Is the newest generation of Virginia Tech football fans spoiled?
That seems to be the case now that the Hokies have cruised through five straight 10-win seasons, a statistic that head coach Frank Beamer likes to throw around whenever he is faced with criticism.
Tech still has a shot at getting another 10-win season if it wins out, but students do not seem to care.
Those who are attending Tech now grew up watching Michael Vick break opposing defenders’ ankles with ridiculous juke moves and throw bombs downfield with a flick of the wrist for touchdowns. The Hokies even reached the national championship game in the 1999-2000 season, and had a few plays gone Tech’s way, there might be a crystal football on campus.
At the start of this fall, students and media alike had their minds on national championship possibilities again for the Hokies. After a close loss to Alabama, that dream was shattered, but fans did not seem to mind settling for another Atlantic Coast Conference Championship.
Now, with losses to a good Georgia Tech team and a mediocre North Carolina squad, disinterest in the Hokies seems to be spreading rapidly among students.
Student tickets cannot even be given away, and the apathy within what should be the most fervent supporters of the team is appalling.
Yes, Thanksgiving approaches, and after a long semester a break is certainly deserved, but shouldn’t a 3:30 p.m. game against an ACC opponent in Lane Stadium be a bit more thrilling than a day at home with mom and dad watching the game on television?
There are only so many times available as a student to tailgate all day, watch the Hokies play in Lane, and then celebrate their victory all night.
This newfound student apathy was most apparent during the Thursday night North Carolina game. Sure, that may not have been the most intense game ever played in Lane, but the interest in watching paper airplanes fly onto the field far exceeded interest in the actual game.
After the game, Mitch Ingram, a freshman, created a Facebook group called, “Lane Stadium paper airplane throw,” and he says that within 20 minutes, 300 facebook members were a part of the group. Now, a day before the North Carolina State game, more than 3,100 members have joined.
During the game Saturday, the group has planned a coordinated paper airplane throw at the end of the third quarter.
Students seem to be more hyped up about the paper airplane throw than the game, though.
Leave a comment 20 Comments Write a letter to the editor
All letters to the editor must include a name, e-mail, daytime phone number and affiliation to Virginia Tech. Affiliation includes: year and major for students; position and department for faculty and staff; current city for alumni and parents.
The paper airplane tossing is a new thing and honestly a tad bit more interesting than watching a boring and predictable offense due to pathetic play calling and lack of scoring. However the paper airplanes if not banned will soon get old as well.
I've been following tech football for 4 years and watched every single game and I've put too much emotion and excitement only to get frustration and questions. After 4 years even I noticed a trend season by season of losing games we were easily picked to win and winning games by luck(nebraska) or when the other team didn't show up (miami, BC).
The constant let downs get emotionally tiring after awhile and after UNC I decided I'd still watch the games but not get frustrated either way because inconsistency is expected. I'm tired of the coaches blaming poor execution and hearing the same things for the past 4 years as well, after 4 recruiting classes and many offensive talent gone to the NFL, it's obvious it's not the players or "lack of talent". Especially win this year with Williams and Taylor we easily have the offensive talent to make a National Championship run.
Reply to this Top
If its more fun- why don't you stay home and do something better with your life. Oh you like Hokie football? Then appreciate it for what it is- a great program that gives you something to do. No, we don't have a a national championship trophy. But when was the last time VT had a losing record? When was the last time VT was not in a bowl game? How many other teams have at least 5 10-win seasons in a row?
As an alumni- I wish all those people that want to throw paper airplanes to make the game more exciting would have their tickets revoked for the next season if they're season ticket holders... and if they happen to a be a student ban them from the lottery too. Because, they don't find the games exciting... why should they want to go?
