i like to know how many of the board were fans in the 1986-1992
Its interesting so many fans are use to having VT a 8-4 or better program, and have never experience what traditional VT football was from 1987-1992. and even 1973-1978
92 Replies
3y
disarray. Long term I get but these coaches are grasping at straws. No phase of the game is showing any level of consistent improvement. Things will improve next year just because the staff (assuming no significant changes) will experience working as a team. How much improvement will depend on recruiting. Might be year 3 before this group breaks 0.500!
(In response to this post by Mercury)
3y
People really love to talk about themselves!
(In response to this post by Mercury)
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hok1eboy
3y
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NoHuddle
3y
all the time - against track guys, hoops players, students, amongst themselves.
But things got better after CFB took over.
(In response to this post by Mercury)
3y
Was there 84-89, and there were quite a few football players, most of whom did not get any playing time, who felt a sense of entitlement to cause trouble. I do recall one particular football player who picked a fight with a guy who was smallish in size but a black belt in karate and got whupped. There was not much discipline or accountability in the Dooley days.
(In response to this post by NoHuddle)
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Truthahn
3y
A win, but we rarely went to bowls back then, so I know what we were.
(In response to this post by Mercury)
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2hhoop3
3y
the game won on a Hail Mary to Ron Zollicoffer? Nice start. :-)
(In response to this post by Truthahn)
3y
Peach Bowl. I thought it would be every year. I had season tickets in 90, and 92-2002 (though I stopped going in 99 when I moved overseas. I missed 91 because of a girl... ugh. moved to Illinois and texas.
I'm patient.
(In response to this post by Mercury)
3y
Just got married and probably listened on the radio. Had no idea who Frank Beamer was when announced and I started in 1970. Probably not a dedicated fan until 93 bowl game.
(In response to this post by Mercury)
3y
during the 60's (dad was a huge VMI fan). First game in Lane I watched CFB and Frank Loria beat William & Mary.
(In response to this post by Mercury)
3y
(In response to this post by Hokie Knight)
Student at Tech 1970-1975..been watching since Bob Schweikert days
I think it was 1965 when we beat a good FSU team in Lane which featured All American Ron Sellers.And I remember the Charlie Coffey years which frankly were worse than now...as example, he didnt play Don Strock at QB and instead played a guy named Bob German-no offense but he was bad...
(In response to this post by Mercury)
V
VPI4Life
3y
Actually is was Jerry Claiborne who was starting Bob German over Strock. When Coffey came in 1971 Strock became the QB for the next two years
(In response to this post by sacramento hokie)
Yes sir and it was a great game..oh how far the mighty has fallen*
(In response to this post by battmanvt)
3y
Which is why I'm planning to attend the UVA game - it will be nostalgic in the sense that both programs will be just awful and play for nothing but pride. The last time I saw that there was nothing but pine trees behind the Lane stadium north end zone.
(In response to this post by Mercury)
3y
(In response to this post by Mercury)
3y
prior to me, so have been watching Hokie football for a long time.
(In response to this post by Mercury)
3y
I remember some bad teams from the 60's and 70's, but I recall some really tough guys on those teams. Maybe my memory is wrong, but I think they would kick azz on today's power puffs.
Rick Razanno, Tom Beasley, Rosco Coles, George Delricco.... blah blah
(In response to this post by Techsupport)
3y
After more than a quarter century of winning, can we please drop that old zeitgeist?
DelRicco played in the 90s by the way.
** Edited by Techsupport at 11/1/2022, 1:56:15 PM
** Edited by Techsupport at 11/1/2022, 1:59:02 PM
(In response to this post by OldRetiredHokie)
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Route460
3y
But couldn't snag a Bowl invitation.
(In response to this post by OldRetiredHokie)
3y
Frank Loria ('66 and 67), and Mike Widger ('68), first-team All American's on defense. Bog Schweikert is in there somewhere on offense, but he might not have been named to as many teams (and is not a guy I can remember).
(In response to this post by OldRetiredHokie)
3y
after 50 years. 👍💥👍🤓
(In response to this post by likehokies)
3y
Oh yes ... I have perspective
(In response to this post by Mercury)
3y
And you are the only poster I follow, so please heed me. Post on!
(In response to this post by HokieToph)
3y
Football, particularly in 87-88, was an excuse to get drunk. The 86 team was a lot of fun and the 85 team had a nice turnaround.
(In response to this post by Mercury)
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jimmyrow
3y
consisted of a bucket of KFC chicken and whatever was in the cooler in the trunk of the Oldsmobile.
(In response to this post by Mercury)
3y
like we will again hopefully.
