ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Thursday, March 28, 1996 TAG: 9603280040
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
COLUMN: TECH NOTES
DATELINE: BLACKSBURG
SOURCE: RANDY KING STAFF WRITER
Only hours after Virginia Tech beat Texas in the Sugar Bowl, Hokies coach Frank Beamer was asked about the school's $6 million athletic complex in the works.
``I expect to see some bulldozers rolling when I get back to Blacksburg,'' Beamer said.
Nearly three months later, there are no 'dozers rolling yet. But they're coming, Tech athletic director Dave Braine said Wednesday.
``My feeling is we'll break ground on it sometime after football season this year,'' Braine said.
He said Tech has raised more than $5 million in private funds through pledges and commitments for the two-story, 48,000-square-foot structure that Beamer calls ``imperative'' for his football program to compete with the nation's elite.
The building, which will be called the Merryman Center, will include a conditioning and weightlifting complex, a multipurpose gymnasium and an expanded area for sports medicine and training. The second floor will house an academic training center, new classroom area and 130-seat auditorium, which will be used as a meeting room for coaches and players.
Braine said the building's final price tag likely will be close to $7 million, still leaving Tech some $2 million short. But Braine said he's confident the money will be raised by the end of this football season, if not sooner.
``We started in the middle of October last year and to have $5 million in pledges and commitments right now is unbelievable,'' Braine said. ``As soon as we have the final figures, we'll be able to start with it.''
Can the facility be ready for the 1997 season?
``Partially yes, partially no,'' he said.
Braine said one phase of the project - renovation of the Hokies' locker room - will start at the end of Tech's spring practice session, which concludes April 20.
That alone is enough to get Beamer excited.
``That's the same dressing room I dressed in, and that's lot of fourth quarters ago,'' said Beamer, who played at Tech from 1966-68.
``We have put down some new carpet since then.''
Beamer said the extra space is mandatory if Tech wants to continue to compete at a high level. The coach noted that most of Tech's main competitors - both in the Big East Conference and the region - have enhanced their facilities recently.
When asked in October to rate Tech's facilities on a one-through-10 basis (with one being the best) against schools he recruits against, Beamer replied ``a 10.''
``Maybe I shouldn't say a 10, because we've got good facilities. They're OK. Thing is, everybody else has improved theirs.
``I do think we can go from from a 10 to a 1 real quickly, and that's what I'm looking for. To me, I'm not interested in being as good as so and so. I want to be the best ... the best in the Big East, the best in the Eastern part of the United States.''
As important as the facility is, Beamer said the message it sends may be more critical to prospective high school recruits.
``I think having a building like this one says what are your intentions, where is your program going,'' Beamer said. ``I think it says, `Hey, we want the best facilities because we want the best program and we want to continue to build this national reputation.'''
OTHER CONSTRUCTION: Any bulldozers caught on site this spring and summer will be working in connection with two other Tech athletic projects - a new track-soccer complex and new baseball press box.
``The baseball project is under way, and the track-soccer complex will start soon,'' Braine said. ``Both should be complete by the end of August.''
SPRING DEAL: Beamer said he and his staff will get a strong read on personnel during the four-week spring period that culminates with the annual Maroon-White game April 20 at Lane Stadium.
``I tell our players, `You're working for playing time,''' Beamer said. ``We'll come out of spring and we'll say this guy is ready to play 20 plays, this guy is ready to be a starter, or this guy is a little soft.
``Now the situation can change during the summer. Some guy might not lift a weight during the summer and his stock goes down. Another guy might go all-out, and you say, `This guy needs another evaluation.'
``But we'll come out with a real good idea of who's ready to play, who's not ready to play and how many plays we think they can play.''
SCHOOL TIES: To avoid arguments like last year when Tech and Miami tied for the Big East regular-season football title, the league has adopted a tie-breaker for 1996.
If two teams tie in the standings, the winner of the head-to-head meeting will win the tie-breaker unless the loser of the game is ranked at least four spots higher than the winner in the final regular season Associated Press poll.
Last year, the lack of a tie-breaker nearly robbed Tech of a Sugar Bowl bid after the Hokies and Miami finished tied at 6-1 in the league. Although Tech beat Miami and finished 11th in the final AP regular-season rankings - 10 spots higher than Miami - the Alliance bowls could have selected the Hurricanes over the Hokies had the 'Canes not been banned by the NCAA.
LENGTH: Medium: 96 linesby CNB