Support the university, not the coaches

I have wanted to see change on the coaching staff for a few years now. The only way Weaver and/or Steger will get the message is if money stops coming in, but like most of you I still want to support Virginia Tech. My solution was to take my Hokie Club donation and give it directly to the school. I encourage everyone who is unsatisfied with the old boys club of coaches paying themselves exorbitant salaries and putting blame for their failures onto a bunch of 18-22 year old kids to do the same until changes are made on the staff. A few points:

1. The university really needs it. Some departments are struggling for money, especially since the recession caused cuts in state funding and losses in the endowment.

2. The money will go to scholarships, academic/residential facilities and research, and not outrageously high assistant coach salaries and bonuses. http://www.collegiatetimes.com/databases/salaries/virginia-tech?name=sti...

3. I know a lot of you have season tickets that you enjoy and don't want to give up. It's possible you can split your donation and still keep your tickets.

4. Hokie Club allows you to earmark your donation for certain sports, but money is fungible and doing so won't really send the message that you're unsatisfied with the football program.

5. The coaching staff needs to be reminded they work for us, the university students, faculty and alumni. They act like the athletic department is their kingdom and its endowment is their personal treasury.

6. It will work, and the subsequent improvement will help the university and all the athletic programs.

I have brought this up before and it seems to make some people really mad. If you think it's a bad idea, that's fine. Don't get mad at me. All any of us want to do is help the university.

http://www.givingto.vt.edu/