Report from Charlottesville

[Zippy1808]

Despite the outcome of the game, this frequent Syracuse sports traveler (both basketball and football) had an incredible time in Charlottesville.

First and foremost, what an absolute pleasure it was meeting some folks from this board (of which I am still very much a newbie) at Buffalo Wild Wings. Notably, FairfaxOrange and then the awesome cto, who in turn was gracious enough to introduce me, to Coach's sister. It really is an awesome community we have and I look forward to more and more of these encounters.

We certainly took over Buffalo Wild Wings. Had to be a few hundred Orange fans there easily -- and not the Virginia type. Props to BWW for having a beer tub right in the front to avoid the wait at the bar! Seeing Otto's Army there made me wish I could have done a trip like that when I was in school. I was commenting to cto in particular about how we as a fanbase have just polarized so much in the past few years. Yet I guess I'll still always be "surprised" when I show up in a far-flung place and see a huge Orange crowd.

Charlottesville is an awesome town, lived up to everything I was told. The UVa campus is gorgeous. I can only imagine it in the fall or spring. Hit a few places on "The Corner" - which is their version of M-Street if there is one. Everyone was so friendly. Southern hospitality for sure. (I was actually debating with my friend on the ride down whether we were really going to "the south")

John Paul Jones Arena is an incredible place. Nicer than some pro arenas. Individual cushioned seats for everyone, a very very nice "walk of fame" for mens' and womens' basketball... decent concessions... wide concourses (including carpeting on the lower level)... the only drawback appeared to be long lines for poorly designed bathrooms. Love the Dome of course, but it made me wonder what could happen if we could figure out a way to have all the bells and whistles of JPJ - in a place the size of the Dome.

Stayed in "downtown" Charlottesville (at the Omni, where the lacrosse team was staying) -- cool spot there too. They have a long pedestrian mall full of bars and stores. Reminded me of the Santa Monica promenade for those who've been there.

On the way out of town Sunday, took a spin past the football stadium, which is on the other side of campus from the arena. It's a shame we probably won't be playing there for a while, cause that too seems like it makes for a really cool environment. It's open on one end and you can look right in.

I came from NYC... we stayed in DC on Friday night and then did the rest of the drive Saturday morning. Not bad at all. About 2 hours on I-66 and Route 29. Some traffic lights, but much of it allows for highway-type speeds.

I won't get into my analysis of the game... we've been down that road enough since Saturday.

I'll just conclude with more thanks to cto and FairfaxOrange -- it was such a pleasure meeting you and can't wait to see you both again. I really hope we're scheduled to play something in Charlottesville every year, because the experience was just a perfect college town basketball trip, something we couldn't really do much on the road in the old Big East.

For those of you going to the ACC Tournament... I hope to see you there! Despite our "slump" -- I think it's shaping up to be an epic few days in Greensboro.

Let's Go Orange.

 

[SaltLakeOrange]

You're very welcome and D and I are glad you had fun! We are looking forward to getting together again in Greensboro...LGO!!!

 

[INTAHOOCH]

Despite the outcome of the game, this frequent Syracuse sports traveler (both basketball and football) had an incredible time in Charlottesville.

First and foremost, what an absolute pleasure it was meeting some folks from this board (of which I am still very much a newbie) at Buffalo Wild Wings. Notably, FairfaxOrange and then the awesome cto, who in turn was gracious enough to introduce me, to Coach's sister. It really is an awesome community we have and I look forward to more and more of these encounters.

We certainly took over Buffalo Wild Wings. Had to be a few hundred Orange fans there easily -- and not the Virginia type. Props to BWW for having a beer tub right in the front to avoid the wait at the bar! Seeing Otto's Army there made me wish I could have done a trip like that when I was in school. I was commenting to cto in particular about how we as a fanbase have just polarized so much in the past few years. Yet I guess I'll still always be "surprised" when I show up in a far-flung place and see a huge Orange crowd.

Charlottesville is an awesome town, lived up to everything I was told. The UVa campus is gorgeous. I can only imagine it in the fall or spring. Hit a few places on "The Corner" - which is their version of M-Street if there is one. Everyone was so friendly. Southern hospitality for sure. (I was actually debating with my friend on the ride down whether we were really going to "the south")

John Paul Jones Arena is an incredible place. Nicer than some pro arenas. Individual cushioned seats for everyone, a very very nice "walk of fame" for mens' and womens' basketball... decent concessions... wide concourses (including carpeting on the lower level)... the only drawback appeared to be long lines for poorly designed bathrooms. Love the Dome of course, but it made me wonder what could happen if we could figure out a way to have all the bells and whistles of JPJ - in a place the size of the Dome.

Stayed in "downtown" Charlottesville (at the Omni, where the lacrosse team was staying) -- cool spot there too. They have a long pedestrian mall full of bars and stores. Reminded me of the Santa Monica promenade for those who've been there.

On the way out of town Sunday, took a spin past the football stadium, which is on the other side of campus from the arena. It's a shame we probably won't be playing there for a while, cause that too seems like it makes for a really cool environment. It's open on one end and you can look right in.

I came from NYC... we stayed in DC on Friday night and then did the rest of the drive Saturday morning. Not bad at all. About 2 hours on I-66 and Route 29. Some traffic lights, but much of it allows for highway-type speeds.

I won't get into my analysis of the game... we've been down that road enough since Saturday.

I'll just conclude with more thanks to cto and FairfaxOrange -- it was such a pleasure meeting you and can't wait to see you both again. I really hope we're scheduled to play something in Charlottesville every year, because the experience was just a perfect college town basketball trip, something we couldn't really do much on the road in the old Big East.

For those of you going to the ACC Tournament... I hope to see you there! Despite our "slump" -- I think it's shaping up to be an epic few days in Greensboro.

