All Hokie, All the Time. Period. Presented by First Bank & Trust Company

R
RiverVT OP
Feb 19, 2026 at 08:08 AM ET
For all saying Tech will never compete in basketball .
When was last time VT had a p1 coaching staff. VT looking for a diamond in the rough. (A bargain) If we are saying we cant compete, stop funding and paying a Wofford coach $4.0 mil a year and divert resouces to ???? Ok volleyball.lol Gee . We are feeling the impact of weak Leadership and Vision from the AD to BOV in Athletics. Nc state fires a coach with a buyout of $ 10 million , hires a terrific coach and can maintain a tremendous programs in all sports. Are we saying we cannot compete in resources with the likes of nc state.? If so, we seriously need to get out of ACC and move to ODU level of support . Of course I dont believe it. All about Leadership ! In brace change and communicate our Vision! The sky will not fall without MY.

113 Replies

Tuckahokie Tuckahokie
5mo
I would have zero issue with the Men's Hoops equivalent of Coach Duffy if
and when Mike Young is ready to hang up the whistle.
A
ancient alien 2018
5mo
If his budget were top 4 in the ACC like Coach Duffy, he probably
wouldn't want to retire.
J
Jethro Tull
5mo
Should he have that choice?
J
Jwunderdog
5mo
You wouldn't be able to attract a "Coach Duffy"
She came here with a budget in top 1/4 of ACC WBB. MBB is no where near top 5. ** Edited by Jwunderdog at 2/19/2026, 12:49:13 PM
G
GreenvilleVT
5mo
Until coach duffy wins one ncaa game for the ladies then I’ll hold
Off on crowning her to the throne. She hasn’t even proven to be a top 5 acc coach yet. Comparing here to anyone on the men’s side with such a limited time frame isn’t really relevant.
A
ancient alien 2018
5mo
If MBB had a top 1/4 ACC budget, I'd wager you could attract at least
a couple of top coaches. But alas, it's not.
hokiepro hokiepro
5mo
Yep and a year removed from Final 4
Following 2 straight NCAA host slots
VermontDDS VermontDDS
5mo
i feel like the athletic dept got a wake up call about football
but is still stuck in the mud with basketball? I like Mike Young but if you bring him back and bring back most of the contributors, whats the shake up that will get the program over the NCAA hump? I don't mean last 4 in either. I'm getting Beamer vibes, we can do it on the cheap and simple with a good coach cause that's what Beamer did. It took this fall to prove that doesn't work. Last year was a minor wake up call for the basketball NIL. I still feel like they are running a mom and pop shop that my view from here in Vermont. ** Edited by VermontDDS at 2/19/2026, 9:47:52 AM
L
LonghornHokie
5mo
Beamer & staff had the highest payroll in the country for a brief time
during the height of his run, and were generally very well compensated in comparison to peers. It wasn't until Saban weaponized funding at Alabama when VT got left in the dust by larger programs.
G
GCHokie34
5mo
No one is jumping at the chance...
To coach basketball at a football school with a brand new football coach in rural Virginia. Whatever price a top tier coach would have for any other school, it is going to cost VT 1.5x that just to make it enticing. Is there anyone here willing to divert close to $10 million away from football that it would take just to get a staff interested in coming to VT? That says nothing of the NIL increase it would take to get the roster on a level that is a sure fire NCAAT team every year. Is James Franklin going to allow that? There was a committee search because Whit Babcock's days are numbered. What HC wants that kind of volatility in their job security? For all of this to happen, VT would have to part ways with a coach who might still win 20 games this season. So youre an established HC who this fan base would get behind...why are you coming to VT to be: Second fiddle to football Fight for resources with a new high profile football coach Lame duck AD And the previous guy was fired after ~20 wins This is not an attractive job all things equal...much less given the context
L
lazarus1
5mo
we're not getting to 20 wins unless you count the NIT
G
GCHokie34
5mo
Cool story, bro...that definitely changes things
L
lazarus1
5mo
you brought up the twenty wins
G
GCHokie34
5mo
Theres an equal chance of VT getting to 20 wins...
As you looking up what "might" and "~" means Hope this helps
AnotherTechW AnotherTechW
5mo
My concern is that he retires not that he will get fired.
