Tech Thoughts IV: faux news from Jenny Craig… and RACE, matters!!!

Today’s word of the day is… Race!

source: 1490–1500;  French | Italian razza
verb (transitive).

  1. To raze.
  2. To cause to contend in a race; to drive at high speed; as, to race horses. To run a race with.

noun.

  1. A root. (St.Alex’ bless— literary peeps, far-out; right?)
  2. The descendants of a common ancestor; a family, tribe, people, or nation, believed or presumed to
  3. belong to the same stock; a lineage; a breed.
  4. A variety of such fixed character that it may be propagated by seed.
  5. Peculiar flavor, taste, or strength, as of wine; that quality, or assemblage of qualities, which indicates origin or kind, as in wine; hence, characteristic flavor; smack. Hence, characteristic quality or disposition.

Yes, part of this is gonna be a very racy column. Indy, Formula-1. Here where sissy-whiney TOS do not exist— and yet not one poster has ever been banned, either mind yah. We gonna get down to the nitty-gritty and discuss Race and recruiting… Right here! Right now!! Here we go!!!

Here, of course, being the only Virginia Tech revenue sport(s) place where real men congregate and speak truth to the power.

As you enlightened bleached-out, or self-tanner fueled social-media know it alls may or may not have heard of it: … it’s called… the Human Race.

The swiftest race of them all.

Weighty matters… or going for #SpeedKills?

Some of this strikes me as hinting or hints, plural as this may just be a Top Gun II 2019 football team. A team “…with the need… the need for SPEED!

  • As ALL Rb’s, 100%, cut weight (less the weighed the same C.Beck; who is the fastest ‘back in America and how much does the fastest Rb need to slim-FAST)? i.e. you go right ahead and tell me I’m ‘rong if you want— tho’ how is that not a speed-max’ or IsoPPP max’ look? (IsoPPP measures BIG >20+ yard plays, remember?) 42 lbs. with 0 oz. gained here if you are keeping Fb+Hb+Rb=negative weight gained score at home.
  • Last year my peeps were the only ones to tell you that Ry’ on wheat had gone for a lifeguard or: “Baywatch” body. Going for speed-max’ in his own right to help (him) put more RUN in his very own R.P.O.’s. And he’s even thinner, now? Wild! Not any slower | prolly a little R.P.O. faster to boot.
  • If Q is at ~245 lbs. right now? Where is he come 2022?!? 255+? Lebron James sized? Damn, he’s a Mack Truck already. Tho’ BAX will give him a more fluid fit than Ry’ has for Qb1 next year. Go on and file that one away in your Ginko Gland for Fu’ture, reference.
  • Ashby at a career-high is the one that (maybe) neg’ed on me a bit. (and make no misQ gents, one guy bugging me outta ~85 guys is a helluva an off-season; unheard of as S&C reporting numbers go). That’s a S-ton of weight for a very sawed-off plucky sparkplug looking albeit smaller/narrower Mike-Lb to vend. (BONUS points: for when Ashby throwback plays with 100% uncovered arms, no pads, sometimes NO gloves). As said, that’s a lotta mass right or not to lug 53.33 yards laterally much less in a deeper hook zone or Tampa drop. It really is guys. That’s a surprise. And you have to think opposing passing attacks will be very quick to test Ashby’s newfangled very stocky 240 lb. metrics on the move.
  • De’s cutting weight sure seems like a rush-max’ move to me. However, is there just one old-school Stud-De among them? (An even leaner-n-meaner hair-on-fire rush-De off the edge?) As Chris has hit this for you several times already… our dLine had nearly NO pass rush last year. So is there a credible 10+ sacks dLine pass rusher among them now? (or are any 2019 opposing Qb pressuring improvement(s) incremental at best?)
  • ahhhhhhhh…wait a minute…
  • Ashby? Maybe… The De’s? Possibly… Yet, the whole, entire, Running corps… they ALL cut-weight?!?

LOL!

ROTF!

Fu’ and Co. splash another traditional print media-boggy.

Here in Original & Metriciated mediaville?

We did not take the bait. #HaHaHa! You did not get us. Same as the Williams injury disinformation post-game @Syracuse year no.1. We here called your low-hand then and we just called it again. See those oatmeal crumbs on your face and all that chocolate under your, fingernails?

