Official Barra Brava OT Throwball Thread

******** them all (except the Caps of course).

 

I will say that he helped bring the Big East back after Miami and VT defected to the ACC. He was a great coach just a sad sad story at the time, especially after saying a month previous he wanted to retire at his alma mater, but oh well. You guys just kept stealing our coaches. First Beilein, then Rodriguez... I will say that I expect a much better season from Michigan this year. It takes a bit to adjust to Rodriguez's "wildcat" strategies but after they pick it up I'm sure they'll be damn near unstoppable. This year for us will be a painful rebuilding year I'm afraid.

**After he left we still crushed Oklahoma in the Orange Bowl which really helped stunt the tears...

 

I had a sort of respect for the WVU football program and even RichRod(still hate a lot of the fans), but I have very little respect for Michigan with their acquiring WVU coaches although I must admit my loathing of Michigan is much deeper than that. WVU football has been sad to watch. They should have dominated the Big East since Tech, BC and Miami left. They haven't. At this point, it's going to be hard for them to really regain their position well above the rest of the conference because the lesser teams are catching up to the lowered standard. I am not a fan of Big 11 football. Rodriguez wants to institute a style that requires speed and athleticism and neither are necessarily the norm in the conference or the region. That is why they are struggling. I admit I watched a lot of the high school football that was on the espn family this weekend. Ohio is always one of those hyped states and I've never seen it. I continued to feel that way after watching a few Ohio matchups and then games that included a team from VA (Oscar Smith) and a couple Florida and Texas teams. The team speed as a whole is a lot slower in the midwest.


One more thing for the RichRod and Michigan fans...

 

I didn't have a problem with Michigan taking the West Virginia coaches. I just don't like either school. Sorry I didn't make that clear.

Does it really matter how much ass you kick if the school is on probation? Should I ask the basketball teams that came after the Fab Five?

 

The Express this morning had a pretty rediculous write up on VT today. National Championship? I don't think so. ACC title? I'll go with that. You ought to pick up one. If you're not close enough to the DC Metro, I'll bring a copy to the USOC.

 

Thanks for the heads up. The Express can be seen here or downloaded here(PDF). I honestly believe in one game at a time, but I can't help but think that the sky is the limit if they beat Alabama. Of course there are always questions all over the place in the pre-season, but I'm willing to admit the loss of Evans is huge. Tech needs a running game. I've seen Wilson and Williams run at various levels over the years and both have star potential. It says a lot that the coaches have voiced as much confidence in them as they have. The experienced backs don't have much experience so a lot will be asked of them. I've never been completely sold on Tyrod Taylor. This is his year to step up. The offensive line hasn't changed much so I have greater expectations for them and the receivers will need to perform this year. Meanwhile the defense was young last year and hopefully will prove they are a Bud Foster defense. The schedule is tough and the team will have to remain focused every play of every game. Many of the teams in the ACC are on the rise and are close enough to beat each other up. Nebraska is going to be a different team than what Tech faced last year and ECU is still ECU(I already have my ticket to be down there for their Thursday night game). More to the point, a lot has to happen for Tech to make it back to the national championship game and it won't be easy, but it's not impossible. The article I read wasn't too bad. I know Tech is a great stretch for some to have local coverage, but that was a light read that wasn't specific about a damn thing. It didn't even mention games. It just alluded to high expectations and Beamer and the school wanting to get back to the championship game. That was one of the more sane pieces I've read. I'm used to vomiting from reading the Roanoke Times or feeling queasy from better coverage in a UVA-centric Richmond Times-Dispatch or just wondering how Heather Dinch is employed by espn. The Post can be good for game articles, but the best coverage easily comes from Kyle Tucker with The Virginian-Pilot. Anyways, a lot of things have to happen for Tech to be in title contention, but a lot of things are already aligned with high ranked teams facing each other. All Tech can do is play their games and hope for the best. It's not impossible. They nearly ended up in the game a couple years ago after everybody else was losing games late in the season. It will be interesting to see how they approach the season. On Saturday, not a single person on espn's Gameday even picked them to win the ACC or make the conference championship game. A lot of people are back down on them and their anemic offense that was supposed to be carried by Evans who would make Taylor look good. I'm at work and I'm trying to type when people aren't looking over my shoulder which has happened a lot today so this has turned into a rambling mess that won't be proof-read.

