As a fan of Virginia Athletics since birth, I was incredibly disappointed in Dan Stalcup's article "Hokie for a weekend". It was truly disheartening to read about "a Wahoo at heart" who had no problems with donning a maroon shirt, cheering for our arch-rivals, and storming Worsham Field after a Virginia Tech victory. Dan showed his true colors when he wrote that he faced "little internal resistance ... in getting swept away with Virginia Tech spirit."
There are two things that I cheer for every single Saturday in the fall. The first, and most important, is a Virginia victory. The second is a Virginia Tech loss. Last Saturday was no different. As I watched Danny Coale race down the sideline, I swore profusely and hurled anything I could find across the room. I was furious. And when Dyrell Roberts grabbed the game-winning touchdown, I was livid. The camera then panned over to the student section, and showed thousands of Tech students rushing the field. I could watch no more. I turned off the TV, and devoted my full attention to the remainder of the Virginia game (which I was watching simultaneously on my computer).
Reading that a Virginia student "lost it", took part in the chest-bumping, and stormed the field kills me. But to have "a Wahoo at heart" tell me that "Hokies are miles ahead of us as football fans", and that Hokies have a "genuine interest in the sport and a tenacious optimism" is a flat out lie.
The reason why Virginia Tech currently has a better football atmosphere is simply because Virginia Tech has recently had more success on the football field. It has nothing to do with the differing cultures of the school. It has everything to do with the fact that the majority of college students are bandwagon fans. They love and support the team when things are going well, but would rather stay out and tailgate when the team is struggling. The Cavaliers are struggling; the Hokies are not.
I have been attending Virginia home games since 2002, and I can attest that Virginia once had an intimidating home atmosphere. The recent struggles of our football team have resulted in a more subdued environment, but there is no reason why Scott Stadium cannot once again become a feared place to play. And for the record, Lane Stadium does not hold more than 80,000 fans. It is more along the lines of over 66,000 fans.
Dan Stalcup's article states that Virginia is doing something wrong, and that Wahoos can learn from the Hokies' success. He is trying to tell me that I should strive to be more like a Hokie.
Let me say this. I want nothing to do with Virginia Tech. I hate "Enter Sandman" and I will never jingle my keys on a "Key Play". I am proud to be a Wahoo. I love everything about it. I love getting to beautiful Scott Stadium hours before kickoff. I love my front row seat. I love cheering on my Virginia Cavaliers. I love heckling the opposing team. I love to hate Virginia Tech. And I love sundresses.
Look in the mirror Dan, you're a Hokie for life.
Aaron Mullins\nCLAS II
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