do you really want to possible go down the Kansas St route but with a point of no return?  I don't know if this program could recover from a losing season or two and be forced to rebuild with a new head coach.  If Beamer was fired, who replaces him? Who would replace Stinespring if he were let go? Please gives names that VT actual has a shot of hiring.  Bobby Petrino or someone like him is not the answer.  And VT doesn't have the money to shell out for someone like Saban.  
 
     Historically, look at what it takes for a team to get the first Title.  And look at how many don't do anyting for a long time after they finally do win one.  WVU's drought is much longer than ours, and they have a longer history with relevent football teams.  Look at what took Miami get their first title and they had to sell their sould to do it.  Would our fans truly be satisfied with just one title? Or would we want more?And would our reactions after every loss be like the one's we have now? Football is a game, take it for what it is.  
 
     I know already, too many questions. Sorry for the long post.  I had a lot to get off my chest and recall from the ol' memory banks.