If you read any magazine or newspaper during the weeks leading up to the new year, chances are high that you encountered at least one ranked list of "The Best of the Aughts." No topic was spared from these insufferable countdowns. Why must everything be ranked and quantified? Why can't we just agree that good is good, bad is bad and that there's no need for one thing to be better than the other?
Because that's no fun, damn it! Everybody loves an entertaining and thought-provoking list. The broader the content, the more compelling and philosophical the ensuing arguments. So I encourage you to disagree with me, formulate your own opinion and revisit these Virginia varsity athletics high points as I attempt to compare apples to oranges. During my next few columns, I will be counting down my top 10 personal choices for the greatest coaches, seasons, games, moments and athletes of the aughts.
I certainly haven't seen every player or game from the past 10 years but I have done a fair amount of research into the recent history of all of Virginia's 23 varsity teams. Essentially every stat, record and ranking I present can be found on VirginiaSports.com and the media guides available online.
There are no hard and fast criteria for what makes someone or something great because success can take many forms: steady accomplishment (swimming) or bizarre flame-outs (2006-07 basketball), reliability (Sharne
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