The Landing at JPJ

During the 2019-2020 basketball season, the Virginia Athletics Foundation started renting out “The Landing” over the tunnel through which the team enters and exits the floor. We rented that space for the final home game in March 2020 and enjoyed a hard fought win over Louisville.

The Landing hosted 16 people – Pikas and their choice of escorts – and provided a fun viewing of the game with ample space for mixing and stretching one’s legs.

Most of the Pikas in attendance in March 2020 — and Max
During the game, it’s half standing, half sitting. Great views of the action though.
The team passes through that smoke directly below The Landing.

Here’s what The Landing looks like when not filled with Pikas.

  • Eight High Stools
  • Tables for Munchies
  • Above the Hoos Tunnel
  • View from the Front of The Landing
Views from The Landing (That’s the student section on the right.)

While in JPJ, you can see the logo from the court used in the glorious 2019 Final Four, and pose with the National Championship trophy (not heavily guarded). You can also slide down to Deadly’s seats for a closer view (space permitting, of course).

Come cheer on the Hoos at John Paul Jones Arena

We’ll do this again in 2022!

Golf Tournament (fundraiser)

The Yellow Door Foundation provides support to families facing serious pediatric illness and undergoing treatment at UVA Medical Center. They held their first fundraising golf tournament in October 2021 at Old Trail Golf Club in Crozet and sixteen Pikas donated their time and money to the cause. (Over $30,000 was raised.)

The sixteen Pikas who golfed in the first Yellow Door Foundation golf tournament.

We grouped our players by pledge year. Team “Older” (All High, Pete(r), Scalpel and Gatzmon) took full advantage of the rule allowing those who have been on the planet three score years to play from the gray tees and took first prize. Rumor has it that rule won’t survive into next year’s tournament.

  • Pledges
  • Old
  • Oldest
  • Older

Next year’s tournament is scheduled for October 7, 2022. Save the date. BTA.

Photos from the Reunion

Sanders sent out the following earlier this week:

If you missed the reunion, it was “All Time” and not Tre Dubes.  Check out the official Reunion Pictures.

There’s a ton of pictures posted there. Enjoy!

UPDATE: There’s a 10 minute highlight video posted now as well. It’s a fun watch and should prompt lots of memories — even for folks who didn’t make it to the event. Worth a watch!

Louisville again?

Wasn’t it just a week ago Virginia played Louisville? About 8 hours earlier this time but again on Thursday, Virginia plays the birds with teeth (check center court). Just in case you missed it, here’s the last 0.9 seconds of the game on Founders Day. (Best enjoyed with the sound on.)

Meanwhile back at the Miller Center, the  happy crowd couldn’t believe what they just saw.

Wahoowa!

Pictures – What’s the plan?

We have a ton of pictures to share, and we’re going to use SmugMug for that — among other reasons so that we can protect those pictures which might cause some discomfort if viewed in the wrong light.

Ders sent out the plan in email. Search for SmugMug in your email if you missed it.

Til then, flame on!

 

By the way, if you came here looking for the then and now pictures, go to the menu or Key Pages section and choose 150 Year Reunion Roster.

 

Behavior Guidelines

You may be tempted to revert to old behaviors when you return to Charlottesville and are surrounded by your boys. We don’t want anyone to get hurt or to hurt others. That includes feelings and one’s sense of decorum. Exercise some restraint. Use good judgment.

Let’s start with something easy. Don’t dump water on people minding their own business.

1986 Pledge Class assembled on the stoop

1986 Pledge Class duly welcomed

Next, urination. Use only designated bathroom facilities. No improvising.

Supposedly a pledge roll, but who can be sure.

Don’t pee in the sink in the range room.

Don’t whiz off of moving vehicles — or boats. And if you are a kitchen manager, wash your hands if you do.

Don’t pee on other people’s houses.

Seriously, don’t pee on other people’s houses.

 

Dress appropriately. By all means, please keep your clothes on.

It’s really hard to imagine why this would be a good idea.

