Back on the Air With The New ACC

Editor's Note: My apologies for the weird font issue in the final section. I hate Blogger with a violent passion and will be moving to a new service as soon as I find one that suits our needs. Also, we just went over 100,000 page views all time despite our recent bout of woeful inactivity. Thanks for stopping by.

By Justin Cates

There's been a significant blackout here on the blog for the month of June. I apologize and will explain in due course. For now though, I'd like to extend a fairly warm welcome to the three new members of the Atlantic Coast Conference: Syracuse, Pittsburgh and Notre Dame.

Their membership formally kicks into effect today and brings the number of conference members to 14.5 as Notre Dame is only partially in for football because, well, they can I guess.

Despite being driven by the ever-changing landscape of college football, the move really serves to solidify the ACC as the best basketball conference in the nation.

As such, given the current toxic nature of the Virginia Tech basketball program, I don't expect to see the Hokies compete any time soon even though the conference may well be an eight bid league come the big tournament in March.

It will be interesting to see how these programs evolve in the two biggest sports, football and basketball. I'm particularly curious to see how these hoops squads evolve from the physical post play of the Big East to the fast-pace style employed by the bulk of the ACC.

These schools have three of the finest coaches in college hoops so they shouldn't have a problem, still it's a vastly different style. Also, we call fouls.

I'm particularly excited for Syracuse to make only their second ever trip to Cassell Coliseum. It marks the only time since 1978 when the Hokies upset the No. 10 Orange by 17-points likely inducing a number of facial cringes in Jim Boeheim.

Syracuse was the only one of these new schools not to come to Blacksburg during Tech's brief stay in the Big East, likely because they are special.

They will fit in well with the Carolina schools who as all new members will quickly find feel entitled to things which they are not.  

But enough negativity, welcome friends! Try the barbecue and don't get too comfortable.


Erick Green Drafted in NBA's Second Round 

ACC Player of the Year Erick Green was selected by the Utah Jazz last week with the 16th pick of the second round (46th overall). He was promptly traded to the Denver Nuggets for their first round selection Rudy Gobert (27th pick) and cash.

Denver thinks very highly of Green who led the nation in scoring this past season. If he makes the squad, he figures to help a lack of depth in Denver's backcourt. They are led by former North Carolina star Ty Lawson at point guard with veterans Andre Miller and Andre Iguodala the other major guards.

Iguodala has already met with the Detroit Pistons so he may be on his way out. That would leave Denver perilously thin at the guard spots. If Green has a good summer league, it wouldn't surprise me at all to see him suit up in the NBA next season.


Hokie Baseball Coach Pete Hughes Heads to Oklahoma

Virginia Tech is fresh off hosting their first NCAA baseball regional and posting 40-22 record, but they'll have to follow it up with a different head coach.

Pete Hughes decided to take the top job at Oklahoma last week after Sooners' coach Sunny Golloway left for Auburn.

Hughes spent 7 seasons in Blacksburg, rejuvenating a program that had languished at the end of legendary head coach Chuck Hartman's tenure. 

As has become his custom, Tech athletic director Jim Weaver quickly hired Hughes' top assistant, pitching coach Patrick Mason.

Mason has himself led a turnaround during his three seasons in Blacksburg vastly improving Tech's pitching staff. He announced at his introductory press conference that assistant Mike Kunagonis would also be staying with the program as associate head coach.   


     

No Really, My Bracket was Great for a Minute

By Justin Cates

I only filled out one bracket this year so that, in theory, I could remember the teams I picked while sitting in a noisy bar or watching games at a birthday bash while distracted by a pantless push-up contest.

As it turns out, I can't help but forget how far I had Syracuse going or if I should be rooting for or against Minnesota because I have the short term memory of a goldfish.

None the less, for the first two days of the tournament I was living high off the hog. My bracket was almost perfect complete with the correct upset selections of LaSalle, Minnesota and California. Yeah I missed Harvard and Florida Gulf Coast, but so did nearly everyone else. I should have been giving interviews on TV explaining my methods.

In fact I was surprised to wake up and check my standing in the ESPN bracket challenge Saturday morning was as follows.

That's right, I had one of the best brackets in the country and it was then I realized I was doomed. 