Eye guess Fu’ and company do want to sell you, death-sticks?

***

From last time… and I prolly shoulda saved this one… tho’ there are effusive Pro-recruiting and/or Pro-program trajectory Talent driven arguments to be, made. The half-full crowd takes its mouse hover off the “Report Abuse” button and rejoices, as these sections are for legitimately for you!

P.A.T.T.y-cake, P.A.T.T.y-cake, baker’s man!”

I.

Prior to Fu’s Memphis arrival… believe it or not, the Tigers were actually a semi-respectable football recruiting program… and when viewed through an American Athletic Conference lowercase mini-me mid-major prism? They managed to separate the wavelengths on their available talents and their outright recruiting takes pretty dang well. Check it out…

  • 2009 Memphis national recruiting ranking=65th
  • 2010 Memphis national recruiting ranking=71st
  • 2011 Memphis national recruiting ranking=77th

After Fu’ arrived, however… he caught no Tiger(s) by the tail and when based upon his recruiting rankings alone, you have to wonder out loud how he lived to tell the tale?

  • 2012 Memphis national recruiting ranking=92nd
  • 2013 Memphis national recruiting ranking=90th
  • 2014 Memphis national recruiting ranking=78th

However, then, after he started to actually win at Memphis with a sharp-looking 10-win 2014 season which he followed up with a nearly as serrated nine-win 2015 effort his national recruiting ranking R.A.T.T. did this…

  • 2015 Memphis national recruiting ranking=77th
  • 2016 Memphis national recruiting ranking=61st
    (including some bum of an Rb named: Darrell Henderson!)
    (who was only 1st-team All-Amerian as a sophomoric Rb just last year!)
  • 2017 Memphis national recruiting ranking=56th* (mostly a Fu’ class)

Q. How did Fu’ cause such small-market basketball school’s football recruiting rebound?
A. Coaching the (verb) is how.

Or Proof of Concept if you will.

The only O&M caveat being; Fu’ is on a Hokie descent. Whereas he was on a Memphis ascent from day no.1.
Or in other words… this modest or lowercase 2019 SOS (strength of schedule)?
It could not have possibly happened to Virginia Tech and to
Coach-Fu’ at a better time men.

And if Fu’ can culturally rally the troops back to winning itself?

As history says… his recruiting will indeed follow where his VicTories; lead.

II.

And from HokieForever we learn that Virginia Tech is ranked a nearly tri-level podium medaling (Gold, Silver, Bronze) or fourth-best in the All Coaching Conference in **** or (4-star) recruits outta the 14 A.c.c. football teams— since Fu’ got here for clarity. Damn yo’! That’s not half bad to peg just above the 73rd percentile talent-wise in your very own Power Conference when I crunched the indexing numbers in full. In particular when you are not recruiting/selecting in the mega talent deep Sunshine State (F.s.u., Miami); or are not Dabbing on national title rings over in (Clemson), South Carolina. As 4th best behind those three should give you a shot at not less than a Coastal Division no.1 every few years give/take. And a shot a the Conference mantel overall once a decade more/less.

That’s not bad, right? So, do you R.A.T.T. expect Virginia Tech to usurp the “stary night” of traditional All-Championship(s) Conference big-3 in national recruiting all that often? Yah; me neither… though finishing forth or just off the medal podium behind a whopping 11 combined national titlists does, not; suck!

III.

And if that was not half-full enough I found this little National Recruiting nugget… guess where we rank vis-à-vis our two #1, rivals?

That—> seems to bode pretty 2021 and 2022 well when we play both of our two most hated teams a grand total of four times in approximately ~390 gridiron hard fought, harder won, or hardest possible L hateful scrumming rivalry days.

And did I mention that a nearly mid-80’s Bill Dooley looking 2019 O.O.C. (out of conference) schedule struck at just the right culturally refurbishing time? (as Fu’ has NO qualms with R.U.T.S. ethos, none whatsoever).

IV.

Finally, I have it on great authority that the one thing Fu’ has (most) successfully done since he took over from H.O.F. Frank is to fill in the bottom-heavy basement type ballers with superior players. Or a rising floor that Fu’s no-nonsense, more modern, more Coach Corleone type “it’s strictly business” style of Cosa Nostra management; that has given the lower-half of our roster a bottoms-up facelift.

i.e. Fu’s practice-field/barn are indeed #Harder #Tougher place(s) to be.

