Monday Thoughts: Pop Go the Wahoos

Will Stewart

Founder

December 02, 2024 56

Virginia Tech cheerleaders — Everyone flipped over Pop Watson's performance against Virginia. (Ivan Morozov)

Man, I hate UVa. Trying to figure out ways to talk about beating UVa year after year is really taxing. I wish those guys would find a way to beat Virginia Tech now and then, so I could get full of righteous indignation and go on some sort of rant. Yeah, that would be fun.

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Monday Thoughts 2024 VT-UVa Football

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56 Comments

Bioteknik December 3, 2024 at 3:30 PM

So what you're saying is that I should not aspire to eventually get seats over on the west side and keep my east seats.
1. Will Stewart December 3, 2024 at 3:33 PM
  
  Walk over there to the West and see what you think during a game. See if you agree with me that the West is way louder than the East.
Bwaterhokie December 3, 2024 at 1:05 PM

I never get tired of beating the Wahoos. This year was disappointing but it wasn't a disaster as we beat the Hoos. Since VT has limited money and most people don't like pay cuts, I'm not sure we can or should keep Drones. We need to manage our NIL salary cap well to maximize the talent on the team.
NMB Hokie December 3, 2024 at 11:59 AM

I worked at Sperry 1997-2013 then from home for Northrop until Jan 2023. Prior to that I worked at UVa from 1979-1997. The Welsh years were hard on me. The old Hoos that I know consider UNC to be their rival.
1. Worldwide Hokie December 3, 2024 at 12:42 PM
  
  Well, yeah. UVA has beaten UNC about half the time since 2000. That's a lot better than 2-22. I'd play that card too.
pjbudha December 3, 2024 at 7:32 AM

An engineering school can’t get a sound engineer to sort out the sound issues? Anyway… Go Hokies!!!
hokiehowl December 2, 2024 at 10:16 PM

I remember sitting in the UVA section in Charlottesville when Druck threw the hook and go. As I was climbing over the wall and onto the field, I heard a hoo who Happened to be wearing a tie say… You’re nothing but a farmer. You’ll be working for me one day… Whatever.
1. 134435Hokie December 3, 2024 at 8:36 AM
  
  Well my response to him would have been, "some day I will be feeding you". I can get by without a lawyer but everybody that wants to live, has to eat.
2. middletennhokie December 3, 2024 at 8:55 AM
  
  BTW, he's now in the shoe at Belk, but still wears the tie. You should pop in on him sometime!
3. USAFhokie December 3, 2024 at 3:28 PM
  
  is he a good boss? ?
hokiesteve01 December 2, 2024 at 9:44 PM

63 and I hope never to leave east side stands. Don’t want to be inside and don’t want to leave the east side energy. Sound system doesn’t bother me because I am typically yelling for every defensive play so I don’t hear it anyway. Hope I can keep it up!
BowlingHokie December 2, 2024 at 8:03 PM

One comment, and one (possibly ignorant) question. Tech has a nationally ranked engineering department. The noise issue should be easily solvable with an acoustic study. Somebody close to the program should suggest it. Q: With excitement at signing day aside, how soon after signing can kids enter the transfer portal. Do you have to actually be enrolled to get out of your LOI? I really don’t know the answer to this question and am not trying to be a jerk.
1. Will Stewart December 2, 2024 at 10:07 PM
  
  I think they've actually done away with NLIs. Can anyone else help on this?
2hhoop3 December 2, 2024 at 7:25 PM

Always look forward to Monday thoughts and this one did not disappoint. However, you could have just taken the weekend off and linked the ESPN Enter Sandman video and called it a wrap. ;-) VT can always use more money and wins but, that entrance and the fanbase is homegrown not bought. Hopefully, the on field performance will match that again sometime in the future and sooner rather than later.
GCHokie78 December 2, 2024 at 6:56 PM

Not only is the sound too loud, it's too frequent. I'm part of the "get off my lawn" crowd now, but even before I became a cantankerous old man, I didn't need to be constantly entertained (read: occupied) during sporting events. And we've gone back to that annoying "IT'S THIRD DOWN!" again? Like we don't already know that? I can understand UVA doing that at Scott Stadium, but we're Hokies. We darn well know what down it is.
1. dobrohokie December 2, 2024 at 8:41 PM
  
  You are right on!
  1. LG Hokie December 3, 2024 at 9:34 AM
    
    Agree completely!
2. CLT Hokie1 December 2, 2024 at 9:47 PM
  
  You are exactly right! I called the Hokie Club/VTTO a while ago about this and one of them, I don't recall which (memory fades..another member of the get off my lawn club) told me I wasn't the demographic to which they are catering to get more young fans involved...smh
3. hokiehowl December 2, 2024 at 10:10 PM
  
