SB Nation User Blog: furrer4heisman

Gionta's Agent on Hockey This Morning

furrer4heisman — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 19:53:56 -0000

I listened to an interview with Brian Gionta's agent, Steve Bartlett on Hockey This Morning on XM Radio today. They talked about several of Bartlett's clients, including Gionta. The host asked him specifically about dealing with Buffalo.

Bartlett said they had talked to the Sabres, and without mentioning Buffalo specifically said Gionta was willing to leave some money on the table to go to certain teams. However, some of those teams weren't willing to come anywhere close to what Montreal offered Gionta.

I think we know which team he's talking about.

Bourbon Shots: Annette FAIL Edition

furrer4heisman — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 20:04:59 -0000

Annette has been running a series the last week or so on the reasons for hope and causes for concern for each ACC team. Today, she ran her thoughts on our Hokies.

Biggest reason for concern -- Soaring expectations

There's national title talk. There's preseason rankings. There's uber-hype over the Alabama game. There's everything Clemson faced last season before its season unraveled. If Virginia Tech is going to finish the season where it likely will start -- in the preseason top five -- then the players have to breathe deep and take it one quarter at a time. Virginia Tech is the kind of program that tends to be at its best when the chatter is at a minimum. They were under the radar when Michael Vick got there as a freshman, and seem to struggle when ranked high. Last year, though, when the adversity was at a premium, the coaching staff was at its best.

There are a lot of things that have me worried about the upcoming football season. The "soaring expectations" for a team that has won 10 games or more each of the last five seasons with three conference championships isn't one of them.

There are a lot of things that could go terribly, terribly wrong for the Hokies in 2009. For instance:

- We have no depth at quarterback and a QB that tends to get injured.
- We have no depth on either line.
- Our quarterback may or may not be a bad passer.
- Our offensive coordinator doesn't inspire a lot of confidence in the fanbase.
- We're replacing a lot of guys on defense, including two linebackers and one of the best cornerbacks we've ever had.
- We open the season with the By God University of Alabama.

And Annette chose "soaring expectations" as the thing that concerns her the most. WTF? That has nothing to do with what happens on the field. Those same expectations weren't even the reason Clemson fell on it's face last year. The Tigers failed because their head coach was a gutless wonder and their offensive line was 10 pounds of terrible in a five-pound bag. Frank Beamer is not a gutless wonder and our offensive line (if it stays healthy, knock on wood) will be decent at worst.

"Soaring expectations" is superfluous bullshit and has nothing to do with what will happen to the Hokies on the field in 2009.

Join us after the jump for a new Hokie commitment, a tribute to America and links.

Project DE Commits

The Roanoke Times reports Justin Taylor, a defensive end from North Carolina, is the 11th player to commit to Virginia Tech for the 2010 season. Taylor has been playing organized football less than a year and has already committed to a D1 BCS program. Not too shabby, young man.

Taylor, a former basketball player, is 6-3, 220 and is the fifth defensive lineman to commit to the Hokies for 2010. Tech has pulled in some excellent talent at the skill positions the last couple of years and has obviously made the offensive and defensive lines a priority for 2010. So far, so good.

See ya Monday! Maybe!

I'm going to enjoy this three day weekend the only way I know how. By playing golf, cooking dead animals, drinking lots of beer and making things explode. Ahh, the joys of having family who live outside the city limits. A big thanks to all our founding fathers (except that ass hole Thomas Jefferson) for making this weekend possible. Happy Birthday, America!

Linkage

Hokies

- EBJ knows how to celebrate a long weekend. (Beer Control Offense)
- ESPN looks at our offense and C Gally responds. (The North End Zone)
- Watch, run through wall, rinse, repeat. (VT Fan)

ACC and Opponents

- Miami also has some talent at running back. (All Canes)
- Herzlich is in good spirits according to his Twitter. (Eagle in Atlanta)
- An interview with hoops player L.D. Williams. (Blogger So Dear)
- Winfield learns to swin. (The Legacyx4)
- ECU is scheduling the right way to get to a BCSCG. (Buzz Blog)

Stuff Only I Care About

- Looks like we're getting an actual professional hockey team. (Boneman)
- Love the Montador signing. Again, we're getting tougher on the blueline. However, I would have liked if they had signed a puck-moving defenseman or a forward like Ruslan Fedotenko. (Die By The Blade)
- He's ours now, canucks! (Full Count)
- If you don't know Hosty, you don't know shit. (The Lost Ogle)

OKC Group Files for AHL Club

furrer4heisman — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 21:18:20 -0000

OKC Group Files for AHL Club

Edmonton's top affiliate could be in Oklahoma City beginning with the 2010 season. The Oilers have been in discussions in recent months to move its dormant AHL club to OKC, according to the Oklahoman. Today, the parent company of the CHL's Oklahoma City Blazers ceased operations of that club and filed paperwork toward starting an AHL team there.

