Blacksburg, Virginia

[Pitt79]

Tell me, WTF is in Blacksburg, Virginia? I've never been there. But if you can get good basketball players, who can shoot the ball and win games, you'd think that Pitt, in an up and coming city like Pittsburgh could be at least as attractive? Are we not cheating enough?

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

Tell me, WTF is in Blacksburg, Virginia? I've never been there. But if you can get good basketball players, who can shoot the ball and win games, you'd think that Pitt, in an up and coming city like Pittsburgh could be at least as attractive? Are we not cheating enough?

I was there for a football game. Probably the closest thing there is to State College in many ways.....except for the arrogance, idol worship, and pedophelia. Location doesn't matter at all anymore. Not at all. 20 years ago it did. Maybe even 10 years ago. But not anymore. If Potter County University went D1 and hired a good recruiter, they'd get whoever they wanted.

 

[Black Panther]

Tell me, WTF is in Blacksburg, Virginia? I've never been there. But if you can get good basketball players, who can shoot the ball and win games, you'd think that Pitt, in an up and coming city like Pittsburgh could be at least as attractive? Are we not cheating enough?

It's a college town.Basically like crappy valley.Answer to your second question, apparently not.

 

[Black Panther]

I was there for a football game. Probably the closest thing there is to State College in many ways.....except for the arrogance, idol worship, and pedophelia. Location doesn't matter at all anymore. Not at all. 20 years ago it did. Maybe even 10 years ago. But not anymore. If Potter County University went D1 and hired a good recruiter, they'd get whoever they wanted.

Beat me to it.

 

[Parkview57]

Yes, it's a nice, somewhat rural feeling college town.

 

[TD_6082]

They have done a nice job identifying under the radar type talent and guys that are coachable that fit what they do.

 

[WVUinColumbus]

I always love how uninformed metro university fan actually thinks that it matters that a 19 yo kid attends university in an urban or non-urban setting.

Talk about being out of touch. It’s as if they think attending BC or Georgetown (I’m not even going to include Pitt because it’s a small city that isn’t as culturally diverse) trumps being in Tuscaloosa, Athens, Blacksburg, Ames, etc.

You’re not thinking this through. Sorry.

Here’s what I’m saying….in SOOOO many ways being at a large, land grant multi-campus university broadens horizons much greater than a small metro campus.

I attended WVU and Chatham (grad). WVU was by far more of a “bigger” feel.

 

[PittPanther44]

I always love how uninformed metro university fan actually thinks that it matters that a 19 yo kid attends university in an urban or non-urban setting.

Talk about being out of touch. It’s as if they think attending BC or Georgetown (I’m not even going to include Pitt because it’s a small city that isn’t as culturally diverse) trumps being in Tuscaloosa, Athens, Blacksburg, Ames, etc.

You’re not thinking this through. Sorry.

Here’s what I’m saying….in SOOOO many ways being at a large, land grant multi-campus university broadens horizons much greater than a small metro campus.

I attended WVU and Chatham (grad). WVU was by far more of a “bigger” feel.

I can’t believe this post started by calling others “uninformed”. This isn’t Chatham.

And WVU…the 600 or 700th best school in the country, “broadens horizons”

 

[WVUinColumbus]

I can’t believe this post started by calling others “uninformed”. This isn’t Chatham.

Pitt, Chatham, Carlow, CMU…..very comparable.

Definitely not larger universities like VPI. It’s definitely easier to recruit to VPI than Pitt.

 

[PittPanther44]

I guess Howland and Dixon really were Gods then if it’s so “hard to recruit”. Running out a squad with the 5th best record in the country in aggregate over 12 years.

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

I guess Howland and Dixon really were Gods then if it’s so “hard to recruit”. Running out a squad with the 5th best record in the country in aggregate over 12 years.

It is absolutely no harder to recruit to Pitt than any other random school. Kids choose a Head Coach, not an assistant, not a campus, not a nightlife.

 

[CrazyPaco]

I always love how uninformed metro university fan actually thinks that it matters that a 19 yo kid attends university in an urban or non-urban setting.