No bracket goes long without a catastrophic misfire unless you've made proper sacrifices at the alter of the basketball Gods. But I'm a Hokie, the basketball Gods hate me. 

Saturday started off fine with a beer downtown and a Michigan State victory. Then back to the house for a little drinking game during the Louisville win that kept my show rolling.   

The game was basically one drink for a made three-pointer and two drinks for an alley-oop. We quickly ruled that a made two-pointer combined with a made free throw counted as a three, then we added dunks to the list, then charges, then commercial breaks and soon it was, "Hey let's play beer pong!"

That brings us to the evening and that's when things went south on a number of fronts. 

Why exactly I picked Gonzaga to make a run is beyond me. They've been one and done in the tournament every year since I was in high school and somehow I decided they were getting to the Final Four. Perhaps it's best I hadn't been giving interviews.

I figured I was done even though it was the only Final Four team I'd missed on—in fact it still is. 

But then the Syracuse game happened and like a dummy I'm cheering along with all the other 'Cuse fans I was hanging with, thinking I had picked them over Cal.

That was incorrect.

It turns out I somehow had Cal over the Orange and didn't realize until the following morning when I found my challenge ranking hovering around 700,000. 

Now, as I rest comfortably just below 3 millionth I can finally just watch and enjoy the mayhem. 

I've been enjoying the bittersweet triumphs of Virginia Tech transfer (seriously they mention this constantly) Tyrone Garland as he's helped LaSalle to the Sweet Sixteen with his, 'Southwest Philly Floater'. 

Everyone loves Florida Gulf Coast, even though I'm not convinced it's a real school. I'm game for more of this bunch as they seem to have a blast ruining everyone's bracket. Plus, I'm sick of hearing how loyal Billy Donovan is to Florida. 

Am I the only one who remembers him taking to Orlando Magic job for a day? Actually, yeah I probably am. 

"I'm happy to be here....NOT....Rickrolled NBA style!!!!"

I'll continue to disregard the many rodent faces of coach K and his boring Blue Devils and I'll keep enjoying my guilty pleasure by kind-of, sort-of rooting for Miami. I can't help it, that Jim Larranaga is so darn likable!

It should be fun even if your bracket, like mine, has taken a turn for the worst. 

In fact, that's probably for the best. At least that's what I'll keep telling myself.

"You WILL respect me!!! EEEEEEEK"

  

Hokies End Season, or March Is Stupid

Hokies freshman Robert Brown had 16 points against Duke in the ACC Tournament.

I’m a Hokie which means March is a low time for me.

There is nothing more hopelessly depressing than pouring your heart into a dozen games decided in the final minute only to find that ultimately the results have no bearing on the national championship proceedings—kind of like playing Big East football.

I was at one point an optimist regarding sports, but years of watching Tech games with varying expectations has rendered me a realistic, neo-pessimist.

Being of this self-coined “new pessimism”, I didn’t necessarily expect a ton from this year’s Tech team. They lost several scorers and leaders from the previous squad and appeared as if they would rely too heavily on freshman and sophomores.

These things proved to be true, but the team made some strides down the stretch despite dropping all those aforementioned close games.

I can’t be too terribly upset about things given my own tempered expectations. So why then am I so unenthusiastic regarding “March Madness”?

I begrudgingly filled out two brackets (one for money) that felt very hollow. I’d imagine that’s what playing the lottery feels like, except that I’m giving my money to loathsome gamblers instead of public schools.

Of course, having a team involved makes things far better. That’s probably where my bitterness stems from, though this year’s Hokie exclusion lacks the anger and abandonment I’ve had the last few spring’s.

No this year there were no bracket projections or blind resume tests and absolutely no incoherent rambling from that vapid talking head Joe Lunardi.

The Techmen were unquestionably out of the at-large tournament bid running weeks ago, so fans were granted a reprieve…yet I remain uneasy.

"Like, OMGZ!!! What about Melo!!!"

And so, today I will attempt to channel the upstate New Yorker buried deep, deep, inside me. I will dig out my Syracuse T-shirt (don’t get excited it was given to me) and at least contemplate putting it on.

I will eat chicken wings and if I’m feeling lucky, I will refer to soda as “pop” and promptly throw up.

