Enough!

As a long-time fan of the VT football Hokies, I have seen fortunes come and go.  The program has always been a generally decent and honorable one, and one that most Hokie football fans can be proud of (okay, maybe if we exclude the end of the Marcus Vick period and the embarrassment that he continues to bestow on our institution).  During the up years (and winning game performances), the college football pundits point to the long tenures of many of the coaches, and conclude that "stability" is the key to Virginia Tech's success. During the down years (and poor game performances), the experts--and the fans--point to the unimaginative coaching, particularly on offense, and say that contemporary football program offenses have simply passed the Hokies offensive brain trust by.  We are still trying to to run a 20th century offense in the 21st century, and it is now well outside its shelf life. Todd McShay of ESPN most-recently made this particular assertion.

Although I also value stability in an organization, it is a simple truism that if people in strategic positions are unable to adapt, then changes must be made.  And when changes are necessary, one also has to consider the question, "If I release this person, can I find someone better to replace him/her?".  It's always a little bit of a chicken-and-egg situation.  For example, VT's A.D., Jim Weaver, released VT basketball coach Seth Greenberg on somewhat of a whim--allegedly because Seth's organization did not adequately reflect the "family relationships" evident within other VT sports teams.  The fact that the Hokies were unable to make the NCAA Tournament under Seth's watch no doubt factored into the decision, along with a few other things (such as it was rumored that he had clandestinely been interviewing with other organizations for a job).  Regardless, he was fired so late in the post-season that all of the previously-available "high-caliber" potential replacement coaches had already been nailed down by other teams. The default choice became former assistant coach, James Johnson.  The early results (before ACC play) look promising; but if this move works out, it will be due purely to dumb luck (which, respectfully-speaking, appears to be the key to our A.D.'s success over the years--from our admission to the ACC as well as VT's improbable invitation last season to the BCS Sugar Bowl).  But I digress...

The Hokies are not always going to have a Michael Vick, Tyrod Taylor, Ryan Williams, or David Wilson on the team--at least not until we have more consistent team performance year-in and year-out, which leads to better recruiting.  So, during those "non-star" years, the offense still needs to produce, adjusting to the various talents of those currently on the team.  The present VT offensive coaching staff seems unable to manifest success under less-than-perfect circumstances, so the organization needs to diligently find someone with these skills and then "make room" for them in the organization. Offensive game plans, play-calling, offensive line coaching, quarterback coaching, and special teams coaching are all areas that need attention.

November 23, 2012 - Source: Geoff Burke/Getty Images North America

Specifically, the fuzzy delineation and reassignment of offensive coaching roles between Bryan Stinespring and Michael O'Cain has simply not been productive. Furthermore, under O'Cain's quarterback coaching tutelage, Logan Thomas' passing accuracy has actually regressed.  The kid is a real gamer and will do whatever it takes to win.  The coaching staff pushed him into the QB position, initially against his desire, so they owe it to him to make him successful there.  He certainly has the physical tools and mental toughness to excel in the position, both at the college and professional level.

We know that coaching changes make huge differences in team performance. Clemson had been a perennial doormat of the Hokies for some time.  Then, they hire a new coach and an innovative offensive coordinator, and in the three most-recent games with the Tigers, the Hokies have been so over-matched that they don't look like they belong on the same field with them.

I am certainly not alone in these sentiments.  In fact, I am a relatively late-comer to those calling for change.  My patience with the staff ran out after the team's season-end loss in the Sugar Bowl against Michigan.  The defense effectively shut down the Michigan offense, but the panicked offensive play-calling at critical times during the game sabotaged Bud Foster & Company's masterful defensive effort.  

Regarding other specific changes, I think that I generally agree with the proposals reflected in a recent blog post from GobblerCountry, which I encourage you to read. 

Will any coaching changes actually occur during the coming off-season?  Frank Beamer's unyielding sacrifice to the god of loyalty would appear to make this unlikely.  It will take extraordinary pressure from big-dollar donors and athletic sponsors for this to have any chance of happening.  We'll have to wait (and pray) and see.  Until then, I hope for a successful performance in our upcoming bowl game.

Go Hokies!!

