Nobody throws a party quite like the Virginia Athletic Department. I guess when you spend $130 million finding a place to hold it, you might as well get your money's worth.
Virginia pulled out all the stops yesterday, celebrating the new John Paul Jones Arena and those who helped make it possible over the past few decades with two wins -- one dominating the other dramatically.
On a larger scale, yesterday was not so much about the wins as much as it was about enjoying the moment.
Some samples:
Possibly the ultimate combination of Virginia Athletics spirit and appreciation came when CavMan repelled down from the rafters and handed the "Last Ball from U-Hall" to John Paul Jones himself.
Michael Buffer attending an event at the arena not having to do with professional wrestling and barking, "Ladies and gentlemen, the John Paul Jones Arena is ready; are you ready?"
Athletic Director Craig Littlepage recognizing an emotional Debbie Ryan for her dedication to the program and announcing that the women's basketball locker room will be named after her.
These are the kind of moments that aren't likely to happen again until most of us are nearing our 50-year reunions.
But those events are memories, things that made last night special -- they don't define the experience of the John Paul Jones Arena.
The kind of stuff that makes it real is the goosebumps you get when the team storms through the smoke and onto the court.
Or when the near-capacity crowd erupts into a few hundred decibels of madness when Mamadi Diane's three gives feisty Virginia its first lead since the opening minutes.
Dave Leitao's foot stomps echoing through the acoustically magical arena when the crowd was silent.
And on a more tangible level, the incredible audiovisual capabilities of the arena.
It hit me midway through the second half of the men's game: We weren't just attending a single game at the Arena -- this is our permanent basketball home. There was so much emphasis placed on just this one night that you forget we get to do it all over again 16 more times this winter.
And it's the random games that will make people really appreciate the experience of attending men's and women's bouts. Last night was a special night for a lot of reasons -- every home game from now on will be special too in a home like this.
As the intermission festivities at each game proved, we are just reaping the rewards of many dozens' hard work before us.
"There was a lot of significance to this game, because to open up the arena, to be the first team to play in here was very, very significant," Ryan said. "Because in 1819, this was an all-male school, and I was just really proud that we got to be on the floor first, and I wanted our team to show how proud we were of that, to represent all the women that had come before them."
In addition to a special meaning on many levels, areas of the arena were named after former Virginia legends Barry Parkhill, Wally Walker and Terry Holland.
Longtime NCAA career three-point record-holder Curtis Staples's jersey number five was retired at halftime of the men's game as well.
Money may have built the building, but the thousands of fans who donned orange tee shirts last night have these people, among others, to thank.
Of course, for yesterday's wins, though, there are 15,219 people who did their part -- and will be able to for years to come.
"[It was] tremendous -- to not be able to even hear yourself think," men's coach Dave Leitao said. "All praises go to our fans, everyone that had a hand in making this night possible."
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