Tuesday: Bud and Sims
HOKIES
-Defensive coordinator Bud Foster backs his defense with some strong words at last night’s post-practice media session. Antone Exum apparently has no body parts left. “I thought the kid you’re talking to right there played his n— off,” Foster said of Exum. “You can quote me on that s— too. Played his a– off. Fought his a– off.” Andy has all the details here.
-Frank Beamer says the slow starts on offense were a big point of emphasis in the staff meetings that followed Saturday’s game.
-The Virginia Tech-Duke game next week will be a 12:30 kick.
UVA
-Mike London pulls the trigger, naming Phillip Sims his starting quarterback for Saturday provided the Alabama transfer’s knee is healthy. “You have to perform at a high level and it’s just that Phillip has performed every time he has gone in. If the leg’s OK and he performs well, then he performs well. If not, then it’s back to the same situation. At least it’s been vetted, I think, the proper way.”
-Duke has been installed as a two-point home favorite over the Cavs on Saturday.
PENNANT RACES
-Berman has features on two guys with local ties who are heading to the postseason: Virginia Tech alum Joe Saunders (Orioles) and UVa alum Ryan Zimmerman (Nats).
-The Nats clinch the NL East when the Braves fall to Pittsburgh.
-The Tigers are your AL Central champs. Meanwhile, Miguel Cabrera hits his 44th homer to take the lead in all three AL triple crown categories. Josh Hamilton’s going to have to outhomer him by two in the last two games to take that category, while Mike Trout is four points behind Cabrera (.329) in the batting race. Cabrera has 10 more RBI than anyone else in the league.
-The Yankees wallop Boston while the O’s fall at Tampa, so New York takes a one-game lead in the AL East with two to play. O’s-TB is on MASN2 at 7 p.m. while BOS-NY is on MLB Network.
-The A’s beat the Rangers and are just one back of Texas in the AL West. That also ties them with Baltimore for the first wildcard spot. A’s would get the tiebreaker based on head-to-head results, so Friday’s wildcard playoff would be in Oakland if the season ended today.
-If the Yanks and O’s finish in a tie for the AL East, they’ll play it off on Thursday in Baltimore.
-Dodgers get a walk-off win to remain two back of St. Louis in the NL wildcard.
GOLF
-Andrew Butts leads Salem to a second place finish in the Region IV tourney.
-Lord Botetourt secures a spot in the Group AA tournament by finishing second in the Region III tourney.
NFL
-Bears beat the Cowboys 34-18 as Tony Romo throws five interceptions.
-Jets are sticking with Mark Sanchez at QB.
NAME THAT TUNE
You make it hard to breathe
It’s as if I’m suffocating
And when you’re next to me
I can feel your heartbeat through my skin
It makes me sad to think
This could all be for nothing
I wish there was a way
A way for you to see inside me
I’ve never felt this way
About anyone or anything
Tell me…
October 2, 2012 - 8:29 AM
Maybe Antone Exum looks like one of those David Copperfield magic tricks. His body is sawed in half, and the middle part is invisible.
I’ve heard of players leaving their hearts on the field, but leaving your… umm…?
“Phillip has performed every time he has gone in??” Really, London? Granted, I haven’t seen much of UVA’s past two games, but he looked absolutely lost out there during the Penn State game.
Very perplexing and “crass” comment by Bud Foster……….Even though I am not a Hokie fan, I thought Bud could have relayed his concerns and observations in a more “professional” manner…….Very inappropriate comments and it displays a lack of class and dignity.
Have to agree RP. That was the last time I saw him, too, and he didn’t have a good day. Stats have looked good lately, though.
Time for Sims to take over. I like Michael Rocco the man but the player has peaked I believe. He had a chance to nail down the job and couldn’t do it. Not for a lack of effort but his arm just is not good enough. Sims will get better each week. If he doesn’t then next year open up the competition to some of the younger guys. This all reminds me alot of Tim Sherman. Tim Sherman was alot like Rocco and Welsh tried to stick with him but eventually benched him. I wish the best for Rocco and he will get an awesome education but no need to feel obligated to him past that.
Bud is pretty unfiltered, and perhaps that will be what finally wakes up the Hokies. We’re one game shy of halfway through the season, and the team has yet to realize it’s time to ball. With the exception of the Georgia tech game, the Hokies have been absent for EVERY first quarter, and about three of the four second quarters thus far.
You’d think a coach like Frank Beamer could wake them up sometime before the end of the season. All the excuses are gone now, every game is a conference game. Even if the conference is weak as water. Four of the next five will be BIG challenges, and even the Duke game could be a battle, as well as Duke is playing this season.
