Monday links

Here are some links to start a holiday week.

Virginia Tech's meeting with Tennessee in the Chick-fil-A Bowl is approaching. But at least some of the focus has stayed on Volunteers Coach Lane Kiffin. Or Lane the Pain. Or Loudmouth Lane. Or Lane Violation. Or Lil' Lane. Kiffin has been called it all, as Wes Rucker of the Chattanooga Times Free Press noted recently.

Perhaps only one person has made a bigger splash in Knoxville in his first season: freshman running back Bryce Brown.

Virginia Tech defeated Charleston Southern, 73-50, on Saturday in a game more notable for the hearty fans who showed up in the blizzard-like conditions. But what's important for the Hokies is that they are now 9-1.

But at this stage of the season, Norm Wood of the Newport News Daily Press writes, "Coach Seth Greenberg already is deep into his analytical phase of coaching. He's looking for the finer points that hopefully will make Tech a tournament-viable team in March."

Kyle Tucker of the Norfolk Virginian Pilot notes that, with winnable upcoming home games against Maryland-Baltimore County and Longwood, "only a Jan. 2 meeting in Mexico with Seton Hall (8-0) likely stands between Tech and a 12-1 start before beginning ACC play at No. 10 North Carolina.