William & Mary 26, University of Virginia 14

It's said that you're supposed to act like you've been there before, that if you celebrate a victory too much it only gives the opponent that much more credit and makes you look like you don't belong. Well, we celebrate because we truly don't belong.

The College of William & Mary decided once upon a time that it didn't want to be a big-time sports university. (And re-confirmed it many times along the way, such as when the College declined an invitation to join the ACC in the 1970's.) The Indians/Tribe/Wrens were I-AA, now we're FCS, and when they change it to some other descriptor, we'll be that, too. The U.S. News & World Report rankings matter far more to the school administrators than the FCS polls. Academics come first, the institution was founded on . . . blah, blah, blah. You know this, and if you are in possession of a transcript from the College you really know this. Good gracious, do they take their academics seriously over there.

So when we get a chance to witness -- or in my case, hear and read about when I could have witnessed (dammit!) -- the Physics-first, Football-second Tribesters take the Wahoos and their pile of pleated pomp they call a fan base to the proverbial woodshed, it's time to revel. Does UVA really even qualify as big-time college football these days? Not really. But they're big, they're ACC, they're our rival in many ways outside of football, and we don't particularly care for them. By next weekend, it'll fade from pertinence, but even into November when it's playoff time and folks are perusing the W&M schedule & results, this will come up again.

And beyond. Back in December of 1986, W&M College president Paul Verkuil and Dean of Student Affairs Sam Sadler (both Pi Lam fratres of ours, which possibly explained our chapter still existing) participated in the traditional Yule Log ceremony for the students (who actually participate in such things). As the story goes -- Rob and I were still in high school, so we're not that old -- Verkuil read How the Grinch Stole Christmas and Sadler read 'Twas the Night Before Christmas as they did every year, but Sadler closed his with the following amended couplet:

But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight,
"Happy Christmas to all, and UVA, nice try."

Here's hoping the current administration carries on such tradition. We'll always be the little guy who doesn't belong, so when we rise up and do something huge once in a while, let's go ahead and celebrate.