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Virginia Tech began using Metallica’s “Enter Sandman” song as the football team’s entrance music during the 2000 season. The athletics department had just put up a new scoreboard in the north end zone before the 200 season complete with “Hokie Vision” (a big video screen). The marketing folks in the department wanted to create an entrance video to show on the new video screen. They outsourced the video production, but were tasked with picking the song.

They eventually chose “Enter Sandman” over “Welcome to the Jungle” by Guns N’ Roses and “Sirius” by the Alan Parsons Project. The first game to use the entrance was the 2000 season opener against Georgia Tech. The Hokies were coming off an 11-1 season and a loss to Florida State in the National Championship game. Of course, the game against Georgia Tech was canceled due to a severe lightning storm and never replayed.

As I’m sure you know, Virginia Tech fans begin jumping up and down when they hear the music. That tradition did not start until a couple of games into the 2000 season, once the temperatures dropped. During a cold game, the Marching Virginians, in the new north end zone stands just below the new video screen, began jumping up and down when “Enter Sandman” began to play. The rest of the stadium followed suit and a tradition was born.

Thanks to the great Hokie fans at Techsideline.com, who helped me track down this information. For a more detailed history, read Washington Post writer Mark Viera’s Sept. 26, 2009 article, For Opponents, Field of Bad Dreams: Virginia Tech’s Lane Stadium is a Hostile Environment for Visiting Teams.

Watch VT’s Entrance onto the Field in Entertainment Videos |  View More Free Videos Online at Veoh.com

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