Underplayed ACC Football Storylines

furrer4heisman — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 19:01:29 -0000

Last week I gave you the five ACC football storylines I was tired of hearing this offseason. Here are five I think are flying under the radar and deserve more attention. Add your own in the comments.

Virginia Tech's lack of depth on the lines.

One or two key injuries on the offensive or defensive line could seriously derail the Hokies' ACC title aspirations. And it's happened each of the last two year. In 2008, tackle Ed Wang was injured in the preseason and missed the first half of the year. This led to a complete lack of continuity on the offensive and the Hokies' run game struggled until the last few games. Last year, tackle Blake DeChristopher was injured early in Tech's loss to ECU in the opener. His absence led to more struggles in the run game. On defense, the Hokies have a lot of unproven players after their starting four.

The Coastal is now better than the Atlantic.

Last year the talk before the season was how much better the Atlantic Division was than the Coastal. Well, a year later I think that's completely changed. The Atlantic has two teams (FSU and Clemson) that I think have a realistic shot at winning the division. NC State and Wake have questions on defense and Maryland and BC will be bad this year. In the Coastal, you have two favorites in VT and GT and two bad teams in Duke and UVa. The difference is in the middle. Miami and UNC are better than NC State and Wake in my opinion and have a much better shot at contending for a division crown. The Canes and Heels have two very good defenses.

This league already has some really good running backs.

Of the top 13 in yards per carry in the ACC last year, only two (Cedric Pearman and Antone Smith) were a seniors. Freshman and sophomores dominated the rushing leaderboard in a primarily rushing league. Those backs are back and are joined by another youngster who I think will star in the ACC in 2009, FSU's Jermaine Thomas. Thomas averaged seven yards per carry last year as a freshman while splitting time with Antone Smith.

Most of the ACC quarterbacks are veterans.

The league has seen some terrible quarterback play in recent years but I think that trend is shifting. Gone are inconsistent guys like Sean Glennon, Drew Weatherford and Reggie Ball. Nearly all of the teams in the ACC return their starting quarterback from last year and most are juniors and sophomores. If guys like Jacory Harris and Tyrod Taylor can play more consistent, the league will have an excellent crop of quarterbacks this year and next.

The ACC had a winning record against God's Conference in 2008.

The league went 6-4 against the SEC last year. The problem is most of the losses were painful and on national TV. The Hokies helped get one monkey off the ACC's back by winning the Orange Bowl. They can get rid of another big one if they can upset Alabama on Sept. 5.

Bourbon Shots: The Futility of Preseason Predictions Edition

furrer4heisman — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 20:23:37 -0000

More photos » by Michael Dwyer - AP

Browse more photos »

The Nate Irving situation reminds us again why trying to preview the upcoming football season in June is a futile enterprise. NC State has been the darlings of many preseason publications because of its strong finish to qualify for a bowl game in 2008.

However, NC State's defensive struggles last year made me skeptical of their chances to win the Atlantic. But that didn't keep Giggity from proclaiming the Pack would win the division and make it to Tampa. Playmakers on defense like Irving and Willie Young make them a sexy pick, but Clemson was a sexy pick last year because of flashy playmakers.

The losses of Irving and BC's Mark Herzlich are a reminder that if you're willing to prognosticate before August, you better be willing to have everything blow up in your face. The losses of Irving and Herzlich are nothing to sneeze at, both in the severity of their situations and what they meant to their team.

Herzlich was going to be the anchor for a defense that lost a lot from 2008 and NC State's defense played much differently with Irving compared to when he was injured. I wouldn't be surprised if BC and NC State finished No. 5 and 6 in the Atlantic this year. That's probably not how I'll pick it come August, but it wouldn't shock me if we're somehow underestimating the losses of those two players.

The same goes for the Hokies. Right now, everyone is picking them to win the Coastal. Some have them pegged as a national title contender. But the margin for error on this team is paper thin. If the Hokies lost guard Sergio Render or cornerback Stephan Virgil, the 2009 season could all go to hell.

One injury can make the difference, especially for a team like Tech with a lot of unproven and sometimes non-existent depth. It's because of this that predictions made before August camp are almost entirely worthless.