  I agree with you 100%
4. McHokie78 December 3, 2024 at 9:28 AM
  
  I agree…. The it’s Third Down cry is super annoying.
5. Scott0672 December 3, 2024 at 3:07 PM
  
  I agree with you about the overstimulation. I just attended a Brooklyn Nets game, and a few minutes in, I realized the music continued while the game was being played—and never stopped! Every break in action was filled with boisterous exhortations to "GET LOUD!!" And that was indoors!
brownsummithokie December 2, 2024 at 6:31 PM

I really believe the injuries to Drones was 50% Tbo and 50% Drones. Tbo because he ran him way to much when it was not required and 50% Drones because he just loves contact and is not as quick as he is big. Pop can dance around contact and make the little ms adjustments that avoid injury. Hopefully Tbo has a better understanding of how to use a QB after 2 years of getting the starters banged up though to be honest he (nor any of the coaches) seem to be very good in the learning department.
RoswellGAHokie December 2, 2024 at 6:30 PM

The Nebraska bowl game stat is wild. Never would’ve guessed that.
proudhokie2001 December 2, 2024 at 6:23 PM

This was one of the best seasons in years, except for the close losses.
1. MiamiSailingHokie December 2, 2024 at 7:24 PM
  
  By next year VT will learn how to hold leads. We always did in the past (Foster?).
brownsummithokie December 2, 2024 at 6:21 PM

"Hokie Parents and Students: Don't Pay Rent, Invest!" Every time I read one of your articles and see this it really pisses me off because I decided not to go down this path in 2018 when youngest went to VT.
1. Will Stewart December 2, 2024 at 9:46 PM
  
  LOL, I know.
Atlee Hokie December 2, 2024 at 6:13 PM

If it's all the same, Will, I hope it continues to get harder to write about UVA losing to VT.
OhioHokie74 December 2, 2024 at 6:11 PM

Tuten looked a step slow the entire game which meant he was merely very good. I suspect he was not 100%. Pop or Drones? One has 3 seasons left. Don't lose him. Pop's decision making was outstanding. He looks like a coach's son. The best way to avoid injury is to not get hit. Pop showed awareness that protected him. Both have the ability to excel and either might be HH2 if they have the right offensive system.
1. MiamiSailingHokie December 2, 2024 at 7:26 PM
  
  Pop to me is close to MV2 or maybe TT2.
  1. dobrohokie December 2, 2024 at 8:43 PM
    
    Yes.
Diehard Hokie December 2, 2024 at 6:10 PM

Interesting take on the sound. I've been saying forever it's excruciatingly loud. Like it really dampens my enjoyment at games. It's not even worth trying to talk to the person beside you like 95% of the game. The folks that say the volume level is fine just blows me away, but now I'll just assume they aren't sitting high up on the west side.
1. Hokie Pokie December 2, 2024 at 6:54 PM
  
  Amen to this ... I am high up on west side and it's too loud. Looks like that's where Will was for this game too and seemed to change his view. I prefer the West side and early season shade, but maybe should consider SEZ or East to preserve my hearing.
  1. VTaimhigh December 3, 2024 at 8:12 AM
    
    I wear a radio headset. Get to listen to Bill & Mike ("That hit was a snotblogger Billy!") and not worry about the artificial noise blasting throughout the stadium. Of course, I do remove them to soak in that natural Hokie Nation noise...nothing better for our team and worse for theirs. As usual, great article Will. Love the jacket from '95.
2. ColWilliamFleming December 3, 2024 at 7:16 AM
  
  I find the exact same thing at Cassell. During the breaks, you just can't have a conversation with your seat buddies. And, sometimes, certain frequencies actually physically hurt my ears. Catering to younger demographics might be a good marketing ploy but it doesn't (most of the time) keep them from leaving at halftime.
  1. Scott0672 December 3, 2024 at 3:11 PM
    
    At least at Cassell, the music stops during the game. That's not the case in the NBA.
DGHOKIE December 2, 2024 at 6:06 PM

I think the time has come to acquire a new “rival”. Eweveeay is not good enough to qualify anymore. At one point our rival was VMI. That ended. It’s time for this one to end too. But who should take their place? Has to be a team that is competitive. Do we hold open tryouts? We don’t play that often but my vote would go to NCState
1. HokieCrazy1994 December 2, 2024 at 6:34 PM
  
