The game was awful. We all know that. It became hard to watch by the second quarter, and the blame has numerous people upon whom it could be placed. There's no sugarcoating any of it.
But instead of dissecting the players' and coaches' performance (or lack thereof), I'm going to give you a history lesson.
We'll start almost a decade ago, way back to the season of the first Hokie victory in the potentially pending Decade of Dominance. The 2004-2005 season began with much hope in spite of a loss. The opener against preseason #1 Southern Cal ended with a 23-14 defeat. However, Hokies everywhere took heart that their unranked team lost to the then-best team in college football by just nine points. The next two games were easy wins for the Hokies, and a matchup with rival West Virginia loomed two weeks ahead. But before the game even happened, the N.C. State Wolfpack came into Blacksburg and beat VT 17-16, putting a severe dent in the team's spirit. Take a minute and imagine how Hokie Nation felt: a 2-2 team, just lost at home to an unranked opponent, with a game vs #6 WVU in seven days. Bryan Randall had gone 11-25 against the Wolfpack, and the Hokies had managed just 38 rushing yards. They may not have been calling for Beamer's job, but clearly it was a dire situation. Would you believe that same team beat the sixth-ranked Mountaineers the next week, then proceeded to win their next SEVEN games after that win? That was the team to make it to the 2005 Sugar Bowl and lose by just three to an undefeated Auburn team. Resilience prevailed, and it was resilience that saved the season.
Two seasons following the Sugar Bowl year, the Hokies opened the season ranked #17 and quickly rose to the 11th spot after four victories. Hopes were high and expectations were lofty, until things came crashing down not once, but TWICE in back to back weeks. Losses to Boston College and Georgia Tech sent the team out of the top 25, and the upcoming game against #10 Clemson looked much more formidable than before. But yet again, the Hokies rose from the ashes, defeated Southern Mississippi before putting a 24-7 beatdown on the Tigers of Clemson en route to winning the last six games of the regular season. Those wins included Clemson as well as #14 Wake Forest on the road and Miami in South Florida. Resilience prevailed, and it was resilience that saved the season.
Again, just one season later in 2007, the team came into Death Valley ranked #9 in the country to play the LSU Tigers. Expectations were high once more, but reality hit like Macho Harris on Jacoby Ford when the Hokies fell 48-7. It was time to temper expectations, rethink goals for the season, and call for changes everywhere. Tech rallied to win their next five, including another over a ranked Clemson team (speaking of Macho Harris on Jacoby Ford). The team rose back up to a #8 ranking, before the most disheartening of disheartening losses that shall not be named happened. We all know. And how could a team respond after the most disheartening of disheartening losses? They won their next five games, on their way to an ACC Championship. Resilience prevailed not once, but twice, and this resilience once again saved the season.
The list goes on, as in 2008 what was supposed to be a 'rebuilding' season started with a 27-22 loss to lowly East Carolina of the C-USA. Unranked but undeterred, the Hokies said f*ck rebuilding and proceeded to win the ACC yet again, and eventually, the Orange Bowl.
Last but not least, as there are still many more examples, the 2010 Hokie football season began with more hype than usual, as the #10-ranked Tech team opened against #3 Boise State. After the second-most disheartening of disheartening losses, the Hokies turned around and fell flat on their faces to an FCS team which shall not be named. 0-2, spirits trampled upon, fans cursing all the while, Virginia Tech football was at a crossroads. Instead of dwelling on the losses, the team turned around and became the first team since the ACC merger to go undefeated in the conference, and won their final 10 games of the regular season, and then the ACC title. It was pure resilience that held the team together and, again, saved the season.
The point of all of this is not to remind you of all of the team's devastating losses of the past. It is rather to remind you that although this team has had it's fair share of losses, many of them gut-wrenching, they have continuously shown that they come back stronger than before. They are a better team because of the loss, and they can still win a conference championship in spite of the stumble.
The loss to Duke yesterday was not planned or accounted for, and it was far from expected. The reality of it is that Duke is a 6-2 football team, and we have room to improve, but there are also four games left in the regular season, and if we win all of them, we will win the division. Hope is far from lost, and the situation is far from dire. We are still a 6-2 team that can still win the ACC.
Oh, and if you're left saying "But RealDiehl, those teams that beat us were better than this Duke scumsquad," let me enlighten you. The 2004-2005 NC State team finished a meager 5-6. Two of the teams that beat the Hokies between 2006 and 2008 ended up in the Continental Tire Bowl. And for what it's worth, JMU didn't even make the FCS playoffs in 2010. Sorry for the reminder.
Go Hokies.
Comments
RealDiehl. You're doing the lord's work son. Bringing up painful memories. The painful memories in some ways remind me that the wins are real. That this team is tougher than a bag of bricks made nails. Fuck what anyone says about "boohoohoo, we lost a game, it's so sad."