Linkage

Hokies

- We'll win because I won't be there. (Blogsburg)
- CGB leaves the cage. (College Game Balls)
- BCO's ultimate ACC road trip begins. (Southern Pigskin)

ACC and Opponents

- We did just fine playing assignment football against GT, thank you very much. (Smart Football)
- Paul Hewitt is a centrist. (The Legacyx4)
- Comparing FSU's infractions to that of others. (Tomahawk Nation)
- NU will wear throwbacks next year, but not against us. (Double Extra Point)
- Signs of hope for EKR. Where has that guy been, anyway? Did Chili and Willy Mac fire him? (Annette)

Stuff Only I Care About

- Amalie Benjamin (who I love and in a hearbeat would give up by hard-drinking, road-tripping bachelor ways for) says Lowell is going to the DL. (Extra Bases)
- And twins! (Kurtenblog)
- The good news is we're keeping OMG! The Kaleta!. But there's plenty of bad news. (Die by the Blade)
- Power 90 for the USA match: Awesome. The result: Not so much. (MGoBlog)
- Click here to be amazed. (The Lost Ogle)

Remembering '99: Q&A with Bill Roth

furrer4heisman — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 19:41:19 -0000

I'll be doing a series of posts this summer to celebrate the 10th anniversary of Virginia Tech's 11-0 regular season and trip to the national championship game. I can think of no better way to kick off this series than a Q&A with Virginia Tech play-by-play man Bill Roth. Roth has been with the Hokies for over two decades and took us through that wild '99 season. Thanks to Roth for being nice enough to do another Q&A for the blog.

GC: What were your expectations for the 1999 team? Did you envision the team could possibly go 11-0?

BR: The Hokies were ranked 13th in the pre-season poll, which was at the time, VT's highest-ever pre-season rank. We knew it could be a special season but Tech had started the 1998 season 5-0 and then lost that game to Temple and thus I don't recall anyone thinking 11-0 back in the pre-season.

GC: If you didn't envision the team going 11-0, when during the season did you think the team could do it?

BR: After the win at WVU. Tech didn't play its best, but still found a way to win in M'Town. Minnesota beat Penn State that day too, you'll recall, so things seemed to be falling into place in early November of '99.

GC: At what point did you realize you were watching a special player in Michael Vick?

BR: I saw him play in the VHSL all-star game in Hampton in the summer of '98 and was really impressed. That fall, when he was redshirting, he QB'd the scout team and I mentioned to someone during the week of the Syracuse game that he played Donovan McNabb better than Don McNabb. It was clear we had a very special player back in '98.

GC: What was your experience during the West Virginia game? Was there a point during the game where you thought that could be the end of the run or did that not hit you until after the game?

BR: WVU's kids played great that day. Maybe their best game of the season and their defense did an amazing job against Mike and the VT offense. Plus they came back to take the lead with their 2nd QB on the field. Still, when Stith scored in the fourth quarter, I thought the game was over. Tech was up 19-7 and there were less than 5:00 to go in the game. I thought we had it, and then WVU fumbled the kickoff which, incredibly, helped them get a big kickoff return. When WVU scored to take the lead, it was the 1st time the Hokies had trailed all season and it was interesting to see how they'd react. Vick's run down the right sideline remains one of the most remarkable and meaningful plays in VT history.

GC: What was the national championship experience like for you, the players and the coaches? Was it surreal going through the process? How agonizing was the wait between the time the game was announced to kickoff?

BR: Can't answer for the players, but it was exciting for our broadcast crew. I hope we can go back. It was not agonizing. Great exposure for VT and for our players. It was a big month for Corey Moore who won lots of awards in December.

GC: Did you expect Tech to get back to a title game in short order after the 1999 season? Or did you savor the experience thinking it might not happen again?

BR: Both. I think we recognized that Tech could have great teams and never get the shot to play in that game again. But at the same time, I'm confident we'll get back and finish the job next time.

GC: How quickly did it take for the disappointment of the FSU loss to wear off? Did it take long to get over it and appreciate the season as a whole?

BR: Interesting question. That's still the toughest loss. Having the lead in the 4th quarter of the BCS Championship game. VT did so many uncharacteristic things in that game. FSU deserved to win though. They made the plays in the final quarter to win. It was still a magical season and those players on that team continue to be a very special group of athletes and people.

GC: Who were your favorite members of the program to deal with during that season? Who did you enjoy being around on a week-in, week-out basis?

BR: Oh I love em all.

GC: Whats your favorite memory or couple of memories from the 1999 season?

