U.Va. breezes by Elon
Singletary spearheads Cavaliers' easy victory with game-high 20 points
Sunday, Dec 23, 2007 - 12:07 AM
By JEFF WHITE
TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER

CHARLOTTESVILLE - The harder his team practices, the happier University of Virginia basketball coach Dave Leitao gets.

Leitao was a happy man yesterday. His players' spirits were high, too, before, during and after U.Va.'s 91-61 rout of Elon before a holiday crowd of 11,626 at John Paul Jones Arena.

The mood was good "because they've been working hard," Leitao said, "and when you work harder, the game becomes a little more enjoyable.

"I'm screaming a whole lot less - I didn't do a whole lot today - because quite honestly they didn't need it . . . It was the same way yesterday, the same way the day before. They've decided collectively to work a whole lot harder and be more efficient."

Particularly efficient was U.Va.'s all-ACC point guard, Sean Singletary. The 6-0 senior hit 5 of 7 shots from the floor and finished with 20 points, eight assists and three steals - all game highs - and also pulled down five rebounds in 28 minutes.

"It definitely started from practice," Singletary said. "We've been having good practices as a team, and when we have a good practice, the chemistry develops and we give each other positive energy."

Virginia (9-2) started slowly. The Phoenix, playing its third game in five days, went up 7-2 on a basket by junior guard Brett James with 16:58 left in the opening half. Two seconds later, however, the former Mills Godwin High star, guarding Singletary, was called for his second personal.

James went to the bench, and the Cavaliers scored the next 10 points. Elon coach Ernie Nestor didn't like either whistle against James (13 points), who's almost fully recovered from a nagging toe injury.

"I think the officials cooled him off with the two fouls that were, like, nitpicking as hell," Nestor said.

Monty Sanders, a transfer from the University of Richmond, led the Phoenix (5-7) with 15 points, matching his career high. It was a strong effort from a player who hurt his heel Tuesday and wasn't expected to play yesterday.

"He means a lot to us," Nestor said of Sanders, a 6-6, 225-pound junior forward.

Injuries kept five Cavaliers out of the game: centers Tunji Soroye, Ryan Pettinella and Laurynas Mikalauskas, point guard Sammy Zeglinski and swingman Solomon Tat. Zeglinski, a freshman who has played in eight games, had surgery Friday to repair ligament damage in his right ankle, which he had sprained repeatedly since arriving at U.Va.

Asked if Zeglinski might be a candidate for a medical redshirt, Leitao said, "My and his focus right now is to see how he responds over the next few weeks. And then we've got to look at all of our options."

One of Zeglinski's classmates, Jeff Jones, started for the 11th time at shooting guard. Since hitting five 3-pointers Nov. 17 in Virginia's win at Arizona, Jones is 0 for 11 from beyond the arc. But he scored on a variety of drives and short jumpers yesterday and finished with 10 points.

"When my shot's not on, I don't want to be one-dimensional, just shooting 3s," Jones said.

For the second straight game, U.Va.'s young centers, freshman Mike Scott and sophomore Jerome Meyinsse, distinguished themselves. Scott scored only six shots but pulled down a game-high nine rebounds. Meyinsse, in 21 minutes off the bench, had a career-best 12 rebounds.

"I think it was very significant for me to prove to Coach that I'm able to play on this level," Meyinsse said.

Elon postponed the inevitable for a half, in part because U.Va. senior Adrian Joseph didn't collect a point or a rebound before intermission. In the first 10:03 of the second half, however, the 6-7, 201-pound forward from Trinidad scored all 16 of his points to help Virginia pull away.

 

Cavs rise way above Phoenix
Virginia puts away another cupcake in a 30-point rout
By Whitelaw Reid / wreid@dailyprogress.com | 978-7250
December 23, 2007

According to Wikipedia, a cupcake is a small cake designed to serve one person and is usually made in a small papercup container.

The online encyclopedia fails to mention anything about the Howard, Drexel, Longwood, Hampton or Elon men’s basketball teams.

Perhaps a Virginia fan can make an addendum.

On Sunday afternoon at John Paul Jones Arena, UVa consumed yet another inferior opponent, cruising easily to a 91-61 win over Elon.

However, unlike some of its other wins over lesser squads this season, Virginia brought its ‘A’ game from start to finish.

“I thought we did a much better overall job today on both ends of playing a little bit more together like we’re supposed to,” said Virginia coach Dave Leitao. “I’ve been preaching the last few weeks about getting better and continuing to grow.”

On Friday, Virginia had one of its best practices of the season. Leitao said his team carried the performance over.

“Sometimes guys are thinking about Christmas [break] before they’re thinking about the game,” he said, “so I’m proud of all the guys in that way.”

Virginia star Sean Singletary played one of his best all-around games of the season. He scored 20 points on just seven field-goal attempts, and had eight assists and five rebounds. After committing seven turnovers in the win over Hampton Wednesday, Singletary had just three against Elon (5-7).

The senior captain could be seen smiling throughout much of the contest.

