When people blame the tickets, gas/food, etc --- I think some people are just rationalizing.

What they REALLY mean to say is "I simply don't care about Hokies/football as much as I used to."

Which is fine --- people change, priorities change. When you're married @ 39, with three kids --- obviously, going to games is much different than jumping in the car @ 24 years old.

But I think some people refuse to face that new reality? Almost like a self-defense mechanism? So instead of admitting they're a different person, they spin some weak excuse about "But now my 12-pack is $15.99, and 15 years ago it was only $10.99. That's too expensive, I can't make the trip to Blacksburg!"