Brent Is Trying To Explain His Lousy Season At VT

[Tugg Speedman]

In case you were unsure Brent was actually interviewed, see the highlighted part.  Pure Brent ... not to be condescending or negative in any sort of way

Even with hopeful future, Williams doesn't want Hokies to forget discouraging past
April 16, 2015

http://www.dailypress.com/sports/virginia-tech/dp-spt-teel-column-buzz-offseason-20150416-column.html

Buzz Williams is an incurable thinker, assessing the past, charting the future, knowing full well how the circus we call life can wreck the most meticulous plans. But Virginia Tech's second-year basketball coach politely steers clear of the prevailing debate regarding the college game's health.

Paring the shot clock from 35 to 30 seconds? Directing referees to curb physical defenses? Widening the lane and/or cutting the incessant timeouts?

"I try to avoid conversations like that," Williams said last weekend during Nike's Elite Youth Basketball League event in Hampton, "just because ... I don't want to spend my energy and emotion arguing or complaining about (a sport) that's changed my life. ...
Not to be condescending or negative in any sort of way. ...

"I'm just consumed with how can we get better and try to win more than two games."

Fair enough and, given the program's four consecutive last-place ACC finishes, perhaps appropriate.

The Hokies went 11-22 this past season, 2-16 in the ACC. They were overmatched by West Virginia, Notre Dame and twice by Miami, but in large measure distinguished themselves with resolve and performance beyond their talents.

The 50-47 loss to Virginia and 91-86 overtime setback to eventual national champion Duke, both at home, spring to mind.

"I think when you get to this time of year, no matter how (long) you've been at a place, you always think back over the past (season)," Williams said. "What did we do? What was good and what was bad? You go through all of your notes and think through certain situations. Some of it's specific, some of it big picture in nature.

"I think we've done an above-average job in defining what we want to be about, on and off the floor. Not for me but for the kids who were involved in building that, I wish we had won a few more games. I wish they could have been rewarded more."

Most who endured the defeats — seniors Will Johnston and Christian Beyer, plus transfer Adam Smith, the exceptions — are positioned for future rewards. That includes point guard Devin Wilson, forward Shane Henry, redshirted transfers Seth Allen (Maryland) and Zach LeDay (South Florida) and this season's five freshmen: Malik Muller, Justin Bibbs, Ahmed Hill, Jalen Hudson and Satchel Pierce.

But Williams insists that no one purge the memories.

"Sometimes when things don't go well, whether that's in basketball or life, you want to say, 'Well, we'll get it next time,'" he said. "I'm not that guy, so I'm very transparent with our team and our staff. 'I don't want you to forget it because you lived through it.'

"I'm not trying to be sadistic, but since we lived through it, let's make sure that we garner all the lessons that need to come from it, because if we don't, then we're foolish. And if our investment in year No. 1 is trending toward we're improving, then we have to make sure we absorb all the wisdom that comes from it."

At Marquette for six years and thus far at Virginia Tech, Williams has delighted in portraying himself and his teams as ultimate underdogs. That was far less true in Milwaukee, where he inherited a program that had been to three straight NCAA tournaments, than in Blacksburg.

Incoming freshmen Justin Robinson, Kerry Blackshear and Chris Clarke, the latter a forward from Cape Henry Collegiate in Virginia Beach, further upgrade a roster that Allen and LeDay alone ought to improve.

"Those five freshmen will be five sophomores, and those five freshmen played 52.6 percent of the minutes in ACC play," Williams said. "No league team was even approaching that. So you can look at that and go, 'Wow that's really good. You've got everybody coming back.' Or you can look at it and go, 'That's really bad, because you've got everybody coming back.'"

Williams' 52.6 percent stat is spot-on. Tech freshmen played 1,919 of 3,650 minutes in the 18 ACC regular-season games. But Duke's four freshmen — Jahlil Okafor, Justise Winslow, Tyus Jones and Grayson Allen — were right behind at 1,871 minutes, 51.3 percent.

Still, Williams' overarching point is well-taken. The Hokies will be far deeper and more experienced in 2015-16, even if he doesn't use the 13th scholarship at his disposal. Guard Brandon Sampson, a former St. John's commit from Baton Rouge, La., is among Tech's late targets.

"There weren't many playing time decisions that I had to make this past season," Williams said. "I do hope that at some point, if we're doing the right stuff, I hope that there are many more playing time decisions that have to be made per game. But we have to get to that point. We're not there yet. But hopefully we're going that way."

[rocket surgeon]

so far, it doesn't appear that 2 of buzz's recruits while at MU are panning out-
       satchel paige and ahmed hill

in all fairness, not sure what hill's deal is-injury? or what

[tower912]

Hill is out for the year with a knee injury.   Same melody, different lyrics. 

[Skatastrophy]

Hill is out for the year with a knee injury.   Same melody, different lyrics. 

Somebody should go over to the VT basketball forums and give them all of our Brent memes. It'd be a nice Christmas present.

[ChitownSpaceForRent]

He refused to do a press conference yesterday after the loss.