As there is no doubt in my mind that Fu’ could take his bottom-22’s and go beat Frank’s bottom-22’s… well; bottom. Possibly badly at that as the buy-in to ball for Fu’ has indeed gone up. Whether this is family/therapy-first or not… I’m dubious. (and recall from last time: “thugs need hugs!!!“)

I am however sure that the lesser Fu’ players are at least decent to sporting enough big-M.A.C. type ballers. Maybe even a little more than that? Now that does not mean that the bottom-22 Fu’ ballers (22=the 11 bottom O starters + the 11 bottom D starters, mind yah); that does not mean that Fu’s bottom-22 are all Atlantic Coast Calibre players. They ain’t. That would be somewhere between elastic and/or hyperbole and we leave drivel like that to all the other websites here.

Nonetheless, it sure as hell does mean they have filled in the former O&M bottomfeeding talent divot that was a piously intended feel-good grandfatherly cellar.

Summary ():

  1. Fu’ recruits a bit better as time wears on, and in extra particular, once he starts to… win.
  2. Fu’ is doing pretty dang 4-star well, all top-3 in-house competitor things considered.
  3. Fu’ has jacked the formerly saggy V.Tech football floor… up. And he’s doing pretty sharp work with the pretty goods to very good type of talents. (although the jury is in recess on his ability to land the difference-making, greats).
  4. It does objectively science-fact appear… that Fu’ and V.Tech should be at least an FG favorite in our rivalry games after this year. (hopefully, maybe a bit more than that one full ½ play).

So Fu’ has made tactical recruiting progress. Bottom to top and generically overall. To his credit. Although there are a few or should I say their area Fu’ foibles if not outright strategic or longview speed bumps looming…

However, and least we paint an imbalanced, cubist, or surrealist picture… here are where the Desert R.A.T.T.’s Patrol enters the fray and jawhol they do tend to… swarm!

 

So… is this credible code for an objective R.A.T.T.ification on a bright/improving Recruiting Fu‘ture, …or not?!?

I thought so. And Will’s pay-side Subscribers only Search function will verify so.

I would not bet against him {sic: Fu’}.”
–bourbonstreet**

Is a verbatim direct quote when directly asked if Fu’ had things on track during the nadir o for 4 nearly awful looking run towards the end of last season. This before a legacy and hot-seat saving last-ditch final-stand in extra innings vs. Commonwealth Cup “rumbling, bumbling, fumbling, stumbling” uva and then in a nearly Crypt Keeper’esque fogbank day vs. an unfocused and even less motivated non-Thundering Herd.

Then some not so funny things happened/were brought to my attention along the way to the O&M candy store…

2016 in-state Top-10:

I.

Today’s (other) word of the day is… convenience.

As in I find it startlingly convenient to say that when we/Virginia Tech started n0t getting much top-10 in-state recruiting love… suddenly those very same former pretty dang lucrative recruits were no longer good enough for us.

No matter the fact that they are good enough for the Keystone State football factory up north otherwise known as the den of Pennsylvania State Nittany Lions. Or for Clemson, or for Michigan or for U.n.c. or for Florida State or for “the” Ohio State.

To put it another way… Virginia High School football talent production hit a rip-tide just as we stopped netting Tidewater or in-state Top-10, love?

LOL and huh?
Are we sure about that? Really?

Because nobody I know from the coaching clinic(s) validates much of anything regarding that tripe.

2017 in-state Top-10:

And do recall… sour gapes make bad… whine.
(don’t believe me? Just ask T.J.State over in c’ville… tho’ I tangent)

Now why this is I’ll get into more down below… and now seems as good a place as any…

TSL/TOS Surgeons Generals Warning:
IF you are a P.A.T.T., or if you feel you may be preggers with a P.A.T.T. or if you are enlightened in the dark, or need to social-media scream “look at me” and my aforementioned: enlightenment? The following sections may not be fore (score)… you!

II.

Look, did you notice the U.n.c. sky-blue logos dotting our in-state Top-10′.

Listen, and observe that we ourselves had recently been doing vastly better in recruiting the t.heel state.