Of course, even my pretend rooting-interest appears in significant trouble with no 7-foot shot-blocking menace for increasingly smarmy head coach Jim Boeheim to brood over.

If only there was a way to avoid the trouble of March Madness and these horrifying alliances.

When does football start?

Thoughts On ACC Expansion

The college conference landscape has been shifting for years now. The ACC was a catalyst the first time conference members started bolting when Miami, Boston College and Syracuse originally tried to head to the ACC in 2003 to bring that conference to 12 members.

Ultimately, thanks in large part to heavy pressure from regional politicians, the University of Virginia helped pressure conference leadership into accepting Virginia Tech along with Miami instead. That of course made sense based on being a good geographical fit, and the similar academics and athletic programs involved.

Syracuse fell out of the deal leaving Boston College to wait a year before tagging along thanks largely to University of Miami President Donna Shalala, who spearheaded the entire process.

Once again, the conference is being proactive in solidifying membership numbers before there are no other options. The ACC is now officially an east-coast super conference and may not be done adding teams.

I've heard a number of complaints from Syracuse supporters upset over losing traditional basketball match ups like Georgetown or Villanova.

UConn appears to be trying desperately to follow along to the ACC, perhaps bringing along the underwhelming choice of Rutgers. There will only be a few traditional Big East rivalries in danger, and I'm sure those few important games can be added to the non-conference schedule in hoops.

While I'm overwhelmingly biased having long disliked the Big East and strongly enjoyed the ACC, I see far more positives than negatives in this latest move.

I'm still uncertain about the viability of a 16-team league, but it would appear that's the direction things are headed.

One thing is certain, the ACC now moves to the forefront of conferences in college basketball. With Duke, North Carolina, Pittsburgh, Syracuse, Maryland, Florida State etc., NCAA tournament bids look as if they will be plentiful in the new ACC.

Lacrosse will improve an already powerful conference line up with the addition of Syracuse and frankly the Big East schools moving over stand to improve all of their "olympic sports" programs with the move.

The Big East foolishly turned down a fairly lucrative television deal months back rumored to extend through 2022-2023 and worth between $110-130 million annually.

The ACC's current deal negotiated pre-expansion is already worth $155 million annually, that's approximately $1.86 billion over the same 12-year span mentioned above.

Large, evenly distributed revenue sharing leaves more money for non-revenue sports and has a beneficial effect on all conference members.

It'll take some getting used to the new, and in some cases old rivalries brought on by a new conference, but there's a lot to be said for having a stable home in these uncertain times.

Johnny Mac Trick Shot Quarterback

Connecticut quarterback Johnny McEntee is a relative unknown, but has become a mild Internet sensation for his trick "shot" video below.

I'm not sure how many takes these took, but it's impressive none the less. The video also highlights the facilities at UConn. Pretty nice.

I think they made a really good hire in former Syracuse head coach Paul Pasqualoni. Perhaps he'll decide to give Johhny Mac some playing time after watching this video.

Uniform Thoughts

Word on the interweb is that Virginia Tech will sport orange uniforms for Thursday's home game against North Carolina on ESPN.

Thursday is the Hokies' "Orange Effect" game for which fans are encouraged to make the entire stadium orange. The team wore an orange top picture above for last year's narrow "Orange Effect" win over Georgia Tech.

These were the first and only all-orange uniforms I'm aware of from Tech's 1993 home loss against arch-rival Virginia.



After that loss, assistant coach Billy Hite said the Hokies would never wear orange uniforms again.

Here are some other notable orange looks.



Former Hokie Eddie Royal sometimes dons the Broncos orange alternates.



Syracuse has these all-orange throwback deals which are kind of awful really.






You may remember these Nike disasters from 2005. I think the Hokies' version looks a little better, but both poor choices.

I apologize for the poor sizing with these pictures. Tomorrow, it's quick picks and Hokie football.

College Football Week 1 Quick Picks

If you want to make money gambling on college football, this is perhaps not your top resource. These are literally my quick picks. I'm shooting from the hip and trusting my gut. I'm picking a number of games each week at the last minute that I find to be interesting match ups. Here's the first set. Thank goodness for college football.

