Blacksburg And Beamer Make Sense

Two weeks of waiting, wondering and hoping finally came to an end when Virginia Tech football coach Frank Beamer called a press conference on Nov. 26, 2000.

"When you get away a little bit, you realize how special this place is," Beamer said. "I know the grass looks greener sometimes, but when you sit back and look, you see how green the grass is right here."

Beamer went on to announce he would remain in Blacksburg to nurture the program he built, rather than come to Chapel Hill to reconstruct the shambles Carl Torbush left behind.

And it wasn't until Saturday, as I sat atop the Lane Stadium bleachers watching the No. 3 Hokies run through a hapless Rutgers squad, that I decided I don't blame Beamer for choosing Hokie maroon over Tar Heel blue.

It's not that I've harbored a grudge against Beamer for the past 692 days, I've just wondered what made the grass so green in Blacksburg.

After watching nearly 65,000 orange-and-maroon-clad fans, who'd been tailgating since Friday night, go wild even though they had to know Va. Tech would win with relative ease Saturday, I finally understood.

Beamer owns Blacksburg, and no one questions how he handles the team.

That is evidenced by the fact that he's got freshman quarterback Marcus Vick, younger brother of Atlanta Falcons QB Michael, third on the depth chart. The Hokie faithful trust Beamer's development of the younger Vick and know that his time will come when Beamer decides it's right.

"Anything (Beamer) wants, he'll get it," said Stanely Calder, a 1959 Va. Tech graduate.

Calder couldn't be more correct.

Beamer wanted more money for his assistant coaches -- he got an extra $100,000. Whether or not he wanted a million-dollar contract or 15,000 extra seats added to Lane Stadium -- he got those, too.

Other than Mack Brown, who would want leave a sweet setup like that?

But before I go any further, I feel I must say this: I'm not doubting John Bunting or the way he handles the UNC football team. I love his intensity and think he's the right guy to bring the Tar Heels back to prominence.

Beamer's program, however, is already where Bunting probably would like his to be.

Since 1993, Beamer's guided the Hokies to nine straight bowl games (only six other programs can claim that), averaged nine wins per season, and won three conference titles.

What sticks out most about Beamer and his program, though, is his brand of football, appropriately named "Beamer Ball." It's not something that can be appreciated on television, it's one of those things you need to see in person.

Va. Tech's offense pounds the ball out on the ground -- the Hokies outgained the Scarlet Knights 342 to minus 7 Saturday -- and use the pass just to keep opposing defenses on their toes.

The Hokie defense gets only stronger as the game goes on.

And then there's the special teams.

Under Beamer, they've blocked a ridiculous 92 kicks, and as DeAngelo Hall dove into the end zone to cap off his 51-yard punt return in the 4th quarter Saturday, he reminded everyone that the Hokies are a constant threat to return any kick for a touchdown.

That said, "Beamer Ball" belongs in the Big East. Special teams excellence and smashmouth football just don't fit in with balanced offenses and mediocre defenses of the ACC.

"Beamer Ball," raging tailgaters, and seeing Beamer roaming the sidelines wearing a maroon windbreaker with an orange strip across the front all made me think, "this is where he belongs."

But is there anything that would make Beamer leave Blacksburg for belonging somwhere else?

"Not at this point," Calder said. "I think he's here for the rest of his life."

Tim Candon can be reached at tcandon@aol.com.