Tell everyone about yourself; when/how did you become a Hokie?

I remember my first game like it was yesterday, the heartbreak etched in my mind like it was carved into Hokie Stone -- Temple '98. Two words that make every Hokie hang their head in shame. However, as my best friend pointed out that day, "Look at that kid on the sideline. He's going to be great for us next year." (He wasn't wearing #7 -- Lamont Pegues was #7 that season.)

I was born in Northeast Ohio, my parents having lived there their entire lives and my dad attending Youngstown State with the Polish Rifle, Ron Jaworski. We moved to Salem in '86, but the proximity to Blacksburg didn't really matter to me until a birthday party I went to in the spring of 1995. My friend's dad worked at Shelor and brought Maurice DeShazo to this birthday party full of 11-year-olds, where he distributed "Virginia Tech All-American candidates" posters signed by him, Ken Brown, and Antonio Freeman (from the previous fall). I still have it hanging in the basement of my parents' house.

After that first game (which was the fall of my freshman year of high school) and the subsequent '99 season, I worked harder to go to more Tech games while in high school. My dad worked with a guy who still made his donations and bought his tickets, but wasn't interested in going to the games after the Vick explosion -- so we ended up buying his season tickets at face value (Section 12, in a row with a single letter).

At some point during that time, between the autumns of '00 and '01, I fell in love with Tech. We'd started getting to the games earlier so I could walk around campus. When it was time to make the college decision, the decision had been made -- I'd apply to Tech as an early decision admission. (Admittedly, UVa was second and Hampden-Sydney was third on that list.) Unlike Joe, I chose Tech over UVa based solely on the strength of the athletics -- the academics didn't matter because both business schools were in the top 50 in the country, which was close enough for me. I knew the football and basketball teams were getting better, and Tech already felt like a second home.

I love Virginia Tech and Blacksburg so much that if/when I get married, my wife will be considered my mistress. I regret nothing.

Other: Arlingtonian; beer; Maker's Mark; MLB - Red Sox; NFL - Browns (and kinda the Pats); NBA - Celtics; NHL - who cares?; #AppleSwag; golf.

New to this site so be easy on me at first...

I became a Hokie back in the mid 90's thanks to my oldest brother attending VT. We started going to home games and I was hooked immediately. Parents got season tickets and then my other older brother got accepted to VT. It was a given that I would apply so I went the early decision route and thankfully got accepted as well. My first game as a student was the infamous Lightning Bowl against GT.

Also met my wife at VT. We now have a one year old future Hokie and and always evolving Hokie Room. Eventually we'll need a bigger house (not because of kids but for all the Hokie gear).

Other: I'm a weird combination of Cubs fan, Steelers fan, and Cleveland Cavs fan. I also enjoy Dogfish beer, Bourbon, and a nice pair of slacks.

I despise watching GT play football.

My Dad attended VT in the early 1980s but was never able to graduate (something I know he still regrets). In 1986, as a newborn he carried me around the Duck Pond while passing through Blacksburg during a weekend drive...a feat that would take 5 men to do nowadays lol. I grew up in Southwest VA knowing VT was where I belonged. My uncle has been a die hard season ticket holder since back when no one wanted to see the Hokies play. My first game was in 1995 vs Syracuse sitting with my uncle and dad after an awesome tailgate. Ended up moving to Chesapeake in middle school where I was lucky enough to play football through HS with/against future Hokies Vince Hall, Xavier Adibi, Branden Ore, Carlton Powell, Jeremy Gilchrist (short lived), Greg Boone, Chris Ellis and Elan Lewis. I graduated HS in 2004 dying to get into VT but couldnt because I didnt have the grades. I enrolled at ODU to wrestle but worked my ass off to get the grades to transfer in after my first year. I didn't go for the academics or football games...I just wanted to be a Hokie. I attended every game through my 3 years at VT, with the exception to the Marcus Miami debacle (glad to have missed). I learned a lot about family/community as a Hokie. I graduated in 08 and my sister graduated a Hokie past Spring. Married another Hokie fanatic and we have a little one on the way with intentions of keeping the tradition alive.

GO HOKIES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

time I stepped foot on the campus my senior year of high school I knew VT was the place for me there was really no other option though I applied elsewhere. Born and raised in VA Beach I was surrounded by many Hokie alums tho I never had a real family connection to the school I knew it was the place for me, and it definitely shaped who I am today.

Luckily for me one of my girlfriends younger sisters is a Sophmore at VT and has moved off campus where I can spend every sat night downtown and on her coach for tech home games for the next three years.

I too have a weird mixture of heartbreaking team outside of Tech that I root for including the Braves and the 49ers, I love good beer and only drink Jim Beam on gamedays.

My mother moved to Virginia when she was about 12. She was the first of her five other siblings to get accepted to, go, and graduate from college. While visiting campuses when her older sister was applying to schools, she saw Virginia Tech's campus and never looked back. Her younger sister followed her to Virginia Tech. My older sister followed in their footsteps, and I too followed suit. However, we each made our Virginia Tech experience our own. They all got degrees in business, chemistry, and wildlife science respectively. I chose Virginia Tech for its budding art program and animation aspects because I'd like to animate for a studio someday. I didn't want to go to a little school and I didn't want to go to a school terribly close to home. I wanted the traditional four-year college experience. Needless to say, my family and I still get together in Blacksburg frequently.

As a distant second to the Hokies, I like the Capitals, Redskins, DC United, and the Orioles. I also like animating and Captain Morgan..sometimes at the same time.

For those who have passed. For those to come...
Reach For Excellence

Growing up in NC, I was aware that VT existed but anyone who grew up in North Carolina will tell you that there's the big 4 and then there's the rest of the college sports world.

Anyways I moved to Virginia in my teens (mid 90s) and a lot of my new friends were into Tech, and a lot of them ending up going to Tech. So when my then girlfriend now wife got accepted into the physics program at VT I had already been to Bburg partying and what not so I decided to move down there with her. She lived in A-J and I lived in Apartment Heights. She went to class all day, I went to work down on Commerce Street all day, and we partied and rocknrolled at night and all weekend. This was the fall of 1999.

It didnt take long for me to fall absolutely in love with all things Hokie. You cannot walk down the street in the Burg on a gameday and not feel the elictricity in the air. The team was awesome and a blast to watch, people were so friendly in and around town, and the mascot is a giant turkey thing. There's something to be said about not taking yourself too serously. What really did it though was the WVU game in 99. We went to a cookout at a friends place in Ellitt Valley and by the end of that game I was sweating and biting fingernails. When Graham put the kick through the uprights and everybody let out a huge breath, I said "I'm in".

Other than the Hokies my interests include but arent limited to: my wife and daughter, my dumbass friends, history, hiking/backpacking, video games, good beer, good tatoos, good music, being lazy when I get the chance, stimulating conversation, comedy, scifi/fantasy, and of course thekeyplay.com!