“It’s definitely fun when you take care of your business and the results show,” Singletary said. “We definitely had good practices up until this game and we showed it today. When you practice hard, the game comes a little easier.”

Virginia (9-2) outrebounded Elon by 11 and committed just nine turnovers - eight below its season average. The Cavaliers shot 50 percent from the field and held the Phoenix to just 41 percent.

A major bright spot for UVa was the play of guard Jeff Jones, who came into the contest just 9 of 35 from the field in his last seven games. The freshman scored 10 points on 4-of-8 shooting and had four rebounds.

“It was a little weight off my chest,” said Jones, although he still has not hit a 3-pointer since the Arizona game on Nov. 17. “Offensively, the last three or four games haven’t been what I wanted. … I was doing other things like rebounding, defense and hustle things, but I’m glad I was able to go out there and get some points.

“Coach always says it’s going to be mentally tough. You have to keep grinding and keep working. He said that he always had confidence in me and that I was still starting and to just keep [my] confidence and never let it go.”

Leitao liked what he saw out of Jones.

“Guys go through that - there will be highs and lows for young guys,” Leitao said. “He’s a good player. We all believe in him. I believe in him. It was only going to be a matter of time.

“I told him [Friday] that today was going to be his day.”

Virginia was up by as many as 18 in the first half before taking a 47-34 lead into the locker room.

In the early moments of the second half, Adrian Joseph, much like he did in the last game, took over. The senior scored eight straight points, including a steal and two-hand dunk that got the crowd of 11,626 juiced.

Earlier in the season, Joseph had a similar steal and wound up missing a double-pump reverse dunk. This time, he went the conservative route.

“I was going to try that same dunk again - just to prove that I could make it,” said Joseph, smiling, “but I just kept it simple.”

Virginia is now off until one final cupcake - a home date with Hartford on Dec. 30. After that, UVa travels to face No. 24 Xavier, then opens its ACC season on Jan. 13 at Duke.

“Each game is as important as the next test, so we have to be able to stay sharp whether we’re playing Longwood or North Carolina,” said Virginia sophomore Jamil Tucker. “It’s the same basic fundamentals that we have to stay sharp in, no matter who we’re playing.”

Dunks

Lars Mikalauskas, Ryan Pettinella, Tunji Soroye, Solomon Tat and Sammy Zeglinski did not play due to injuries. Zeglinski recently underwent ankle surgery and is out indefinitely.

 

UVa lowers Leitao stress
An efficient Sean Singletary scores 20 points to lead the 9-2 Cavaliers over Elon.
By Doug Doughty
981-3129

CHARLOTTESVILLE -- In a matchup between two of the most prominent names in Virginia athletics, Sean Singletary got the best of Chris Long on Saturday.

Fortunately for Singletary, the game was basketball and the Chris Long in question was playing for Elon.

Singletary had one of his most efficient games of the season and the Cavaliers' young big men continued to make strides in a 91-61 victory at John Paul Jones Arena.

"I'm screaming a whole lot less and I didn't do a lot today because, quite honestly, they didn't need it," UVa coach Dave Leitao said. "It was the same way [in practice] yesterday and the same way the day before."

Elon (5-7) jumped to an early 7-2 lead, but the Cavaliers (9-2) made 10 of their next 11 shots from the field in building a 30-14 lead. The Phoenix trimmed a 13-point halftime deficit to 49-39 early in the second half, but senior Adrian Joseph took over and the outcome was not in question.

Joseph, held without a point or a rebound in the first half, played only 10 minutes in the second half but finished with 16 points. He scored the Cavaliers' first 11 points after intermission.

Leitao said he glanced at the stat sheet but "didn't notice" Joseph's line.

"Maybe that's why he came out on fire," Leitao said. "He showed last game and this game that he can score in spurts and that gave us a better cushion."

Singletary, whose turnover totals have been up while his shooting percentage has gone down, finished with 20 points in 28 minutes. He was 5-for-7 from the field, including 3-for-4 on 3-pointers, and had eight assists.

"We've been having good practices," Singletary said. "It's been going on, off and on for a while, but things have really picked up lately."

Virginia had four double-figure scorers, including 6-foot-8 post man Jerome Meyinsse, who had a career-high 12 points. Freshman guard Jeff Jones had 10.

Meyinsse had nine points and nine rebounds Wednesday, when he played 22 minutes off the bench in a 79-65 victory over Hampton. He played 21 minutes Saturday afternoon.

"I think it was very significant to me," said Meyinsse, who had played a total of 33 minutes in UVa's first nine games. "I'm trying to show the coaches that I'm able to play at this level."

Freshman Mike Scott got the start at center and played only 17 minutes, but he contributed six points and nine rebounds. It gave Leitao food for thought as the Cavaliers prepared to leave on an eight-day Christmas break.

Virginia has three veteran big men -- Tunji Soroye, Lauris Mikalauskas and Ryan Pettinella -- who have made a combined 76 career starts. The first two were in street clothes and Pettinella was available, but soon UVa will have a glut of big men.

"When they come back to practice, there's definitely going to be some competition," Meyinsse said.

