It has been reported that Larry Brown (yep, that old guy from unc that has coached half the NBA, not the Super Bowl MVP) has agreed to become the head basketball coach of smu.  While he’s denied it to this point, it certainly sounds like it is all but a done deal.

If true, that would kill one of the big remaining rumors affecting Virginia Tech.  There had been rumblings weeks ago that Seth was a candidate for the smu job, though he denied it.  But my sources claimed it was a very real possibility.  It appears whether they (my sources) were right or not, it isn’t going to happen and Seth will be back at VT next year.  Now you know why I don’t get in the rumor business.

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According to a tweet by David Teel of the Daily Press, based on info he got from Jack Bogaczyk of the Charleston Daily Mail, VT and wvu are going to renew their rivalry, at least on the basketball court. VT will play at wvu next year with a return trip to Blacksburg slated for the 2013-14 season. At least that’s the best I can tell…

TEEL TWITTER ACCOUNT

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Balloons released before the 3.2 Run for Remembrance

Wow.  Five years?  Has it really been five years since that day that changed every Hokie’s life.  That day that brought heartache and tragedy into countless families, not just of the 32 killed but those injured that had to put their lives back together with emotional and physical scars.

That day that to me was almost as profound and as devastating as 9/11.  That day that shook my Hokie pride and for a few moments, made me shameful of being a Hokie.

But from that, that day brought us all together, and instead of dividing us, made us even stronger as a family and as Hokie Nation.  From those few moments of shame came an even stronger love and pride in my alma mater.

But most of all THIS day for me is about reflecting on the lives that were taken, and those that were injured.  Hokies who lost their life for no other reason that sitting in their dorm, or going to their class, or going to work.

Liviu Librescu's Hokiestone at the Memorial

THIS day is about the heroes like Liviu Librescu, who barricaded the door with his body so his students could escape out the window.  He took five bullets before a fatal shot took his life.  All but one of his students escaped.

THIS day is about reflection on how in many ways time has stood still.  It doesn’t feel like five years ago to me.  The pain I feel for those 32 victims, and the frustrations I feel about ‘why did this happen’ are still as fresh as they were five years ago.

THIS day is about me doing what I’ve done every Day of Remembrance — taking the day off work, reading the bio of each victim to learn about them, and thinking of them.  And each year I decide I’ll do something to honor them and their lives.

THE RUN

Niemo at the Finish Line of the 3.2 Run for Remembrance

This past Saturday I, along with almost 7,000 other Hokies and friends and family, participated in the 3.2 Run for Remembrance.  Each year it brings thousands of Hokies to campus to run for the fallen.  To remember, and to inspire.

I’ll admit it, I’m not in the best shape.  My training routine in the weeks leading up consisted of quarter mile jogs while coaching my baseball team.  I hadn’t run more than a half mile consecutively in probably a year.  But I ran for 32 on Saturday, all 32.  And outside of a brief logjam at Lane Stadium while walking through the tunnel onto the football field, I jogged the entire way, and ran the entire last mile and a half.  That may not mean much to those of you that run regularly, but it meant a lot to me.  I wanted to quit on many occasions, but pushed through.  It is extremely trivial, but in my mind finishing that race was my way of honoring the victims.  I was pushing myself, relishing the life I am blessed to have.

The Memorial in front of Burruss Hall

I hope to do more to honor those 32 Hokies taken from us in the future.  Something meaningful.  But a journey of a thousands miles begins with one step, and that was mine.  Let’s all reflect today on those that were taken from us, and find the drive to do something meaningful, if not for them, or something else, for yourself.

I’m a Hokie, and I’m damn proud of it.  WE ARE VIRGINIA TECH.  WE WILL PREVAIL.  Bless all 32.  I’ll never forget you, we’ll never forget you.

VT We Remember Link

Interesting Note: According to Jay Poole (ran the Office of Recovery and Support at VT) in this WASHINGTON POST ARTICLE, all 26 surviving students who were injured in Norris Hall returned to Virginia Tech and all graduated.

