UVA Basketball: Heading up to Philly, where the cheesesteak is on me

I’m heading up to Philly on Thursday, taking the train from Charlottesville, media credential secured, my self-imposed exile from covering UVA Basketball on-site over after, what, two weeks.

My legion of fans – all 14, give or take, of you – shouldn’t celebrate just yet.

I’m not exactly good luck for our UVA teams on these trips.

I’m 0-4 on my two trips to Omaha for the College World Series, for instance – and I came home from the 2024 CWS with massive scars on both knees from a jogging accident.

(Damn sidewalk jumped up and tripped me.)

My last two road trips to the NCAA Tournament, similar:

• 2023, Orlando, Virginia was the #4 seed, facing #13 seed Furman. Isaac McKneely missed the front end of a one-and-one with 30 seconds left that could have iced it, then Kihei Clark threw a pass to where Kadin Shedrick should have been, but wasn’t, and a Furman guy hit a 30-foot three with two seconds left. I will never forget the sound in that arena at that moment. (I’ve tried.)
• 2024, Dayton, First Four. Another fall, at the airport. I was trying to summon an Uber and missed the sidewalk, and bruised some ribs. Then, in pain from the bruised ribs, seated courtside, directly across the from the Virginia bench, I watched what turned out to be Tony Bennett’s last game as our UVA coach.

I was also on the scene in Charlotte in 2018 for the game that we don’t like talking about.

At least in between, I was able to be in Minneapolis for that nice bit of history in 2019.

And, if I may, I should probably consider myself to be on a one-game road-trip winning streak.

I flew down to Jacksonville in December for the Gator Bowl, which Virginia won, to get to 11.

Best news (for me) from Jacksonville: no falls, no scars, no bruises.

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ICYMI

• March Madness: What UVA Basketball fans need to know about Wright State

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This will be my lifetime first visit to Philly, meaning – yes, cheesesteaks, the obligatory photo in front of the Rocky statue, maybe I’ll grease a light pole and try to climb it in celebration, assuming there’s something to celebrate.

I doubt I’ll see a guy in a Santa Claus suit, but if I do, I’ll make sure to boo him.

I’m not sure if I’m this brave, but there’s a wrestling show at the 2300 Arena on Saturday night, the off-day between the Friday and Sunday NCAA Tourney sessions.

(I’m not that brave.)

If you’re going to be in town, and you’re bored, feel free to drop me a line.

First cheesesteak is on me.