No more play time.
Stabbing Westward, What Do I have To Do?…good song.
So happy for the Tigers clinching the Central, after having a couple heartbreaking late-season collapses in recent years. Now, just need Miggy to keep it up for the Triple Crown, that would be awesome.
Romo, man, that was bad. As someone tweeted last night, after the game Romo threw his helmet at the bench in disgust, and even that was intercepted.
Is it just me, or did Bud Foster channel some Mike Gundy?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoMmbUmKN0E
This is based on a short, true story. I was an 8th grader playing on the varsity soccer team when I lived in Rhode Island. Our high school was small, about 50 students, and our soccer coach was a mean, ornery, SOB. He once told me I ran like an old lady, almost quit the team there and then, but I hung in there because the older players told me he was trying to teach me how to play soccer. I saw plenty of action as a forward, midfielder, and defender. That coach didn’t have a problem saying, “Bullchit” to anybody’s face on the team. I once made the mistake of catching the soccer ball with my bare hands (only goalkeeper are allowed to do that), and he made me do push ups on the spot. He once made a teammate cry during practice.
That coach I just spoke of? The year I played, as an 8th grader, we won our 7th straight regional champion, and was awarded the national championship by The Silent News (a deaf community publication, now defunct).
The point I am trying to make is coaches are often goal driven, passionate about their job, and it burns their ass when the goal aren’t met, or people rip into their team about perceived performance.
I remember Bud went off after crictism mounted when Matt Ryan broke contain and tossed the rainbow pass to win against Tech in Blacksburg. He was right about one thing, prior to that game, nearly nobody in the ACC could sack Matt Ryan often, and Bud’s defense did. They must have sacked Ryan more than the average the offensive line yielded that season.
If Bud didn’t give a toss about what folks thought, he wouldn’t have gone off, but apparently he does. For folks to crictize his “inapproriate comments” need to get over it. His comment is not destroying his players’ self-esteem. He should be allowed to say what he think and if folks can’t take it, then don’t be asking him what he think.
Personally, I wish the offense staff would have the same passion instead of looking wooden on the sideline. Shane Beamer probably exhibit more passion than most of the offense coaches.
And is it true that Frank Beamer was almost in tears during the post-game interviews?
Bud Foster, as usual, is very unprofessional and conducts himself like the little bully on the playground in the first grade. All of this screaming and yelling is a smoke screen for his inability to communicate in a normal manner. He needs to take it out on the underperforming players and not on the media and the public. He comes across as this tough, screaming maniac on the sidelines but I don’t think he really gets the message across to make the team any better. Last year against Clemson the defense gave up 61 points in two games. If he is such a good defensive coordinator, why did his defense allow 30 some points the second time around against Clemson? It is time for he and Beamer to go, they are the problem, not Stinespring or O-Cain. The Hokie Nation will definitely be seeing some changes if the Chokies fall to UNC or to Duke.When you make millions of dollars, it seems to ruin these coaches; they become so unmotivated and creative.
OJ nails the song. Nicely done.
Trevor — Frank looked like he usually does after losses. Down, but I didn’t think waterworks were on the way.
Kind of funny to hear a Georgia Tech fan cricitize Bud Foster when I have seen coach Paul Johnson dropping F bombs captured by camera when he’s on the sideline.
The Rocco/Sims quarterbacking situation reminds me when Beamer made the switch from starting Glennon to Tyrod based on the ability to have “playmaker” in the backfield, meaning he needed his quarterback to be able to get out of Dodge when needed. It won’t always be smooth. I can remember several times when the camera was on Glennon as he was giving the signal, and he would roll his eyes every time he was done.
In English class we were taught that those who use blankety-blank words do so because they don’t have a well-rounded vocabulary to say the same thing civilly, yet just as, if not more, effectively. Bud wasn’t in that English class.
I wish Stinespring would channel Mike Gundy, on the field. It would be nice to have an OC that understood offensive schemes. Gundy at least knows what he want to do with his offense.
@Trevor Sims is a pocket passer and while he can move around the pocket fairly well isn’t really a mobile quarterback like an RG III or a Cam Newton. I do think defenses will have to adjust because he has a big time arm and can throw accurately deep. Rocco really could not throw deep well without putting alot of air under the ball. Even then maybe 35 yards or so effectively. The receivers will have more time to make a play too because they will get the ball quicker. I hear Duke has some injury issues with their defensive backs so sounds like a good week for Sims to start. Hopefully Sims will help the defense too because when your qb is throwing 2 or 3 picks every game it sucks the life out of the D. Just ask Tony Romo and the Cowboys.