Then you have to hire in the environment you mentioned. Which would lead me to believe we would hire from within to not only save money but also perhaps help with roster retention? I certainly hope MY sticks around Or we find a $5 million dollar a year hoops donor
A
atlhokie1
5mo
JJ still on the football staff?
AnotherTechW AnotherTechW
5mo
lol - run it back !
A
ancient alien 2018
5mo
or both. agree 100%
A
ancient alien 2018
5mo
I have a question. IF/WHEN CMY departs, could a school like Iowa State be
used as an example of how a rural program has been able to develop a solid basketball program? I don't know their circumstances but they have managed to attract some pretty solid HC's and solid teams
J
Jwunderdog
5mo
Iowa St has done a great job of keeping and developing players and not
using the transfer portal a lot. Been one of the very few non-blue bloods that have been able to pull that off in the P4. Kids must love playing for them have no idea what NIL or Rev share resources they have but very few portal guys so must spend it on retention.
G
GCHokie34
5mo
Of course...
Iowa State is a direct peer to VT Their star is bright right now but they are very comparable to VT as you look at more data. If VT could get Otzelberger away from Iowa State it would be a steal but he turned down higher jobs than VT last year and his star is only brighter after this year. They dont recruit higher rated kids than VT year to year. He just gets good fits. It helps his team is healthy, but that is a different discussion
Hokies23 Hokies23
5mo
A peer in rural, not in hoops history. That factors in and does mattter.
They have been to the tournament far more often than not. 2000-2010, only a couple, but the 80’s, 90’s and since 2012 which is the most relevant, they’ve been a mainstay in the tournament.
AnotherTechW AnotherTechW
5mo
ISU may be a peer but Ames isn't IMO - 20K more people than the Burg.
I have always agreed with you that its hard to get kids to come here due to not only small town Blacksburg but also proximity to other major cities. Look at the towns that are close to Ames Des Moines, IA: Approximately 30 miles south (a 30–35 minute drive). Des Moines is the state capital and the largest city in Iowa, with a metro population of over 700,000. Cedar Rapids, IA: Approximately 100 miles east. It is the second-largest city in Iowa. Omaha, NE: Approximately 130 miles west. Minneapolis–Saint Paul, MN: Approximately 200 miles north (roughly a 3-hour drive). Kansas City, MO: Approximately 210 miles south Now loot at VT Winston-Salem / Greensboro, NC (80–90 miles / 1.5 hours): Charlotte, NC (160 miles / 2.5/3 hours): Richmond, VA (200 miles / 3.5 hours): Washington, D.C.: Approximately 265 miles (roughly a 4.5-hour drive).
G
GoldCoast
5mo
Are you really going to a school to spend time traveling to any of those..
...cities near Ames? And I would take the talent in the areas you referenced for VT X100 over what is close to Ames. ** Edited by GoldCoast at 2/19/2026, 5:08:05 PM
4
40ozDistrict
5mo
Football players seem ok with Blacksburg, now. Hmm...
** Edited by 40ozDistrict at 2/19/2026, 2:45:42 PM
J
Jwunderdog
5mo
its 40 minutes from Kansas City and closer if you live in the Suburbs.
A
ancient alien 2018
5mo
Sorry, don't see many differences. Oh and I know most folks LOL
at Roanoke but why leave out a metropolitan area with a quarter million residents ? Yes Des Moines is large but Ames is still in the middle of nowhere. Just don't see any advantages other than air flights an hour drive away. ** Edited by ancient alien 2018 at 2/19/2026, 1:39:01 PM
A
ancient alien 2018
5mo
Thanks. Good information. I for one hope CMY decides he still has the
coaching fire for a couple more years and sticks around. If he could keep the core returning players for next year, with no major injuries, he could have a very good squad. The financials need to change but that's also another discussion.
laphroaig laphroaig
5mo
Hope CMY stays to see if the new emphasis on football raises all the
"boats" in the athletic department. He deserves to ride a tidal wave created by a successful football program.
A
ancient alien 2018
5mo
Agree!!