Let's Go Orange.

From a Virginia fan, I'm glad you had a good time. I stopped in the BW3's before the game for a couple hours and saw all of the Cuse fans and thought the JPJ would be over run. Everyone I met and interacted with from the Cuse were good spirited fans both there and at the game. Had good fun chatting hoops before the game. There was also one chant you guys were doing in the back of BW3's, which sounded like, Hey, you suck but I couldn't really tell what was being said and not sure what/who it was directed at. If it was directed at UVA, I will tell you that in the ACC, only Maryland fans do that and you don't want that moniker.

With an Orange out on the UVA side, who's colors are typically Orange/Blue it was very difficult to tell who was a Cuse or Hoo fan until you got close enough to see an S or a sabre V. There was also one cool Cuse guy in the bathroom with an orange wig and putting orange and blue on his face and I thought he was a HOO fan, but then he came out with a Cuse shirt on. I saw alot of UVA and Cuse fans together which speaks well to the number of local Cuse fans in NOVA and the Richmond areas. In fact, there is one bartender at BW3"s who was off on Saturday, but normally rocks a Cuse hat throughout the year behind the bar. It was the one game he was going too at the JPJ.

The JPJ was electric and loud and the Cuse fan base in the upper section carried their own. Not sure how they sounded on tv but I was sitting in the lower level of upper section and they rooted the Cuse on to the end and were loud at times. You can probably hear them the most at the end of the 1st half when the Cuse went up 4 late.

For those that think UVA or the ACC hates the Cuse, I think most of us are glad your here. I know UVA and anyone not Duke/UNC are. I think some of the ire started with JB saying he didn't want to be in the ACC and then some of the "All Cuse Conference" banners. In the first year of a new conference obviously that got people on the "anti-cuse" bandwagon. It will subside next year and the focus will likely be on Louisville.

Anyway welcome to the ACC and glad you enjoyed your time in Charlottesville and most ACC fans will agree that UVA is one of the more hospitable places to go in the ACC where having a good time, partying, interacting with the other fans, and tailgating sometimes overshadow the actual game especially with the revenue sports since it's been since the 80's/90's since we were ranked #1 in both football and basketball. Our non-revenue sports have 22 national titles, just can't put it together in the revenue sports. Tony Bennett is the real deal and if we don't lose him, we could be good for awhile.

Welcome to the ACC and hopefully we will see you at the Dome next year!!!

 

[GoHoosGo]

Glad you enjoyed your visit! I hope UVA alumni will travel as well next year when you host us. We have a pretty sizeable NYC contingent, so that should help.

 

[TexanMark]

Glad you enjoyed your visit! I hope UVA alumni will travel as well next year when you host us. We have a pretty sizeable NYC contingent, so that should help.

Syracuse is a minimum of 4 hours from midtown Manhatan.

BTW, for the other poster...the "Hey Song" is old school and profane. It is sung at the opponents when allowed. The school pretty much outlawed it a few seasons ago.

 

[Bayside44]

Syracuse is a minimum of 4 hours from midtown Manhatan.

BTW, for the other poster...the "Hey Song" is old school and profane. It is sung at the opponents when allowed. The school pretty much outlawed it a few seasons ago.

We played it at the Duke game at the Dome.

 

[GoHoosGo]

Syracuse is a minimum of 4 hours from midtown Manhatan.

Still closer than anywhere in Virginia!

 

[Zippy1808]

I do hope to see lots of Virginia fans at the Dome next year.
Buy the way, that was the most orderly court storming I think ever.
We were wondering if it was going to be a "fail" - when some people started trickling onto the court from the side OPPOSITE the student section. But it's just not a place designed for an onslaught (see K-State's Octagon of Doom for a great example of such a thing)

The guards in the yellow coats did an amazing job "keeping the peace."
Textbook on how it can be done succesfully.
And it was pretty cool, from our vantage point in 303 - abutting the students in 302/301 - to see the mini-stampede from that section - to the lower level - just so they could join in the fun. (By the way, I was personally on the aisle between 303-302.. and the noise was absolutely deafening!)

I want to spend more time in Charlottesville, stat.
And I think Saturday's game can be the start of a very friendly ACC rivalry - where the two schools and fanbases have mutual respect for each other, without any of the Georgetown holier than thou-type venom. I seriously don't miss the way we were treated when we used to travel to DC.
So when can we play each other next??

 

[Zippy1808]

Glad you enjoyed your visit! I hope UVA alumni will travel as well next year when you host us. We have a pretty sizeable NYC contingent, so that should help.

Hopefully everyone from NYC does want to make the 4-hour trip.
I run into too many basketball fans here who think Syracuse is way too far to see a game.
I don't think it's far at all.
It's an easy ride, typically in minimal traffic.
Hotels can be cheap, and there are some new ones opening in Syracuse.
Spread the word to the contingent!

 

[OrangeTarheel]

Somewhere between C'ville and Danville on US29 South is where the "South" begins in my opinion. My wife argues that Richmond still has some old South in it ... but as a northerner coming to C'ville I immediately noticed how nice people were.

 

[mykeuva]

And I think Saturday's game can be the start of a very friendly ACC rivalry - where the two schools and fanbases have mutual respect for each other...

Not to mention our mutual hatred of all things Carolina.

 

[SRHoo]

Somewhere between C'ville and Danville on US29 South is where the "South" begins in my opinion. My wife argues that Richmond still has some old South in it ... but as a northerner coming to C'ville I immediately noticed how nice people were.

That would be Lynchburg...not the best name for a southern town, huh?

Very conservative town...that's where Liberty University is, and Jerry Falwell set up camp for decades. Pretty much anything south of Charlottesville is Tarheel country.