[GoldenWarrior11]

I watched the WVU/VT game yesterday, and Huggins' team is as bruising as ever.  They are a tough, physcial group to go 40 minutes against.  WVU went through several variants of press against the Hokies, getting a number of turnovers from it.  Each time Buzz would make an adjustment, Huggins would switch it up and VT would look out of place.  I wouldn't go as far to say that Buzz was outcoached by Huggy Bear - since the talent difference was noticeable - but VT looked completely outmatched for a majority of the game.  They got a big crowd though (came was at Cassell).

It will be very interesting to see if Buzz can turn VT into a tournament team during his tenure there.  It's just such a tall hill to climb being in the ACC - competing against Duke, UNC, Virginia, Louisville, Syracuse, Notre Dame, Pittsburgh, NC State, and Miami. 

[ChicosBailBonds]

He'll be fine.  Yes, tough league but that also means the potential for scalps.  If he can knock off one or two in the next two years, it gives him momentum.  Thing is, however, you can only go so far at a place like Va Tech, so the ceiling will be reached.

[Eldon]

Somebody should go over to the VT basketball forums and give them all of our Brent memes. It'd be a nice Christmas present.

I tried that already, but neither of the posters there found it amusing.

[keefe]

I tried that already, but neither of the posters there found it amusing.

Now this was funny

[keefe]

Mark Berman wrote that Bert kept the press waiting for two hours after the game while he chewed the team's ass in the locker room. Berman commented that Bert's ass whooping lasted three times longer than the actual game did.

[warriorchick]

I suppose you guys also creep on the Facebook pages of your old girlfriends hoping she got fat.

[4everwarriors]

Why, some get wood over fat chicks, hey?

[Tugg Speedman]

Hill is out for the year with a knee injury.   Same melody, different lyrics.

http://www.dailypress.com/sports/dp-spt-virginia-tech-guard-ahmed-hill-out-indefinitely-after-surgery-to-repair-partially-torn-patella-tendo-20150811-post.html

August 11, 2015

Virginia Tech starting guard Ahmed Hill underwent surgery Tuesday afternoon to repair a partial tear to the patella tendon in his left leg.

Hill, a 6-foot-5 sophomore from Augusta, Ga., is out indefinitely and is expected to at least miss all of preseason conditioning. He suffered the injury earlier this month during individual workouts.

[rocket surgeon]

Why, some get wood over fat chicks, hey?

tons of fun-heyna?

[Tugg Speedman]

Did Buzz take the walking boots with him when he left?

Clarke out for Hokies
Posted: Wednesday, December 30, 2015 12:02 am

http://www.bdtonline.com/sports/clarke-out-for-hokies/article_9345d860-aeb2-11e5-9871-2fabab0fa972.html

Virginia Tech forward Chris Clarke suffered a right foot injury over Christmas break and had surgery Tuesday, leaving his status for a return this season in limbo.

A freshman from Virginia Beach, Clarke sustained a fracture to the fifth metatarsal of his right foot while working out over Christmas break.

Clarke had played in 11 of the Hokies' 12 games this season, starting 10 times. He is averaging 10.5 points and 7.4 rebounds per game and is tied for the team lead with 12 steals.

Virginia Tech (8-4) has already been without Ahmed Hill, who has yet to play this season after suffering a partially torn patella tendon in August, and Tyrone Outlaw, who is redshirting this season for an undisclosed medical condition.

[4everwarriors]

Boot camp injurys rank right up der with tacklin' dummy chit, ai na?

[ChicosBailBonds]

Did he ever sell his house in the Quon?

[4everwarriors]

Did he ever sell his house in the Quon?

Yeah, he did at a significant discount.

[ChicosBailBonds]

Yeah, he did at a significant discount.

Any athlete or coach by it to put the court in use?

[rocket surgeon]

Yeah, he did at a significant discount.

i'm surprised-the house market in waukesha, washington and ozaukee county have been off the charts.  people getting into bidding wars, people selling their homes for above market values on a whim, homes selling within days of going on line...whoever bought it, got a great deal then

[77ncaachamps]

With Coach K and Boeheim retiring, he can easily climb the ACC coaches ranks.

[warriorchick]

i'm surprised-the house market in waukesha, washington and ozaukee county have been off the charts.  people getting into bidding wars, people selling their homes for above market values on a whim, homes selling within days of going on line...whoever bought it, got a great deal then

That basketball court was a deal-breaker in terms of value. There are very few people who would be willing to pay for that.

[4everwarriors]

Did he ever sell his house in the Quon?

Don't think so. He and I shared the same listin' broker. She'd probably tell me if I axed.

[rocky_warrior]

Yeah, he did at a significant discount.

Don't think so. He and I shared the same listin' broker. She'd probably tell me if I axed.

Losing your mind Doc?  You answered twice, with 2 difference answers.  Which is it?

[4everwarriors]

Yo, I got full control of both my mental and physical chit. Thankx for axin', doe. First time I fooked up this year. Second response shoulda been a reply to whether or not a playa or coach purchased the dude ranch with a basketball court in it, hey?