OT: D1

[Chuck Norris]

If you’re a YouTube TV subscriber like myself, tomorrow is looking like a day to get some long overdue work around the house done or just enjoy the fall weather. As of midnight, channels under the Disney umbrella are no longer available on the platform. Obviously these disputes are common (YouTube TV seems to constantly be in one with somebody) and usually get resolved at the 11th hour, but I can’t remember the last time it actually reached a point where I lost access to a significant media company’s channels for any length of time.

[Chuck Norris]

Fitzgerald? Of all schools, I would think Penn State would want to shy away from someone who was fired due to a scandal at his previous school.

Joe Paterno was a big Pat Fitzgerald fan, so that might appeal to a portion of those involved in making the decision. But yeah, canning James to end up with Fitzgerald would be a wow, and not a good one.

[Ram040506]

Not the most glamourous job out there by any means. It's a solid B-list opening but not much more. They've been down for awhile now.

If he'd go there and bomb, that's probably it. He's not getting another shot on Broadway. The last couple 'hot' guys went there and stunk up the place.

But, he may just want a more chill environment. Florida and LSU are as bad or as worse than the pressure in Creepy Valley. He'll get a much longer leash in Blacksburg.

There will be more jobs opening here in the coming weeks, too. More guys will get fired. Others will leave to take different jobs or retire.

Regardless, Big Game James would be a big get for VT.

Would be a home run for the Hokies. I think a big appeal is he would essentially be recruiting the same territory he's been crushing it with the last decade. This would be a great fit I think for both coach and program. The last couple coaches, especially Fuentes, really burned a lot of bridges with the high school coaching scene down there. VT used to own norfolk/va beach recruiting and they need to get that back to get back on track. One thing Franklin has that nobody can deny is he can recruit with the best of them.

[IUP24]

Fitzgerald? Of all schools, I would think Penn State would want to shy away from someone who was fired due to a scandal at his previous school.

There's a site that has him as one of the betting favorites to land the job and there's supposed mutual interest between the two.

[IUP24]

Not the most glamourous job out there by any means. It's a solid B-list opening but not much more. They've been down for awhile now.

If he'd go there and bomb, that's probably it. He's not getting another shot on Broadway. The last couple 'hot' guys went there and stunk up the place.

But, he may just want a more chill environment. Florida and LSU are as bad or as worse than the pressure in Creepy Valley. He'll get a much longer leash in Blacksburg.

There will be more jobs opening here in the coming weeks, too. More guys will get fired. Others will leave to take different jobs or retire.

Regardless, Big Game James would be a big get for VT.

Because Frank Beamer had a stretch of about 5 really good years in Blacksburg, people significantly overvalue what that program actually is in the grand scheme of things. It's an extremely, extremely rural community. They are only now deciding to put money (actual money) into football. But because people see a bunch of fans in the stands there, and because people think Enter Sandman is cool, the masses tend to believe that Va Tech is always on the doorstep of being elite. The reality is that over the past two decades they are just an average program. Pitt's won more big games than they have in the last 20 years has largely been the more consistent program (and I'm not saying that to bring Pitt into the conversation, just putting things into perspective). Va Tech has had some lean years and is a non-factor historically in the overarching history of college football.

I think Franklin is a really good coach, and maybe the best recruiter and roster builder in the country. He would raise the floor for VT (which would suck as a Pitt fan since Pitt has been killing it recruiting the DMV and has really been strong against the Hokies over the last 10 years). That said, Franklin raising their floor would be a huge net positive for the ACC. VT - for whatever reason - is viewed extremely favorably by the media and the casual fan. Them being viewed as a better program is a significant boost for ACC street cred.

[Ram040506]

Because Frank Beamer had a stretch of about 5 really good years in Blacksburg, people significantly overvalue what that program actually is in the grand scheme of things. It's an extremely, extremely rural community. They are only now deciding to put money (actual money) into football. But because people see a bunch of fans in the stands there, and because people think Enter Sandman is cool, the masses tend to believe that Va Tech is always on the doorstep of being elite. The reality is that over the past two decades they are just an average program. Pitt's won more big games than they have in the last 20 years has largely been the more consistent program (and I'm not saying that to bring Pitt into the conversation, just putting things into perspective). Va Tech has had some lean years and is a non-factor historically in the overarching history of college football.

