History was made yesterday when American voters elected Democrat Barack Obama as the 44th president of the United States of America.

“If there is anyone out there who still doubts that America is a place where all things are possible, who still wonders if the dream of our founders is alive in our time, who still questions the power of our democracy, tonight is your answer,” Obama said at his victory celebration in Chicago.

Riding a wave of early voter support from the East Coast, Obama jumped out to a lead and never looked back. As news stations and media groups called states, as the electoral college votes were predicted and tallied, it became clear that Obama’s rival, Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., was not going to be able to accumulate the 270 votes needed for election. McCain called Obama and conceded defeat at approximately 11 p.m. EST

“I just received a very gracious call from Senator McCain,” Obama said. “He fought long and hard in this campaign, and he’s fought even longer and harder for the country he loves.”

Despite McCain’s campaign efforts, Obama was able to secure the electoral votes of several states that traditionally vote Republican. In Virginia, a state that had not voted for a Democratic presidential candidate since 1964, 1,740,478 voters chose Obama, according the Virginia State Board of Elections Web site with 2,448 of 2,496 precincts reporting, allowing the future president to edge McCain by a close margin in the popular vote. In other states traditionally won by the Republican Party, such as Indiana and Montana, Obama, at the very least, made headway, said Dan Keyserling, deputy director of communications for the University Center for Politics.

“I think you can attribute [Obama’s victory] to a combination of things,” Keyserling, a former Cavalier Daily executive editor, said. “It was destined to be a good year for Democrats … and I think any analyst could argue that Obama ran what is the greatest political campaign in history.”

Keyserling noted that Obama’s campaign not only excelled in its scope and scale but also in its precision and courage. He said Obama campaign manager David Plouffe and chief strategist David Axelrod envisioned a new electoral map, adding that the campaign then managed to implement its strategy without spreading itself too thin in an effort to pick up additional states. Moreover, Obama used a massive fundraising campaign, new media and the Internet to a decided advantage, Keyserling said.

“They honed in on a theme and maintained it throughout the election,” Keyserling said, noting that though any Democratic candidate had the potential to win the election this year, only Obama and his team had the ability to win by a landslide margin.

Keyserling also reiterated the historic nature of Obama’s campaign, a nature similarly picked up and highlighted not only by media networks but also by McCain in his concession speech.

“This is an historic election, and I recognize the special significance it has for African-Americans and for the special pride that must be theirs tonight,” McCain noted. “I’ve always believed that America offers opportunities to all who have the industry and will to seize it. Senator Obama believes that too.”

In keeping with that American ideal, Obama’s personal story resonated with voters, Keyserling said, adding that it especially did so among minority and youth voters.

“Everybody talked about the youth vote in this election,” Keyserling said. “I wouldn’t call it a deciding factor, but perhaps an influencing factor … What I saw was that the youth enthusiasm for Obama was contagious and it affected older people who saw the young people say, ‘This guy inspires me.’”

In the City of Charlottesville and Albemarle County, that enthusiasm for Obama was reflected in the polls, as the Democratic candidate won handily in both areas. And at a celebration for fellow Democrat and potential future Rep. Tom Perriello, R-Charlottesville, in downtown Charlottesville, state senator and 2009 gubernatorial candidate Creigh Deeds told a crowd that “We’ve elected a president tonight that’s going to bring real change to this country.”

Obama himself, in his victory speech, said just he will strive to do just that, but he acknowledged that the road ahead could be fraught with difficulty.

“The road ahead will be long,” the next president said. “Our climb will be steep. We may not get there in one year or even one term, but America — I have never been more hopeful than I am tonight that we will get there. I promise you: We as a people will get there.”

Several students at a viewing party held in Newcomb Hall last night commented that they were excited to see Obama win.

Marvin Richards, a first year College student and member of Hoos for Obama, noted that he was not only amazed and in disbelief over Obama’s win, but that he was excited to see the end result of his effort in Obama’s campaign.

“Personally, it feels really rewarding to know that my work, and that other people’s work has paid off,” he said.

Many Americans, though, believe McCain would have been a better choice to follow current President George W. Bush.

Janet Mease, office services supervisor of Spotsylvania County Health Department and a self-described fan of Virginia’s Republican base, said at an Election Day event for House candidate Virgil Goode that she was sad to see McCain fall.

“It seems like Obama is going to be the winner and I hope that he is going to do what he has said he was going to do for us to make it a better country to live in,” Mease said, noting that McCain “served the country with honor, with a military background, [and] I just think that the American people should have been behind him.”

Likewise, Mary-Lou Gibson, also a Republican supporter at Goode’s event, said she is disappointed with the election results.

“I think it’s going to be tough,” Gibson said. “Things are going to be different – it is really kind of scary not knowing what is going to happen.”

Obama, too, admitted that not everyone will agree with his decisions while in office. He said, though, that he will strive to listen to citizens and be honest with them whenever he can.

“So let us summon a new spirit of patriotism; of service and responsibility where each of us resolves to pitch in and work harder and look after not only ourselves, but each other,” Obama said. “Let us remember that if this financial crisis taught us anything, it’s that we cannot have a thriving Wall Street while Main Street suffers — in this country, we rise or fall as one nation; as one people.”

