The New Jersey radio guy nailed it. I was attempting to put the entire state of New Jersey into my rear view mirror and get out of that place and end what was one of the more miserable Virginia Tech football trips in my history or anybody else�s. I had grown weary of listening to the constant coughs, sniffles and general moans of discomfort from my companions, due to a bronchitis that short-circuited the trip and has left me with the unwanted souvenir of a hacking cough that I cannot seem to shake.

In an attempt to drown them out, I cranked up the radio and found a station re-capping the day�s football. The announcer went through what I am sure he considered a comedy routine positively Howard Stern-like as he cracked wise on the Tech football team, wondering how in the world we have managed our lofty ranking without playing anybody. As he went into a monologue concerning how not much has changed for that bastion of bad football known as Rutgers [he was a Jersey guy and should know] I went in search of classic rock and speculated that the days of second-rate opposition are coming to an end for this year�s Tech team. We might not be preparing for the rigors of the SEC or Big XII, but what is ahead of the team looks a bit tougher than what is behind.

There is little of consequence to add to the pounding of Rutgers. After a false start, Tech commenced to doing whatever they cared on offense for as long as they maintained an interest in the game, which was a half or so. The much-ballyhooed improvement in the Rutgers team might have them able to defeat service academies and Buffalo, but nowhere near the level necessary to compete with a program as good as Tech�s. They have a bit more to learn in the area of fan support, too, as the outstanding football atmosphere expected to be provided by a near-record crowd of almost 40,000 dissolved in the Saturday morning rain, as fair weather Knights who had braved that traffic jam along River Road pulled U-turns and high-tailed it the way they had come at the first few drops, producing derisive scorn from the Hokies on hand who were veterans of the Isabowl ["You call this rain?"].

I suppose it can be argued that they were the smart ones, as I doubt any of the sunshine Knights I saw racing pell-mell for high and dry ground are feeling as bad as I at the moment. I have, however, finally answered the question: What is more important, Tech football or your health?

The days of fine-tuning the rejuvenated offense against out-gunned opponents are over, and it is now time for Tech to test itself against heartier fare, with four straight games against the teams that hung the four losses on last year�s Tech team.

First up is Syracuse. It was around this time two years ago when an undefeated and highly-ranked Tech team had been breezing along against undermanned opposition, when the Orangepersons came into Lane Stadium and provided a reality check. Syracuse won that day, and the Virginia Tech football program hasn�t quite been the same since. Tech has scored some good wins and continued to dominate the Hoos, but in the all-important conference games, Tech is only 4-6 since that Syracuse loss, with one of the defeats being administered last year by the Orangepersons, again. It is time for Tech to beat these people.

This appears to be a much better Tech team than the last two, particularly on offense, where Bryan Randall provides what was sorely lacking in 2001-2, an experienced quarterback, but it is now time to prove it. If Tech is going to continue to refer to itself as an elite program, they need to start acting like it. Elite programs do not lose year after year to Syracuse. It would be nice to observe Tech hanging a good-by RUTS on the Orangepersons, but more importantly, Tech needs a good win in this game to legitimize its standing as a top program.

This is not the best SU team that will have ever ventured into Lane Stadium, but they are not Rutgers, either. Paul Pasqualoni has done what he has done in the past when questions of his job security arise, which is winning a few games. SU is 3-1 and will be stoked to send Tech packing to the ACC with a third straight loss in what is likely to be their final appearance in Lane.

There always seems to be much talk about the MNC from Tech players and many fans, and the last two years it has proven to be foolishly unjustified. Tech now needs to back it up with a solid win over Syracuse. The ACC already has one program where the results on the field are not close to the level of the pre-season weauxfing in NC State. They do not need another.

Mention of the ACC brings up the backdrop to the drama of the 2003 football season, next year�s move to that conference. I noted above that Syracuse is not Rutgers, and it seems that for Tech, Rutgers will no longer be Rutgers, either. The ACC athletics directors met in Hooville, and after they danced around the question of the next expansion, since the presidents have demonstrated they don�t particularly pay attention to them on that issue, anyway, they concentrated on what is within their realm of responsibility, schedules and divisions.

Assuming the proposed divisional alignments hold and ever see the light of a game day, Tech will find itself aligned with the Hoos, Miami, Georgia Tech, North Carolina and Duke. Somebody has shown a real sense of humor here. Annual games against Tech and Miami but not against State [Duke] and Wake [Carolina - the UNC-WF series is the oldest in that state] will teach the Tar Heels and Blue Devils to oppose expansion. Enjoy, bluebloods.

I would have preferred that Virginia Tech be placed in what I would call the Land Grant Division along with Maryland, NC State, Clemson and Georgia Tech, with Florida State thrown in for good measure and balance. Opposite the Hokies could be the Art History Division [drawn from a radio beer commercial that cracks me up] consisting of the liberal arts giants, the Hoos, Heels, Duke, Wake, Miami and, we are led to believe, Fredo. I did not get a vote, however, but this will suit.

Tech and the Canes will get to replace Rutgers with Duke as the designated conference patsy game. Not much will change, other than the next time I find myself leaving an Away game with a SUV full of sick people, the ride home will be shorter.

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