Do you think Mike Burnop is going to ask any pressing questions to Bud Foster? Not if he wants to keep his head connected to his shoulders. Foster is a maniac and needs to go back to school and learn how to communicate in the 21st century. Yes, Paul Johnson loses it once in a while but this Foster is perpetually on a powder keg and does the office of defensive coordinator a great dis-service. Can you imagine this guy being a head coach? I can see why no one has hired him to be one, they would be nuts to do so. He had better hope he can keep his job at VT under the loyalty umbrella of Beamer because I don’t know where he would go otherwise.
HOKIE NATION IS IN TROUBLE!!……..BUD IS A DUD! – NO CLASS!!
“Trevor”……….If, as you stated, “Bud The Spud”, really cares, why is he taking out his frustrations from an underachieving defense out on the media instead of channeling it where it belongs – on the underachieving players??………..The “Chokies” always fold when they play a quality team and pad stats when they load up their schedules with “CUPCAKES”, like last year, just to get wins!!!………….
Sometimes, even with a diverse, well-rounded vocabulary, dropping an f-bomb (or similar colorful language) just helps to add the needed emphasis that proper, civil language simply cannot make. It’s not professional, but it gets people’s attention for sure.
And cr, amen.
I want to know the behind the scenes info on the real story here. What the heck happened to AM on this weeks Forecasters? 11-9? We expect so much more than that!
Well you know my defense played their ass off you know and Exum you know that guy played his ass off you know and if it wasn’t for just a few plays you know and a missed tackle here and there you know the game could have gone another way you know. And you know if you think the coaches don’t care you can go to hell you know cause we’re just a couple of plays from being undefeated you know so we’re gonna keep doin what we do you know and the fans and media don’t know jack….you know.
what you say on the practice field is NOT what you say to the media. could be the very reason bud has never made the final cut for head coaching positions he has applied. emotion takes over when you don’t perform. good ones know how to channel it. if Exum truly played his male parts off, then i don’t think they would have lost the game.
Bounty Gate has come to Pee Wee football! Sounds like some coaches paid bounties up to $50 to knock players out of a game http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mobileweb/2012/09/28/pee-wee-football-bounty-program-tustin_n_1923707.html
Let’s see, GT gives up 49 points to upper middle school Tennessee State. Their defensive coordinator USED to be a head coach. His interviews usually went something like “The circumstance dictated circumstances that we don’t usually see in that circumstance..” I like a football coach so I’ll take Foster any day and you can have Groh the English teacher.
Ok Aaron, I will bite.
How in the world did Pitt/Syracuse wind up being a game selected for the FF this week? Yeah, they are going into the ACC, but NEXT year, not this year. Liberty plays Gardner Webb (Gills first win as LU coach?). Stony Brook, Slippery Rock, Bryant, Lehigh, and Austin Peay are all playing somebody…….
Sheesh…..
My favorite Groh quote was when he was telling Doughty about how his wife had pointed out that Al didn’t have any friends his own age. All the people closest to him were his players or former players. This prompted Al to tell Doughty: “What a circumstance!”
Foster is trying to make this a typical coaches, players against the world mindset. Done all the time. Settle down everyone. Kind of stale but is usually effective rallying point for a team facing adversity. The old everybody is against us, we get each other’s backs and screw them attitude. I think Phil Jackson was the master of making his teams think that only them and their team gave them a rats ……… of being able to win. Nice plan if he has figured how to get a stop on 3rd and long or one to end game.
Groh was always “the players didn’t execute”. Neither he nor his coaches ever drew up a faulty game plan in their lives.
I wish he was still the HC at UVA…..
Probably the only coach to have a “don’t fire” website generated by the opposition.
Okay, if the Hokie can win out and beat FSU for the ACC Championship they get an automatic FBS bowl bid if Alabama beats LSU but LSU wins the division and Georgia beats South Carolina but SC wins the division either the Tigers or Gamecocks will win the SEC with one loss and no one else in the SEC will have less than two losses and if WVU’s defense gives out against Texas, that will hurt them, because defense wins championships and the Hokies are more deserving of a BCS bowl bid than any of the B1G teams and Oregon is a flash in the pan so could we see a Cincinnati – Virginia Tech re-match for the national championship?
“Groh was always “the players didn’t execute”.”
Sounds a lot like what comes out of the offensive coaches in Blacksburg after every loss too.
89Hoo — according to my calculations, yes. This is how it will happen.
Guys, I know you love Bud, but he said the “didn’t execute” thing too. Pretty sure it’s written into every coach’s contract to say it.
From Andy’s blog post I linked: On the last play of the game, one that saw Fuller let his receiver get behind him for the game-winning score, Foster called for a deep half coverage.
