View from the Sill: Betrayal at Its Worst
BENEDICT ARNOLD: TRAITOR EXTRAORDINAIRE; Courtesy of peoplequiz.com
Editor’s Note: The views expressed in this column do not necessarily represent the views of wahoowire.com.
Can we complain? The way we lost to Southern Miss was painful the way it ended, but no Wahoo out there can be disappointed with the success of the offense.
For Al Groh to create a hybrid offense of new and old schemes in just 3 days of practice is remarkable, and he deserves praise for these efforts. Sure, we lost, but as long as there is a sign of life in our football executions we should be happy.
Since we have a bye this weekend, I will take a break from my usual routine of making snarky comments about Al Groh, because he proved me wrong by making effective adjustments and putting up a good fight against a tough team on the road. Cheers to Coach Groh.
I look forward to playing UNC next week. Being the optimist that I am, I think we’re going to win. UVa is 9-2 after a bye week with Coach Groh, so the odds are stacked in our favor for next weekend.
Fortunately, there has been another issue that has arisen in the last week that should make any honest Virginia football fan cringe.
Recently, a Cavalier Daily’s diehard, all-the-way, Wahoo-wah, orange-and-blue bleeding featured writer had an article that summarized the feelings of any Virginia fan. That is, if by Virginia fan you mean VaTech enthusiast.
The article goes on and on about how the VaTech fans are the most hospitable people at tailgates. How their team’s entrance is orgasmic. How their fans are supportive the whole way through the game and loud with their Incredibly Clever “key-play” gimmick. How easy it is to be caught in the spirit of Tech fans and rush on to the field.
…I’m sorry, I just threw up on my laptop. I have never read anything more blasphemously anti-Virginia.
Or more wrong, in many ways.
For one, there were many fans that left the game early, so there goes his assertion that they cheered extensively throughout the game.
In addition, he also claims that there were over 80,000 roaring fans. Try 66,000.
The lesson here, children, is to check your facts before you publish an article that fondles a rivals schools enthusiasm, because you don’t want to come across as a traitor AND a liar.
What this CavDaily columnist did was basically justify cheating on a spouse.
Imagine if a father approached his family the way that this columnist approaches VaTech:
Home life has been difficult the past year or so. The wife is complaining, the children are constantly crying and screaming, and there seems to be no way out. So you decide to go on a date with the young and attractive secretary. After dinner you end up having the wildest sexual experience of your life, with no desire to go back to your wife and kids.
This is what a coward does.
Just as a coward decides to drop his loyalty to his school’s football team, in the most egregious form, by rushing the field after our biggest rival’s victory. Someone who does this has no dignity; especially if he feels so proud about it he inscribes the account in his school’s newspaper. The fact that the only support that this columnist got was from Virginia Tech fans makes one suspect for whom this article was actually written.
A real fan, similar to a real father, ignores the temptation to enjoy the short-term relief of another teams’ success, and works to make his experience with his own team’s team more amicable.
A real fan realizes that he will appreciate the winning seasons in the future much more, knowing how bad things have been in the past while having still supported the team.
A real fan doesn’t go to Virginia Tech and celebrate their traditions and victory and then write an article about it to torture and anger his fellow Wahoo fans.
I realize that there are many disgruntled and discouraged Wahoos out there. It is tough to watch our in-state rival get consistently better over the years and watch our program slowly dwindle into mediocrity.
No one denies this.
Nevertheless, that doesn’t mean it is okay to partially jump ship to the winning team. That’s what Benedict Arnold did, and look how that turned out.
This columnist, by acknowledging his ability to be persuaded by the spirit of the enemy, has shown his true colors. No real Wahoo would rush the field at Virginia Tech, no matter how enthusiastic their sports section is.
To sum up, here’s a quote from the responses to the column, from Troy: “Great article! You’re always welcome in BLACKSBURG.”
I agree. Go back to Blacksburg.
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At the time of this publication it stated “More than 80,000 fans gave a deafening “Let’s go Hokies” cheer. He must have recently edited the column, because it now says 60,000.
