Published August 26, 2004, in issue 0334 of The Hook

BY LINCOLN ROSS BARBOUR

It may be summer, but hundreds of UVA fans got a taste of fall when they met the hometown heroes Thursday, August 19. The entire UVA football team showed up at Scott Stadium in full uniform to press the flesh, pound signatures, and face the media. Also on hand were the UVA cheerleaders giving out free tattoos and more Wahoo gear than you could shake a foam finger at.

Fans packed the entire upper entrance of the stadium four-deep along the barrier as players walked up and down signing everything from footballs to fanzines. Coach Al Groh-- famous for a big July tirade against media stories about allegedly unruly players -- held a mini press conference in the stands. Throw in a dozen or so television and news crews, and you've got one heck of a love fest.

This year's slogan is "Orange Fever," a concept Groh and the UVA athletics department have encouraged for fans to show "a real connection which is visibly demonstrated by the sea of orange in the stands."

Orange it is, then. Looks like tickets are on sale, the first home game is September 11, and Cav Man and his horse are ready to ride.

Let's have the snap!

#34 Ahmad Brooks handles the ball of a fan.

This year's UVA cheerleaders moonlight as tattoo artists.

Football: Without the fans, there would be nothing.

Coach Al Groh's bleacher press conference

#45 Dennis Haley gets swarmed.

Besides orange, the look this year is headless.

Those media wimps don't stand a chance on that line of scrimmage.

Justin Tennery is this year's smallest recruit. But you should see him run!

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