From WV. My dad was working on his masters from Tech when he died.

I had to decide between Tulane, GT, and VT. My criteria were: good comp sci program, good football, not so expensive (because cost was a big factor for us since I couldn't start my co-op until sophomore yr). VT won. Go Tech.

In those days there weren't as many games on TV, so I didn't see Pitt or Penn State on TV every week like I was used to and needed a new team. Tried getting into UVA, but they lost me money in 1990 after I made some bets with classmates. About that time VT started to get their act together. Then my neighbor went to VT, Druckenmiller-to-Holmes happened, and I've been a fan ever since even though I went to W&M and not VT. Went to my first ever game at Lane last year.

Otherwise I root for the Pittsburgh teams and am incredibly confused since I actually have a relevant baseball team to root for when football season starts.

I'm probably a little younger than most of you(born in '94). My parents both went to Tech and got married in the War Memorial Chapel. They had season tickets since the '80s but gave them up when my brother and I were born. We started buying season tickets again for the 1999 season, so my first game was JMU. I had just turned 5 but a couple of moments during that season still stand out. We sat next to the owner of TOTS for the first few seasons(jealous, you guys?) And I can still remember the excitement after beating BC that year, he lifted me up happy as could be. That started my love for Virginia Tech Football.

I've lived in Blacksburg my whole life, only missed a few home games in that time. There was never any doubt where I would end up for college(brother is a junior at Tech right now). I'm about to start my Freshman year at Tech in less than a month so I couldn't be happier about that. I'm in Cochrane so come visit if you want!

Golf and football have been my life. As I'm writing this I've got a Redskins jersey on, anxiously awaiting the debut of RGIII.

Thanks for making this thread, Joe. Great idea.

Do I feel old.....geesh!

I'm originally from SW Va (almost Kentucky), so I can relate to what vthkie said about the Vols. One of the greatest VT players of all time, Caroll Dale (his #84 was the first # retired at Tech) was a hometown hero, and my dad had taken some classes at Tech in the 50's, so I had some influences. I enrolled at Tech in 79, graduated in 83.....Tech actually was my second choice, my first being USC (the one in California, not SC). I had no real reason for even sending off the application to USC, other than the Song Girls (which is enough for any red-blooded 17 year old). I had sights on an engineering degree and Tech was highly rated. So I packed up everything my roommate and I could squeeze into my 69 Chevy station wagon and headed up I-81, shedding the occasional tire recap (Do any of you kids even know what those are??) along the way. Didn't pay too much attention to football my freshman year, only went to maybe two games (was too busy trying to keep my QCA above microscopic levels). But the couple of games I was able to attend did the trick. I was hooked on maroon and orange football!

After transferring out of engineering, I was able to enjoy the games more. We had some decent teams (even if we did loose to VMI my sophmore year) at the time. I saw some great players...Sidney Snell..Cyrus Laurence...Pedro Phillips...and my last year there, Bruce Smith (it still sticks in my craw that we went 9-2 and got NO FREAKIN' BOWL GAME!!!). Basketball was even interesting at the time. Metro conference included Louisville and Memphis. I was watching the basketball game with Fla. St. in 80 when Les Henson hit the longest shot in NCAA history (89'-3", right from the corner....the dorm exploded!). I loved my time at Tech. It's full of incredible memories.

Work brought me to Charlottesville (of all places) in 1985, where I met my wife (from Iowa...first time she saw students going to a wahoo game she asked, "why are all these idiots in coats and ties and dresses??" I love that woman.)

Charlottesville has been an interesting place to be a Hokie. I see almost as many Hokies as hoos (I try to stay away from downtown hooville, though. I hate trying to getting that sticky residue off me). Most conversations where hoos have tried to give me grief are usually trumped by the score of the previous year's game (38-0, bro!...I'm still waiting on the T-shirt, btw). It can get kind of mind-boggling living in the enemy camp, though. A few years ago (I forget the exact year) we were undefeated at the time and highly ranked, and one idiot writer in the local rag wrote an article about "What would the effect of a VA Tech national championship be on UVA?" Kind of gives you a glimpse into their myopic mindset. Geesh!

At any rate, like all of you, I look forward to dominating the ACC and filling the trophy case. WE ARE VIRGINIA TECH!

I didn't graduate from VT. I came by way of the kid, Marcus Davis. As a Vols fan, I wanted him to choose them. But now.... I wouldn't want him anywhere else in the world. Hokies are the best fans. But I can honestly say, you guys are the best friends, best supporters the best extended family.

Hokies have motivated me to do better in school, to get healthy and to have fun. I love going to games and seeing everyone. I love being on twitter and interacting with everyone.

But most of all I appreciate your support for him as a player and as a student. As a mom, I get protective about things people say, but I know where there is need for improvement. But, through the good and the bad, you guys still are there every step of the way and I know he appreciates it.

Love everyone's favorite Hokie Mama,

Jeri

I think that is a pretty common theme on here. But it didn't really take hold on me until 1997 when I was 9 and my best friend's dad took us to a Tech-Xavier basketball game in the Cassell. His dad played football for Tech during the 1960's and was actually a teammate of the Frankinator, so he's pretty much been a lifelong Hokie. I can remember the Cassell being somewhat empty, but he had tickets just a few rows back from the floor at half court, so it was a pretty awesome experience.

Tech lost that day, but I'll never forget my experience walking around campus and cheering on Ace Custis. From then on I was hooked. Despite moving around for school/work and serving as the play-by-play/and sometimes color commentator of Emory & Henry College for four years, I managed to still make it to at least one game every year since 1999, though I have been to as many as five home games in a year. I know that may sound silly to some of you who have grown up multiple generation Tech fans, but for a kid whose parents are E&H and U of R grads (with no particular Tech ties) and someone who had to work five jobs at times in college, I'd say that's something I'm pretty proud of.

Go Hokies!

Growing up I always wanted to be an architect...much like George Costanza. When it came time to choose a college, my options were somewhat limited to prestigious programs within driving distance of PA. I completely fell in love with Tech when I visited, and the architecture program was great (voted best in the country my sophomore year). The campus was actually green and the people were just so much nicer than I was accustomed to.

After 3 semesters in architecture I realized that it wasn't the right career for me, and really didn't have an idea what major I wanted to switch to. I thought I might like Environmental Planning, and since Tech didn't have the greatest program, I transferred to Rutgers to get closer to home. Biggest mistake of my life. I hated it so much I dropped out after two weeks and immediately began researching what I needed to do to come back to VT.

I called admissions about re-applying and was told "once a hokie, always a hokie." I switched into Tech's engineering program and began summer classes as soon as possible. Four years later I had a bachelors in civil engineering.