You got me Chris — I’m a terribly disloyal person. Visiting my friends, the school I transferred from, and one of our rivals in the ACC makes me an atrocious football fan. I’m really glad you extended the metaphor of being a football fan all the way out to family life and love life, because now I see how my approach has made me an awful boyfriend and family member.
The fact that I’m a transfer student from Tech and have had a lot of family go there by no means complicates the narrow-sighted analysis of my column you’ve given.
…Either that or I wrote about experiencing a gameday that’s blown away everything I’ve ever seen at U.Va. and you’re finding it a little bit tough to swallow. Maybe, just maybe, you know there’s some truth in my words and the anxiety you have — that I might have a point, that the U.Va. football atmosphere may not be as great as you want it to be and blindly believe it to be — gnaws at you. Even though the column attacks the average fan and not the hardcore fan, like you, my words really worry you, so you condemn what I’ve done.
If confronting difficult truths and admitting them to the people who least want to hear them, with my own word on the line, makes me a coward, I question what you define as cowardice. And if experiencing how exciting and easy it would be to support our rival, but still turning back to U.Va., prevents me from being a “real fan” in your mind, then your opinion of what kind of fan I am means nothing to me.
Whatever helps you sleep at night, Dan.
Dan,
I have a lot of friends at Virginia Tech, too. I am proud of how UVA students/community and other schools around Virginia reached out to VT during it’s great tragedy a few years ago. Athletics are a different story.
NO, a real fan does not support the rival team. Ever. And how ridiculous does it sound for a “fan” of Virginia football to storm the field at a Virginia Tech victory? Come on, that would never happen the other way around. And it has nothing to do with the atmosphere, that’s just BS. I can’t say I know a signal Red Sox or Yankees fan who have once rooted for the other rival team…how about the Cowboys and Redskins…how about UNC and Duke? Oh wait, since they are only separated by 8 miles, that means they attend many of each others games, especially basketball. Then they like to celebrate their rival team’s exciting victories by storming the court with their friends? You go back to UNC after being spotted on national television (by some of your UNC fellows or strangers) hugging and touching and jumping up and down with the Duke players on the court, you come back and get punched in the face. Or all your furniture is taped to the ceiling. Can’t say I have any evidence of this, but that’s because this stuff doesn’t happen there, and if it does, the lovely feel-good story surely is not published in their school’s newspaper by the enlightened individual with their picture on it.
You should probably admit to yourself and hopefully to others that you have interests in both camps and support both; that just means that you are not all that loyal or legitimate of a fan. And that’s fine with me and it should be ok with everyone else, too. The story/article of yours simply does not portray yourself as a dedicated fan, but maybe you are. I will let you know though that no one person that reads it or has read it is going to think of you as a fan of Virginia. Remember though, no one is good at everything and many people are not great fans. For example, I am not a great writer, and I can admit that. I am also not a great artist, or musician. But, I know I am a good fan and a good competitor.
Leave the kid alone… geez. I’ve never seen someone criticized so much for speaking the truth. I would agree that I would not want to read about a VT “fan” celebrating with UVA fans after a big win, but he has ties to both schools. We can’t help the fact that he felt right at home in Lane Stadium and experienced what real football is all about- that’s y’alls problem, not ours. Just let him be and use your “superior academic minds” to learn from what he wrote. Hating on him doesn’t do you any good in the long run…
Nice article (and response), Dan. GO HOKIES
NOTE FROM THE EDITOR:
Keep it clean on the comments or they will be edited or removed. Thank you
Look Dan, nobody is questioning the factuality of your article. Only an idiot would argue that. Hoo fans are questioning why someone would write an article in the CD about how great our hated rival’s fans are and gameday experience is.
Honestly, what was your motive for writing that?
I get the feeling that you adore the attention and the negativity you have spurred. Again, you aren’t a Hoo fan, doubt you’ll ever be one. I am sure that it’s o.k. with you but don’t be a poser, come out and be who you really are…HOKIE.