2018 in-state Top-10:

Then notice that Mack the Exacto-blade knife is now cutting a recruiting rug since preaching the oblong spheroid of Chapel Hill. As Mack Brown is a lotta things and a very lethal stiletto of a recruiting rib-tickler is surely among ’em.

Now this U.n.c. leadership toggle may not be on Fu’ or Virginia Tech per se. Nevertheless, this is a helluva a recruiting mid-Atlantic or regional macro’ hurtful Hokie effect.

That has to leave the R.A.T.T. in any of you wondering just how effective Fu’ and company will be in subsidizing or covering our lack of 7-5-7 haul in Mack’s backyard, from now on?

III.

Then we come to the Ace of Spades. The racy elements that whether yee be Red of Blue, they are now part of all things O&M and you.

SUFFERING together is what actually teaches… Equity.

The stories here are entirely aplenty… suffice it to say that Fu’ is not well received by the more urban, the more streety and the well south of urbane crowd right now. There are plenty of kids, some of which are ex-Virginia Tech kids who have poo-poo’ed right on Fu’ and his midwest red-state ways. Dihereha of the social media mouf, so the coaching clinic sewing circle stories go.

Be that to your CNN liking or to your FOX liking or not… “that’s a fact, Jack”. Fu’ has not, and prolly won’t ever earn his …stripes, with the more streety swaggy kids; again.

Those colorful bridges are pretty well burnt. As my sources confirm that things have shifted as the only sporting color that matters is red goes. (i.e. we all bleed red).

     Call this a refugee Kaperniack Effect if you will…

Bend the knee if you will— or if you are Truman’Crat like me and prefer not to hurt the product per shareholder ethos, don’t. Tho’ do not deceive yourself that there is not a backlash here or a blacklash of sorts. Some of these kids and their scholastic staff’s can no longer see Fu’ (or anything O&M).

Colorblindness at its finest. As I am told we do not even get in through the front, door, no; more… in some of the more urban locations that Frank and Co. did rather well enough with when they did ride that Tidewater “thugs need hugs” swell well enough way back when. Some will no longer give Fu’ and Co. the time of day wearing a 1,000 wristwatches. That’s a hard out or a pretty (or petty) sizey in-state talent disconnect.

oOo

So where will Fu’ sustain his current mid-20’sometihing national recruiting rankings from?

As help does not appear likely to be coming from The District whatsoever; and talent appears recalcitrant to mixed at best on coming to Va.Tech from the Tidewater— at least for the moment, at least to me.

The recent Commonwealth O&M impoverished talent-gap had been subsidized by the t.heel State handouts, although Mack Brown has now gentrified and nearly cornered his very own backyard market on that.

And for that matter, where can Fu’ find Frank’s signature difference-makers to give him a 4th-5th year maturing recruiting cycle shot to out-coach (the verb) that therefore slip one in vs. perennially Top-5 nationally recruiting ranked Atlantic side Clemson or Florida State in any Atlantic Coast Championship tilt? (Turner is the truth, Dax may be a difference-maker …at Mike (maybe not as much at ‘backer); Mitchell and Dalton are a Keene 1-2 at least fringe N.f.l. Te punch, Q and/or BAX seem to have legit alpha Qb1 sawgg… might be a Pro’ camping oLineman or two… and after that… ?)

So you go on and tell me down below how we maintain our 26th rolling four-year national recruiting average with parts of the Tidewater being either talent thin or hanging blackout curtains on Fu’ as I type; with Mack the knife carving (back) into the pretty well-talented t.heel state itself in the: Comments Section down below. TIA!

Summary (∑):

  1. We are getting beat in our very own backyard (i.e. in-state) for most of our very own top-10 ballers. And I for one do not make purchase that Va.H.S. football suddenly sucks just ’cause we ain’t bursting our tidewater haul-nets no mo’. (i.e. give a man a fish he eats for day… teach a man to fish and he eats for a lifetime). Caveat Venditor at it’s best/worst.
  2. We are rather unlikely to continue to re-up our 7-5-7 talent misses in the neighboring t.heel state (now) that Mack Brown is the big whistle down there.
  3. Our very own ex-ballers or recruiting misses and their whispering contacts behind the scenes per today’s politricks optics are eye-gouging Fu’ and V.Tech’s rep’ out on the more streety recruiting trail.

