Hokie Fiji

I think the pitch from ASPCA is to solicit donations of food to shelters -- which IMO is a decent and reasonable thing. As part of that plea they included that one statement that I found somewhat odd (and frankly distracting). Probably could have just let it pass without comment.

But this reference will only make sense to Monty Python nerds like me.

Quote (or at least a paraphrase) from ASPCA commercial got me thinking. How many animals actually _do_ have any idea where their next meal will come from? And how many of them are actually thinking about that at all? Asked my wife about that and she pointed out that our dog definitely knows where her dish is located. But my response is that, given the opportunity, Daisy would probably eat until she exploded. So that doesn't imply any really active, sentient thought on her part. Admittedly I'm over thinking this. But is anyone else troubled by the logic of the statement? (And don't even get me started on the pet food commercials that talk about the great taste of the product.)

So this is new territory for us. And something he accomplished all on his own. He's a huge blessing and we've always been proud of him. Just really cool to see him spread his wings in this manner.

My son who currently plays JuCo soccer was named to the All-Academic team for his NJCAA Region. 😁

Honestly I don't know why "Honors" is even part of the name. Parallel to a lot of changes at Tech overall. It's certainly not the same place that I attended in the early 1990s. I actually won't be terribly upset if my youngest chooses to go elsewhere -- although Tech is his clear first choice.

Oldest son and his wife were in HRC. It's actually where they met. So that part is good from my perspective. 😀 Beyond the fact that participants might get higher consideration for certain student leadership positions, there isn't any discernible academic prestige that goes with it. My aforementioned son didn't see fit to complete the full Honors program but suffered no negative impact as a result. East AJ as a housing option is pretty nice. And my youngest will likely opt for it if he decides to go to Tech. It's not the same thing that it used to be per the other response in this thread. It's mainly one of many "residential communities" that happens to be comprised of more serious minded students based on certain metrics. Although that doesn't apply to all residents.

** Edited by Hokie Fiji at 12/26/2025, 8:01:21 PM

I always break out that Col. Harvey quote with regard to the years I spent living in North Carolina in direct reference to Tarheel fans (although it does have much broader applicability there).

Given his metrics, the interest/offers he has received from other schools, and our prior experience with Virginia Tech admissions ordinarily there wouldn't be much suspense. But the university has changed so much within the past couple of years that I'm actually at a point where I won't be upset if he doesn't wind up at Tech.

Stopped when my sons were eligible to apply. Even though everything is anonymous and I'm not one of those parents who stands over their kid's shoulder, I thought it was something of a conflict of interest. Youngest is in the current pool of applicants. Very curious to see how it turns out. I'm hopeful about the statement regarding early notification. Doing away with Early Decision is one of my biggest gripes about Tech's current admissions process.

I actually attended the 1984 game between West Virginia and TCU. My 13-year-old self thought the Astrodome was pretty cool.

Good to see you still poking around here, Bruno. What's the mood around Morgantown?

(or at least the interstate highways) when I passed through there back around the first of August. The different speed limits for trucks is also particularly delightful on stretches where there are only two lanes in each direction.

That wasn't always the case (like 30 years ago when I got my masters down there). I think Appy State is right around $40K for nonresident students -- which seems to be the going average at UNC constituent institutions. Colleague at work had a daughter who received her bachelor's and master's in some biomedical field from ETSU and they were all pretty satisfied with the experience. Historically they've also been pretty generous with financial aid (which is ultimately what tipped my friend's daughter there). Personally, I think there are quite a few overlooked gems among private schools in the Western NC area (like Mars Hill, Catawba, and Lenoir Rhyne to name a few). A lot of those give enough aid to get the cost pretty comparable to what you'd pay for Virginia Tech. My youngest son is going through the application process right now. He'll go to Tech if he's admitted and his second choice is N.C. State. Personally I think the best option for him happens to be an outstanding school that happens to be 11 hours away from home. He's ruled that out as being too far away for now, but has it in mind as a graduate school option down the road. And I'm getting a whole lot better at keeping my mouth shut anyway.

Pretty good biomed programs there, it seems like a "middle size" school, and you're probably going to pass through Johnson City on your way to Milligan anyway. Other medium-size options would be Radford (which might be too close) and Appalachian State. Haven't seen Roanoke College mentioned by anyone in this thread yet -- although maybe it's also too close. Pretty well-regarded small school that produces some quality graduates IMO. There's also Concord University in Athens, WV. Nice campus and decent programs -- but rather isolated in terms of location.

One could argue that the original 13 states weren't technically "admitted" in the same manner as the others.

What are the other two?

Took my family on a cross country trip back in 2016 and an overnight stop there was part of our itinerary. We walked around downtown and ate dinner at a college bar then drove around the university campus a bit the next day before we hit the road again. When my oldest son (Virginia Tech Class of 2022) was considering graduate programs, Kansas was one that I strongly encouraged him to check out.