Currently I'm working on a masters at NC State...wishing every weekend I hadn't left Blacksburg for grad school.

I'm from Maryland and both MamaESQ and PapaESQ went to UMD but I always, always knew I was NOT going to University of Maryland. I didn't even apply. But I have a confession: when I was 14, I wanted to go to UVA. Yup. I know. Terrible.

My summer swim team coach at the time was a Hokie. He was from the neighborhood and I had known him for years. I didn't even know about the UVA-VT rivalry when I told him I wanted to go to UVA. His response was: "Do you want to wear a dress to football games? No? Didn't think so. I really think you'd love it at Tech." I didn't really give it a second thought.

When I was researching schools my junior year, VT kept coming up and I remembered what my coach had said. I applied just for the hell of it (this is a recurring theme in my life; I applied to my law school just because it was a $25 app fee). I got into VT, Clemson, Miami, ECU and St. Mary's (waitlisted at FUCKING ELON because too many people from my high school had applied there and I didn't submit apps until the last day they were due [also a recurring theme, did the same for law school apps. I'm lazy. Shut up.]). For me, it ended up being between St. Mary's and VT which really couldn't be more different. After having to explain what my high school was (private school), I wanted a well known school; and after following BroESQ's high school football career, I wanted a school with a football team. I was very comfortable at both VT and St. Mary's, and my boyfriend at the time was going to UMD. He wanted me at St. Mary's because it was closer. I cried A LOT in the few days leading up to May 1, the day deposits and commitments were due. If you follow me on Twitter, you know I don't make decisions without getting other opinions; I took surveys at my high school asking where I should go to college. I was conflicted.

I picked Tech, sent in my deposit... and then woke up MamaESQ at 3am to tell her I had made a huge mistake. She was willing to submit deposits to both schools, but I forced myself to commit. I was all in, no matter what.

Then I got my room assignment: in SLUSHER EFFING TOWER. All girls (at the time). I do not get along with girls, at all. Long story short, it ended up being the best thing to ever happen to me. The girls I met on Slusher 7 are easily some of the best people I know, and are still my best friends to this day. I am not me without them.

The boyfriend though... he was not happy. My first semester was rough; I spent a lot of time driving back and forth between UMD and VT, and fighting on the phone with him. Another confession, and this one is even harder: I applied to transfer to UMD.

But then second semester was a lot easier, and I knew right away there was no way in hell I was transferring to UMD. I actually met BFESQ this semester, but we stayed friends for a while. And I got into UMD with a big scholarship - it would've been much cheaper than going to VT - but I easily turned it down. By then I was 100% Hokie, no looking back.

To this day, my emotional well-being is largely tied to what is happening at Virginia Tech. I'm happy if the football and basketball teams are doing well; I am sad during April of every year or any other event that draws negative attention to the school. Virginia Tech is one of the most basic, fundamental parts of me. I wear it on my sleeve in so many ways. I wanted a VT tattoo for 5 years before I finally got "Ut Prosim" on my ribs this spring.

I have amazing friends, am in a happy long-term relationship, and raised one of the greatest dogs you'll ever meet (who is named Laney, after Lane Stadium). I'm the first in my family to graduate from college. I earned a law degree. I passed the bar (on the first try, bitches). And I've said this before and I absolutely believe it: there are few, if any, things in this world that I am more proud of than being a Hokie.

My Dad attended almost 40 years ago and brought me up VT from the start. I have vague memories of watching VT football games growing up, and much sharper memories of going crazy during the Miracle in Morgantown and the championship game in 1999. Attended quite a few games before I went to school, and when time came to go to college I looked around but nothing compared to VT. Luckily the great CS program gave me no real reason to look elsewhere.

Amazing 4 years, great final year with our first ACC championship. Then law school at UVA, which isn't as bad as it sounds - the law school is beer and softball and generally hates the undergrad population. Plus sitting in the student section during VT/UVA games and watching them get pounded was great. The huge 52-14 victory where we took over the hill by the third or fourth quarter is one of my favorite games ever.

Don't go back to Blacksburg nearly as much as I'd like with life and work in DC, but generally devote fall Saturdays to slow cooking meats and marinating in football watching as many games as humanly possible.

Was born in Auburn, Alabama...mom was a professor at Auburn. So I do have a soft spot in my heart for Auburn. I remember passing by War Eagle's cage on the way to daycare. She got a job at VT so we moved here in the summer of 1990.

Attended my first game that fall and have been hooked ever since. Spent most of my fall Saturday's working at a concession stand (got to see most of the games for free, and I got paid. double win!)

Sadly I didn't get into VT, had too much fun in high school. Eventually went to nearby Radford University to study CS and in 2004 finally was making enough money to split season tickets with my mom. Have attended almost every game since.

Now I've got a wonderful Hokie alum as a girlfriend and live in Christiansburg. I will hopefully see you all at a tailgate some point in the near future.

Go Hokies!

I was born in VA and my dad's family is from the Richmond area but moved around a lot as a child. I was a junior in HS in California and knew I didn't want to go to college on the west coast. I moved in with my best friend and his family (met him and his fam while living in Japan) in Centreville, VA for my senior year of HS because I wanted in state tuition to a VA college. I didn't know what college in VA I was going to, just knew it'd be one of them. I applied to GMU and VT. The only reason I applied to VT was because I remembered they seemed to have a half decent football team. The bowl streak was at 2 back than. I never even knew what the campus looked like when I applied and accepted. The first time I even saw the VT campus was the summer orientation for freshmen year. During orientation I signed up for the VTCC. Best decision I ever made. If marching on to worsham field for 4 years and sitting on the 50 yd line (yes, the VTCC use to have awesome seats) behind the visiting team doesn't make you a loyal Hokie I don't know what will. I remember heckling WVU players, having no idea who this McNabb kid was, and having to sign a letter of apology to Akron because we assaulted Zippy the Kangaroo when he wanted to crowd surf the cadets. 1995 was a magical season. I took a fifth year at Tech and witnesseed the other magical season of '99 first hand. I even took Afro-Sports history that year with Dr. Farrah. Our entire starting D and Shyrone Stith was in that class. Anthony Midget even gave me ride back to my apartment once after a group project. I have so many great memories from my time at VT. How can I not be loyal Hokie ?

Now I'm living in Pensacola, FL surrounded by Bama, FSU, and LSU fans. My best day at work will be the day after we bring home that title.

Hi, I'm new here and I tend to ramble. Lurking around message boards is my specialty, but for some reason I had to register and post my Hokie testimony. I stumbled upon this site while trying to find a replacement for tailgate fever. While not as hilarious, TKP is much more informative than tailgate fever.

