John Beattie

[Colin Spencer @ColinSpenc4257]

I DID. DID YOU.

[Susan McLaughlin @SusanMcLaughli2]

In September of 2005, on the first day of school, Martha Cothren, a History teacher at Robinson High School in Little Rock, did something not to be forgotten. On the first day of school, with the permission of the school superintendent, the principal and the building supervisor, she removed all of the desks in her classroom. When the first period kids entered the room they discovered that there were no desks.

'Ms. Cothren, where are our desks?'

She replied, 'You can't have a desk until you tell me how you earn the right to sit at a desk.'

They thought, 'Well, maybe it's our grades.' 'No,' she said.

'Maybe it's our behavior.' She told them, 'No, it's not even your behavior.'

And so, they came and went, the first period, second period, third period. Still no desks in the classroom. Kids called their parents to tell them what was happening and by early afternoon television news crews had started gathering at the school to report about this crazy teacher who had taken all the desks out of her room.

The final period of the day came and as the puzzled students found seats on the floor of the desk-less classroom. Martha Cothren said, 'Throughout the day no one has been able to tell me just what he or she has done to earn the right to sit at the desks that are ordinarily found in this classroom. Now I am going to tell you.'

At this point, Martha Cothren went over to the door of her classroom and opened it. Twenty-seven (27) U.S. Veterans, all in uniform, walked into that classroom, each one carrying a school desk. The Vets began placing the school desks in rows, and then they would walk over and stand alongside the wall. By the time the last soldier had set the final desk in place those kids started to understand, perhaps for the first time in their lives, just how the right to sit at those desks had been earned.

Martha said, 'You didn't earn the right to sit at these desks. These heroes did it for you. They placed the desks here for you. They went halfway around the world, giving up their education and interrupting their careers and families so you could have the freedom you have. Now, it's up to you to sit in them. It is your responsibility to learn, to be good students, to be good citizens. They paid the price so that you could have the freedom to get an education. Don't ever forget it.'

[Tugard @Tugard1Tugard]

I keep asking, how did UVA land tu talented QB's so late? From my truth, this involved patience, timing and confidence. But I think the real question is, "Why did those QB's believe UVA was worth waiting for?"

Beau Pribula and Eli Holstein are tu talented and highly experienced QBs who started for the top college football teams.

Recruiting QB's differs from other positions. Most want a real shot at starting, a trusted coaching staff and an offense that suits them. Without those, they'll keep waiting.

UVA benefited from not panicking. The staff stayed patient while Chandler Morris's eligibility was being sorted. Rather than settling for the first available QB. That patience allowed them tu pursue experienced players at the right moment.

Another reason is competition. Many assume every QB wants a guaranteed starting spot, but I disagree. The best often believe they're the top player in the room. Beau Pribula and Eli Holstein have both started Power Five games and are unafraid of competition. They likely think, "If I can't beat the other QB, I don't deserve the job,". Which is the mindset you want.

Additionally, UVA has become a more attractive destination. Successes like an 11-win season, an ACC championship game appearance and a bowl victory show transfer QB's that they aren’t stepping intu a rebuilding project but intu a team capable of winning now.

But one of the biggest reasons Eli Holstein and Beau Pribula chose UVA was the offensive line. Experienced QBs don't want tu spend every snap running for their lives. They want protection, stability and a chance tu make plays. UVA offered one of the more experienced offensive lines in the country and that gave both QB's confidence they could come in, stay healthy and compete tu win games. That's a huge selling point.

A QB needs tu trust that the QB coaches will develop him and be fair. If players see honest competition and a healthy locker room. They'll prefer that over empty promises. UVA's transparency during recruiting, especially for QBs, helped.

What stands out the most tu me is that most schools struggle tu find even one capable QB. UVA found tu with starting experience in the same portal cycle. Tu very accomplished QB's. This isn't luck but the result of timing, a fitting roster, momentum and both QB's seeing UVA as a genuine opportunity tu win championships.

That's why I see this as one of the more overlooked portal stories in college football. Securing one proven QB is tough. But landing tu who believe they can win the job shows they weren't just choosing a school. They believed in the program's future and UVA's future is bright!

[Corner Media @CornerMediaCo]

6 - @UVASwimDive

[Tugard @Tugard1Tugard]

This might be one of the worst decisions Virginia Athletics has made in years. The Virginia Athletics Foundation made changes tu its season ticket policies before the 2025 season. Giving priority tu major donors and moving some longtime plan holders tu less desirable seats. That is foul. You don't build a fan base for decades. Then tell those same fans that their loyalty matters less than donations. That is exactly how fans begin tu stop supporting a program!

