RE: what does ODU sports mean to you?
Some of you on this board know my backstory, sat in the front row painted up and led the student section in chants for every home mens and womens basketball games my first two years then became a cheerleader for the next two. I also didn't miss a home football game in my time at ODU, and went down to New Orleans to see us play Baylor my freshman year in the NCAA tournament. Safe to say, I was hooked immediately, even though I wasn't originally sold on attending the school in general.
I've always been a big sports guy, and I was blessed with ODU not just getting a football team my freshman year and seeing the atmosphere, but the product on the field was so good and they continued that success for the next decade. On top of that, ODU had a dominant mens basketball program and a legend in Wendy Larry on the women's team, I made it a part of my student experience to put sports at the top of the list, including getting to the Ted at 4am the morning of the VCU home game to make sure me and my buddies got our front row seats as we had rightfully earned throughout the year.
The VCU home game my freshman year, the first JMU football game at home, the Trey Freeman Buzzer Beater, the win against VT, all of those games in the student section when it was packed, rowdy, and loud (not to mention everyone stood the entire game) are etched in my memory as some of the best sports and life moments I've experienced in person. Someone else mentioned it on this board, I miss when Blaine was coach and we had a tradition of the basketball team, cheerleaders, and dancers stand on the arc facing the student section and everyone would be arm in arm swaing and singing the alma mater. Students stuck around for that and it was a sense of pride to yell "OLD DOMINION HAIL!!" with the team who just fought hard whether it was a win or loss. I wish we still did that. My last home game as a student, even after cheerleading was done, I stayed and sat in my old seat (front row, seat #9) after the Ted cleared out to soak it all in. That place was like a temple to me and I knew I was going to miss it.
I've spent a lot of time, money, effort, energy, and emotion on this school and its atheltic department, and even though my interest has waned a little since graduating and moving on to other things in life, ODU sports still has a place in my heart and life. I still proudly represent the school and watch aht I can. I don't post much on these board anymore but I check in every now and again to see how everyone is doing and what topics we're discussing.
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