The message board posters finally filled up the board with posts about the men's basketball team, but the problem is, it wasn't a pretty sight. A rumor started making the rounds that both Dennis Mims and Rolan Roberts were considering transferring, and might not enroll in classes to start the Spring Semester.

Naturally, this flared the board up with a boatload of "Hussey must go!" posts, and Hussey's supporters stepped in to defend him. Back and forth it went all day long, until late in the day, several posters and Tech insiders reported that Rolan and Dennis had both been sighted in class, were both enrolled, and would remain on the Tech basketball team. So the rumor died on the vine, and the message board was left on Tuesday with a morning-after rumor hangover to deal with.

You have no doubt noticed my silence on Bobby Hussey's coaching status, and one long-time HokieCentral member and poster emailed me and suggested that I step forward and give my opinion. He felt, however, that I would dodge the issue, knowing my penchant for lobbing softballs and taking middle of the road stands on most issues.

He's right. I have never been one to rock the boat on matters such as this, and once again, I choose to keep my opinion to myself. For now. While nearly all of you operate in anonymity on the message board, I have no such luxury. If I don't already know the people I write about, I very often will eventually meet them face to face, so I'm careful every step of the way not to say things that will make total strangers want to slug me when they finally meet me for the first time.

But for those who know me and who have read the site for a decent length of time, my disappointment in this year's team is evident. I'm not happy, and certainly, I shouldn't be. And you don't need to read between the lines to know what way I'm thinking, because I'm the same person who said, in a December 21 News and Notes update, "I'm never one to push the panic button, but my own personal opinion is that the wheels are about to completely fly off of this basketball team, and that when they do, a loud crash is going to follow."

The vultures are gathering, and in the Bobby Hussey camp, they're circling their wagons and trying to get through a basketball season that is still young and promises only more turmoil and struggle ahead. In time, I will certainly have my say, but mid-season is neither the time nor the place to say what I want to say.

There is still a team full of young men and a coaching staff packed with individuals who desperately want to win, not just to save their jobs and their pride, but because "winning beats the heck out of losing." They're working hard every day, and I'll do them the honor of supporting them and letting them play out a full season before I take a look at the results and pass judgment from my cushy chair in front of my computer. Rest assured, when the time comes, you'll know how I feel, and what direction I think the team ought to go in.

But that day won't come until the basketballs have been put away and the nets have been taken down on another season. We'll talk then, not now.

On the other end of the spectrum, the buzz is building for Friday's triumphant return home of (say it with me) the only undefeated women's basketball team in the country.

Bonnie's talented team has not played in Cassell Coliseum since January 4^th, and they haven't played in front of the students since December 12^th, ages ago. After that December 12 win against Duquesne, the Hokies were only a piddling 8-0, and their current 16-0 record was far off in the future.

In the five weeks since then, Bonnie's team has run roughshod through its schedule, has knocked off a fierce conference rival on national TV, is rapidly making a name for itself, and currently stands as (all together now) the only undefeated women's basketball team in the country. It will be interesting to see how big - and how rowdy - Friday night's crowd is for a visit by St. Joseph's, which is a solid team that is undefeated in-conference.

The game is at 7 p.m. on Friday, and it's not out of the question that the women could break their attendance record of just over 5,000, set against UVa earlier this year. Certainly, St. Joe's doesn't have the cachet of UVa, but at this point, I think the Hokie fans are checking out the Hokies, not the opponents.

If Friday night isn't your cup of tea, then you can catch the Hokies against Temple just two days later, on Sunday afternoon, at 2 p.m. Or heck, see them both.

Reliable sources report that Hokie alum and former Channel 10 (Roanoke) sports broadcaster Greg Roberts has landed on his feet and will be going to work for ISP (International Sports Properties), the company that produces and markets Tech's radio and television packages.

Greg will not be replacing Bill Roth or Mike Burnop, who are also employed by ISP, and as a matter of fact, Greg's job responsibilities with ISP have not been determined yet. From what I understand, Greg will be a full-time employee of ISP.

ISP feels that the Hokies are becoming a hot broadcast commodity, and they are looking to renew their contract with Tech, which has one more year. Hiring Greg, a Hokie fan favorite, is a step in the right direction.

Congrats to Greg, and hats off to ISP for a smart move.

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