Frank Beamer: Maybe It's Time To Resign

Frank Beamer: Resignation would be best for all, I suspect.

Some of the Hokie faithful have increased the volume of their screams for the head of football coach Frank Beamer following the ignominious double-overtime loss to a weak Wake Forest team yesterday in Winston-Salem. I am truly sorry to hear it, but I thoroughly understand it.

Beamer, with the excellence he developed over the years in Blacksburg, has put a target on his own back and the Tech faithful, who had little to cheer before his arrival, are shooting rapidly and with little mercy.


Beamer is much like Philip Fulmer at Tennessee: a tragic figure as he ages, but a real hero for 20 years. He did what could not be done at Tech, but the world of football has caught up with him, as it does with so many. There is no shame in that. 

Beamer deserves to retire and have the football stadium named after him. I hate hearing the anger directed toward a good man who gave Tech a national identify, helped increase enrollment, helped build the physical infrastructure, brought in tons of money (some of which went to academics) and, at one time, refused a salary increase because the rest of the salaries at Tech were frozen. 

His has been a memorable tenure at Tech, the best ever for a VPI coach and I think we should remember that as he is unceremoniously kicked out the door. He deserves respect, regard and kindness. I suspect he could avoid what is getting ready to happen by simply resigning, but like so many before him, he won't do that. Beamer does not see himself as a "quitter," and my guess is that resigning, in his mind, would brand him as such.

Too bad.

Ask yourself one question as you ponder replacing him: Has Beamer made this job so appealing that somebody as good as he is will apply for it?

(Photo: blog.al.com)