Reply to this Top
Hey Patrick way to be a prude, whats the matter the kids finally got off your lawn so now you need something else to ruin. We all love VT football but when you choke against Georgia Tech and UNC for crying out loud, it's hard to put in the effort when the team clearly isn't. The Hokies have been plagued with underachievement and missed opportunities. It's like being a fan on the Red Sox before 2004. Tech has the talent but fails to bring home a title. 5 10 win seasons means jack when your not even in the top 10 BCS standings. Alabama was forgivable UNC was an embarrassment. The reason we throw airplanes, because our offensive couldn't break through a zima soaked tissue. If they played hard it would be one thing but this team has shown a lack of dedication these last couple games.
Top
to the author of this article:
Yea you're right- it's way too difficult to actually focus on Hokie football AND paper airplanes. Um HELLO? How does tossing a paper airplane in any way detract from the fans being into the game?
Reply to this Top
I agree, I am a student and I participated in the paper airplane throwing, not because I was disappointed in the team or because I was bored by the game, but because it was highly amusing. I was able to watch both the game and the paper airplanes and it was honestly one of the top 5 games I've ever been to
Top
10 wins is just 10 wins and means less and less each season if you can't gradually move to the next level.
Notice the other teams that put up 10 win season also have a few National Titles???
I'd rather us loose the rest of our games this season if that is the only way to bring coaching changes on offense. If loosing this season means a possible National Championship contention next season, I'm all for it.
Granted I haven't been following tech for 20 or 30 years like many and have seen tech in the days when 2-8 was the norm. However after what 6 seasons with 10+ wins doesn't it get old after a while. Yes we reached a benchmark and a great one but how much longer to move to the next level? It's like climbing the same mountain again and again only to sit and stare at the next one but never climb it. Sure you can do it but why settle for the same goal over and over and over?
I know a NC is hard to reach but imagine if for one season we had a top 30 defense (we're 24 or 29 now) AND a top 30 offense (61 now which is much better than the last 5 seasons!)
It's maddening knowing you have the talent and the recruits but a chimpanzee calling plays. I bet if you rolled dice on the play book we'd get better results, at least you'd keep the defense guessing.
Reply to this Top
That's just pure crap. As someone who endured VT football back in the old days, I can tell you that you should NEVER take a 10-win season for granted. Anytime you win 10 games, you've had a very good season. Certainly, every VT fan out there wants to win a national title. But taking that last step is the single hardest thing to do.
Now, as for the "chimpanzee" calling the plays, you might want to make note of the fact that VT's offense this year is something like 28th in the country in terms of average yards per play and something like 20th in avg. points scored per play ... and these numbers have been put up against one of the toughest schedules in the nation. So, it sounds to me like said "chimpanzee" is doing a pretty good job this year.
Seriously, I've learned that there's no more reliable indicator that someone doesn't know s**t about college football than when they start loudly whining about the play calling whenever an offensive play doesn't work or the team has a tough game on offense. VT's troubles on offense, when we have them, have far more to do with poor execution than they do with play selection.
Finally, the paper airplane thing is totally lame.
Reply to this Top
Thanks man! That's what I said!
Top
Time has run out. We have been screaming for a new OC for years, but our screams have fallen on deaf ears. We have the absolutely best Special Teams Coach in the nation. We have the absolutely best DC in the nation, but until we get a decent OC, we will never make the NC, period. Now our fabulous DC, Bud Foster, is looking to move on. Can you blame him? He wants a NC too. Once he leaves, we will wish him well and sincerely thank him for all he has done for us, but we will then find ourselves back in the ranks with I-AA teams, and VMI will probably once again be our most potent adversary. Too bad they tore down Victory Stadium in Roanoke....it could at least have been nostalgic. We won't even be able to cheer when the defense comes on the field as a harbinger of our best chance to score like we used to in earlier days. Good luck on paying for the new stadium. Nuff said....for the last time.
I look forward to seeing the paper airplanes fly on national TV.
Reply to this Top
too bad the game won't be on local TV....I have no idea why. But at least Maryland is! *sigh*
Reply to this Top
It wasn't visible on TV but the throw was awesome! The entire East stands was raining with planes as soon as the clock reach 00:00.