I grew up an hour away from Blacksburg, but at that time it seemed everyone I knew was a volunteer, tar heel, or wahoo. I'm not from Tennessee or North Carolina, and I don't think I'm a D-bag, so none of those popular teams were going to work!
To me, the Hokies were an excellent representative of the blue-collar area that I'm proud to be from. My first hazy memories of Tech football were the teams of Drunkenmiller. Thinking back to my childhood, it seems like the Hokes lost in 5 consecutive Gator bowls, but I MUST be imaging that.

I distinctly remember the Michael Vick flip. Sometime between Drunkenmiller and Vick, the Hokes became my team. When it was time to choose a college, VPI was the leading candidate out of a field of 12 or so. What can I say, except that I'm indecisive? )I did abort a last minute application to UVA because of the 5 required essays-- I never would have went, but wanted to say I got accepted and went elsewhere.) It turns out that MV7 might have kept me from enrolling. Due to the increase in the number and quality of applications, as well as a sweet financial aid package elsewhere, I decided to attend Emory & Henry College. Small college life had its limitations and advantages. I considered transferring to a larger school, but EHC changed my life. While I'm proud to be a Wasp, my love for Virginia Tech didn't change. I'm equally proud of my alma mater and my "adopted" school.

After undergrad, I moved to Memphis for optometry school. Memphis was a blast, but living in a city without "tech support" wasn't much fun during football seasons. Many of my classmates were from the midwest, including Nebraska..(you can see where this is going) I painfully sat through the Nebraska game without an ally, getting verbally reamed by about 10 Huskers… until that fateful Danny Coale catch--It was awesome! I had about a solid minute of trash talking like you wouldn't believe (I had to compose myself once it looked like I might be thrown off the balcony.)

My uncle took me to my first game in Lane Stadium was in 2010. (I know, I've lived a sheltered life) He's been tailgating and following the Hokies to Florida and Charlotte and Morgantown for years, but apparently wanted to keep all the Hokie love for himself. I've been to about half of the home games the last two years, and even made the trek up to Marshall last year. My first night game was the GT game when Wilson ran that late kickoff back. I remember how crazy the atmosphere was after that turnaround. I told someone later that if VT had been winning the whole game, I probably would have lost my voice trying to keep up the volume for the entire game. The night games in Lane are unbelievable. I rode through the snow, sleet,and hail down to Charlotte for the ACCCG against FSU, passing wrecked cars left and right and praying we'd make in there in one piece.

I simply love Blacksburg. My sister and her husband were married at Hahn horticulture garden this spring. My fiancé lived in Blacksburg while running track at Radford. Season tickets are coming some time after this marriage thing happens. I didn't attend classes at VT, but If I need a diploma to call myself a Hokie, I'll just steal my brother-in-law's.

See? I told you I ramble.

The other team I like as much as VT are the Atlanta Braves. I also like long walks on the beach, puppies, bacon, Macados, the game of corn hole, and watching the Mountaineers lose.

I can't pinpoint the exact moment that decided I wanted to go to VT, but I think it was in late middle school. I do not know why, but I remember thinking: I want to go to Virginia Tech. No, I'm not an engineer and did not have family ties to VT...yet. My sister was a senior in high school when I was a freshman. She ended up going to VT in 2000. I remember moving her in with my family and being so jealous. Then I would visit her, along with my dad, for football games, which was awesome. When I was of age to imbibe in alcohol (17 naturally) I started going down to party with her. I didn't want to go anywhere else, so part of me dies a little inside when I read how some of you actually looked at other schools! Haha, it's okay because you ended up in the right place. So senior year I applied early decision...DEFERRED. To say my life was over is an understatement. I remember throwing a legit temper tantrum, flailing about on my parents living room floor crying about how I wasn't going to get to go to VT. My mom spoke to me rationally about how I would be accepted regular decision, but this did not compute for an emotional high school senior.

Time passed slowly and I applied to other schools (JMU, GMU, WVU, AND KANSAS--Yes, Kansas. My father went there and it's really a great school FYI!). Anyhow, the letters started rolling in and I was accepted to all the schools I applied to, including Virginia Tech. I applied as a Communication major and was accepted into that program, which is what my degree was in. I still have the letter pinned on a board in my room. Side note: A big suck it to the haters who would snidely ask, "What are you going to do with a Communication degree!?" My degree has served me very well.

My first year at Virginia Tech was awesome because my sister was a senior and living in Maple Ride townhomes so every Thursday my future roomie, and dorm roomie would go over there and enjoy some thirsty Thursdays. I still remember not being quite satisfied freshman year. I was kind of homesick and to be honest, some of my classes were tough. (Read: Math emporium and I freakin' suck at math). I can remember driving around the drillfield with my father once when he was visiting and he asked: "So how do you like it?" I wanted to say I LOVE IT, but I just said that it was okay. However, I made it through that first year and returned sophomore year to live in the Village Phase 2 (HOLLA!) and every moment from there out was a blast. From the fun and awesome guys across the hall, to so many of my friends living within walking distance, football games, amazing campus food, beautiful campus, drillfield winds, autumn scenery, turning 21, downtown, and everything else I wouldn't trade being a Hokie for anything else in the world. Those on the outside don't understand. They think we're obsessed, but they don't know what it feels like to be on the inside. It's the greatest feeling in the world. Blacksburg is and always will be home to me!

Also love music, running, complaining, tailgating (duh!), berating metro on Twitter (also HokieTay), my family and anything outdoors. SEE YOU THIS FALL!

I grew up in Connecticut and when I was doing my college search I wanted to go to a school within a day's drive, that has big time Div I athletics and a good CS program. Our school had a computer program that would give you a list of schools based on certain criteria and VT was one of those. I applied to a number of the big D1 schools from CT to NC and it came down to VT and Maryland for me. I knew someone that was going to Tech so I hung out with him one day and he showed me around Blacksburg. After that I knew it was the place for me. It didn't hurt that this was the Fall of 1999 so VT was getting good pub on ESPN.

I'll be the first to admit that I had never really heard about Virginia Tech until I met my husband. My husband graduated from VT in 1997, and I grew up in Utah, and never really got into football or any of that good stuff. When I met my husband and decided to move to Virginia, I had no idea what a loving family I would be welcomed into when I moved.

I remember the first game that we went to together, and boy it was a memorable one. We went to the Sugar Bowl in 2004, and even though we lost, it was such a great experience. After that we became season ticket holders', and have not missed another home game since. We also try to go to at least one away game a year, and we always go to the bowl games. I can't image going a season without joining our extended Hokie family for tailgating!

I am proud to say "I'm a Hokie", even though some would not consider me one. I can honestly say, even though I did not attend Tech, I have been welcomed into the family. I feel so at home there, and couldn't imagine a better family to be a part of.

I remember meeting HokieMama last year, and we have become such great friends. I know that this will remain long have "the kid" graduates this year. I have built friendships that will last a lifetime, and I know as long as we have each other we are stronger!

