That's right folks the Selection Committee has snubbed the Hokies for the fourth straight year. Now it hurts any year that you get passed over by the Tourney, but this year hurt more than any for Seth Greenberg and Company.
Tech presented its best case for a spot in the Big Dance than any of the past three years. The Hokies posted a 21-11 record, 9-7 conference record (IN THE ACC), won two games in the ACC Tournament, and if that's not enough, they beat the number 1 team in the nation (which is also a #1 seed in the Tournament). All of that coming with a much stronger non-conference schedule, and greater RPI. Let's also note that the NCAA expanded its field from 64 teams to 68 teams. Despite all of this, the Hokies get the shaft...again...for the fourth time in a row.
Well ladies and gents, I've got to say that I'm not that surprised. I know that one look at the statistics posted above should have guaranteed us a spot in the Tournament, but I'm still not surprised that we didn't get in. I guess I'm just so conditioned to this happening that I almost expect it to happen...and then it does.
I know you must be shocked by the fact that I'm not surprised about the Hokies latest snubbing, but what you'll find even more shocking is that I'm not that disappointed about it either. Of course I am extremely angered any time someone trashes my team and says they're not good enough, which is exactly what the NCAA Selection committee has done (4 years in a row). But I am quick to recover for one reason...The NIT.
Yes I'm serious, I actually like the National Invitation Tournament. Some of the best memories of my college career come from the NIT. The past 3 years when the Hokies were banished to the NIT, my friends complained while I rejoiced. I was actually excited. That's right, excited!
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| The gang at "our spot" 2010 |
You see I was excited because the NIT meant that I got to see the Hokies play three more games in the best roundball house in the country, Cassell Coliseum. It meant free tickets from Coach Greenburg. It meant skipping class and waiting in line to get those free tickets. It meant waking up extremely early to stand in line to get front row seats on gameday. It meant waking up even earlier than that to carefully etch a sports art masterpiece in maroon and orange on my face. It meant more students less oldies. It meant the Cassell would be loud. It meant my friends and I would be sitting at "our spot" (the first two rows on the rail by the tunnel). It meant my fraternity brothers would be spelling out HOKIES on their chests with body paint. It meant we were going to be on ESPN. It meant we were going to have a great time. Folks I'm telling you, the NIT is where it's at. It's just so American.
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| The Beginning of an Era 2008 |
It was the same great thing every year. It was just understood among my friends and I that that's how it was going to be. Now don't get me wrong. Each year was different in its own unique way, but they all shared the same format. It was like same book, different chapter...and it was a fairytale of a book.
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| Loud and Proud 2009 |
I'll never forget the great times that the under-appreciated NIT yielded to me. I'll never forget the sense of good-hearted organized chaos it produced. It was a feeling that anything could happen and that anything was possible, and we were ready for both. It was a feeling of fun, joy, and carefree bliss. It's exactly how college is supposed to be. The NIT truly embodies all the good things that make college COLLEGE.
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| The Last Hoorah 2010 |
I would even go so far as to say that the NIT is more collegiate than the NCAA Tournament, and that it has a better format. I mean think about it:
The first three rounds of the NIT are played right at the very heart of College Basketball...which is at colleges. Home is where the heart is. That's right they're played at the home courts of the top seeds, while the whole NCAA Tournament is played at characterless NBA arenas in big cities. More students and fans in general can go to the NIT games because they're in places like Blacksburg instead of in places like Denver, or Indianapolis, or Houston. It just makes more sense.
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| NIT: Homecourt Advantage at its best |
The NIT is also more competitive because every team has to have a good enough record to get in, and every team is hungry for wins. The NIT features a lot of good basketball teams from major conferences who are ticked off from missing the tournament. They try to show the selection committee what they missed out on by playing their hearts out in the NIT. The NIT teams are also more evenly matched, which makes it harder to win. All participating teams have similar records. There really are no Cindarellas, everyone has a fair chance to win...without the glass slippers. That means fans get to watch better basketball. Isn't that what people want?
And to top things off, every year the NIT ends in the same majestic place: the Mecca of basketball. I'm talking about the Garden, Madison Square Garden, the World's Most Famous Arena. I'm talking the biggest stage in basketball, inside the biggest city in the United States. I'm talking about the Statue of Liberty, the Empire State Building, the Big Apple, the four best teams battling for the championship. How could you ask for a better ending?...when you're in New York!!!
The NIT was even born before its bigger brother. That doesn't make sense, but it's true. The National Invitation Tournament started in 1938, while the NCAA Tournament picked up a year later in 1939. And yes for a while, the NIT was bigger than the NCAA Tourney. There was a time when it wasn't just a mere consolation prize as the nation's 65th best team (or now 69th), but when it was the prize for the nation's best team. My how things have changed, and my how fast we are to forget.
Hokie fans should already appreciate the NIT because the NIT represents the apex of our basketball program's success to this point. The Hokies have won two basketball championships, and both came from the NIT.
