Virginia Sports

[Downtowner]

Well it really sux that both UVA and VA Tech lost in both of there bowl games. I watched both of them and I think we should have won both bowl games. We just barely came close to winning but we didnt give it the extra go. UVA should of won if it wasnt for Al Groh not throwing out the red flag on that play and in result Texas Tech scored 7 points and that made the difference in the game. If Al Groh would of thrown the flag it would of been overturned and there wouldnt have been 7 points for Texas Tech. Then with Sewell getting hurt and that freshman quarterback coming in to play and then fumble up the ball.

[scm]

Well it really sux that both UVA and VA Tech lost in both of there bowl games. I watched both of them and I think we should have won both bowl games. We just barely came close to winning but we didnt give it the extra go. UVA should of won if it wasnt for Al Groh not throwing out the red flag on that play and in result Texas Tech scored 7 points and that made the difference in the game. If Al Groh would of thrown the flag it would of been overturned and there wouldnt have been 7 points for Texas Tech. Then with Sewell getting hurt and that freshman quarterback coming in to play and then fumble up the ball.

[mikeas]

Moving on to a real sport...the Norfolk Admirals broke their 10 game losing streak tonight.

[erdogs]

Ah, the loser's lament -- the refs cheated us. How do you expect to win when, if you take away a single fantastic run, all you generate is 250 yds of offense? When your QBs don't throw a single decent pass, and only get 96 passing yards? Face it, there is a good reason the ACC champ is 0-8 in bowl games over the last 8 years, and the ACC in toto was 2-6 in bowls this year. As Bob Molinaro said in today's V-P, "an accurate reflection of a weak league". ACC champ plays a single decent out of conference foe, and gets plastered, 48-7. Ends the season losing to the #3 team from another league. UVa and Tech fans are deluding themselves by beating up on UNC, Duke, W&M, Ohio, etc., and thinking they are somebody.

[scm]

Until the ACC starts loading up on the skill position with 4-5 star talent, they will continue falter.

[Downtowner]

I really can't wait for the NFL Draft to see where Chris Long goes. I hope he goes to the Raiders where his father Howie Long played.

[Durhamite]

Ah, the loser's lament -- the refs cheated us. How do you expect to win when, if you take away a single fantastic run, all you generate is 250 yds of offense? When your QBs don't throw a single decent pass, and only get 96 passing yards? Face it, there is a good reason the ACC champ is 0-8 in bowl games over the last 8 years, and the ACC in toto was 2-6 in bowls this year. As Bob Molinaro said in today's V-P, "an accurate reflection of a weak league". ACC champ plays a single decent out of conference foe, and gets plastered, 48-7. Ends the season losing to the #3 team from another league. UVa and Tech fans are deluding themselves by beating up on UNC, Duke, W&M, Ohio, etc., and thinking they are somebody.

[scm]

It's coaching, coaching, coaching. Miami & FSU will work itself out...too much talent in Florida not to rise again soon. I think Miami had the top or one of the top recruiting classes in the nation this year. Most of being a good coach is RECRUITING.

In a nutshell, the ACC will never be as football crazy as the SEC, but it'll definitely be more competitive in the next few years and probably produce a national champ very soon...

[scm]

Plano East QB Smalls commits to Virginia

UVa picks up a top Texas HS quarterback prospect

Playing quarterback wasn't the only reason Smalls went with Virginia.

"It's a very highly respected school, the top public university in the country. It's hard to say no to a school like that."

[hoobo]

Plano East QB Smalls commits to Virginia

UVa picks up a top Texas HS quarterback prospect

[erdogs]

I hope that's sarcasm. I would hardly consider a Rivals 2-star prospect that Wake was recruiting as a safety to be a top QB prospect. The day can't come soon enough when Coach Groh finally stops snubbing Virginia football stars and their coaches and actually starts really recruiting in-state. It's sad to see in-state QB studs like E.J. Manuel go to FSU and Mike Glennon (VaTech's Sean's younger brother) go to State. I hope Lalich can step it up this year and provide better accuracy than the suspended (UVa academic standards) Sewell.

[Durhamite]

Well, if recruiting was most of being a good coach, then you never would have seen Wake Forest, Missouri, South Florida and UConn high in the national polls in the last few years. Average recruiting class national rank over the last 5 years? WF - 76.3, UM - 34.2, USF - 60.2 and UConn - 84.5. On the other hand, Charlie Weiss, the smartest man in college football, should have had better results from his #8 classes the last two years. I do agree it is coaching, and part of that is taking the talent you have, and putting them in a system that will get the best results. Gary Pinkel at UM is the perfect example of that -- got a spread QB, surrounded him with a few 2-3 star players (like Pittino at Louisville) that complimented that talent, and taught them how to succeed. Rich Rodriguez jump started WV in the same way.

Interesting analysis here says that the ACC is the home of "run first and play tight defense". I just don't think you can win BCS championships with that mentality. It produces razor thin win margins, and top to bottom parity. But, as VT found out when they got spanked by LSU, if you can't keep up on the scoreboard, you won't win.

Finally, all you need to compare is the fact that the SEC championship has a ticket waiting list at the start of the season, every year -- before the teams are ever known, and this picture of this year's ACC championship:

[hoobo]

If you watch the film on Smalls you will see what they like about him. He plays against the toughest competition in Texas and puts up impressive numbers. I believe he was hurt last year so that could have something to do with his ranking. He also runs a 4.4 40, but is mostly a passing QB. One of the analyst for Rivals says that UVA got a real steal, which leads me to believe they like his upside potential.

Manuel was never going to stay in-state and UVA thought they had Glennon, even going as far as not recruiting another QB. The problem with the in-state players is they were not strong academically, something UVA has had a problem with in keeping quite a few of their players eligable. Next years in-state haul will be significantly better in my opinion. They already have a verbal from Alex Awah, an in-state RB for 09. I was blown away by his film, he has every attribute you look for in a game changing RB. He can stop on a dime, change direction with ease, has GREAT vision down field and can hit that second gear in an instant. I can now see the forest for the trees.

[erdogs]

Do they still make Zima?

[hoobo]

Do they still make Zima?

[erdogs]

I dunno. But it's been a running joke since radio sports talkshow host Colin Cowherd claimed Wahoos drink it which makes us weak and hence why our football team can't beat Tech.

[vtfan18]

I guess if we drink Zima, then the Hokies must drink OE 40's. We smoke Cuban cigars while the Hokies smoke repacked blunts. We eat surf-n-turf and Hokies eat pot pies. We go on vacation to France, Hokies just go back to the farm. I see where Cowherd is going with this.

[erdogs]

Oh...I see. That's why you wear ties to footbal games.

[hoobo]

Oh...I see. That's why you wear ties to footbal games.

[scm]

Today's VP had a sidebar story -- "We need your input".

They are looking for the 50 best athletes to attend S. HR high schools -- only Chesapeake, Norfolk, P'Town, Suffolk or VB high schools will be considered. Submissions to [email protected]. Due date is October 17th, for publication in December.

Rus, you and Hoobo probably have the deepest knowledge -- let them know of anyone they might miss. Fifty is a pretty big number.