Two other scholarship players were not available Saturday, sophomore Solomon Tat and freshman Sammy Zeglinski. Zeglinski was on crutches after undergoing ankle surgery Friday.

"He had his ankle scoped," Leitao said. "It's been a difficult process for us and for him especially. It was September when he first sprained it. It was an old injury. It happened when he got here and he's continued to re-sprain it -- four or five times."

Zeglinski has played in eight games and, if he does not return this season, might be eligible for an extra year.

Calvin Baker took over at the point when Singletary came out Saturday and finished with seven points and six assists, compared to just one turnover.

"I like where our team is right now," Joseph said, "especially when you look at where we were last year [at 6-3] when we came back from Puerto Rico."

 

Singletary elevates game in win over Elon
By Chris Lang
Lynchburg News & Advance
December 22, 2007

CHARLOTTESVILLE - Jeff Jones displayed his newfound aggressiveness on offense. Mike Scott and Jerome Meyinsse continued their workman-like play on Virginia's depleted front line. But when the Cavaliers needed a spark during a sluggish start against Elon at John Paul Jones Arena, the story, not surprisingly, was Sean Singletary.
The guard's variegated skill set was on full display Saturday. He hit a stop-and-pop jumper in the lane, drained two 3-pointers and jump-started a fast break by dribbling behind his back and firing a long pass to Mamadi Diane for an easy transition basket. Singletary's transcendent play was too much for the gassed Phoenix to handle, and UVa cruised to a 91-61 victory.

"It's been the last few days, where I think he just decided to mentally turn up the speed and be more himself," Cavaliers coach Dave Leitao said. "Instead of letting the game come to him, he's brought his talent to the game. It's speed and aggression, and he's done a great job of taking shots early in the possession. He's been better defensively.

"It's a more responsible version of himself. Hopefully for us, and for him, that can continue."

Singletary hit 5 of 7 field goals, including 3 of 4 from 3-point range, scored 20 points and added eight assists, five rebounds and three steals in 28 minutes. He's had five games with more points and two with more assists this season, but across the board, Saturday's game was his finest of the year.

"I feel pretty comfortable out there," Singletary said. "We've had good practices, and when you have good practices, the chemistry develops and we give each other positive energy. We give each other confidence and energy, and then we're a solid team out there."

Elon (5-7) led 7-2 after a Brett James basket with 17:01 left in the first half, but the Cavaliers countered with a 28-7 burst capped by a Singletary basket to take a 30-14 lead. The Phoenix, which was playing its third road game in six days, never got closer than 12 after that.

Singletary's play put the Cavaliers (9-2) over the top during the run, but Leitao was also pleased with the play of Jones, the freshman sharpshooter who hit five 3s at Arizona Nov. 17 but hasn't hit one since.

Jones missed both of his 3-point attempts Saturday, but he found other ways to get to the basket. He scored twice in a 30-second span midway through the first half, first curling hard off a screen for an aggressive take to the hole. Then after a Diane steal, Jones scored on the drive with his left hand in transition, giving Virginia a 36-18 lead.

"When my shot isn't going, I don't want to be one-dimensional, just shooting 3s," Jones said. "I like the two-dribble pull-up and take it to the rack. It's just being aggressive, and that doesn't necessarily just mean shooting it."

Jones scored all 10 of his points in the first half, his first double-digit game since his 15-point showing in Tucson.

"Guys go through that," Leitao said. "There are highs and lows for young guys, and you can't really rely on your experience to get through it. He's a good player, and we all believe in him. I told him (Friday) that (Saturday) was going to be his day."

The other important development was the continued solid play of Virginia's young post players. With Lars Mikalauskas, Ryan Pettinella and Tunji Soroye still sidelined by injuries, Scott and Meyinsse were the Cavs' only centers Saturday, and they combined for 18 points and 11 rebounds. Meyinsse, who tied his previous career high in points (nine) against Hampton on Wednesday, scored 12 points on 5 of 5 shooting and added a steal.

With Soroye expected back soon, Meyinsse is making a play for more playing time once the ACC season starts Jan. 13 at Duke.

"When they come back to practice, there's definitely going to be competition," Meyinsse said. "Those guys are going to want their spots back. And I want to keep my spot. So it's definitely going to be a battle."

TIP-INS: Virginia broke the 90-point mark for the fifth time in 11 games. ? Guard Sammy Zeglinski had arthroscopic surgery to repair ligament damage in his sprained right ankle and was on the bench with crutches Saturday. ? UVa, which leads the nation in rebounding margin, held a 38-27 edge in the category Saturday. ? Virginia had 20 assists; Elon had 20 turnovers. ? Adrian Joseph was scoreless at halftime but scored UVa's first 10 points of the second half.

 

Texas Tech WR has inside scoop on Virginia
Red Raiders' Amendola is best friends with Hokie QB Glennon
By Jay Jenkins / jjenkins@dailyprogress.com | 978-7250
December 23, 2007

Without a game on the docket, Texas Tech wideout Danny Amendola spent a few hours Nov. 24 watching college football.