U
uber hokie
5mo
Been hearing WBs days are numbered for a number of days now. So yes
eventually that will happen. So the angry mob can start attacking the next AD. I remember JW days all too well, he was just blessed to be here during the golden era of football, and still he tried hard to screw that up by hiring the cheapest "Coaches " he could find. He also came very close to letting Beamer leave so he could hire his pal from a directional school in the MAC. Just saying be careful what you wish for, it could be worse.
G
GoldCoast
5mo
JW is from a different era, WB is behind the current one..time to move on.
VT can be better, at least try.
V
VT ChemE 1986
5mo
Now is not the time to change horses.
I would propose extending CMY another 2 years. This would give us time to get FB stabilized and allow us to decide at what level and can and want to fund basketball.
S
st_andrew
5mo
It’s 💯 the time to change horses.
F
fakehokiestolenvalor
5mo
~20 wins?
Let’s extend him
jagerhokie jagerhokie
5mo
I think we hire a new coach and he hires Mike Young back as his
Assistant …. Could be a trend ✌️😅
U
uber hokie
5mo
Unheard of. Never happen. Oh wait.
N
NativeBurger
5mo
I agree 100%...
VT basketball has always been average. We don't have the money that UVA, UNC, Duke, Miami, etc., has and finishing in the middle of the ACC is about all we can reasonably ask for.
A
ancient alien 2018
5mo
Until program funding moves up from 14th, where it was last season. All
NIL cash now. That's a decision out of most of our hands.
W
Woody
5mo
Why do we just accept mediocrity?
This university has a large alumni base that does very well compared to peers re: starting and mid career salaries. Its a matter of competent fundraising and want to, and by reading most comments here, we don't seem to want to. Thats really pretty pathetic as we are talking about a schools second most prominent sport. And the idea that a coach would not want to come here because we emphasize football and are rural is total BS. Fund the program and make a commitment and we'll get a coach.
A
ancient alien 2018
5mo
Fund the program are the key stumbling blocks currently.
V
VT ChemE 1986
5mo
We aren't. We have chosen excellence in football. We need to prove
we can do that before we turn our sights on BB.
G
GoldCoast
5mo
Need a new AD first to fully realize what MBB can do.
laphroaig laphroaig
5mo
You had me at "Need a new AD"
Chris Coleman Chris Coleman
5mo
The biggest worry if Young retires...
Is that in the two weeks or so Tech goes without a coach, Franklin swoops in and snaps up any discretionary NIL funds that are sitting around. There won't be anybody to stop him, as he's more powerful than the athletic director. As you said, it wouldn't be an ideal year to have a coaching change. Though I'm not sure next year (when Young's contract expires) would be any better.
S
st_andrew
5mo
This seems like fearmongering
I’m not arguing that JF isn’t going to get what he wants, that he’s not the actual AD at this point. But I’d argue that we don’t know he devalues MBB like that. JF needs to take those recruits to something and he takes them to MBB games. Just show him the video of last years crowd. That’s what it looks like with an underfunded team. There is a chance of not replacing MY could be pretty dark next year if we lose key players, key assistants, funding. We are staring into the lame duck abyss. Secondly, we *should* be able to fund a competitive MBB team and still meet JFs requirements. Creating these narratives that limit our ability to meet our full potential supports a dangerous mentality. MBB isn’t nearly as expensive. Literally 1/10th of the players. Not 1/10th of the budget but you can get a lot more ROI in MBB. We can and will fund it.
A
ancient alien 2018
5mo
Replacing CMY would give you just what you described. Replacing him before
his contract expires and that abyss you describe would be BC-like.
S
st_andrew
5mo
Nah. MYs time is done. The rest is just playing out the string.
Our fanbase needs more confidence.
Chris Coleman Chris Coleman
5mo
Yeah, that's fair. And I agree we should be able to fund both.
I'm not trying to create any narratives, though. I believe a lot more could be done and should be done when it comes to MBB fundraising. And fundraising in general, of course, since I've been complaining about that for years. I'll be interested to see next year's budget. If Young does happen to retire, that will be the one question I'd ask Whit at the press conference....with the new funding coming into the athletic department, can you give a roundabout figure of MBB's budget next year?