You know UVA fans hate this and you can tell it got under their skin. They have to trash this poor kid for writing about how much a sporting experience at VaTech is than UVA. They have to discredit it him for claiming it was 80,000 and not “66,000″. If you want to get specific it’s 66,233 you worthless Cavalier columnist. I hope you didn’t graduate from UVA either because every other UVA attendee or grad claims how amazing an education they have and they would much rather have graduated from UVA with an education and not VaTech and be stupid the rest of their life. When you’re nothing but an under-read, insignificant columnist. Face the fact your school’s fan base is terrible, which in turn, makes your sports (in an aspect) terrible, in both performance and how enjoyable they are. This kid speaks the truth maybe you should take it under advisement and make some changes.
One more thing, how is VaTech students stupid when your girls, which half aren’t attractive enough to be even wearing the things, wear sun dresses in 40 degree weather?
Marry me, Dan Stalcup.
Bryan,
Maybe you should read the discussion before throwing out the typical Tech fan response. Not one single person here at UVA is saying that Dan is wrong in saying that the Tech football experience is better…honestly I would hope it would be. But let’s see if all 66,233 seats are filled when the Hokies are 0-3, lose to a I-AA team, and have had one seven win season in four years…I don’t think it would happen.
The issue we at UVA have with his article is that it is a) saying that the fans are to blame for this crappy start (because we have control over what the offense calls for plays?), b) makes his point by flat out gloating about how great Tech is, and c) put that article in the school paper.
If he has friends at Tech and wants to watch some halfway decent football, fine. Just don’t come back and put it in the paper to make us feel even worse about our situation. The majority of the fan base is not pleased with the coach, the team, and its direction but there’s really nothing we can do about it…we have to sit and watch. Rubbing the success of a painfully close rival in our face is not something a true UVA fan would do at a time like this and, if you’re going to be a featured columnist in the school newspaper, one would assume (and almost require) you to be a true fan of the teams you’re covering.
That’s our beef, he’s a traitor, and good luck to Tech the rest of the season…it’ll make it that much sweeter when we beat you in November.
You guys are taking this way out or proportion. Nothing in that article was false. Blacksburg is a football town and we should excel in sports at a higher level then you guys bottom line. UVA hsa incredible academic standards which surpass VT so it goes both ways…
Dan Stalcup, props to you for writing an article like this. I’d probably die before I read an article of the reverse situation in the Hokie college paper. You obviously have ties to both schools, and that’s fine, both are great schools. Still, you’ll never be a true Wahoo. And I don’t think you want to be.
At the same time, the huge thread of comments in response to your article is both frustrating and saddening. When did this rivalry become so malicious?
I had an awesome college experience without an awesome college football team. However, I do have good memories of UVA football, mostly of the Barber twins era.
I guarantee you if UVA had a football program like Tech has, I’d be damned if you didn’t find a fan base like theirs at Scott Stadium.
Fire Groh, find another Welsh. ENOUGH IS ENOUGH. Let’s rebuild.
What the UVA fanbase fails to realize (i thought they were supposed to be smart) is that by Dan doing this, should spark the UVA faithful into being…… well……. faithful. Don’t sit around reading your “War and Peace”, drinking your Pinot Grigio and actually go out and support your team. Yes tech has a passionate fan base, and I would guarantee if we had a 7 win season we’d still sell out, but what UVA fails to realize is that even though things have been good for us, we were still furious with certain aspects of the game. We supported the team but that doesn’t mean we weren’t fed up with Stinespring or the offense. Then we get a miracle against Nebraska and put up huge numbers on Miami. By the looks of it the offense has confidence now and we’ll see what happens at Duke but I’m predicting a big score.
My point is, support your team through the bad even though it’s really bad, sooner or later something good will happen and they need you there to support them. You can be mad about the team performing poorly but support them. They need the confidence more than ever, and if you aren’t there to cheer for em they wont ever perform and you honestly might go without a win.
Bryan,
I’ve been to every football game, every basketball game, and a majority of soccer/swim/and cross-country events in my time here. Nor have I ever left early from these events so don’t accuse me of not supporting my teams.
