Ok, Chuck and the rest of the Seth Kool-aid drinkers...

[crooked road]

I see a lot of nitpicking of Greenberg, but nobody, NOBODY, on here thought we would be a top half/third ACC team this fast, if ever. NOBODY thought we would beat Duke & UNC home & away multiple times. Honestly? Before joining, honest people would have thought we MIGHT have beaten one of the two one time, but certainly not outside of Cassell.

Greenberg pulled VaTech up to a successful level extremely fast. Now he's being criticized for not pulling us up beyond that level, in spite of the freakish circumstances the team has endured for several years.

[AHBHokie]

I agree mostly with this. I think VT has about maxed out its potential under Greenberg. I'm extremely appreciative of where Greenberg has taken us, but I'm not convinced that we can continue to go forward under his guidance. He's a squarely solid coach -- who will get us to the NIT most years and, once in a good while, get us to the NCAA maybe, but that's it. I can see where many among our fan base would be apprehensive about finding someone else because of our previous lack of basketball success, though.

Bottom line, I want more NCAA appearances. I don't expect one every year, and maybe not even every two years; but more than 1 out of 8 years for sure.

[AHBHokie]

Whoops, this was supposed to be under the original post.

[crooked road]

If VT had not been 'cheated' out of 2 NCAA appearances in the last four years, how would you view Greenberg? Not trying to be snide, but what are the stats? One NCAA in 8 years? If it were 3 NCAA's in 8 years, how would you feel? Let's just say that one extra bucket was made, or one other tourney dark horse didn't succeed, or whatever it was that influenced the NCAA pickers. We all agree that we were 'THISCLOSE' to making it the last 3-4 years. So, if we were 3 of 8, and not 1 of 8, how would you feel?

[AHBHokie]

If VT had not been 'cheated' out of 2 NCAA appearances in the last four years, how would you view Greenberg? Not trying to be snide, but what are the stats? One NCAA in 8 years? If it were 3 NCAA's in 8 years, how would you feel? Let's just say that one extra bucket was made, or one other tourney dark horse didn't succeed, or whatever it was that influenced the NCAA pickers. We all agree that we were 'THISCLOSE' to making it the last 3-4 years. So, if we were 3 of 8, and not 1 of 8, how would you feel?

I would feel better, but I also think a more capable, competent coach wouldn't have had his teams stuck on the bubble in the first place. You're going to lose some close games to good teams and occasionally get upset by bad teams, but if you look at the years we were omitted, and at least one year I think we should have been given the benefit of the doubt, you will see a lot of cringe-worthy losses. Last year getting creamed by BC at home really hurt, going 1-2 against a pretty poor Miami team in '09 really hurt, and in '07 some losses to some really poor OOC competition.

I'll agree we've had some tough breaks under Greenberg and, at least last year, should have gotten a tournament bid when we didn't. But there is a definite pattern of our VT basketball team under-performing when there's a lot on the line, or just being plain inconsistent. These are things I think that Greenberg could have and should have done better. Then the bubble isn't as much of an issue.

[crooked road]

I'll tell you, the last... I don't know, 3-5 Decembers, I've watched us lose to somebody and shouted to everyone within earshot - 'Now THAT'S the game that will keep us out of the NCAA this season!...' I've been right, as far as I can imagine, most times.

My criticism of Greenberg would be twofold. He doesn't seem to have a defined offense and he uses the preconference schedule to prep for the conference schedule by experimenting and getting a feel for his team. I've got lot of positives for him that I think outweigh the negatives. That's just me, though.

I really think that we have been the width of a hair away from an NCAA bid 3 of the last 4 years. When I think of VT basketball, to think we're in the ACC and almost always in the top half or even the top third of the conference and that we are SOO close to making the NCAA tourney every other season, it blows my mind. Sure, I can nitpick the negatives, but when you step back, and think that State and Wake and Maryland and all these others have been in the ACC for so long and we're as good or better than them - year after year after year after year - it is incredible.

People forget just how good we are...

[AHBHokie]

This is a good post that I mostly agree with.

I have a lot of nice things to say about Greenberg as well. But I think, even in spite of all the extenuating circumstances, better coaching and preparation should have gotten us squarely into the NCAAs last year as well as at least one of the other years in which we were snubbed.

I think we've about reached our ceiling under Greenberg, but I'd love to be proven wrong because I do like him.

[Hubman]

Define success.......

[VT Noslen]

If VT had not been 'cheated' out of 2 NCAA appearances in the last four years, how would you view Greenberg? Not trying to be snide, but what are the stats? One NCAA in 8 years? If it were 3 NCAA's in 8 years, how would you feel? Let's just say that one extra bucket was made, or one other tourney dark horse didn't succeed, or whatever it was that influenced the NCAA pickers. We all agree that we were 'THISCLOSE' to making it the last 3-4 years. So, if we were 3 of 8, and not 1 of 8, how would you feel?

With all due respect, I don't accept the premise that VT was "cheated" out of any NCAA appearances. With reference to last season, in particular, winning at home against BC would probably have put us in, even when considering the road loss to Clemson. Seth and his guys just didn't get the job done, pure and simple. Even if I did except your premise, Seth did not help matters with his hot-headed spouting off. I think a truly smart coach would have kept his mouth shut or made more temperate remarks on the subject.

I do agree that if we had made 3 NCAA appearances in 8 years I wouldn't be posting in response to you now. In fact, 2 appearances would have kept me relatively pleased, although I would still have some other issues with Seth's regime.

I hope you will understand that although I disagree with you, it's not my intent to impugn you personally. If Seth had asked me for my advice, I would have told him that the best place to make a case for an NCAA bid is on the basketball court, not in a press conference.

[crooked road]

The quotation marks were placed there to encapsulate the overwhelming opinion among Hokie fans that we deserved an NCAA bid but did not receive one. Evidently your current perspective doesn't align with that of this board at that time, and that is cool. I think any person could agree that we were VERY close, if not deserving of a bid, and that was the major thesis of the question.

(if only they'd said this to Jeff Allen) - 'No harm, no foul!'