Oddly enough, the contest he placed the highest priority for viewing involved Virginia, Amendola’s opponent on New Year’s Day in the Gator Bowl.

No, Amendola was not scouting potential postseason foes. The senior was merely watching a childhood friend, Virginia Tech quarterback Sean Glennon, play on ESPN2.

“I was just watching him and enjoying the game not knowing that I was going to be playing Virginia in the next month or so,” Amendola chuckled.

Amendola and Glennon, who was born in Texas, developed their bond after Sean’s parents moved back to The Woodlands, a city located 30 miles north of Houston.

“He moved here when we were in sixth or seventh grade and we’ve pretty much been best friends ever since,” Amendola said. “We played on the same football teams and basketball teams together. We were at each other’s house almost every day.”

As the two youngsters were preparing for their first year of high school, Glennon’s family moved again, this time to Virginia.

Amendola said the two have remained close and chat quite frequently.

“I still keep in touch with him. I will probably call him later to just see how he is doing,” Amendola said. “We just talk about football, life and everything else.”

After learning that Texas Tech (8-4) would play No. 21 Virginia (9-3), clearly Glennon’s rival, the conversation shifted to the Cavaliers’ defense.

Glennon, a redshirt junior, passed for 260 yards and a pivotal touchdown late in the first half as the Hokies beat the Cavaliers, 33-21, at Scott Stadium.

“I talked to him about what kind of players that they’ve got,” Amendola said. “He had all good things to say. He said that Virginia had a bunch of great players that play hard.”

Despite catching 103 passes for 1,177 yards this season, Amendola was overshadowed by fellow wideout Michael Crabtree, a true freshman.

Amendola, a second-team All-Big 12 Conference selection, has 198 career receptions, fifth-best in program history.

Crabtree, however, set national records for receptions (125), yards (1,861) and touchdowns (21). In addition to winning the Biletnikoff Award, Crabtree also joined Virginia defensive end Chris Long and two others as the lone unanimous choices on every All-America team recognized by the NCAA.

“[Crabtree’s] such a gifted, talented athlete,” Amendola said. “He’s been blessed, that’s for sure. He can run great routes, he has great agility and he has great hands.

“The major thing that pulls it all together is that he has a great will to win. He’s a competitor, and that’s what makes him so great.”

Finding where Crabtree is located on the field will be Virginia’s top priority. Locating Amendola, well, that’s been rather simple - at least logistically.

“[Amendola] is always in what’s called the Y position,” said Virginia coach Al Groh. “He’s always on the offensive right, regardless of the formation.”

Another Texas Tech wide receiver, sophomore Edward Britton (43 catches, 583 yards, 4 TDs), always lines up on the left.

The rest of the alignment alters on a play-by-play basis.

“Those two players may be on their respective sides with two or three other players and they may be on their sides and be the only player over there,” Groh said, eluding to how Crabtree and inside receiver Eric Morris (66-690-9) are rotated.

Amendola, while hoping to follow in Glennon’s footsteps by keeping Virginia stuck on nine wins, said he just hopes to help contribute in a positive manner in his fourth and final bowl game as a Red Raider.

“I felt like we had a pretty good season offensively,” Amendola said, “and we are just going to try and continue to do that in the bowl game. It should be a great game.”

BASKETBALL U.VA. UPSET RECALLED CHAMINADE'S DAY STILL RESONATES
December 23, 2007 12:36 am
BY JAYMES SONG
AP Sports Writer

HONOLULU--It's called the "biggest upset in college basketball history." Merv Lopes believes his team's shocking victory 25 years ago is more than that.

"It's more of a miracle than an upset," the former Chaminade coach said. "Can it happen? No way."

But it did. Chaminade 77, No. 1 Virginia 72.

On Dec. 23, 1982, an 800-student NAIA school that didn't even have its own gymnasium defeated the nation's No. 1 team led by 7-foot-4 center Ralph Sampson, who was en route to his third straight national player of the year award.

"How can you stop a guy who was 7-foot-whatever?" Lopes asked. "At that time, 25 years ago, that was a monster."

The game was supposed to be a pit stop in paradise for Virginia, which was returning home from playing two games in Japan. At 8-0, the Cavaliers seemed on their way to a return trip to the Final Four.

Even without an ill Sampson in Tokyo, Virginia beat Utah and an explosive Houston squad led by Akeem Olajuwon and Clyde Drexler.

Before traveling to Asia, Virginia won by 13 points at Duke and beat Georgetown and Patrick Ewing in a matchup of superstar center billed "The Game of the Decade."

The Silverswords, meanwhile, were coming off a loss to Wayland Baptist.

Nobody believed Chaminade had a chance. The tiny Catholic school, founded in Honolulu in 1955 at a site that served as a military hospital during World War II, still uses a gym it rents from a high school.

"It certainly remains a great story and a great inspiration," Chaminade president Sue Wesselkamper said. "It proves that it is possible to win against odds if you work hard and play well."

The victory changed the school forever.