I think Franklin is a really good coach, and maybe the best recruiter and roster builder in the country. He would raise the floor for VT (which would suck as a Pitt fan since Pitt has been killing it recruiting the DMV and has really been strong against the Hokies over the last 10 years). That said, Franklin raising their floor would be a huge net positive for the ACC. VT - for whatever reason - is viewed extremely favorably by the media and the casual fan. Them being viewed as a better program is a significant boost for ACC street cred.

My brother is an alum at VT. I don't think they overvalue or have delusions of what they are in the landscape of college football. The support they have from the community down there and the recruiting area between East Tenn to newport news to the DMV is really solid. Most of the VT fans I've had relationships with think they should be an 8 or 9 win team year after year, with the occasional shot at an ACC title every few years. I don't think that's unrealistic with their circumstance.

They aren't like West Virginia, who I think your description above more is in line with their view of their program. Most Hokies I know have reasonable expectations.

[IUP24]

My brother is an alum at VT. I don't think they overvalue or have delusions of what they are in the landscape of college football. The support they have from the community down there and the recruiting area between East Tenn to newport news to the DMV is really solid. Most of the VT fans I've had relationships with think they should be an 8 or 9 win team year after year, with the occasional shot at an ACC title every few years. I don't think that's unrealistic with their circumstance.

They aren't like West Virginia, who I think your description above more is in line with their view of their program. Most Hokies I know have reasonable expectations.

Would agree with your assessment about WVU. They tend to believe they are at a level so far above what they are (specifically when they compare themselves to Pitt). I have multiple friends who are WVU fans, and this is no disrespect to them or the fanbase, but them and Rutgers are the only two programs in the Power 4 to not be ranked in an AP poll in the last 8 years. That's a long, long time lol.

Regarding VT, they have good local support from their fanbase. I don't think most programs are a 9-win floor type programs though, and I would incorporate VT into that mix. Beamer was there for a long time, but there was a narrow window in that stretch that he was really, really good. I think they mostly are average otherwise, but average with a massive following. I think my larger point is that they aren't on the doorstep of elite, and the way you hear them talked about nationally, that's always the perception that's portrayed. But I don't think that comes directly from the VT fanbase. I think that's outsiders and the media. People love stadiums that have lots of people and a cool tradition. That's why I think their perception is always viewed highly favorably.

[Ram040506]

Would agree with your assessment about WVU. They tend to believe they are at a level so far above what they are (specifically when they compare themselves to Pitt). I have multiple friends who are WVU fans, and this is no disrespect to them or the fanbase, but them and Rutgers are the only two programs in the Power 4 to not be ranked in an AP poll in the last 8 years. That's a long, long time lol.

Regarding VT, they have good local support from their fanbase. I don't think most programs are a 9-win floor type programs though, and I would incorporate VT into that mix. Beamer was there for a long time, but there was a narrow window in that stretch that he was really, really good. I think they mostly are average otherwise, but average with a massive following. I think my larger point is that they aren't on the doorstep of elite, and the way you hear them talked about nationally, that's always the perception that's portrayed. But I don't think that comes directly from the VT fanbase. I think that's outsiders and the media. People love stadiums that have lots of people and a cool tradition. That's why I think their perception is always viewed highly favorably.

I respectfully disagree. I think they are a 8/9 win floor program waiting to be revived. It wasn't a narrow window or only a 5 year stretch that they were a damn good program. From 1993-2011 Beamer had a record of 185-58. That was an average of 9-3 year to year as a baseline. It wasn't propped up by the Vick years either, as they had 13 seasons with 10 or more wins. Including a stretch beyond the Mike Vick years from 2004-2011 that they won at least 10 games every year.

Then of course he got old, and they had the same Paterno/Bowden end to the coaching era. They aren't a sleeping Giant, but I think they are quite capable if they find the right guy of getting back to being a consistent winner again.

[IUP24]

I respectfully disagree. I think they are a 8/9 win floor program waiting to be revived. It wasn't a narrow window or only a 5 year stretch that they were a damn good program. From 1993-2011 Beamer had a record of 185-58. That was an average of 9-3 year to year as a baseline. It wasn't propped up by the Vick years either, as they had 13 seasons with 10 or more wins. Including a stretch beyond the Mike Vick years from 2004-2011 that they won at least 10 games every year.

