I'm Telling You, DON'T Schedule the Hokies for Homecoming!

Saturday, the Hokies rode some unexpected horses to victory in the Orange Bowl, beating Miami 21-7 behind the arm of Jim Druckenmiller (instead of the running game) and the hands and legs of Keion Carpenter (who's usually good for blocked punts and that's all).

How good does this feel? So good that you have to forget about it almost immediately and start thinking about those Mountaineers. But first, let me tell you about my day. It was a pretty good one...

I started it off by buying my wife one of those new black Virginia Tech Starter jackets I told you about last week for her birthday. Yeah, I know, I really know how to pick romantic birthday gifts, but I showed it to her, and she thought it was really cool, so I went ahead and bought it for her.

These jackets are awesome! You've got to check them out. I know I was kind of neutral on them when I told you about them last week, but that was just so you wouldn't rush out to the stores and snap them all up, leaving none for me. Now that there's one in my family, which I naturally bought in a size that fits me, too (heh-heh), you guys can go out and buy all you want. I got mine at Champs, and they're on sale for $90. That's a good deal for a jacket that is not only sharp-looking, but for now is unique.

After that, we met up with a friend of mine and his wife and watched the game at Man-Heaven, also known as Hooters (there's a new one that just opened in Roanoke). The scenery was awesome, and I'm not just talking about the waitresses. There were about a zillion TV's around that place, and all but one of them were tuned to the Tech game. The other one was in another room and was showing the UVa game, which was fine with me, because I wanted to keep track of that game, too. But every time I went into the next room and asked what the score was, people would say, "I don't know, I'm watching the Tech game."

Ahhh, heaven indeed. After living in Charlottesville all those years, I love to hear stuff like that.

The Polls: Exactly What Does "AP" Stand For?

The victory over Miami vaulted the Hokies over four teams and into the Top 10 in the coaches poll, at #9. Over in the poll of the mentally-challenged, also known as the AP poll, the Hokies also moved up four spots, to #17.

Remember that crack I made last week about the Hokies possibly being ranked #7 in the coaches poll and #15 in the AP? Don't laugh, it could happen as early as next week, if the Hokies keep winning, and the AP voters stay asleep at the switch. I've gotten quite a few emails in the last week, suggesting what "AP" really stands for, and I can't print any of them. The only positive thing I can say about the AP poll is that they didn't move UVa ahead of us.

Speaking of Charlottesville High School, I'm sure you heard about their big win over UNC. The Heels were up 17-3 early in the fourth, and they were parked at UVa's 10 yard line. Inexplicably, the Heels threw a pass, and UVa made them pay for it, intercepting it and returning it 95 yards for a TD. UNC folded up like an origami bird after that, and the Hoos (it makes my fingers cramp to type that word) won the ball game. All this despite the UVa QB's throwing four interceptions.

I've got three things to say to the Wahoos:

1. If you throw 4 INT's against the Hokies, you will lose.
2. If we have the ball at your ten yard line, we will not give you a gift like UNC did. We will cram the ball down your throat on the ground. If you stop us, we will kick the field goal. Points are assured.
3. We can't wait to see you in Blacksburg in two weeks. Rest up!

Another Hokie Web Site

Previously, I told you about CyberHokie's Universe, another Tech sports web site. Well, now there's Go VT's Homage to All Things Maroon and Orange.

Go VT is the code name of a Hokie who, like CyberHokie, carries the flag for VT on the Internet. Go VT posts frequently on the Big East College Football Message board and is a class act who does the Hokies proud. Hit his site hard, and when you do, be sure to search the bottom of his page for a link called "Games." That will take you to Go VT's page where he recollects what he can about every Hokie football game he's ever been to. It's a trip to hear what he remembers.

I've now got links to both CyberHokie's Universe and Go VT's page on my Links page, in a new section entitled "Hokie Links."

As for the enemy's links, be sure to visit the WVU link on my Links page. It belongs to Kevin Kinder (I think I got his name right), and in addition to his own info and opinions, he's got links to quite a few other WVU sites as well. So check him out.

An Interesting Request

I received the following request from a reader named Jim Meadows, who asked me to pass it on to you....

Hi Fellow Hokie Fans,

One of my favorites belongs to a buddy who follows Tech recruiting and emails me lots of insider info on other subjects, as well. His license plate says "4UVANOT." Good luck in your quest, Jim.

Housecleaning

Quite a few readers emailed me to tell me about the Hokie cheerleader who appeared on the cover of American Cheerleader magazine. There was some info on her posted on the USA Today's VT football page, which ironically, you can access from my links page (at last! Proof that you guys use my Links page!). Here's the scoop from the USA Today:

"Tech cheerleader Lisa Chellino was honored as the American Cheerleader Magazine's cheerleader of the month in the December issue. Chellino, senior from Centreville, Va., was chosen from four Tech cheerleaders to be the cover girl of the magazine. She is now one of five finalists for the national cheerleader of the year award given by the publication."

Way to go, Lisa, and thanks for keeping me straight, folks.

On another item, quite a few of you also emailed me to tell me that the 1994 BC game was not, by far, the last time Tech was scheduled as an opponent's Homecoming game (this conversation all started because this past Saturday's game was Miami's Homecoming game, which a whopping 38,800 fans "came home" for). I was told that the WVU game last year was their Homecoming, and the Rutgers game might have been, as well. Again, thanks for keeping me straight. BTW, I checked the BC score from 1994, and my trusty 1996 VT Football Yearbook tells me the score was 12-7, not 12-6, as I quoted earlier (I give up).

One Last Thing about the Miami Game

Oh, by the way, if you think that two consecutive victories is going to shut the 'Canes up, you've got another think coming. I cruised the Internet quite a bit on Sunday, and all I saw from the Miami press and fans was that Miami lost the game - Tech did not win it. For the second year in a row, we've beaten them, and for the second year in a row, they do not acknowledge us as having a better team.

If we were to beat Miami ten years in a row, they would make excuses for the entire ten years, and if they were to beat us in the eleventh, year, they would instantly say, "See? Told you we were better than you!" So just enjoy that awesome Hokie victory, and ignore any bag of hot air who tries to make excuses.

I'll probably post my game report on Monday night/Tuesday morning, but it could be delayed until Tuesday night. See you then!

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