I'm tired of this (Time to Come Clean)

Forewarning: I'm writing this at 12:46 am, On October 28th. I'm not gonna worry about grammar. i'll try to spell the best I can. This might be a TL:DR thing but oh well. and yes i know the joke "Why So Serious?" but please this is sincere.

Hey Everybody,
Walking back after Saturdays game, I wasn't even mad, like I normally am after a loss. I got to thinking, so that's why i'm writing this. I'm not gonna beat around the bush. we lost to Duke. yeah i know "DUKE! WE LOST TO DUKE". This is all so common with Tech, losing to someone they shouldn't. This leaves people like me, super fans, or people who dress up to look like complete jackasses. This has happened way to many times since I began dressing up, and Honestly I'm tired of sticking my neck out there to be constantly disappointed.

Before I go any further, I'll just say a few things about the Duke Disaster. Are we that inept as an offense. The challenge was basically: Score more than 1 TD. and we can't do that. Duke held Pitt to 58, GT to 38, UVA to 22, but no Our Offense is THAT INEPT. I watch the Defense as Duke Kneeled to Win. and i couldn't help but feel sorry for them. they did there job, their counterparts didn't. The D showed up, Punting Team Showed up, but the kicking game and Offense must have stayed in Roanoke that day. You Can't win with 50% of your team.

But yea back to my main point. In 2009, I watched the Alabama game and Saw Leonidas of Blacksburg, Or the Spartan for Short and Thought "hey, he love's tech football, and sticking his neck out there for them, I can too" Thus I made a very "primitive" Joker Costume It was great, I unveiled it against Nebraska. we all know how that went. I did it a few more times that season. At UVA (W 42-13), and against UNC (L 20-17). That UNC Lost should have given me a heads up of what to come.

2010: I redid my costume, made it more genuine, got blazers, real vest and ties, and it turned out awesome. I was pumped to show off my new costume and pump people up. Gameday came, I was expecting a great Win, ( I mean Shit, we kept it close and brought it back against the number 3/5 team in the Country: Boise State). I was dressed up, having fun, the Ocainspring/ JMU happen. That was another bad sign. I stuck around and said "you already started don't stop now". I wanted, to show people that even though we may lose, even jackasses like me still love, support and believe in our team, so they can too. I went to Every Game I could, ECU, NC State, Central Michigan, Wake Forest, Duke, GT, UVA, and the ACC Championship. We Won. My faith was restored.

2011: LT# starting year. Everything was good. I sorta expect the first loss to Clemson. but I went to Every home game, watched every away game (Went to Duke, Wake Forest, and UVA 38-0 you guys may have seen me on TV). Clemson hit a skid they almost dropped completely out of the top 25, and WE were top 5. and guess what. WE Shit the bed, again.

2012: Shitty year. I went to Every Home game. Got Drunk after the Pitt and Cincy Debacle. I woke my ass up at 5 am to go to Chapel hill, was in face paint for 20 hours, just to get cussed out for being "insensitive" by a fellow Tech fan (she called me a piece of shit and it really bothered me). I stuck it out and went to my final game as an Undergrad against UVA, and we TRIED to give it away.

2013 (So Far) I've been at every home game, I went to Atlanta for the kickoff. In all honesty, I knew we wouldn't Win but Our Defense gave me hope. Walking back to my hotel, people yelling at me "roll fucking tide" and all this stuff. even some Bama sorority girls got all up in my face saying "either go to Dragon Con or the game not both" I DIDN'T GO TO DRAGON CON FOR THE LOVE OF GOD!!! I've been to every home game this year and this last game got me thinking.

Moral of the Story:1. When a team doesn't do well, the fans get pissed and vent (On Twitter), Football players see it and say "SMH you weren't out there", no but we sorta expect more than one Touchdown, and we (most of us) yell for you every play. you expect everyone to be hunky dory and say "hey we loss to Duke, that's swell, I love you guys" sorry that's not how it works. people get pissed bc they care. I'm tired of constantly sticking my neck out there for my Hokies, for them to Constantly Let me down. I don't mean like "hey, I'm a Hokie fan", It's more of a "hey, people Identify me at games, they have been associating me with Tech football, and when they disappoint, so do i". I know I don't have to do it, but I'm tired of dressing up, like i do, painting my face up, dealing with the travel, just to be blown out by a shitty clemson team, or not showing up against Duke, or Jmu, or UNC, or whatever. I'm tired of sacrificing my time for work to go out of town and watch tech play like shit. so after this year, I am retiring from this whole Shenanigan. I might try to go the the ACC championship, if we make it, or UVA, if we look better. but I'm unemployed I don't have money anymore to drop a couple hundred to go to Charlotte, or Atlanta, or Orlando to take the chances of leaving the Stadium, Embarrassed. It's a high risk, low reward scenario. But then again Tech always does this, loses to someone they shouldn't.

It's not just the football team that's disappointing, it's a majority of the Student Section. The Other Day I had two students come up to me and say "All you do is stand there and watch the game, people look up to you and when you do that they don't cheer". I understand, I picked it up but no disrespect to the guys that spoke to me, you shouldn't need someone in front of the north end zone telling you when to cheer. if you do, then get the hell out of the stadium. To the Two guys, you are awesome, I get what you are saying, but I just CAN'T Do it anymore. I hope you don't think bad of me for saying this, but Honestly what started off for a way to pump people up, and stand out, has just come to the selfish point of wanting to be on TV and to get better seats. I know it's selfish and that's why i'm retiring the persona.

To the Students:: Overall, most of you need to be better, don't leave at halftime for any reason. I don't care, cheer louder. I have made some great friends doing it, that's how i met Super Hokie (Sort of) was cheering and me and her have become good friends. Me and Hokie Trooper, and the other plethora of maroon and orange clad super fans.

To the Fans: I have met some great ones out there. I know people follow me on twitter and message me on Facebook saying "I saw you" or send me picture. A lot of People Stop to take pictures, and offer me tailgate food, or drinks or whatever. A few people I've met, took me to UVA in 2011 for Free, free ride, free ticket, free food, and they are amazing, I thanked them very much for that. I've become a regular at the Hokie Car Tailgate, and I'm pretty sure most of you guys see me walking around looking creepy. Other than two people who hate me, and my costume, the Hokie Nation has been very Supportive of me. And I love every single one of you guys. I mean that.

I'm just tired of all the stress of trying to be a "Hokie Respectful" fan, trying to get stubborn people to cheer when they don't want to, and trying not to be upset when we lose. I might get tickets next year, depending on money situations, but I won't be decked out like Normal. I want to thank all the Hokies that have welcomed me, because the good and great friends and fans I've met, definitely out number the negative number of people. My Last Hokie Joker Appearance in Blacksburg will be November 16th against Maryland, so if you guys want to see me one last time please feel free to contact my Facebook or twitter page. I would love to see you guys!!!

Again, what started as a fun way to pump people up, just turned into a selfish want for recognition and better seating.

Feel free, to say whatever you want, to the Haters..."haters gonna hate"

Much Love,
Hokie Joker

Drew R.

I know this is a personal statement, but it's the best way to connect to the Hokie Nation as a Whole!!!