Don’t dump freezing liquid on Uncle Frank, we need him to live another 39 years.
…. And what exactly are we celebrating again? Well I’ll tell you.

For only the second time since joining the ACC the Hokies will not be playing in an end of the season conference title game. However looking back now that we are at the end of the regular season it is important to note that the team did manage to make it a decent season:

• VT was ranked consecutively in the AP top 25 all season
• VT played the 7th hardest schedule of all 119 FBS teams
• The team uprooted Miami 37-10 (again)
• Previously untested and relatively unknown RB Ryan Williams rushed for 1538 yards (avg 5.7 yards a carry) and 19 touchdowns in relief of Evans who will be back next season
• Tyrod has matured in to a quarteback I feel “safe” with
• VT is the highest ranked 3 loss team and has a chance to continue the 10-win streak with a bowl game victory
• Our out of conference games included a team playing for a National Championship slot with Alabama, a Nebraska team playing Texas in the Big 12 Championship, a 8 win ECU team, and even a .500 Marshall team

Tech did put an explanation point on an otherwise down season with Saturday’s rout of UVA. Its always a satisfying Thanksgiving treat to know we retain the commonwealth cup another year. After the game this year however Al Groh packed up his office and said farewell to the head coaching position. He did manage to leave behind a pretty badass goodbye speech. As Hokie fans we will miss having him as the UVA coach only because things went so well against him while he was there.

This year’s woefully underachieving Cavalier team didn’t prevent the UVScum alumni from coming out to the game however. I have heard scalping horror stories from friends. One fan in search of tickets came upon a blue sweatered and creme blazer wearing DB who said “check out my seats - they are awesome” holding up some obnoxiously large and foil stamped box seats. The VT fan said he didn’t care where they were and just wanted to get in and so UVADB responded “well I’m not going in, you can buy them” the Hokie said okay and got through an ear to ear grin “for $800!… Which I know you can’t afford!” and then put his arm around his smug wife and pranced off, farting Tofurkey leftovers. In an unrelated event, another guy told a hokie fan if he would clear away some of his tailgating trash he would sell his ticket. He then began pointing out the difference in quality of automobiles between Tech and UVA fans to his entire tailgate. Apparently now we are counting minor degrees in Old Money in the UVA salary comparisons. But now I am off topic…

Anyway, it may not have been the best season but it could have been far worse given the injury to Evans and the first game loss to Alabama. As fans we have come to expect a lot of our beloved Hokies - and that is a good thing - it is a character trait all winning football programs possess and the kind of attitude that will ensure next year is even better than this - which again, wasn’t all that bad after all.

Let’s hope the Peach Bowl only adds more reason to look back on 2009 with a smile.