Keyserling, however, also cautioned against treating Obama as a savior. “He’s human,” Keyserling noted, saying that Obama will face both the normal challenges of assembling an administration and delivering on the tremendous expectations placed upon him by the electorate yesterday.

“He was basically crowned the prince of the 21st century,” Keyserling said. “It doesn’t get much more elevated than that. People are going to expect him to revolutionize the world.”

In that regard, Obama will be aided by Democratic gains in the House and the Senate, Keyserling said. Still, the expectations are tremendous, perhaps unrealistic.

“If Obama fails to walk on water, he will have let them down,” Keyserling said. “But Obama will also enter the presidency with a political mandate like no other before him.”

But as McCain noted at the end of his concession speech, America and its next president may be up to the challenges ahead.

“Americans never quit,” McCain said. “We never surrender. We never hide from history. We make history.”

Former Virginia Gov. Mark Warner (D) contributed to Democratic Party gains last night, winning a Senate seat currently held by Republican Sen. John Warner.

With 98.03 percent of the precincts reporting as of 2:30 a.m., Warner had received than 64.21 percent of the vote compared to the 34.48 percent received by his opponent, former Republican Gov. Jim Gilmore. Warner’s margin of victory was even wider in Albemarle County and the City of Charlottesville, where he brought in 69 percent and 83 percent of votes, respectively.

At about 9:15 p.m., Gilmore, who was Virginia’s governor from 1998 to 2002, announced to his supporters at a rally in Richmond that he had called Warner, who served as governor from 2002 to 2006, to concede the election.

“The people of Virginia have spoken and he will represent [them],” Gilmore said. “This is a moment that is going to be a decisive change.”

Meanwhile at a victory party in Northern Virginia, Warner’s supporters were chanting “Warner, Warner” and “Yes we can.”
“We’re going to have a Senate where we get things done,” Webb said. “This is Mark Warner’s night, this is Obama’s night, this is the Democratic Party’s night. This is America’s night.”

Standing in front of a crowd of hundreds of people, Warner said that by electing him, Virginians chose a senator who will focus on delivering results and not rhetoric.

“Virginians understand at this critical moment for our nation that we’re not going to get our country on the right path if we continue to look at every problem with the old idea of Red versus Blue, or left versus right,” he said.

Gilmore also noted that this is a significant time for America and said he will remain committed to bettering the commonwealth, as well as the nation as a whole.

“My intention is to continue to speak out on those issues [that face Virginia and the country],” Gilmore said. “There are going to be major issues that come before us.”

As senator, Warner vowed to provide the right leadership not only for Virginia, but for the country as well. While the nation may be facing challenges, Warner said, America can overcome them by looking ahead to the future and leaving old political divisions in the past.
“There is nothing we can’t accomplish as Americans first and foremost,” he said. “This is one step to getting our country in the right direction.”

Warner’s victory comes as no surprise, said Dan Keyserling, deputy director of communications for the Center for Politics and former Cavalier Daily executive editor. Keyserling said Warner was able to identify more with Virginians than Gilmore, and as Warner emerged as a political “heavyweight,” Gilmore receded into the background.

“He really does not have the bipartisan appeal that Warner did and does,” Keyserling said, adding that Warner’s governorship was characterized by an improvement in transportation, Virginia’s infrastructure, bipartisan cooperation and overall prosperity.

“For most Virginians, the memory of Mark Warner as a results-oriented governor is still fresh,” he said.

Some University students agreed that Warner was much more effective as governor than Gilmore.

“I felt his record as governor was much better than Gilmore’s record,” third-year Engineering student Antonio Perez said.

That memory of a governor who accomplished key goals translated into a huge victory for Warner.

“With margins like that, that especially represents a sort of fundamental preference for one candidate over another,” Keyserling said.

Warner’s election marks the first time since 1970 that Virginia will have two Democratic senators simultaneously.

“The temptation is to say that Virginia has become more liberal and to an extent that’s true,” Keyserling said. “But I think it’s more accurate to say that … the Democratic Party of Virginia has positioned itself to appeal to this broad range of moderate voters.”

In the overall Senate elections, Democrats had captured five Senate seats and Republicans had lost nine as of press time. This gave Democrats a Senate majority of 56 seats, while Republicans hold 40 seats and independents have 2. The remaining four races were too close to call as of 2:30 a.m.

At a student viewing party, University students waited for election returns in anticipation of all races except for the race for Virginia’s Senate seat. Students said they were not surprised that Warner won by a large margin. Nevertheless, it was still “awesome to see [his victory],” third-year College student Brit Shean said.

Others who wished to see Virginia remain Red, however, were hesitant about giving the Democrats a majority in the Senate.

“That worries me,” first-year College student Jackie White said. “A lot of them are more radical, and I don’t know what they’d do.”

Democratic gains in the Senate, such as Warner’s seat, and the election of a Democratic president bodes well for Democrats’ goals in the upcoming term, Keyserling noted.

“Democratic initiatives are going to have a lot easier time getting through,” Keyserling said.

Alex Foreman and Emily Poe contributed to this article.