And as for the "football thing", I am now 100% all about VT football! Go Hokies!!! 24 days!

Okay, this is a bit embarassing to admit now, but as youngster growing up in Roanoke I was...wait for it...a UVA "fan". I didn't start paying attention to college football until 1990, the year UVA was #1 in the nation going into the GaTech game. So naturally, as any youngster typically is, I went with the front-runner mentality when it came to instate schools. Funny thing is, my first football game was that year as well - the UVa-Tech game in Lane Stadium. Probably should have been a little foreshadowing for me at the time, but I still stuck with the Wahoos for a while after.

After I graduated high school – paralleling the start of the Al Groh era – I started caring less for UVA. A few things kind of led to this. First was the flack BooVA alumni raised about Clinch Valley College (where I attended undergrad) wanting to change their name to UVA-Wise. Eventually they relented and the name was changed (with the caveat that it be “The University of Virginia’s College at Wise”) but that just rubbed me the wrong way. Second, a high school teammate of mine who went to UVA on a football scholarship after being recruited by Welsh landed in Groh’s doghouse and never left until he transferred. Finally, I found myself kinda rooting for VT a smidge. It didn’t hurt that from 2000 to 2003 they featured three guys I had played against in high school (David Pugh – kicked my 215 pound ass all night until I got pulled, Jake Grove – Jefferson Forest had several big guys my senior year, but by the end of the game we were running straight dive plays and blowing them off the ball, and Lee Suggs – greatest game of my life my senior year – “Just Say No to 10-0” and recovered a fumble of his).

So after graduating from Wise I took a year off and then when to grad school in Blacksburg in 2003. At the start, I intended to maintain my blah fandom with BooVa but still take advantage of being able to go to games in Lane Stadium. The first few were fun experiences but nothing overwhelming. But the start of the conversion would’ve been the trouncing of Syracuse (just an overall fun game to attend on a beautiful afternoon). The second part was actually feeling mad about the trouncing we took from the Mt. Mamas the next game. But the full conversion was the Miami game – the hype for Miami coming in as the #2 team in the country, and then getting fully sucked into the experience that night. By the time I left the stadium I had made my mind up – I was all-in as a Hokie.

I grew up most of my life in the midwest. Born in Cincinnati (dad is also a bearcat alum, looking forward to the trash talk this year) and pretty much grew up in St. Louis from the time I was four until I graduated high school.
My brother was the first person in my family to head to VT about 6 years before I would even consider it. He was my half brother though so i wouldn't really hear much about it. In fact, I didn't really even ask him about it until I started applying for schools in early 09. I hadn't heard much about VT other than that it had a good engineering school (my career of choice) and of course April 16th.(Because now everyone knows about it) Not the best publicity, I know. I also was a big Mike Vick fan while he was still on the Falcons and would absolutely run train over my hometown team the Rams... In any case, my brother only applied to one school and it was VT because he loved it THAT much. Unfortunately, he seemed to love it a little too much, as he partied way too hard the first two years and my parents gave up paying for his tuition when he came home with a D- in Music Appreciation (possibly one of the easiest classes on campus right now..). He was forced to transfer, but that never changed his perception of VT.

In any case, I also applied to UVA (BOOOOOO) because I was a big time soccer player and was actually planning on playing at the college level until I tore my ACL my Junior year of highschool (which killed pretty much all chances of getting recruited). After I gave up on the soccer dream , I focused on engineering, and I also came to realize that I could care less about whether or not I got accepted to UVA or not. My final schools came down to VT, PSU, and Michigan (I applied all over the country because the midwest can get a bit boring at times). My dad currently works in Ann Arbor so I was able to take a few visits up there, and it was enjoyable, just not what I was looking for.

I made my visit to the VT the weekend of the 2010 spring game and instantly fell in love with Tyrod and VT. My brother was able to tell me all the stories about his two years on campus (his Freshman year was also Kevin Jones' freshman year) and I totally enjoyed myself. I pretty much knew then and there where I wanted to go to school, as was confirmed when I bought my first VT T-Shirt about a week before final decisions were due. I was the only one that had even applied from my graduating class so I came to VT knowing literally no one, but thats what i wanted, and there isn't a better family than the folks at VT.

Boise State was my first VT game and JMU was the first home game (I was so clueless that i did not understand how bad that loss was at the time). Ever since the Boise game though I've been a die hard. I also have had the oppurtunity to eat lunch with Kevin Jones a few times due to having a friend that is in a couple of the same classes as he is in architecture so I can also rub that in the older Bros face. Couldn't be happier as a Hokie.

Other than college football, my two sports are still soccer and Hockey and I'm a diehard Blues fan...

I was brought up a Tech fan. My dad got me signed up for the Hokie Kids Club when I was 7, so we got free tickets to one game every year. Those trips to Lane to watch the utter dismantling and humiliation of such outstanding opponents as Eastern and Western Michigan were the highlight of each year. The 04 USC game was my first introduction to the pain of losing based on horrendous calls (before there was Danny Coale and "the catch," there was Josh Hyman and "the bullshit offensive pass interference call from Hell,") and being in Death Valley in 07 for the LSU game gave me a better understanding of how frustrating a Stinespring offense is. That said, my love for Tech extended only as far as athletics until October of my senior year in high school. I realized that Georgetown was retardedly expensive, so I made the logical decision to attend a school that I only knew through sports. Best decision of my life. There is no better atmosphere better than Virginia Tech, especially in the fall. And on Saturdays, that South Endzone is home.

Besides Virginia Tech, I love Texas Rangers baseball, Redskins football, Manchester United soccer, Crown Royal, Lone Star beer, arguing about politics, and making fun of UVA.

like mikey4vt, I'm also a youngin born in '94 to my parents who were both Hokies (classes of '88 and '89). My dad and uncle played soccer at tech, and my aunt played volleyball with Dell Curry's wife. I was born on Thanksgiving Day '94, my dad was eating turkey in the hospital, and it was destined that I would be a Hokie.

I've grown up in central NJ, and went to my first Tech game at Rutgers in 1999 as a 4-year old. My first visit to Blacksburg was in 2001, and I watched us grill Western Michigan enjoying 4th row seats in the East Stands. I returned to Lane in 2003 as a third-grader for the Uconn game, and enjoyed a similar result. in 2004, we got season tickets and since then, along with brainwashing from my dad, I've been completely hooked on VT.

Went to Glennon's Chick Fil A meltdown for my first bowl game. For those of you who stayed in the Marriott Marquis in ATL - how awesome it was! Being able to go out onto the balcony that overlooked the lobby, eleven floors up, and screaming out LETS GO...and you would hear hundreds of people down in the lobby reply with HOKIES! Also met Brandon Flowers at the hotel, definitely a great memory.

