Let’s push all those bailout talks to next week. I think I found something that both Democrats and Republicans can finally agree on: a sign ban protest. Nothing spells reaching across the aisle quite like a unified rebellion.
And as for those who banned signs in the first place — well, they can watch from their skyboxes.
On the heels of a failed attempt to negotiate with the athletic department, Student Council has decided to extend the protest that started more than three weeks ago when students held blank signs during the Richmond game. Instead of blank signs again, however, Council is asking students to leave their “Power of Orange” shirts in the dresser and instead pull out something blue.
And so Saturday night Cavalier fans will be able to do more than just watch Virginia host Maryland; they will be able to make a statement about the athletic department’s recent decision to ban signs by doing something as simple as wearing a blue shirt.
Call it what you want. Political activism. Student activism. Students pissed that the Cavalier football team is terrible so far this year and that they can’t express their frustration in the form of a sign-activism.
The idea to wear blue instead of orange is simple and expressive. With enough participation, the student body will be able to show that policies and dress codes don’t create a positive game-day atmosphere — the fans themselves do. They will be able to show that an out-of-touch former NFL coach doesn’t have the power to unilaterally change the traditions that surround Virginia football. Only the fans themselves do. And they will be able to tell athletic director Craig Littlepage that the students don’t want to buy into manufactured ploys like the “Sea of Orange” and a sign-less crowd that serve only to further an administrative interest at the expense of tradition and atmosphere. Only some of the people in the athletic department do.
Blue. It’s a nicely crafted statement that makes a point without sacrificing support for the football team. A team color is still represented, but not the team color that the athletic department has put at the forefront of its marketing scheme.
And, in no subtle way, the protest rejects Al Groh’s attempt to change the atmosphere at U.Va. football games where shirts and ties and sundresses are phased out in exchange for orange T-shirts.
What the demonstration of blue is ostensibly meant to do is to give students a way to express themselves because other means to do so have been taken away. The combination of blue button-ups, blue ties, blue sundresses and blue T-shirts, is, in itself, a sign.
It says, “Lift the ban.” It says, “Let students create the positive game-day environment.” It says, “Don’t let the anyone else tell us how to cheer and how to dress.” Heck, it even says, “Go Hoos.”
It’ll be fun to see another mass demonstration at a football game. Even more fun, though, will be to see how the athletic department responds — if it responds at all. Council is prepared to continue to organize student protests well into the foreseeable future. Based on that, and considering that the athletic department has remained relatively distant over the past five weeks, it’s not inconceivable that this is a contention that will be drawn out into the winter.
Crucial to the entire operation is student participation. If the enthusiasm for the protests simmers, then so too does the chances of ever seeing a sign inside of Scott Stadium or John Paul Jones Arena.
The protest got off the ground against Richmond four weeks ago. Let the Maryland game mark the night it takes flight. Leave the orange at home and take out the blue. Show some rebellion. For you Republicans, it’s the move of a maverick. For the Democrats, it’s change we can believe in.
But for everyone, it’s a common cause. And if student excitement subsides, it marks another defeat. God knows Virginia football can’t afford another one of those right now.
Read More
Romi Levy may complete a Big Three for Virginia women’s basketball
By Xander Tilock | 4 hours agoLevy’s plus-minus score of 33 ranked second among all players.
There’s a light at the end of the tunnel — but Virginia faces Wake Forest first
By Ryan Weiner | 9 hours agoLike everything else about Virginia football in 2025, though, this year is different.
In tale of two halves, No. 5 seed women’s soccer falls to No. 1 Stanford in ACC semifinal
By Sam Chun | 14 hours ago"We were knocking on the door for the third one. It’s tough to take.”
