Notre Dame Football: Enter Sandman Is Trash And Other Reasons To Stop Fearing Blacksburg

It seems like anytime I provide a solid opinion anymore, it is always in need of a full disclaimer to weed out the many that shout “HATER” my way. So... let’s get this out of the way.

I’m a college football fan. Yes, I love the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and bleed blue and gold, but I love the sport of college football more. It’s important to know the difference because some Notre Dame fans (and fans of other schools as well) live in their school’s bubble and have a hard time grasping the overall concept of college football.

Being as such, I have about a dozen schools that I like to keep track of (which was way more fun when there was a video game — but I digress). Want to know a few of them? Well too bad because here are a handful:

• Tennessee Volunteers
• Eastern Michigan Eagles #HuronsForever #TruEMU
• East Carolina Pirates
• Cincinnati Bearcats
• Clemson Tigers (more pre-Dabo though)
• Indiana Hoosiers
• Virginia Tech Hokies

Yep... the Hokies. Tough defensive team with great uniforms (and I loved watching Michael Vick play football). I would never buy any Virginia Tech gear, BUT I did buy a maroon sweatshirt with orange letters (it was Abercrombie & Fitch BUT DON’T YOU DARE JUDGE ME — IT WAS LIKE 1999).

So look y’all, I have a lot of respect for Virginia Tech. I’m not about to trash them because I hate them. I’m going to trash them for this fake aura surrounding games at Lane Stadium.

Man that was a long disclaimer. HERE WE GO!!!

ENTER SANDMAN IS HOT GARBAGE

I get it. People get really REALLY excited for Virginia Tech’s entrance. It’s loud and it’s something that’s entirely different than pretty much anywhere else in the country. It really gets a stadium full of people up and ready for action.

It’s also just a bad choice in music.

Don’t get me wrong as I have been a Metallica fan for a long time, but any song from the Black album (and beyond) is just reaching. Enter Sandman wouldn’t be in my Top 10 of Metallica songs for an entrance. Frankly, It’s the kind of song selection I would think that Notre Dame would choose — and that ain’t good man. With Harvester of Sorrow, For Whom the Bell Tolls, Seek And Destroy, and Blackened available... Virginia Tech really went soft here.

Sorry not sorry... lame.

RANKED TEAMS SPANK THE TURKEY

For a few years (at least) people keep talking about Lane Stadium as some sort of death hole for opposing teams. Like IF YOU COME TO LANE THE METALLICA AND THE LUNCHPAIL WILL RIP YOUR SOUL FROM YOUR BODY AND SEND IT TO HADES.

The truth is something different entirely.

Virginia Tech has not beat a ranked opponent inside CRAZY DEATH HOLE LANE STADIUM since 2009. TWO THOUSAND AND NINE Y’ALL. They are 0-6 over the past 9 years when a ranked team has invaded Blacksburg.

• 2011 #13 Clemson - 23-3 LOSS
• 2012 #10 Florida State - 28-22 LOSS
• 2015 #1 Ohio State - 42-24 LOSS
• 2015 #17 North Carolina - 30-27 LOSS
• 2015 #23 Duke 45-43 LOSS
• 2017 #2 Clemson - 31-17 LOSS

Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images

For the record... Notre Dame is ranked #6 and they just beat the #7 team inside Notre Dame Stadium (just sayin).

So for all of the theatrics and ceremonial fluff, the Hokies just can’t translate that hype into wins (hey we know it’s tough). The only games listed above that weren’t night games, were the tragic losses to their neighbors just south; North Carolina Tar Heels and Duke Blue Devils.

COME TO THINK OF IT... NON-RANKED TEAMS WIN THERE TOO

Over the past 5 years, Virginia Tech is 19-12 at home against all opponents (2013-2017). A WHOPPING 9 of those wins have come against non Power 5 schools:

• Western Carolina
• Marshall
• William & Mary
• Western Michigan
• Furman
• Liberty
• East Carolina
• Delaware
• Old Dominion

That means that the Hokies are 10-11 against Power 5 schools inside Lane Stadium. They also lost a game to East Carolina.

And that’s what this now legendary home field intimidation gets them?

DON’T MAKE A FUSS AND DON’T TAKE IT LIGHTLY

Look, people will die on a hill trying to proclaim that Lane Stadium has some magical powers that grant Virginia Tech wins... but that’s just not the case. Too much is made of their atmosphere at home, and I blame ESPN and overzealous fans. It’s cool man, but it isn’t really doing much for you (looking right at you Turkey).

At the same time, things can change in an instant. It’s still an away game for the Irish and the first hostile crowd they will see since the Miami debacle last year. Fans should be cautious of their expectations here, but in no way should they keep spitting out the company line that Lane Stadium IS LIKE A VOLCANO IMPLODING TO BRING YOU TO THE EARTH’S CORE TO MELT AND DIE.

It’s a road game against a borderline top 25 team that lost its starting quarterback, and hasn’t beat any team of note. That’s all it is. Lumberjacks love a good turkey shoot.

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