 

Considering the NCAA National Title in Football is decided by a bunch of writers voting in a poll (who half the time are voting based upon predictions, how else does one explain Notre Dame being ranked?), my aim for the Hokies every year is an ACC title & bowl victory. It's the only thing truly under your team's control. Anything more than that is just gravy.

Personally, I think GT is pretty damn good, and I see no way that VT goes undefeated (even if we take down $$$aban & the Tide). And undefeated is the only way we make it, as I'm pretty sure that Texas (or Oklahoma) and Florida will only have 1 loss.

So yeah... goal is ACC title and that can be done. Especially because we're a better team than we were last year. How we won the ACC last year was mindboggling.

 

I pretty much feel the same way. I want the ACC and then whatever else after including a bowl win. I can imagine Tech easily having at least two losses. I can also imagine Tech having at least two losses in conference and not making the championship game. I wouldn't be surprised if both teams in the title game have at least one loss.

I'm not sold on Georgia Tech. I'm a fan of Paul Johnson and realize last year was his first year of putting his system in place at GT, but I didn't like the hype or the direction the offense went towards the end of the season. Johnson intends to make the offense somewhat more traditional while keeping the triple option with elite backs. I'm afraid he will try to do too much and make it too complicated even for his team. I don't like calling it gimmicky, but the offense already lends itself to a lot of turnovers. The ACC has seen it for an entire season and the bowl game showed us the intent to move to a more traditional offense. It didn't go over too well and I still have doubts about the personnel at GT.


Damn. Peterson 75 yard TD on the opening hand-off.

 

nobody starts the season off like the hurricanes

@ #18 FSU
vs #15 Georgia Tech
@ #7 VT - of course thats probably the most ridiculous ranking in the entire top 25
vs #3 Oklahoma

that is one of those schedules of an independent of the 80's

good luck coach shannon...and within the state there is the exact polar opposite

i wish the Gators started the season like that...instead they go

vs Charleston Southern - 1AA. Really?
vs Troy
vs Tennessee
@ Kentucky

 

The problem with GT and the option is turnovers and injuries. I think the turnovers can be eliminated, but it's hard to avoid the injuries. GT has QB injury trouble last year, and I think it's already started this year. WVU pretty much had the same problem with the zone read, and I don't make excuses for them. Almost every lose WVU had with Pat White can be traced back to him or a #1 back being injured.

GT can make a run if they stay healthy and work out their d-line. I think the VT / GT game is going to be one of the hardest hitting games of this year and I can't wait til VT unveils it's 4-4 D with Kam Chancellor playing middle linebacker.

 

106.7 The Fan has been loving this.

None of it is a surprise and it's stuff that many have been saying for years, but now that the Post is giving it front page treatment it's huge. This is a huge hit for Snyder. I'm a big believer in contracts, but you have to love the team suing hundreds of people wanting out of their contracts when there is a long waiting list...

 

What is Coach Rod thinkin'?!

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/247411-michigans-rich-rodriguez-the-hits-just-keep-on-comin

 

Thanks for doing business in Blacksburg.

 

I've actually been surprised by LaVar. I wasn't a fan of him in front of the camera (although I blame CSN for that some), but he has been pretty good on the radio. He's often much more reasonable than Dukes. Dukes listening to the other station to hear what they were saying was just weird after a while. I'm still not a fan of the Junkies and whatever they're supposed to be and Mike Wise isn't too bad, but he's often hit or miss depending on if he's had valium or something. I'm not surprised, but none of the shows cover as much sports as I would like them too. When are they going to change that damn jingle?

 

I'm just waiting for some Skins games to be blacked out since 12 teams are already in danger of having blackouts.

 

MV1 could be playing with the Iggles by the third game of the season.

 

i hate everyone else in your division, but not you guys... so i guess that makes me a fan by proxy?

i'm actually a dolphins fan. go ahead and slam me.

 

Pat White went to the Dolphins... That's alright in my book!

 

I admit I've always respected him on and off the field. He's a football player.