BR: Beating syracuse 62-0...the win at WVU...the lead-up and the win over Miami. Coach Beamer on the field after the BC game. Even the Vick Flip vs JMU. It all seems like yesterday.

OL Matt Arkema from Midlothian HS committed to Virginia Tech today according to the Roanoke Times....

furrer4heisman — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 22:21:00 -0000

OL Matt Arkema from Midlothian HS committed to Virginia Tech today according to the Roanoke Times. Arkema is the 10th player to commit to Tech for the 2010 class. (HT: Tech Sideline)

Bourbon Shots: Get Well, Nate Irving Edition

furrer4heisman — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 18:04:13 -0000

More scary off-field news involving a beastly ACC linebacker. NC State linebacker Nate Irving, destroyer of running backs and devourer of souls, was involved in a single car accident over the weekend that left him with a broken leg and collapsed lung. Reading the statements from the police in the press, it looks like he fell asleep at the wheel sometime around 4:40 a.m. Sunday morning and ran off the road.

Irving had successful surgery yesterday and is expected to make a full recovery. However, his status for the upcoming season won't be known for a while. Also no word on if Orson will assess Fulmer Cup points for the careless and reckless driving citations.

Irving's accident comes a little over the month after BC linebacker Mark Herzlich was diagnosed with Ewing's sarcoma. Herzlich, the league's defensive player of the year in 2008, will miss the 2009 season and now Irving's campaign is in jeopardy. If Irving misses the season, the ACC will sadly be bereft of savage linebackers this year. StateFans Nation doubts we'll see him this fall.

Here's wishing Irving a speedy recovery.

Blog Fight!

Act One: Brendan at From Old Virginia uses the word draconian in his post on the prospect of Florida State vacating wins. In summation, Brendan feels vacating wins is a stupid punishment that won't stop future transgressions. He feels the 'Noles should drop their appeal, take the vacated wins and be happy they didn't lose any scollies. But, because Saint Bobby is an egotistical ass hole, he's going to fight for his wins to stay close to Joe Paterno for the record.

Act Two: NoleCC at Scalp 'Em agrees that the 'Noles should abandon their appeal, but has a few unkind words for Brendan. In summation, Hoo fans need to STFU because they're the doormat of the league and their holier-than-thou stance has no place in big time calllage footbawl.

Act Three: Brendan takes the high road (sort of). But does it in that condescending Hoo way that they're indoctrinated with.

Act Four? Stay tuned.

Linkage

Hokies

- Our linebackers are young and fast. (Annette)
- More commits may be coming soon. (Tech Super Fans)
- Ranking the players most important to the offense. (VT Fan)
- David Wilson ran all over the frogs. (Akron Beacon Journal)

ACC and Opponents

- Bama's D as only Smart Football can assess it. (Smart Football)
- Everything you want to know about FSU's NCAA violations. (Tomahawk Nation)
- This is why you're the Pacers. Worst pick of the draft. (Tar Heel Fan)
- Brian and Jeff take time off from going to see The Proposal to argue about QBs. (BC Interruption)
- Excellent post on defending the flexbone and how it all went terribly wrong for UGa. (The Birddog via Winfield)

Stuff Only I Care About

- No more wacky Paul Maguire stunts duing games. (Awful Announcing)
- We're getting back to our Hardest Working Team in Hockey roots. (Die by the Blade)
- Free agency starts July 1. (From the Rink)
- Casey's impressive trip comes to an end. (NewsOK)

Join me in welcoming Backing the Pack to SB Nation. It's always good to see a new ACC blog aboard...

furrer4heisman — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 18:24:47 -0000

Join me in welcoming Backing the Pack to SB Nation. It's always good to see a new ACC blog aboard the mothership. You might remember Akula Wolf from his previous posts over at Section Six. He's a great addition to the family.

Annette's List By The Numbers

furrer4heisman — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 19:31:52 -0000

Annette unveiled her No. 1 player in the ACC today: Clemson RB C.J. Spiller. Not sure I agree because I think Spiller has not been as successful in years two and three as his freshman season may have predicted. But it's her list.

By School: Boston College - 1, Clemson - 5, Duke - 2, Florida State - 3, Georgia Tech - 3, Maryland - 1, Miami - 2, North Carolina - 2, NC State - 3, Virginia - 1, Virginia Tech - 5, Wake Forest - 2, Coastal - 15, Atlantic - 15

By Position: QB - 4, RB - 4, PC - 1, OL - 4, DL - 6, LB - 5, DB - 5, ST - 1, Offense - 13, Defense - 16

By Class: Seniors - 14, Juniors - 11, Sophomores - 5