THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Tuesday, October 1, 1996 TAG: 9610010432
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C4 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY FRANK VEHORN, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: CHARLOTTESVILLE LENGTH: 77 lines
Tiki Barber gave the sports networks plenty of highlight tape with his three touchdown runs against Texas, but the scene likely to get the most replays was when Barber high-fived an official.
The celebratory salute followed the second of Barber's three first-period touchdown runs.
The official had raised his arms to signal the touchdown when Barber ran by and reach out to high-five him.
``It was just impulse,'' Barber said Monday. ``He (the official) was there and it seemed like the thing to do. I am always talking to those guys.''
Barber's teammates admitted they were surprised to see him high-five the official. It was something they would have expected from Ronde Barber, normally more flamboyant than Tiki.
``From what I understand, it could have been a penalty,'' quarterback Tim Sherman said. ``I guess it was something for SportsCenter.''
Coach George Welsh grinned when asked about the incident.
``I guess we will get a memo from the ACC office saying we are not supposed to do that,'' Welsh said.
FAN MAIL: Tiki Barber spent much of Sunday replying to E-mail he had received during the week from Texas fans.
Barber said he received several messages from Texas fans who bragged that the Cavaliers and Barber would be no match for the Longhorns.
``I replied to all of them,'' Barber said. ``I wrote back `Three touchdowns, 121 yards - that's all I got to say.' ''
Barber also told Longhorn fans that Texas, which had lost on the last play to Notre Dame the week before, was the easiest team Virginia has played.
``I was serious, too,'' Barber said. ``We went through them easier than we did Maryland or Wake Forest.''
MORE BARBER: Both of the Barber twins and other members of Virginia's defense were miffed going into the game by comments made by Texas tailback Ricky Williams.
Williams said the only thing he remembered from last year's game was that the holes in the Virginia defense were big enough to drive trucks through.
About Tiki, he said: ``I know he returns punts and has a twin brother.''
Williams, who gained 139 yards last year, was limited to 51 yards on 19 carries Saturday.
Following each tackle, a Virginia defender was over Williams asking, ``How wide was that hole?''
After one hard tackle, Williams was slow getting up.
``Ronde was right over him, saying, `Get up, get up. You know who I am now, don't you,' '' Tiki said.
QB SITUATION: Welsh indicated minutes after the Texas win that Sherman had a firm hold on the quarterback job after passing for 180 yards and running for a 24-yard touchdown.
``Sherman's our quarterback,'' Welsh said.
Monday he seemed to be backing away from that statement.
``I can change my mind,'' Welsh said.
Sherman and Brooks had shared the position until Saturday, when Brooks didn't get into the game until the final three minutes.
Welsh indicated he would rotate the two against Georgia Tech on Saturday.
``Sherman is No. 1 and he will start, but I want to play Brooks because he is a helluva athlete and has a great arm and can help us,'' Welsh said.
Welsh became angry when asked what the issue was in selecting a quarterback.
``I'm not making it an issue. You are,'' Welsh said. ``You (media) always create a quarterback problem.''
TICKETS REMAIN: A spokesman for the athletic ticket office said about 500 tickets remain for the Cavaliers' next home game, against North Carolina State on Oct. 19. ILLUSTRATION: HUY NGUYEN
The Virginian-Pilot
Virginia tailback Tiki Barber delivered a message to Texas Saturday
by churning up big yardage, then delivered E-mail messages on Sunday
to Longhorn fans who had bragged about their team. by CNB