So many great moments. The 07 ECU game (gameday, cermonies, everything) were unforgettable and I'm so glad I was able to be there for it.

Shed my first sports-related tears after the 07 BC nightmare. Wasnt there, but watched it on TV. will never forget that day. Traveled to Charlotte for the ECU season opener, choked up after they blocked the punt to seal it...I experienced my first Thursday night game later that season vs maryland...it was unreal to see DE's record-breaking night, as well as seeing Darius Heyward-bey get rocked into next week by brett warren.

Must also comment on the 09 Bama game. Even though we lost, Dyrell's return is the #1 play I've seen in person. just unbelievable. Cannot wait till 2013 matchup.

My family goes down to OBX every year (Corolla Light) and about 5-6 years ago my dad and I ran into Billy Hite down there. Turns out, he stays a few doors down from where we went every year. For the past couple of years, we have went in and talked football with Billy - it was truly awesome. I recall a moment before the '09 season when I asked him about RMFW, and he had no doubt in his mind that he was the real deal.

Nothings better than being a Hokie, and as a rising senior in HS (applying early decision) I hope that the best years of Virginia Tech are ahead of me. now, lets fill the trophy case!

Born and raised in SwVa, a town by the name of Big Stone Gap, about 40 mins from TN line. When I was 12 years old my youth pastor was a man by the name of Mitch Semones, brother of LB Brandon Semones. While most everyone else in my town was sporting Volunteer orange, I was rockin Chicago Maroon with my orange. After the 99 season a lot of Hokie fans sprouted up around town and all of a sudden I was a "band wagoner". To this day I have to remind people that Maurice DeShazo was QB when I became a Hokie fan, not Mike Vick. Which is more times than not followed by a "Maurice who?"

I can add myself to the non-alumni group of Hokie fans on this site, although I have a long and sometimes trying history with the program.

I was born and raised in Abingdon, VA. I didn't play any organized football until I was a freshman in high school, but as a kid I started paying attention to the NFL around 1985 (I was 7 years old.) Before Air Jordan's were in vogue, I had a pair of Walter Payton Kangaroos with velcro and the pockets. I watched The Drive (Browns Broncos) and the following Super Bowl (Giants vs Broncos) is the first I can remember watching. My favorite team initially was the Seattle Seahawks, because I liked their logo/helmet in the Sears catalog. That became a rooting interest in Steve Largent, and a desire to play football and be a wide receiver. As toys and cartoons waned, I started to pay attention to college football, and I can remember rooting for Penn State (my mom's family has a ton of Penn State roots), BYU, and Auburn.

Virginia Tech is absent from that picture. Part of the reason was that Tennessee dominated football coverage locally and something just turned me off about them. Perhaps I hated Andy Kelly. The other reason is that my family did not have cable, and I didn't see Virginia Tech play on television until 1990.

The Hokies were going through a dreadful period post Dooley, and by 1990, they were persona non-grata in Abingdon VA. I had followed the UVA run to the number 1 ranking with some interest because a team from Virginia was actually decent in football. That team (Shawn Moore, Terry Kirby, Herman Moore, Chris Slade) was loaded and even though they were UVA, they were fun to watch. I can vividly remember Scott Sisson's field goal at the buzzer to beat UVA, and then they went into a tailspin, which culminated in a Will Furrer-lead thumping in the Commonwealth Cup. I watched the game at my cousin's in Roanoke, stunned that the Hokies, "who sucked" in a 7th grader's lexicon, were kicking the crap out of a team that had been number 1. That caught my attention.

The fall of 1992 brought continued mediocrity for VT, and saw me play tackle football for the first time. I didn't even know where to put my pads, and I selected a horrible looking royal blue pair of cleats from the pile. For the next 3 months, I was hardly better than a tackling dummy as I took the beating of my life on the JV squad. By the end of the season, a switch clicked and I finally learned how to deal with the contact. The next season saw me make varsity and the Hokies win their first bowl of the Beamer era. I was hooked?

What hooked me? I loved the bully-mentality of the defense, and I loved the fact that most of the players were lightly recruited guys who came, worked their tail off, and got better. Entry into the Big East and success also allowed Hokie games to be on local TV. The Hokies went from losers to monsters, with Brandon Semones, Cornell Brown, JC Price, George Del Ricco, and Ken Oxendine becoming favorites. The deal was sealed when I went to a football team camp in Blacksburg and had Brian Edmonds as a part time coach. Most of his coaching was about the benefits of playing college football, mostly involving girls, but his friendly nature made me realize that the players were "mostly" good guys.

When college selection time came around, Virginia Tech was my second choice, with my eyes drawn to Bud Robertson's Civil War classes. But, I decided to give college football a try and decided to go to my dad's alma mater, Emory & Henry. I gave thought to giving up football and transfering to Blacksburg after my sophomore year, but I would have lost 18 credit hours, so I stayed put. During the offseason, I spent a ton of time in Blacksburg, mostly at my cousin Miguel's (he was on the tennis team and lived in an apartment above Gumby's) or coming up to watch my brother's band (Running With Scissors) play at TOTs, Champs, Woody's and the Waterstreet. My last VT home game was against Pitt in 1998, which was my off week during my first year in the two deep. My senior year of football was the magical Vick 99 run, and with so many of the games in primetime, we often played at Fullerton Field at 1:00PM and then caught the game after dinner.

After 99, I only watched games on TV as I finished school and bounced around before getting a grown-up job. I started going to the games at Duke (short drive, easy logistics), with the ChikFilA win over Tennessee being my first big game. Arkansas State last year was my first game at Lane Stadium since 1998. I hope to get back at least for one game this year, and I will be at the ACC Championship in Charlotte and the Cincy game.

I was a college football fan from as long back as I can remember. My early years in life were spent in a small town in Arkansas and Arkansas football was all there was. Before I was a junior in high school my family moved to Pittsburgh. It wasn't a big change, just the accents, my school that was 15x as big, the cold weather and such. I had been a Steeler fan since the early 70s so that wasn't a problem but I became a Pitt over Penn St fan. When it became time to apply to colleges my guidance counselor suggest Virginia Tech. I had never heard of it and all my dad could offer was that Bruce Smith went there. Many people at my high school went to VT so the counselor thought I should apply and give it a look since it was close to home, 6 hours, but not close enough for the parents to pop in, 6 hours. My final schools came down to Penn St, Syracuse and VT. I didn't like PSU very much. I drove to see Syracuse but on the way my car broke down and I didn't make it. The next week my father and I visited VT. It was a gorgeous day and that is all it took for me, I was a Hokie. There was no interwebs at the time so I didn't know the football history. My first year we were 6-5 and I went to every home game. I didn't care that we weren't that good, I just wanted to cheer for my own college football team. So even though I didn't know it at the time, I think I have been a Hokie fan since birth, it just wasn't official until 1990. And for all the people that didn't go to Virginia Tech, my wife went to George Washington, she is a Hokie. My mom went to UMD, she is a Hokie. If I ever have kids, who knows where they will go, but they will be Hokies. Being a Hokie is not about going to Virginia Tech.