In a surprising twist to the Virginia 5th District House of Representative’s race last night, Democratic challenger Tom Perriello came to a standoff with Republican incumbent Virgil Goode, who has served six terms.

As of 3 a.m. the Virginia State Board of Elections Web site reported that Perriello had received 50.31 percent of the votes compared to Goode’s 49.63 percent, with 241 of 244 precincts reporting. Goode, however, had not yet conceded victory as of that time.

This outcome came as a surprise to many experts; The Associated Press called the election in Goode’s favor before 9:30 p.m., and many Goode supporters at an election night event for the incumbent House member cheered the supposed victory.

“This is a victory for Republicans to keep Virgil in office even if we don’t get McCain,” said Deedee Vidurant, president of Smith Mountain Lake Republican Women’s Club, when the announcement was made.

To The Associated Press’ news, however, Cordel Faulk, University Center for Politics director of communications, said in an interview with NBC 29 that The Associated Press is “bolder than I am.”

Perriello and his team “are confident at the end of the day that we are going to win this thing,” Perriello said at his election party at the Gravity Lounge in downtown Charlottesville. In the City of Charlottesville, Perriello, an Albemarle County native, received about 80.77 percent of votes, according to the State Board of Elections.

Charlottesville voter Michelle Taylor demonstrated her support for Perriello, noting, “I know Perriello’s going to win — ­this is unreal because normally Goode blows [his opponent] out, now he has a contender who’s doing very well, and voters are voting what they feel.”

Still, other voters believe Goode has a better chance of winning when all the votes are tallied. Phil Hager said Goode embodies what his community stands for.

Regardless of the eventual outcome, Perriello put up a surprising fight. His success did not come without help, though, explained Dan Keyserling, deputy director of communications at the Center for Politics and former Cavalier Daily executive editor.

“Tom owes the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee a lot,” he said. “A couple of months ago they put him in their Red to Blue program,” in which “DCCC infuses money into districts they think are competitive.”

A strong turnout by youth voters also may have played an important role in the 5th District and the nation at large.

State Sen. Creigh Deeds (D), who plans to run for governor in 2009, commented, “I think the college vote made a difference, maybe the difference.”

Many students contacted by The Cavalier Daily said they were excited by Perriello’s success in the race. First-year College student Marvin Richards, a member of University Democrats and Hoos for Obama, noted, “I wasn’t surprised but I’m really happy for Tom Perriello,” emphasizing the fact that Perriello “came from really low and worked so diligently — he’s really good.”

The outcome of this election will have a significant impact on the nation as a whole, Keyserling added.

“One way or another it shows to Charlottesville and to the national Democratic Party that this seat is poachable,” Keyserling said, adding that if the election does not go in Perriello’s favor, “a candidate might be able to unseat Goode in two years.”

Other House races across the country were not as closely contested. The number of Democrats in the House increased from 236 to 259, election results show as of press time, and the number of Republicans decreased from 199 to 176. These changes will aid the Democrats when it comes time to pass their agenda through Congress, Keyserling noted.

Samantha Koon and Kelly Morenus contributed to this article.

Virginia experienced record voter turnout at polls across the commonwealth yesterday despite equipment problems early in the day, according to a press release issued by Susan Pollard, director of communications for the Virginia State Board of Elections.

As of 2 a.m. today, total voter turnout figures were unavailable, as only 97.83 percent of precincts had reported their polling data. In those precincts, though, 3,382,652 voters — of the 5,034,660 total voters in the commonwealth — had cast ballots in the presidential race, according to the State Board of Elections Web site. The most recently released data regarding absentee voting states that 466,204 absentee ballots were received by commonwealth localities, and 308,386 in-person absentee ballots were cast as of Monday.

The Charlottesville Office of Voter Registration reported that 19,950 total votes were cast Tuesday, accounting for 69.57 percent of eligible voters in the city. Another 3,621 absentee ballots were submitted, according to the Office of Voter Registration.

According to the Board Web site, 50,927 of 67,259 registered voters in Albemarle County voted Tuesday, which represents 75.71 percent of registered voters.

Election Protection spokesperson Matt Steinfield noted that various polling places experienced machine malfunctions, a problem that was aggravated by a larger than normal voter turnout.

“There have been a lot of small things that have caused a pretty big maelstrom this morning,” Steinfield said.

Corinne Geller, a volunteer media representative for the Board reported that the majority of the machine malfunctions occurred as a result of voters coming in wet from the rain. Geller, however, noted that the problem was solved by asking voters to dry their hands before voting. Geller added that individuals whose ballots might have been damaged were given official paper ballots.

Steinfield added, however, that Election Protection officials are concerned that many voters left polls before voting because of the long lines caused by machine malfunctions and large voter turnout.

“Hopefully after this election we won’t see these problem crop up again,” Steinfield said.

Dianne Gilliland, deputy registrar for the Charlottesville Office of Voter Registration, said many of the reported problems were not equipment malfunctions but rather voters “in the wrong precincts, people not knowing where they were registered and people registered in the wrong state even.”

Steinfield said he conjectured that some of the problems encountered by polling places arose because this election marks Virginia’s first time in the national spotlight in such a crucial presidential election.

