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Putting Virginia basketball back on the map of conversation

Maybe it was the season sweep over hated, despicable rival Virginia Tech. Maybe it was the snow. Maybe it was the fact that 11 games into the ACC schedule, the Virginia men's basketball team is keeping its head above water at 6-5.

But for one reason or another, I have had more random conversations and startling talks about Virginia basketball this past weekend than I have had in a long time. In a column back in October, I pleaded with coach Leitao for help. I wanted Virginia basketball to matter again. And while we haven't seen Hooville pop up again (mainly because the athletic department created SHOTS, the ticketing system that goes against one of my basic principles to never plan more than a day ahead) and while I haven't heard the constant buzz my parents claimed was around in the late '70s and early '80s, I think Leitao has made great strides in piquing interests around Grounds and in the Charlottesville community.

Just this past weekend, I had four random conversations about Wahoo basketball, which I can guarantee you are four times as many as I have ever had at this University since coming here three years ago. And what I liked about each conversation is that none of them were about the same sentiment; each person had something different to say about the state of Virginia basketball.

First, immediately following the exciting overtime victory against the dastardly Hokies, my parents called excitedly, trying to relive the 10-plus years in Charlottesville they spent following Ralph Sampson and company. My parents still love to compare my time at school with theirs, and they almost always bemoan the fact that I haven't experienced "U.Va. basketball." They have taken the recent demise of the Virginia basketball program personally, and consequently the team dropped down their list of sports priorities. Well, during Saturday night's call, my dad said he was "starting to come around on this Lay-toe guy," hinting that some day he might have to put Virginia basketball back in its esteemed place.

The second conversation came later Saturday night, as a buddy and I hailed a cab to the illustrious Down Under. Now, this was not more than a three-minute cab ride, and yet in that small frame of time, we had a pretty deep conversation with our cabbie about the state of Virginia basketball and the surrounding Charlottesville region. And by "deep conversation," I mean that our cabbie spoke at the speed of sound in what sounded like a bad New York accent (I don't know if that was for real or for the whole "cab effect") while my buddy and I threw in the obligatory "yeah" or "uh-huh" while he caught his breath.

Among the topics of discussion were "that crappy U-Hall," the lack of attendance at games, and how anything Virginia put out on the court this year would have been better than "that crappy team last year." Our cabbie, in his infinite wisdom, did make some valid points, though. By the end of the ride, I was lofting up questions just to hear this guy talk. He claimed not to be worried about the seating capacity of John Paul Jones Arena because he thinks Charlottesville can support a winning team down the road. He likes that coach Leitao has these players disciplined, and he ended by saying he might have to get himself some of those season tickets. We tipped him well and I left his van-cab happily amused to have made good conversation about Virginia basketball.

My third conversation came on Sunday, with my fraternity's chapter advisor and accountant. He took the complete opposite stance of my cabbie from the previous night, saying he's not at all convinced by what Leitao has done. He claimed swapping Gillen for Leitao was just switching "one mid-major coach for another." I found myself a little bit incredulous and defending coach Leitao with the kind of spark that I haven't seen out of myself since the NCAA Tournament Selection Committee gave Gonzaga a 12 seed in the 2001 tourney to play our fifth-seeded Cavaliers. It felt good to get a little heated about Virginia basketball, and while I didn't agree with his views, I appreciate the fact that some good dialogue is going on about Virginia basketball.

The fourth and final random conversation came from an e-mail from my brother Sunday night. He lives in L.A. and has never followed the Cavaliers. He congratulated me on the Wahoos' success and thanked the University for bringing Laurynas Mikalauskas into his life. The fiery Lithuanian had struck again, and I found myself getting a little proud and feeling optimistic as to what this Virginia basketball team can accomplish.

So, Coach Leitao, I will repeat my request: Please (continue to) make Virginia basketball matter.

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