"These are times that try men's souls..."

Okay, maybe Thomas Paine had something more serious in mind when he uttered this altruism; but, nevertheless, this was a tough weekend for Hokie and Redskin fans.

First, the Hokies got absolutely manhandled and beat up-and-down the field by the Pitt Panthers; then the Redskins got smacked in the mouth (and many other places) by the St. Louis Rams.  I think that both of my teams are looking forward to some "home cookin'" next weekend.

A week in China, and I arrived back in the States on Saturday evening looking forward to watching a recording of the earlier-in-the-day Hokies-Panthers game (having religiously maintained radio and internet silence since landing that evening).  I was expecting to watch a convincing, if not easy, Hokie win, especially since Pitt had just dropped 2 games in a row to open their season.

Instead, I found myself watching the Redskin Hogs of the 70's-80's on the Pitt side of the ball.  Total domination up front.  The defense was supposed to be the Hokies' strong suit this season -- but after giving up 537 yards to Pitt --  I don't think so.

Then on Sunday afternoon, I got ready for the Redskins-Rams game by watching a replay of the Redskins-Saints game from last weekend (as I missed watching that game as well while I was in the People's Republic).  So when the Redskins-Rams game came on at 4 pm, I was looking for a beat-down of the Rams to open the season at 2-0.  The reality was something different, however.  In fact, thought I was watching a replay of the Hokies game, albeit with a little more offense from the good guys.  But seriously, 452 yards given up by the Redskins' defense, after giving up 358 yards to the Saints last week?  "Houston, we have a problem."

Former Hokie Josh -- I mean, "Joshua" -- Morgan did not acquit himself well at the end of game either with his 15-yard "loss of composure" penalty, although there was plenty of blame to go around, including Aldrick Robinson's drop of a bomb thrown by RG III in the closing drive.  

Speaking of Hokies in the NFL, although Arizona did knock off Tom Brady and the Patriots, Ryan Williams (aka, "RMFW") did not do his team any favors by fumbling at the end of the game deep in Arizona territory and setting up what should have been a game-winning field goal by the Patriots.  (At least the football gods got that one right.)

And if I ever hear the phrase "Another first-down (or touchdown) completion to Danny Amendola" again in my lifetime, it will be too soon...

Go Hokies!! Go Redskins!!

Their Blood Still Cries Out for Justice - Update

This is an update from a previous blog on this subject.

Just when despair had become the guest who would not leave, some progress has been made and renewed attention is being focused on the Morgan Harrington murder case.  The FBI and VA State Police are partnering in a campaign to find and arrest the man who killed VT student Morgan Harrington in 2009, and who also raped a woman in 2005.

A composite sketch has been put together, shown here.  The FBI also has a dedicated web page located here.

The suspect is described as a black male, who was described as 25-35 at the time of the rape in 2005. At that time, he was also described as 5'9" - 6'0" tall, weighing 180-220 lbs, with a beard and mustache.

Jefferson Area Crime Stoppers are offering a $100,000 reward and Metallica is offering an additional $50,000.

May God comfort the Harrington family and help the authorities to remove (by any means necessary) this lowlife from society.

Chuck Brown - R.I.P.

Courtesy Washington City Paper

Chuck Brown was a local DC legend, a.k.a. "The Godfather of Go-Go". Maybe not a national artist, but one who was revered in DC, and he was a point of pride for black Washingtonians. According to the Washington Post, local radio personality Donnie Simpson described him as "like the Washington Monument. He was like Ben's Chili Bowl. He was the big chair. He was all of that. Chuck Brown was Washington DC."


Brown lived in Brandywine, MD, in the suburbs of DC. He died on Wednesday, May 16, 2012 at Baltimore's Johns Hopkins Hospital of multiple organ failure including heart failure or heart problems. He was 75 years old. Several weeks prior to his death, he had postponed and canceled shows due to hospitalization for pneumonia.  He had energy, style, and flair; and he will be missed.