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On Saturday, 2012 Virginia Tech signee, forward Montrezl Harrell, showed off his athleticism and energy, powering the East team to a 84-82 win in Charlotte in a Jordan Brand Classic regional game.  Harrell was named the East MVP after scoring 14 points (reportedly several monster dunks included) and blocking a shot in the final seconds to preserve the win.

The Regional Game featured the top prep players from the state of North Carolina (Harrell is from NC even though he played for Hargrave Military Academy in VA this year).  The game was the appetizer before the National Game Saturday night.

Here’s a link to HARRELLs PAGE.  He averaged over 22 points and almost 10 rebounds per game this year for a Hargrave Post-Grad team that lost just one game.

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Updated: This ROANOKE TIMES ARTICLE talks about Johnson’s departure not being about money, and that VT will pay their assistants this coming year what clemson is paying theirs.

For the 6th time in four years, and the second time in a week, a Virginia Tech assistant coach has left for another university on their own. This time it is perhaps the most severe blow to the Hokies as associate head coach James Johnson has not only left, but for an ACC rival, clemson. This is according to this WASHINGTON POST ARTICLE.

Johnson had successfully landed Robert Brown and C.J. Barksdale on the recruiting trail in the previous class, as well as Marshall Wood in this upcoming class. According to my sources, he was VERY well liked by the players. No doubt they will take this hard.

With Rob Ehsan having left last week for uab, this leaves the Hokies with just one assistant coach on staff, John Richardson, who will be entering just his 2nd year with the Hokies (if he stays). Tech will also be on their 4th director of basketball operations in four years next year after they replace Jeff Wulbrun, who also bolted for uab.

Money again seems to be the issue, at least publically. Johnson is expected to receive a $45,000 raise over his current $140,000 salary at VT and become the top assistant for the tigers. So once again, it is a coach leaving in a lateral move.

If money truly is the issue, it begs to reason if this will finally wake up the Athletic Department and cause them to increase the pool for the assistants. Losing your top assistant to an ACC peer would be one thing, but clemson is in a similarly remote area (like Blacksburg) and is also clearly a football school. Is their program really making that much more money that they can pay their top assistant $45,000 more than the Hokies, or is Tech pinching pennies more than they need to? While I certainly respect a balanced budget, I care more about wins and this isn’t helping. And with wins come more fans, and attendance is starting to become an issue.

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Very interesting ARTICLE BY CHRIS COLEMAN ON TSL about how Virginia Tech’s assistant coaches are underpaid compared to where they go, and other schools in the league.  It gives a different perspective on all the “It must be tough to work for Seth” banter.

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On Monday it was reported (though not officially yet announced by VT) that Virginia Tech Assistant Coach Rob Ehsan and Director of Basketball Operations Jeff Wulbrun were leaving the ‘Burg for Birmingham, to join uab’s new head coach.

This means Tech will have their fourth Director of Basketball Operations in as many years (Autry served in this position for two years before becoming an assistant, then Wolff and Wulbrun for one year each, and TBD next year).

Plus, this is the fifth assistant to leave in four years (Palmore – ’09, Courtney and Odom – ’10, Autry – ’11, and Ehsan – ’12).

It should be noted that Courtney, Wolff, Wulbrun, and Ehsan all only spent one year at VT before bolting.

Here are the articles on it:

• Washington Post
• Daily Press

We’ll see if this is the last of the coaching changes for 2012.

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Apparently the Hokies are participating in the Las Vegas Classic in December, hosting two games at home and then playing in a 4-team tourney portion in Vegas on December 22nd and 23rd.  It looks like colorado state (made the NCAA Tournament as an at-large, #11 seed from the Mountain West), bradley (7 total wins last year), and portland (ditto) will also be in the tourney in Vegas.

Roanoke Times Article

Tech played, and beat, stanford in Vegas back in 2005 in the Las Vegas Showdown.

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Here’s a ROANOKE TIMES ARTICLE about JT leaving, Seth staying, and our prospects for next year.  One quote in particular made me laugh though…

“Greenberg wants the Hokies to play faster next season, which could lead to better shots.”