  I feel like our true rival has been Miami since 1997
  1. HokieCrazy1994 December 2, 2024 at 6:36 PM
    
    15-15 in the last 30 meetings, btw.
    1. DGHOKIE December 2, 2024 at 7:12 PM
      
      I don’t think Miami would buy into it since they are “back “ every year. This year was fueling their fire, until inevitably they came back to earth and couldn’t pull out the close ones
      1. BusLoadaBozos December 3, 2024 at 9:22 AM
        
        Miami fans hate traveling to Tech. It's hard to reach & our fans are rabid. They feel like playing in Blacksburg is undignified for such a historic program. That's what makes beating them so much fun.
2. MiamiSailingHokie December 2, 2024 at 7:35 PM
  
  I hate NCSU or playing NCSU. Good they are not on our "rival list" to play every year. I liked Boston, UVA and Miami especially since I moved from VA to Boston 40 years ago just in time for the Big East and then the ACC. Moved to Miami 20 years ago so it worked out great. Went the our first ACC Championship game in the old Miami Orange Bowl in 2004 (VT 16 U 10 I believe). Keep Miami, UVA and perhaps add BC as an every year home and home foe. Also, I like the fact that I can see the men and women bb play in Miami every year live.
  1. vtsquirm December 3, 2024 at 9:13 AM
    
    i've felt that BC game was more of an obligation (kind of like play ECU and now ODU for however many years). I'd rather plan GT as an every year rival. Totally agree on Miami and UVa though. Great rivalries all around with any of these teams. Last year when they tried to force WF and Louisville as our new rivals i was so mad.
3. Bugle76 December 3, 2024 at 1:06 AM
  
  Or a better trophy. That cup looks like something picked up at TJ Max or Home Goods. Put a base and engrave the scores each year like the Stanley cup.
  1. BusLoadaBozos December 3, 2024 at 9:17 AM
    
    It looks good on Pop's head!
4. Scott0672 December 3, 2024 at 3:22 PM
  
  The dictionary defines rival as..."a person or thing competing with another for the same objective or for superiority in the same field of activity." Clearly, the superior team has been decided. Since 1952, there have only been two UVa coaches with winning records, Welsh and Groh, and Groh was only 5 games over .500. Unless you attract good coaching and field a good team, the fans will stay away.
GO_HOKIES_GO December 2, 2024 at 6:03 PM

I guess you didn’t get that jacket from Fanatics - it would have decomposed by now.
HokieBandit December 2, 2024 at 6:01 PM

The empty seats near you on the West Side were probably because those folks have indoor clubhouse access. That's how it was around me in section 110. Lots of those folks attended and stayed indoors.
1. Will Stewart December 2, 2024 at 6:05 PM
  
  That's true. I spent Q2 and Q3 in the club myself.?
`lag December 2, 2024 at 6:01 PM

VT reminds me of "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" (except the part about the villagers being Whoos) in that even with all those dreams of glory taken away the Hokies celebrated anyway. Two 5-6 teams playing to a full stadium in 30 degree weather. Efff everyone else, we're Virginia Tech.
89gEEk December 2, 2024 at 5:43 PM

I hate those guys. I hate them so much. When I worked at Sperry Marine in C'ville 1995-2005, I worked with a lot of rabid boohoo fans. The townies who didn't go there were the worst, most insufferable people you'd never like to meet. (Likely, we have similar fans in the hills of SW VA.) Jim, who did graduate from Wahoo State University and Boys Finishing School told me once, after we won, "It is so funny. You guys think that you're our rivals. But we don't consider you a rival. We're all about winning the ACC." I'll never forget that. Ever. Well, Jim, it still isn't a rivalry. But only because it isn't a rivalry when we win every single year. I hate those guys. I hate them so much.
1. Will Stewart December 2, 2024 at 6:07 PM
  
  Let me guess .... Jim Corbett. ?
  1. 89gEEk December 2, 2024 at 8:12 PM
    
    Got it in 1!
    1. Will Stewart December 2, 2024 at 9:45 PM
      
      ?? He's a good fan.
2. NMB Hokie December 3, 2024 at 12:00 PM
  
  I worked at Sperry 1997-2013 then from home for Northrop until Jan 2023. Prior to that I worked at UVa from 1979-1997. The Welsh years were hard on me. The old Hoos that I know consider UNC to be their rival.
IB4TECH December 2, 2024 at 5:40 PM

I still wear my Starter jacket to the really cold games.

Monday Thoughts: Pop Go the Wahoos

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