Nekos Brown
Courtesy Chicago Rush/AFL

So what is the Hokie connection, and why am I talking about him in this blog? Well, there are actually two connections: his sons, Nekos and Wiley Brown. He is also survived by his wife and the boys' mother, Jocelyn Brown. Nekos played defensive end and linebacker for the Hokies from 2006-2009, starting in the 2009 Orange Bowl against Cincinnati. He now plays Arena Football for the Chicago Rush. 

Wiley Brown
Courtesy HokieSports.com

His brother Wiley currently plays outside linebacker for the Hokies, with emphasis on special teams.  He played 10 games for Duquesne in 2008. He then transferred to VT and sat out the 2009 season, per NCAA transfer rules.  He played in all Hokie football games in 2010 and 2011, and will be finishing up his career with the Hokies this year, 2012. Coming from a fan who usually ends up watching games from the end zone, I can say that Wiley is a tireless package of energy during special teams play, especially kick-offs. He fires his team up, and he fires the fans up.


Chuck Brown scheduled concerts and other appearances around the Hokies' home football schedule to ensure that he would never miss one of his sons' games, and he became a fixture at Lane Stadium. Following the Virginia Tech massacre, Brown stated in an interview that he was "absolutely devastated" by the tragedy, and cried every day for two weeks. In shows that followed, Brown would pause for a moment in prayer for the victims and their families before beginning his performance, and dedicated several shows to their memory.


As a father and as a Hokie, I couldn't be prouder of being associated with such a man, even if only in a peripheral way.  So here's to you, Chuck Brown!  May God hold you ever-so-close to him in your new life in eternity, as you serenade Him and the rest of the saints in Heaven.

Chuck Brown - Courtesy todaysthv.com

"Go-Go" Hokies. Go-Go.

Their Blood Still Cries Out for Justice

The Roanoke Times | File 2009

A disconcerting blog title for a disturbing and haunting subject: the still-unsolved murders of Heidi Childs, 18, of Forest VA; David Metzler, 19, of Lynchburg VA; and Morgan Harrington, 20, of Roanoke VA. 


The young student-couple, Heidi Childs and David Metzler, were murdered on the evening of August 26, 2009, in the parking lot of the Caldwell Fields campground in the Jefferson National Forest on Craig Creek Road in Montgomery County. My mind has never wandered far from this tragedy, especially when the perpetrator(s) of this crime still walk(s) freely on this earth.

Credit: Facebook Photo

Although occurring in Charlottesville VA, the murder of Morgan Harrington on or around October 17, 2009 remains unsolved and deeply-unsettling as well. Justice has also been delayed in the case of this heinous crime.  But we serve a just God, and we can live our lives with the assurance that retribution for this evil will ultimately be meted out. But for Harrington family and friends living in the here and now, it doesn't make their memories any less painful.

Regrettably, these are but three of several senseless murders committed on or around the VT campus in recent years. As an alumni, father of three other VT alumni, and avid follower of Virginia Tech and its academic and athletic programs, it is viscerally painful to dredge these base events back to the surface. The wounds never heal, especially for the families involved.  A surface scab is formed, but it is ripped off time and time again. These incidents haunt the soul, and serve as cruel reminders of the fallen world in which we live. 

• August 20, 2006: William Morva, while in jail awaiting trial for attempted armed robbery, and facing a maximum 38 years sentence, was taken to Montgomery Regional Hospital for a sprained ankle and wrist. After using a hospital bathroom, he assaults and knocks deputy Russell Quesenberry unconscious, breaking his nose and smashing his face using a metal toilet-paper container. He then seizes the deputy's gun and shoots Derrick McFarland, a hospital security guard who was running to the deputy's aid. McFarland subsequently dies from his wounds. This initiates a manhunt for Morva, who on the morning of August 21, 2006 shoots and kills Montgomery County sheriff's deputy, Cpl. Eric Sutphin, on the Huckleberry Trail near the Virginia Tech Campus. He is later apprehended hiding in a briar patch on an off-campus trail about 150 yards from where Cpl. Sutphin was shot. He is currently on death row awaiting execution. His execution has already been stayed multiple times. Quit screwing around and finish it.
• April 16, 2007: The Virginia Tech Massacre occurs, in which 32 students and faculty members are killed and 25 others are injured. The perpetrator of this horror then turned one of his guns on himself. Godspeed to hell, Mr. Cho.
• January 21, 2009: Chinese male grad student Haiyang Zhu, 25, decapitates female grad student Xin Yang, 22, with a kitchen knife in the Au Bon Pain in the Donaldson-Brown building on the VT campus. On April 19, 2010, Zhu was sentenced to life imprisonment without parole.
• August 26, 2009:  David Metzler and Heidi Childs are shot in Jefferson National Forest. Their killer(s) still at large.
• October 17, 2009: Virginia Tech student Morgan Dana Harrington, 20, of Roanoke VA, vanishes during a Metallica concert in Charlottesville. On Jan. 26, 2010, her remains were found on an Albemarle County farm. Police are still searching for her killer.
• December 7, 2011: Ross Ashley, a part-time Radford student from Partlow VA, steals a car at gunpoint from a Radford rental office, ends up on campus at Virginia Tech the following day and shoots a campus police officer without provocation.  He then proceeds to change clothes in a greenhouse, runs to a parking lot, and fatally shoots himself after being spotted there by another police officer.  Justice served.