We decided that we couldn't (or shouldn't) try to shop at Yves Saint Laurent so we opted for the back row of Old Navy instead. What we purchased felt okay for a bit, but ultimately it shrunk and wore thin. Now we're facing a harsh winter and we're badly exposed. You make very valid points with your second paragraph and I agree with a lot of what you have to say. I joked elsewhere that we might consider the example of the University of Chicago. They were a founding member of the Big 10 and produced the first Heisman winner. But they ultimately made a decision to abandon a commitment to big-time athletics in 1946. Now they are highly regarded from an academic perspective and seem perfectly happy competing in sports at the Division III level. Not saying we go to quite that level, but it's possible that somebody could figure out a way to be something similar in the 21st century. Whatever happens, I'm all in for the long haul. I have been -- and will continue to be -- a Hokie for all of my life.

And I honestly think that there's some current debate about that at the highest levels of our leadership structure. Before this past weekend I wouldn't have been shocked if our Board of Visitors came out with a statement on September 30th indicating that we're too far behind, it's too expensive to try to catch up, and/or we don't think we can realistically compete at the highest level. (I still wouldn't be shocked to learn that this is an official policy directive -- but now I do think we'll get an Oral Roberts-type exhortation to raise money before that comes to pass.) Part of me thinks that has already happened at least once. Although there isn't any documentation to support it, I am personally convinced that we had an opportunity to join the SEC back in 2012 but we passed. The rationale at the time was that it was a politically untenable position for us to burn bridges with the ACC (and particularly UVa) after all we went through back in 2003. But there was also a narrative I heard that said we would have a hard time competing and that we weren't interested in having the same existential experience there as South Carolina. At a particularly low point in our history, Nikki Giovanni included a poignant observation in her memorial ceremony speech: "We are better than we think, and not quite what we want to be." But I'm not sure that we've really taken that part to heart just yet.

And Virginia Tech has adapted very poorly to that. Unfortunately for us, we had one coach (Fuente) who was completely overwhelmed by the new NIL-driven reality followed by another (Pry) who simply was not prepared to be a head coach. Personally, on an objective basis I do think Frank Beamer would struggle to stay afloat in the current environment. I am very well acquainted with his early years in Blacksburg. He was very much a "system" guy who was able to do more with less until he reached a point at which he could recruit top talent. He was also granted an enormous amount of grace that probably wouldn't be extended in this day and age. The staff changes he made after the 2-8-1 season in 1992 (which was my senior year BTW) are well documented. But people forget that he'd been forced to fire two of his cronies (Larry Creekmore and Duke Strager) the year before when Tech went 5-6 with what was considered to be one of its most talented teams up to that time. But it's hard to speculate directly because Beamer is the one who raised the level of expectations associated with our program, and the personality cult associated with him is a dynamic all its own.

Although less hyped than his predecessors in Lawrence, there was at least some buzz around Leipold. I honestly didn't consider Pry to be a serious candidate for Tech until the day he was announced as our next HC. And I strongly suspect that he was a safe/affordable choice that we picked after at least a few other targets turned us down cold. I agree that Tech has to roll the dice. But if we wind up with anything less than a proven winner with head coaching experience and/or someone who strongly motivates donors, then that's a gut punch to anyone who sees us trying to compete at an elite level. Fact is that we're more than $50 million in the hole. We were just schooled by an in-state member of the Sun Belt that was intended to be a cupcake on our schedule.

than it is about whatever individual become our next head coach IMO. It appears that at least one factor behind Pry's selection was that he was what we decided we could afford. Another "clearance rack" hire is a pretty clear signal that we know we can't compete at the P2 level. The ability to throw some money at a higher profile/higher cost candidate means that we're willing to give it a shot. No guarantee of improved results on the field either way. The best candidate will be able to navigate the new realities of NIL -- both in terms of increasing available revenue and spending it much more wisely than we have been.

Just a couple of days before that. Of course I don't have documentation, but perhaps one of his progeny does.

Also sang backup vocals on earliest version of "MMM Bop."

January 4, 2000 national championship game. We kick a field goal on our first drive/possession instead of Michael Vick fumbling through the end zone on 4th and goal. Starting with a lead might have made a huge difference. And that game represents the biggest missed opportunity in the history of our program.

My two older soccer-playing sons had NCSA accounts (offered for free as part of tournament registrations with their travel clubs) that I would identify as being marginally useful. We never paid for any of the "premium" services but I think they did have some interactions with a few programs as part of their recruiting experiences that may have been related to it. IMO fieldlevel.com is a bit more valuable from a soccer perspective. We didn't shell out any $$ for that profile service either. But my second born did get quite a bit of contact from programs at all levels from it. Both are places where kids can upload videos. If they can accumulate some decent/impressive highlights then they might be somewhat useful. But as mentioned elsewhere in this thread, most programs have definite algorithms in place that guide their recruiting efforts which have no obvious connection to these kind of sites.