UVA football doesn't have the luxury of pushing away longtime season ticket holders. Those fans are the heartbeat of Scott Stadium. They are the ones who sat through losing seasons, coaching changes, rain, snow, cold and hot weather, and empty seats. They kept showing up when there wasn't much tu cheer for. Then, when the program finally starts building momentum. They are told they have tu move because someone with a bigger check gets the better seat.
That is WHACK!

College football isn't just about raising money. It's about building a community. Once fans feel like they're nothing more than a revenue source. They stop acting like family and start acting like customers and unattached. Athletic departments love talking about donations, premium seating and revenue generation. That's important and I get it.

But you know what's also valuable? A packed stadium.A loud stadium. A hostile stadium. You can't buy home-field advantage. The best home environments in college football aren't created by wealthy donors sitting quietly in premium seats. They are created by passionate fans who live and die with every snap. Who knows every player on the roster? Who scream on third down until the opposing offense can't hear itself think.
Those are the people UVA should honor, support and protect.

Instead, many fans feel like they've been pushed aside. If longtime season ticket holders decide not tu renew. UVA may gain dollars in one area but lose something much harder to replace. The atmosphere? That's the danger. Scott Stadium has spent years trying tu become one of the toughest places tu play. Every empty seat makes that harder. Every loyal fan who walks away hurts the home field advantage.

Every family that stops attending is another tradition lost. Home field advantage isn't built by donations.
It's built by emotion and generations of families sitting in the same section every Saturday. It's built by fans who know the chants, traditions and what UVA football means. When those fans disappear. So does UVA's identity.

The irony is that a stronger home-field advantage helps win games. Winning games increases attention, excitement. Excitement sells tickets, attracts recruits, generates funds and donations. You keeo the loyal fans and donations. Everyone is happy.

In my truth, UVA got the order backwards.
Take care of the loyal fans first. Reward the people who stayed through the hard times. Find ways tu increase revenue without making your most dedicated supporters feel unwanted. Once those fans leave, don't expect them tu come running back. Loyalty is earned over decades. It can be lost in one bad decision!

[OldTimeHardball @OleTimeHardball]

Game 7 of the 1960 World Series

Bill Mazeroski at the plate

[National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum ⚾ @baseballhall]

Help us wish Rachel Robinson a happy 104th birthday!

With grace, dignity and unsurpassed spirit, our 2017 Buck O’Neil Lifetime Achievement Award winner has been a devoted advocate for equality in baseball and beyond.

[Jim Koenigsberger @Jimfrombaseball]

"I was pitching against Roberto Clemente and Wes Westrum came out and said:
‘He can’t hit the fastball inside off the plate.
I threw a fastball about a foot inside and he hit it.
It was still going up as it went over the center field fence."
Darrell Sutherland.
"People say:
'Clemente didn’t hit 500 HR and he didn’t do this or that.'
Again, if you hear players who played against him, you realize kind of respect they have for him.
Willie Mays always said that for him, Clemente was the greatest all-around player he played against."
Steve DiMeglio.
"Even after his death, the spirit of Roberto Clemente remained in Pittsburgh and with him in mind, many people accomplished things that perhaps seemed impossible.
He exemplified what a World Series is all about.
The glamour and physical and mental endurance needed to perform."
Willie Stargell.
“I thought I smelled an early hint of the mysterious bittersweet gas that fills Pittsburgh in the summertime, a smell at once industrial and aboriginal, river water and sulfur dioxide, burning tires and the coat of a fox."
"The Wonder Boys."
Michael Chabon.
"I gave this painting to Roberto two years before he died.
I wanted to show him as a complete ballplayer.
The day after his death the Pittsburgh Press published a picture of this painting in his locker, with his shoes and the caption:
"Never to be worn again."
Artist George Sosnak.

[UVA Flashback @UVAFlashback]

Happy Birthday to Wally Walker!
While he's perhaps best remembered in UVA circles as the star of the 1976 ACC Tournament, Walker's entire @UVAMensHoops career is noteworthy - his 1,849 points still ranks sixth in career scoring among all UVA players.
After UVA, Walker was picked fifth overall in the NBA draft, and after his playing career went on to be the President and General Manager of the Seattle Supersonics. He is currently Deputy Athletics Director at UVA.
🔶🏀🔷

[Tyler Ratcliff @TylerRatcliff17]

Poor little guy is gonna be hooked for the rest of his life after this shot, and when he’s 80 he’ll realize this would be the best shot of his life🤣🤣

[OldTimeHardball @OleTimeHardball]

1957 All-Star Game

Ernie Banks, Frank Robinson, Henry Aaron, and Willie Mays

[John Beattie @Beattieuva]

@Tugard1Tugard So well stated! It’s been a pleasure watching as a former player and alum!!
Go Hoos!

