Mountain Links
New WVU President Mike Garrison just won me over saying that he is not in favor of continuing the Coal Bowl. Governor Manchin is still 100% behind the series between WVU and Marshall and will probably hold on for dear life, even after the point of it not being funny anymore. A la "West Virginia Open For Business", or what ever the hell those signs said. I don't feel one way or the other about Manchin as a governor, but I wish he would just let this go. If it was anything special at all, the game would have been moved by ESPN to prime time. Instead, the game started at 1130 in the am. It's just not that important of a game, and never will be as long as Marshall is committed to sucking. I notice this at WV Mountaineer Sports after I started writing this post. So we're looking at the same thing.
Pat Liebig is not coming back to WVU. When it was announced after the Gator Bowl that he was leaving the team I was very concerned about the depth on the defensive line for this year. As it turned out, this years d-line held their own quite nicely. But I can't help but think how much better they would have been with Pat. However, family comes first and we wish Pat all the best. His presence has helped his father out and there is no way that football could or should compare to that.
Ryan Stanchek makes third team All-American AP. I only bring this up because he kind of got left off the Big East all-conference team.
WVU has a pretty decent recruiting class built up so far. 18 by my count, but I've been drinking so don't hold me to that. Most notable on that list is Parkersburg's Josh Jenkins, who has been courted by Urban Meyer and Rick Trickett this week. With both making trips to meet with the offensive lineman. All I can think is that I really blew a perfect chance to ask Trickett if he was ready to come back or if Meyer really does practice that pointing stare thing in the mirror. And Tressel is coming sometime soon. In the old days, WVU would have had someone posted around Jenkins 24-7. If you haven't, read "It's My Story, and I'm Sticking To It" by South Charleston native Alex Hawkins. The story about South Carolina coaches sneaking in his back door to talk to Hawkins is priceless.
I haven't talked much WVU basketball, and probably won't until football season is over. But I've really been impressed with this team. I admit that I wasn't all that excited when Huggins took over as coach. But I also said that I knew at some point I would let go of what ever bad feelings I had about him because I'm never going to stop rooting for the Mountaineers. And at some point you just have to let go, and get on board with the program. So that time is now. Welcome home Bob!
3 comments:
Huggy Bear is the jam. Our team looks awesome this year.
Johnny,
I never figured you for a Huggins hater. To each their own, I suppose. Your Songbook alone entitles you to multiple free passes in my book.
Oh, I don't want a pass. I'm admitting my fault. I heard an interview with Beilein down in Richmond while the Cat was our coach, the same year they beat the shit out of us in the NIT, and I was thinking damn I wish he was our coach. So the first time WVU came calling to Huggins he was interviewed by Hoppy on his MetroNews show, and Huggins was so standoffish. He just seemed like he had no interest in the WVU job, and was just doing it to get more money at Cincy. And nothing ever happened.
So WVU hires Dan Dokich, or how ever the fuck you spell his name and he quits a few days later. So we are back on the roller coaster, and who should appear but John Beilein.
Those events how ever poorly I've just described them, stuck with me. The program was a complete, don't fucking kid yourself, complete mess. And Beilein fixed it, and took us from nowhere to the elite eight in three years. I mean, come on! I felt loyalty to him. Even after the N C State thing, he was still here. I don't think that had nearly the weight in the negotiations that it deserved, and I don't blame him for feeling a bit put out with the administration after what he did. The state jumped on it's knees for Rodriguez but he was seemingly expendable.
So to answer all this, yeah I was a little put out with Huggins, but I think more of my beef was with the way Beilein was treated.
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