It’s a great time to be a Cavalier! The Virginia football team became bowl eligible for the first time since 2007 last Saturday, taking down the much hated Terps in the process. Obviously, Cavalier players took to Twitter to express their excitement in making a bowl – but also in making it known that they aren’t ready to slow down just yet. They guys also made their dislike for their border rival well known. As if that wasn’t enough good news for the Wahoo faithful, basketball season is right around the corner – and we got some inside information from Dave Kohne, the ‘voice of the Cavaliers’ this week on that front. Wednesday also marked National Signing Day for D1 college basketball prospects, meaning Tony Bennett’s consensus top 20 2012 recruiting class are now officially Cavaliers. Okay, enough of the hoo-rah stuff…let’s get to the tweets.
1. There were a number of great bowl-eligible related tweets following Virginia’s 31-13 victory over Maryland. Here are the best of the bunch:
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@CMINNI13 (DB Chase Minnifield) This is one of the reasons I came back to school for my senior season...#bowleligible let's go
Chase Minnifield has been the model student-athlete for the Cavaliers since stepping foot on campus. No one deserves a bowl game more than this kid, so kudos for him for keeping his nose to the grindstone and coming out on top during his fourth year. That doesn’t mean the Chase and his teammates are content with just 6, wins however…
@Lbow70 (OG Luke Bowanko) Our aspirations are bigger than just making a bowl game…Bring it, Dook.
@MORGANMOSES_78 (OT Morgan Moses) Good win for the team to make us bowl eligible…but I’m still not satisfied
You have to love the attitude of the big guys up front for the Cavaliers. As Mr. Bowanko so simply stated, it all starts with breaking a 3 year losing streak to Duke this weekend!
[caption id="attachment_690" align="alignright" width="204" caption="Virginia's players have their sight sets on the ACC Championship."]
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2. And just what are those ‘greater’ aspirations? While all Cavaliers should be thrilled with bowl eligibility, it hasn’t gone unnoticed that Virginia currently controls their own destiny in the ACC Coastal Division.
@tim_smith20 (WR Tim Smith) Don’t get it twisted we don’t play for a bowl game we play to win the ACC championship
@_BOSS75_ (OT Kelby Johnson ) CANT WAIT TILL WE SUITE UP FOR THAT ACC CHAMPIONSHIP!!!
Clearly, the players are feeling confident after their recent play – and justly so. We’ll see what happens, however…
[caption id="attachment_691" align="alignright" width="240" caption="Caption says it all. Don't burn your eyes, however."]
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3. As previously mentioned, there’s no love lost between Virginia and their border rival Maryland Terrapins. Nick Jenkins (a Maryland native) set the tone early during last week’s press conference that he just plain didn’t like the Terps, who had an ‘arrogant’ coaching staff and a ‘terrible’ location in College Park. There were some more gems on Twitter that piggy-backed off of Nick’s sentiments…
@Royal_Flush82 (WR Kevin Royal) Love my bros from MD. But I hate UMD.
Well, that pretty much sums it up. I like the next tweet better, however.
@tim_smith20 (WR Tim Smith) I’m full of Turtle Soup LMAO
Now that’s what I call bringing the heat! There’s nothing like a little trash talk after dominating your rival, especially after officially eliminating them from bowl competition while achieving your own eligibility in the process. Saturday was sweet, indeed.
[caption id="attachment_692" align="alignright" width="128" caption="Duck Fuke!"]
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4. Speaking of rivals, it appears that the 3-year losing streak to the Dookies has finally gotten under the skin of the Cavaliers.
@Lbow70 (OG Luke Bowanko) Can’t wait to get this film on Duke popping. We owe them something!
I’d say we do. For the love of God, can we please run over these fools on Saturday. This isn’t basketball!
[caption id="attachment_693" align="alignright" width="106" caption="Mike Scott will lead a very talented Virginia basketball team this year."]
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5. Speaking of basketball, the Tony Bennett officially tips off his third campaign as the head coach of the Cavaliers this weekend. Virginia finally appears to be getting some respect heading into the season, with the Cavaliers picked to finish 4th in the preseason polls – the highest such ranking since the beginning of the 2000-2001 season. Part of the reason for such lofty expectations? - The return of forward Mike Scott, who should be one of the nation’s best players this year.
@Wahoovoice (Voice of the Cavaliers Dave Kohne) Welcome back Mike Scott…UVA’s 5th year SR looking mid-season form in the Blue-White scrimmage….impressive.
Well, that’s welcome news. I’m trying to curtail my excitement heading into this season (hey, it’s natural for a lifelong Cavalier fan…), but it’s hard not to get to wound up at the prospects of what could be for this year’s team. Wahoowa!
[caption id="attachment_703" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Evan Nolte signs his National Letter of Intent with UVA."]