Chaminade was to be renamed the University of Honolulu days after the game, but the school kept its name because of all the attention it received. The win also has helped with recruiting and spawned the Maui Invitational, considered the nation's top preseason tournament.

Lopes, now 75 and retired on the Big Island, is still baffled at how his "put-together" team of mostly non-recruited players won.

"I couldn't tell you how or what. It just happened," he said. "They had no fear."

Chaminade, now an NCAA Division II program, was playing in the NAIA at the time with a paltry athletic budget. Lopes was paid $2,000 for the entire season as the school's head coach, which was a part-time gig. His recruiting budget was $34.

"You do the best with what you've got, that's it," he said. "We never had tall guys. We never had highly recruited guys. But hell, we did pretty good."

At 6-7 and 210 pounds, the lanky Tony Randolph was Chaminade's starting center charged with guarding Sampson, who was 9 inches taller. Virginia had small forwards taller than Randolph.

Randolph finished with 19 points on 9-or-12 shooting and held Sampson in check, earning him the nickname of "Miracle Man." He had played against Sampson in high school and in pickup games in Virginia where everyone wanted to measure their skills against the rising basketball star.

Randolph said the experience didn't help that much because Sampson was so much more polished and bigger.

The Silverswords had a simple strategy: converge on the Virginia star every time he touched the ball.

Lopes instructed his players to harass Sampson to force a pass, a bad shot or a turnover. Sampson had spent most of his time in Tokyo in his hotel room recovering from pneumonia. He returned to the court against Chaminade and had nine points and 17 rebounds.

Former Cavaliers coach Terry Holland remembers outrebounding the Silverswords by about 20, but couldn't score.

"We played hard, and they did a good job of taking away the inside game and daring us to shoot outside," Holland said in an e-mail.

The game was tied at 43 at halftime and was close throughout. Then came the dunk heard across the islands.

Tim Dunham's alley-oop dunk in Sampson's face was the play that made the Silverswords--and every one else at Blaisdell Arena--believe a major upset was coming.

"I never expected Chaminade to win," said Bill Hunt, who was among the 3,500 fans in attendance.

 

UVa fans show support in varied ways
Cav faithful use bowl ticket sales to let its voice be heard
By Jerry Ratcliffe / Daily Progress sports editor
December 23, 2007

With the Gator Bowl less than 10 days away, the question remains open as to whether Virginia will sell its complete allotment of 13,500 tickets to its first New Year’s Day bowl game of note since its 1991 trip to the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans.

An estimated 10,000 to 11,000 tickets to the Gator matchup against Texas Tech have been sold by UVa with more than a week to go. However, many more Wahoo fans are expected to turn out for the game in Jacksonville after having purchased tickets through other agencies.

In a recent column, The Daily Progress cited both sides of the bowl support controversy and asked for reader feedback. The newspaper received a record 11 pages of reader response (that column can be found at DailyProgress.com and following prompts to Cavalier Insider, Ratcliffe columns archives).

The sports department also received hundreds of e-mails, voicemails and postal mail feedback on the topic. A sample of those can also be found on this Web site.

Simply put, many fans are still planning to attend the bowl game because they love Virginia football and this team, which finished 9-3 and set an NCAA record for close wins. Some of those fans have pointed out they are frustrated with several ongoing issues at UVa, but are still going to Jacksonville.

Many of their peers are not. Both groups have pointed out their disillusion over Virginia’s reseating of Scott Stadium for the 2008 season, announced prior to the 2007 season.

Many of these fans have complained that their loyalty throughout the years has not been returned by what they perceive as a money-grubbing university and/or athletic department.

Some fans are upset because of the high-priced travel packages offered by UVa to the Gator Bowl, and others are still miffed over what they have referred to as the “Hokie lovefest” at Scott Stadium for the Nov. 24 regular season-ending home game against Virginia Tech.

Combined, those issues have created a “Perfect Storm” of reasons that Wahoo fans are angry. Many of those have chosen to protest their dissatisfaction by staying away from the Gator Bowl. Some fans that are making the trip to Jacksonville feel like some of their peers are using that and other factors as a “cop-out” for not going.

Still others are so miffed at their school that they are going to the game but have purposefully gone out of their way to make sure that UVa doesn’t get credit for their bowl ticket purchases.

One such long-time donor wrote:

“I support the team (by purchasing numerous season tickets) and so I will be in Jacksonville. ... I no longer support UVa, so I purchased (numerous Gator Bowl tickets), but went out of my way NOT to purchase them from UVa. UVa doesn’t care about its fans, so why should fans care about UVa?”

This type of furor has been common among many fans that have responded to Daily Progress articles during the past week.

Craig Littlepage, Virginia’s director of athletics, said he has noted the various issues fans have complained about but believes their frustration shouldn’t be taken out upon this football team, which is attempting to become only the second squad in Cavalier history to record a 10-win season.

“I’m hearing about concerns with the cost of airfare and hotels, the limited travel options, the date/time of the game all as being factors in fans’ decisions about the bowl,” Littlepage said. “The number of tickets sold indicates good support from our fans and shows that even with some concerns, such as quality of [bowl] seats available, [Scott Stadium] re-seating, [Virginia Tech] pregame and halftime activities or a season-ending loss, they know how important it is to follow the team and support it at the bowl in Jacksonville.”

