Post by elp525 on Mar 16, 2011 8:10:26 GMT -5
Wednesday March 16, 2011
by Catherine Caudill
For the Daily Mail
CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Whenever there is a Mountaineers game playing, one sports bar in Florida transforms into Little Morgantown.
Over a hundred West Virginia University alumni and fans living in the Tampa Bay region will convene at Beef'O'Brady's, making it one of the largest alumni chapters outside of the northeast.
The excitement has reached a new level this season, as the men's basketball team will be playing one or two rounds of the NCAA tournament in their own community.
"Everyone predicted we'd be playing out west or in the DC or Carolina area," said Andre Janecki, vice president of the WVU Tampa Bay alumni. "I was shocked,"
On a normal game day, the sports bar is always popular with resident Mountaineer fans - even West Virginians visiting town for a bit of sunshine know this is the hottest spot in town to catch the game.
Beef'O'Brady's looks like a Morgantown bar that was dug out and replanted 900 miles south. Dozens of people are wearing blue-and-gold clothing. Blue-and-gold banners trim the walls. A jersey once belonging to former tight end Anthony Becht hangs on the wall, as well as a signed photo of former running back Kay-Jay Harris - WVU sports fans feel like they've never left the university.
The quantity of blue-and-gold shirts in town is likely to grow as the team makes its way south, especially if they advance to the next round on Saturday.
On Thursday at noon WVU, ranked #5 in the eastern division, will play the #12 team, which will be either Clemson University or the University of Alabama Birmingham. Those two schools will be playing each other Tuesday.
Janecki, who graduated in 1989 and now works in sales, and fellow alumni Jeff Fenske started the WVU alum chapter in Tampa eight years ago. It was Rodriguez's first year coaching: the team often lost and attendance would peak at eight members.
It was also difficult to find a sports bar that would host a group of fans that wasn't rooting for a Florida team. They were grateful when Beef'O'Brady's welcomed them in.
"I never forgot the first day they were willing to give us one big screen television," he said. "Now we get a whole room. We enjoy ourselves and they take care of us, it feels like home when you're there."
These days the team is nationally ranked, and attendance often tops 100, tipping the scales in 2006 when 250 people packed into the bar to watch WVU take on Louisville.
Janecki said their chapter's website and Facebook page particularly helped get the word out to WVU alumni in town.
Recent graduates are often shocked at the wealth of fans they find there, and it is far from uncommon to run into a familiar face.
"They're surprised to see others in Florida, never suspecting. It's just like a watering hole where people get together and meet old friends," said Janecki.
During the game the alumni host games and raise money for the WVU Alumni Association. This fruitful season is their first time contributing $5,000 to the alumni fund for student scholarships. At the end of the game, "Country Roads" is played on the speakers, and everyone joins in.
Janecki said attendance at Beef'O'Brady's might be low for Thursday's round since many fans will be going to see the game in person.
"Everyone's really excited just to be able to see the team live, it's better than watching on TV," he said. "I think there's a good amount of people that took the day off. I'm personally going to go."
WVU's alumni board also is hosting an event for fans traveling down for the game on Thursday morning prior to the game at the Splitsville Luxury Lanes & Dinner Lounge in Tampa. Fans get to enjoy free bowling and billiards, giveaway prizes, food and camaraderie. There will also be appearances by the WVU Pep Band, cheerleaders and the Mountaineer. This event runs from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
To learn more about the Tampa Bay Alumni, visit wvu
tampabay.com or their Facebook page: WVU Tampa Bay.
by Catherine Caudill
For the Daily Mail
CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Whenever there is a Mountaineers game playing, one sports bar in Florida transforms into Little Morgantown.
Over a hundred West Virginia University alumni and fans living in the Tampa Bay region will convene at Beef'O'Brady's, making it one of the largest alumni chapters outside of the northeast.
The excitement has reached a new level this season, as the men's basketball team will be playing one or two rounds of the NCAA tournament in their own community.
"Everyone predicted we'd be playing out west or in the DC or Carolina area," said Andre Janecki, vice president of the WVU Tampa Bay alumni. "I was shocked,"
On a normal game day, the sports bar is always popular with resident Mountaineer fans - even West Virginians visiting town for a bit of sunshine know this is the hottest spot in town to catch the game.
Beef'O'Brady's looks like a Morgantown bar that was dug out and replanted 900 miles south. Dozens of people are wearing blue-and-gold clothing. Blue-and-gold banners trim the walls. A jersey once belonging to former tight end Anthony Becht hangs on the wall, as well as a signed photo of former running back Kay-Jay Harris - WVU sports fans feel like they've never left the university.
The quantity of blue-and-gold shirts in town is likely to grow as the team makes its way south, especially if they advance to the next round on Saturday.
On Thursday at noon WVU, ranked #5 in the eastern division, will play the #12 team, which will be either Clemson University or the University of Alabama Birmingham. Those two schools will be playing each other Tuesday.
Janecki, who graduated in 1989 and now works in sales, and fellow alumni Jeff Fenske started the WVU alum chapter in Tampa eight years ago. It was Rodriguez's first year coaching: the team often lost and attendance would peak at eight members.
It was also difficult to find a sports bar that would host a group of fans that wasn't rooting for a Florida team. They were grateful when Beef'O'Brady's welcomed them in.
"I never forgot the first day they were willing to give us one big screen television," he said. "Now we get a whole room. We enjoy ourselves and they take care of us, it feels like home when you're there."
These days the team is nationally ranked, and attendance often tops 100, tipping the scales in 2006 when 250 people packed into the bar to watch WVU take on Louisville.
Janecki said their chapter's website and Facebook page particularly helped get the word out to WVU alumni in town.
Recent graduates are often shocked at the wealth of fans they find there, and it is far from uncommon to run into a familiar face.
"They're surprised to see others in Florida, never suspecting. It's just like a watering hole where people get together and meet old friends," said Janecki.
During the game the alumni host games and raise money for the WVU Alumni Association. This fruitful season is their first time contributing $5,000 to the alumni fund for student scholarships. At the end of the game, "Country Roads" is played on the speakers, and everyone joins in.
Janecki said attendance at Beef'O'Brady's might be low for Thursday's round since many fans will be going to see the game in person.
"Everyone's really excited just to be able to see the team live, it's better than watching on TV," he said. "I think there's a good amount of people that took the day off. I'm personally going to go."
WVU's alumni board also is hosting an event for fans traveling down for the game on Thursday morning prior to the game at the Splitsville Luxury Lanes & Dinner Lounge in Tampa. Fans get to enjoy free bowling and billiards, giveaway prizes, food and camaraderie. There will also be appearances by the WVU Pep Band, cheerleaders and the Mountaineer. This event runs from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
To learn more about the Tampa Bay Alumni, visit wvu
tampabay.com or their Facebook page: WVU Tampa Bay.
