Last spring, Athletic Director Craig Littlepage had to make a career-defining decision. Growing cries were mounting from an unenthused basketball fan base, while the members of Team Cavalier were dwindling rapidly. A changing of the guard appeared to be a necessity to ensure the Virginia basketball program would once again capture the spirit of the University prior to entering a new arena.
While a growing number of Wahoos blamed the lack of production on the red-haired coach (who insisted after every game that "they played hard, real hard"), a different solution to the basketball epidemic was proposed behind the scenes. While Mr. Gillen's departure stole the spotlight of the press, another cornerstone of the sports program also caught the axe for a fallen program.
This column is devoted to unveiling the undercurrents of the face that remains unknown in Virginia lore. This is the heartbreaking tale from a former Cav Man himself:
(All names are withheld to protect the honor and integrity of Cav Man.)
Q: To begin the sad saga, could you (ex-Cav Man) explain the excruciating tryout regiment that you had to endure to get chosen for this illustrious position?
A: Tryouts were tough; three people showed up, and after 15 minutes, the guy in charge said, "Alright, you guys can all do it."
Q: What was your first experience on a football field like?
A: I remember my first game was the Florida State game [in '04]. Bobby Bowden always stands at the opposite side from where the play is taking place. This is where the Cav Man stands at the game as well. I gotta tell ya, Coach Bowden was nice to Cav Man.
Q: Obviously Cav Man is no walk in the park; what is it like to be the man behind the suit?
A: Kids are the worst when it comes to dealing with Cav Man. They want to rip off the cape. That's just not cool. Or they want to stick their hand up the mask -- they just want to get inside you.
Q: Could you give us an idea of what football games were like?
A: Three guys do each football game consisting of a pre-game walk around, first half and second half. That third guy, it is really awful because they don't wash that suit, so yea, it smells pretty bad.
Q: How freakin' sweet is your job?
A: It is a really lonely job, let me tell you. I'm not building friendships because when the suit is on, you don't talk to anyone. You just walk around and do three things: #1 sign, peace sign or thumbs up. That's it.
Q: Everyone has a horror story, what is yours?
A: At N.C. State, the fans were all throwing things at me. They have two mascots and eight people that rotate through the mascots during the game. By the fourth quarter, they decided to pick a fight with me; it got pretty ugly for Cav Man.
Q: It seems eventually things started to turn for the worse between you and the higher-ups in Virginia sports. Was there a point when you felt the job was too much to handle?
A: At the spring football game, it was getting really hot. All these kids wanted autographs, so I obliged. Then they point out that Cav Man was right-handed last year. How was I supposed to know Cav Man wasn't a southpaw?
Q: You spent a lot of time with some of the coaches at U.Va. How did that go?
A: This one coach, pretty miserable to work with. She is like the attitude and mindset of a middle school cheerleader in a body of a thirty-year-old. Cav Man did not like her.
Q: Those are harsh words from the Cav Man. What was the cause of your bad attitude?
A: I got an e-mail from someone I didn't know that hinted that it might be the end of the road for me. I went to practice, and I didn't even get a handshake. Nothing, no love for Cav Man. After all this blood, sweat and tears, I'm just a nobody to her.
Q: Do you have any parting words for this coach?
A: There's just not much you can say to the coach. Her whole persona, you just can't change it. Maybe making a change at that position, knocking her off her pedestal might do some good for the program.
Q: If you were in charge of recruiting the next Cav Man, what would you look for?
A: You want someone that can dance alright. If you are too good, the coach won't like you. And you can't be a big fan of the game because the mascot doesn't really watch it that much. If you're looking for a mascot, you need someone that is about 5-foot-6-inches, not too built, and doesn't mind getting in other people's sweat. And he can't have a big head.
Q: After everything you've been through, would you take the job over again?
A: It's a tough job, but you're Cav Man. I would do it all over again.
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