A Few Thoughts From the Showdown:

[Deleted Account 5,203]

Since the other thread on the topic wasn't conducive to much discussion, I hope this will be. I got out in the cold and screamed hyself hoarse for three and a half hours for the Cavs, and here's my reaction to most things:

 

Coincidentally, I had my seat in front of a Hokie fan all game; almost ironic, after my statement that I would not ever sell/give tickets at Scott Stadium to Hokies. The fan, however, was very knowledgable about football. He was fairly sociable when the game was close, and was an arrogant jerk once it became evident that Virginia Tech would win. Pretty much, the typical Hokie fan. There are many, many exceptions (of which many posters on this board are included), but in my experience, this is what I see often.

 

I thought this game was going south in a hurry. Virginia looked skittish and tight, while Virginia Tech came out firing on all cylinders. Two drives ended by underthrown Sewell passes, a beautiful Eddie Royal reverse to Justin Harper on a punt return, and a blocked punt (damn my earlier comment on Virginia Tech's lack of blocked punts) nearly made me have a coronary in the first half. I thought I was watching a repeat of 2005, all over again.

 

After taking Virginia Tech's best shot, Virginia did what they had done for 10 straight games before it: come back swinging. A gutty drive ending on a 23-yard Simpson tiptoe to bring the game back to 10-7. Another explosive drive (after an interception on Royal's trickery) in the second quarter to make the score 14-13. The momentum had swung, for the time being.

 

The picture-perfect route jump by Brandon Flowers on Virginia's last drive of the first half. I just stood there, thinking: "damn, that's freaking good". Watching Jamaal Jackson bite at a Glennon pump-fake and watching Eddie Royal haul in that 39-yard touchdown pass to make the score 20-14. The fumble on the ensuing kickoff, and feeling grateful that Dunlevy didn't try a 54-yard field goal.

In my opinion, I don't believe Virginia recovered from this. The Hoos threw everything at Virginia Tech in that second quarter, and stil couldn't come out with the lead. The second half is quite different if that score doesn't happen.

 

Watching Bryan Stinespring's gameplan work like a charm, in the form of victimizing Vic Hall. Hall's learning curve at cornerback has not been as high as the coaching staff would like (as I said just this week), and Virginia Tech nailed it. I know many Hokies would love to send Stinespring out of town on the first thing leaving, but he did a fantastic job preparing for this game. Virginia Tech's offense dominated the defense statistically, culminating in Eddie Royal's 6 receptions, 147 yards, TD performance.

 

Tyrod Taylor will be an absolute beast by the time he leaves Blacksburg. You can see the flashes of brilliance even now, the way he suckered our rush linebackers in on his two touchdown runs (the last one, 5 yards, was the nail in the coffin). The Hokies should feel blessed that they have such a playmaker, because he will be a great one.

 

The officiating crew did a very good job with this game. There was only one non-call: on a Sewell rushing play down the Virginia Tech sideline, a Hokie player (Cam Chancellor, I believe) grabbed the lower bar of Sewell's facemask in taking him down, then jerked it upward after the play was over. Sewell left the game with a stinger. Hmmm...

It was at this point, when Lalich came in, that I knew the goose was cooked. I lost a ton of confidence when our resident comeback artist was gone.

 

The late hit on Glennon by Clint Sintim was absolutely inexcusable. I know he must've been heartbroken after leaving everything he had on that field (two key sacks on his part), but there's no reason for that lack of sportsmanship. He did deserve to be ejected. It happens too often, sadly to say: it doesn't make him a "thug" player, but it did show a bad lack of class on how he conducted himself. I also have to tip my hat to Frank Beamer: a lesser coach might have tried to score after that play, but he did not. Classy on his behalf.

 

Knowing that Virginia deserves the Gator Bowl, based strictly upon conference standings. Also knowing that the Gator Bowl will hose Virginia and bring in Clemson (especially after South Carolina gift-wrapped that game), recalling the 2002 season.

 

All in all, I wish Virginia Tech the best of luck against Boston College in Jacksonville next week. I even hope they win it, to at least have the trophy in the Commonwealth.

