This past weekend's games provided everyone with a good look back at Virginia Tech's past, and left the Hokie faithful with a comfortable feeling at how far we've come.

Syracuse portrayed the ghost of Hokie past. Coming off an embarrassing loss at Lane Stadium, they had a chance to redeem themselves, but fell to a Boston College team they should have beaten. They were simply unable to take control of the game. Paul Pasqualoni summed it up best, with a quote heard often from the mouth of Frank Beamer in recent years, "I think if you let a team stay around long enough, you run into problems. We didn't cash in any opportunities when we had our chances."

In the past, Tech has thrived as the underdog. We've gotten the Rodney Dangerfield treatment from the media, and used it to our emotional advantage. However, we've also lapsed when the tables were turned around the other way. Tech's trouble with energized underdogs has been well documented, and the Pittsburgh Panthers had all the ingredients for the upset -- a quality passing game and a team that truly believed in themselves.

Sophomore Quarterback David Priestly torched the vaunted Tech secondary, assisted by the outstanding receiving due of Antonio Bryant and Latef Grim. Bryant racked up 215 yards and Grim 188 against a pass defense that had been allowing only 120 yards per game. Under this type of attack, previous Hokie teams have crumbled. But, as Corey Moore said, "Last year's team would have lost this game, but that's the difference this year. With the seniors we have on this team we just refuse to lose. We won't lose."

How can Corey be so certain? Because he's seen the ghosts of Hokie present and Hokie future. He's seen a team that has improved in all phases of the game and worked itself into the ‘reload’ versus ‘rebuild’ category. How? By building depth. And that is exactly what Frank Beamer's been doing. The past few years have been recruiting bonanzas for VT, and this year looks to eclipse even those. Not only are we pulling in the blue chips, but we are also allowing them to develop. As was done with Michael Vick, some of our biggest recruits from last year are redshirting.

Several years ago, we would not have had the luxury of doing this. We would have been forced to plug them into the game right away and hope for the best. Sometimes that works, more often it doesn't. And finally, we're building depth by allowing our second and third team to get plenty of playing time. Nothing compares to actual game experience, and our reserves are getting more this year than ever before. The experience our backup corners got in this game may have been a little humbling, but they will grow and improve tremendously because of it, and Tech will be a stronger team without having chalked up a loss.

This season, the ghost of the Big East future has also shown its face, and it's very unlike the Scroogely Beast we've come to know. Worries of the conference’s demise were put to rest this week and, after watching the aerial artwork of Priestly and his young receivers, a look around the Big East shows a conference resembling that of the pass-happy SEC when the Gators and Vols were at their best. We all know the talent that VT will be sporting for the next several years on offense, but our Big East brothers aren’t looking too shabby themselves. Although Miami might not be back quite yet this year, Kenny Kelly is just a sophomore, and will improve. He has a trio of stellar receivers that will all return next year (if they don't opt for the NFL draft) in Santana Moss, Bubba Franks, and Reggie Wayne. Syracuse's young quarterback tandem will also improve, and don't look now, but Temple's Sophomore Quarterback, Devin Scott, just threw for 6 TDs this past weekend! Zowie!

With Miami-to-ACC overtures thwarted and the thoughts of a strengthening conference in my head, I traveled to a local fair to enjoy a little country cooking. Sandwiched between the Bearded Lady and Chicken with three heads were a couple of fortune-telling booths. 'Hmmm,' I thought, 'my look into the future was mere amateur prognostication. Maybe one of these professionals could help shed some light on the Hokie's future?' Was I ever in luck! I barely missed making the grievous error of seeing Pedulla the Palm-reader, whose earlier predictions included a perfect season for South Carolina and a Heisman Trophy for James Jackson. I guess he was half-right, in an odd sort of way, but instead I put my trust in Madame Zelda, who, I'm told, has never given out bad information.

Before I could even ask her my question, she amazed me with her powers. "You wish to know what lies ahead for Virginia Tech, right?" 'Amazing,' I thought, 'How in the world could she know that?' Without further ado, I passed her my moola and sat down, removing my Hokie blazer and #1 Virginia Tech fan hat.

She looked into her crystal ball and started chanting away in an odd dialect that smacked of Pig Latin. "I am receiving positive waves for the upcoming weekend mixed in with some dangerous vibes as well. Your team will have much success in the first half, and all the starters will be pulled out. However, the fans will become rowdy and start throwing litter at the sidelines. One of them will hit Corey Moore in the helmet, and he will leap into the stands, reaping through the crowd like a sickle through wheat. Although flagged for a technical foul, Moore will also be credited with sacking 85 armchair quarterbacks in his romp through the stands.

Madame Zelda continued, "The ACC will once again try rocking the boat when North Carolina stunningly alters its basketball-only position. UNC's president overrules Coach K stating, 'We need to add a cupcake to our football conference that we can beat up on as we rebuild. And the Miami CandyCanes fit the bill perfectly!'"

Madame Zelda seemed finished, so I asked the question lurking in everyone's mind... "Madame Zelda, What do you foresee for the Hokie's future this year?"

After I passed over the last of my cash, she chanted a little more mysterious lingo that I will forever remember, then cryptically replied, "I hope you like Cajun food."

Happy as can be, I left the tent, breezing right by the 'entertainment purposes only' disclaimer, and repeated her mystic phrase over and over in my head, trying to figure out what it could all mean. . . Ooo-yay Ucker-say, Ooo-yay Ucker-say.