Saturday column: League loyalty a thing of the past
This week’s Q&A-Mac is brought to you by solidarity: a terrific concept that has no place in college athletics anymore.
Q: On Thursday, the ACC released a letter signed by presidents of all its member schools expressing their “commitment to preserve and protect the future of our outstanding league.” So, you think everybody’ll relax now about this whole realignment stuff?
A: Ha ha! Of course not – least of all the presidents who signed that worthless document. Face it: There’s no such thing as an “outstanding league” any longer, because there’s no such thing as a league. It’s all a bunch of random chess pieces held together by dental floss.
If you want to make sure you’re at least a bishop and not a pawn…
To read the rest, click here.
December 8, 2012 - 9:50 AM
AMc, if/when Frank Beamer makes changes to his coaching staff, when do YOU think they should be made, and why that time? You’ve seemed to insinuate multiple times this week that it shouldn’t be done prior to signing day, for fear of losing recruits. Don’t you think the relationship with recruits would be damaged more by changing the staff immediately after the recruits sign their irrevocable letters of intent? What do you think about that? In general, when should a team involved in a minor bowl make coaching changes?
CR — do it right after bowl. Let anybody you’re relieving of duties collect bowl bonus in contract. I would have informed them already but not announced it.
I’d predict that is exactly what Beamer has done. As close as he is to these guys, I imagine he’s got the vast majority of the logistics handled already. He also will not release them until they have been on the payroll for a few days in 2013, to make sure they get their bonuses, which are very nice parting gifts.
As I mentioned early in the week, I think no more than one of the changes will be announced as a firing. There will be a reassignment, a retirement, and a ‘seeking other opportunities’. You’ve got to give him credit for soothing egos that way. If it goes the way I expect, ti will even result in no increase in overall staff salary.
CR you always confuse me. Here you are salivating at the prospect of coaching changes but I have yet to see you satisfied with a single move as they occur. You completely disrespect Beamer, his system, record and choices in coaches past yet are convinced his coaching moves will be good? Or is it just new grist for your mill?
You thought firing SG was a mistake. Now you like JJ.
You think Weaver is a fool. He is going to help Beamr choose wisely?
Just what is it with you?
These folks are good ole’ boys and they will take care of each other, from Fancy Gap all the way to Murray State. It is just like the recent election, as long as they get a big check, they could care less about whether they are 6-6 and get their bowl game or end up 0-12. This staff is stagnant big time and it will take an earthquake in the Hokie Nation to right the ship. The big donors are the key to it all, wait and see what is on the horizon. Paul Johnson would make y’all a really good coach.
Zman, take your emotions out of it. You get far too bothered when I say anything about Hokie football that’s not extremely polyannish. What’s wrong with discussing one of the primary topics about Hokie football right now, prospective coaching changes? Or should I stick to hackneyed recitations of Logan Thomas’ stats, or the cliched responses thus far from Beamer about the bowl game? What can be discussed about them right now? Talk about arid topics!
I never said I thought Beamer’s future coaching selections were sure to be successful. I just predicted what I thought he might do. If he does those things, and allows the coaches latitude, I’m fine with that. It would fit his style, while also appeasing the big money donors who are quite bothered with Hokie football performance.
See, I’m not a lone voice out there, there are lots of other long term boosters of the program, most of whom have far more money invested than I, who aren’t satisfied with the status quo. My selections would be different than Frank’s, but there is more than one method to success. As to Beamer’s hire of his son? I dislike the odor of nepotism, that’s all. As do some of the folks inside Merryman, evidently. I also don’t completely disrespect Frank Beamer, I just have some issues with him. If I rated him a 7 out of 10, that wouldn’t be complete disrespect, it just wouldn’t be 10 out of 10. Numbers used for example only, so that they’re not repeated ad nauseum as my rating of him for the next several months.
I thought the firing of SG was unwarranted, and the handling of it horrible. That does NOT equate to me thinking Johnson would fail. I did, and still do, think Johnson has a huge challenge in front of him. He’s only a quarter of the way into his first season, we won’t know if he’s successful for another 3-4 years, really. What I see thus far has been a pleasant surprise, and I like it. See, I’m being supportive of a VaTech coach, and it seems to really disturb some folks, imagine that! I guess they never considered that each situation is unique and deserving of its’ own perspective.
Greenberg has moved to a much better spot in his career path, so good for him. I’m happy to turn the page, and don’t see a need for the potshots at the guy after he’s gone. Like you said, it’s Johnson’s team now. The focus needs to be on his establishing himself as an ACC caliber coach, and elevating the Hokie hoops program. I’m quite content doing that.
