University of Virginia Library

To The Editor

Up With Sports!

There is an attitude at this
University which has nauseated me
for the past three years and the
editorial "Welcome Mr. Corrigan"
has finally compelled me to at least
comment on it. I am one student
who does mind a losing team no
matter how good the fight is that
they put up. It would be a pleasure
to me to go out to a renovated,
double-decked, 80,000-seat Scott
Stadium and watch the Cavaliers
knock off Notre Dame or Texas or
Alabama.

But, this is not to be. At The
University we are satisfied to
wallow in mediocrity (or worse)
and enjoy an occasional upset. Of
course, while doing this we are
enjoying a high degree of academic
excellence far surpassing the
schools of the Big Ten, SBC, SWC,
or even South Carolina and
Clemson of our own ACC.

This is patent baloney! No one
ever survived a course here through
old tests and someone else's notes.
No one here ever got an A in a
course that he attended exactly
twice (for the midterm and final).
None of the lectures are an hour of
pseudo-intellectual double talk.
Right!

The truth is that we could offer
students the opportunity to get a
top-notch education, just as a
student can get a top-notch
education at a Big Ten school, and,
at the same time, be competitive
with the national powers in
athletics. The only apparent bright
spots are in the minor sports where
a lack of funds is not as restrictive
as in the major sports. In this area
young coaches like George
Edwards, Glenn Thiel, and Ron
Good are not satisfied with
mediocrity. They want to be
champions — national champions!

Unfortunately, to win in football
or basketball requires money.
Although I am pessimistic, it is my
hope that Mr. Corrigan can build
football and basketball winners by
somehow gaining the necessary
money and, if necessary,
introducing the "professionalism"
that you speak of.

I am sick and tired of the
attitude of the sanctimonious,
pseudo-intellectual losers who
contend that we here at the
University have a more virtuous
institution than those attending
universities with good football
teams. A little rah-rah spirit on
Saturday afternoon might not be so
bad for all you folks who are so
academically excellent Monday
through Friday.

Yes, sports are only a game. But
anything that is worth engaging in
is worth winning.