Then of course he got old, and they had the same Paterno/Bowden end to the coaching era. They aren't a sleeping Giant, but I think they are quite capable if they find the right guy of getting back to being a consistent winner again.

For the sake of the ACC, I hope that they find some resurgence.

I do believe that the conference is better than people believe. It's just that most of the schools in it have smaller fanbases and there tends to be a bit more parity in the upper third of the league. People generally believe that means the league sucks. I think it just means there's little separation amongst the bulk of the conference. I like to think that's a good thing. But I'm also in the shrinking group of college football fans that doesn't want to see the same teams playing a third or fourth time in the CFP.

I mostly struggle with the media obsession with the B1G and SEC. I understand the "why" component of that conversation, but regardless, it's nauseating. I think the top half of the SEC is clearly the best top half of any of the conferences - and it's fine to suggest that. But for the media to portray to fans that there are not bad teams competing in either of those leagues is derelict of duty. They are just being told to prop up those two leagues because they have the biggest fan bases, followings, and brand appeals. TV ratings doesn't equate to interesting football to me. As I said, if VT getting better can help to change the outside perception of the league, then I think it's a net positive.

[Ram040506]

For the sake of the ACC, I hope that they find some resurgence.

I do believe that the conference is better than people believe. It's just that most of the schools in it have smaller fanbases and there tends to be a bit more parity in the upper third of the league. People generally believe that means the league sucks. I think it just means there's little separation amongst the bulk of the conference. I like to think that's a good thing. But I'm also in the shrinking group of college football fans that doesn't want to see the same teams playing a third or fourth time in the CFP.

I mostly struggle with the media obsession with the B1G and SEC. I understand the "why" component of that conversation, but regardless, it's nauseating. I think the top half of the SEC is clearly the best top half of any of the conferences - and it's fine to suggest that. But for the media to portray to fans that there are not bad teams competing in either of those leagues is derelict of duty. They are just being told to prop up those two leagues because they have the biggest fan bases, followings, and brand appeals. TV ratings doesn't equate to interesting football to me. As I said, if VT getting better can help to change the outside perception of the league, then I think it's a net positive.

Completely agree on most of those points. I also can't stand the B1G/SEC being shoved in our face with every article and TV program.

[Chuck Norris]

It’ll be interesting to see the fallout of a college football Saturday with the ESPN networks unavailable on the largest streaming live tv provider. I’d suspect YouTube TV caves and a rate increase will soon follow. I can’t imagine they’ll let a second Saturday like this happen.

[TheBigCat2192]

We have some more P4 job openings: Auburn fired Hugh Freeze and South Carolina canned their offensive coordinator Mike Shula. The second isn't a HC but it might be a precursor to Shane Beamer being shown the door if he can't recover in the back half of the season.

[IUP24]

Entering the final 4 weeks of the regular season...

- 9 teams in the Big Ten have not yet beaten a bowl eligible opponent
- 7 teams in the SEC have not yet beaten a bowl eligible opponent

I know a lot of people love the beauty brands. I know a lot of people wouldn't put on a G5 team playing in a CFP game on for background noise while making dinner. I know a lot of people don't actually enjoy watching football. But man... If you can't at this recognize there's little separation amongst the 4 major conferences at this point, you are just admitting that you DON'T want to see other programs playing meaningful games late in the season.

Everybody wanted an expanded playoff to increase access to an FBS championship. But when Virginia and Texas Tech are leading the ACC and Big 12, suddenly many don't want more opportunities for others to play games that matter.

[IUPNation]

Entering the final 4 weeks of the regular season...

- 9 teams in the Big Ten have not yet beaten a bowl eligible opponent
- 7 teams in the SEC have not yet beaten a bowl eligible opponent

I know a lot of people love the beauty brands. I know a lot of people wouldn't put on a G5 team playing in a CFP game on for background noise while making dinner. I know a lot of people don't actually enjoy watching football. But man... If you can't at this recognize there's little separation amongst the 4 major conferences at this point, you are just admitting that you DON'T want to see other programs playing meaningful games late in the season.

Everybody wanted an expanded playoff to increase access to an FBS championship. But when Virginia and Texas Tech are leading the ACC and Big 12, suddenly many don't want more opportunities for others to play games that matter.

I’ll be glad to see Virginia and Texas Tech in the playoffs.

[Chuck Norris]

I’ll be glad to see Virginia and Texas Tech in the playoffs.

Or Pitt.