“We couldn’t be in a better coverage,” he said. “That guy should have been fair catching the ball.”
If Stiney had said this, everyone would be shouting that he’s throwing his guy under the bus. I know, I know. Bud’s earned the benefit of the doubt, etc. But am I right?
Aaron,
If Frankie doesn’t call that timeout with 6 minutes left on 2nd and 6, Cinncy wouldn’t have had any time left on the clock.
Also from Andy’s Blog-
Stiney met with LT today to ask him what he plays he liked and could do best at.
Wow, now there is coaching for you. I mean, shouldn’t the OC already know that? Betting the opposing teams DC does…..
I will take Fuller all day long. I only wish his family had had more of them to send at VT. Kyle’s little brother is the last one.
The problem with this game is the offense scored 17 points. That isn’t going to win you many games. Like the aforementioned BC game which VT lost 14-10, the problems wasn’t that the defense gave up 14, the problem was that the offense only scored 10.
hey Bob H, great post! Ever since I heard Groh say he “was gonna turn around the UVA program” when he was hired, I swore off the Hoos, and root against Groh every week.
One of the problems with supposed tough guy Foster is his reluctance to discipline his players. His guy screwed up so take him to the woodshed and read him the riot act, don’t talk about how great he is and how hard he tried. He didn’t get the job done so deal with him. Don’t get upset with the media, get upset with the players that cost VT the game. I have said it all along while observing Foster; he is a smoke blower but doesn’t deal with the root problems. We don’t even need to mention Beamer because we know he doesn’t deal with the root problems. These guys are taking the Hokie Nation for a ride, all the way to the bank. It is time to get the team moving in the right direction or hand it over to the new breed.
AMc, Bud dipped deeply into the Frank Beamer well of denial in his rant yesterday. The whole ‘five bad plays’ reeks of the stench from Frank – and now Shane’s – default excuse of ‘only a couple of blocks away’ BS phony dodge from responsibility.
Those type of excuses are extremely insulting to the media and fan base. They are also a coward’s way – Frank, Shane, Bud – of avoiding responsibility. How stupid does Frank, Shane, & this time, Bud think we are?
We can all play Candyland pretend fantasy football where we say – ‘If we had back those five plays where they scored a TD on us, we would have won the game…’ But does Frank really think we’re THAT stupid? I know, that was rhetorical, he HAS to think we’re that stupid, because he feeds us that pablum multiple times every season. Then his lemmings lap it up as they rush over the cliff.
There are few things that irritate me more than that type of cowardly lies from coaches. How about being a man and owning it? Bud usually does, but not this time. Frank NEVER does, and Shane is quickly following in daddy’s footsteps. Which bodes especially badly for any Hokie football fans for the next four decades. You see what we’ve got with Frank? That’s what we’ll have with Shane, for all those of you who wept at the joy of his hire and the prospect of the reign continuing.
So… AMc, was that the type of response you were fishing for?
You’re welcome.
Hi Aaron. Kyle Fuller himself admitted that he let the guy get behind him. I think that says a lot about his character and the kind of football player he is… Very accountable. Even when it hurts. I would love to see that with all of the coaches. At least Bud makes himself available to the media and gives you guys something to write about.
Great comment Bob H. We’d all like to get more than 17 points out of the offense. Foster’s body of work over the years speaks for itself. If posters want to complain about him not being head coach material, I guess we’ll just have to keep him.
What an excellent post by Crooked Road, that summed it all up very accurately, better than I have read anywhere. When you see all of the blame shifting by Foster and reluctance to hold he and his players responsible for the team’s defensive failures, then you begin to realize how all of those thug players were able to flourish at VT in day’s gone by. (I,e., Marcus Vick stomping Elvis Dumervil in the Gator Bowl and countless other examples). When you pretend to be something you are not, then eventually that pretense will take you to a place where you don’t want to be. We are seeing the unraveling of a house of cards in the VT football program. Be ready for anything going forward. Football is not God, it is a game.
VIRGINIA TECH = “THUG U”…….”HOODLUM UNIVERSITY”………THEY RECRUIT THUGGISH PLAYERS WITH QUESTIONABLE ACADEMIC RECORDS AND MORALS, WHOSE NAME APPEARS MORE ON A POLICE BLOTTER THAN ON THE DEANS LIST………..THEY TAKE PLAYERS THAT OTHER SCHOOLS, WITH GOOD REPUTATIONS, WON’T TAKE!!………….NOW, THE CHICKENS ARE COMING HOME TO ROOST AND THE PROGRAM IS BEING EXPOSED!!………….YOU REAP WHAT YOU SOW!!