No. 16 Oregon @ No. 13 Boise State

Don't adjust you television set for this one. Oregon's awesome/terrible uniform combo's on the blue turf of Boise State are sure to provide retinal damage. This is a tough environment and Oregon has a new coach.

Boise State Wins


Minnesota @ Syracuse

Greg Paulus makes his football debut for the Orange against a very game Minnesota ball club. There is reason to be mildly optimistic for Syracuse this season, but only mildly. They'll win more games than in recent seasons thanks to Mike Krzyzewski.

Minnesota Wins


No. 13 Georgia @ No. 9 Oklahoma State

The Cowboys are the trendy pick to win the Big 12 and make some national championship noise. Meanwhile, no one is talking about Georgia, presumably because they have to replace no.1 NFL draft pick Matthew Stafford. Joe Cox is no slouch though.

Georgia Wins


No. 20 BYU @ No. 3 Oklahoma

The Sooners will be without star tight end Jermaine Gresham who suffered cartilage damage in his knee. BYU and quarterback Max Hall are a tough opener for OU, but the overall talent discrepancy will prove noticeable in this one.

I failed to initially point out that this game is being played in the new Dallas Cowboys stadium.

Oklahoma Wins


Maryland @ No. 12 California

This is a more interesting game than you might think. Cal has everyone talking Heisman for running back Jahvid Best, but Maryland is a tricky opponent. Home field is nice though when it's 3,000 miles away.

California Wins


Then we look at two Labor Day match ups.

I'm taking Florida State over Miami and the 'Nati over Rutgers (That's the Bearcats from Ohio).

University Of Texas To Honor Durant, Give Away Honors

Earl Campbell. Roger Clemens. Ricky Williams. T.J. Ford. These are the names of the only athletes in Longhorns history to have their jerseys retired. Next year the Longhorns will add an accomplished group of athletes to the bunch, but I'm not sure all of them truly belong.

According to the Associated Press, Vince Young and Kevin Durant will have their jerseys retired along with seven other former Longhorns athletes. The biggest shock among the two headliners is Durant, who played one season for the Longhorns. Given, his list of accolades during that one season in college were surely impressive: 

• Started all 35 games
• 25.8 points per game 
• 11.1 rebounds per game 
  
• Led Texas to the Sweet Sixteen in the NCAA Tournament
• National Association of Basketball Coaches Division 1 Player of the Year
• Oscar Robertson Trophy recipient (first ever freshman to win)
• Adolph F. Rupp Trophy recipient (first ever freshman to win)
• Naismith Award recipient (first ever freshman to win)
• John R. Wooden Award (first ever freshman to win)

On top of this impressive list of accomplishments, Durant was chosen with the 2nd pick in the NBA draft by the Seattle Supersonics, who recently relocated to Oklahoma City. 

But why would any school feel inclined to honor someone who graced its halls for one year? Even if he goes back to finish his degree, which he is apparently doing, he only played for one season. It's not like he led them to an NCAA title like Carmelo Anthony (another one and done college player) did for Syracuse in 2003.

My main contention with this whole thing is that Durant didn't really do anything for Texas. Ok so he helped guide them to the Sweet Sixteen. All of his other accolades were personal. Even though he helped bring more notoriety to the school he failed to do what Carmelo did (to date, Syracuse has not retired his jersey).  I just don't see how one year of service warrants the equivalent to a lifetime achievement award. 

Durant deserves to be honored for his outstanding performance in college, just maybe not in the way that Texas and other universities and teams choose to celebrate their tradition.

 

Notes

Campbell won the Heisman Trophy in 1977 and is enshrined in both the college and pro football halls of fame. Clemens pitched two All-American seasons with the Longhorns baseball team and helped lead them to a national championship in 1983. Ricky Williams won the 1998 Heisman Trophy and set many NCAA Division 1-A records (some of which were later broken) including most yards in a career (broken one year later by Ron Dayne from the University of Wisconsin) and career rushing touchdowns and career scoring (both of which were broken one year later by Travis Prentice from Miami (OH) University). T.J. Ford only stayed for two seasons with Texas' hoops team, but he led them to their first Final Four appearance since 1947 (and also the Sweet Sixteen) and won the Naismith and Wooden awards along with being named player of the year by every major sports outlet. At the time of his retirement, Ford was the only basketball player to have his jersey retired.