Littlepage pointed out how this team has earned its support by overcoming odds and winning games in exciting fashion, leading to Al Groh being voted ACC Coach of the Year, Chris Long being voted ACC Defensive Player of the Year and a consensus All-American, and Tom Santi’s selection as the Jim Tatum Award winner as the ACC’s top scholar-athlete.

“The importance of this year’s selection by the Gator Bowl is that we were selected because we were viewed as a preferred team based on some recent bowl history,” Littlepage noted. “Our fans and staff have worked hard to overcome the negative perception that we would not ‘travel well.’ Thus far, with the Gator Bowl we have sold a lot of tickets and that says our fans are enthused by the season and the program, and I hear comments to that effect every day.

“We estimate there are probably several thousand additional Cavalier fans that have purchased tickets directly from the bowl or in the secondary market on the web, which are not reflected in the official numbers the bowls track,” Littlepage continued. “Many of these fans are motivated to buy from points of sale other than UVa because better seats can sometimes be purchased at places other than the competing schools.”

He explained that he and other ACC athletic directors are concerned about that particular issue and hope to discuss it with bowl partners in the coming year.

“Ultimately, our goal is to have the best comprehensive athletics program in the country,” Littlepage said. “... In order to do so, an institution must have a football program and an athletics program that are respected. We have done a great deal in the past six years to build the credibility of our program to the point that our bowl partners enjoy coming to Charlottesville to be hosted by the University, our fans, and staff. They now feel confident that UVa will ‘travel well’ and bring fans to their cities.

“I want to continue building on the goodwill and respect that has been earned by our fans and our program. The team deserves that, and this year’s bowl game is a great way to do it.”

 

Cavalier fans air their grievances
From You, The Readers / Charlottesville Daily Progress
December 23, 2007

Here is a sampling of the hundreds of responses to Sports Editor Jerry Ratcliffe’s column about why UVa fans are supporting or not supporting Virginia’s football trip to the Gator Bowl.

Because of the heavy response (some of which can be viewed online with that column that ran on Dec. 14), The Daily Progress doesn’t have enough space to print all opinions, but presents this sampling without being too redundant.

l l l

“I think what appears to be a lack of interest in the Gator Bowl is really a free market freely playing out competition for consumers’ available discretionary dollars allocable to entertainment. I don’t think any careful study was made of the size and economic profile of the UVa fan base before the football and basketball arenas were so greatly expanded.

“... When faithful fans of decades are dumped out of their season seats for a bigger dollar return, don’t moan about the faithlessness of the fans. You have traded loyalty to a team for entertainment dollars and you have to be able to compete across a spectrum of entertainment offerings.”

l l l

“I have had season tickets for 42 years and only missed three home games the first 40 years. So, as you can understand, I have seen the best and the worst. I, along with many other die-hard fans sat in the stadium year after year, rooting for the Cavs, even when they weren’t a winning team. But, we were loyal fans. The principle of someone having my seats because of a larger donation is very upsetting. Not only will I miss the bowl game, I will not renew my tickets from this day forward.”

l l l

“As I read your column and look back at my own, long-gone season tickets for basketball and football, I see all valid reasons on both sides of the issues you raised. To me, as someone who lost the privilege of going to games, I would say that the University had to make a choice as to who would get tickets to games and the choice was made based on giving, which is fine.

“... Here’s what I’ve never really understood. My family has had season tickets to the N.Y. Giants since 1965. While ticket prices have increased substantially, they remain in my family as long as we renew every year. I’m sure there’s a huge difference in the cost of running a professional football team than running a non-profit university, and maybe sports revenue in a university has too many commitments, with too many hands out. There was a time when Virginia football generated little revenue and no one ever complained, that is, until they tasted the dollars Ralph Sampson generated.

“... The bottom line to me is, you have a choice between a tried-and-true, devoted fan base, or a fan base that are donors of the highest dollars. Virginia chose the latter and with that comes not showing up to bowl games if they’re not convenient. When I was a season-ticket holder, I went to bowl games and basketball tournaments. That’s when I was a real fan.”

l l l

“I am a proud UVa grad and supported the teams through solicitation letters, phone calls, visitations and in any other way I was asked by individuals ... even when we lost 28 straight games and couldn’t get million-dollar donors.

“... When “lifetime” seating was proposed, I gave a lump sum to be assured for six future tickets for my family. That money was spent and soon the tickets became too expensive and I have no idea what donor got those. I am a lifetime member of the VAF and have supported the Hoos at the Peach Bowl, Tire Bowls and Music City Bowl, and yes, I will be in Jacksonville. My question is, why would I spend hundreds of dollars in reservations, parking passes, event tickets, etc., and let UVa hold my check until they decide if they can sell all their tickets without my application, when I can go online and purchase tickets and not worry that I will have reservations, etc., only to have my ticket request denied because I haven’t donated enough money lately?”

l l l

“Virginia fans do not travel well. I am one of them and I had made other plans for New Year’s. I find all of the excuses interesting, but not particularly relevant. The fans from all the other schools who do travel well somehow find the money. Also, they get to pay big-league prices for their tickets during the season, and still they travel to whatever venue and scrape up the dough to be there.