However, I wish with all my heart it would've been Virginia, that we could finally shake the talk of "Hoos lose, again", that a long-suffering and devoted fanbase could have its chance. Maybe next year...

[bhs7695 185]

It was Chris Ellis that grabbed Sewell. I thought it was a horse collar tackle, but the replay showed it to be Ellis's right arm around the QB's chest dragging him down. No face mask I could see. It was wrong of Ellis to applaude Sewell as he was walking off injured. That s%$# didn't need to happen.

 

I thought the game was well played by both teams and a joy for fans to watch. Just like watching two heavyweights trading punches at each other. Good luck to UVA in their bowl game.

 

I'm still not sold on Stiny, but Tyrod can make any OC look good.

[Deleted Account 5,203]

The original play with Ellis was a bang-bang play, with his right arm right between the top of the shoulder pad and the bottom of the face mask; I can understand reluctance to throw a flag in that situation. Imediately after the play, however, Ellis jerked Sewell's face mask upward, and it took Sewell a few minutes to get up after that. Other than that, the game was officiated very well.

It was a great game, and an enjoyable game, except for the outcome.

Thanks on the bowl wishes, as well. I hope we can lay it to whichever Big 10 team (likely Penn State) we play in Orlando December 28th. At least we broke that nasty Florida curse this year!

[hokie07 11]

[ QUOTE ]

It was Chris Ellis that grabbed Sewell. I thought it was a horse collar tackle, but the replay showed it to be Ellis's right arm around the QB's chest dragging him down. No face mask I could see. It was wrong of Ellis to applaude Sewell as he was walking off injured. That s%$# didn't need to happen.

 

I thought the game was well played by both teams and a joy for fans to watch. Just like watching two heavyweights trading punches at each other. Good luck to UVA in their bowl game.

 

I'm still not sold on Stiny, but Tyrod can make any OC look good.

 

[/ QUOTE ]

 

I will be the first person to tell you that Chris Ellis doesn't always say or do the right things, but if you watch the replay in which they played over and over again, when Sewell gets up he initiates the conversation with Ellis and Chris only responded. Afterwards, Sewell proceeded to talk as he left the field, exchanging words with Vince Hall.

 

I'm in no way saying that it is Virginia's fault for that confrontation, but I will be the first to say that, for once actually, Chris Ellis did not instigate it! LOL

[Deleted Account 5,203]

We might not talking about the same play, then. I'm thinking of the one where Sewell goes out of bounds, gets his facemask jerked upward after the whistle, and spends four minutes on the sidelines showing little movement.

I did not pay as much attention to the events that happened after Sewell got up, if in fact we're thinking about the same play: midway through the fourth quarter; in fact, you're likely right about that. I was too busy beng glad Sewell wasn't badly hurt and nervous wondering whether Lalich could do anything.

[Bluefield_Rules 46]

[ QUOTE ]

We might not talking about the same play, then. I'm thinking of the one where Sewell goes out of bounds, gets his facemask jerked upward after the whistle, and spends four minutes on the sidelines showing little movement.

I did not pay as much attention to the events that happened after Sewell got up, if in fact we're thinking about the same play: midway through the fourth quarter; in fact, you're likely right about that. I was too busy beng glad Sewell wasn't badly hurt and nervous wondering whether Lalich could do anything.

 

[/ QUOTE ]

 

Same play. Sewell got up and started jawing to Ellis as the training staff was walking him off the field. The TV replay clearly showed this as they replayed it four times. At first the commentators were giving Ellis a hard way to go before realizing that Sewell himself started the incident by saying something to Ellis.

[hokie07 11]

The play I am talking about was in the 4th quarter also. I think it is the same one. Sewell only got hurt and came out once during this game, right? I honestly do not remember because I had a couple friends over to watch it and my attention had kind of drifted at this point in the game because I thought that the game was pretty much wrapped up.

 

I will try to find the video somewhere and post it so we can all see if we are talking about the same thing...