Mean Ole was so excited to meet a young Pika that he lent him his shirt. Please, NO.

Nobody really wants to see this.

People don’t really drink at basketball games — unlike football — but just in case…

Be smart about where you hide alcohol.

Band leaders don’t want and don’t need your help. Stay in your seat.

Respect The Spot.

Order a Gusburger. Don’t order grilled cheese or ask for a salad. If you want that stuff, go somewhere else.

While it can be tempting, it’s best not to sleep in The Spot.

And if you run into guys from National, be happy to see them.

This is Murg.

Other than that, you are on your own.

Saturday night play list

PiKA Party Tunes

Rock has been busy preparing the play list for Saturday night’s house party. His current thinking is down below, followed by requested adds from others. (I added numbers for easy reference.)

UVa PiKA Playlist 1981  on Spotify

Ders had his daughter (the Lawnie?) put this into a Spotify playlist. Open this link on the device you use for Spotify and enjoy.

Warning: the first song I heard was by Speidel, Goodrich, Goggin & Lille. They never did much for me personally but I would show up because they always attracted tons of girls. The rest of the playlist [mostly] rocks.

Now on to the details

Here’s what you can expect to hear Saturday night (in no particular order).

  1.  Green Lights by NRBQ (At Yankee Stadium)
  2. FlameThrower by Funk (Funk Greatest Hits)
  3. Apples Peaches Pumpkin Pie (Pauls Beach Music)
  4. Be Young Be Foolish Be Happy (Pauls Beach Music)
  5. Thriller by Michael Jackson (This Is It)
  6. Picture A Lady by The Deal (Goodbye September)
  7. Candy Apple Red by Robbin Thompson (Two B’s Please)
  8. That Lady (Parts 1 & 2) by The Isley Brothers (Great’s Hits)
  9. New Orleans Ladies by Leroux (Louisiana’s Leroux)
  10. Don’t Go Out by The Deal (Goodbye September)
  11. Born to Run by Bruce Springsteen (Born to Run)
  12. Am I High by Asleep At The Wheel (Collision Course & The Wheel)
  13. Come on Eileen by Dexy’s Midnight Runners (Too-Rye-Ay – Expanded Edition)
  14. Christine by Skip Castro Band (Fast Break)
  15. Truckin’ by Grateful Dead (American Beauty – Deluxe Version)
  16. Rebel Girl by The Deal (Goodbye September)
  17. County Line by Pousette Dart Band (The Best Of Pousette-Dart Band)
  18. I Told You So by Janice (Good Vibrations 2 Disc One)
  19. When Love Goes Wrong by Asleep At The Wheel (Collision Course & The Wheel)
  20. Pissin In The Wind by Jerry Jeff Walker (Country 2002)
  21. New York New York by Frank Sinatra (The Reprise Collection)
  22. Brite Eyes by Robbin Thompson (Two B’s Please)
  23. Beat It by Michael Jackson (This Is It)
  24. Rosalita (Come Out Tonight) by Bruce Springsteen (The Essential Bruce Springsteen)
  25. I’ve Been Hurt by Bill Deal (Beach Music)
  26. Things to You- Skeeter Davis by NRBQ (She Sings, They Play)
  27. It’s A Shame by The Spinners (The Very Best Of)
  28. Be Young Be Foolish Be Happy by The Tams (Pauls Beach Music)
  29. So Lonely by The Police (The Very Best of Sting & The Police)
  30. Crazy by Willie Nelson (Willie And Family Live)
  31. Super Freak by Funk (Funk Greatest Hits)
  32. What Kind of Fool by Bill Deal (Beach Music)
  33. Billie Jean by Michael Jackson (This Is It)
  34. Volcano by Jimmy Buffett (Volcano)
  35. Move It On Over by George Thorogood & The Destroyers (Who Do You Love?)
  36. Boogie At Midnight by Skip Castro Band (Boogie At Midnight)
  37. Truckin by Grateful Dead (Skeletons In the Closet) — Duplicate, yeah we know. So what? It’s good!
  38. Just My Imagination (Running Away With Me) by The Rolling Stones (Some Girls)