Both Alumni Hall and University Hall reported a large turnout when the polling places opened at 6 a.m.

Joyce Kerns, assistant chief election official at University Hall, said there were 40 or 50 voters waiting in line when the building first opened. She added that she was surprised at the early turnout, saying that although she has worked there for many years, she has “never had people waiting in line at 6 o’clock in the morning.”

Observers noted that lines at both Alumni Hall and University Hall were surprisingly short come early afternoon.

John Feminella, a 2005 University alumnus who voted at Alumni Hall, said the lines were short and he only waited for three minutes. Second-year College student Whitney Highlander also voted at Alumni Hall and reported that she experienced similarly short lines and waited only about a minute before voting.

Alumni Hall precinct chief Tim Snyder noted that the polling place was busier when it first opened and added that the longest wait was about 15 or 20 minutes.

Despite the convenience of unexpectedly short lines, some expressed concern.

Second-year Architecture student Mike Perry said he was “pleasantly surprised” to see that there were no lines at University Hall but was disappointed that more students were not there.

The McCain campaign filed suit yesterday against the Virginia State Board of Elections in attempt to force the board to count the late arriving ballots of overseas military personnel.

Gail Gitcho, a McCain-Palin spokesperson, wrote in an e-mail that many Virginia counties mailed the ballots to overseas personnel with fewer than 35 days left before Election Day.

The campaign said that the absentee ballot should be sent with no less than 45 days left until election day. Many servicemen did not receive their ballots until as late as last week. According to the e-mail, it takes at least 12 days for a ballot to arrive from Iraq.

“The McCain-Palin campaign believes without exception that the servicemen and women on the front line protecting our freedoms deserve every opportunity to make sure their vote counts,” Gitcho stated.

As of 3 p.m. yesterday, the Virginia State Board of Elections could not comment on the lawsuit.

— compiled by Matt Conover

The Virginia women’s soccer team hopes to take down Wake Forest tonight in its second matchup against the Demon Deacons this week. Just this past Sunday, Virginia met Wake at Klöckner Stadium for its last regular-season game. The contest ended in a 1-0 Wake victory, sending the Cavaliers into this year’s ACC Tournament with a 12-4-2 record (6-3-1 ACC). Virginia hopes to make up for this loss as it enters the first round of the tournament tonight in Cary, N.C.

Virginia’s season has been successful as far as wins go, but because of the team’s recent loss to Wake (12-6, 5-5 ACC), the Cavaliers need to concentrate on being physically and mentally prepared to avoid making potentially game-determining mistakes.

“This part of the season you’ve got to be careful,” Virginia coach Steve Swanson said. “We might have to push back a little bit just to make sure we are fresh going into Wednesday — fresh mentally — so that we can make the right decisions and we can make the right reads. I think that’s what I’m noticing on the field more than anything.”

If Virginia succeeds in making the right decisions and uses opportunities well, the Cavaliers could make considerable advances in tournament play. Though ACC women’s soccer teams are known to be strong competitors, Virginia ranks among the strongest, sitting at third behind North Carolina and Florida State.

“Obviously the ACC is and always has been a strong conference, and anyone can beat anyone on any day,” senior goalkeeper Celeste Miles said. “I think that [having played] all the teams, we should have confidence in ourselves that we can hang with anyone and that when it comes down to it, it’s the ACC Tournament — everyone’s going to want it badly, and we are going to have to bounce back from the last few tough games.”

Virginia has only lost four games overall this season, three of which came against conference teams. The Cavaliers experienced their first conference defeat of the season Oct. 9 against Virginia Tech when they fell 1-0 in Blacksburg. Virginia Tech is entering the ACC Tournament seeded seventh with a record of 10-7-2 (4-4-2 ACC). The Hokies have had a solid season, landing by the median in conference rankings; it remains to be seen how they will react to top-tier teams such as North Carolina.

North Carolina (16-1-2, 9-0-1 ACC) likely will prove to be the toughest competition for all of the ACC’s women’s teams as it tops the pile at No. 1. The Virginia women suffered their biggest loss to Carolina Oct. 24, scoring only one goal to the Tar Heels’ five.

Virginia’s game against Duke Oct. 30 made it clear that the Blue Devils (12-4-3, 4-3-3 ACC) will also be a team that could provide some surprises in the upcoming tournament. Duke, fifth in the ACC, held the Cavaliers to a 0-0 score in double overtime play, showing off the Blue Devils’ persistency and hustle, team characteristics that play critical roles during tournament season.

“You have to look out for all of [the teams],” Wake Forest coach Tony da Luz said. “Everybody has been so tough. We had to work our way back to 5-5 in the league. Virginia Tech Thursday night was absolutely on fire, it was a really tough game. This tournament — there may be a couple upsets. It’s going to be an interesting tournament.”

With each team in such close competition, accurate predictions are nearly impossible. Though Wake Forest won last weekend’s game, the Demon Deacons are going into the match this evening as if Virginia is a team of completely unpredictable challengers.

“I don’t think [Sunday’s win] will change our mentality,” da Luz said. “Right now we are going into the knockout phase — you lose, you’re out. You just got to get results and try to stay organized and minimize [Virginia’s] chances.”

