http://www.hokiesports.com/football/recaps/20160818aab.html
BLACKSBURG – Virginia Tech head football coach Justin Fuente invites all Virginia Tech students to attend next Tuesday's football practice at Lane Stadium. The first 500 students in attendance at the Student Appreciation Practice will receive complimentary Papa John's pizza. The Hokie Bird and members of the VT Spirit Squad will be in attendance.
"There's even more energy and excitement at Virginia Tech when our students are on campus," Fuente said. "With students starting classes next week, we also want them to gear up for the beginning of football season. Our team has been working hard and we'd like to give their fellow students a sample of what they can expect at Lane Stadium this fall."
Current Virginia Tech students with a valid Hokie Passport should enter Lane Stadium via gate 6. All doors will be open starting at approximately 4:20-4:30 p.m. and students will be permitted to view practice from the lower level of the west stands (press box side). The viewable portion of practice time will last approximately 40 minutes. Students are welcome to take photos, but at the request of Coach Fuente, no video of practice will be permitted.
TKP members or are also students please go enjoy some free food, some free football and then share with the rest of us what you see.
Comments
*dusts off Hokie passport*
*attempts to look 10 years younger*
Aren't you a grad student?
Nope. Finished that in 2012 and left VT in 2013 after working there for a year.
You left?
What a dummy.
Ahem, but sir. Aren't you a grad student??? *Nudge Nudge Wink Wink
I really love this about both Coach Fuente and Coach Buzz. They both came in and did a great job of embracing the students. I'm not going to throw shade on Coach Beamer...that man is Hokie Legend until the day the school crumbles to the ground...but I never felt like during my time there (2012-2016) that coaching staff and regime did a good job of making students feel involved with the program. Coach Fuente and Coach Buzz have done an outstanding job of making the students feel like they are part of the team and rightfully so! When you feel like you're part of something you become a lot more passionate about it.
I think the problem with students feeling part of the team is the priority that alumni are given over students in ticket sales. "Back in the old days (omg here the old fogy goes again !) ALL students automatically got a pass to football games at registration". It's much harder financially for students to come to games these days and you have to admit, there's nothing that will make a fan faster than actually being at a live game. Congradulations to Coach Fuente for doing what he can to involve folks even when the financials of the situation are now "out of whack".
I agree with you in some aspects but to play devil's advocate, it doesn't help the fact that you were a student during some pretty shitty football seasons, relative to the previous decade.
Gotta love that as a Hokie fan a "pretty shitty football season" still means going bowling
In his early days, Coach was much more dialed into the students. Back before they started the online lottery for tickets, groups of students from halls or fraternities/sororities would camp out in front of Cassell for days before the tickets were available to get the best seats for the games. It took groups because we would all have shifts of hours that we would put in to the effort. It was a tradition at Tech that I participated in during the late 70's and I was sad to see it go. There were some great memories of those campouts and the camaraderie it built.
I heard a story from a student of one particular occasion I think on the heels of the 2-8-1 season, where the team was starting to turn the corner, there was a long line of students camped out waiting in line for tickets (might have been the Syracuse game). Coach was driving home and stopped in front of Cassell for a minute and drove on. He came back in a hour or so with his car loaded with pizzas that he handed out personally to all the students. He said he wanted to thank them for the support they were showing...... After Weaver came in and started running things more like a business, that bond was more detached but I still remember his speech after we beat BC in Lane to go undefeated where he poured out praise for "the best fans in all of college football" . He may not have shown it as much in his later years at the helm but make no mistake, he always loved and appreciated the students and the support they gave him.
Biggest question----- Do we have a student here that would be willing to go take some notes for us old folks?????
Ryan is a student. He'll be there doing just that I'm sure.
So what do we get if we make the playoff?
/s
If we make the playoff and win, I hope its a disappointment pie:
Papa Johns pepperoni rolls are fatty greasy savory delicious nuggets of perfection
Leg for the pepperoni rolls. There's this version of a sweet bread pepperoni roll that's out there where the bread is sweet, soft, and the size of a calzone. When I used to visit Virginia Beach, I'd go to a place called Glory's bakery and feast on these sweet bread pepperoni rolls.
LOL i was raised on Glory's Bakery pepperoni bread!
I look forward to all the videos of practice that "I didn't take but a buddy of mine did" next week.
The new staff creativity has no limit. By the way, that's a lot of pizzas.
Big winner here...the local papa John's.
I guess it's to make up for all the pizza they couldn't deliver to the visitor locker room on Labor Day.
Shoulda went with Firehouse, those $5 large pies on wednesday were the best.
FTFY
It's just a normal day for team pie.
Ever notice how a pizza is shaped like a cookie cake? Just an observation.
So you're trying to say a pizza pie is really cake?
Or is it a cookie?
Pie, a crust that has depth you add the filling and topping into.
College kids, free pizza, 4:20
Wow. She ranks up there with my favorite magician of all time.
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