Talk about being out of touch. It’s as if they think attending BC or Georgetown (I’m not even going to include Pitt because it’s a small city that isn’t as culturally diverse) trumps being in Tuscaloosa, Athens, Blacksburg, Ames, etc.

You’re not thinking this through. Sorry.

Here’s what I’m saying….in SOOOO many ways being at a large, land grant multi-campus university broadens horizons much greater than a small metro campus.

I attended WVU and Chatham (grad). WVU was by far more of a “bigger” feel.

LOL, you think Chestnut Hill or the neighborhood of Georgetown are diverse? LMFAO!

And yes, if someone appreciates amenities of cities, they all trump being in Blacksburg or Morgantown. If one likes cloistered, cookie cutter college towns with much less cultural, entertainment, and social amenities, then urban schools may not be for you. They aren't for everyone. Does that matter to athletes? Probably not. They're looking for coaching, and training facilities, and opportunties to get to the next level. To other students, setting can make a huge difference.

 

[CrazyPaco]

Pitt, Chatham, Carlow, CMU…..very comparable.

Definitely not larger universities like VPI. It’s definitely easier to recruit to VPI than Pitt.

LMFAO!

 

[PittPanther44]

It is absolutely no harder to recruit to Pitt than any other random school. Kids choose a Head Coach, not an assistant, not a campus, not a nightlife.

Of course it isn’t.

The program didn’t change with the times. And those times changed fast.

We aren’t getting kids anymore that want to hang around until they turn into grown ass men, and then go out and push kids around.

Need the right coach who can sell playing in a great building at a great school — while they prepare themselves to make money playing in 2 or 3 years. That’s our guy now.

 

[TheSpecialSauce]

I always love how uninformed metro university fan actually thinks that it matters that a 19 yo kid attends university in an urban or non-urban setting.

Talk about being out of touch. It’s as if they think attending BC or Georgetown (I’m not even going to include Pitt because it’s a small city that isn’t as culturally diverse) trumps being in Tuscaloosa, Athens, Blacksburg, Ames, etc.

You’re not thinking this through. Sorry.

Here’s what I’m saying….in SOOOO many ways being at a large, land grant multi-campus university broadens horizons much greater than a small metro campus.

I attended WVU and Chatham (grad). WVU was by far more of a “bigger” feel.

You’re a bigger clown than Capel.

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

Of course it isn’t.

The program didn’t change with the times. And those times changed fast.

We aren’t getting kids anymore that want to hang around until they turn into grown ass men, and then go out and push kids around.

Need the right coach who can sell playing in a great building at a great school — while they prepare themselves to make money playing in 2 or 3 years. That’s our guy now.

Or a program that can pay players more than our peers. Maybe NIL is the way out. I bet Sean Miller can arrange some great NIL deals

 

[TheWerewolfFromTwilight]

It's surrounded by nothingness, but the campus itself is nice. I'm sure that's all most of the players care about, location-wise. As we see with football, a nice campus in the middle of nowhere is more than appealing to college-aged athletes whose time and money are both limited. We're not talking about a CEO who is an unwavering socialite living down there.

 

[WVUinColumbus]

LOL, you think Chestnut Hill or the neighborhood of Georgetown are diverse? LMFAO!

And yes, if someone appreciates amenities of cities, they all trump being in Blacksburg or Morgantown. If one likes cloistered, cookie cutter college towns with much less cultural, entertainment, and social amenities, then urban schools may not be for you. They aren't for everyone. Does that matter to athletes? Probably not. They're looking for coaching, and training facilities, and opportunties to get to the next level. To other students, setting can make a huge difference.

Not the neighborhoods but larger cities. Admittedly, Boston isn’t culturally diverse and was a bad example.

DC, Atlanta, Houston , NOLA, Dallas, NYC, etc would be the types of cities where urban draw MIGHT matter…..not Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, Milwaukee and other small cities.