My two youngest sons attended the university during the period when many of these events occurred.  I can never know their pain.


The Childs-Metzler murders were thrust back into the news on March 30, 2012, when  Montgomery County Sheriff Tommy Whitt held a news conference reinvigorating the ongoing investigation with the news that DNA evidence has been recovered. 


The night of the murders, many people were traveling to and from Wednesday night church services on Craig Creek Road, which connects to the Caldwell Fields day-use parking lot where the students' bodies were found the next morning. Whitt said investigators have identified a number of vehicles that were on the road that evening, and are still attempting to locate a few of them. Whitt stressed that the owners of the vehicles may not be suspects, but possibly could have information that might help with the case. With the DNA evidence, the federal and state task force now has something to vet possible suspects with.


Unfortunately, the unsolved case of Morgan Harrington continues to drag on as well. In October of last year (2011), Investigation Discovery created a dramatization of the events surrounding her disappearance; thus helping to keep this unsolved case in the forefront of both the public, and more importantly, the task force assigned to solve the case.  Then, on January 26, 2012, State police spokesman Corinne Geller asserted that the investigation remains active and ongoing. They had previously publicly announced at least one break in the case, but it has not led to an arrest. In July 2010, they said the same man who abducted and killed Harrington may have sexually assaulted a woman in Fairfax City in 2005, based on DNA evidence.


A number of Facebook pages have been formed by those who loved and cherished these victims. One for David Metzler and Heidi Childs can be found here.  One for Morgan Harrington can be found here.


We owe it to these three innocents and their families to keep the search for their killers alive. I pray that God will comfort their families and give them strength. And I pray that God will provide the investigative teams wisdom and the fortitude to persevere in their pursuit of justice.


James 5:16 provides us the promise that the prayers of the righteous are "powerful and effective". We must hold fast to this promise.

2012-2013 Football Hokies: Bad News & Better News

With the 2011-2012 basketball season in the books, it's time to look forward to football season.  Unfortunately, the football program is being ushered in with a few clouds in the sky. Former VT QB Marcus Vick is back in the news, Telvion Clark is has been kicked off the team, and Tariq Edwards suffered a setback in recovery from his stress fracture, requiring a rod to be inserted in his shin to stabilize the bone.

Courtesy HokieSports.com

Marcus' recent (and past) troubles were documented in a previous blog, and Telvion Clark's recent St. Paddy's Day exploit included public swearing and intoxication. This is not Clark's only brush with the local traffic and criminal authorities. A search of the Montgomery County VA General District Court Online Case Information System revealed the following cases involving Mr. Clark:

• Driving Under a Suspended/Revoked License - Found Not Guilty at 10/24/11 Hearing.
• Expired Registration - Found Not Guilty at 10/24/11 Hearing.
• Failure to Obey a Highway Sign - Fine/Costs Paid on 3/19/12.
• Public Swearing/Intoxication - Hearing Scheduled for 5/03/12.

You may also recall that Clark was a member of the infamous "Greyhound Six" which was comprised of six players that were sent home on a bus ahead of the 2011 Orange Bowl for violating team rules.

