Fanatic Cavalier Essay Contest Winning Essay - Michelle Moody

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ORANGE AND BLUE:

Make It Part of You

When I first saw the announcement about the essay contest, I thought it was an awesome thing for Coach London to do. When many of my friends and co-workers contacted me to see if I knew about it, they all said practically the same thing, “Michelle, if that is not you then I don’t know who is. You have to enter the contest. You are the ultimate Wahoo fan.” The more I listened to my friends I realized that the things about me and my life that I thought were normal probably did rise to a level beyond just being an enthusiastic Wahoo fan.

“Orange Lady,” “Wahoo,” “Cavalier,” and “MM Wahoo” (My license plate since 1989) are all names that I am called on a daily basis by my friends and co-workers. My Dad did not attend UVA but is a huge fan. I grew up watching UVA football and basketball with him, and my passion quickly grew for the Wahoos. I owe so much to my Dad for steering me to such a wonderful place. It was during high school that my love for the color of orange began. It grew over the years and strengthened during my days as a student at the University. After graduating from UVA in 1992, I went to Wake Forest School of Law in 1993. It was there that my love of orange took on a new life. I found myself surrounded by many, many Tarheel fans and so much Carolina Blue. I started wearing my orange everyday so no one would forget that I was a Wahoo. For about the last fourteen years, I have worn something that is orange everyday. It could be a shirt, suit jacket, pants, shorts, or shoes. Along with my clothes, my fingernails are always painted orange and all of my jewelry is either orange or orange and blue. Most of my necklaces, earrings, bracelets, and rings contain my favorite gemstone, citrine, which is orange. I wear a combination of these every day. This has earned me the name of “Orange Lady.” I proudly wear my orange every day as an expression of my Wahoo pride. When people come to my house, they actually ask if they can look into my closet. After seeing it, they are often in disbelief because they have never seen so many pieces of orange clothing.

My home is known as “the museum,” and my office is called “the shrine.” My house is full of UVA memorabilia, paraphernalia, pictures, etc. and lots of things that are just orange or orange and blue. My friends ask me if UVA has dedicated a wing of the bookstore to me because I must be one of its best customers. I have worked at Christopher Newport University for ten years. On my office walls hang several of my favorite UVA schedule posters; pictures of my favorite UVA football players; articles from when UVA won special games, ACC titles, or National Championships; and the most recent edition of a picture of me and Coach London. The wall dedicated to my UVA players is fondly known by all at CNU as my “Wall of Fame.” It is with great honor and pride that I hang and display my UVA things for all to see. I certainly do not anyone to mistake me as a fan of “that other school in Virginia up the road from Charlottesville”!!!!

As for my dedication to UVA football, I have only missed one home football game since I started at UVA in fall 1988. The one game that I did miss was on September 1, 2001. Christopher Newport University held its first ever football game on that same day, so after much deliberation I decided to support my CNU Captains in person and listen to UVA on the radio. For the three years that I was at Wake Forest not only did I make the four hour drive back to the UVA home games but I also found myself attending more of the away games because I was in an area so close to many other ACC schools. To sum up my love of UVA football, there is no other feeling like sitting in Scott Stadium on a beautiful fall day watching my Wahoos. As soon as the buzzer sounds for the last football game, I start counting the days to next year’s kickoff. It can never get here soon enough.

My neighbors are fully aware of my passion for UVA. Many of the flowers around my yard are orange and blue. People are in awe that I can find that many plants in those colors. I tell them that with dedication many things can be achieved!!!! I would paint my house orange but it would definitely violate my homeowners’ association rules.

After reflecting on my friends’ thoughts about my fanaticism for everything UVA and orange and blue, I have to say that the way I show my Cavalier spirit each and every day illustrates why I am a loyal, passionate fan and particularly a football fan. While I may not be the craziest dressed fan at the games, I certainly have my share of orange on which includes my shirt or sweatshirt and my orange Crocs with the UVA jibbitz on them. I always do my best to cheer my Wahoos to victory.

In conclusion, I am a very proud UVA graduate and fan. UVA strives for excellence in all areas. Our third place finish in the Directors’ Cup this year was such an amazing accomplishment. It shows that a university can excel at the highest levels in both academics and athletics without compromising either one. This is why I want everyone to know that Michelle Moody is a UVA graduate and passionate Wahoo fan. Being both of these is truly an honor for me. Hopefully, the energy and passion exhibited by Coach London will have others saying, Orange and Blue: Make It Part of You!!!! Go WAHOOS!!!!

Respectfully Submitted,

Michelle L. Moody

Current UVA football season ticket holder