In Conclusion:
Recalling Music Appreciation per Professor Ganz… this is gonna be one really tough bell to unring in today’s hypercritical overly-sensitive recruiting market. For at least a full four to five-season recruiting year cycle folks… or maybe for the full duration of Fu’ himself?

Accordingly, where will Virginia Tech's recruiting be, come 2023 and beyond?

 

Upset Index=on this article?!? ROTF! 1,000%?

R.A.T.T.: ...for the next recruiting cycle (4-5 years); VT is likely to recruit how well under Fu'?

View Results

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#wimps!

Virginia Tech Football Recruiting=R.A.T.T., set to begin at least a slight decline

LETS GO!

HOKIES!

bourbonstreet**

54 Responses You are logged in as Test

  1. p.s. I may expand on this social-dynamics recruiting content per an Editorially C&P deleted section on this topic from the coaching clinic(s) over on Will’s subscriber board… tho’ I am monitoring the temperature of responses, first. Toe=in H20. See how this colorful pool, feels…

    b.street

  2. Fu has one more year to turn it around. I hope he does. But you are right on. Today’s kids are more Urban and their culture is opposite of Fu and the 60-somethings on this site. Conservative culture works if u are a winner. But kids have lots of choices today.

    1. Makes me wonder… is Fu’ like a Utah Ute type coach?
      Big-12 corn belt coach?

      i.e. are they his best fits, in all sorts of ways (including on and off-field looks)?

      b.street

      1. Yeah on that. If the right B12 spot opens up, CJF might just look that way. OU? Sure, but won’t be opening up just yet I think. TX? Even if open, just can’t see a former Sooner taking that route. Baylor? Wonder what CJF thinks of the admin there… KU? They have just been sucking, that appears to be too much of a downshift.

        Most likely is if one of TTech, OSU, K-State, TCU opens up — especially TCU. Is Patterson still there? I can’t recall. If so, he must be getting up there and thinking of retirement. That would be the perfect spot for CJF.

        There are several B1G and Pac-12 programs that would be a good fit too. If CJF has a good year or two in BBurg and solidifies his stock, I would NOT be surprised.

        1. What I’d really like to truth serum him on is…

          …is your today answer the same as your prior 2018, answer?

          b.street

          1. No way is his answer the same after that 2018. Maybe he’s not worried about the program, but he certainly can’t be totally optimistic either after the internal strife (even what we DID witness on the outside).

            If there are more “incidents” in 2019, CJF will have to be getting irritated at East Coast culture — regardless of overall 2019 record. If team chemistry gels in 2019, maybe CJF feels his transplantation from Midwest-land is starting to work and has a chance.

            I don’t expect CJF to change his personal culture to “win over” anybody — and I really don’t want him to. Methinks the fine folks of BBurg/VT have a LOT more in common with the fine folks of, say, Lincoln NEB than they do with the culture of Norfolk, VA. And I think that’s perfectly OK. I’d rather be like the Huskers than like ODU or UNC. (And psssst! I think even WVU feels the same way, as they are already in the B12.)

            Attitude from the players this year will have a lot to do with where CJF’s head will be at in the future. Maybe it all works, for him, for the players, and for us as well.

    2. “…kids do have lots of choices today” but Virginia Polytechnic has ONE HELL OF A LOT TO OFFER!

      1. ^^^ truth. ^^^

        Unc and ‘ped State have already blown their wad

        PSU is xerox . Unc are retread tires. Virginia Tech is Amazon. We’ll either rule the world or go broke. Actually broke is highly unlikely for the Hokie franchise.

        Me thinks the early acceptors jumped the fu bandwagon. The crowd scared off the urban masses. But if anyone has b’steet wisdom they’re getting on the Hokie bus now

  3. Yo b,
    FYI, I voted in the poll and it responded that I had already voted (even though I hadn’t).

    1. really?
      LOL/geez…
      : (

      polls=whacko here… I will tell j.Donna tho’.

      thank you!
      b.street

  4. Good read. I have been saying the same thing for months. This weekend is a perfect example of this article. Fu and company are having their biggest recuriting event of the year this weekend. This staff couldn’t even get 1 four or five star recruit of the 2020 cycle to attend this event. Not one D tackle recruit for the 2020 cycle to attend. That couldn’t even get DeAndre Lambert (cam chancellor little cousin) from the 757 to attend the event. Kids from the 757 won’t even make the trip for free food and gear from VT anymore. Vt recruiting is dying right before our eyes. He might win 10 games this year because of our schedule. But if he doesn’t turn recuriting around it might be the last for awhile. P.s someone copy and paste this and put it on the football board. Our fans need to woke about what is happening to vt football
    .