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6. Speaking of excitement, Wednesday marked National Signing Day for Tony Bennett’s stellar 2012 recruiting class – consisting of stud guard Justin Anderson, stud forward Evan Nolte, stud center Mike Toby, and under-the-radar stud point guard Tevin Jones. Again, trying to temper expectations here, but it’s hard not to buy into what Tony is selling. The sky appears to be the limit for the Wahoo basketball program right now. As such, the new kids are eager to get started. More importantly, Tony appears to be bringing in top notch people as well as players. Kudos to you, Mr. Bennett. Here’s what the new Cavaliers had to say about their big day:
@EvanNolte (PF Evan Nolte) Signing day!! So thankful for everyone who helped me accomplish my dream! [pic]
@Teddy_Younkers5 (PG Teven Jones) Officially a Virginia Cavalier…Feels good!
@MontroseHoops will host NLI signing event 11/10 @ 4 PM. @JDotAnderson23 (Justin Anderson) will make his commitment to UVA official. All media is welcome!
Welcome to the fam, gentlemen!
[caption id="attachment_695" align="alignright" width="163" caption="The CFL...as brought to you by the country of France."]
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7. Okay, enough with the ‘serious’ stuff…there were some humorous tweets out there this past week as well. Let’s start with one of our favorite tweeters in Mad Max Milien (and congrats on finding the end zone on Saturday big man!).
@multimili (FB Max Milien ) This man@RealKevinParks (RB Kevin Parks) asked "what's Mark (Verica) doing?" @RMetheny15 (QB Ross Metheny) said "he's in France." KP goes "doing what playing in the Canadian league?"
Let’s see here, I guess I’m as confused as anyone that they actually have an American football league in France. But, come on KP…really? Playing in France as part of the Canadian Football League? As cousin Eddie would say, “You serious, Clark?” LOL.
[caption id="attachment_696" align="alignright" width="128" caption="It starts at a young age..."]
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8. @tim_smith20 (WR Tim Smith) Females running forms <<<<< LMAO I be weak watching a girl run #PointBlank
Honestly, this is a hilarious point. Girls are always swinging their arms wildly and bouncing all around while running. The sad thing is that they thing they look good, too. Keep the arms tight, ladies – quick back and forth is all that is needed.
9. DWatford5 (QB David J. Watford) I almost got attacked by some squirrels smh
[caption id="attachment_697" align="alignright" width="283" caption="Beware of the squirrels!"]
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Okay, so this seems funny at first. Why is a D1 QB afraid of some squirrels? Well, for those of you who don’t know, the squirrels in Charlottesville are monsters. First off, they aren’t really squirrels – they are some type of black, hybrid, monster animal that are not at all afraid of people. Secondly, the little rodents are tricky as hell – my frat brothers and I spend a whole week trying to catch a squirrel, who tormented us with loud scratching in the wee morning hours, outside of the frat house our last year of school at UVA to no avail…and we are at the very least marginally functional human beings. We tried everything. So with that said, I’d like to hone in on the ‘almost’ part of Watford’s tweet – well done in escaping their wrath!
10. @Lbow70 (OG Luke Bowanko) I should shave my head bald this weekend and leave the beard #noshavenovember #momdonthateme
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We tweeted about #noshavenovember last week, and it appears that offensive lineman Luke Bowanko is taking it to the next level. Now that is how you intimidate an opponent. Just like those scary Raider fans. Let’s make it #baldheadnoshavenovember and win out while we’re out it! By the way, your mom is definitely going to hate you if you have a heavy beard and a shaved head for the Holidays. She’ll get over it, though.
11. The slight stature of one of Virginia’s stud running backs (Kevin, cough, Parks, cough) appears to be a running joke for most of his buddies on the football team. It appears that Parks and his short friend Perry Jones turned the tables on the guys in a recent practice…
@EarlJay84 (WR EJ Scott) That practice when @PJONES_33 (RB Perry Jones) and @RealKevinParks (RB Kevin Parks) switched jerseys n no 1 could tell who was who..LMAO!
Now that I would have loved to see. With both guys listed at a generous 5’8, I can absolutely believe that a jersey switch would create problems for their teammates. Wait, is this move legal for the last 3 games?
[caption id="attachment_700" align="alignright" width="176" caption="Listen and take notes!"]
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12. PJONES_33 (RB Perry Jones) Wish this girl would hurry up
Now, I’m usually attempting to give Jay Mathis some relationship advice in this column…but this week, I’m going to try to help UVA’s own Superman – Perry Jones. Remain patient, son. You’re going to be waiting, and waiting, and waiting some more through the years. If you get bent out of shape now, you’ll never make it! The best advice I have is to listen to Brad Paisley’s ‘Waiting On a Woman’…although you may want to do that in private for fear of being banned from the locker room.
[caption id="attachment_701" align="alignright" width="200" caption="RIP, Heavy D."]
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13. Last, but certainly not least, it was a sad week with the news of Heavy D’s passing. Kevin Royal simply expressed his condolences with a nice picture tribute to hip-hop’s ‘Overweight Lover’.
Royal_Flush82 (WR Kevin Royal) RIP
I’ll forever remember Heavy D through the flow of Notorious B.I.G., with one of my favorite rhymes of all time: ‘It was all a dream. I used to read Word Up magazine. Salt’n Pepa and Heavy D up in the limousine.’ When Biggie is rapping about you, you’ve done something right, my friend. Yea, I’m ‘hood like that. Okay, not really, but whatever.
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