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The shirt that celebrates the Hokies' current reign as the FOOTBALL KINGS of the Commonwealth. Features the official VT logo on the left chest and, on back, the proud Hokie Bird standing with the Commonwealth Cup. Back text reads: Proud owners of the Commonwealth Cup since 1999!

• Hanes Beefy-T.
• 100% Heavyweight ringspun cotton.
• Full-cut, 6.1 oz, taped neck.
• Large graded collar, double needle stitching on sleeves and hem.

To order, click the picture or click here.

TechSideline.com is pleased to welcome Quote Advantage as a new TSL sponsor. Quote Advantage is a national Life Insurance brokerage that was founded by four Hokies, and we're very fortunate to have them as one of our current sponsors.

If you're one of the 90 million Americans without enough Life Insurance, then you need to give these guys serious consideration. Their goal is to educate and inform the consumer about insurance products and insurance prices.

The service they provide is simple -- Quote Advantage Online is a free consumer focused service that provides personalized quotes from hundreds of insurers across the country. You enter your data on-line, they shop the insurers, and provide you with a quote.

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• FREE Instant Life Insurance quotes
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Whether you're in perfect health or have impairments like asthma, high cholesterol, or diabetes, they can find the policy that's right for you. Give them a try today - and don't forget to refer your friends and family.

The Hokies went one for two on verbal commitments Friday, snagging LB Vince Hall from the clutches of UNC, but losing RB Rodney Kinlaw to Penn State.

Hall said, among other things, that he just felt at home at Virginia Tech, that he was familiar with the program, and that VT is a chance to step in and start winning right away. For more comments from Vince, see the TSL Pass update.

Meanwhile, Kinlaw's commitment to PSU means that the Hokies are, at best, 1-for-4 against the Nittany Lions. Tech lost WR Terrell Golden and Kinlaw to PSU, plus, to a lesser extent, OL Joel Holler. Tech won the Hall battle over PSU, though PSU wasn't in Hall's final two.

Now for a review of the week: The news coming out of last weekend's visits was good news. No players committed (you wouldn't really expect that, at this point), but Bethel DE Chris Ellis spoke very highly of his visit and gave the slight advantage to Tech after arriving back home. Ellis has since leveled the playing field among his four finalists: VT, Virginia, Maryland, and Tennessee.

Phoebus LB Xavier Adibi narrowed his list down to Virginia Tech and Tennesee upon his return from VT. Both he and Ellis canceled visits this weekend to N.C. State. Ellis has said that there's a good possibility that he and Adibi will both attend the same school, and Virginia Tech is the only remaining choice that they have in common.

Ellis, as of this writing, had no specific date or time set yet for his decision. Adibi will announce his commitment at 2 pm Tuesday at his school.

VT Coach Frank Beamer has always said that if the Hokies can get a player to visit Tech, that they like their chances with him. That appears to be the case with Robinson ATH Chase Anastasio, who was perceived as a UVa lean for a long time. But upon visiting VT last weekend and returning, Anastasio has VT right up there at the top of his list, along with UVa and Notre Dame. The latest on Anastasio is that he will take the weekend to think and will announce his decision on Monday morning.

Hargrave Military Academy Coach Bob Prunty said that he believes ATH Michael Hinton favors VT over his other finalist, NC State.

VT will entertain a handful of visitors this weekend, on the last visit weekend of recruiting. The big uncommitted prospect that will be in the 'Burg is North Carolina QB prospect Cory Holt, who speaks very highly of VT and is all but signed, sealed, and delivered for Tech. Holt has said he's 95% sure he wants to go to VT, but wants to take his visit first.

Holt will be accompanied by VT verbal Nick Marshman, plus a handful of recruited walk-ons. The Hokies will also get a visit from DelRay Beach WR prospect David Clowney, a player so new to the VT recruiting scene that we don't yet have a database entry on him. We'll get to work on it.

You can keep up with VT recruiting in much greater detail with a subscription to our TechSideline Pass service. TSL Pass costs $34.95 per year, but monthly ($4.95) and quarterly ($10.95) subscriptions are also available. Click here to subscribe.

This Week in Tech Sports

The Hokie men's basketball team, riding high last week after victories over Providence and Virginia, crash-landed back to earth this week. Tech dropped a tough 62-59 decision to St. John's last Saturday, and then got absolutely hammered by Boston College, 95-74, in an ugly Tuesday night game.

The losses drop Tech to 8-10 overall, 1-4 in the Big East and last in their division. The Hokies will play five games on the road in February, and that doesn't bode well, because Tech has lost 24 of their last 25 road games (a win over WVU last year being the sole exception). It all starts with a Saturday game at Providence at 7:30 pm.

In women's basketball, the Hokies lost a 67-66 overtime heartbreaker to Miami that saw Tech commit an unbelievable 31 turnovers. Miami did everything they could to give the game to the Hokies, including missing 16 of 26 free throws, but though the Hokie women battled hard, it wasn't their night.

The loss sets Tech's record to 13-5 overall, 4-3 in the Big East and in 7th place. The Hokies play Providence at home Saturday in a 2 pm tipoff.

Keep up to date with VT men's and women's hoops on TSL's Men's Hoops and Women's Hoops pages.

In football news, Virginia Tech placed six players on the 2002 Big East All-Academic Football Team: Jacob Gibson, Billy Hardee, Ken Keister, Jeff King, Chris Shreve, and Jordan Trott.

The All-Academic Team recognizes letterwinners who have posted a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or better.  Student-athletes who have completed a minimum of two semesters of academic work are eligible. It is the 11th consecutive season the BIG EAST has honored its student-athletes with an academic team.

TechSideline Pass - $34.95 a Year

TechSideline.com is your one-stop shop for all Virginia Tech sports information, commentary and discussion. We're extremely excited to announce that we are now providing our subscribers with full-time exclusive football recruiting coverage, as well as subscribers-only message boards (as requested!). We have our usual great staff of writers to give you the finest coverage of the Hokies that you can get. Take your fanship to the next level with a TechSideline Pass subscription!

For more info on TechSideline Pass, and to subscribe, click here. To give TSL Pass as a gift (one-year subscriptions only), click here.

-- Will Stewart

Grades for the 2002 Football Season: The Defense
by Will Stewart, TechSideline.com, 1/30/03, 4:00 pm
Let's get something out of the way right off the bat: This review of the defense is not going to be kind.
in TSL Pass

Advance Auto Parts Hokie Hotline Notes
by Will Stewart, TechSideline.com, 1/29/03, 4:20 pm
Monday night's Advance Auto Parts Hokie Hotline show originated from Beamer's restaurant in Christiansburg. The show featured Virginia Tech Athletic Director Jim Weaver and Hokie men's basketball coach Ricky Stokes.
in Hotline Notes

End of This Year's Hokie Hoops Renaissance?
by Will Stewart, TechSideline.com, 1/27/03, 11:20 pm
Wednesday night, the Hokie men's basketball team will face off with Boston College in the last game of a critical four-game home stand, and I find myself wondering: how many people will show up?
in TSL Columnists

Inside the Numbers: Red Zone Offense
by Kevin Cuddihy, 1/27/03, 1:15 am
First come the drums ... then the woos ... then pelvic thrusts and the thrice-chanted words. STICK IT IN! STICK IT IN! STICK IT IN! If you're a Hokie fan you know what that means. We're in the Red Zone!
in TSL Pass