In 1973, Allan Bristow led the Fighting Gobblers to a 22-5 record and their first NIT Championship. Bobby Stevens hit a buzzer beater to give the Gobblers a 1-point win over heavily-favored Notre Dame...in overtime. Blacksburg was elated. VPI celebrated as if the Gobblers had won the National Championship. You see that's when the NIT still meant something. It was huge for our basketball program.
In 1995, Ace Custis (tha man) led the Hokies to a school record 25 wins on route to Tech's second NIT Championship. Ace and the Hokies had to battle, scratch, and claw their way to the Big Apple. This included a last second win against New Mexico State in the Cassell. Tech's Center (yes, Center) Travis Jackson hit a go ahead three-pointer (yes, three-pointer) to give the Hokies a 64-61 win, and a trip to Madison Square Garden. Enjoy this video of the last second win. Just look at how packed the Cassell was, and how excited everyone was...excited for the NIT. In the NIT Championship game, the excitement reached an apex. The Hokies once again find themselves in a dog fight with the Marquette Golden Eagles (earlier that year, Marquette won the first meeting between the two teams by a final of 57-54). The game goes to overtime. Marquette has a one point lead (64-63) with time expiring, and then SLAP! Tech Forward Shawn Smith is fouled with 0.7 seconds left on the clock. It's all up to Smith whether Tech wins, loses, or heads to a second overtime. Marquette calls a timeout to try and ice him. Smith, as cool as a cucumber, knocks down both shots and the Hokies win their second NIT Championship!
How about that? Both of Tech's NIT Championships were one-point overtime victories. Now that's how championship games should be everytime, and that's how they have been for the Hokies.
Tech fans should also appreciate the NIT because the NIT appreciates Virginia Tech. They want us, the Tournament does not. For 3 of the past 4 years Tech has been a one seed in the NIT. I've got to say that it feels good to be the first person on the guest list...even if it is "just the NIT." It feels good to be appreciated, and the National Invitation Tournament sure appreciates us.
Hokie fans should already appreciate the NIT because the NIT represents the apex of our basketball program's success to this point. The Hokies have won two basketball championships, and both came from the NIT.
In 1973, Allan Bristow led the Fighting Gobblers to a 22-5 record and their first NIT Championship. Bobby Stevens hit a buzzer beater to give the Gobblers a 1-point win over heavily-favored Notre Dame...in overtime. Blacksburg was elated. VPI celebrated as if the Gobblers had won the National Championship. You see that's when the NIT still meant something. It was huge for our basketball program.
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| Commemorative Poster celebrating VPI's 1973 NIT Championship |
How about that? Both of Tech's NIT Championships were one-point overtime victories. Now that's how championship games should be everytime, and that's how they have been for the Hokies.
Tech fans should also appreciate the NIT because the NIT appreciates Virginia Tech. They want us, the Tournament does not. For 3 of the past 4 years Tech has been a one seed in the NIT. I've got to say that it feels good to be the first person on the guest list...even if it is "just the NIT." It feels good to be appreciated, and the National Invitation Tournament sure appreciates us.
Folks I've done almost all I can do to try and change the ugly image of the NIT that you probably have in your eyes. Almost is the keyword. I've got one last secret weapon left to polish your thoughts on the National Invitation Tournament. It's an image that's guaranteed to change your opinion of the NIT in a single glance. Behold the greatness. Feast your eyes...
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| The Man, The Myth, The Legend: Dell Curry 1984 NIT |
BAM!!! How 'bout dem apples? How 'bout dem Hokies? This is Hokie Hero Dell Curry taking on South Alabama in the 1984 National Invitation Tournament. Yes he's shooting a red, white, and blue ABA basketball (only in the NIT). Check out those sweet uniforms. The classic script Hokies jerseys, with the Maroon and Orange piping. You can't beat that! How about those shorts? A tad too short...yes, yet really awesome...you better believe it! The old school VT logo on the hips, the Maroon and Orange wasteband and trim...that's what's up. That's effective logo placement. Legit. Even South Alabama's uniforms are pretty cool. I mean they say USA on the front, how cool is that? Check out Dell's classy (now retro) Converses. That's what Larry Bird and Magic Johnson were talkin' about. Oh what I would pay for a pair of those beauties. The only thing that eclipses this picture's awesomeness is its lack of distribution. I photocopied this from my throwback mint condition 1984 Tech Basketball Media Guide. You're Welcome. Now from this point forward when you think of the NIT, I want you to think of this picture in all of its Hokie Hoops glory. See, I knew I could get you to see the NIT in a positive light.
And if you're a Virginia Tech student, I've got some special requests for you. First I want you to go out, buy yourself some face paint. Step Two: apply the facepaint. Step Three: A.D. Vassallo, AD is always for three. Step Five: Go to Cassell tonight. Step Four: Get there early. Step Six: Be loud, Be proud Step Seven: Make some memories you'll never forget.
NIKE: Just Do It. Go to the NIT games. You'll be glad you went. Have fun, yell for me, and most importantly GO HOKIES!!!
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