The tournament consists of three single-elimination games, making every aspect of play that much more pivotal. Eight teams are in the tournament, including No. 2-seed Florida State and No. 4-seed Boston College, both of which the Cavaliers defeated earlier this season.

“We’ve just got to get ready,” Swanson said. “It’s a long haul. If you plan on winning you’ve got to get ready for the long haul — mentally and physically — and that’s something we need to do.”

The Virginia football team’s game against Miami marked the seventh in the development of the play between sophomore quarterback Marc Verica and his wide receivers.

There have been many high points, including the 31-0 demolishing of Maryland Oct. 4 in which Verica was nearly flawless, connecting on 25 of his 34 passes for 226 yards and two touchdowns, both to junior wide receiver Kevin Ogletree, who grabbed five catches for 100 yards on the night.

There was the Georgia Tech game Oct. 25, when Verica completed all but 10 passes en route to throwing for a career-high 270 yards and two touchdowns, one to Ogletree and one to senior wide receiver Maurice Covington.

There have been low points, too. Verica has thrown nine interceptions to only six touchdowns this year and even though five of those came in his first two games against Connecticut and Duke, Verica has still thrown nearly as many interceptions (4) as touchdowns (6) during the past five games.

There was this past weekend’s game against the Hurricanes, in which Verica had another solid game, completing 27 of 41 passes for 240 yards, one touchdown and no interceptions, but a couple throws got away from him.

“A couple of my passes were literally a couple inches too far,” Verica said. “That’s frustrating to see. Had I been right on the mark on one of those, we may not be talking about that right now. We could be sitting at 6-3. It’s a game of inches really and it doesn’t always go your way.”

Aside from barely missing the target on a few throws, Verica also had to deal with a questionable call during the game. Late in the first half, with Virginia trying to add to its 17-10 lead, a pass to Ogletree appeared complete on the sideline but the referee called it incomplete. The play was reviewed but the call stood, much to the chagrin of the Cavaliers, who thought the pass was complete, even though Ogletree did lose the ball once he tumbled out of bounds.

“It hit the ground about 2 yards out-of-bounds,” coach Al Groh said. “Everyone who’s looked at it, OK, everybody — men, women, children, coaches, ACC representatives — everybody says it was a good catch. There’s only one person on the planet who didn’t see it that way. I’m not criticizing [the referee], I’m just saying these are the facts. We saw it one way, he saw it another way, he had the vote.”

Ogletree was able to put the questionable call behind him, even though the call surprised him as well.

“I was a little shocked, because I knew I caught it,” Ogletree said. “I knew there was no reason to think I bobbled it or a foot wasn’t in bounds. I had to forget about it quickly. You can never question the ruling of the officials and you just hope they use their better judgement next time.”

Ogletree is a player who has reemerged after missing all of last season with a knee injury. This year, he has 44 catches for 545 yards and four touchdowns, already closing in on his 2006 numbers — 52 catches, 582 yards, four touchdowns. Despite his success, Ogletree had some doubts that he could come back as strong as he was in 2006.

“[But] I never had a question of where I had to get back to or what I had to do,” he added. “I had a lot of faith in my work ethic to get back where I was, or get even better.”

Freshman wide receiver Jared Green is another player who has stepped up to give Verica someone dependable to catch his passes. Green caught his first collegiate touchdown against Miami, a 2-yard reception during the second quarter that put the Cavaliers up a touchdown. Green’s father, former Washington Redskins cornerback Darrell Green, was happy for his son’s first touchdown catch.

“He was very proud like any father would be for the first touchdown,” Green said. “He was really excited. But at the same time he was really excited about the other catches I had. He said that whatever I had been doing with the coaches had molded me into a real receiver and not just a kid out there running.”

Green was also pleased, but kept his team’s goals in perspective.

“The touchdown meant something to me, but we’re trying to win games and I didn’t really dwell on [the touchdown],” Green said. “Really, the third quarter is what mattered, trying to press on and seal the deal. It didn’t work out for us, but that was my real passion.”

Sealing the deal is something the Cavaliers will have to do as they enter their final three-game stretch of what will likely be close games against formidable opponents — Wake Forest, Clemson and Virginia Tech.

Though there have been successes and growth this year with Verica and his wide receiving corps, the players, like the team, are looking at the big picture and have not completed their goals yet.

“Coming off the field Saturday was a real tough loss,” Green said. “I’m real antsy to get out on the field this Saturday [at Wake Forest]. We have a lot of stuff we want to get accomplished this year. We’re keeping our hopes alive. I feel like we’re going to do really good things.”

Some Tuesdays are just terrible. You know it when you feel it. Food doesn’t taste quite as good as it usually does. The sun seems unusually determined to hide behind a cloud.

And it all happens when the Redskins lose during Monday Night Football. Lose they did this Monday. They were humiliated. Obliterated by Pittsburgh. I’m an emotional football fan, and when my team crashes and burns, it brings me down.

Were those even the real Washington Redskins out there? Not the practice squad? Not the local high school JV team? We made Byron Leftwich look like Joe Montana. Our O-line acted more like piglets than The Hogs.

