furrer4heisman, purveyor of fine Virginia Tech analysis over at Gobbler Country, is one of our oldest blogging friends. For years, f4h has tormented, ridiculed and otherwise had a good laugh at Jeff and my expense for being card-carrying members of the married bloggers club. So much so that over 40 Gobbler Country posts have been labeled "raggin on brian" and "raggin on jeff."
Well, furrer4heisman recently popped the question to girlfriend4heisman, and for whatever reason, she said yes. I guess that makes her fiancée4heisman. Congrats, f4h!, and all that good stuff. But now, it's payback time.
To preview tonight's crucial ACC matchup between the Boston College Eagles and the Virginia Tech Hokies, we briefly pulled f4h away from cuddle time on the couch during a TLC marathon of 'Say Yes to the Dress' to compare notes. Our questions and f4h's answers below.
In exchange, we answered some questions on the Eagles over at Gobbler Country, so check them out, congratulate f4h and otherwise welcome him to the rest of his life.
BC Interruption: Just when you are ready to count out the bubble boys, the Hokies come back and TOTALLY REDEEM THEMSELVES with their first real marquee win of the season - a 64-60 win over then no. 1 Duke. Where does the win rank among Virginia Tech's all-time wins?
Gobbler Country: I think it depends on how the Hokies do the rest of the year. Think about Virginia Tech's win in football over No. 2 Miami in 2003. Great, great win but it loses some of its luster because that team lost for of its last five games after it and the only win was in OT against Temple. Same with the Duke win. If the Hokies choke away their next three games and win up back in the NIT, then what did Saturday's win really accomplish?
Tech's first ever win against a No. 1 in 1983 against Memphis should be remember because that Memphis team was absolutely loaded with Keith Lee, Andre Turner and Baskerville Holmes. That team made a regional final and after adding William Bedford and Vincent Askew to the mix would make a Final Four in 1985. The 1982-83 Virginia Tech wound up finishing 3rd in the NIT with a 22-13 record.
But the Duke win has plenty of intangibles with GameDay being there and absolutely needing that win to improve the chances of making the tournament. Right now, without knowing how the rest of the season goes I'd put it up there with the Memphis win, but it's place in history will be defined fairly or unfairly by the rest of the season.
BCI: Assess Virginia Tech's tournament hopes to date. Are the Hokies in, or is there work left to be done?
GC: Right now they're in, but they have to keep winning. Lose to BC and suddenly the pressure's back on and you go to Clemson where the Hokies have had their bubble burst in the past and where every ACC meeting has been decided by three points or fewer. Lose that one and suddenly the pressure's really on at the ACC Tournament where they might be playing on Thursday instead of Friday.
Beat BC and I think they can rest easy knowing they're in the Tournament.
BCI: Peer into your crystal ball. After the week is out, will the Hokies have punched their ticket to the Big Dance?
GC: I think they will. The last couple of weeks and the game against Duke has me convinced that this team finally has the mental focus that's needed to get over the hump of having not played in a tournament.
BCI: How about the ACC? How many teams is the conference putting into the NCAAs? Which ones?
GC: Honestly I haven't paid much attention to the other teams' chances because I've been focused on Tech's. Duke and UNC are in. Florida State's gotta be in, we'll probably be there. I think you'll see a fifth team with either BC or Clemson making it. Here's what I think. Virginia Tech can lose to BC and make the field, but BC can't lose to Virginia Tech and still make it (without a deep run in the ACC tournament that includes a win over Duke or UNC). Does that make any sense?
BCI: Will tonight be the last time the Eagles and Hokies meet this season, or are we destined to hook up again in the ACC Tournament? Your Greensboro forecast?
GC: Oh jeez. I think we can finish anywhere between third and sixth or something like that and there's only two games left. Actually, a third meeting is a distinct possibility. If we lose to you guys, you could finish fourth and we could meet in the second round if Tech finishes fifth and then beats Wake. If we win we could very well finish third and you guys will probably wind up sixth and if you win in the first round against Georgia Tech we'd play again. So yeah, there's a very good chance at a third game.
BCI: Last one. Prediction time. Who ya got? What's the final score?
GC: Hokies only had seven minutes from their bench in an emotionally draining game and have 72 hours rest. BC played much earlier in the day and probably had a few more bench minutes. I think that'll be a big factor. I'd probably bet on BC depending on what the spread is, but I'll take VT to win by three points or fewer.
For more information on the Virginia Tech Hokies, check out Gobbler Country.