“... Virginia fans are being asked to change their DNA from wannabe Ivy League to a big-time BCS focused group. It ain’t that easy and it ain’t going to happen if the fan base gets away complaining that the University is charging too much money, or is only after their money. That is how you get into the BCS neighborhood.”

l l l

“I am a 16-year donor and season-ticket holder and I will be at the Gator Bowl. ... I am not one of those whining about having to increase my contribution next year, but I do hope to see more 9-3 seasons and less love for Virginia Tech in the future.”

l l l

“Shortly after the regrettable ’08 ticket policy was published, I mentioned to [VAF] that there would probably be unintended consequences as a result of the change. Regrettably, the lack of ticket sales to the Gator Bowl is probably the tip of the iceberg. ... Literally 22 of the 24 season-ticket holders to whom I spoke, indicated they did not plan to renew. These are folks with solid connections to the University, faculty, staff, alums, etc. It’s a shame!”

l l l

“The true reason why many fans aren’t going to the Gator Bowl is because UVa hasn’t been relevant for a very long time and therefore our entire fan base isn’t excited enough to overcome our gripes. Not to mention how out of touch our administration is with us. We’ve been No. 1 in the country before, and we’ve won a couple of ACC Championships before, so a 9-3 season with another loss to VT is not going to get us that excited.

“... We didn’t really want the Gator Bowl. We merely preferred it over the Champs Bowl just like the Gator Bowl didn’t really want us. We wanted to beat VT and we wanted an appearance in the ACC Championship game. And in that one loss, we really lost a chance for bragging rights ... we get a preferred bowl that is more expensive to get to than we care to pay to get to it, in a season when a major reseating project is announced. Cue the excuse chorus.

“... When UVa starts putting together back-to-back nine- and 10-win seasons and beats Virginia Tech, it will become relevant again. All of these other distractions will be easier to ignore and you will see the dedication/motivation level increase significantly. It’s not hard to support a winning product. For the record, I purchased four tickets for the Gator Bowl for my friends and they are going, but I am not and my ticket will be a proxy.”

l l l

“Both my husband and I are saddened at walking away from VAF and a half-century of support of UVa athletics. We still love the University and will continue our donations outside VAF to demonstrate our affection for Mr. Jefferson’s University.”

l l l

“As an alumni of UVa who has lived in C’ville since graduation, I am disgusted with UVa and its lack of concern for this community. Yes, they build bigger stadiums, but who do they think will fill them, UVa students? More and more, I see the choice seats going to the corporations, not the fans or the people who pay good money to support teams and bands.

“... My husband went against my express wishes and ponied up money to keep his seat for the football games. Too bad, as he won’t be sitting with the friends he has made over the years, who came and cheered and paid to support an average team with passion. They won’t pay extra to have the privilege of being a good fan. Wake up, UVa. It won’t be me in those seats. My Tech ticket cost more than my Redskins ticket. I really hope the true fans vote with their feet, and yes, Mr. Casteen, the only thing I would pay good money to see is a team good enough to kill Tech in football. Jocularly yours, Pam.”

l l l

“Thanks for raising the many issues related to the anger of us Wahoos. Your articles have been supportive and informative about fans’ reactions to the extortion announced to loyal season-ticket holders.

“... Fair or not, they are voicing their anger by canceling their season tickets, refusing to go to the bowl, and not going to games. ... Actions toward our measly lunch pail donations are finally going to bite them back. They don’t want our support unless we can pay [thousands of dollars] to join their country club, but now we’re disloyal because we make the University look bad by making them return the bowl ticket allotment.”

l l l

“Here’s an idea. Instead of asking fans to purchase and donate tickets to needy Florida youth, ask well-heeled supporters to underwrite a lunch-pail caravan of affordable buses to Jacksonville. If the athletic department really wants us to attend these activities, get donations and make them free. And why are all the choices for rooms limited to 4-star, riverfront luxury hotels? Aren’t there any promoters as in previous years willing to organize tours with blue-collar properties at rates we can afford? ... If they are really serious about restoring the loyalty of fans, I propose they get a grip on reality on how the other 95 percent of fans live. Then they can stop branding us as disloyal cry babies.”

l l l

“I found rooms for $79 per night and an express bus from Charlottesville Trailways to Jacksonville for $138. Why couldn’t UVa have done so?

“... Now they have to absorb unsold tickets because of their tunnel vision to cater to big donors only. Responses online to your column about this more than a week ago quoted fans who tried to buy game tickets, but the UVa site said priority would go to big points fans and advised lunch pailers to look elsewhere for their seats unless they wanted to wait a week and get only nosebleeds.