But, of course, I will endure as a Redskins fan. You don’t put two decades of your blood, sweat and tears into a team just to grow grumpy when a rookie coach slips up against one of the best teams in the nation.

Stick with your team through good times and bad. If you don’t stop believing, if you hold on to that feeling, sooner or later it will give you a game that you’ll remember forever.

For me, that game came Sept. 19, 2005.

I’m not the only one who thought the game was special.

“It was one of the greatest moments in sports for me,” then-coach Joe Gibbs told The Associated Press.

I want to take a few moments and share the story of this game with you, in case you don’t remember it. I sort of need to relive a happy game from the past to get me out of this football funk. And maybe it will help you other Redskins fans out there keep your chins up, too. After a loss as ugly as Monday’s, we faithful need whatever morale boosters we can get. So, here it goes.

Just like this past game, it was a Monday Night Football game. Unlike this past game, though, it was against the Dallas Cowboys.

We Redskins fans hate the Cowboys more than pirates hate ninjas, more than Andy Reid hates diets. To see our ‘Skins take them on in a prime-time Monday matchup with the whole nation watching made it an even bigger deal. Think Yankees-Red Sox game seven. To cap things off, both teams came in at 1-0. It was one of those hyped games of the century that seem to happen every other month. But, as far as I’m concerned, it fully lived up to its billing.

Kickoff finally rolled around at Texas Stadium and I plopped myself on the couch in front of the TV screen. The game started, and it was a little bit dull at first. The teams alternated fruitless drives until the Cowboys finally cashed in on an interception to go up 3-0 in the early second quarter. The teams continued trading punts and turnovers through halftime. There was very little that was exciting about the game.

Finally, something happened, even if it helped the bad guys. A few minutes into the third quarter, the Cowboys ran a flea-flicker, and quarterback Drew Bledsoe lobbed the ball down the field for a 70-yard touchdown pass to receiver Terry Glenn to go up 10-0. Besides this one trick play by the Cowboys, neither team had managed to do much all night, though.

With 12 minutes left in the game, after a couple hours of being a snoozer for the ages, the game picked up its pace.

The Cowboys pushed a six-minute drive down the field, methodically stripping away my hope for victory. I was tempted to turn the TV off out of disappointment, but when the Redskins held the Cowboys to a field goal to keep it a two possession game at 13-0, I decided to keep watching, hoping that maybe, just maybe, the Redskins can shake off 54 minutes of lifelessness and show a spark in these closing minutes.

Then, on 2nd-and-10 with 5:15 to go in the game, Mark Brunell was sacked for a 17-yard loss. At this point, I phoned it in. Oh well. Nail in the coffin. You tried, Redskins. Better luck next week.

Fortunately, the Redskins hadn’t quite given up. All of the sudden, running back Ladell Betts dashed for a 25-yard gain. On fourth down, Brunell connected to receiver James Thrash for another 20 yards. First down for the Redskins on the Dallas 34, down by 13 with 4:14 to go.

But as fast as a few good plays reignited my faintest bit of hope for the game, the Redskins threw it away again. A false start penalty, followed by three incomplete passes, left the Redskins with a 3rd-and-15 with 4:01 to go.

Now I’ll try to recall what happened during the next few minutes, but I can’t guarantee it will be accurate. You see, it all happened so fast. And, like I said, I’m an emotional football fan. Three years later, it’s all just like a blur of euphoria.

But I think what happened next was that Brunell chucked the ball downfield and, somehow, it ended up in receiver Santana Moss’ hands in the end zone. 39-yard TD pass. 13-7.

I was nervous and excited again. Could the Redskins still be in this? Was there any reason to believe that they’d play any better than the pathetic performance they’d put up for most of the game?

But the good fortune continued for the Redskins. After kicking the ball off, they held the Cowboys to just one first down before forcing another punt.

With 2:52 to go and down by 6 points, the Redskins needed to execute immediately. First-and-10, Brunell tosses the ball to Clinton Portis for a 10-yard gain, first down.

First-and 10. Brunell drops back. Winds up, tosses the ball far downfield. The ball rises, and falls and … what!? Santana Moss caught it! Again!

It’s a moment that, three years later, still pops up as a photo when you search Santana Moss on the Internet. The ball sneaks through the hands of Cowboy safety Roy Williams and into Moss’ grip. But the photo can’t do justice to Moss’ mad dash to the end zone that followed his miraculous catch. Touchdown! Kicker Nick Novak drilled the extra point. 14-13, Washington.

I’ll never forget it. Not much earlier, the game and even the season were looking bad. Now the Redskins were up.

You had to see it. It was invigorating. I was jumping up and down with joy, shouting, probably waking up my little siblings and maybe even the neighbors, but I wasn’t the only one. I could hear my dad, apparently watching the game as he was lying in bed, celebrating upstairs. He ran downstairs in his pajamas (his briefs) to cheer with me and give me a high five.

But it wasn’t finished yet. The Redskins still had to play some defense to finish the game off. Following a big return on the kickoff by the Cowboys and a little bit of momentum, Dallas was making a push to get into scoring range when the late Sean Taylor made a play just as big and important as the touchdown passes.