Every offseason we hear it (usually from Seth) — we are going to play faster this season; we are going to push the ball more; we are going to pressure the ball more… and every season by Game 10, or by the time ACC play rolls around, we are a half court only team that will literally hold the ball after turnovers instead of pushing it.  And inbounds the ball quickly and run a secondary break?  Pish posh!  Not gonna happen.  So call me skeptical but I’ll believe it when I see it.  I’d like to see it, but we’ll see.  Leopards can’t change their spots, or something to that effect.  Until we correct the mistakes we see time after time on the break (not passing, poor spacing), it won’t work.  And unless you truly commit to it, and not scrap it after a few mistakes, it won’t get better.  Stay tuned.

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March 24, 2010.  What’s that date, you ask, almost exactly two years ago?  As it turns out, that would be the last time we’d see JT Thompson play in a real game for Virginia Tech.  The forward was 0-for-2 at senior seasons, missing each of the last two years with ACL injuries that cost him the entire campaigns.  And now he’s transferring to another school where he hopes to be granted a 6th year of eligibility (if you miss two years with an injury often the NCAA will grant you a 6th year to play four). 

Thompson has already graduated from Tech, so he should be eligible to play right away if the NCAA grants him another year of eligibility.  JT also has a daughter who he is looking forward to being closer to.  JT, much like his cousin and former Hokie teammate, Dorenzo Hudson, is from the Charlotte area.

JT from day one was a high energy player that was a joy to watch.  He was a terror on the glass and always produced a few monster dunks per season.  He’ll be missed.

Official Announcement Link

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Like in many of the past offseasons (Seth to st. john’s, Jeff Allen to transfer, Malcolm to go pro, etc.), every day there’s a new rumor related to the program.  Just this weekend I’ve heard rumors X is leaving, then Y is transferring, then Z is being hired by t.  We’ll see how it all plays out.  If past years are any indication, one of the rumors will end up being true, but that’s it.  I have no idea which one it will be (or if it won’t be any… or two… or more).  Now we play the waiting game!  Ah, the waiting game sucks, let’s play Hungry, Hungry Hippo.

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Here’s a look at how Virginia Tech, and their opponents, did when reaching a certain points scored range.  Note that the points scored includes overtime (so final total).

No real surprises here — when you can score the ball, you increase your chances of winning.  In fact, VT was 100% when scoring 70-plus, something they only did once in 2012 and that was with the benefit of an overtime.  And when you can’t score, you lose — Tech was 2-11 in games where they were held under 60 points (amazingly their opponents were 4-6 (that’s a higher percentage of wins than you’d expect), meaning the Hokies were losing close, low scoring games).

*The only game where an opponent scored more than 70 and lost was the georgia tech at VT game, and that went to overtime where neither team had 70 in regulation.

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Here is my grading of this season:

