The Hokie Hotline (football and basketball season)
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Seth Greenberg
- In the ACC, it’s never as good as you think it is, and it’s never as bad
as you think it is. You can’t think about the past or the future. You have
to stay in the present. Tech has been able to do that. - Tech showed a lot of resiliency in the Maryland game. They were probably
still in the UNC game at the start of the Maryland game, but they snapped
out of it and found a way to win. 
The
Hokies overcame double-digit deficits against Maryland and Georgia Tech.
That’s good, but Greenberg addressed it to the team on Monday. They can’t
keep pulling rabbits out of their hats. They have to get off to good starts.- It’s not that Tech isn’t ready to play to start games, but they are
turning it over and not playing smart at the beginning of games. You can’t
do that. - It’s imperative that the Hokies take care of the ball at the beginning of
the game against Boston College, because the Eagles aren’t a team that
forces a lot of turnovers. Don’t give them extra possessions, because they
are efficient offensively. - Anyone can beat anyone in the ACC. Tyrese Rice can win a game
single-handedly. When they get others to step up, BC is a very dangerous
team. They won’t come to Cassell expecting to lose. - The Hokie Celebration on Saturday netted $30,030. That’s a new record. It
will go towards the new basketball facility, which is supposed to break
ground in April. - History says the Hokies have go to at least 9-7 in the ACC to get an NCAA
tournament berth. With nine wins, you have a shot. A lot will depend on what
other teams do. - Greenberg is telling the team that there is no pressure because there were
no expectations. What expectations exist are there because the players
created them by winning games that no one thought they would win. - Greenberg feels that after the UNC game, the light bulb went on with the
players. They realized that you can’t take anything for granted in the ACC.
The Hokies have had some outstanding practices since losing that game. The
walkthrough prior to the Georgia Tech game was as good as they’ve had. - The Hokies had a great practice on Monday and a great film session. Their
BC walkthrough will be at 1:30 on Tuesday. - A.D. Vassallo and Deron Washington are playing at a high level right now.
Washington is making some plays and making his teammates better. He did a
great job against Anthony Morrow on Saturday. Greenberg switched Washington
to Morrow during the middle of the game, and he responded very well. -
Image provided by TechHoops.comBryan Randall was a great leader for the basketball team during the
2003-2004 season, the only year he played. He coached the locker room, and
was a great influence on Zabian, Jamon and Coleman. His speech after the
Syracuse game that year was maybe the greatest speech Greenberg has been
around in athletics. It helped turn the season around. - Hank Thorns also has great confidence and leadership skills. He’s the
littlest guy with the biggest mouth. He’s not afraid to tell you how he
feels, and he’s going to say it with conviction. He gets people to follow
him. - Thorns now leads all ACC freshmen in assists. He has four or more assists
in six of the last nine games. He’s playing very well. Tech has improved
quite a bit offensively. - Allen Calloway was at the game on Saturday. It was great to see him. It’s
amazing to see him. Just to see him is a little bit of a miracle. He’s in
great spirits. - Scheduling is very difficult because it takes two to schedule. They’ll
play in a tournament in Puerto Rico next year, and there will be good
opponents. They’ll try to get a made for TV game in a place like Madison
Square Garden. They’ll have the ACC-Big Ten Challenge, and they’ll try to
get a good home and home series. - Greenberg has had conversations with Tennessee and Bruce Pearl, but that
game doesn’t fit where the Vols are right now when it comes to scheduling.
You can forget about scheduling a home and home with teams like Florida and
Georgetown. - Teams like Mississippi State would be a good game, but would you want to
go to Starkville? Well, they don’t want to come to Blacksburg either. It’s
very hard to schedule these days because your conference games are so tough
already. - The team had a walkthrough on Sunday and watched some film. On Monday they
practiced from 3:00-4:30. They worked on a lot of things and got a lot
accomplished, and they also watched some more film. - Greenberg doesn’t think they’ll lose any players to attrition this year.
Everyone is in great spirits and they enjoy playing with each other. - J.T. Thompson made some big plays against Georgia Tech. His offensive
rebound off the missed free throw was huge. - It was a good rule to move the lane back one spot on free throws. To many
players were pushing other players under the basket to get offensive
rebounds, and no fouls were being called. For example, Shelden Williams
would be getting an offensive rebound on a free throw, and Deron Washington
would be sitting in the first row. And the foul would be called on Deron,
Greenberg joked. - It’s also a good move to move the three-point line back to the
international line. Now it becomes part of your coaching philosophy, because
not everyone can make that shot. - Tyrese Rice is physically strong. You have to step up on ball screens and
you have to be quick to help. The Hokies really have to focus on slowing him
down. - Josh Southern is playing well for BC. He has great size and he can shoot
the ball out to the free throw line. He’s gotten better as the season has
progressed. - Greenberg would rather finish fourth and get the bye than finish fifth and
get the extra game. That would mean the Hokies would have gotten a bye in
the ACC tournament in three of their first four years in the conference.
Recruits were being told that Virginia Tech couldn’t win at this level, but
that’s obviously been proven wrong.
Monday was Day 1,185 of Virginia Tech’s continuous possession of the
Commonwealth Cup.
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