R
RJHokie
5mo
Whit giving a press conference?
Surely you jest……..
A
ancient alien 2018
5mo
You may not be able to answer this ? Do you, at this time, expect
CMY to finish out his contract through next year, with a possible extension? Personally, I do but that obviously means nothing, I realize only he and his wife knows but I'm just asking in a "gut feeling" type of way. If you don't want to venture a guess, I totally understand. Thanks
Chris Coleman Chris Coleman
5mo
I wouldn't venture a guess.
A
ancient alien 2018
5mo
Understand totally. Hope he does.
J
JACHokies
5mo
it probably isnt as important now but how does a coach with 1 year left
on his contract really have a chance. One chance he has is strong NIL and put the chips all in.
H
hokiehill1117
5mo
If this were all taking place a year ago, is it possible that VT would have
had a shot at Ryan Odom or am I naive in thinking that? Not to say he would succeed here in the same way he has started at UVA, but I don't feel like that would have been an unrealistic hire.
V
VT757to276
5mo
Would have required 12+M new found money to:
pay buyouts and increase NIL to uva level at a time when VT HAS TO get football right
Chris Coleman Chris Coleman
5mo
No, we would have gone head-to-head with UVA last year.
Since Bennett retired before the season started, UVA had months to go through candidates, and months to court them. I imagine Odom unofficially got the job offer before March. Plus it's the better basketball job. So the timing wouldn't have been good for it last year.
V
VTScoop
5mo
I don't think there is anymore sitting around ...LOL. I think it is all
gone and then some :-). Like you and I have discussed before, the public "budget" that has been floated out there by some folks was just the starting point, if you will. Which, on one hand is good, but just shows how it is also never a stationary number.
G
GCHokie34
5mo
Correct, and Im not sure there is a good time until a new AD is in place
Gobbler Guru Gobbler Guru
5mo
For 40 years, all VT hoops coaches except Buzz were hired on the cheap.
Foster- semi retired retread. Hussey- Foster's assistant. Stokes- never been a head coach. Greenberg- just over .500 lifer about to be fired by USF. Johnson- never been a head coach. Young- lifer mid major coach. I was at the Sweet 16 game and we all knew Buzz was leaving then. VT had so much momentum as a program and I was really disappointed, but not surprised, that Whit did not replace Buzz with a more high profile coach. Mike Young is a nice guy, but like Greenberg his results at VT have been about what he did prior to VT. We knew what we were getting, but because of cost and "fit", we settled when we didn't have to. It was a conscious choice, and the same choice we have been making seemingly forever.
G
GoldCoast
5mo
Feels that way. Fball was the result of "activist" investors/fans. AD is..
...still stuck in the status quo of doing...not really sure. I've personally never seen a vision or talk from the AD about MBB, just statements about not understanding the market last year or it's hard to be VT given what's changed in the sport.
V
VT ChemE 1986
5mo
WB isn't a "vision" guy
2
2hhoop3
5mo
Football was the result .....
of an abysmal performance that could no longer be ignored by the BOV, administration and AD. The activist investors were just willing and able agents of change.
Chris Coleman Chris Coleman
5mo
If you think back to the introductory PC...
Whit specifically thanked Ballein for his help in making the hire, and I've been told that Young was the guy Ballein was pushing for (his wife immediately became Chief of Staff, and I think that decision was made even before the head coaching hire was made). And obviously he pushed for Pry. So yeah, he's very much a "let's keep it in the family" type. Young has done a solid job considering NIL/The Portal became a thing AFTER he was hired, and that probably somewhat limited him due to his system/coaching style. But there was no way to know that was going to be a thing when he was hired, so I can't criticize them for that. But I do think there was a push to hire him over Odom for the reason you mentioned (mom and pop shop athletic department).
2
2hhoop3
5mo
Ballein is/was part........
of the VTAD problem. He was integral cog for Beamer's program and he worked as well as he did because Beamer knew his strengths and weaknesses and how to manage him. Ballein is not an AD or Asst.AD by skillset and Whit did not really understand how to manage or use him. It would have been far better for VT for a number of reasons if he had moved on when Beamer did instead of hanging around and gumming up the works by stifling needed changes.
