I usually get a beat down when I post on this board but I am hopeful that it will not happen this time...

Some full disclosure...I have given to the Hokie Club for over 25 years at various levels. When I lived in Virginia, we had season tickets and I was heavily involved. Eventually work brought me to Georgia and it became impossible to continue to buy season tickets when being unable to attend the games. Still, I have not reduced my giving level while receiving essentially zero benefit for my donation besides a tax deduction.

Last year, that tax deduction went away. I am still giving at the same level but there is literally nothing in it "for me" at this point besides a desire for Tech athletics to perform as well as possible.

It is easily apparent that there is no longer a focus that is inspiring the alumni base and friends of VT to reach either in to their wallets or deeper into their wallets to send more money to Blacksburg. Yes, it is great to fund scholarships as the cost of higher education drastically increases each year but in the end, is that really a clarion call to action? Give money to fund the college scholarships of students you do not know or are not related to you?

I submit that to bring the money into Blacksburg, there needs to be a vision that produces a shiny object or a group of shiny objects that will inspire donations and provide an audacious goal that will get folks like me deeper into our wallets. We need something exciting and tangible to inspire and uplift donors and right now, I don't see that vision coming out of Blacksburg.

If you sent me a picture of a beautiful, new football support facility or a fantastic, new basketball arena, I would get pretty excited. Layer on to that an awe inspiring animation of the building of these new facilities with a virtual reality walk through of these new buildings and you will have me hooked.

I don't think I would be the only one that would be hooked either.

This week we almost lost our football coach because we have become static in the world of football facilities. When you become static, you fall behind, it is that simple. It is a fact that Tech's athletics revenue is not at a level that enables us to compete for ACC championships and national championships are an even bigger stretch. Maybe with some vision, some exciting websites with cool animation, and some shiny objects, the donation mentality of our fan base, alumni, and corporate partners will become energized.

I hope that I see that shiny object on the drawing board soon.