    1. I sure hope that zero-attendance is not, true– right?

      I mean that’s severe.
      Red-Team severe.

      b.street

  5. Time heals all wounds. Kids attention spans are short so 4 or 5 years out could look very different. If Tech becomes the big boy in the Coastal for 2-3 years, 757 kids will reconsider. A couple of 10 win seasons and an upset or two of a blue blood will help Fu’s business focused approach be more acceptable.
    Top talent wants exposure and a path to the NFL. If you can get 3 hrs away versus going out of state, you can become a local big shot.
    Just because a Bucky or a Trevon has a bitter taste, a NFL Tre Turner or big Tim Settle rebalances the scales.

    1. That is my wonderment lifeline of hope/fix for VeeTee here…

      …nothing else upsetting happens and time heals all wounds.

      time=tell.
      Always does.

      b.street

  6. I put about as much stock in your Fu can’t recruit better going forward due to Mack and burnt bridges in 757 as I put in cc and his sources that said Christian Webster was worst recruiter ever and needed tobe let go not retained by MY. I expect Fu and staff will get their fair share of FB version of Jalen Cone’s et al. Not worried in the least!

    1. I agree with vtox1 here. I would classify Memphis every bit as urban races as the Tidewater. Hell, maybe even moreso! If Fu can recruit kids in around and to Memphis, the butt hurt crowd in the 757 will come around again. Sorry, but the thugs needing hugs only goes so far. And when Loyalty, Sacrifice, Leadership, and Brotherhood (VT Pylons mind you) are violated by a few thuggy or 757 “me” types, then Fu the Leader choosing the entire team and VT football organization is the Man who sees orange and maroon and the person we want and need calling the shots.

  7. You guys are living in a fantasy! They couldn’t get 3 star relative of cam chancellor to visit. Do you know how bad that is? Kids don’t even want free shit from them

  8. Is Foster not able to recruit these players? If you listen to his interviews with Burnop after each game, he either takes the rap or repeats Fu on how much the players need to buy in.

    1. I dunno… he’s been (mostly) viewed as a moderate to a so-so recruiter for a while.
      Seemed to do a bit better 2 years ago… tho’ so much has happened in his
      game of life in the last two seasons of that… that…

      (epic recruiting now is prolly a big ask)

      b.street

  9. Win and they will come back. How many 4 & 5 star recruits did Beamer have when he started winning?

    1. winning=ultimate rising tide(water)?

      I hope so.
      Generally, I’d agree… tho’ it might be a multi-year or full recruiting cycle rinse.

      b.street

  10. Site wouldn’t let me vote, so I say “worse”.
    Not only is the net being cast to kids w few if any P5 offers, the continuous offering of 20 WRs each class and signing of 12 while not getting positions of need each year will create problems like 2018 again at other positions – Gaps. Unless the long-term strategy is continually going after the JuCos to fill those gaps, and that strategy sucks too because you only get one year if any out of them.

    If the net is smaller, and Fu cannot “relate” to the kids from areas where MOST of D1 Talent is coming from, but an elderly FB and formerly retired, back out of retirement Mack Brown can, that is just plain sad. Not saying become ConvictU, but if you cannot relate to kids, parents, coaches, etc of those areas to even get in the door – the future of relying on SWVA talent won’t last very long.

    If his standard is that high, maybe he should coach Utah, BYU, or a service academy somewhere.

    1. “His standard” is my standard. Do we compromise standards to obtain a lukewarm reception from less than ideal characters? Do we travel further down that road and broaden our chances for wins by catering to players in need of high exposure and guaranteed contracts only to have them depart after a season or two (think portal)? The “win at any cost” mentality that permeates our society and the perception that this is the only way to recruit within the “urban” setting is a mantle of darkness. Compromising standards only leads to regret. No one intends to become “ConvictU” but it starts somewhere and I, for one, would prefer it be somewhere else. Yes, my way of thinking is “old school” and will probably not garner many of the highly touted and “enlightened” players that reside in the 757 (or any other urban setting) but I will lose with character rather than win with regrets.