I was all of 6 years old at the time but it made an impact. I am/was a trumpeter and always felt a kinship with him as a brass player. Passed that along to my three sons as well (who also play/played trumpet). Never had a chance to catch him live. Closest opportunity was when he came to Johnson City, TN (about an hour from where I grew up) to play in some bar in a show sponsored by radio station WQUT. But I couldn't convince my folks to drive my then-13 year old self down for that purpose. And I'm sure I probably wouldn't have been admitted into the club anyway. Godspeed, Chuck. Listening to the full 9-minute release of "Feels So Good" on YouTube as I type this. Will probably pull out some of my vinyl Mangione albums when I get home and sulk for a bit.

Most expensive gear I have is the EZ-Up tents. I hit them with WD40 occasionally but that's about it. They generally last about 5 years or so before I replace them. As for chairs, we have a few beach chairs (the kind with the metal frame in which you're basically sitting a few inches off the ground) that we've purchased at local shops that have lasted up to 10 years in some cases with very little attention. Beyond that we do the cheap canvas bag chairs and replace them as needed.

He started with the railroad as a water boy and they were his only employer for his entire life. Retired as a section foreman in McDowell County, WV. Also among my most cherished possessions is the last letter my grandmother (daughter of aforementioned great grandfather) ever wrote. She died before I was born at the age of 47. Given to me by one of my second cousins -- much longer story behind that.

I'm generally up with the sun so I go ahead and set up our two EZ-Ups along with several chairs for our tribe. I pretty much have it down to a science at this point after many years of practice. Plus I'm usually rewarded with spectacular views of the sunrise. Then I usually have time for a morning nap before everybody else is up and about. When we collectively decide it's time to strike camp, everybody chips in so I'm ahead of the curve there. Couple of unique aspects for me. My wife, who is typically much more sociable -- and frankly more pleasant -- than I am in general cannot stand to have anyone near us when we're on the beach. We also make a point to stay as far away from public access points as possible. So the early morning setup is as much about staking out territory as anything else. This is a major changeup from our usual routine and outlook. I'm the one who generally hates crowds (for example Mrs. Fiji absolutely loves Times Square whereas it gives me a serious case of the heebie jeebies). But I don't mind company on the beach as long as folks aren't stacked on top of one another. I'm intrigued by the Shabumi but the expense and my need for dependable shade/sun screening (I have some issues with melanoma) have kept me in the EZ-Up tribe. Mrs. Fiji also doesn't like the flapping noise associated with them -- although I've observed that their footprint and need for occasional repositioning would aid in her imperial quest for more territory.

45 years ago. Probably time to take that off my professional resume. I also once won two free passes to the Pterodactyl Club in Charlotte for being able to name five '80s television theme songs in a call-in radio contest.

"They don't think it be like it is, but it do."

I've got 228K miles on it and expect to get to 250K. Driven it literally all over the country and in every kind of weather. Pulled campers with it. Taken it off road a few times. Of all the vehicles I've ever owned, it's my favorite by far. Starting to show some wear and tear, but still solid. Had the timing belt replaced when I hit 200,000 miles. My mechanic thought I was crazy at the time but now sees the wisdom in it. It's also maroon with an orange stripe and VT logo -- which contributes to my affection (and was the reason I bought it used a dozen years ago). ** Edited by Hokie Fiji at 6/5/2025, 1:56:56 PM

Ulysses was always my fallback option. No greater success with that one either.

Lost once with the Colts and three times with the Dolphins.

Also has indicated that he has absolutely no plans to come back to our area. I'm taking that as a very encouraging sign that we've raised him right. My wife's views differ just a little bit.

Looking forward to getting the college application process over with and seeing what happens from there. Still says Tech is his first choice but he's being heavily courted by some really good schools that are also very far away from where we live. He is also participating in an early college program, so ironically he will receive an associate's degree before his high school diploma. Our oldest son should be completing his master's degree in the coming year. Our second born will also be finishing up his second year of community college (which is a different one than our youngest attends). So it's possible that we may be looking at 5 different commencement ceremonies within a very short span of time in May 2026. Not gonna gripe too much about the impacts of time. Nothing to be done about it anyway, and I actually find that I enjoy the new chapters of the story as they have come along so far.

Not aware of a lot of people who consider Lexington to be part of Southwest Virginia -- and that works the other way. I haven't heard anyone from Lexington claim to be part of that region and can't imagine why they might want to. But Beirut was once known as the "Paris of the Middle East" so who knows what those crazy Chamber of Commerce types have come up with over the years?

I usually don't get a chance to look at this board before somebody else chimes in with correct answer. And this particular question was specifically within my wheelhouse. "Shoe" was one of my favorite cartoons -- probably because my dad liked it a lot as well and it was one of those goofy things (like baseball) that was a bonding experience for us when I was a kid. Thanks very much for a nice bit of nostalgia, lilhokie525. I think I just might call my dad now.

He's a HS junior. Since UVa has been in pretty frequent contact with him encouraging him to apply, we figured it was a no brainer to at least check it out. He didn't love it. The architecture and features of the Lawn are impressive in the same way that a museum might be. But there weren't many people out and about and there was no sense of elan whatsoever. We got a similar vibe when we visited Duke a couple of months ago.