My Championship Story by: romegg

I’ve been a UVA fan since the Ralph Sampson days. Growing up outside of Ch’ville in Nelson County, UVA is the first team I fell in love with. So,being a fan for that long has had its hardships.

The years losing to MSU and then having Syracuse come back that year, I started to think we were cursed! Then finally we drew a bracket without MSU and to who I thought would be our biggest obstacle that year in our bracket, Arizona, got knocked out earlier that day. At that point, I said, this is our year! Little did I know what would be on the horizon, UMBC! I turned off my phone, and didn’t leave the house for 2 days after that game. My brother-in-law, who is a pastor had to call and check on me when I finally decided to turn my phone on. It was the worst feeling I’ve ever experienced over a sporting event ever!

Fast forward to this season and I’m liking what I’m seeing, but I’m also telling myself, we’ve been beating teams in the regular season like this for years. Can we put it together come tourney time? We lose to FSU in the ACC tournament, no big deal, we have several of those, lets regroup and get ready for the big one. First round game against Gardner-Webb and I’m thinking,no, not again! I’m at work so nervous that I told my supervisor I might have to go home because my stomach isn’t right and I might poop my pants. Thankfully, the fellas pulled through and won the game and saved me from having an embarrassing moment at work! Was more calm about the Oklahoma game, they pretty much handled business for that one. Oregon game me some what of anxiety. This is where my nerves started to kick in leading up to the Purdue game. Purdue has always been a good scrapping team since the Gene Keady, so I knew they weren’t gonna be a small task. I remember me and my wife were at Applebee’s eating supper. I purposely sat with my back to the TV so I couldn’t watch the game. I was too nervous! But I couldn’t stop turning around looking. Eventually, I told her that I could not finish my food, because my nerves were tearing my stomach apart! We get home and I tell myself I’m not turning the TV to the game until its done, I can’t take this pressure! So, I wait more than enough time for the game to be over, OVERTIME! Needless to say, I was really feeling it during the Auburn game. Auburn was like a buzz saw the way they were handling teams and I knew this was going to be a fight! But me being the glutton for punishment, I had to take looks at the game. I paced and spread my viewing out. Just so happens, I tuned in when Guy was getting fouled! He makes all 3 and I can breath until Monday night. That Sunday and Monday leading up to the National Championship game was excruciating! I was drained and all I could think about was the game that night! Once again, I could only watch bits and pieces. Luckily, I’m raising a daughter right, that’s just as much a die hard UVA fan as me(She’s 11)! Before the game, she asks, “daddy are you watching the game?” I replied, “I’m to nervous.” She said, “I’m gonna watch downstairs then, I’ll let you know what’s happening?” So, every TO, she’ll come up and give me the recap. Halftime comes, and it’s a school night, and I tell her that she has to go to bed, she was so disappointed. I told her that if we win I’ll wake her up and if we didn’t I’ll let her sleep. Now I’m forced to watch more of it, but still flipping back and forth and seeing what my friends was saying in texts until I forced to put my phone downstairs because I couldn’t take them anymore. So, I calmed myself down and told myself to be just prepared for any outcome. I turned the TV and I saw the fellas on the podium. They’d did it!!! It hit me like a ton of bricks! It sat down on the floor and couldn’t move, instantly I started to cry! It was the best feeling I’ve ever had! I’ve had other teams that i cheer for win championships, but this one was THE ONE!!! I guess being so close to the campus and actually being able to see these guys play in person and be at the same places they have, makes it extra special! My wife wakes up and says, “are you crying?” I said YES!!! She said, “you didn’t cry at our wedding!” I said, “YOU’RE NOT A NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP!” After that, I went to my daughters room and said baby, she turned over and said, “we won?” I said yeah, she smiled, rolled over and went back to sleep. GREATEST NIGHT EVER!!!

I’m crying now as I read people posts and write mines! I LOVE UVA!! WAHOOWA!!!

SN: I have went back and watch the game in its entirety! Still get nervous! Haha

By: romegg