• MVP: None- I’m sorry, but teams that go 5-13 in ACC play (including the Tourney) don’t have a MVP.  The obvious choice here would be Erick Green, but he was 3/16 on FGs at the end of halfs and didn’t have any game-winners.  He actually averaged 2 more PPG in VT’s 12 ACC losses he played in (he missed @bc) than in their 5 wins (16.5 in losses, 14.6 in wins).  His assists per game and steals had minor differences – they were both +0.2 in wins compared to losses.  In other words, the better he did scoring wise, the worse Tech did, and the his input in other areas had almost no impact.
• Best Player: Erick Green – He was the only Hokie to garner ACC Honors, other than Doe Doe who made the All Freshman Team.  Green was 2nd Team All-ACC, leading VT in scoring (15.6 PPG — 4.7 ahead of #2), assists (2.8 per game — almost 1 ahead of anyone else), and steals (1.3).  He also appeared to be the closest thing the Hokies had to a leader on this team.
• Most Improved: Cadarian Raines – I gave him this honor at midseason because of how much he meant inside to the Hokies, who were usually thin in the post.  Jarell Eddie had better numbers, but again, I thought Raines had shown the most progress of any player.  Well, we hadn’t seen anything yet.  When Davila went down with 3 weeks to go, Cadarian exploded given the extra minutes.  He averaged 11 PPG in Tech’s final 7 games and showed very developed post moves (lefty hook, up-and-under move, pick and roll).  He looks like he could be a real force next year in this league and easily contend for All-ACC honors.
• Freshman of the Year: Dorian Finney-Smith – I gave it to Robert Brown at midseason because I felt he most consistently performed each night.  But Brown averaged just 4.8 PPG in ACC play (almost 8 out of conference) and really seemed to hit the wall in league play.  Doe Doe really struggled to adjust to ACC competition and went through a stretch in the first half of ACC play where he scored just 14 points in 9 games and missed 25 consecutive shots at one point.  But then Dorian refound his stroke and averaged over 8 PPG in Tech’s final 11 contests, plus 7 boards per game.  He even averaged more than 2 assists per game in VT’s final 6 games.  Doe Doe really needs to get stronger (he was often pushed away from the hoop on offensive and was overmatched on defense) and he needs to develop a midrange jumper (I’m not sure he hit a single shot from between 12-17 feet in ACC play).  But we finally started to see the progress down the stretch.  He looked like it was starting to click.  Can he develop in a C.J. Leslie-type player next year?  We’ll see.
• Offense: D- – Tech never reached 70 points in regulation in their final 20 games.  That’s pathetic.  They couldn’t execute a fastbreak to save their life (outscored 32-0 in fastbreak points in their final 2 games and scored just 40 fastbreak points in their 9 home games in 2012).  Even VT’s FT shooting, which was best in the league for a long while, collapsed down the stretch.  This was a team that couldn’t score in the half court or in transition and finished last in ACC play in FG% (the only team under 40%).  The one redeeming thing is their 3-point shooting – Tech finished 2nd in the league in 3-Pt % for the year, and 3rd in ACC games.  Well, one other positive was Turnover Margin – Tech was 2nd in the ACC so they protected the ball.
• Defense: D+ – Usually a staple of Tech teams, but the Hokies were poor in ACC play on the defense end.  They finished 10th in the league in FG% Defense in ACC play.  Even 3-Pt% Defense, which was #1 in the nation entering ACC play, was just 5th in the league.  The Hokies were dead last in the league in Defensive Rebounding %, too.   In Tech’s final 9 games, 4 teams shot over 50% against VT, including 3 hitting more than 55% of their shots.  For whatever reason, Tech really took duke out of their game — the devils shot 39% and 37% in the teams’ two meetings down the stretch.  But other than those games, there were too many easy layups for teams, or fastbreak buckets (that often were a result of lazy perimeter passes on offense or guys not coming to receive the ball).
• Coaching: D – Never really saw progress in terms of improvent in our weaknesses mentioned on offense and defense.  Although out of bounds plays on the offensive end were very effective late in the year.  But offense got worse if anything as the year went on, and defense seemed to digress, too.  Next year is Bust Or Brackets for this staff, I’m afraid.

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Virginia Tech was not invited by the NIT to participate in the postseason NIT, ending a string of 4 straight years in the consolation tourney. I guess we can’t call it the VT Invitational anymore.

Tech went 6-4 in the Postseason NIT over the last 4 years, all at home.

Tech finished 3rd in the Preseason NIT this season.

The Hokies concluded their season at 16-17, their first losing record in 6 years.

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In four years at Virginia Tech, Malcolm Delaney, Jeff Allen, and Terrell Bell never made the NCAA Tournament.  Dorenzo Hudson played in parts of five seasons at Tech, also never reaching the ultimate goal.  All four of those guys were part of the VT Class of 2007.  And JT Thompson, also part of that class, could be back for a sixth year next year since he’s missed the last two years with ACL injuries, if he chooses to return.

There were three other members of that class that signed with Virginia Tech: Hank Thorns, Darrion Pellum, and one gus “benedict arnold” gilchrist.  Thorns transferred from Tech to tcu after two seasons and played the last two years for the horned frogs, who went 1-15 in conference last year but improved to 7-7 this year (and beat uva).  But tcu did not make the Big Dance.