  39. Sweet Virginia Breeze by Robbin Thompson (Two B’s Please)
  40. Summer Breeze by The Isley Brothers (The Isley Brothes Story Vol Il (Disc I))
  41. Go All the Way by Raspberries (Capitol Collectors Series)
  42. Baby Your Love Keeps Me  Hangin’ On by SGGL (Just for You)
  43. Boogie Woogie Country Girl by Skip Castro Band (Boogie At Midnight)
  44. Sing a Song by Earth, Wind & Fire (Greatest Hits)
  45. Dream on Melinda by Robbin Thompson (The Vinyl Years)
  46. Build Me Up Buttercup  (Pauls Beach Music)
  47. 1999 by Prince (Sign o’ the Times)
  48. Bad Luck by Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes (The Best Of Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes)
  49. Hopie by The Deal (Goodbye September)
  50. Panama Red by New Riders Of The Purple Sage (Best Of The Early New Riders Of The Purple Sage)
  51. Shattered by The Rolling Stones (Some Girls)
  52. Me and The Boys by NRBQ (At Yankee Stadium)
  53. City Girl by SGGL (Just for You)
  54. Mississippi Queen by Mountain (Mullets Rock!)
  55. Going To A Party Tonight by Skip Castro Band (You’re Killing Me)
  56. Get Rythm by NRBQ (At Yankee Stadium)
  57. Fools In Love by Joe Jackson (Look Sharp!)
  58. Purple Rain by Prince & The Revolution (Purple Rain (Soundtrack from the Motion Picture))
  59. Love Lost Love by Kingdom Of Mustang (Kingdom Of Mustang)
  60. What Would You Say by Dave Matthews Band (Under The Table And Dreaming)
  61. Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology) by Marvin Gaye (Hitsville USA, The Motown Singles Collection 1959-1971 (Disc 4))
  62. U Can’t Touch This by M.C. Hammer (M.C. Hammer: Greatest Hits)
  63. Your’e Killing Me by Skip Castro Band (You’re Killing Me)
  64. Is She Really Going Out With Him? by Joe Jackson (The Best Of Joe Jackson)
  65. From The Beginning by Emerson Lake and Palmer 
  66. I’m The One – acapela by The Deal (Raw Deal)
  67. Fins by Jimmy Buffett (Volcano)
  68. Pass Away by The Deal (Goodbye September)
  69. Rocking All Over The World by Skip Castro Band (Fast Break)
  70. Naked City by The Deal (Live)
  71. My Way by Frank Sinatra (Nothing But the Best – The Frank Sinatra Collection (Remastered))
  72. You Dropped A Bomb On Me by The Gap Band (Funk Classics The 80’s)
  73. Changes In Latitudes, Changes In Attitudes by Jimmy Buffett (You Had To Be There [Disc 1])
  74. Painted Love by Funk (Funk Greatest Hits)
  75. I Don’t Wanna Work by Skip Castro Band (You’re Killing Me)
  76. Ants Marching by Dave Matthews Band (Remember Two Things)
  77. Shock The Monkey by Funk (Funk Greatest Hits)
  78. Jenny Take A Ride by Skip Castro Band (Boogie At Midnight)
  79. Let It Whip by Funk (Funk Greatest Hits)
  80. Get Down On It by Funk (Funk Greatest Hits)
  81. I Can’t Help Myself (Pauls Beach Music)
  82. DC-10s by The Deal (Goodbye September)
  83. Take A Ride On A Riverboat by Leroux (Louisiana’s Leroux)
  84. This Old Heart of Mine (Pauls Beach Music)
  85. Frustration by Skip Castro Band (You’re Killing Me)
  86. Better Than Happy by The Deal (Raw Deal)
  87. I Can’t Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch) by The Four Tops (Hitsville U.S.A., The Motown Singles Collection 1959-1971 (Disc 2))
  88. The Way You Make Me Feel by Michael Jackson (This Is It)
  89. That Child by The Deal (Raw Deal)
  90. Give Me Just a Little More Time by Chairmen of the Board (Beach Music Anthology)
  91. Time Won’t Come Back by The Deal (Goodbye September)
  92. Raspberry Beret by Prince & The Revolution (The Very Best of Prince)
  93. Constant Attention by White Animals (Exstacy)