      1. Well, that’s a very codified stance.
        I have no issue with the final line.

        compromised standards are good for 1 thang… compromised, results.
        ========================
        (I just wish Fu’ would not pull the schoolie offer to the Maryland Wr;
        although not pander-bear with Goode all in the same breath)

        Fu’=a bit kneejerk Rx (reaction).
        A coaching patella tendon if you will.

        i.e. he’s still relatively D-1 HEAD-coach; young/inexperienced.
        he needs/lacks seasoning… tho’ he is getting there…

        b.street

    2. ^strong medicine there^ sports-fans.

      Tho’ Fu’ has made misQ(s), here.
      The Maryland Wr kid and pulling the offer– the Dt Goode kid was/is a mess,
      Although handling it without thinking strategically about how it affects D.C. vibes is messy itself.

      I hope Fu’ is smart enough to learn from that… tho’ even if he does, damage=done.

      b.street

  11. Been pondering a bit after this article and the past article “epic” comment section.

    To fix something, it seems to me one needs specificity. What exactly is broken in this spoken about culture mis mix? Wasnt there an issue pre fu? Should the head coach allow (read condone) certain actions . What actions are we talking about? What else? Did the capeheart thing poison the well? What should the coach have done different? From what I read ( and that’s all I know) something happened that broke trust between recruit and coach. If true, should coach have said “thats ok”?…once one reaches an agreement and the terms are understood by both parties, if you don’t back up what you said was a “red line”, not thinking that’s a good thing going forward.

    Looking forward, what are the “profound simplicities” for recruits contained in college football? While certainly not an exhaustive list – wins, ability to contend to move up to nfl/cfl, fan support, visibility, ability to better self through facilities/coaches/trainer (and be supported if hurt), ….etc. if we do well next year or 2, i *hope* that leads to continued success recruiting great talent on O and leads to rejuvination on D recruiting.

    If not, it would seem as some indicate there is a personality issue somewhere. Which brings us full circle. (From what I read, the “issue” transcends any current contract uncertainties)-or does it? Past/current players must have some insight. What is the “price” of acceptance again if there is a cold shoulder thing going on? A new head coach the only solution.? Pulling that string, are we convinced saying ” well if let’s say “James Franklin” ( just tossing a name out for arguments sake) and fu swapped places all would be hunky dory? Is it really that simple?

    I don’t know.

    Yes, I am one of those 60 yo hokies mentioned previously. I just seek to understand things without jumping to ill informed conclusions. Eyes wide open.

    Meanwhile, I look forward to camp opening and the season to come.

    1. EPICALLY pensive reply…

      …tho’ as I said on TSL Sunday, things are so kneeJERK reaction(s) wise now…
      …that one screw up gets away from you faster than ever.

      And Fu’ has his detractors inside the more urban environments.
      They are very very very talky. This only adds speed to
      how fast things can get away…

      b.street

      1. At the end of the day, character lasts while reputation is fleeting. Do it and others right.

        I have a greater appreciation now when you say time to validate the method is now. Results will shine through most smoke, eventually.

        Thanks for all your work.

        1. Oh no doubt… Proof of Concept=right away!

          ’cause if the concept 2019 fails… vs. a such Strength of Schedule… ???

          b.street

  12. Well done.
    As much as I liked the last piece, this one I like too, but because it has depressed me. Doesn’t make it lesser work, just a much (MUCH) tougher message.

    1. Well thanks!

      Not everything in Terminal Contact sport=sunshine and puppy-dogs.
      Sadly enuff…

      b.street

  13. Sweeeeeet Insights.

    Totally agree the bottom of the roster > than. CFB. Biggest question is the top 5, those playmakers, the edgy ones whose plight to the League were let’s say, time to go a bigger testimony to CJF’s coaching style. Believe as a overall team VT is stronger but you need those 3-4 difference makers and that I don’t believe CJF can attract in current mode.

    Anyway time to kick BC’s butt!!!
    Let’s Go…Hokies!!!

    1. that’s kinda where I am… where is my David Wilson or whomever under Fu’?