Pellum was a four year contributor at hampton.  He averaged 18.3 PPG this season and scored over 1,600 career points for hampton.  He never made it to Tech after his admission was denied.  Pellum was a similar player to Dorenzo, a big 2-guard who wasn’t a great outside shooter, but could still find ways to score.  hampton did make the NCAA Tournament a year ago, losing to duke by 42 in the first round.

Then there’s gilchrist.  gus signed with VT back in 2006.  His stock would later soar, thanks in part to postseason all-star games.  It appeared his handler wanted to get him into a more “name” school. Then, April 16th happened.  The gilchrist camp sited that as a concern, that they didn’t feel comfortable going to Virginia Tech.  But you’ll never, ever convince me it was any other reason than to try and go to a bigger bball power (and quicker route to the NBA), with little to nothing to do with the shootings.  For that, I’ll always hate him and his camp.

VT was nice enough to let gus out of his signed LOI and allow him to go elsewhere.  He ended up at maryland where he lasted one year, never playing due to the transfer rules.  Then his camp found out he’d have to sit another year because of the ACC’s rule that you cannot sign (or play) with one ACC school and go to another.   He’d lose a year of eligibility.  So, his handler accepted a job at south florida that by all accounts wasn’t posted (illegal for a state school to do) and took gus with him.

benedict has played at usf the last four years, and on Sunday night, they made the NCAA Tournament as a #12 seed.  They will have to play california in a play-in game in Dayton early this week.  I used to have a cal shirt… wish I still did (I ripped it up during the Insight Bowl VT lost to them in).  I’m certainly a cal fan for that day.

It really cheeses me off to think gus will get to play in the NCAA Tournament, if you consider the First Round really part of the Tourney, while Malcolm, Jeff, Terrell, and Dorenzo never did.  Some times justice doesn’t prevail.

Oh, and uva make the Tourney as a #10 seed.  At least the hoos had to sweat out today a bit.

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In three of the previous four Selection Sundays the Hokies woke up feeling they deserved a NCAA Tournament bid, but also knowing they were firmly on the bubble.  In each case Tech met heartbreak from the “certifiably insane” NCAA Selection Committee that “has their own agenda and that agenda doesn’t include Virginia Tech.”  Read — four years, no bids.  Each year VT went into unchartered waters of ACC snubs – first not to get a bid with a winning league record, first to win 10 in the regular season and not make it, and first to win 11 combined regular season and ACC tourney games and be left out.  And now add a fifth straight year out of the dance, but this year it was deservedly so.

Last night I slept well.  Despite losing an hour with Daylights Savings, I managed to get about 10 hours of sleep.  That was not the case the last four years.  For weeks I’ve been humoring myself by saying I was glad we wouldn’t be on the bubble, sweating things out until 7 PM, and then having to write another “How We Got Screwed Part V” article.  But the truth is, I do miss it.

The Tournament is one of the greatest events in sports, up there with the Super Bowl and probably better than the Football Bowl process.  I now must face facts that for the fifth straight year, and 15th time in 16 years, the Hokies won’t be a part of it.

This year we don’t even get the consolation prize, the NIT.  Tech sits 116th in the RPI on Sunday.  Only 100 teams combined make the NCAA Tournament and the NIT, and that includes many automatic bids for teams outside the top 100 (tournament winners go to the NCAAs, regular season winners that don’t make the Big Dance go to the NIT automatically).  So there’s no chance VT even makes the NIT.

Tech finished 5-13 in ACC games including the Tourney, 0-10 against top 50 RPI teams, and 2-13 against top 100.

This season is like a politician that dropped out of the election months ago.  There’s no victory party planned tonight, and no room of wasted confetti and spilled champagne to clean up tomorrow.  The offseason has already begun, there will be no sweating today, no overanalyzing of every possible stat of bubble teams, no anger or joy.  And I miss it.

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