Ultimate Frisbee. My newfound passion recently has been ultimate frisbee. In the Summer of 2004, Than Williams convinced me to sign up for Charlottesville Ultimate’s summer league. I didn’t really have an idea of what ultimate frisbee was, but hey, it was something to do, and it was outside. The night before my first game, Than asked me if I had cleats. I shrugged and said No (I need cleats??? What???). We then proceeded to rush to Super Shoes, where I bought a pair of boy’s Adidas soccer cleats for $10. In the end, my first game was a disaster: I felt like the worst player ever and who would never, ever play again.

But I came back the next week, and the next. And before I knew it, I loved playing ultimate. I started going out to pick up games in addition to league games. I would beg friends to throw with me for practice. I even worked out more just so I could get in shape for ultimate. I ended up volunteering to do website work for CUDO, the Charlottesville Ultimate Disc Organization, and helping out with leagues and events here and there. Now I’m not as crazed as when I started out, but I still love the game and playing it (and I still work out to get in shape for it, even though I’ve learned it’s completely useless – you can never been in shape enough for ultimate!). So if I’m around and you’ve got a crew together for a tournament or a pick-up game, expect me to show up at your door.

Sports Fan Maniac. It started back in the 7th grade, in 1994. It was Duke, Grant Hill, Charlie Ward, and Bob Sura. It was a memorable basketball season, one that I remember so vividly as if it was just yesterday. I must’ve watched that year’s Duke-Florida Final Four game – Duke coming back from 13 down in the winding minutes (Antonio Lang – CHARGE!) – at least a hundred times on tape. I could probably spit out the play-by-play of that game like it was my home address.

Now I’ve expanded to the point where I’m satisfied watching and following almost any team or sport. I even find amusement in golf and NASCAR racing (believe me, those are things I never thought I’d ever get into). I’m what you would call a complete sports junkie and huge college basketball superfreak. I would rather watch ESPN or read Sports Illustrated over… anything. I’m constantly reading articles and message boards to the point where I memorize stats, rankings, and schedules. No, I’m not kidding or exaggerating the least bit.

To top it off, I’m an extremely emotional sports spectator (i.e. I become a crazy-ass lunatic when I watch games or matches that I care about). I have complete devotion to Virginia and everything about the Cavaliers, as well as temporary teams I choose to root for. My life is scheduled around college basketball season. When I was a student, you could find me chillin’ in front of University Hall’s student entrance multiple hours or days before tip off, or cursing, screaming, and jumping/flailing in front of a TV or at a game. Now I know many people have a hard time imagining me and all this to the fullest degree, so I invite you to watch or come out to a game with me. Believe me, I’ve scared many people. I’ve even picked fights with entire fraternities and almost made a ballboy cry. Yes, there are many stories.