It’s That Time Of Year, And For Some Reason I’m Feeling Quite Positive

In my house, August 1 means it’s time to put away the childish things of the past six months, and turn your focus to more mature, manly things.

Like football.

It’s always been my favorite time of the year, but to be honest, this year it’s different, although I have some significant concerns about my heart.

It has nothing to do with my health, no far from it. But for the first time in quite a while, I have big expectations of both my favorite teams – Virginia Tech and the Commanders – and that makes me a bit uneasy, particularly when both teams last season offered fare comparable to the fast food meals served over the past month that gifted explosive diarrhea to its patrons.

As a wise man once advised me when it came to having favorite teams, these organizations will bring you both joy and sorrow, and while they will occasionally give you incredible highs, they will more often than not, in the end, break your heart.

At Virginia Tech, I’m not sure I’ve ever seen a program answer every complaint I’ve ever had in one offseason like the Hokies have. Last year they were very shaky at quarterback and this year you could book a tee time for a foursome for the number of folks in the quarterback room who can step on the field and contribute immediately.

Hokie teams of the past weren’t necessarily flashy on offense, but always seemed to have a stable of very competent running backs and an offensive line that had been developed over years in the weight room with significant depth. Last year both were near anorexic they were so thin.

Both have now ballooned back to respectable proportions.

The improvements have gone well beyond the playing field as you have an experienced head coach in James Franklin and a management structure throughout the athletic department that is finally suited for the modern age. For decades the athletic department – despite its occasional successes – was run like a roadside mom and pop convenience store on the side of a two-lane road.

Now it’s a Buc-ee’s on a major interstate.

So improved has the entire situation in Blacksburg become that when us old boomers get together and talk about the Hokies, the first phrase most often uttered is “can you believe it?” followed by “did we die, nobody told us, and this is all a dream?”

The Commanders’ future isn’t quite as bright, but logic seems to indicate if they were really good two years ago, really bad last year because of a lot of key injuries, and now with another round of draft choice additions and folks getting healthy…they should be a lot closer to two years ago than one year ago.

As if logic had anything to do with your hopes for a favorite team.

In any event, the roller coast ride for both seasons begins today. I scoff at the people who think 7 wins is a reasonable target for the Hokies, thinking if they don’t win at least nine, it ain’t fine. I equally scoff at people who think the Commanders aren’t deep enough at certain positions to be competitive again, believing there are a few players – Jayden Daniels in particular – who have a fire burning inside them to prove last season was the fluke, not two seasons ago.

I will readily admit I’ve been wrong before and will be wrong again.

But I just have a feeling about this year. It seems different.

So different, in fact, that perhaps THIS will finally be the season when both teams in the end…don’t break my heart.