Wahoo Pride

I must admit, as far as college football goes, the University of Virginia is always the program just good enough to entertain, but never too good enough to be great. I'm familiar with the 6-5 version that plays their bowl games around Christmas time. I'm occasionally acquainted with the 7-4 version that sniffs the top 25 by seasons end. But to be honest, the only way I can get through an inevitable 4 or 5 win season is to forget the result and attach my rooting interests onto memorable players. And even though we're 2-1 so far this season (with scant wins against lowly Duke and UNC), I'm beginning to think about what Chris Long would look like in the same blue-and-orange playing on Sundays. So, if you'll indulge me, some Wahoo's of note in the NFL:


Aaron Brooks: Interesting Career. Passed for 20,000 yards and 123 TDs. Beat St. Louis in the 2000 playoffs with 4 TD passes. Constantly at the helm of 8-8 teams. This paragraph from Wikipedia probably best sums up his career in a nutshell:

Brooks' decision making, showcased in an infamous backwards pass thrown to an offensive lineman in a 2004 loss in San Diego, was the target of criticism from New Orleans fans. To exacerbate the problem, Brooks exhibited a cavalier attitude, a broad smile accompanied each of his mistakes. New Orleans Saints' fans were all the more appreciative of Drew Brees, considering the juxtaposition of his play against that which had been witnessed during the six years Aaron Brooks wore the black and gold."

Also, notice how a Virginia Tech player leaves him hanging after he passes for a touchdown to Thomas Jones (whom I've already extolled the virtues of):

Patrick Jeffers: Had a five year career with Denver, Dallas and Carolina. His best season was in 1999 with Carolina - 63 rec, 1082 yards, 17.2 ypc, 12 TDs. Every year, Jeffers gets together with "Easy" Ed McCaffrey, Tom Waddle and Ricky Proehl in Vegas to play in the “Gritty White Possession-Receiver Tee-Off for the Cure” Skins tournament.

D’Brickashaw Ferguson: D’Brickashhhhhhhhhhaaaaaaaawwwwwwww

Heath Miller: Won a Super Bowl his rookie year with Pittsburgh. Has a Bubba Franks-like love affair with catching the ball in the end zone. For those of you who don't know, his nickname is "Big Money". Feel free to call him that. I do.

John St. Clair: Won't you care for John Sinclair?


Ronde and Tiki Barber: The pride of UVA football. Played in the mid-90's the last time the Cavaliers were truly in the national consciousness. I'm secretly hoping that they are paired in the same booth commentating NFL games within the next ten years. They could bring back Melissa Stark to do sideline reporting and Mike Groh could just, you know, hang around her. Al Groh could be the old-coach-turned-disgruntled-color-guy. Is that asking too much?

Matt Schaub: On the heels of an excellent 2-0 start, I’m finally ready to embrace the Houston Texans and their upstart offense led by Matt "I guess you bet on the wrong Virginia boy" Schaub. And to tell you the truth, it's been long overdue.