I enjoy: my wife; wine; pilsners; bourbon; Hokies; Steelers; Italy; my dogs; whatever my wife tells me to enjoy

This thread is awesome.

I was born and bred to be a Hokie. I'm the youngest of four, and we are all hardcore, as are our parents. Born and raised in Blacksburg. Went to games my whole childhood, but the first game that wasn't "what we were doing today" was Miami in '95. That's when I realized how big a deal it was to everybody to win that game. Went on the field after the game, put on Shane Beamer's helmet (went to HS with my sister), and ran around for what felt like hours. It was awesome. Followed the team closely after that, but truly became emotionally invested in football during the '98 season. The Temple loss sucked, the Syracuse game suckedddd, but the UVA game SUCKED. But the Music City Bowl (my first bowl) was AWESOME. It's been love since. Applied for early admission at Tech, and was accepted, so I didn't waste my time applying anywhere else. Lived in Pritchard Hall freshman year, and it was a nuthouse. It's weird to me that my girlfriends SISTER moves into Pritchard next week. Met some of my best friends there, and throughout my years at Tech. I'm happy to say that Virginia Tech allowed me to make a ton of friends (who I still have to this day) from various backgrounds and locations, which made me a more well-rounded person... not just a shut-in from SWVA. Proud to say I graduated from Pamplin in the fall of '09, and to this day rep the Hokies every day.

My girlfriend is a Hokie (of course), and she rocks my world. Love all things VT, and I love all things college football. It is my passion. Also love the Yankees. Derek Jeter is my hero. Enjoy the Capitals during hockey season, and I'm really falling for the Nationals (it's okay, they are in the N.L., I'm allowed to casually root for them). The Redskins keep me humble as a sports fan...

Also enjoy my PS3 (PSN: vtbarek) and I'm a bit of a movie buff. My vices are rails at TOTS, cheap beer in heavy quantities, and long walks on the beach.

I forgot my vices:

* fresh hot pork loin on Kings Hawaiian rolls. Best, tailgate, food, ever.
* annoying people with my general lack of alcohol consumption
* Rangers hockey
* the brunette chick from the Drew Carey Show.

I'll come right out and admit it, I grew up a UVa fan. Culpeper is 45 mi north of C'Ville on Rt 29. Growing up, the newspapers gave the Hoos the majority of the media coverage in my area, whether it was because they were winning at times or just from the fact they were in the ACC. The DC stations would air the Jefferson Pilot Sports (ACC) games because of UMd and UVa. My Dad is a homer mcfanboy so I also pulled for the teams he pulled for (except UMd, I was too young to appreciate Len Bias or Buck Williams so I never got on their wagon). Then, from a non-sports perspective, Culpeper had very few decent restaurants and no shopping malls, so it was a trip to NoVA (Dad commuted their every day, so that was ruled out), Fredericksburg (bigger than Culpeper, but no where near the size it is now), or Charlottesville if you wanted those amenities. The exposure pretty much forced me to want to go to UVa.

When it came time to apply, I didn't even attempt UVa because my SAT scores were not to their standards. I ended up applying to Tech, GMU, and Mary Washington, and was only accepted to Tech and Mason. As narrow minded as it sounds, I pretty much ruled out Mason as soon as I knew I was accepted to Tech. I wanted the total college experience, which meant no football team = no go.

Today I couldn't imagine not being a Hokie. I love everything about Blacksburg (except for the classes that kicked my ass the first couple of years). The large campus and the small town gives you the best of both worlds, the setting is beautiful, and the people are top notch. Without a doubt that was the most entertaining 5 years of my life. I am giddy every time I get to visit.

I never even considered going to college until my Junior year in High school. I spent the previous summer working at a tire store changing dump truck and tractor tires and quickly realized that maybe higher education wasn't such a bad idea. At the time, no member of my family had ever graduated from a 4-year college so I was not pressured to go anywhere although, growing up in Richmond in the early to mid-90s, it was pretty much all uva all the time. I also have to admit, my Mom's family is from West VA and WVU was high on my list of schools. I applied to those schools but was lucky enough to get an early acceptance letter from VT. I scheduled a visit with some friends from high school who were freshman at the time and, at that point in my life, it was the best weekend of my entire life. I remember driving down 460 and seeing Lane Stadium for the 1st time... pulling onto South Gate and seeing the VT Bush... At that point I knew that Blacksburg was home.

My 1st VT Football game was a VT vs. ECU my Freshman year it was in October and it snowed like a bitch (also my 1st real introduction to the weather in Blacksburg). While I've been to many games in the cold and flurries, I do believe that was the last game at Lane where we played in measurable snow. I was there for Druk's Sr. Year, the Al Clark Year and The Mike Vick Years. Being a Senior during the magical 1999 run to the MNC game was nothing short of amazing. I was in the stands for the 1st College Gameday in Blacksburg. Storming the field after beating BC, seeing frank on the shoulders of his players, addressing the fans via microphone... it was amazing to behold in person.

I graduated in December of 2000. I joined the Hokie Club at the O&M Level and scored season tickets for the 1st time the very next year in 2001. I've been a season ticket holder ever since.

Life has changed in many different ways over the years since graduating from VT but one thing has stayed constant and that's fall Saturday gamedays in Blacksburg.

Which is interesting as I am from a little town off highway 29 called Altavista.

Fun fact of the day, Altavista, Virginia is the place where a man named Edward Hudson Lane, the same Lane that the "Terrordome" takes it's namesake from, began his cedar chest manufacturing company. So, needless to say you couldn't throw a rock in this little town without hitting a hokie (some of his descendants still live there). In high school I also lived a couple houses down from the son for whom the Merryman Athletic Center is named, and hung out with the son's step children growing up. So, VT was present EVERYWHERE in my hometown.

I guess that's why I hated all things Virginia Tech. Whether I just got tired of seeing VT stuff, or I was just trying to be contrarian, but growing up my team was UVA. I remember watching the Temple '98 game on TV and laughed with glee.

Things started to change in high school when I discovered I excelled at math and science, so decided to pursue mechanical engineering as a course of study at college, and VT was in my top 3. I applied to VCU, Longwood University, and VT. I was accepted to VCU for mechanical engineering, though didn't care for the campus being located in downtown Richmond. I was accepted in the 3/2 pre-engineering program at Longwood and I was wait listed for mechanical engineering for VT.