(In response to this post by Mercury)
3y
During those days, UVA had to tolerate playing us, they would say their real rival was UNC.
Only ACC schools that would play us was UVA, wake and Clemson (occasionally)
I remember, it was a big deal that Duke scheduled VT for home and home 2 at duke and then 2 at VT
I went to the durham game and 2 old UNC alumni ventured over to durham to see Dooley and his new team play Duke. They had 4 cigars, and I just heard them being so condescending and making comments like Dooley just used VT to get the big paycheck... and he was too for that university. and duke (and the ACC refs) beat VT 14-7. Good news VT lost the first game, but won the next 3. (and no more Duke until we joined the ACC)....
(In response to this post by Tuckahokie)
3y
We were so excited about the win at West Virginia against Major Harris team. That was a cool moment. Alot of tough losses but really enjoyed those years.
(In response to this post by Mercury)
3y
Trademark that phrase.
Came over to Lane with my little league team to watch the Gobblers clobber Villanova 3 - zip in '67. Loved that gobble-gobble call on the score board. I missed all the early Beamer years and much of the success as I was overseas and not getting much news then, except for an occasional NYTimes sports section from six months before. I didn't even know who Mike Vick was until I was able to get back over to Hawaii on a trip over the New Year for the national championship game.
The years you cited, 1973-1978, were not all bad. We went 8-3 in 1975, but were not invited to a bowl as there were not so many, and 6-5 in 1976. In that latter season, many games were close, not all, and we were decimated by injuries especially in the defensive backfield. Coach Sharpe was not at his best. Maybe it could have been better.
(In response to this post by Mercury)
3y
Yeah, I remember what it was like.
At least back in the day, we had The Incredible Hulk and Cyrus The Great to entertain us during lean years. This year's team is just no fun to watch.
(In response to this post by Mercury)
3y
and VT lost. Worst game ever.
(In response to this post by Mercury)
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hok1eboy
3y
(In response to this post by section11hokie)
3y
were precious.
(In response to this post by section11hokie)
3y
today that record gets you a pretty good bowl. And don't get me started on 9-2 in 1983.
(In response to this post by Tuckahokie)
3y
60's. So, I guess you could say that I have seen The Good, The Bad and The Ugly! I must say that this is probably the ugliest I've seen. There was some ugly back in the day as well, but with all the success under Frank, we got used to seeing the good, so now the bad really looks bad.
(In response to this post by Mercury)
2
2hhoop3
3y
ugly in former times we just had not yet seen enough good to know how bad it really was. ;-)
(In response to this post by santafe)
3y
My parents bought Season tickets in 1974 and kept them until 2016 (old age and failing health). you know they saw the good and the bad, and you know they never really got upset, it was the fun...
(In response to this post by santafe)
3y
I was there when the goal was to win a national championship.
I was there when that goal was set aside.
I am there when VT seems unable and unwilling to compete at the highest level anymore.
We lost to VMI in 1981. At this rate it's not impossible we lose in 2026. Full circle completed.
(In response to this post by Mercury)
3y
is the late 70's. Best memories were the cheerleaders throwing-out the mini footballs in parade, Padro the Wind-up and the circus-like scene at the oyster bowl in Norfolk (Drunk Clowns, Smoke, Beach Balls, keydets wrastl'n when the VT flag came their way post score....
(In response to this post by Mercury)
3y
Was hooked for life and the rest is history
(In response to this post by Mercury)
yes, let's go back to the early 70's when we truly sucked.
I was still there. Standing on big downs. Hoping for the best.
(In response to this post by Mercury)
when I was a sophomore in High School. Some tech student behind told...
..me to sit the hell down, during the game. Now, i was only standing becuase it was a big play or the people in front of me stood up. He actually pushed me but I mangaged to grab his jacket and bring him along for the ride down the bleachers. Score one for Andrew Lewis High School.
** Edited by whatIpostlike at 11/1/2022, 9:59:38 AM
(In response to this post by whatIpostlike)
3y
I think I remember "family plan" season tickets were something like $40 each.
(In response to this post by Mercury)
3y
(In response to this post by Mercury)
3y
there for Dooley's last year and the start of the Beamer era.
(In response to this post by Mercury)
3y
** Edited by HOKIESHARK at 11/1/2022, 12:29:32 PM
(In response to this post by Mercury)
I was, and few college football fans would tolerate that launch, now...
& FWIW Coach Fuu got more time to succeed than Beamer did.
(In response to this post by Mercury)
3y
To his credit, whit saw Fu’s year seven wasn’t going to be like beamer’s
(In response to this post by banishedtothelounge)
3y
(In response to this post by Mercury)
Matriculated in 1970. Never missed a game while there.