I say:
"Sack the fuck up. Get your ass back out there next weekend and shake those goddamn keys. Yell your lungs out. Go fucking nuts. I want you unable to talk on Monday. You're allowed to hurt. That means you care. You just can't bitch about it. Rub some dirt in that emotional hole in your heart. Or seal your heart of. Invest a little of your emotional energy to something else for a little while. Come back next week when you've recovered. Then shake those goddamn keys. Yell your lungs out. Go fucking nuts."
Great write up. Although I know the history well, it still hurts... especially the number one disheartening loss. For which I was in attendance.
Hopefully I'll be at one of the high points of this season. Miami game.
Any are to run the offensive statistics of all those seasons you mentioned?
And those seasons also ended up in BCS bowl losses. So what exactly are we suppose to get pumped up over after Duke exposing our terrible offense?
Sure.
In 2004, VT ranked 65th in yards per game, and 82nd in passing yards per game (with Bryan Randall).
In 2006, the team ranked 100th in yards per game.
In 2007, we were 75th in total offense and again 100th in yards per game.
In 2008, the season in which we won the Orange Bowl, we were 103rd in yards per game, 90th in ppg, and 111th in passing yards per game.
Lastly, in 2010, we managed to come out at #41 in yards per game, but still 73rd in passing yards per game, Tyrod's senior year.
All of those seasons ended with 10 or more wins.
Yep. And I know all of us triangle Hokies are going to wear the orange and maroon tomorrow. We're going to smile because as we know all too well Macho summed it up.
Minor setback for a major comeback.
I knew today felt weird. All of us did. But it's over. UVA lost. WVU did as well. And Miami, well. We got something for our real rival.
It's BC week. We've all sobered up. Put away the grills. Realized only one game is left for Lane this season.
But. We are smiling. Still, as usual, in the drivers seat to compete for championships. Still in the hunt for a big season ending stretch. We have seniors we love and hate to see go, but, look at what's to come.
Ohio state. Twice. The biggest college football game. Ever. Reavis. Kendall. Andrew.
Better put your shades on friends. If this is a rebuilding year, I'd hate to see this team hit all 8 cylinders. And I know for certain a lot of teams that don't want that.
As for our pals from Durham, we will see all 5 of the fans that were in the stadium next year down here. We are pretty good about exacting revenge. So for tonight I leave ou with the aforementioned words of wisdom with a couple more:
Minor setback. Major comeback.
And final parting words to BC, Miami, Maryland, and UVA.
"Sleep with one eye open...gripping your pillow tight..."-
Maybe you're smiling. I woke up at 7:00 because I couldn't sleep. That game is still just eating at me. I know I'll get over it, and you're right, tomorrow I will be wearing the Maroon and Orange. But I need a Steelers win today. I really really really need one.
This team was due for a loss. I'm expecting a big time bounce back win next week however.
Against the team that played FSU and Clemson tight? I would change "expecting" to "hoping".
Some great memories as I went to the USC game, Miami and Sugar Bowl and a few others that year can't remember! My wife was drunk and yelling gobble gobble to the Miami fans outside the stadium thought we were going to get mugged. Would love to go back to the big easy for another rack of test tube shots or 12!
This, this, this. Thank you for saying it first.
Man, I witnessed all of that. What a great perspective. I'm still sad about yesterday, but anything can happen on any given week in college football. Let's get ready for BC.
i expected this post to have a different tone from the title, i'm glad you went with the tone you did. i just got home and i'm not even gonna read the threads from yesterday cause i already know what they say. i've chuckled at some of the irrationally optimistic threads from the last couple of weeks and now things have gone all the way to the other end of the spectrum.
guys and gals, this team was never a serious contender for an mnc. we are a serious contender for the coastal. this is a disappointing loss for sure but it's not the end of days. it is one loss in the conference. the team needs to learn from its mistakes and move forward. personally, i'm gonna go do some laundry and play with my daughter. if folks wanna spend their time shitting all over a team and program they allegedly love at the first sign of adversity, then have at it.
go hokies. beat the living fuck out of boston goddamn college.
Continue to not read the threads from yesterday, is my advice. They're all the same.
Yep, I am preventing myself from reading any negative stuff about this team on any site at all this week. Instead I'm going to sit back and be happy to be 6-2 and controlling our own destiny in the Coastal.
One of my most memorable experiences was the loss to BC in 2008. My best friend went to a small school with a crap football team and he wanted to experience a big college game. When VT jumped to an early lead he was running around the stands hi-fiving people, screaming his head off. Its was great...then it all went down hill. After the game we were talking and he was asking if it was always such an emotional rollercoaster. Well not every game but most seasons are.
Personally I love the emotional rollercoaster. Its an addiction and why I get excited and anxious every Saturday in the fall.
Honest to god man. This right here I think puts into words what we all know in our hearts. We love this team because there's a soul to it. It is going to break your heart from time to time. It is going to make you shit your pants in fear even if it does go undefeated in close games. Being an Alabama fan must be the most boring shit known to man.