However, the overall point remains that even the larger, more culturally diverse cities don’t really mean much in terms of being a “draw” for an athlete looking to earn NIL and prepare for the NFL/NBA.

Also, I wasn’t talking about the typical college student. I was talking specifically about athletes.

 

[9nationalchampionships]

They hired a coach who was able to bring in 2 very good shooters from his previous school. We have been unable to recruit shooters and it is too late for this staff now. They will be fired after the season and we can learn a thing from VT's strategy of hiring a coach who is successful now and wants to move to a bigger school.

Also, Blacksburg is a sleepy rural town in the middle of nowhere.

 

[Pitt79]

LOL, you think Chestnut Hill or the neighborhood of Georgetown are diverse? LMFAO!

And yes, if someone appreciates amenities of cities, they all trump being in Blacksburg or Morgantown. If one likes cloistered, cookie cutter college towns with much less cultural, entertainment, and social amenities, then urban schools may not be for you. They aren't for everyone. Does that matter to athletes? Probably not. They're looking for coaching, and training facilities, and opportunties to get to the next level. To other students, setting can make a huge difference.

Exactly, when I was younger, in my 20s, I thought it was cool being in a city, even though now I'd prefer living near a cow pasture in a place too small for a traffic light, because there's no traffic. My whole post started with this idea of why are their players so much better, in some small town? Or is it the coach, but even this coach is fairly new to VT isn't he? What happened to Curly from the 3 Stooges? and his career record is like 300-200 so he's not some hall of fame coach, so we have Capel, who seems "hip" meaning like a Dukie, experience with Master K, you'd think he could relate to these players, WTF is his problem? Almost every team we play has transfers WAY better, freshman WAY better, shooters WAY better? The only transfer he brought in that seems to really deserve to be at this level is Mo, and he's just a one year guy.

 

[recruitsreadtheseboards]

I always love how uninformed metro university fan actually thinks that it matters that a 19 yo kid attends university in an urban or non-urban setting.

Talk about being out of touch. It’s as if they think attending BC or Georgetown (I’m not even going to include Pitt because it’s a small city that isn’t as culturally diverse) trumps being in Tuscaloosa, Athens, Blacksburg, Ames, etc.

You’re not thinking this through. Sorry.

Here’s what I’m saying….in SOOOO many ways being at a large, land grant multi-campus university broadens horizons much greater than a small metro campus.

I attended WVU and Chatham (grad). WVU was by far more of a “bigger” feel.

I have made these points many of times. You are talking college kids. College kids for the most part aren't looking for museums, or if they have cool ethnic restaurants and high end places. They are college kids, pizza, burgers, wings, beer chicks.

Now as for BB though, most of your kids do come from urban settings and that is something a Pitt should have an advantage. And yes, how many times you want to run Pittsburgh down, it is not New York or Chicago, but there is a reason why so many movies are made here subbing for those cities, because it is a city that actually looks like a city!

It should be easier recruiting players here than Blacksburg, State College or Bugtussle. There is more culture that they would be familiar with. Also, unlike football, there is no Pro basketball here and as we saw when we were a top team, this place would get behind them and the Pete was a destination. The hardest ticket in town, even more than the Pens and Steelers.

 

[recruitsreadtheseboards]

Not the neighborhoods but larger cities. Admittedly, Boston isn’t culturally diverse and was a bad example.

DC, Atlanta, Houston , NOLA, Dallas, NYC, etc would be the types of cities where urban draw MIGHT matter…..not Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, Milwaukee and other small cities.

However, the overall point remains that even the larger, more culturally diverse cities don’t really mean much in terms of being a “draw” for an athlete looking to earn NIL and prepare for the NFL/NBA.

Also, I wasn’t talking about the typical college student. I was talking specifically about athletes.

Again, the dropoff from those first cities mentioned to a Pittsburgh is really not that noticeable to a 19 year old college kid. But from Pittsburgh to Morgantown or Blacksburg, it might as well be a different universe.

 

[JS School]

Va Tech has one of the better college golf courses in the country. I'm sure that's a big draw for basketball recruits.