(In response to this post by Mercury)
3y
I heard on the tsl podcast will inquiry to dive in the atats and dynamics of 1987–90 . This is not just wins but pefoamce and size of roster and dunamics of 1987.
I think that will be eye opening and amazing comaoriaon.
(In response to this post by Mercury)
3y
There is so much different about college football and VT between then and now. Fair or not the current situation will never be judged under a similar lens to the late 80's/early 90's. Keep in mind VT was not in a conference and had very little success up to that point. Frank could work through coaching at this level and learn and build (he almost got fired...) Then we joined the big East and later the ACC. We also have a 30-40 year history of being good (last decade or so may be undoing that). But all of this has an effect on expectations and tolerance from the fanbase. Maybe there can be an argument that this is not fair, but the argument that it is fair is there too. This is the situation of VT football. Hopefully Pry can adjust and succeed in it, early returns are not looking great.
(In response to this post by Mercury)
3y
Frank beat a top 10 team ( WVU with Major Harris ) in his first non probation year ( 1989) and ended up ranked in the final coaches poll the year after . Actually even coach Sharpe had a little run with away wins at Auburn and Houston . Times are different and VT has a large stadium playing enter Sandman and all the things that go with a program which has to be in the top 20 not the bottom 20. I suspect Pry will get one more year and if we aren't 8-5 or better he will probably be gone . He could turn it around but it will take a lot of Portal work because recruiting is mediocre so far . ( Graduated 1977)
(In response to this post by PF)
3y
I’ll always remember sitting in my dorm room listening to the 1987 VT/UVa football game in Charlottesville . UVa of course won. But in the second half, when it was obvious Virginia would win, the radio announcer (network radio not bill Roth) commenting that Virginia tech was a nice school, but would never be ACC level .
Now, we want to be top 10. May never happen. But the accomplishments of the past 35 years are remarkable. Nobody In 1987 would have predicted it. In fact you would have been laughed at to suggest Virginia tech would grow to its current level in athletics
(In response to this post by PF)
3y
Went to football games as a student, normally around halftime when we could walk in without a ticket but I didn't really care too much until graduating. Was a huge basketball fan though. I started the year Curry, Beacher, Colbert did so it was a fun time.
(In response to this post by Mercury)
3y
Went to every football and hoops game - slept outside Cassell to get L’ville and MSU tix
(In response to this post by hokietom87)
3y
I remember having a group of us take turns waiting in line over night.
One of the games (I think in that year), they gave out cards for everyone to hold. I guess it was a design or something for tv. But at a particular point in the game, everybody threw their card. It was a mess... but a good mess
(In response to this post by jjbeat)
3y
The perspective of the upper class men that saw the possible in 1986 kept us going, that bimbo coles and the High Techs :-0
(In response to this post by Mercury)
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gr8fuljj
3y
Two grandfathers (30 & 36), Dad (60), uncle (63) and sister (95). Been a Hokie fan a very long time. I remember the days when the only people who rooted for Tech were people who had a family connection.
(In response to this post by Hokie1992)
C
charlesf
3y
Many others since the 1895 class.
(In response to this post by gr8fuljj)
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gr8fuljj
3y
Wow! Thanks for sharing! My paternal grandfather was Class of 1930 and if my niece decides to go to VT she would be class of 2030.
(In response to this post by charlesf)
3y
Watched my first game at Victory Stadium, VT vs VMI . This game was the main event for Thanksgiving weekend. Growing up in the NRV, VT was the team !! Thru the years, fans like myself, have seen it all !
(In response to this post by Mercury)
3y
(In response to this post by Mercury)
3y
(In response to this post by Mercury)
3y
See the V.P.I. Fighting Gobblers. My brother aka @TomTurkey took me several times when Sharpe was coach.
Sat thru a UVa game it was so cold I didn't warm up until Abingdon.
Loved it. Loved it all. Don't remember if we win an single one of those games.
....what was the question
(In response to this post by Mercury)
I guarantee you little bastages were playing pick up on the "hill"
those "games" were often better than the one on the field.
(In response to this post by UberHOKIE)
A Hokie since 1997. I know nothing but gilded bowl appearances and CC wins.
(In response to this post by Mercury)
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RJHokie
3y
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3y
(In response to this post by RJHokie)
3y
to RMC and played there
(In response to this post by Atlee Hokie)
3y
I lived at home and commuted to Chowan. It was abok over to watch football.ut a 17 mile drive. After classes, I went home. Wasn't going to drive back over to watch football.
(In response to this post by Tuckahokie)