Monday

I know. It was, to say the least, a bad day for Wall Street. Really bad. Super bad. Couldn't get much worse (is sub-10K too far away?)

But there is good news: Duke. Football. Oh, and Coach Cut. Damn I love that man.

In any case, Caulton Tudor of the News & Observer is among a few that are actually heaping small amounts of praise on the newly rejuvenated Diables Bleu. In an interesting column that sees the history of Cavs, Pirates and Blue Devils intersect all in one, the old Raleigh Times reporter wrote:

...many Virginia fans have no affection whatsoever for the Pirates. That rub dates all the way back to 1975, when the Pirates made their first visit to Scott Stadium and won the game 61-10 with then-ECU coach Pat Dye using very few of his first-stringers during the second half.

Then, in one of the really strange developments in regional football history, several ECU upperclassmen made their way into the Virginia locker room about 30 minutes after game’s end. Those ECU players severely chastised Virginia’s players for what the Pirates perceived as having quit in the game on then-Virginia coach Sonny Randle (another UVa alum).

Randle had coached ECU to successive 9-2 records in 1972 and ‘73. Randle was visibly moved by the display of devotion from his former team, and the Pirate players quickly apologized for their irrational actions, but a strong emotional undercurrent was set that still eats at the Virginia old-line, which is deep and wide.

For more (i.e. Tudor saying the upcoming Sept. 27 contest in Durham is a must-win for current coach Al Groh) click here.