In this industry, each president has to look out for their institution. I think VT was served well by its leaders at that time, but they were not angles in the process. VT was sending mixed signals and some put faith in them that had they been wiser might not have had such hurt feelings over these actions. I used to travel to a lot of games in the east, age and weight have caught up with me and I only make special forays these days. But, the vitriol between those schools staying and the schools leaving was as ugly as anything I had ever seen in college football.

I am sure most here will not agree with me, but it was the time for Hokies to be gracious and understanding as fans when they went to Big East games at Big east schools like at WVU instead of the arrogant and prideful pricks some of them looked like. Of course not everyone visiting from Blacksburg was doing that, but as well all know it only takes a few to spoil the basket. It was common fodder here to put all of the blame on WVU but VT was as equally at fault. Many here that claim to have been there and either saw these things or had them happen to them are just lying. Not nice of me to say, but it is true.

There really wasn't many incidents, just a handful from what I saw and learned of with corroboration. But that is all it takes for a rumor to become truth. Being Virginians, Hokies should know by now what sets off West Virginians. You can say and do a lot to them but you can't be a traitor to them and the mixed signals VT gave off just before leaving, looked like that to them. I do not think they will ever forgive that and if they do, it will not be forgotten. The fan interaction just poured salt in the wounds.

It was a nasty time and it is probably best left to rot and be forgotten. It is human nature to revise our memory of unpleasant events and the exit by VT from the Big East is now seldom talked about in Blacksburg because of how it turned out, but in some places, it was just last week, just as talk of the Civil War has never died out in the south.

The treatment the ACC has given WVU since those days has just kept it alive for them. My apologies, I am not sure why I am rambling over this, I am telling you nothing you don't already know.