On my Twitter account, I postulated that the coaching staff saw a "Marcus Vick trajectory"  in the works and decided to nip it in the bud by ousting Clark from the team before things got worse. Some took issue with this characterization, most notably Chris Coleman (from TechSideline.com), who described the situation as "much, much different than Marcus Vick".  I don't doubt that it is a lot different, especially when you have team leaders like James Gayle, Logan Thomas, and Antone Exum all lobbying on Twitter to have Clark reinstated with the team.  I have also heard from good sources that if the charge against Cody Journell is reduced to a misdemeanor, we may see him back on the team as a walk-on(!?). I guess when you mix alumni dollars with college football, there's no telling what can happen.

On the "better news" front, although Tariq Edwards is anticipated to be out 3-4 months and not available to participate in spring practice starting on 3/28/12, he is expected to be available by the start of training camp in August.

Now for the some positive news.  Anyone who watched the 2011 Orange Bowl game against Stanford, the regular season and ACC Championship games against Clemson in 2011, and the 2012 Sugar Bowl game against Michigan understands that the VT football program has some serious coaching issues against quality teams that need attention. ("So, how exactly is that positive, Ron?")  The positive part about those four losses is that the coaching staff themselves seems to realize that they have some serious issues that need attention and they are actively searching for ways to improve.  As a fan, that is a positive development.

Last month, the offensive coaches (including Bryan Stinespring, Micheal O'Cain, and Shane Beamer) visited with Texas Longhorn co-offensive coordinator (and previous Boise State offensive coordinator) Bryan Harsin in Austin.  Reportedly, they gained some insight in how to create more problems for defenses via the use of different formations and doing things to control game tempo and keeping defenses off-balance.  (A repeated criticism of VT's offense by many Hokie fans is that its offense is simply too predictable against opposing defenses.)

At the same time, Bud Foster and his defensive coaches spent time in Jacksonville, FL with the Jacksonville Jaguars and University of Missouri coaching staffs. While there, they focused considerable time learning how to execute and defend against the spread offense, which Missouri, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Baylor--and Clemson--all run. Bud Foster and his team spent time with Missouri coach, and former Bud Foster compadre at Toledo, Gary Pinkel; and they exchanged tips and ideas in a two-way fashion.

Will this reap benefits for the 2012-2013 campaign?  Who knows. But one thing is for sure, it sure as hell can't hurt.

Go Hokies!

Marcus Vick: The Gift That Keeps On Giving

Sigh.  With Michael's little brother, Marcus, it only seems to be a matter of time before he gets tired of big brother getting all the headlines.  The AP reported today that Marcus has been sentenced to a 10-day jail term on contempt of court charges. The charge stems from his failure to appear at two court dates for a charge of driving on a suspended license back in 2010. Ironically, it was a similar "driving on a suspended license" charge that was the final straw for Frank Beamer and VA Tech when they booted him off the team in 2006.


During his tenure at the school, he racked up a total of nine traffic offenses, including speeding, reckless driving, and driving on a suspended license (mentioned above).  In addition to the traffic offenses, he was also convicted of marijuana possession and contributing to the delinquency of a minor.  In the 2006 Gator Bowl, he stomped on Louisville linebacker Elvis Dumervil's leg when he was defenseless and attempting to get up after a play; Dumervil did not return to the game.  The referees did not see the infraction until after the game on video replay, but stated that he would have been thrown out of the game had they seen it.  VT athletic director Jim Weaver issued a formal apology after the game.

Almost immediately after he was kicked off the team, he was accused of brandishing a firearm in a Suffolk, VA McDonald's parking lot.  After his one-season stint as a practice-squad player on the Miami Dolphins, his football career officially ended--but not his career of extra-curricular activities, as in 2008, he was charged in a single incident with DUI, misdemeanor eluding police, driving on the wrong side of the road, reckless driving, and driving on a suspended license.  He later pleaded guilty to the DUI, but his sentence was suspended and he was put on probation, and he was instructed to complete an alcohol education program.  