On third down in Washington territory, Dallas receiver Patrick Crayton looked like he had just made a big third-down catch that would have put the Cowboys in field goal range and in a comfortable position to wind down the clock and kick a game-winning field goal, when a white-and-burgundy blur came from nowhere to deck Crayton and knock the ball loose, forcing an incomplete pass. That blur was Taylor and that hit is the greatest Redskins hit of the past decade.

Stopping the Cowboys on their desperate fourth down, the Redskins took control and ran out the clock. Final score: 14-13.

And, to think, just four minutes earlier they were being shut out. Four minutes earlier, they looked like they couldn’t play an ounce of offense or a dime’s worth of defense. But all that changed with just two long touchdown passes.

That Redskins win was the first win in Texas Stadium in more than a decade and it still stands as one of the most thrilling sporting events I’ve watched on live TV.

It reminded me that even when the Redskins are up against it and the breaks are beating the boys, sometimes they’ll go out there with all they got and win one just for their loyal fans. The fans like me, who watch every game whether they’re 15-0 or 0-15. The fans like those of you out there who watched this past Monday’s game until the final buzzer.

Every fan will have a few games he or she remembers. This one is one of mine. So stand by our Redskins despite the loss, and whenever you wonder whether it’s worth it to be so invested, take a flip through the history books and remember the many times the team has done you proud.

“For when the One Great Scorer comes,
To write against your name,
He marks — not that you won or lost —
But how you played the game.”
— Grantland Rice

Never in the history of sports has a writer so succinctly and poetically summed up the essence of sports on a higher plane than that of the playing field. He’s the same man who penned “The Four Horsemen” as the moniker for Notre Dame’s 1924 backfield and a journalist Al Groh should look up.

We’ve gone from distasteful to embarrassing. I’ve written about it before and hoped to never have to write about it again, but what once were discipline “issues” have now become a full-blown epidemic.

Rashawn Jackson’s arrest on charges of breaking and entering and, even better, grand larceny, makes him the sixth Cavalier football player arrested since the end of the 2007 season. He follows in the ignoble footsteps of Mike Brown, J’Courtney Williams, Dave Roberts, Will Barker and Peter Lalich.

While the charges against Barker were later dismissed and Jackson still does have a court date Nov. 20 to prove his innocence, this chain of fools is downright disgusting. That stench that’s turning my stomach no longer wafts up from Tallahassee, Fla., Miami, Fla. or Blacksburg, Va., but rather from right under our own noses. Ultimately, the buck has to stop somewhere, and I have a good idea which sweatshirt to pin it on.

One of the distinguishing features between the NFL and college football is the amount of control coaches have over the players who enter their programs. In the pros, an owner or general manager can make a personnel decision over a coach’s head and bring in a Pacman Jones. But in the college ranks, the head coach targets, recruits and signs every last player to come through the door, either directly or through his assistants.

So when one of those players screws up, some of the blame can shift onto the coach. Certainly he can’t be with every player, everywhere, all the time, but we do expect the coach to instill enough of either respect or fear to keep his players on the straight and narrow.

But when it’s as many as six players, or 10 in Groh’s case if you count academic suspensions and dismissals, almost all of the blame comes back to the top of the pile. Double-digit screw-ups in a single season aren’t a bad apple or two. It’s indicative of a culture of complacency, in which character is seen as a vice, not a virtue.

On top of the actions themselves is the attitude of this coach, these players and this athletic department as a whole. After this paper broke the story of Lalich’s probation violation, I received a highly passive-aggressive message from Lalich himself, “congratulating” me on the story while continuously asserting a lack of any wrongdoing. When we asked why Lalich played that week in the postgame press conference, Groh bristled at the audacity of our reporter to question why someone who voluntarily admitted to violating his probation still got to represent the Orange and Blue and then said those reporting on the matter should “examine themselves.”

Days later, the athletic department trotted Lalich in front of the assembled media to express their solidarity with him and let him, again, assert his innocence. Within 48 hours, they announced he wouldn’t travel to Storrs for the UConn game; within the week following the game, he was off the team. In his court hearing, Lalich admitted verbally what he’d admitted in writing: that he’d been drinking on probation, in clear and direct violation of the terms he’d signed.

At the end of the day, the criticisms of Lalich and his actions were correct and had been from the start. But Groh and the athletic department’s brusque treatment of the media’s inquiries into the matter show one of two things: either a complete and utter lack of control and knowledge or a willingness to support a young man’s repeated public lies. Either one is entirely unacceptable.

Being the football coach at the University of Virginia is about much more than wins or losses, bowl games or conference championships. An institution of this caliber, with the rich history and tradition of honor that sets it apart from all others, deserves a coach that doesn’t embarrass it at every turn. It deserves a coach that, win or lose, does things the right way.

We had one for almost 20 years in George Welsh, a man who single-handedly built this program into national prominence, who led us to what remains our only three weeks atop the national polls and whose 1989 and 1995 teams were ACC co-champions. His play-calling may have been conservative, and he may have picked his nose a bit on national TV, but for all his faults, Welsh never, ever, would have allowed the shenanigans that have now become the vile legacy of the Groh era at the University.

It’s time to turn the page. In fact, it’s time to burn the whole dang book. Fire Groh, and fire him now.