How long until Capel adds the Schenley Park golf course to his list of excuses?

 

[anon_d97v9o3a8b6xr]

Well, I lived in Blacksburg for 15 years. Former faculty at VT, daughter went to VT undergrad and another VT grad. I lived less than 2 miles to campus. So what does Blacksburg have to offer? It’s a fantastic campus, all sports facilities in one spot right smack in the middle of campus. It’s a tight campus where everything is close and VT provides students with the best food and rec options. A really nice football stadium, a basketball arena that is getting upgraded, and a fairly new state of the art basketball practice facility. A nearly 5 million dollar improvement to weight room, fitness and nutrition for athletes. Academics are great, living options for college kids are top notch. Off campus housing great, nothing like some of the rundown shacks of Oakland some students live in. More like shadyside and squirrel hill. The town continues to improve. Lots of new food options, new hotels, new development all around. It’s the ACC, coaching staff doing fairly well, and no longer a bottom feeder in basketball. I’d move back to Blacksburg any day. But I’d also move back to Pittsburgh too. Reality, Pitt will continue to struggle to recruit top level basketball players, and a staff that doesn’t seem to be able to coach up players either.

 

[Pitt79]

...and a staff that doesn’t seem to be able to coach up players either.

Capel did come from 8 years at Duke, the 5 stars they always get, never need as much coaching up.

 

[73CAV]

There are good college basketball players who want to live in an urban environment. There are good college players who want a more bucolic setting. Not all prospects are the same. Some aren't interested in academics. Some take their studies quite seriously. You cannot lump them altogether. One of the key skills any coach needs is the ability to identify prospects who fit his school and his program. Obviously, some coaches do this better than others.

 

[Parkview57]

Also, Blacksburg is a sleepy rural town in the middle of nowhere.

Coached by a chubby, old, bald ,white guy, you know the type half of these jag-offs make fun of on here. He just kicked Pitt's ass for 3 of 4/2's and has the arrow pointing up 12-15 in current rankings of recruits) in little ol' Blacksburg because he knows what he is doing and that is what matters. The players know it, the recruits sense it when they are around the current players.

 

[upj87]

LOL, you think Chestnut Hill or the neighborhood of Georgetown are diverse? LMFAO!

And yes, if someone appreciates amenities of cities, they all trump being in Blacksburg or Morgantown. If one likes cloistered, cookie cutter college towns with much less cultural, entertainment, and social amenities, then urban schools may not be for you. They aren't for everyone. Does that matter to athletes? Probably not. They're looking for coaching, and training facilities, and opportunties to get to the next level. To other students, setting can make a huge difference.

lol, just say black..Probably a lot of "diversity" in Chestnut Hill or Georgetown just not the "diversity" you are trying to point out. Say what you mean. How bout we not talk like we are in third grade and talk like adults and bag the silly code words..

 

[CrazyPaco]

lol, just say black..Probably a lot of "diversity" in Chestnut Hill or Georgetown just not the "diversity" you are trying to point out. Say what you mean. How bout we not talk like we are in third grade and talk like adults and bag the silly code words..

No, there's really not diversity at all in Georgetown. No Latino, no black, no Indian,really, I don't even see much asian as far as the people that actually live there. Certainly absolutely no economic diversity. Why don't you tell me more about the meaning of my own sentences.

 

[Ray-Ray]

Not the neighborhoods but larger cities. Admittedly, Boston isn’t culturally diverse and was a bad example.

DC, Atlanta, Houston , NOLA, Dallas, NYC, etc would be the types of cities where urban draw MIGHT matter…..not Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, Milwaukee and other small cities.

However, the overall point remains that even the larger, more culturally diverse cities don’t really mean much in terms of being a “draw” for an athlete looking to earn NIL and prepare for the NFL/NBA.

Also, I wasn’t talking about the typical college student. I was talking specifically about athletes.

Although NOLA is diverse, it is not a large city. Slightly larger than Pittsburgh as a city population, but metro Pittsburgh has twice the population of NOLA.