Top
Ok, anyone trying to read into the paper airplane throw more than it being a funny aside during a long football game is flat out wrong. Being in the stands as the airplanes went flying, it was obvious that everyone was making paper airplanes just to have fun and no one was fed up with the offense or the team. Personally, I think Stiney has done a good job this season calling plays. He struggled early in the season against two of the top defenses in the country but Ryan Williams hadn't been fully discovered by then and you have to give him credit for adapting to use this team's strengths throughout the season. Averaging 29.7 points per game is not bad and is a far cry from the struggles the offense has seen the past few years. I've been just as loud of a critic as anyone else about Stinespring and the offense but it's time to give the man some credit.
Reply to this Top
Miami's 17 first half points made GT's run-oriented offense obsolete? What? Please do the homework. We were down 28-12 to UGA last year at halftime....and we were ahead by the end of the third quarter 35-28 without throwing a single pass.
The RamblinWreck offense features more big plays than any team in the country. As tracked by cfbstats.com (runs over 20 yards and passes over 25 yards)....Georgia Tech has more big plays (53) than any team in the country.
Can't come from behind = Myth. Want to know what helped Miami?....they had 10 days off prior to the game while we played 3 games in 12 days. We were leg-tired, executed poorly, and they just flat out beat us that night.
It had zero to do with getting behind early.
Reply to this Top
Dan I don't know where you are getting your stats but here are the honest ones I've researched.
Scoring Offense: VT #37
Red Zone Offense: VT #29 but tied with like 10 other teams
Rushing Offense: VT #18
Passing Offense: VT #98
First Downs Offense: VT#99
Passing Efficiency: VT #14(Tyrod Taylor)
TOTAL OFFENSE: #60 (we've jumped up a few spots since NC state).
There were many more offensive aspects but Total Offense is the indicator of how well your offense performs in general.
If Bud Foster's "down year" is #13 in Total Defense (what it is now) and Stinespring's up year is #60...... imagine what we could do if our offense was at least #25 or even #30.
You've got to hold your offense to the same standards as your defense to win a Nat Championship. Your defense can't win it alone.
Stiney has been here 8 years and the trend has been getting worse overall. He's a great guy and a great recruiter but doesn't know how to call plays half of the time. Although this year is better than the last 5 years on offense I'd credit that to Ryan Williams and Tyrod Taylor.
It'd be a shame if Williams doesn't win Heisman by the time his career here is done.
Reply to this Top
I'm not saying I could do better although I'd love to play Stiney in NCAA any day, but there sure as hell guys out there who CAN do better and who are great Offensive Coordinators. There's a whole list of candidates. Stiney's strengh would be better suited as a recruiting cordinator or an offensive line coach.
There is no way you can stick up for Stiney after the UNC loss even if we win out.
If you are I urge you to watch other teams ( I watch most other teams play) and look at their offense and their play calling then look at ours and how predictable it is.
I've been able to predict 8 out of 10 plays on average. draw...draw...draw..pass..screen..draw..draw..pass..ect. If I can do that don't you think a defensive coordinator can too??
Reply to this Top
Why don't you engineering nerds put away your sweet paper airplane designs and pay attention to the football game. This wouldn't "fly" at a top-tier football school and we should try to hold ourselves to a similar standard.
Reply to this Top
If we played like a top tier school it would be an issue but when you have a team that goes from being 4th in the BCS to losing to UNC AT HOME, it's hard to not be frustrated.
Reply to this Top
You forgot on a Thursday night too!
Top
If you are a so called real fan then you would know that fans show disappointment all the time. Look at a bad pro-franchise like the Browns, they are loaded with loyal fans who refuse to change teams but they barely sell any tickets because the fans dont want to go to the games.
10 wins in College Football is not really all that impressive I mean look at schedules. Florida was 30% of the way there within 3 weeks because they played West Southern Mountain State Community College.
Reply to this Top
Site <a href="http://www.pskiller.com/">Photoshop Killer</a> can expose PSed images! I just Googled an image which was photoshopped and then uploaded it to pskiller.com. The forensics analysis started just after I clicked the submit button and detailed information was shown then. The result was correct.
Reply to this Top