Tech assistant Billy Hite talks about shootingsPosted Apr19, 2007 at 12:53 PMVirginia Tech associate head coach and running backs coach Billy Hite took head coach Frank Beamer's usual place Thursday on the ACC coaches spring football teleconference. Beamer was visiting injured shooting victims in hospitals Thursday morning. He later came on the call, and Randy King will have a story later on what Beamer had to say. Also, Doug Doughty posted his report this afternoon on what other ACC coaches had to say. Click here for his story. Obviously, with the tragedy that happened on Monday we've canceled the rest of spring practice and the spring game scheduled for Saturday. It's a very tough time in Blacksburg, Va., right now, but I think we made the right call. We had accomplished 11 practices up to that point and Coach Beamer and our staff felt we were far enough along that we could honestly cancel the rest of it and let our kids grieve and get ready for next season. Q: To a lot of people before Monday, Frank Beamer was really the face of Virginia Tech. What role do you think Frank will end up playing in this whole healing process for university? Do you think he's going to try to be out front and do everything he can do and whatever President Steger asks him? Hite: I know he will. I know he visited with some of the families [Wednesday] evening of the deceased students here. He's been available the whole time. Before the convocation [Tuesday], I was hoping that he would have an opportunity to speak, but he said he wasn't asked to. But when you think of Virginia Tech you think of Frank Beamer, no question about it. I think he will do everything possible that he can to help with this situation. Hite: It really was. The thing we tried to do immediately was contact each one of them. And the communication was tough because the circuits were busy, you couldn't get calls out. Jim Weaver, the athletic director, ended up coming down and telling everybody they wanted to evacuate our building, and we had to be out of here at 1:30. So they took us out of the building. And at the time I hadn't reached all my players. I had 14 guys at my two positions. And when I did get through to one of them, I asked 'Have you talked to anybody else?' And they kept telling me they had talked to so and so and so and so. But when I went to bed that night I still didn't feel comfortable because I hadn't talked to all of them. I finally did reach all of them [Tuesday] and thank God they were all safe. Each position coach called each one of their guys and everybody had the same problem; you didn't reach all of them. I ended up getting 7-8 of them and talked to all 14 next day. Everybody was having trouble because of the lines being down. Even the text - I don't text [message] but the rest of the [assistants] text - and they were having trouble with that also. Hite: It's just been absolutely unbelievable. I never dreamed that anything like this could ever happen in Blacksburg, Va., number one. And even after what's happened, I still feel it's the safest place in the world. I'm like everybody else. You're still totally in shock. I don't know that anything could have been done to prevent this. I think President Steger and Chief Flinchum have done a great job in handling the situation from the facts that they had to do what they did. I have a daughter [Kirsten] on campus who is a junior and I'm completely satisfied the way they handled everything. Again, it's just one of those situations that I just think can happen anywhere and anytime in the country, and I don't know that it can be prevented. Hite: That was the first call I made. I reached her immediately. She was on her way on campus and I told her to go back home at that point. I was very much relieved once I got ahold of her. My brother's daughter is a freshman here and she was at my house at 11 o'clock. She's been staying with us all week and she doesn't want to go back on campus right now. Hite: It's been unbelievable. With me being here this many years I'm amazed at it, I really am. And it hasn't only been former players. Coach [Bill] Dooley [ex-Tech head coach] has called twice ... I talked to his wife this morning. And Bruce Smith [ex-Tech star defensive end] wants to do something. I don't know what to tell him. Bruce Smith has called me four times and left me a number if he can do anything. The amount of college coaches from around the country who have called ... it's been wonderful, it really has. I'm talking about ACC coaches, too, people that you're competing against. The phone has just rung off the hook. Hite: We have. The prospects have called in. They have been very supportive of this situation. Most of them have been here at some point in time. I think they're like us ... they're in disbelief that this has really happened at Virginia Tech and they've all said that their thoughts and prayers are with us and the Virginia Tech family. Some of our parents wanted their children home right away and that's what we did. We still didn't know what was going on late Monday night and I had talked to a couple of my players and I told them just go ahead and go home. Their parents wanted them there and I felt that's what they needed to do, and Coach Beamer felt that way. He ended up saying that anybody that needs to go home, tell them to go home. So, sure, parents were concerned. Again, me having a daughter on this campus I was concerned, no question. Again, I think people grieve differently. Some people take longer. And