If you do the math, that’s about 5 hours of music. Just in case that’s not enough, others have requested additions. (I didn’t take time to make the formatting consistent on the following. I think you can figure it out.)

Tiny requested the following. Definitely some real dance tunes in this list.

  1. Red red wine, ub-40
  2. Love shack, b-52s
  3. Jump, van halen
  4. Pulling mussels from a shell, squeeze
  5. Let’s dance, David Bowie
  6. Never gonna give you up, Rick astley
  7. Tainted love, soft cell
  8. Sweet home Alabama, lynrd skynrd
  9. Money for nothing, dire straits
  10. Karma chameleon, boy George
  11. Dancing in the dark, Springsteen
  12. We got the best, gogos
  13. Wake me up before you go go, wham
  14. ABC, Jackson 5
  15. Should I stay or should I go, clash
  16. Good times, chic
  17. Night fever, bee gees
  18. Hip to be square, Huey lewis
  19. Blister in the sun, violent femmes
  20. Safety dance, men w/o hats

Others suggested we add “All the Leaves are Brown” for the Turt.

Cavemen number 1/2 (whichever he is) requested these additions. More great tunes.

  1. The Tymes – Miss Grace
  2. The Drifters – Under the Boardwalk, Up on the Roof
  3. Billy Squire – Everybody Wants You, The Stroke
  4. Billy Ward & The Dominoes – Sixty Minute Man
  5. The Catalinas – Summertimes Calling Me
  6. Commodores – Brick House
  7. John Anderson – Just a Swingin
  8. Eddy Grant – Electric Avenue
  9. Embers – I Love Beach Music, More Than a Number, Shaggin
  10. Journey – Don’t Stop Believin
  11. Knack – My Sharona
  12. Little Feat – Dixie Chicken
  13. Rick James – Give it to Me Baby
  14. The Vapors – Turning Japanese

Mean Ole asked that we don’t forget these.

  1. Panama Red
  2. Volcano
  3. Tennessee Stud
  4. Big John
  5. Superfreak
  6. Come on Eileen

// end

Saturday night

Some have asked what we are thinking for the Saturday night party at the house.

Wild events like that tend to come on the heals of something bad happening, like knocking out all the windows in the ATΩ house.

Since we are only borrowing the house, we should keep it calm. Spin some tunes, have a few drinks, laugh and hang in our old haunt. Details will be published soon, but it’s going to happen.

 

 

More composites

Hooray! People have answered the call to send in composites. We’ve just about got them all (for the eighties). You might want to scan these before heading to Charlottesville for the 150 year reunion.

1980 Composite (still need)

1981 Composite

1982 Composite

1983 Composite

1984 Composite

1985 Composite

1986 Composite

1987 composite

1988 composite

1989 Composite (still need)

Thank you to Paul Garrison, David Ern, Taylor Hamilton and Michael Bluestein for contributions. 

Golf at Birdwood

We’ve got several foursomes heading out Friday morning at Birdwood (that’s March 2, as part of our 150 year reunion). The following are expected to post for golf:

  • Jeff Pellegrino, golf chairman
  • Tom Schorr
  • Steve Schneider
  • Dan Bloor
  • Taylor Hamilton
  • Peter Wiesinger
  • Sanders Partee
  • Dave Belote
  • David Ern
  • Rob Case
  • Richard Skeppstrom
  • Rob Scible
  • Todd Vick
  • David Felts
  • Tim Ingrassia
  • David McCreight

This won’t be the first time a bunch of flamers hit that course. Can you name this crew?

Please RSVP now!

