Comments on: Friday: From Galax to South Beach

By: TJ Johnson

TJ Johnson — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 15:26:23 +0000

Why is everyone hating on Coach Greenberg? The Hokies are not going to get 5 star recruits to Blacksburg. The Hokies do a good job with what they have, its hard to play against the UNC’s and Duke’s of the world that get 5 star players every year. People got to realize that Tech is playing with alot of youth this year. Give it time and let stability stay with the Basketball team, Keep Greenberg!

By: Trevor

Trevor — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 23:40:18 +0000

Hi guys. Remember me?

I have been having trouble trying to get on the blog through the Blackberry and the stupid “time out error” I constantly get.

I thought I would add my 2-cents about the debate of newsworthy articles.

I see valid points made by H24, Aaron, and Rick H. I think, in a perfect world, the news would wait until it had all the facts in, waited until the trial had proceeded and made the news. Unfortunately, the 24/7/365 instant news being made courtesy of the Internet has forced how the newspaper does business. Today’s news is old news by the moment the ink dries on the paper. Twitter, IMO, has basically destroyed the integrity of journalism. Exhibit A – the premature announcement by a student newspaper at Penn State announced the passing of JoePa hours before he actually passed away. Some journalists ripped into the student newspaper for failing to do a follow up and making absolutely certain the information was factually correct.

Unfortunately, I have to agree with Aaron, I would have never known who DeShazo (sp?) was if they didn’t say he was a former Hokies’ quarterback, by the way I have never heard of him either. The moment I heard the news, I cringed because I knew it would be fodder for certain rabid UVA fans. Likewise the lacrosse’s player murder trial for the rabid Hokies’ fans.

I see what Rick H and H24 are saying about how it negativity cast both fine institutions. However, I would argue to say it happens to every universities and colleges.

By: crooked road

crooked road — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 22:21:39 +0000

For those desiring a replacement for Greenberg and his $1.2 mil salary (not certain that’s accurate), be aware that many ‘mid major’ schools pay equal salaries to that. If I’m not mistaken, Greenberg is somewhere around 8th or lower in salaries of ACC coaches. Lots of non-BCS football schools pay that much. Didn’t Shaka Smart get a contract for at least $1 mil annually last spring?

The argument about Greenberg’s performance is a long one, and the argument about finding a capable replacement is an even longer one. It’s not the slam dunk that some folks think.

By: hokie24

hokie24 — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 21:35:50 +0000

I can see where you may be confused with what I’m saying BobH. I can see how it could be read wrong. Let me rephrase it.

A lack of wins or NCAA appearances is not why SG does not recruit well. If SG went 35-0, I don’t think that he would recruit any differently than he does now. I think he consciously makes the choice to recruit the wrong types of players for his own system, which is entirely his own fault.

By: hokie24

hokie24 — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 21:29:27 +0000

I realize exactly what I said. I also realize that you missed my point entirely.

You said that the reason that SG has not gotten the good recruits has been because of a lack of wins and losses.

I said that the reason that SG has not gotten the good recruits is because he’s making the choice to recruit the wrong types of players for the way that he wants to coach.

To summarize, we both said that SG hasn’t had success recruiting, we just had different reasons why.

I never said anything about a coach isn’t responsible for wins and losses. What I said is that a lack of wins can’t be the problem, because SG has had 20+ win seasons, and has had top-4 finishes in the ACC, which is more than anyone ever honestly expected when he was hired.

By: Bob H

Bob H — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 20:35:47 +0000

Hokie 24,

Do you realize what you said: “So I agree that the blame is on SG for the lack of recruiting success… but not because of a lack of wins and losses.”

The coach is not responsible for the W’s and L’s?

For Frank Beamer, for the most part, the better players cam AFTER the success of the program. Has the VT football team feated on the ACC because the team is so great? NO! It has feasted on the ACC because the rest of the ACC is so poor.

And ACC basketball is watered down from the version we all grew up with. Google ACC/B10 challenge. Look at UVA this year. It isn’t hard to make a splash in this conference with the present talent level.

There is no way SG gets VT to the next level in MBB. He is not the man for that task.

By: Aaron McFarling

Aaron McFarling — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 19:59:27 +0000

Nice, Brush! Almost went with "Millie Pulled a Pistol on Santa" but changed my mind at the last second. Pease Porridge it is.

By: Brush Mountain

Brush Mountain — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 19:39:03 +0000

@ Aaron – Pease Porridge FTW

By: Tom L

Tom L — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 19:32:57 +0000

Time for Tech to wrap it up, put a bow on it and mail it in. I could go to any playground and see a similar game. The only whinning Seth can do this year is to try to justify being included in the ACC tournament. Looking for a new coach, try Shaka Smart at VCU. Larranga seems to be doing well at Miami. CAA has several good coaches.
As for Deshazo, he happened to be dumb (or desperate) enough to get caught in a high profile sting targeting internet prostitution. It was designed to be press worthy and caught besides DeShazo, a doctor, 3 soldiers and other citizens.

By: hokie24

hokie24 — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 19:32:42 +0000

Bob H, you said, “There is a reason SG doesn’t get the players, it is called not winning enough. And not going to the dance. And not even making it to the semifinals of the NIT despite having home court advantage to do so.”

I’m torn on this statement, I agree and I disagree, and here’s why. I agree with the first part, in my opinion, SG does not get the correct type of players to play the type of basketball that he says he wants to coach. I don’t know why, but I would classify it as a shortcoming that’s his own fault for recruiting the wrong “type” of player. I think that SG gets plenty of great individual players. I’m not sure how many great team players, or great organized players that he gets. To play the type of ball that he appears to want to coach, he is recruiting the wrong types of players. That’s his own fault.

I do not agree that the reason that SG doesn’t get the players is because of a lack of winning, or lack of making the dance. The 20+ win seasons have been there. The finishes of 3rd or 4th in the ACC have been there. The plain truth is that for whatever reason, SG has been screwed out of making the dance on more than one occasion in recent seasons. Especially the year that the Hokies finished 3rd (I think that’s right, it was either 3rd or 4th) in the ACC, and the NCAA selection committee took the ACC’s #1,2,4,5,6,and 7 teams into the tournament, and skipped VT. There’s no real explanation for that. The wins were there, the upper finish in the ACC was there. I don’t know who he rubbed the wrong way, but the truth is that something outside of his wins and losses are keeping him out of the dance. That’s plain to see.

So I agree that the blame is on SG for the lack of recruiting success… but not because of a lack of wins and losses.