that's the thing, you have to give these players and student body a chance to grieve and get over this. Hite: Well, I think it really will. And I think that's the one thing about the Hokie Nation ... football was probably the first thing that's gotten this group together and respond the way they do. I think that was the thing about not playing the spring game. That would have been one time where we would have brought everybody together, but at the same time I'm sure some of those students are going to be buried this Saturday also and I think we made the right decision from that standpoint. The vigil they had [Tuesday] night I bet there was close to ... somebody said 30,000 but I think it was more like 50,000 people there. And you couldn't even get into the Cassell when they had the other service. And we probably had 25,000 in the stands at that time. I think this will even make the Hokie Nation stronger if that's possible. Hite: It was discussed briefly in our staff meeting. We would have to get an appeal I'm sure from the NCAA [because rules stated Apr. 21 is deadline for all schools to finish spring football practice]. He honestly felt at this point, as bad as this situation is, we're better off right now just ending spring practice and not even trying to play a spring game a week later. I think we made the right decision on that. VIRGINIA COACH AL GROH Frank and I have spoken. We've been able to convey our feelings to them about the whole situation. Q: What did you think about situation that unfolded Monday? Tech athletics schedule for this weekPosted Apr17, 2007 at 05:08 PMVirginia Tech canceled the remainder of spring football practice, including Saturday’s spring game. Also canceled was a home baseball game today with William and Mary. The following events will take place as originally scheduled in Blacksburg: On-campus events Off-campus events Latest from Tech on athletic eventsPosted Apr17, 2007 at 02:59 PMHere is Virginia Tech's announcement in regards to this week: BLACKSBURG - In light of the tragedy on April 16, the Virginia Tech Athletics Department has made the following decisions regarding its athletics teams: The remainder of Tech's spring football session, including Saturday's Spring Game, has been canceled. Tech was scheduled to practice Wednesday and Friday before holding the Spring Game on Saturday. In addition to Tuesday's softball game between Virginia Tech and East Tennessee State, Wednesday's non-conference baseball game at English Field between Tech and William & Mary has also been canceled. The athletics department has also decided that the three home ACC events - baseball, softball and lacrosse - will go on as scheduled. The baseball team will host the University of Miami on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. The lacrosse team hosts Maryland on Saturday at noon and the softball squad hosts Maryland on Saturday and Sunday. The five athletic teams scheduled to compete at various conference championships - golf, men's and women's outdoor track & field, men's and women's tennis - will still compete as scheduled. Finally, all Monogram Club events scheduled around the Spring Game, as well as the baseball alumni tailgate, have also been canceled. Tech spring game canceledPosted Apr17, 2007 at 01:27 PMThe Associated Press reports that Virginia Tech on Tuesday canceled its spring football practice and the team's annual spring game in the wake of Monday's campus massacre. The intrasquad game, which typically thousands of fans, was scheduled for Saturday. The school also postponed a baseball game against William & Mary that had been scheduled for Wednesday. Five spring sports teams will participate in ACC championships as scheduled, the school said. The Roanoke Times has heard other things as well in regards to the sports schedule this week. We expect to get all of the current information from athletic director Jim Weaver following today's convocation at Cassell Coliseum. Avalanche honors Virginia Tech victimsPosted Apr17, 2007 at 11:54 AMFans and players for both teams paused and bowed their heads 32 seconds in honor of the “innocent lives taken tragically and senselessly by one individual for reasons unknown and without remorse,” at Virginia Tech on Monday before the Salem Avalanche played a doubleheader against the Potomac Nationals at Salem Memorial Baseball Stadium on Tuesday. The Avalanche had postponed Monday’s Carolina League game against the Nationals in honor of the victims. Results are inPosted Apr14, 2007 at 03:48 PMWell, I don't know that Antonio Appleby did anything amazing on that drive, but he did bring down TE Crutcher Reiss short of a first down on a quick 3rd-and-5 completion from Marc Verica. The Verica-led drive actually went OK, getting to Blue's 35-yard line, but Rashawn Jackson fumbled in the backfield. Jason Fuller recovered, and Blue killed the clock on a drizzly, 7-0 win. But glorious. Did I mention glorious? All right, then. The clock is about to hit midnight on my afternoon as a reporter. It's back to pumpkin for me, which means scurrying back to Roanoke to help put together tomorrow's paper. But check back tomorrow for some quotes from Al Groh and whatever postgame analysis I can muster. There will surely be some statistics involved as well. Until then ... Try thisPosted Apr14, 2007 at 03:44 PMOK, White has the ball back with 3 minutes left, and Marc Verica is trying to lead a comeback to tie the score. Nice completion on a deep out across the field to TE Jon Stupar. First