In 2009, a judge revoked his suspended jail sentence and ordered him to jail for violating the terms of his probation: he failed to complete an alcohol education program, he tested positive for marijuana at an appointment, he missed appointments, and he didn't pay court costs and fines.


Quite a resume--and he's still young.  As a VT fraternity brother of mine, Brian Sanchez, is fond of saying when he reads of Marcus' continuing exploits, "He's doin' us proud!"

Go Hokies!

"My Kingdom for a Made Free Throw!"

Another close basketball game, ultimately lost by the Hokies. Why do we need to talk about it?  Haven't we seen the script play out before? We know how it starts (ugly), we know how it progresses (false hopes are raised), and we know how it ends (badly). And so it was last night in Tallahassee.  Different night, different venue, same result.  "Check, please!"

Courtesy of "Learn2" tutorials

In the case of last night's game, the Hokies simply cemented another loss by missing an inordinate number of free throws at the end of the game.

Not so fast, white man.

If we look beyond the surface and stick our head in the water of last night's game, we see an entirely different dynamic.

We see a team experiencing yet more physical adversity, with two more players unable to play and sitting on the bench, senior Victor Davila and freshman C.J. Barksdale. We see an undermanned team playing its guts out against a ranked ACC opponent in a hostile (road) environment, getting turnovers, getting 50/50 balls, and scrambling, diving, and laying out for 40 minutes. Playing more minutes than they are used to, refusing to take a possession off, and refusing to concede any basket ultimately took its toll in terms of fatigue and muscle cramps (hamstrings). Cadarian Raines went down, and then Jarell Eddie.

Seth Greenberg went with the best game plan available late in the second half, with both his starting and back-up centers out of the game: milk the clock, continue to play strong defense, and try to hold the lead. The plan was working in terms of running the clock and playing defense, but the lead started to erode, primarily due to a combination of missed free throws and FSU scoring.

Things looked a little dicey when Erick Green missed the front ends of a couple of 1-and-1 free throws (with 2:12 and 1:55 left in the game): 4 points left on the table. But no problem: Jarell Eddie sinks two free throws with only 1:29 left in the game and extends the lead to 9 points. Things looked pretty safe at that point, right? (FSU was only scoring points at an average rate of 1 point per minute up to that point in the game.)

Then the bottom fell out. FSU hits a 3-ball, but then has to foul Dorenzo Hudson, who misses both free throws. FSU hits a 2-ball, but has to foul Jarell Eddie, who hits only one of two free throws. Then FSU hits a 3-ball, and the lead is only 2 points with 44 seconds left.  Finney-Smith misses a 3-point attempt, but Eddie gets the rebound and is fouled. Critically, Eddie cannot continue, as his hamstrings cramp up due to fatigue. He is unable to shoot his free throws.

FSU coach Leonard Hamilton chooses 68% free-throw shooter freshman Robert Brown to  shoot Eddie's free-throws with 10 seconds left in the game, and after two "clunked" attempts, FSU grabs the rebound, and Michael Snaer hits a 3-pointer with less than 4 seconds left -- game, set, match.

Damned disappointing? Yes. Worthy of criticism? No. A lot of guys were playing a lot of minutes, and playing HARD a lot of minutes.  As much as the announcers on ESPN (Elmore and Patrick) harped on FSU for their turnovers, the turnovers didn’t just happen by accident or carelessness; the Hokies forced most of them. They laid it all on the line, and at the end of the game, some of them cramped up and were forced to leave the game, and others missed free throws due to fatigue and physical exhaustion.  Nothing was on the line for the Hokies in that game but pride, and they hung in and left everything on the court.  It’s hard to complain about a bunch of guys with character like that – and it’s hard to complain about a coach that can elicit a heroic performance like that from them.

Go Hokies!

A Familiar Feeling

Maybe I've been in Washington too long, but I am feeling that empty feeling that I always get with the Washington Redskins "professional" football team. Specifically, after only 1/3 of the football season is over, the Redskins' season is already over. But I'm not talking about the Redskins, and I'm not talking about the football season; I'm talking about basketball season, and I'm talking about the Virginia Tech Hokie men's basketball team.