[Deleted Account 5,203]

Alright, we're on the same page about the actual play: the one where he came out afterward. My question is now this: how could Sewell start the incident when his face mask was the one jerked upward? If I were Sewell, I'd be livid about that, as well. He should still restrain himself after the incident, though. Was there something else happening before the play that I missed? Honestly, I was looking at the clock for much of the fourth quarter, but I remember the play itself very well.

[Blues_56 23]

Good luck to UVA in there bowl game, and on the Sewell injury, highlights and replay of the video show it is not a facemask, just pretty much hugged him down to the ground but then getting up caught some of Sewells helmet which made it look like a facemask, but congrats to UVA on hard fought game and good luck, and for my Hokies, beat the crap out of BC.

[bhs7695 185]

[ QUOTE ]

[ QUOTE ]

It was Chris Ellis that grabbed Sewell. I thought it was a horse collar tackle, but the replay showed it to be Ellis's right arm around the QB's chest dragging him down. No face mask I could see. It was wrong of Ellis to applaude Sewell as he was walking off injured. That s%$# didn't need to happen.

 

I thought the game was well played by both teams and a joy for fans to watch. Just like watching two heavyweights trading punches at each other. Good luck to UVA in their bowl game.

 

I'm still not sold on Stiny, but Tyrod can make any OC look good.

 

[/ QUOTE ]

 

I will be the first person to tell you that Chris Ellis doesn't always say or do the right things, but if you watch the replay in which they played over and over again, when Sewell gets up he initiates the conversation with Ellis and Chris only responded. Afterwards, Sewell proceeded to talk as he left the field, exchanging words with Vince Hall.

 

I'm in no way saying that it is Virginia's fault for that confrontation, but I will be the first to say that, for once actually, Chris Ellis did not instigate it! LOL

 

[/ QUOTE ]

 

He still doesn't need to pull that crap. This has been his best year about not getting personal fouls since he got to Blacksburg, but there is just no sense in that kind of play on the field. Go back to the huddle and get ready for the next play! Don't let the refs catch you in something!

[GMan 3,569]

[ QUOTE ]

Good luck to UVA in there bowl game, and on the Sewell injury, highlights and replay of the video show it is not a facemask, just pretty much hugged him down to the ground but then getting up caught some of Sewells helmet which made it look like a facemask, but congrats to UVA on hard fought game and good luck, and for my Hokies, beat the crap out of BC.

 

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You can't argue with UVA fans even when there is video evidence to prove them wrong...they always have an excuse. Don't believe me? Just go read Le Sewer, ummm, I mean The Sabre...proof is in the pudding...

 

BTW, good luck to UVA in their bowl game...I hope Clint Sintim enjoys watching it from home...

[Deleted Account 5,203]

Three points of query:

1. Apparently, you were watching a game from a different year. I was at the game, and had a straight-on view of it. Then, I watched it on the jumbotron. I had the game recorded back home, and I have watched my recording five different times over the last two days, twice at a slower speed on my DVD-RW computer to get the best possible glimpse of it. There was a helmet jerk after the "horse collar tackle". This is but a minor point in my original post, already discussed at much length. Let's move on.

2. The "Le Sewer" saying is completely new to me. I suppose the posters on TechSideline say that, but I don't know, since it serves me no purpose to go check the site out (as bevies of Hokies check out and flame/woof on TheSabre). I do know that TheSabre posters refer to that site as "TheSewer", and other names innapropriate for me to say on here. Therefore, I don't know which predates which, but as the posters on TheSabre often say, Virginia Tech invents everything, so...

3. You're wrong about Clint Sintim watching it at home. No suspension at all, and Sintim even did the honorable thing after the game. I even saved this link when I came across it, because I knew you, of everyone, would be more than happy to give me the opportunity to use it: http://www.roanoke.com/sports/uvafootball/wb/141096

 

Virginia lost to a superior Virginia Tech team, and I'll be the first to admit that. The Virginia Tech wide receivers absolutely dominated the Virginia secondary.