What I can’t stand is flip flopping on team allegiances which is why this article really irked me. Would you travel to C-ville for a game against a random team, then sway with us in the stands after a TD singing the Good Ol’ Song? I doubt it. That’s what Dan did here and that’s what bothers me. He needs to get the splinters out of his a– and pick a side.
And not attending a game does not equal not supporting. How else is the athletic department supposed to really feel the pain of fielding a mediocre squad? Fans have to hit them where it hurts most and for sports teams its in the ticket sales. I still go because the games are free for students but why would someone pay 50 bucks to go watch us run 20 screen passes and draws and lose 30-0? I wouldn’t buy season tickets if I had to pay because the product isn’t worth the money and I guarantee you there’s a lot of people who are making the same decision with the economy being the way it is…but that doesn’t mean they still don’t support the team.
Of course not, cuz swaying to Good O’l Song is, might i say…. a little too limp-wristed for me. And Dan didn’t go to Blacksburg for to watch a random team, it was the “U”, it was supposed to be miami, and it was supposed to be the best game of the week. looks like Dan is just a football fan and likes watching quality ball games.
Bryan,
I’ve also attended almost every home football and basketball game, as well as a few other sports (that I know no one else cares about since football is everything). My dad has been a season ticket holder probably since he graduated in ‘78 and I attended most of the home football games as a kid. I’ve seen the good and the horrible. Not everyone is a fairweather fan. I have to agree with UVa 2010. Considering the team, it says something to at least ATTEND the games, especially now since I have to pay $30. And I still stand on the hill because I want the camaraderie of the student body.
To the author,
I hope you realize that insulting the author of the other article is no way to get your point across without ruining your character. Good luck learning to effectively debate for once.
Chris,
Your analogies are horrible. You just compared going to VT’s football game to adultery and the worst traitor in US history. You will not be succesful as a writer. Sorry.
First off, let me start by saying that I am a Hokie alum and I believe I’m the only one to post an opinion that doesn’t praise Dan’s original story. Although I do not support Chris’ article the way it was written, I can understand his frustration with Dan’s original article.
Dan, as a Hokie I loved what you wrote. Nothing could be better than reading how much a student from “The University” enjoyed the VT vs. Nebraska game so much. That being said, you certainly have some balls posting that in a UVA paper. I mean come on, that must’ve been the most painful thing for ANY UVA student to read. Hokies reading this post, put yourself in their shoes. Their football team is just terrible this year and then one of their writers posts an article praising their rival. If one of our writers posted an article like Dan’s in our CT when the Hokies lost some games badly, how would you feel? Honestly, I would want to verbally attack the writer any way I could. Not because he’s right (which he is, obviously), but because it’s just not something you want to hear at that time.
Chris, as I mentioned above, I understand your pain. Well, not really understand because the Hokies are playing so well right now, but I can sympathize. However, I just don’t think you did a great job at a rebuttal. Seriously? Family metaphors? It just doesn’t do justice for your character as a writer. I understand why you wanted to post something about Dan’s previous article, I just think you could’ve worded your pain and rivalry hatred a little better.
One more thing for Dan if he’s still reading these comments: You do NOT rush the field of your rival. No matter what. If I went to a UVA game and they beat #1 Florida 52-6, I would politely clap and cheer from my seat (where I’m standing because true Hokie fans don’t sit down for football). I would be glad they won but I’m still a Hokie. It’s just not something rivals do. I understand why it’s different for you since you went to VT and have a lot of friends and family there, but you can’t publish something like that without expecting a heck of a backlash.
Then again, what do I know? I’m just a dumb ‘ole pig farmer (mech engineer) living in the boonies of VA (Arlington).
Different Bryan,
Thank you for clearing that up for those that were having trouble understanding the real issue here. Hopefully some of the people with reading comprehension issues will now get why we’re so mad at this guy and why it really is unacceptable behavior for a columnist in the school paper.
As I said before, good luck to you guys the rest of the season…I want Tech undefeated in conference for when we take them down!
Chris Sill you are a brilliant man. That Cav Daily writer is a d—– for writing that.
True Hoos’ dont cheer for the Hokies.
Chris,
I hear you and respect where you are coming from. Some things are just not right.