ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Sunday, January 14, 1996 TAG: 9601160012
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C-9 EDITION: METRO
TYPE: SPORTS MAILBAG
Friendly city? Better relations between Virginia Tech and UVa? Event management? A holiday spirit? After the [Dec.28] basketball game, I am left with the feeling that Roanoke fails miserably where these are concerned.
Upon arriving at the Roanoke Civic Center, we faced terrible traffic congestion. A Roanoke police officer was directing traffic at the intersection of the Interstate 581 off ramp and Orange Avenue. Actually, he was trying to do this at two intersections, without much success. Finally, with traffic backed up completely, he threw up his hands and went to his car, leaving motorists to their own devices.
After getting through this mess, we found all the entrances [to the civic center lot] closed, again confirming the lack of obvious planning - a civic center that cannot park even half a sellout. The police and civic center employees were not giving directions to additional parking. We came to a sign at the entrance between McDonald's and the U.S. Post Office directing us to additional parking. We followed numerous cars into the post office parking lot, thinking this was part of the temporary parking.
After the game, we found an empty parking lot, except for a cab waiting to take fans to their towed cars. Being congenial Hokies fans who had just won, we offered to share the cab with two UVa fans looking for their car. As he called his dispatcher to send more cabs, the driver informed us he wasn't allowed to take but one group at a time to Fat Boy's Wrecker Service to retrieve vehicles. It also was about this time that we noticed the unlit towing signs in the post office parking lot.
After a $3.90 cab ride of maybe a mile, we found our vehicle. We were informed the [towing] charge was $60. I don't know about Roanoke, but I can get a vehicle towed from Blacksburg to Charlottesville for $60.
Does the City of Roanoke really want to be remembered this way? Was there a conspiracy involving the police department, cab companies and the towing services? I doubt it, but there should have been a little more consideration given to the fans who came to see their favorite teams. How busy is the post office from 7 to 9 p.m., anyway? How about at least a more reasonable towing fee? If the City of Roanoke wants to cultivate these major college sporting events, it needs to re-evaluate its facility, the way it handles the problems associated with the crowds and the attitude of its representatives toward the public.
I would hope the athletic departments of both universities will consider this in future decisions regarding where their teams play.
D. NEIL TALBERT BLACKSBURG
Peach Bowl coverage lacking What is it with all the Hokie hoopla? When did the Roanoke paper become so localized that it hid Virginia's Peach Bowl victory. I'm a Tech fan when Virginia is not their foe, and it's super when both schools have banner years. However, the lack of interest in Virginia's Peach Bowl victory was uncalled for, and loyal Virginia fans want their paper to show impartial support.
NORMAN SMITH ROANOKE
Let's hear it for Bearcats
As a degree-holder from both Virginia Tech and the University of Cincinnati, I have a couple of comments:
1. Hokies fans should quit being embarrassed over their early-season [football] loss to UC. In spite of losing three of their first four games, the Bearcats were at that time as good as some of the top teams in the nation.
They lost the first game to Kansas, the No.11 team in the Associated Press poll [at the end of the regular season], the second was lost on the last play of the game to No.10 Kansas State and the third to Miami of Ohio on a last-minute runback of a kickoff. Miami of Ohio was the only team that beat No.3 Northwestern [during the regular season].
2. I feel that Terry Holland blew it (again) in his punishment of the trainer [Joe Gieck] who made the foot-feint at the Tech back [Antonio Banks] who decided to run back the last-second interception for a touchdown. This was just another example of pussycat Terry, who, in last year's NCAA basketball tournament selection meeting, let the Kansas AD and the Big Ten walk all over the ACC.
The Tech back [Banks] knew that Tech had won and the game was over when he made the interception. All he needed to do was down the ball, the same as UVa did in the same situation in the Maryland game, and Florida did in the Florida State game.
The UVa trainer made his small statement as to what he thought of that. His public apology should have closed the issue. It was unreasonable to deprive the team of his services during a bowl game.
N.L. WECKSTEIN ROANOKE
UVa deserved more attention While all of us are happy for Virginia Tech, obviously The Roanoke Times is happier than others. For the past three days - Dec.31, Jan.1 and Jan.2 - all I have seen is Hokie, Hokie, Hokie. On Dec. 31, don't you think UVa deserved more attention for winning the Peach Bowl? ADENA KAPLAN ROANOKE
Small schools merit attention I am a student at Shawsville High School in Mrs.Lester's ninth-grade English class and wish that we were noticed in the newspaper a lot more. When we have a football game, we never are noticed by the newspaper or by Channels 7, 10 or 13, like the other schools around Roanoke and Salem. We might be a little school, but I think that we should be noticed somewhere.
JAY HANDY SHAWSVILLE
LENGTH: Medium: 98 linesby CNB