H
HokieHill
5mo
I thought Buzz recommended MY replace him - that we'd be fools not to do so
Chris Coleman Chris Coleman
5mo
I have never heard that.
I was in a room with Buzz when he called Young one of the top five offensive coaches in college basketball, but I haven't heard that he recommended him as a replacement. But I also haven't heard that he didn't, haha.
H
HokieSA
5mo
I've always wondered about this
I too remember Buzz saying CMY was a top 5 offensive coach. I thought it came up on Tech Talk LIve somehow. Anyway, it was late in Buzz's VT tenure..it's almost as if Buzz knew he was leaving (tic) and was somehow trying to plant the seed for VT to have an easy replacement for him.
Chris Coleman Chris Coleman
5mo
I remember when he said it.
I was in the room when he said it. It was after Wofford beat UNC. I don't remember the question, but the answer wasn't specifically about Mike Young. It was just part of an answer to a bigger subject.
hokiepro hokiepro
5mo
As soon as Hokies fans collectively CARE about MBB to invest
We have a lot of grassroots bball fans who are either unable or unwilling to invest in men’s bball Men’s bball not even being top 5 on giving day leaderboard is telling
V
VTScoop
5mo
Basketball does have the Front Court group that invests pretty heavily in
Men's basketball. I wouldn't necessarily look at the Giving Day as the true indicator (for any sport really). Many of the sports Giving Day leaders come from parents/friends/relatives of those particular teams rosters and is never where the big solicitations come from nor the everyday solicitations. You're correct on the "unwilling" portion of your comment of many grassroots "fans." Here is the thing with basketball, it is up to "us" to dictate what level of support we want and what subsequent results come from said support. There are many people that often say "we need to invest more," but that is code for others doing the actual investing not those actually saying it. I have also said it for years, but VT needs to have the "per seat" ticket model separate football "per seat" dollars from covering the ability to buy basketball tickets. Basketball needs their own per seat model. Two reasons for that. One, it will add significantly more money to basketball and not come from any significant football coffers (all sports get some from football coffers to some degree). And two, it will eliminate those buying tickets just to buy tickets. In other words, it will get people there that really want to be there. I haven't had the ticket holders on one side of me attend one game this year (and my seats are quite good meaning they would be very attractive to most anyone). Would those people take up those seats if they were also paying a "per seat" gift. Lastly, and I will be careful how I say this, but VT Basketball needs an accommodating Chief of Staff. You can interpret what you want from that. But it is not a good situation when it comes to outreach and donor relations.
AnotherTechW AnotherTechW
5mo
Why can’t our Athletic Department get out of its own way?
I don’t understand what your referring to at the end of your post about a chief of staff but I assume it’s someone in there job that doesn’t need to be there or isn’t very good. Why let them stay?
S
saret
5mo
Good points. And, like you, I've had empty seats around me,...for years.
Most of the empty seats around me are "corporate" seats, which are "set aside" and not available for selection by the rest of us. Last I checked, years ago, 800 seats were set aside for "other contractual obligations," and 800 were set aside for the Hokie Club/AthDept. In fact, when the corporate seats around me are filled (usually UNC, Duke, UVa) they are filled with fans for the opposing team. Next time you're at one of those games, see how many opposing team colors are dispersed throughout the Cassel. Most of those seats are the "other contractual obligations" or the Hokie Club/AthDept seats. And, you chose the term, "...accommodating Chief of Staff." wisely. Those of us who know the staffing of the MBB program understand what you mean. Good post, as usual.
I
I love VT!
5mo
Your last paragraph is why I disagree with your "it's up to us" statement.
And as you know, I rarely disagree with your posts. It hasn't been up to us recently. At some point self-respect has to enter the equation no matter how much someone cares about the program. Not sure how easily the damage done by the COS can be undone but there is no excuse for the way some have been treated in recent years.
V
VTScoop
5mo
Understand...I should have expanded on the "up to us." I was specifically
referring to the later point of the willingness for the donor base to pay a separate "per seat" donation to buy basketball tickets. Other schools do that and it shows the commitment of the support base. We are riding the per seat for football and allowing that to dictate the ability to buy tickets. Which is hurting the basketball bottom line and creates some "unserious" basketball ticket holders. Sorry, should have piggybacked those two better in my post. And I completely agree with your last statement ! Well put!