Agree with both of you. While it sucks that the Hokies lost, I am now way more excited for next Saturday than if they won. It makes the season way more fun to lose some and then come back and win even more.
Really? Losing to an unranked team that had not beat a ranked team on the road in 40 years is more fun than winning? Not sure how that works; but maybe I enjoy competing for championships.
We're still competing for the exact same championship that we were after week 1. With the first loss, any wild notion of a MNC was out the window, and it was a complete fantasy anyway. We still control our fate. Had we won against Duke, I'd probably be pretty nervous going against BC like I was two weeks ago. I'm still hesitant, but I too am excited to see how our guys respond. We've got something to fight for, even harder than we had to before, and that makes it even more interesting to me.
I believe this game is way more the exception than the rule; we'll rebound and there's not one opponent on our remaining conference schedule that looks invincible.
And with all this said and done...
I'll just leave this here.
Ok so I'm on the iPhone and can't embed. Or I'm dumb.
YouTube: VT Momentum and props to Pride&Joy
Great video!
drinking, smart phones and posting don't mix. I thought I was commenting on something.
Go Giants!
"beat the fuck out of B.C"........i like that!!!
I think I needed this... Seeing that not only did the Hokies lose, but the redskins, capitals, and uah chargers (my graduate schools hockey team) all lost this weekend as well. Terrible weekend for sports, but here's hoping for a comeback.
Right there with you as far as the Skins and Hokies. 9 turnovers this weekend between our QBs. It's a wonder I didn't pull all my hair out. On a positive note: A loss just makes the next win that much sweeter!
This thread is what I look for on TKP. Was looking forward to some level-headed, positive yet realistic reactions to the game. I hate the negativity you get on most fan sites and I was really disappointed in most of the threads yesterday, had to stay off twitter all night. Thanks for this though
No problem. I was sick of seeing all the doom and gloom posts as well, which was why I wrote this up.
I think the main confusing thing for me is this. When we are great, why do we have those hiccups? This goes back farther than 10 years. We have dominated games only to lose with two minutes left. We are riding high, then Duke, temple, Miami of Ohio, etc happens.
I think this is why so many people won't consider us an elite team.
And we will continue to not be an elite team until these hiccups stop happening. Our best team in recent memory lost to JMU, example A. But as far as this season was concerned, I don't think anybody thought we had the chance to be great, and even after a 6-1 start, we were delusional if we thought we still had the chance to be great.
Oh I agree this season is not going as originally expected. However, people say that elite teams beat teams that they are supposed to beat. We were supposed to beat Duke. Even if they were undefeated, people would think that. No one is giving them any props for being 6-2, as the preception is Duke is well, Duke.
But yeah, we are supposed to beat the JMU's, Dukes, Temples, Miami of Ohios, etc. As long as we keep losing those games, a lot of people won't take us seriously.
Love this RealDiehl. Preach it brother. I say, Keep Calm....and Sam Rogers
I don't feel that this team can be lumped into those other squads. I'm not talking about the ability to reel off wins to end the season (it could happen), but as bad as those Stiney offenses were, we could POUND the ball with a series of 1,000+ yards backs in each of those seasons, and had strong QB play from 2 Veteran Qb's in Randall and Tyrod. I don't think that these backs and LT are on that level. Forget the numbers, just talent wise they are not on that level.
You can only rise from the ashes after you go down in flames; and this offense went down hard. Its not often that a defense will have 4 picks (including 2 in the red zone), less than 200 total yards against, not give up a single 3rd down conversion, only 1 TD and 2 50+ yard field goals and lose. The offense was unwatchable. Duke was daring LT to beat them with his arm, which is why he had 20+ rushing attempts, more than half on passing downs. They kept most of his completions to checkdowns, making VT have longer drives, banking on this team eventually crapping out or turning it over.
Giving LT a pass on the 2 INT's that were tipped, the other 2 were on him. The one in the endzone is a ball you just cannot throw just CAN"T throw, already down, rolling left and throwing back across the middle into triple coverage. It cost the team 3 points, assuming Shaky Leg could chip in a 18 yarder (no safe assumption these days).
And the one where he sailed Stanford was a total "WTF" moment. The announcers can say all they want about running routes but that was not the case here, he threw the ball 10 feet above the receivers head. Who did he think was running the route, Paul Bunyan? He sailed it and plain and simple and Stanford was uncovered.
I am not bailing on this team by any means, but the numbers were pretty telling heading into this game. Our offense put 19 on Pitt, Duke hung 50+. They can score, we can't, and the warts that almost cost us against Marshall (weak offense, shaky kicking) came back together and cost this team a key conference game.
All good points, and I agree with the talent statement regarding this team as far as offense is concerned. But I also believe still have the talent to win out the regular season.