“... As expected, those fans went to Ticketmaster and purchased VIP prime seats for the same price without the red tape of the VAF. The Gator Bowl committee can ask Ticketmaster for an accounting of Virginia fans by zip codes. But, bottom line, there is not a lot of enthusiasm about this bowl. Jacksonville is not the desirable destination in terms of proximity, beauty or price. It can’t compare to the 8-hour drive or $99 flights to Atlanta from Richmond last Peach Bowl. Even Orlando has competitive prices for flights and a desirable area for an extended stay.”

l l l

“I would suggest that Gator Bowl tickets aren’t selling has more to do with reasons that have gone unmentioned. The first among these is the reseating of the football stadium. I haven’t finished paying off my pledge for JPJ Arena (which for lower-bowl seats isn’t cheap), and now I’ve got to make a football pledge! The $2,000 I would spend on a Jacksonville trip might be the cost of one year of my new football pledge. Donor fatigue is the fault of VAF and it needs to be said. It was a bad decision to reseat Scott Stadium so soon after JPJ, and some fans are using this as a valid reason not to make the trip to Jacksonville.

“... I take exception to sportswriters who think my decision to miss Jacksonville as a sign of my lack of support for the team. The amount of money I will give the VAF in the next couple of years should remove any doubt of that.

“... The Gator Bowl is a minor bowl ... This might be a New Year’s Day bowl, but it’s not a big deal. Also, Jacksonville is really not that nice a city in my view. I’ve been to Jacksonville and I’m not persuaded.”

l l l

“You show great leadership as always on these issues. Here are my thoughts:

- Publicize the ticket sales each day with a positive on how many sold yesterday/this week. Not too late to sell 12,500 if people step up. Al [Groh] set the bar too high at 30,000. If 15,000 showed, it would be tremendous.

- Better marketing. This could have been sold as a New Year’s Eve party with like-minded fans and then the game. Could be a festive atmosphere a la Charlotte several years ago.

- VAF needs to budget $500k each year for 10,000 tickets. Going begging doesn’t sell.

- Give seating credit or VAF incentives at Scott Stadium to fans who attend the bowl. This is worth as much as a cash donation, actually more in the long run.

- Need to figure a way to get at least 1,000 students to go, even if VAF has to subsidize charter flights. Give students a partial credit against activity fees.

- Airfares offered in packages need to be lower. Price is $600 roundtrip per person once you subtract the hotel. Can make own arrangements and do materially better. Should be airfare-only and one-night, air-ground available for low-cost options. Neither are available among options listed. VAF needs to manage this and not leave it to a travel agency. We shouldn’t care how much money we spend in the host city, we just need to get fans there cheaply. Bus caravan, train, driving just isn’t a good option for Florida ... it’s too far.”

l l l

“I continue to be shocked that UVa doesn’t offer charter flights from various airports to bowl games. It would be in UVa’s interest to subsidize the flights so that it would really be a great deal for the fan. That would not be a cost to UVa in the long run, but an investment in that we could get rid of this poor traveling fan base reputation.”

l l l

“Thanks for the opportunity to voice the true fans’ opinions about the way tickets for the bowl game and for next season are distributed.

“... In recent years, it’s all some of us can do to give enough to the University to get season tickets to football. Then to come out with bowl tickets and packages as pricey as they are makes it difficult for most. Those of us shouldn’t be lambasted for having to make that decision. However, the football team deserves to have people support them next year, and at the rate the current administration is going, they will not get that support.

“... It’s OK to only have a mediocre football team and to have one of the best academic universities. Just say it like it is. Have some &@#$ and pride that your football team is only going to be able to compete with the middle-of-the-road teams. You will get a lot of big-time donors to give money, be seen, sit in their glass-enclosed suites, drinking champagne and talking about politics. Oh yeah, all this is going on when they are playing Virginia Tech because there will be no one home when they play the little sisters of the poor. It really gets under my skin when we, the true fans, can’t support our team without being told that we don’t give enough to sit here.”

l l l

“... The VAF outrageously price-gouges us loyal fans to death. For the Gator Bowl, for example, I signed up for the VAF “land-only package.” I have reserved two rooms for three nights (Dec. 29, 30, 31), one room with my wife and one room for three kids. And, it is costing me $3,300. That is over $500 per night, per room, at the ‘UVa headquarters hotel.’ This exorbitant amount is only for the rooms. Not one meal is included. This also does not include the tickets, which in my case run $375.00. I decided to purchase airline tickets separately for a total of $1,200 roundtrip. So, the total now is $4,900. Had I gone with the VAF-sponsored package with air and hotel, my total would have been $500 more, for one less night in the hotel. I can afford to do this, but it still makes me sick. I do not blame a soul if he or she decides not to come to this game. ... That is why so many people are staying home or at least not buying the packages and instead making arrangement at other less-expensive, but still overly-priced hotels in Jacksonville.

“... As a sportswriter, you have no idea about these things. It is easy for you to implore fans to come to the bowl, but you don’t have to do the things we have to do. VAF members and UVa fans are being taken advantage of and we are tired of it. We love our school and our teams, but I think you can see that even good fans are reaching the limit of our tolerance for the way VAF operates.”