S
saret
5mo
Scoop, there are some "devils in the details." Seat premiums
are stated to be for funding scholarships (HSF). Are you suggesting adding an additional seat premium for MBB (and maybe WBB)? If so, what would be the purpose of the additional seat premiums? They couldn't be used for NIL, because NIL is administered by a third, non-VT entity (I realize that is a contrived artifice). I agree that MBB needs more control over funds, and a carve-out for those funds, but how would they be administered within the AthDept? I'm not disagreeing, or trying to be difficult. I have recently given up my season FB tickets after 25-years, and thus I only contribute the requisite $350/seat premiums for the season MBB tickets I want. So, how could exclusive MBB seat premiums work, administratively?
V
VTScoop
5mo
They would essentially go to improve the operating budget. Since we lack
other revenue sources for basketball (i.e. club seats and suites--I know we have some courtside tables but two of those aren't real revenue or a larger capacity arena), we need to generate more revenue to help with the men's operating budget. We don't spend like our competitors (and we aren't ever going to spend like probably 3 or 4, as basketball for those schools is their identity). Your example is a good one of the rare season ticket holder that does not also have football tickets, so you are already doing your part!! I do think the new overall $200M athletic budget is going to insert some more needed money into our men's program moving forward, which will be good.
S
saret
5mo
So, essentially the MBB seat premiums would be in addition
to those HSF seat premiums. I absolutely agree it could be done, and could probably be done with an AthDept "pen swipe." I don't see that happening with the current VT AthDept admin.
Atlee Hokie Atlee Hokie
5mo
And to think some folks, including Sands believe Whit & Co. are good ....
... now that he's been separated from football.
2
2hhoop3
5mo
I do not believe many,......
including Sands, believe that separating Whit & Co. from football solves the problem or that they are good. I believe most view what has gone on to be a bandage to stop a potentially fatal bleed out and to buy some time for orderly wind downs and searches for a new President and AD. They were handcuffed, knowingly or unknowingly, with Babcock's last extension and pay raise. The bottom line is the past is water under the bridge and nothing can reset that. The goal is to get to the other side in the quickest and least financially painful manner possible.
Femoyer Hokie Femoyer Hokie
5mo
How were we able to fix the Ballein problem in football and not in
basketball? Is/was CMY tight with the Balleins? I know Ballein was a supporter in Young’s hire. And Whit seemed to lean on Ballein for years.
V
VTScoop
5mo
Here is how I will try to answer your questions....as to question one, that
is going to solve itself pretty soon. You are correct on Ballein being a supporter of Mike. That whole situation came about from a local third party (I will keep the name off the board--hope you understand). In fact, the whole thing was the result of the Ballein relationships with the third party more than anything. Certainly, Mike was aware of VT and local affinity, but the sausage was made with the other situation I described. One can say Ballein got Brent Pry hired and Mike Young hired. ** Edited by VTScoop at 2/19/2026, 11:54:15 AM
Gobbler Guru Gobbler Guru
5mo
Imagine if Elko and Odom had been hired instead of Pry and Young.
We'll never know, but I suspect results would have been better even given the same level of funding. Ballein is an idiot, but he should never have had that much say in revenue sport hires to begin with. Babcock completely abdicated his responsibility, and in any other industry besides a small-town, good ol' boy college athletic department, he would have been fired years ago.
King of Hokies King of Hokies
5mo
Do Elko and Odom have SWVA accents?
N
NokieHokie
5mo
I know exactly what you are saying and how to interpret that last paragraph
That family is the "gift" that keeps on taking...
W
Woody
5mo
Rivers post is spot on....
Seriously- we're just going to accept mediocrity and take a back seat to freaking Clemson, NCSU, UVa etc? No thank you- if we're playing lets play to win as we are doing now in FB.. And fund raising/ giving... a coach who can bring energy and hope can turn that around fast. Watching this crap every year is making a lot of us hesitant to throw money after a product that doesn't seem to know how to get the job done.
