Speak up, UVA fans

By Chris Preston  |   Wednesday, August 06, 2008  |  Comments( 1 )

Virginia Cavaliers
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When USC comes marching into Scott Stadium on Aug. 30 in front of a live national TV audience, you can bet that 65,000 or so devoted followers of Virginia football will pack the house and scream their heads off – at least until the Trojans can (and likely do) quiet them. Even though their beloved Hoos are supposed to be mediocre at best this season, the place will be rocking at least for one night.

Over the years, though, there are those who have questioned the degree of Cavalier football fans' fervor – including their own head coach. Early in his tenure ninth-year head coach Al Groh criticized the longstanding UVA tradition of wearing ties and neatly pressed khaki pants to football games. Groh's message to the students was along the lines of: Ditch the ties in favor of orange and blue T-shirts (or, if you're not wearing one, orange and blue body paint). He wanted Scott Stadium to look more like Clemson's Death Valley or Virginia Tech's Lane Stadium and less like a debutante party.

A more pointed criticism of Wahoo fans came from ESPN Radio host/resident annoying blowhard Colin Cowherd.

“Dude, you want to know what the most popular drink at tailgating at Virginia football games...? Zima!” Cowherd said, among other choice phrases, back in 2006.

Cowherd's rant rightfully angered die-hard Hoos fans -- and living up to his surname, he cowardly backed off them a bit when he subsequently interviewed UVA alum Tiki Barber -- but his overall point was that the school's football program is “soft” all the way down to its fan base.

While Cowherd's words were juvenile and seemingly out of nowhere (shouldn't an ESPN Radio host have bigger fish to fry than Virginia football?), he – like Groh – was correct in that the atmosphere at UVA football games does not match the intensity inside other ACC venues like Tech and Clemson. Granted, both of those schools boast larger stadiums and richer traditions (though Tech's is only richer on the strength of the last 10 to 15 years), but at times Hoos fans can be a bit, to borrow a phrase from Sam Cassell, “wine-and-cheese crowds.” But that goes for all sports, not just football.

Since its 20,000-seat expansion back in 2000, Scott Stadium is one of the most picturesque settings at which one can take in a college football game. With its white columns and signature Hill seating, Scott Stadium is truly a work of art. And it's not that UVA fans don't show up: Scott has sold out almost every game since the stadium was expanded.

But for whatever reason, the noise the fans inside the magnificent structure generate pales in comparison to the Death Valleys and Lane Stadiums of the world, and even to similarly sized venues such as NC State's Carter Finley Stadium. In fairness, the place does get quite rowdy when the big boys come to town – the Techs, the Clemsons, the Florida States and now USC. But it doesn't bring the noise on a regular basis. While UVA football fans are certainly more boisterous than places like Boston College, Duke, Wake Forest and even Miami, they have yet to earn the reputation of being a truly vociferous bunch like just about every fan base in the SEC.

Perhaps if UVA fans improve their vocal chords, the play on the field will follow.
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