It'll be fun to see what his role and its scope is.
I'm told #Hokies freshman WR Isaiah Ford has not joined the basketball program yet, but he's still expected to this month.— Mike Barber (@RTD_MikeBarber) January 2, 2015
It's not happening.
I'm now told there are no plans for #Hokies WR Isaiah Ford to join the Tech basketball team. Ford had said he planned to join team in Jan.— Mike Barber (@RTD_MikeBarber) January 30, 2015
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This will be exciting, he's the first football/basketball athlete since Jeff King (I think). I don't think he'll get many minutes, but he'll definitely be a crowd favorite.
Prince Parker played football and basketball in 2010-2011. He was a TE that mainly played on special teams, then joined the basketball team his senior year and saw some action in four games. Not really a significant two-sport athlete, and no Jeff King, but two sports nonetheless.
Paul Debnam as well
paul played football? i didnt know that.
Yep, he was a WR for a year or two
good stuff!!! we should have kept him on the football teams just as a HYPE man!! he would get the hoops team rocking with his sideline antics. loved watching him on the side when we made a big play he would go nuts!
Was Mike Barber actually told this? Or was he just told what they told someone else and he's reporting it? For shame!
/sarc
HOW DARE HE DISRESPECT THE KING OF THE LILLIPUTIANS
YOU TWEETED A PRESS CONFERENCE THAT YOU ATTENDED VIRTUALLY INSTEAD OF IN PERSON?
Trolltastic
Either way, he wasn't even close on this "story".
what position does Ford play in hoops?
On this team he'll play Center.
Got to point guard due to the size right?
Please don't hurt him
This kid balled out in high school (averaged 30 points a game his senior year) and if he's good on defense, may be an improvement over Adam Smith from a talent standpoint. Guess we'll see how much playing time he ends up getting.
I think it would be a matter of practice time and time to get used to the plays/scheme. These other guys have been playing in some capacity since summer.
This somewhat brings back memories of Jeff King putting post moves on Sheldon Williams back when the Hokies first joined the ACC and beat Duke 67-65.
Any update on Ford? Is he practicing with the team? I guess we will know for sure if he is on the bench for the Notre Dame game.
Maybe he is having a change of heart. If he was a forward then I bet Buzz would be pursuing this a bit more, but I'm not sure if we really need another guard in the mix, although I've always thought the football/bball crossovers are pretty cool.
The last update was that he was waiting to return when classes resumed so the earliest appears to be the ND game.
That doesn't sound like he's exactly eager to treat basketball as anything more than a hobby.
Interesting that tonight on TTL, Buzz Williams said that nobody has ever talked to him about Ford joining the basketball team, other than fans asking if it would happen.
So... not even Ford himself has bothered to discuss the possibility of playing basketball with our basketball coach. Ever. Since Buzz was hired.
That would seem to put to rest the chatter from Ford's recruiting days when our former basketball coach James Johnson was eager to please in any way possible & there was talk of a two way stardom for Ford. Pretty definitive closure on that one. That's not in any way a dismissal of Ford's football talents, just a closure to the discussion of basketball.
Honestly, I'd be ok if he chooses not to join the basketball team. Let him put his entire focus on being ready for the football season, and let Buzz round out the program with players who will be able to dedicate their entire athletic training on basketball. Both will be better off for it.
Oh, absolutely agreement there. Truthfully, if you have a program/culture you're building, you do not want a part timer coming in to indulge a hobby. You want full commitment. Also truthfully, Ford is an elite level NFL WR (IMO) talent who needs to focus on one sport, and not retain the high school mentality of playing whatever sport he desires. He's a superstar in the making. In football, as a WR.
Yeah I agree with you and think it's best for all parties involved. Ford (He gets to put work in the weight room and become the best WR he can be), the football team ( Has full commitment from their starting WR ), and the basketball team (No reps are being taken from guys who are 100% basketball outside of the classroom).
Can't wait to see Ford in spring practice.
I really, really think he will turn out to be the best WR in Hokie football history. Loeffler's interest in some taste of the passing game will help his stats. He'll also be a much bigger star in the NFL than Eddie Royal (not to diss Royal, just sayin'). he is just a huge talent as a receiver.
Nice edit, BTW. wink.
The edit was only because I figured it'd be pointless to argue how you often comment in that manner because I doubt you plan on changing anytime soon.
Hmm, it's nice to have the conversation, and to think you might be open to well informed points of view that differ from your own. I'm glad that you're open that way. Have a good rest of the evening.
This is the exact conversation I was hoping to avoid by editing the comment, but I'll bite (this will be my last comment, though). My original comment had absolutely nothing to do with your point of view, but instead how you often choose to phrase your views which has continued through this short thread.
"It's a trap!" would be a better meme here, but this is what it looks like for outsiders following along some of these conversations.
While he may end up better than Eddie Royal in the NFL, he has a long way to go before he even touches Antonio Freeman in terms of Hokie History in my opinion. If he can even match what Freeman did, he will have been wildly successful.
It always seemed odd to me that Buzz was okay with two sport athletes on his team. He strikes me as a guy that expects a lot of commitment to his system and his vision, and having a guy not go through boot camp and join the team halfway through the season seems out of character for him.
Leg up for that rational perspective. I'll agree, it seems like any coach who runs a highly intensive series of sessions called 'Boot Camp' would exude the message - 'I expect full commitment to my program'. It also seems like any player who was 'really' (emphasis) interested in playing a second sport would be in regular contact with that second sport coach about it. That is not an insult of the player, it is a rational consideration of his desire to play another sport.
To cap all this - should we always take a couple of comments by a HS recruit as gospel forever? Don't we know by now that they change their minds on occasion? Somehow I'm guessing that Logan Thomas is not too heartbroken at not being a TE these days, despite his desires when he was coming to VT. That Arizona Cardinals jersey looks pretty darn sweet on him.
There's also the possibility that the coaching change altered Isaiah's decision. I imagine playing for JJ and playing for Buzz are two different experiences.
I think Isaiah should focus on the weight room, watching film, practicing proper technique and burning OSU's secondary come Labor Day. The kid had the goods to be one of the best we've ever had.
Oh, worlds of difference in the two coaches when you think about it. I think that Ford & Hodges, by the time they are finished, will be head & shoulders above Boykin & Coale as our two best receivers.
Ahem...
At this point I expect Bucky to be head and shoulders above Touchdown Jesus when we play ND in 2016, the rate he's growing.
Fuck Touchdown Jesus!
-Dana Jacobson
Exactly. If he were to join the team, pretty sure he wouldn't wait til late January during conference play to finally learn the ropes. Our season will be over in a little more than a month from now. Seems pointless at this juncture of the season.
*Puts on maroon shades* But... but the Final 4 isn't until April?
It seems you have been infected with March Madness a little early this year.