Chris Coleman Chris Coleman
5mo
Yeah, I was going to mention that. It's like that every year.
It's the second most popular sport at VT, yet it's as if people expect it to be good automatically. Wrestling and softball (I.E. Chip) have done a great job cultivating a culture of giving, and it's why I keep arguing for a basketball-only employee in the Hokie Club and/or Triumph/Hokie Way.
Femoyer Hokie Femoyer Hokie
5mo
Engagement is needed to drive giving.
And engagement is driven by one’s ability/desire to attend games. Alumni as a whole are driven to attend football games because they are a fall weekend “event”. So they are willing to donate more and drive farther. Women’s Basketball, Softball and Wrestling do not largely attract alumni living more than an hour away. But they drive local engagement because of cost, practical game times that are known in advance and well behaved fans. The engagement and entertainment value drive giving. Mens Basketball is hindered by a lack of local engagement driven by inconvenient game times not known in advance and cost. And while entertainment is subjective, CMY, irrespective of wins and losses, does not put an entertaining style of basketball on the floor. Buzz did. Moir did. Watching Mike’s teams is more of a chore than entertaining.
L
LakeMontHokie
5mo
Agree, I wish the local community (and students) would support the team in
greater numbers on a more frequent basis. I disagree that Mike Young does not put an entertaining product on the court. The style of bball is very entertaining (frustrating at times, but still very entertaining).
S
saret
5mo
That's the norm for a "system" coach. I kind of understand
CMY's "system," and it is a slower paced, half-court offensive. BB aficionados appreciate it for what it is, and why VT must run it, to remain as competitive as it can. CMY's system is a product of VT's financial/athletic situation.
hokiepro hokiepro
5mo
I disagree with “entertaining”; CMY teams when they’re clicking are fun
To watch. Lots of beautiful offense. BUT we don’t have the elite talent and athleticism ALONG with Bball IQ. We have a dawg like IMO Gurdak who is a very smart savvy bball player but just is not a great athlete (as far as moving and ability to jump with athletic bigs). He has tremendous strength and fight and great strong hands but he can barely jump. We have a dawg like Hansberry who is just very inconsistent with his hands and touch. We have a dawg like Hammond who is only hampered by his height…he’s got everything else (well he can get better as a 3 pt shooter but he has been improving there) We have Lawal who is a freak athlete but because he only started playing bball at 17 yrs old…he’s still lacking in bball IQ and understanding (have you seen anyone bite more on pump fakes or have rebounds stolen from him after he lands?) Guess who has bball skills, strength, athleticism, savvy and a much improved shot from his first year? Tyler Johnson. This team was SNAKEBITTEN by injuries; and IMO his absence has hurt us 2x as much as Lawal’s did
Chris Coleman Chris Coleman
5mo
Tipoff time for MBB is known in advance.
A couple will get changed every now and then, but it's rare.
LegalHokie LegalHokie
5mo
This is partially (perhaps mostly) the fault of VT, however...
When was the last time you received anything from VT soliciting money for basketball? I get things from football, wrestling, soccer, but rarely basketball. The current powers that be on the BOV along with the hiring of Franklin upset the apple cart (in a good way) as to VT Football. However, we need the same effort and attention as to basketball if it is going to advance. The question is whether MY is the right one to lead the program if VT is going to go that route. I've not criticized MY, nor have I ever called for a change at head coach during his tenure. I think he's a good coach who has done more with less - sometimes far less (see last season). That said, the firing of Pry and hiring of Franklin served as a hard program reset and has jumpstarted everything related to football - including giving. VT may need a similar change on the basketball front in order to achieve the same type of program reset and momentum.
91HokieBob 91HokieBob
5mo
We need a "Danny White, AD (Univ of TN)" who elevates the entire Ath Dept
operation. The guy LEADS and has all major sports cookin' in Knoxville and has been for IIRC 4-5 years now. Whit is not it and hasn't been for a long time. A Franklin version in AD form would be a major upgrade. ** Edited by 91HokieBob at 2/19/2026, 11:38:57 AM
VermontDDS VermontDDS
5mo
i think VT needs to build relationship with fans instead of fliers
I was really impressed with Wrestling creating there ownline of clothes/ apparel to sell I was a walk on for baseball and wish I could purchase actuall team apparel. Make a booster club that gets you access to team items. The golf team should sell items. I'm sure VT alumni would rather wear a golf team polo or team head covers vs the generic items from fanatics. The b-ball team should host a game in DC every year. Find a way to get all the DC fans to the game to get them involved. sending out fliers is lazy.
laphroaig laphroaig
5mo
When regular ways of fundraising are lacking in success, FIND MORE WAYS!
