Dear Old U.Va.

Football Meet the Team Day

Sunday, August 15 2010 by Tim

I stopped by Scott Stadium today to take part in the festivities of meet the team day. First, a couple takeaways from my experience:

• There were a lot of people there. Lots of kids, lots of adults. Seems like the planners got the events right as the lines for concessions, apparel, moon bounce, etc seemed to be about right – they were all in use, but there were no long lines.
• There were however REALLY long lines for autographs from some of the players. The players were lined up in numerical order starting from the west gate side and wrapping around the colonnade to the east gate side. The first couple tables (players 1 through 7 or so) had a lot of people in line for them as that’s where most people walked in. Ras-I Dowling also had a long line just for himself. The ACC media folks may not recognize him, but our fans sure do.
• Coach London probably had the only individual line that compared in size to Ras-I. It appeared that he was taking a bit more time with each person and actually having a little bit of a conversation, while also trying to keep the line moving. Kudos to him.
• I recognized several other members of the football staff, as well as some of the basketball staff at the event.
• While I’m not exactly above asking a college athlete for an autograph, I do find the format of this event a little weird because of its focus on autographs. The roster has an autograph page, the junior-sized footballs had the white autograph panel on them, and then of course the players were lined up at tables with pens in hand. For the kids who were there, I’m all for that – these guys are stars no matter what. But for the adults walking around collecting autographs, it just kinda gives me the creeps.
• Speaking of the autograph setup, it also makes me feel a little bad for the players that no one knows. Like all those backup linemen that folks have never heard of. There were plenty of times where they had no one at their table talking to them.

And now for some pictures:

HooVision plays parts of The Building of a Program while fans mingle with the players

 

True Freshman QB Mike Rocco, who has been generating much buzz during fall camp

Ras-I Dowling, who drew one of the longest autograph lines of the day

Sophomore LB Ausar Walcott

Senior TB Raynard Horne (#44) and Sophomore S Mike Ahunamba (#45)

Cavalier Coach Mike London gets his picture taken with a fan

Sophomore LB Steve Greer (left) and Redshirt Freshman DE Justin Renfrow (#54)

Sophomore OL Oday Aboushi

Senior OG Isaac Cain

Senior TE Joe Torchia

Junior DT Nick Jenkins (who has as much hair as the rest of the team combined)

Big man on campus, Freshman OT Morgan Moses

Junior OG Austin Pasztor, from whom I expect good things this season

Freshman TB K.P. Parks

Senior TB Superman Keith Payne

Junior WR Kris Burd

Junior CB Chase Minnifield, doing his best Dex impression with his visor

Junior S Corey Mosley

Senior QB Marc Verica

Sophomore TB Torrey Mack

Junior S Rodney McLeod

Junior WR Jared Green