It’s the doldrums. We have one big finale baseball series with the Hoos, and the softball NCAA playoffs and that is it. The world of Virginia Tech Athletics comes to a sleepy Summer crawl. We have some plans for covering some of the activities going on in Blacksburg and on campus. Virginia Tech never stops but Summer sessions aren’t the same as Fall and Spring.

That being said there are some interesting things going on and if the usual holds true, Summer in the New River Valley is lovely. For those of you who forget, it rarely gets above 90, here. Most Summer days the temperatures peak in the mid 80s. The sunsets are beautiful over the mountains and the breeze is a regular feature, rarely strong, but always moving along and moving the air.

There are two big events left on the calendar for the ball teams. Baseball is hosting the Wahoos for the final Commonwealth Clash of the season.

The Softball team is headed to Lexington, Kentucky to play a double elimination Regional against Kentucky, Toledo, and Illinois. Let’s which then good luck. The action starts Friday and should be on an ESPN channel.

Summer is also orientation time. The new Hokies and some part of their families (sometimes all of their families) head to campus to go through the seminars, eat a few meals at D2, learn “Old Hokie”, and sign up for all of the different required and optional things.; Hokie P, Classes, vaccination checks, honor code intros, how you pay your tuition (actually that might be the most important seminar for the parents). It’s really fun to see the herds of parents and kids in the kitsch stores along Main Street. It’s a great time for spotting the newest Hokie gear – though we locals tend to buy later, when the stores are dumping unsold inventory.

The big events for the Summer will be covered this year. Independence Day is right across the street in the Municipal Park, we’ll take a peek at the fun and give you a sense of the day; both on Facebook and here at Gobbler Country. Stepping Out (it used to be Deadwood Days – whatever happened to that?) is the big August excuse to have a street party, so we’ll have some fun showing you that. However; short of a hot game of Ultimate Frisbee on the Drill Field, the live sports reporting is just going to have to wait until the grand opening at Fall (Late Summer) Practice and Fan Appreciation Day 2019.

Here is what we have planned as we hit the long form and interest part of the GC schedule.

Bryan is going to do a player review of the rosters of the past. Starting 99 days from kickoff, each day, we’ll use a number from a past VT player for the countdown and do a post on him. Some of the pieces will be small, some longer, but you’ll have to check to see who crops up.

I’ll be dealing with a continuation of the long term series about fixing the NCAA and college sports, in general. I’ll also be talking football theory and a “wish list” for what might be an idea to recharge things.

Our Multimedia contributor, Kathryn will start working on the effort to bring podcasting to Gobbler Country. Our intent is to mix both joint multi-segment shows and small format half segment with single segment shows. We are currently thinking up the titles and working broadcast scripts. Announcements will be forthcoming over the next two months.

We’ll also get some surveys out. We want to get some feedback on what you all are doing this Summer. I know that the Nationals are flat awful. We want to hear what sports Hokies watch when they aren’t watching the Hokies.

So let’s congratulate the graduates of the Class of 2019 and get ready for Summer.

GO HOKIES!!!!