Been preaching for years - get effing creative, think outside the box, develop more sources of income. Begging the donors you have to donate more is just as lazy as fliers because that's who gets the fliers.
I
I love VT!
5mo
MBB used to have all of that.
S
saret
5mo
Not disagreeing with what you're saying, but there are
contractual limitations on doing what you suggest (Nike contract). Also, there are limitations to outreach (PlayFly, wmt, Paciolan, etc.). And, the current AthDept administration has locked us in for years, and refuses to compete on these contracts.
laphroaig laphroaig
5mo
There's one word for creating limitations on oneself - idiotic
S
saret
5mo
I agree. That being said, the next original thought Whit and his Minions
have will be their first. ** Edited by saret at 2/19/2026, 1:09:26 PM
laphroaig laphroaig
5mo
Offered $400 for softball seats, they turned me down because they
wouldn't or can't let me pick the seats. Instead of finding a way, they said NO. They won't allow engraving anything about VT on the bats for the softball players so they won't take any money for that but it's there for the taking. It would be cheaper for me and more income for them than what I'm doing. Who turns down easy money? Idiots - that's who turns down easy money.
A
ancient alien 2018
5mo
With regards to the AD and softball, momma Gump described those tools
most eloquently!!
S
saret
5mo
To answer your question,....Whit and his Minions.
LegalHokie LegalHokie
5mo
The biggest problem with this is our Nike contract. Nike only makes so much
authentic VT gear for each sport. Anything additional has to be ordered from Nike and VT must pay for it. As it is, most sports barely have enough gear for the student-athletes themselves, let alone a surplus to sell en masse to the public.
VermontDDS VermontDDS
5mo
here a secret ... not everything is Nike authentic
several sports have another company make apparel and the school has a swoosh embroidered on them
Hokies23 Hokies23
5mo
Yep, even the football jerseys in late 90’s / early 2000’s for throwback
Games. I remember the throwback game from 2000 and holding Ben Taylor’s in my hand saying thinking, what is this piece of junk. It had the swoosh on the outside and the manufacturer brand on the neck line.
LegalHokie LegalHokie
5mo
Funny story along these lines...
I went to law school with the son of a former head football coach of a B10 school situated smack dab in the middle of Pennsylvania, which also was a Nike school (until next season when it switches to Adidas). One evening after a few beers it came up that his father didn't like the Nike coaching pants and refused to wear them. What they did was take his favorite khaki pants from Brooks Brothers, remove all of the tags and logos, and sew in Nike tags and logos.
S
saret
5mo
I did not know that. And, Nike is OK with that?
A few years ago, @VTChip had a fundraising effort thwarted by Whit and his Minions because of concerns over the Nike contract. Reviewing the then-in place Nike contract revealed it was permissible (there was a specific addendum specifically mentioning softball). So, essentially the impediment is/was current VT AthDept admin?
VermontDDS VermontDDS
5mo
truth is VT needs a swosh on apparel
but it can be any piece of clothing.. just as long as the other logo is not visable and it has a swosh. perfect example was VT drawing the logo for the GT stolen jersey game
VermontDDS VermontDDS
5mo
you don't need to sell a ton
a lot of items through a club/booster group can be pre ordered for when the school purchase items for the teams over the summer. two things- 1 obvious there is an up charge, your no looking to buy things at discount... that's for ebay. 2- if you part of a booster group you have a relationship and attachment to the programs. That's how you build donations.
S
saret
5mo
Agreed. My point is there are contractual limitations to do
what @VermontDDS suggests, some of which you describe.
LegalHokie LegalHokie
5mo
Absolutely. Even the "authentic" gear you see isn't always authentic.
S
saret
5mo
Thanks for responding.