However, it is a splendid thing to win with class and lose with class. I am doing my absolute best to lose with class, because frankly, it hurts to watch a game in which your biggest rival bests your team on its home turf. If you cannot win with class, you are no better than the Hokie fan I alluded to my initial post. As always, as a fan of your institution, you represent your fanbase with anything you post, whether it be kind or arrogant. Let's both show class here.

[Guest BEAVERTAIL]

Im sorry, but for him to say that he didnt see Glennon go down and that it was an accident is unreasonable. Then for Groh to back him up and say that glennon was acting "funky" come on now.

 

Im glad he said he was sorry, That was the right thing to do. But to make up excuses like sean glennon was doing funky stuff is not right.

 

I understand that people can get caught up in the game and do things they regret, and i think thats what happened. However, dont say you never saw him go to his knee and that glennon was doing "funky stuff". Say your apology and go on...

[Deleted Account 5,203]

[ QUOTE ]

Im sorry, but for him to say that he didnt see Glennon go down and that it was an accident is unreasonable. Then for Groh to back him up and say that glennon was acting "funky" come on now.

 

Im glad he said he was sorry, That was the right thing to do. But to make up excuses like sean glennon was doing funky stuff is not right.

 

I understand that people can get caught up in the game and do things they regret, and i think thats what happened. However, dont say you never saw him go to his knee and that glennon was doing "funky stuff". Say your apology and go on...

 

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I agree with each assessment. Using the exact same resources I listed above, I've reviewed that play, and what I saw was Glennon dropping back nine yards (appearing to drop back to pass), kneeling, standing and then Sintim shoving him down about one-half second after Glennon stood. Although it was slightly odd for Glennon to drop back that far to kneel the ball, there wasn't anything really funky about that play, I think it was Sintim classlessly taking out four years of frustration on Glennon.

Also, it's ridiculous for him to try to make excuses for it. Brad Butler did the same thing on the chop block on Boston College's Matthias Kiwanuka in 2005, and it looked as bad then as it is now. Own up to it, man. Groh has never been one to take up for his players when they have done wrong (Ahmad Brooks, Ahmad Bradshaw, etc.), and for him to do so here is a little odd, and unwarranted, in my opinion.

[OFISHE8 10]

I am with you UVA Observer: As much as it pains me to say that Tech indeed has the better team. The programs are definitely miles apart and will likely continue for the next few years at least. UVA will always be mediocre in football and fans need to accept that fact! Hopefully one year we will finally beat the Hokies and it will be sweet but for the time being we have to move on and worry about our program and getting better each and every year.

 

A lot of the difference comes from the whole recruiting process and the fact that UVA has voluntarily raised their entrance requirements means that they can only recruit probably 30 to 40% of the players other Div. 1 schools target. This leads to mediocrity but Groh has done a good job with what he has to work with...sometimes there are flashes of brillance, but for the most part its the same ole story year end and year out.

 

Saturday's game boiled down to two plays: the interception at the end of the first half and the third and one call at the end of the 3rd quarter. Those two were momentum swingers and ultimately lead to UVA putting more and more pressure on the defense. Oh well, better luck next time. Hopefully Tech puts a whooping on BC and the Gator Bowl picks Virginia.

[GMan 3,569]

[ QUOTE ]

I am with you UVA Observer: As much as it pains me to say that Tech indeed has the better team. The programs are definitely miles apart and will likely continue for the next few years at least. UVA will always be mediocre in football and fans need to accept that fact! Hopefully one year we will finally beat the Hokies and it will be sweet but for the time being we have to move on and worry about our program and getting better each and every year.

 

A lot of the difference comes from the whole recruiting process and the fact that UVA has voluntarily raised their entrance requirements means that they can only recruit probably 30 to 40% of the players other Div. 1 schools target. This leads to mediocrity but Groh has done a good job with what he has to work with...sometimes there are flashes of brillance, but for the most part its the same ole story year end and year out.

