Our family has lived in Blacksburg for 45 years, and we have followed the ups and downs of Virginia Tech football over all that time. In earlier years, it was mostly "downs." Recently we have seen a sequence of "ups," so much so that we may have become spoiled.

In 1992, Tech football was 2-8-1. But the next year we went 8-3 and were invited to the Independence Bowl, where we beat Indiana. In 1999, we had an undefeated season, before losing to a strong Florida State team in the national title game. Since then, we have had both good seasons, and very good seasons. So much so, that I anticipate many, if not most, ACC schools would exchange their football program for ours.

What happened recently in New Orleans? We outplayed Michigan - their fans would probably concur. Still, we lost. That happens in life. The better side doesn't always win.

But we do have an outstanding coaching staff and head coach. Consider, Frank Beamer has more wins than any other active FBS coach. And Virginia Tech is the only school in the FBS to win 10 games in each of the past eight seasons. With last year's No. 21 finish in the AP poll, Tech has been the highest-rated ACC school seven of the last eight years.

Are the fans supportive? Lane Stadium has been sold out for 87 consecutive games. And are we producing student athletes? In eight of the past 10 years, Tech has graduated at least 70 percent of its football class, a figure close to the university average.

I'd like to add another perspective: For bettor or worse, I seem to have raised children and grandchildren who are football fanatics. All have either attended Tech or another ACC school (including the one in Charlottesville). All still live within reasonable driving distance of Lane Stadium.

In addition to watching football, have they received a good education? I think so. My assumption was reinforced with a recent Wall Street Journal study which contrasted the academic reputation of FBS schools one with another, and then one conference with another. Three conferences were clustered together with relatively strong reputations: The Big Ten, the ACC and the Pac-12. The other three BCS conferences were also clustered together, but far below.

As an aside, the two schools competing for the 2011 national title were individually ranked well below their conference average, which was well below the average of the ACC.

What does this mean? Possibly very little to the football fan who is focused exclusively on bowl victories. For my part, I'm pleased that the reputation of the degrees obtained by my children and grandchildren are at least comparable to the won-loss record of the football team. Both are very respectable.

Spring practice will be here soon, and then the spring game. Commencement follows, and we'll turn loose some youngsters who are well-equipped to make their way in the world. Good health permitting, I'll be attending both events.

Paul E. Torgersen

President Emeritus, Virginia Tech

Blacksburg

VT women's basketball team treated poorly

I attended Friday's Virginia Tech women's basketball game against Clemson. I had read about the struggles of the program, but after watching the game, I see it was much worse than I had imagined.

I don't believe the state of the program is the fault of the coach or the players. I put this squarely on AD Jim Weaver.

Last season after former coach Beth Dunkenburger left, Weaver sent a message to all involved in the women's basketball program: We don't really care about women's basketball.

Instead of an exhaustive, national search for a leader for the future, what did Weaver do? He turned the program over to someone who had never coached women and was serving as director of basketball operations for the men's team.

Now, I am not criticizing Dennis Wolff, he may be a great coach. And this is not an argument on coaching men versus women. But when he was hired, the first thing that went through my mind was: "Wow, Weaver put no effort into that."

Wolff was the easy hire. This program needed someone to come in an energize and revitalize it - someone who was "the right fit," not someone that was easy to find.

Like the old saying goes: You get out of something, what you put into it.

Glen Richardson

Salem

Hokies are lucky to have Greenberg in charge

I was very frustrated after reading The Roanoke Times' Feb. 1 story on Virginia Tech men's basketball coach Seth Greenberg ("Tech coach not on hot seat").

I think Greenberg has done an excellent job. In times like now, you truly see who are fair-weather fans. With the challenges Seth has faced in the last two years he has done amazing. In the last four years, Tech had three years of 21-plus wins, and the other year was 19 wins. This was a lot more than anyone had us winning, and yet we got snubbed by the NCAA committee the last two years, which everyone agrees was wrong.

I just want everyone to know I am a Seth Greenberg fan. I have seen his work ethic and am amazed at the pace he keeps. Most importantly, he is a great father and family man, which speaks volumes of who he is.

He is a great asset of Virginia Tech.

Todd Porth

Blacksburg

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