I took the Longwood route and transferred to VT in 2006 after 3 years at the smallest public university in Virginia. Wow, what a shock. Blacksburg and the campus in particular were massive and beautiful in comparison to Farmville. My sister already attended VT and was a sophomore when I arrived, so she showed me around.

First VT game was against Northeastern in 2006, when they still did the "Stick it in" cheer. I was a Hokie for life after that. It was transcendent.

I was there for the ranked Clemson win on Thursday night, the Ryan Williams fumble and loss to UNC, the David Wilson kick return TD and GT win on Thursday night and Darren Evans trucking the entire Maryland defense for 253 yds. I missed attending the Matt Ryan miracle in the rain at Lane on Thursday night. I had to work at West End that night (if you got a sandwich from Wrap World in West End from 2007-2009 I probably made it for you, you're welcome) and remember getting to the dorm, watching the end of the game and being devastated. So devastated I didn't go to class that Friday. But the revenge in the ACCCG was that much sweeter.

I graduated in 2009 and still reside and work on the I-81 corridor near Lexington, and still try to attend games.

Made some friends and great memories, lost touch with some friends, but Blacksburg, to me, will always be a special place.

I didn't grow up a fan of VT actually. I moved around alot, Navy brat, but lived in Va Beach most of elementary school and then back for my junior and senior year at Princess Anne HS. I wanted to go since i majored in Aerospace Engineering and there is a good program there, but i loves the area when i first saw. I liked being almost 5 hrs away from home, just far enough but can still drive when needed. SW Virginia is awesome with the outdoors and all too. I quickly grew into a huge football fan there though.

Luckily i could go to every home game since i was in the Corps of Cadets because i was on a Navy scholarship. My first years we were lucky enough to have seats on the 40 yrd line behind the visiting team, then we (and the band) got banished to the endzone due to new NCAA rules (still no complaints though!). All joining in and heckling the visiting team was a huge favorite of mine when we were seated behind them...seriously awesome when you get under their skin. WVU players wanting to come up and fight always makes me laugh after you get 1000 people chanting something about being inbred, or their "Uncle Dad". Road trip to New Orleans for the National Championship game was a blast (...so close...).

Graduated '02 and have been in the Navy since flying helicopters. Luckily living in Jacksonville for most of it we had the ACC championship game a couple of times (as well as nearby Tampa) and the Gator Bowl, but nothing compares to a home game.

I'd love to get up for more VT games but it's a heck of a drive and not the best area to fly into. But i'll still give it a shot when going up to Hampton to visit my parents for the holidays!

I became an official Hokie on September 21, 1975. I applied to Tech and UVA and got accepted to both on early admission. Only applied to UVA so I could turn them down. That really pissed a lot of people in my Cavalier heavy home town. It was a time when we embraced the term "Chokies". If you haven't lived with Jimmie Sharpe running your team, you wouldn't understand.

Chose VT because it was as far away from my parents as I could get and still be at a State school. Don't regret it for a minute. Finished school almost on time, got a trip to Antarctica and the South Pole with Dr. Parker and became a Radford commuter. Sorry, at the time the better looking girls were there. Worked in the Biology Dept for three years while my wife finished her degree. One of the saddest days of my life was driving out of Drapers Ghetto with all of our worldly possessions. Wish there was a nuke plant close to B'burg. I would be be therE now.

Live in GA surrounded by those insufferable UGA, GT and Clempson fans (most of which aren't alumni). Last time I was at a VT game was for my 10th renunion. Mercifully I got kicked out by the middle of the 2nd qtr. for having alcohol in Lane. Now that was a change from my days in the student section. Thankfully we get a lot of televised games so I don't miss much.

My advice to current students " DON'T LET THEM MAKE YOU LEAVE BLACKSBURG. HANG ON AS LONG AS YOU CAN. IT'S AN UGLY WORLD OUT HERE."

I grew up a WVU born and raised "Eer. I reveled in cheering Sam Huff in FBall and Jerry West in BBall. Rod Thorn and Hot Rod Hundley were there as well. Bobby Bowden was king there before FSU. I remember the days of the old Southern Conference with the "Eers, VPI, Citadel, Davidson, Furman, VMI, GW, etc. After retiring from Uncle Sam, moving to Virginia and while working for the Navy in Norfolk and Yorktown as a civil servant, I met my bride-to-be in 2000 and discovered she was a coverted Hokie fan after moving to Newport News from Michigan. Her daughter and future son-in-law were attending VT and I had just come off a devastation of seeing Mike Vick beat my favorite 'Eers with that last minute hell-of-a-run setting up Shayne Graham's field goal to stay unbeaten in that unparalleled national championship year. I truly hated Mike Vick then. I did root for them in the championship game though as I always (well, most of the time) root for the underdog. In Virginia I rooted for UVA (I know, I know!) unless they were playing WVU. It soon came to pass as we came up to BBurg for almost all the home games that I started to slowly get sucked in to the Lane magic, mostly in the beginning because of Sandman. The atmosphere in Lane was intoxicating. In 2008, my wife lost her position at the bank in the News and applied for a job opening at VT in University Relations and was hired subsequently as the exec for Larry Hincker. So now we make most of the home games from 10 minutes away and I am a 100% die-hard citizen of the Hokie Nation. To have seen up close and personal Mike Vick, D Tapp, D Hall, Eddie Royal, Ryan Williams, Darren Evans, D Wilson, Cody Grimm, Adibi, V Hall, etc has been truly wonderful. My ringtone is Sandman even. As a footnote and confirmation of it's a small world - My dau-in-law went to elem school with Mike Vick and tutored some of the above players while attending VT. My daughter and Vince Hall went to school together. I have a picture of him and her receiving their City of Portsmouth athlete of the year awards his senior year. These days when visiting WV, I get called traitor and worse by friends and family up there but I still wear my Hokie gear and dec out the SUV with Hokie stuff and so far, I have escaped each time with my life and no burning couches yet have been flung at me.

Born and raised in New Jersey, I didn't follow much college football at all my younger years. My family is Giants and Yankees fans and pro sports dominate. Living 30-40 minutes away from the Meadowlands, I attended quite a few of Giants and Jets games. I don't follow my family in sports teams and I am a huge Dolphins fan (Marino, Duper, Clayton..). VT was actually at my high school for a college fair. I loved the fact that it is almost 8 hrs from my hometown and a good engineering program. Once I visited the campus, it was a done deal.

My freshman year I still wasn't sold on college football, but it was growing on me fast. I attended all the football games that year (Al Clark quarterback and student tickets could be picked up 5 minutes before the game, no lottery).

I would say that my first year off campus is when I truly became a Hokie football lover (involved a lot of pregaming and tailgate hopping). Loved the tradition and Hokie Nation. That continued til graduation in 02 and now I am a donor and season ticket holder. I don't see anything changing that, even if I am a complainer. I am working to remedy that!

GO HOKIES!