Similar to a typical Redskins season, the preseason was filled with hope -- the anticipation of a new season, bolstered by a generally positive finish of the non-conference schedule. There were also some (at present, false) indications that the Hokies' new highly-touted group of freshman would be able to make immediate impact on a team that just lost two irreplaceable stars, Malcolm Delaney and Jeff Allen; and a key contributor and understated playmaker, Terrell Bell, aka, "T-Bell" (or as I referred to him, "The Black Panther").


Well, after having played the first six games of ACC play, it's quite obvious that "we aren't in Kansas anymore". The season has barely started, but it's already over.


Other than Erick Green, the Hokies seem to be lost in space. During most of their games, they seem to be good for one-half of play; the other half is a disaster -- consisting of either a lot of sloppiness leading to too many turnovers or a lack of offensive production (compounded by a lack of rebounding awareness), or both.  During the first few games of ACC play, the team would come out of the gate quickly, only to lose focus or stamina in the second half of game.  More recently, and more disturbingly, the offense has been sleepwalking through the first half of games: no energy, a lot of standing around, no penetration, and no in-the-paint scoring. And with no second-chance opportunities (due to a lack of board presence), opposing teams have padded a big lead up front, leaving the Hokies deep in a hole by halftime.  Usually by the end of the second half, after an exhausting effort, the Hokies get close enough to make the score look "respectable", but it's a loser's facade.  Losing is losing, and this season's team is starting to get used to it, although I'm sure that more senior members of the team, like Dorenzo Hudson and Victor Davila, aren't comfortable with it.


Seth Greenberg, one of the smartest basketball minds in the business, is still juggling line-ups, benching former starters, and generally shuffling the deck to try to find something that will work. I think that he has run out of combinations, none of which have worked.


Last year, Malcolm Delaney would will his team to fight and overcome, even during a non-productive outing for him personally. This responsibility has been thrust upon Erick Green, and he is still growing into this role. This was evidenced in an article published earlier this year in the Washington Post, in which Green admitted the following:


“I was just blending in, not talking, and Coach (Seth Greenberg) was trying to get me to understand what being a leader is about,” Green said. “How I have to be there every day, even on the days I don’t want to be there or don’t feel like talking or feel like practicing. I still have to come because these guys are looking up to me. He taught me a lesson and it’ll never happen again.”

After the recent loss to the University of Maryland, Green called out the freshmen in his post-game comments:

"...when you step on the court you should already be fired up. Someone shouldn’t have to tell you: ‘Get up. This is a big game.’ . . . It should just come natural. We’re young; I’m not gonna use that as an excuse. But these young guys don’t really know what it’s like right now. So we got to get them ready.”

Anyway, all the Hokies can do at this point is try to work on selected elements of their offense and defense playbooks and try to extract something positive out of this lost season. Maybe they can actually steal a game from someone every now and then, or catch someone short-handed, like they did UVA.  

Does all this sound familiar?  It should; it's been the Redskins' mid-season mantra as long as I can remember. (But "just wait 'til next year!")

Go Hokies!!

A Ray of Sunshine Amidst the Clouds!

Nice to have something good to talk about in Hokie sports!  It wasn't pretty, but a win over an in-state rival is always something to smile about.  As you can infer from my previous post, my expectations underwent a serious reset mid-season after the first 4 games of ACC play. 

The win in Charlottesville last night against a ranked, but short-handed, UVA team doesn't change my previous assessment of where the Hokies are this season -- but it sure was a nice "bluebird".

One of the folks I follow on Twitter predicted an over/under score of 100 for this game; the combined score for both teams was 92 points; not a bad prediction.  He should be a bookie.  But this leads us to a reality check on the game: 47 points isn't going to win you a lot of games, even if you have a good defense.  The Hokies also benefited (greatly) from the absence of 7-ft-tall UVA senior center Assane Sene.  His presence would have changed the outcome, no doubt.

But given the serious injuries for key Hokies over the last few seasons (Hudson, Chaney, Thompson, etc.), it's all part of the game.  In the recent loss to Boston College, the Hokies were missing their leading scorer, Erick Green; but any "tournament team" worth its salt beats BC no matter who is missing from the line-up.