[Tugard @Tugard1Tugard]

All my homeboys keep asking me why I'm so excited about UVA football. I say this is the biggest opportunity in years tu gain respect for UVA football. This is about changing a reputation and establishing a new identity.

UVA football has been average at best. Other schools say UVA has a good education, a beautiful campus, and nerds for students who care more about a Chemistry exam than sports. UVA students and fans are rejecting that mindset. They are showing up and showing out. They are packing Scott Stadium and being obnoxious like the other schools with erratic fans.

This is the season that UVA can take a huge leap in national exposure. I keep hearing talk about rebuilding..Elliott isn't rebuilding anymore. He is building. A rebuild means you're hoping tu be competitive. Building means you've laid the foundation and now you're stacking floors toward success. I see a football program that has a new identity. I see players, leadership and coaches staying. That's how real football programs are built tu last. UVA has become a football destination and not just a pit stop.

Since the Welsh era, I haven't felt this kind of belief around UVA football. Coach Groh and London had their moments. They helped bring energy back tu the program but it was short lived. What Elliott is creating is different. It isn't based on one recruiting class or one magical season. It's based on culture and accountability. It's based on getting players who actually want tu wear Virginia across their chest. Players are proud tu wear that uniform!

People underestimate how important it is that this coaching staff keeps returning. You aren't teaching a new system. Players are reacting instead of thinking. Veterans are coaches on the field. Young players are developing faster. Standards become expectations instead of speeches. That's how programs stop being inconsistent and become cohesive.

This roster has players who are winners. Players who believe they belong on the field with the best teams. Players who aren't afraid and demand or take their respect. UVA refuses tu be the joke of college football anymore. They are taking belt tu azz.

Nobody is guaranteed anything on this team. Players push starters every single day. That's how you get better. Depth doesn't just protect you from injuries. It forces everybody tu improve because someone is waiting tu take your job. Fans stopped caring about football. Scott Stadium was empty and a joke for a home field. Scott Stadium has everything it needs tu become one of the toughest places tu play in the ACC. The setting is beautiful. The tradition is there.

When UVA is winning. Scott Stadium can become lively and full of excitement. Fans aren't looking for perfection. Give them a team that plays hard. Play violent and hit teams in their mouth. Compete and fight for four quarters. Win meaningful games and fans will fill those seats. They will go all out and represent.

The biggest thing I respect about Elliott is that his players fight for him. You cant fake talent. You can't fake belief. You cant fake effort. Players don't keep buying intu a coach they don't trust. They don't stay in a program they don't believe in. When guys keep coming back and keep working. That's telling me everything about what's happening behind closed doors and in the locker rooms.

This season is bigger than wins and losses. It's about changing the national conversation on UVA football. It's about recruits looking at UVA differently. It's about opposing teams knowing they aren't walking intu an easy Saturday anymore. It's about proving UVA football belongs in every ACC discussion instead of being treated like an afterthought. UVA is here tu stay!

I've said it before. Opportunity doesn't knock forever. It knocks once or twice and thats it. This UVA team has the talent, depth, experience and leadership tu kick that door open. Now it's time tu stop talking about what UVA could become and start showing exactly what UVA football is FACTS!

[Mike Lewis 1🕊️15🕊️41 @Mikeysurf]

Five ACC coaches of year were Wahoos:
Elliott/Football
Gelnovatch/MSoccer
DeSorbo/WSwim
Sargent/MGolf
Lannana 🐐/MT&F

#Wahoowa 🔶⚔️🔷

[Virginia Cavaliers @VirginiaSports]

Led by the best 🫡 @theACC

George Gelnovatch @UVAMenSoccer
Tony Elliott @UVAFootball
Todd DeSorbo @UVASwimDive
Bowen Sargent @UVAMensGolf
Vin Lananna @UVATFCC

#GoHoos

[Baseball’s Greatest Moments @BBGreatMoments]

Roberto Clemente, at 37 years old, unleashing a massive throw from the outfield to home to keep the runner from scoring in Game 6 of the 1971 World Series.

[John Beattie @Beattieuva]

@JonEasystep Really nice guy, too

[Jonathan Cotten @JonEasystep]

Barry Parkhill was my first UVA star as a young boy. He excelled on the court and now years later still has a sterling reputation. Well done!

[J&L Historical @Jason_R_Burt]

81 years ago today, the men of Easy Company discover Kaufering IV, a satellite camp of the Dachau concentration camp system in Bavaria.

[BaseballHistoryNut @nut_history]

It don’t matter how old you are, just like this 94 year old army veteran, if you have a ball, a glove and a wall, you will have one hell of a time.