There’s a joke about Virginia Tech athletics: The Hokies are often a few years late to the party on everything. We won’t get into the context there, but if you follow Virginia Tech sports, you’ll understand.
Since being hired by Barstool Sports in late 2024, former NFL head coach Jay Gruden has been receiving packages from college and professional sports teams. Almost every day, like clockwork, Gruden releases a video on X that shows him opening a package. The packages contain team gear from school
and pro teams from around the country — football, basketball and baseball.
For months, Virginia Tech fans have clamored: Why not us? Why has athletic director Whit Babcock not made sure that Gruden receives a box full of Hokie gear? I mean, even Roanoke College got in on the action recently.
That all changed this week. Virginia Tech didn’t send a package — the Hokies sent three boxes: three nice boxes, all adorned with the Hokie bird.
Check it out:
There was plenty of licensed Hokie gear in the box, including multiple helmets and a mini Commonwealth Cup. Gruden shows his knowledge of Virginia Tech, too, naming several former Hokies. He missed a few notable ones, but we won’t hold it against him.
This was great. And it was long overdue. Now, we beg, why can’t Virginia Tech or Nike put some of this cool gear with the Hokie bird on sale for fans to buy? The Hokies are missing out on numerous marketing opportunities. Like we said a few weeks ago, Neoklis Avdalas’ No. 17 jersey should be hanging in every storefront in Blacksburg and the New River Valley.
Anyhow, the Hokies made us wait, but it was well worth the wait.