 

Saturday's game boiled down to two plays: the interception at the end of the first half and the third and one call at the end of the 3rd quarter. Those two were momentum swingers and ultimately lead to UVA putting more and more pressure on the defense. Oh well, better luck next time. Hopefully Tech puts a whooping on BC and the Gator Bowl picks Virginia.

 

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Your second paragraph is the biggest crock of horses#it I've ever read on this board.

 

UVA's problem is their coach...period. Until they get rid of him, expect no better than what they did this year. He does less with more than any coach in the country...

[Deleted Account 5,203]

[ QUOTE ]

[ QUOTE ]

I am with you UVA Observer: As much as it pains me to say that Tech indeed has the better team. The programs are definitely miles apart and will likely continue for the next few years at least. UVA will always be mediocre in football and fans need to accept that fact! Hopefully one year we will finally beat the Hokies and it will be sweet but for the time being we have to move on and worry about our program and getting better each and every year.

 

A lot of the difference comes from the whole recruiting process and the fact that UVA has voluntarily raised their entrance requirements means that they can only recruit probably 30 to 40% of the players other Div. 1 schools target. This leads to mediocrity but Groh has done a good job with what he has to work with...sometimes there are flashes of brillance, but for the most part its the same ole story year end and year out.

 

Saturday's game boiled down to two plays: the interception at the end of the first half and the third and one call at the end of the 3rd quarter. Those two were momentum swingers and ultimately lead to UVA putting more and more pressure on the defense. Oh well, better luck next time. Hopefully Tech puts a whooping on BC and the Gator Bowl picks Virginia.

 

[/ QUOTE ]

 

Your second paragraph is the biggest crock of horses#it I've ever read on this board.

 

UVA's problem is their coach...period. Until they get rid of him, expect no better than what they did this year. He does less with more than any coach in the country...

 

[/ QUOTE ]

 

You appear at times to know what you speak of, but this is definitely not one of those times. If you do not honestly believe that Virginia's more stringent recruiting does not harm football recruitment, you either just pay no attention to Virginia football or are sadly misguided in your views. I offer you three factors:

1. Virginia's acceptance rate is a highly respectable 37%. That is quite high; only William and Mary has a more stringent acceptance rate, at 16% (and it is private). Other schools do not have as stringent an acceptance rate: Virginia Tech's acceptance rate is a bloated 68%. This is not a lie: http://collegesearch.collegeboard.com/search/compare_schools.jsp?

2. A minor issue involves Virginia's lack of January enrollment. Suppose a highly-touted recruit chooses Virginia, but due to circumstances beyond his control, he is unable to come to school in August. Under the Virginia system, he must come anyway (and lose a year of eligibility via redshirt, in the process), or forfeit his scholarship and go to one of the many schools offering January admission. This has hurt Virginia in the past

3. This is the big one. If I'm not mistaken, Virginia requires each of its athletes to maintain a 2.5 GPA and have at least a 1000 on the SATs (1500 on the newer version) coming out of high school. There are many, many four-star and five-star players that simply do not meet this requirement. Virginia has to exclude them automatically, and often, Virginia Tech or a school of similar repute accepts them.

In the end, most often Virginia Tech is better than Virginia in football. However, I'm more than proud that my alma mater does not sacrifice its rigid standards to bend the rules for the sake of athletics. If not selling ourselves out for profit is the price I have to pay as a fan, so be it.

 

You are only slightly correct in your synopsis of Al Groh. I have said multiple times that I do not believe that he is the coach to take Virginia to the next level, and I still firmly believe that. He loses in-state recruits (the ones that meet academic standards, that is) time and again to Frank Beamer, which is unacceptible; it shouldn't be that hard to sell Charlottesville, which has held a ranking of America's best city, over Blacksburg. That's his fault. Likewise, he's never had much of a mind for offense, and hiring his son with no coordinator experience was not a wise move; Virginia has not truly excelled on offense since Ted Musgrave left. I also do not agree entirely with the "bend-but-don't-break" philosophy; this tends to wear out defenses over the course of the game, and it does in fact lead to big plays when the defense tires. I would like to see another head coach come in (preferably after Groh's tenure, if he keeps reeling off nine-win seasons) and inject his style into Virginia football. I hope that happens.

