News tends to be a little slow this time of year, but in the last two weeks, a number of noteworthy items about Virginia Tech sports have hit the wires and papers.  Here is my attempt to recap most of them.

Oxendine and Parker Sign

Ken Oxendine reportedly signed a two-year deal with the Atlanta Falcons (financial terms not disclosed), while Marcus Parker had earlier inked a deal with the Cincinnati Bengals (I don't know the length or dollar figures in Marcus's contract).  As of this date, I haven't heard anything regarding Tech's other two draftees in the last NFL draft, Gennaro DiNapoli and Todd Washington.

Regarding Hokies in the NFL, Lanny Dietz, who runs a great "Hokies in the NFL" web site, informs me that he is in the process of moving, which means that he is changing Internet service providers.  His page is therefore down for a while.   When Lanny is back on-line, he will let me know, and I'll post the new link to his page over on HokieCentral's Links Page.

Lanny provides a great service, and he does an excellent job of keeping everyone up to date on where former Hokies are playing and how they're doing.  In his last email to me, Lanny said that Tech has "20 (former) players on rosters with 17 teams!!! That's not counting Ray Crittenden, Eugene Chung,
Myron Newsome, Bryan Jennings, and Shawn Scales."

Druck, Pyne Drop Big Bucks for the Merryman Center

Over a week ago, Greg Roberts of Channel 10 in Roanoke reported that Jim Druckenmiller and Jim Pyne had each donated $100,000 towards completion of the Merryman Center.   The newspapers picked up the story the next day, but for some reason, they only reported Pyne's contribution.

Pyne said words to the effect of, "I'm donating this money because Frank Beamer asked me to.  Frank and Virginia Tech did a lot for me, and I want to do a little for him."

A little?  Sheesh, Jim, do "a little" for me while you're at it!   Pyne recently signed a contract with the Detroit Lions.  Must be a good one.

Speaking of the Merryman Center, it is due to open in the next few months.  I'm thinking about going by and taking pictures of the building, perhaps this weekend.   If anyone out there has a digital camera and can beat me to it, let me know, and go for it.  Send me the pictures, and I'll post them and give you your 15 minutes of fame.

Four Retirements Announced in Tech Athletic Department

Three Tech athletic department officials and a coach recently announced that they'll be retiring this summer.  This led to immediate speculation that the "retirements" were encouraged by Tech AD Jim Weaver, who may perhaps be making the first moves since he took his post that have the appearance of, shall we say, "housecleaning."

The retirements are Director of Media Relations Jack Williams, Ticket Office Manager Tom McNeer, Associate Athletic Director Danny Monk, and a tennis coach whose name I can't remember (but I believe he is the men's tennis coach).  Williams has been with Tech for 20 years, McNeer 30 years, and Monk 11 years.

For what it's worth, I haven't heard a single piece of innuendo or rumor via email to indicate that the retirements were encouraged by Mr. Weaver or anyone else, so speculations of "housecleaning" are just that - speculation.

The Latest on Al's Knee

The Richmond Times-Dispatch and The Roanoke Times are both reporting that another round of surgery on quarterback Al Clark's bad knee has been ruled out for the time being.  Clark has "made significant progress" the last couple of weeks, according to Tech orthopedic consultant Dr. Marc Siegel.  He can begin intensifying his workouts in an effort to strengthen the leg, which has grown significantly weaker than his other, uninjured leg.

Siegel is still unable to determine if Clark will ever completely heal.  But if he continues to progress as well as he has lately, Siegel will continue to rule out additional surgery.

You already know my feelings on the matter.  Talk is cheap.  I'll believe Al's healthy when I see it.  This is not a knock on Al, the coaches, or the doctor, but rather, a wait-and-see attitude that I have developed after months of hearing that he's "getting better."

Here's a link to Randy King's story in The Roanoke Times about Al's knee.

The Last Three Recruits

Only three of Tech's 1998 football recruits are still questionable academically, and one of them has officially failed to make it:  All-Group AAA defensive lineman Marlan Hicks of Kecoughtan.  Hicks, whom the Tech coaches are very high on, will attend Hargrave Military Academy next year and can now be recruited by other schools again.

The other two recruits who may have to follow Hicks's lead to prep school are Central-Lunenburg's Anthony Davis and Anthony Nelson of Kingsport, Tennessee.  I have heard various things from different sources about whether or not they're going to make it, but I don't have anything concrete to go on right now.  Suffice to say that losing Davis and Nelson would not be a good thing - both are offensive linemen, a position at which Tech needs to hang on to every available body.

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