Electronic invites for the 150 year reunion went out on Thursday. Please click on the RSVP button at the bottom of that email and let us know which events you plan to attend (and if you are bringing someone). Good headcount estimates for each event will help us plan appropriately. The email will look something like this.

If you don’t see it, check your spam or junk mail folder. The email came from events@nmrs-reply.com which is Nelson Mullins (where you might find one Gus Dixon). For me, I found it in my Other inbox which Outlook.com automatically de-emphasized thinking this wasn’t important to me. (Can a mail service be a flamer?)

Go find that email now and click RSVP and tell us which events you will attend. Don’t be a sack.

Please don’t confuse this communication with separate invites you may receive from national. Theirs look like this, but the big clue should be that they call us “Pikes”. That’s not us.

Charlottesville. March 1-3. BTA.

Pictures & Videos when we get together

Ders sent me an email last week suggesting we hire people to take pictures and videos at our reunion event. I kinda like the idea — particularly the video part. The few times we’ve done video at get togethers I’ve really enjoyed the outcome.

Here’s the core of his email.

 I have been to a lot of events where they have a photo booth where groups can get their pictures taken together.  I think we should work hard to get photo opportunities at our reunion.  The dinner event at The Graduate could be a good time to do a “red carpet” style photo setup.  Outside of the dinner room there is a large room that is away from the hotel traffic where we could setup a backdrop as a logo-wall.  It could be alternating Saber V’s, rotunda’s and the PiKA 150 Logo and the Greek Letters P K A on whatever color background a photographer thinks is good, plus we have a real photographer setup there with real lights for high quality pictures.  We can have misc groups, pledge classes, dudes with their spouse, etc.
I have also thought about videography like we did the Doobs video.  I think that came out remarkably good.  We could have someone working the group to make sure everyone got a few minutes on video.  We could prep people with a couple of questions that they need to bring to read into the video.  Top 5/10 memories from PiKA at UVa.   Poetry readings like we did with Santa Rock at Christmas.  Tell your favorite sports moment from when you were at UVa.  What was your favorite class or professor and why? What was your favorite memory of living in the house.
Leave a comment below if you have thoughts on this. I think we should do this.
BTW, the Doobs video he referenced is the same one linked on this site.

These blooded colts…

I’m on a plane flying home, and my heart jumps as an email from Trip (you guess which one) arrives lamenting that he missed his chance to reserve a room at The Graduate and asking for budget friendly alternatives in the area. If you have recommendations, please type them into a comment below.

The next thing that popped into my head was the phrase “the vivacity of these blooded colts”. That’s Trip! That’s me! That’s all these Pika dudes! (Well, most of us.)

If you are too lazy to type that phrase into your search engine of choice, then click here.

Man, I can’t wait to see you guys. BTA.

Looking for composites

We’ve been beating the bushes trying to pull together email address for everyone in the crew so we can make sure everyone from the ’80s hears about the 150 year reunion. In the process, guys are coming across old pictures and other material that is pretty entertaining. For example, Mean Ole sent in several composites he had hanging around (link below). Anyone else still have composites that you can scan/take a picture of (hi res, please) and send to us?

1981 Composite

1982 Composite

1983 Composite

Of course, regular old photos are great, too. Send us what you have. (On that note, we still have all the old photos that were on the earlier version of this site. They just need to be reloaded and incorporated to the new format.)

Pikas sorta watching football

Pika 150 year reunion

For those who haven’t heard, our fraternity will celebrate its 150th year of existence this spring. Many of us plan to meet in The Hook March 1-3 to catch some hoops and enjoy time together. The tentative schedule is:

  • Thursday, March 1 — Watch UVa @ Louisville Hoops
  • Friday, March 2 — Play some golf, eat some dinner
  • Saturday, March 3 — Watch UVa-Notre Dame regular season finale (4pm home game, but may be a tough ticket)
  • Sunday, March 4 — Travel day

More details to follow. Mark your calendars.

Update: Here are more details.