      (even if that is per a steadier/sturdier base)

      b.street

  14. Good article B! I think are things to “worry” about when we talk about Winning ASAP…but I know I stand firm on finding the quality character kids that are out there – that probably dont want to play with the PITA’s from south urbana. VT is an Engineering school with the Corp of Cadets and a solid understanding of Service, Honesty and Integrity – regardless of color or race. Give me the Q’s and the James Mitchells and Ashby’s and Dax’s and Ry’s and let the trouble wash away. Lets see where all that trouble ends of in 4-8 yrs vs our guys now…lets write that article please! I am proud to be a Hokie from the 80’s and very proud to have Fu & Crew follow Beams and Mike Young leading the MBB team.
    #ITSTARTSNOW
    #RIGHTDIRECTION
    #CLEARPATH
    #ALLTOGETHER
    #SHOULDERCHIP

    1. thank you.

      And yah; we do not have 2022 answers today– in 2019.
      The oddball thingy is… the 2019 schedule is so soft?

      it could be argued it would not validate a cultural either way… not hi’ or lo’.

      b.street

  15. TL;DR – unless Fu proves to be an MNC caliber head coach, we will continue the downward trend seen in the past 5 years. Oh, and we’re not going to get any elite black players for the remainder of his tenure. Good times.

  16. Interesting take on the urban vs whatever is the opposite of urban take on recruiting woes.

    My Double Lincolns… (See, I can crypto-type as well.)
    Today’s more hip progressive coaches can tweet, twerk, and insta-post all day long at these kids to look more “urban” or swaggy, but at the proverbial end of the Always Be Closing day… you gotta win over mom. Mama wants to know if Coach is going to take care of their boy, and not lay on the BS. Most of the “urban” moms are single mothers who have had to take on the role of sheep dog and Alpha wolf… they can spot BS from more than mile away.

    If Fuente’s “red” recruting consists of a fair, honest assessment of what a kid is going to get out of 3 + years in Blacksburg, then paint me red and call me a fire engine.

    In your polling of these turnt off former players, and/or dissed coaching clinic peeps, has one of them complained that Fuente promised something that he didn’t deliver on? That would be my concern as a mama bear.

    1. Strong rebuttal.

      +several. Well organized/delivered, take(s).

      b.street

  17. Fuente created his problem 2 years ago when he expressed his stance about players on Twiiter making comments about issues African American athletes care about like kapernick etc. That maga mid western approach don’t work with 757 and dc kids. His name is mud in those recuriting areas. He couldn’t get 1 four star in state kid to attend their bash this past weekend. Kids don’t even want free shit from him. Dabo Swinney is prime example conservative as hell. But smart enough to keep his mouth out of those issues. He didnt say a word when a nice group of players didnt go to the white house.

  18. Virginia High School football talent is 3rd tier at best. Who cares if VT doesn’t sign the VA top-10 at this point? The problem is that Fuente doesn’t sign top talent from any other state either (excepting two kids from North Carolina). If he recruited the mid-west or Texas or Florida or Georgia (etc…) better no one would care about the VA top-20 because VT would be signing better football players from a much higher level of high school competition.

    And let’s be honest, recruiting for the offense hasn’t been Saban-esque, but it’s been good enough (one possible exception being RB). Recruiting misses have really been on defensive side of the ball.

    Also, the tidewater isn’t urban. It’s very, very sub-urban.

    1. Bigger point is that fuente and staff can’t even get top 20 talent from any state to visit on a regular basis. Just speaking from info I’ve gotten he is subpar recruiter who keeps making mistakes. When this cookie finally crumbles I hope we bring in Torrian or Shane. Some young fresh voices who can relate to these kids

      1. Would love an actually Qualified African American as Coach Next—->b.street

        an anti-London-fog if you will…

        (might need that too, IF the colorful fallout is all dat and a “snap” too).

        b.street

    2. It ain’t about how the Census Bureau sees it, it’s about how the kids see it. Eastern 757 sees itself rather urban.

        1. Regardless how the players in the 757 view themselves, they don’t make or break the program. If there’s a Josh Sweat, you absolutely recruit him. But VT isn’t dependent upon the (now very meager and currently trending in the wrong direction) Virginia High School football talent pool like it was back in 19-dickety-two.

  19. Oh just hire an urban looking DC and he can get down with these urban kids. On the other hand if the French ever start beating us then our lack of urbanization is not the problem. Time will tell

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