Last year, the Pita Pit was nothing more than an empty space flanked by Corner eateries Subway and Arch’s Frozen Yogurt. But good news for all those who enjoy healthy food prepared fast — the Pit is back open and eager for new customers.

New owners Brandon Brown and Derek Stein certainly have experience in running Pita Pit franchises. This is the sixth restaurant they’ve opened together, with the previous five all stationed at universities in Ohio. What once started out as a modest chain has expanded to almost 300 locations — 180 in the United States, 120 in Canada and even a few in New Zealand and Japan.

Simply put, the growth of the restaurant, which largely caters to college campuses, is much-deserved. In a fast food world cluttered with hamburgers and fries, the Pita Pit is an innovative breath of fresh air, taking a food typical of Middle Eastern and Greek cuisine and filling it with ingredients more comfortable to the American palate.

The menu is basic but good. Three categories of pitas are offered: breakfast, meat and vegetarian, as well as the “fork style” option where you can make any pita a salad for no extra charge.

Breakfast is served all day and features such options as the Morning Glory, which has tomato and avocado, and the Chicken Classic, which includes chicken breast and grilled mushrooms. Breakfast pitas all come with scrambled eggs, hashbrowns and grilled green peppers and onions. One of the more popular meat pitas is the Local, the ingredients of which vary by locality. In Charlottesville, it includes buffalo chicken, spicy buffalo sauce, swiss cheese, ranch dressing, onions, lettuce, tomatoes and green peppers.

But these ingredients are “just guidelines,” Brown said. Here’s how it works: After ordering, walk to the right and prepare to encounter an elaborate toppings bar where you can customize your pita with vegetables from fresh spinach to sprouts, cheeses (cheddar, Swiss, feta and parmesan) and a wide variety of sauces and spreads like ancho chipotle, tzatziki sauce and hummus. The best part of all is that it is cooked and prepared right in front of your eyes in just minutes flat. While one employee works the grill, another fills the pita with your personal preferences. For instance, on my Local order, I substituted swiss for cheddar, held on the ranch and threw in some sprouts and jalapeños. The meal was as good as it sounds: chunks of juicy grilled chicken spiced to perfection and mixed in with the array of crisp, crunch vegetables.

It was a great meal, but a better bet would be the delicious Gyro — which sells for $6.25. Thin slices of tender, well-seasoned Mediterranean beef paired with lettuce, tomatoes, feta and tzatziki sauce and wrapped in your choice of white or wheat pita could potentially make a native Greek grandmother shed tears.

The Philly Steak, which comes loaded to the brim with flavorful meat, and the Dogwood, which features turkey, ham and roast beef, are two other popular meat-lovers options and are both priced at $6.35. For a limited time, you can also try the Steak Fajita Pita, where loads of shredded steak are tossed in with ingredients from south of the border as well as the usual fixings.

Chicken, however, is the most versatile meat in Pita Pit’s arsenal — the Local is just one of several chicken pitas on the menu. Others include Chicken Souvlaki, seasoned with authentic Greek spices, and the tasty Chicken Caesar, with bacon, ranch and romaine. Or you could just opt for the plain-but-good Chicken Breast. My dining companion raved about his combination of chicken breast, cucumbers, sprouts and tzatziki sauce — again, made according to his preferences.

While to a carnivore like me the vegetarian pitas seem less exciting, they are no doubt still as delicious. All are priced at $5.50 with the exception of the falafel selection, priced 25 cents higher. It’s evident Pita Pit is attempting to blend both Eastern and Western styles of eating on its vegan menu, with falafel (rolled chickpeas with spices), hummus and babaganoush, a roasted eggplant spread, all making the cut. And if vegetarians — or anyone, for that matter — are still hungry and looking to pack an extra punch to their meals, just make it a combo with a fountain drink and a bag of chips or a cookie.

With such a inexpensive and health-conscious menu, the Pita Pit should have no trouble fitting into its cozy spot on the Corner.

“Once we found out about this empty store in Charlottesville, I drove down to see the location,” Brown said. “I thought it would be a great opportunity.”

And a great opportunity it is. It’s an affordable alternative to the greasy College Inn or the all-too-familiar late night offerings of Littlejohn’s New York Delicatessen and Christian’s Pizza. The Pita Pit stays open for business until 2 a.m. Monday through Wednesday, 3 a.m. Thursday through Saturday and midnight Sunday.

“We also deliver every hour we’re open,” Brown said.

It’s a convenient, clever way to cater to anywhere from the weekend bar crowd to the night owls in the depths of Clemons Library. You can call in an order, send in a fax or just come in person.

If you choose the latter, it’s usually for a meal on the go. That’s certainly what Pita Pit is designed for, with its assembly line structure, limited number of tables and quick, efficient service — which is always quick to greet you with a smile and ever-so-patient with new customers trying to get their bearings on making the perfect pita.

Brown is optimistic about his store’s chances of success in Charlottesville.

“Once people know where we are and what a great thing we’ve got going here, I think business will really start to pick up.”

With fresh, flavorful ingredients, a prize piece of real estate and competitive hours, there’s no doubt a loyal following is just around the Corner.