 

Likewise, you are incorrect in your statement that Groh does "less with more" than anyone in football. That, my friend, has been accomplished by Karl Dorrell at UCLA. His career record currently stands at 35-25 over his five seasons to date. He has taken a team that had a highly realistic shot of a Rose Bowl birth to a 6-5 record (not counting this week's impending loss and highlighted by that 44-6 shellacking by Utah). With the talent in Southern California going to the Bruins, that is highly unacceptible. That is the textbook example of how to do more with less. Also, that's the reason my Los Angeles sources tell me that it's not a matter of if Karl Dorrell is fired, it is how quickly after the bowl game (if chosen)he's fired.

 

You appear to have some sort of aggravated disrespect or hatred of Virginia football. That's perfectly fine by me. It doesn't take a genius to see that football is not Virginia's best sport; that's why every Virginia win in football over Virginia Tech is ten times sweeter than each loss. Virginia does extremely well in other programs by maintaining a high academic standard: check out this page to see exactly just how well Virginia has done against Virginia Tech: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virginia-Virginia_Tech_rivalry

The Cavaliers have 19 NCAA championships in school history; I can go to University Hall anytime and look at the trophies. In fact, 19 championships is much better than many other schools. For example, Virginia Tech has, uh-oh...

[Blues_56 23]

?

[Deleted Account 5,203]

I apolgize for writing a one-thousand-word treatise. It is laid out as clearly as possible. However, the misinformation in the previous post definitely warranted it.

[Blues_56 23]

Its ok my friend, im just too tired to try and read all that at the moment, so ima just stay out of it haha.

[Deleted Account 5,203]

Haha, no problem, bud.

[OFISHE8 10]

Leave it to good ole GMAN to shed some thought provoking light on any subject. After his public "recognition" earlier this year, it seems as if GMAN feels he has something to prove to everyone on this board. Can someone please tell him that Graham got beat by Marion two weeks ago!!

 

Groh may not be the best coach in the country, but who else is out there? Seriously, UVA is not going to sink a ton of money into a "primetime" coaching candidate. It boils down to a simple fact: Colleges nowadays have to dedicate themselves to one sport. Its either basketball of football. In VT's case its simple: football. At Virginia, the athletic programs have numerous sports that compete year in and year out for national championships. The only school to come close in both sports has been Florida. Can anyone name another school that has made both the Final Four and a BCS bowl over the past five years. Pretty much few and far between. Some of your MAJOR universities can pull this off every now and then but not many can do it on a yearly basis.

[RichlandsAlum 678]

[ QUOTE ]

I am with you UVA Observer: As much as it pains me to say that Tech indeed has the better team. The programs are definitely miles apart and will likely continue for the next few years at least. UVA will always be mediocre in football and fans need to accept that fact! Hopefully one year we will finally beat the Hokies and it will be sweet but for the time being we have to move on and worry about our program and getting better each and every year.

 

A lot of the difference comes from the whole recruiting process and the fact that UVA has voluntarily raised their entrance requirements means that they can only recruit probably 30 to 40% of the players other Div. 1 schools target. This leads to mediocrity but Groh has done a good job with what he has to work with...sometimes there are flashes of brillance, but for the most part its the same ole story year end and year out.

 

Saturday's game boiled down to two plays: the interception at the end of the first half and the third and one call at the end of the 3rd quarter. Those two were momentum swingers and ultimately lead to UVA putting more and more pressure on the defense. Oh well, better luck next time. Hopefully Tech puts a whooping on BC and the Gator Bowl picks Virginia.

 

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Personally, I'm just glad that UVa "voluntarily" supported Tech's inclusion in the ACC expansion.

[OFISHE8 10]

Well of course we did, the Big East was becoming just too darn competitvie for the Hokies!

[RichlandsAlum 678]

[ QUOTE ]

Well of course we did, the Big East was becoming just too darn competitvie for the Hokies!

 

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"That South Florida bunch, *sniff* they'll get after ya."