This gets back to expectations. After starting the season 0-4 in the ACC, including losses to woeful teams like Wake Forest and Boston College, I no longer view the Hokies as a tournament team, and probably not even an NIT invitee. As a result, any success in this "rebuilding year" is a plus, and something to be enjoyed. In the losses, I am just looking for some positives.

In last night's game, a lot of folks contributed to the win, and obviously not just on offense. I thought that Zo Hudson started looking like the player we expected him to be this season, and I saw some strides by Marquis Rankin towards becoming a valuable relief valve for Erick Green, who plays an incredible amount of minutes every game -- over 33 minutes by my count.

Upcoming games: BYU and UMD (I'm going to that one, courtesy of my oldest son!)

GO HOKIES!

Frustration and Disappointment

In terms of the VT sports that I follow (i.e., football and basketball), things have gone from bad to worse since my last post. I was hoping to hold out for something positive to talk about regarding the Hokie cagers, but I don't think that I can wait that long...

Erick Green, courtesy HokieSports.com

Last night was a low point for this season's team. Sure, we were playing a wounded UNC team ranked # 8 in the nation and coming off of a bad loss to FSU; but despite Seth Greenberg's assertions to the contrary, I could not identify many positives from that game. And yes, this season's unit has a lot of freshmen in the line-up, but so do a few other teams, and those teams are still finding a way to win in the ACC.


Again, I realize that UNC has superior starters and bench talent across-the-board compared to VT's, and the Hokies just ran out of gas in the second half. However, despite being up at halftime, we were never really in control of the game.  The first-half lead was a house-of-cards with a foundation based on the limited success of some low-probability outside shooting. Since the Hokies were unable to penetrate UNC's defense and get shots in the paint, once the outside shooting dried up, the team was toast.


A couple observations regarding VT performance in ACC play so far:

• The team is young, and should get better, but a few of the freshmen have regressed, instead of progressing.
• The lack of size (weight/height) of our centers makes us a non-factor under the basket.  After what UNC and everyone else has been doing to us under the boards, the prospects for being able to correct this during the season are dim.
• All of VT's players have their "moments", but Erick Green is pretty-much the only player that can be counted on to "ball-out" for the entire game and consistently be productive.
• Senior leadership is lacking on this team, period.
• I just don’t see any of Seth Greenberg’s “attitude” and toughness in this year’s team.  It’s going to be hard to get it (back) based on where we are now in the season.

This is most disappointed that I have been in a Hokie basketball team since I’ve been following them (after Greenberg arrived). In the past, there have been glimmers of hope sprinkled through most of the games, but in last night’s game, everyone knew that the fragile lead that we had at halftime would never hold up.

We have upcoming games against UVA and UMD; they are both probably licking their chops at thought of some home-cooked fried turkey.

GO HOKIES!!

The Word That Shall Never Be Spoken Again...

"BEAMERBALL"

That word used to mean something.  Now it is an oxymoron. I cringe whenever I hear it.  Non-Hokies may associate that word with quality special teams play; but it hasn't been that for a long, long, time now. Virginia Tech special teams are, and have been, mediocre at best.  "Beamerball" should be banned from the VT football lexicon -- forever.

I won't even discuss former VT kicker, Cody Journell, and the shame and embarrassment that he recently bestowed on the VT football program. His arrest and suspension was cited multiple times by the ESPN game crew in front of a national audience in a BCS game

And in the Sugar Bowl game tonight, VT special teams play and coaching was downright awful -- as was the offensive play-calling. In fact, the offensive play-calling was downright bull-headed. I thought that new play-caller (this season) Michael O'Cain was bringing something fresh to the table. Offensive Coordinator Bryan Stinespring came up with game plan which provided O'Cain the portfolio of plays to run, so I don't know which one to blame -- probably both.

In a nutshell, in tonight's game, VT did more than enough bad things to lose, and Michigan did just enough good things to win. 

Words cannot express how disappointing, embarrassing, and devastating that this loss was.  Hokie Nation will no doubt be expressing, in vitriolic terms, its reaction to the poor coaching on offense and special teams over the next few days.  If we ever lose defensive coach Bud Foster to a head-coaching position with another team, the program will be in even deeper caca.