I don’t believe I ever said Weaver is a fool. I don’t like a lot of his actions, I do think he is horrible at public relations and he takes the fan base for granted. I also doubt he has any influence at all with Frank Beamer’s probable hire of new coaches, except for the compensation packages.
See? Discussion, explanation, enhanced understanding. It’s a beautiful thing. I feel like singing now. Come on, Zman, join me…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M9BNoNFKCBI
Hiring Shane Beamer was a terrible decision, not just because it is nepotism but because the guy doesn’t know what he is doing. But this is what happens when you build everything around and upon an individual (Frank Beamer) and the good ole boys can’t let the past go and move up a notch to the real world. The coach becomes bigger than life but sooner or later there is a very big collapse (Jo Pa) and everyone is shaking their heads in disbelief. VT is in the same position in football that FSU was around 2003-2004, they started downhill; Tech is already downhill.
Down wego against WVU. A bad loss, my opinion, to a 3-3 team. But certainly no season breaker.
GO HOKIES!
Not surprised Tech lost but really thought they would lose by 10-15. Big East a winner again.
Very tough loss for the Hokies. Eric Green was great- 23 points,10 assists, 0 turnovers. Team should learn from this one and move forward. I only hope that Weaver, Beamer 1, Beamer 2, Stinespring, etc. don’t get blamed for the loss. What do you think Crooked road?
Well, the tale of the tape says – poor shooting, poor rebounding, & failure to control tempo killed us. We got hammered on the boards, especially allowing WVU to get almost half their rebounds on the offensive side. Not only did we take 1/3 fewer 3pt shots than normal, we hit a much lower percentage.We were stepping inside shooting 2′s instead of 3′s. Not that it helped, as we were down in FG % everywhere.
I knew WVU was tougher than their record. By the end of the season, they’ll have a good RPI. Lessons to be learned from this one – the three key points above. At least we fought and hung in there. The next tough game will be BYU, and then we go into ACC play. Not a sprint, it’s a marathon.
danny, that’s some really weak sauce. I’d hope the football coaching staff is in Bburg working on Rutgers prep. But then, your jabs seldom contain rational thought, so nothing new there. Next time, try some Sriracha, it’s better than what you’ve got.
Barry, you show your deep sports knowledge. WVU is in the Big XII now.
Crooked Road, Well, I started to ask if you were going to start demanding changes to the bball staff after a less than stellar performance but I didnt want to get too crazy just yet. You will go down that road soon enough.
WV will always be Big East to me and so will VT. Georgia Tech is a real ACC team, these Johnny come latelys are frauds.
Barry, that is an incredibly weak response. Again, bone up on your sports knowledge, or nobody is going to take you seriously . . . . not that anybody would, anyway.
Told you so yesterday on WVU.
Roll Tide!
The objective folks on this board know very well that my sports knowledge is top of the field, impeccable and truthful. I am the writer of reality.
Barry, trust me, the objective folks on this board know what your sports knowledge is. Impeccable and truthful are not words they would use.
Dang, what a lame cover up Barry from Ivy, get over yourself and keep up with conference changes.WVU in Big East,,really??
You are so right, I also forgot that Virginia Tech is in the Big South Conference. I don’t get into the deep facts of sports because it is too much mumbo jumbo that no one wants to see. I just know which teams have it and which ones don’t and which ones want you to think they have it. VT is in the latter group. Do I hear an amen to that? What would you Hokie fans do without me?
Barry From Ivy, you don’t have to keep telling us you are not very savvy and smart regarding sports facts , we figured that out on our own. My sports allegiance is not the point nor has been ever disclosed. Serve up fact based cogent comments instead of your mumbo jumbo,amen to that!!
Let’s see, Ivy is very close to Charlottesville. Barry is a Hoo fan! Alway’s negative about the Hokies. He’s a Hoo fan alright.
What will you do when Georgia Tech beats USC in the Sun Bowl and the hapless Hokies lose to mediocre Rutgers in the Russel Bustle Whatever Bowl? Once again the Jackets will come out on top.
Ga. Techs offense style will not work much longer if at all.Well scouted, documented, and GT has a coach that is irrational. If Johnson was marketable with all the coaching vacancies in FBS, he would have already been hired by another program.
Don’t see many rats swimming to a sinking ship.Johnson keeps looking over his shoulder hoping he does not see an atlas moving van in his driveway.
Arrogance is cute if you keep winning.