down at their own 45. More important, I've resolved to focus on ILB Antonio Appleby. He's a real player, right? Let's see if he's really "most improved." PuntoweenPosted Apr14, 2007 at 03:40 PMIn a desperate attempt to provide some football-like content before this thing ends, I resolved to find a noteworthy guy and follow him for several plays. Does anyone out there fit that description? Keith Payne fumbled a handoff from Patches. OL Zak Stair recovered, and Raynard Horne was in at tailback on the next play. Good to see Al hasn't lost his fastball. "Patches, I'm depending on you so ..."Posted Apr14, 2007 at 03:30 PMThe debut of redshirt freshman QB Patch Duda has prompted Doug Doughty to break out into song, quoting an old Clarence Carter blues song. Just so you know. How would Dwight K. Schrute interview Al Groh? These are the topics that come up when Patch Duda, Marc Verica and Scott Deke are at quarterback. Also: "Bernie McKeever is all over the field." -- Doug Doughty, 3:31 p.m. DramaPosted Apr14, 2007 at 03:23 PMAs we move mercifully into a fourth quarter that might or might not feature any more action than the lugubrious first three, we note that special guests in attendance include former UVa stars (and current or former NFL players) Aaron Brooks, Jim Dombrowski, Antwoine Womack, Wali Rainer, Wali Lundy and Matt Schaub. (Wale Elegbe could not be reached for comment.) "Get well soon, Jameel," our man Ed Miller deadpans as another possession goes for naught. White? Blue? Does it matter? And yes, you HAVE to click on that Elegbe link. Sorry, ladiesPosted Apr14, 2007 at 03:07 PMHad your eye on this fella? Sorry, gals (and guys), Matt Schaub is taken. His 2 big purchases since signing a 6-year, $48 million contract with the Houston Texans, the former UVa quarterback told a rapt media gathering at halftime, were a new house and an engagement ring for his new fiancee, Laurie. They met in Atlanta, Schaub said. Matt, as usual, was pleasant, polite and intelligent, and totally uncontroversial. Doug no doubt will fill you in tomorrow on his thoughts on his new starting role with coach Gary Kubiak and the Texans. AOL Sports already likes the Schaub era. Matt did say, though, that he was glad to spend 3 years backing up Michael Vick (MV1) with the Falcons. "It means three years on the end of my career, because I haven't been getting hit," Schaub said. Today's overcast weather wasn't unfamiliar, either. "The last one I played in," Schaub said of the 2003 spring game, "was the same type day as this." Schaub talks with his favorite UVa beat writer. (Doug's the one on the right.) 
It's halftime!Posted Apr14, 2007 at 02:52 PMStill 7-0 for the gents in blue, still chilly. Rumor has it NFL starting quarterback Matt Schaub will grace the ink-stained scribes with his presence shortly. But it's starting to drizzle. Rats. ScoreagePosted Apr14, 2007 at 02:31 PMKeith Payne and Raynard Horne, hard runners both, should be fun to watch at tailback this fall. Could Cedric Peerman be even better? "The legend of Keith Payne," Pilot beat writer Ed Miller remarked, half-jokingly, about the redshirt freshman from Herndon.
7-0 Blue as we tick under 7 minutes left in the half. Through 1QPosted Apr14, 2007 at 02:17 PMWhat is going on out there? It's hard to tell. These spring scrimmages are a mess of unfamiliar jersey numbers, quick changeovers and totally inconsequential happenings. I'll try to find you something mildly interesting. Until then, some linkies: Doug Doughty filled us in on former UVa coach Dick Bestwick, who's battling a painful condition but made it back to Charlottesville this weekend for a celebration of his six-year tenure with the Hoos. (Check out the 1981 photo of then-Wake Forest coach Al Groh.) Today's rosters, in pdf format. Also: The official 2007 Virginia football wall poster -- you know, the one with the schedule of games on it -- features QB Jameel Sewell and DE Chris Long. Howie's boy will be everywhere this fall. Including opposing backfields. UVa is glad he stayed four years. Someone just won a baseball signed by Washington Nationals third baseman and former UVa star Ryan Zimmerman. Speaking of baseball, former pro-caliber outfielder John Bivens is proving as unblockable at linebacker as Groh predicted. Bivens just broke through to sack White QB Marc Verica, followed closely by DL Nate Collins. No score through 1 quarter, 3rd-and-35 for the White team ... Blue CB Vic Hall opens the 2Q with a juggling interception on a deep out thrown by Verica. UVa spring gamePosted Apr14, 2007 at 02:12 PMGreetings from a sodden Scott Stadium, where the Blue team just finished a relatively productive opening drive and I just had to restart my laptop. Only a few thousand folks have joined us on this dour Saturday afternoon. They've seen Raynard Horne start at tailback for Blue instead of Keith Payne. They've seen LB Antonio Appleby and OL Eugene Monroe earn "most improved" honors and DE Chris Long, TE Tom Santi and OL Branden Albert announced as 2007 captains. They've seen the White team go backwards on its first few plays. Just more than 6 minutes left in our first quarter. Back in a few ... 2007 Salem AvalanchePosted Apr02, 2007 at 10:59 AMThe Avalanche roster was released today. Opening day is Thursday.
Orioles TV updatePosted Apr01, 2007 at 05:24 PMMark Berman here with an update on Baltimore Orioles telecasts. We had this update in Saturday's paper but it didn't get online, so here it is: |
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