Good work, everyone, and we managed a week’s worth of interaction without the benefit of an upcoming game. I knew we had it in us. Glad to see Joe Blow sports fan make a few appearances as well, which we’ll review in the returning Friday Feedback…

All messages appear as posted. So in other words, don’t blame me.

Tim says:

Hi,
I’m Tim and I’m a Mountaineeraholic. It broke my heart when we lost to S. Florida.I really thought this was THE year.(it may still be,the way things are going) With that said,I think something much more important is transpiring.The Big East nay sayers are about to pounce. One season(last year) is not going to quiet them. I feel as a conference,if S.Florida goes undefeated,they will get to the championship game. If WVU wins out,they will also get a BCS bid. Two Big East teams in BCS games? Who’d a thunk it?!Also,with no disrespect to U. Conn.,Cincinnati,isn’t out of this thing by any stretch of the imagination. They are solid. So,to me,with everything as it is,here is what is best for the Big East: S. Florida-Chmp. game
WVU or Cincy-BCS
WVU or Cincy-Sun
Conn.or Rutg.-CarCare
Conn.or Rutg.-Intrntnl.

Sorry to say,I think five teams are all that will be eligible.
At the begining of the season,I actually thought we would have seven. I’m a dreamer!
Imagine,S.Florida beating LSU,
then WVU STOMPING Boston College or Virginia Tech. in the Orange Bowl.

I think I could learn to live with the lose to S. Florida. Couldn’t you?

That’s the spirit, Tim. Also, Coach has something for you in his office…

 Geogre says:

Pat sings his own special song.

A reference, of course, to kicker Pat McAfee, whose hair took a unique look last weekend. It’s probably true, though I doubt he’s singing barbershop music. P-Funk? Absolutely.

Paul says:

I have watched the game several times. When you think about it, players throw the ball at other plays often enough that we know that it doesn’t usually result in an ejection. In this circumstance, Graves threw the ball at the WVU players and then, naturally, all of the WVU players responded by fighting even though they were in the middle of a close game and it was critical that they let it go.

It’s pretty difficult to say that a guy who starts a fight shouldn’t be ejected though.

The 15th anniversary of the Marvin Graves Brawl came upon us quite innocently last week. Talking with some Syracuse people at the Carrier Dome, they remember it as a regrettable situation, though, predictably, it was hard to remember who should have been blamed and for what. Conversely, WVU’s side remains indignant and cannot believe Graves stayed in and eventually won the game.

Per Paul’s opinion, yes, players do throw the ball at people and it often goes unnoticed or even unpunished, but when that action triggers a fracas, there is usually a deserved response. In today’s era of instant replay, the sideline situation would be resolved differently, so perhaps WVU fans can take consolation in the idea that this episode might have contributed to the arrival of instant replay.

Sam says:

What blows my mind about Rodriguez is how he can simultaneously claim to be smarter than the rest of us – “I know how to prepare a team…dammit!” – and yet he’s so stupid that he makes calls like the ridiculous bubble screen that never works. I know that I’m a broken record on this, but Rodriguez is like the guy playing video games who is sure if he just keeps running the same play, it will eventually work. He might as well be playing roshambo and throw rock, every single time, even if the other guy figures it out and responds with paper. Rodriguez is seriously thinking, “He’s going to crack. He’s going to throw scissors, and then, ha-ha, I’ll have him!” Except the other guy never cracks.

You can’t lose two times in a row, two seasons in a row, in exactly the same fashion, and expect to get a free ride, especially when you’re making more than a million dollars a season. We, as fans, expected Rodriguez to circle the South Florida game on his calendar and make sure not to repeat last year’s game; instead, he apparently made sure TO repeat last year’s game.

Sigh.

So begins the discussion of Joe Blow sports fan. Rodriguez did this week admit some fault for play-calling in the loss and said he’d like to have a few decisions back. In the next breath, he revealed that while there is regret, there are no do-overs, which brings this debate full circle. Was this year a do-over for last year? Were the mistakes — at least those perceived by the audience — repeated despite what happened a year ago? Or was it six turnovers and about as many lost plays on bad snaps while playing on the road against a freaky fast defense?  Better question: What are we talking about next year?

Homer says:

Another outburst from the original Wristband Genius — not surprising. He continues to speak about football like it is a game for mystics and astrophysicists instead of 20-year-old gym-teaching majors. Any time a coach or player pulls the “you never played the game” or “you don’t understand the game,” it’s a pathetic cry for help. Nobody needs an M.D. to recognize a botched surgery and criticize it, and Richie has laid out a couple of coat-hanger abortions against South Florida in a row while claiming he’s James Andrews.

 James Andrews, if you’re wondering, is the most respected orthopedic surgeon in sports. Homer, if you’re wondering, is not a fan of the Wristband Genius. I don’t feel like I can add anything to this.

 JX says:

reading that messageboard you linked to Mike just made me shake my head and reminded me why I don’t read sports related messageboards or post them at all if I can avoid it.

armchair quaterbacks/coaches/etc who don’t know nearly as much as they think they do but cannot be convinced otherwise combined with bandwagon jumping here today/gone tommorow ‘eer fans are a dangerous/annoying combo.

I, for one, applaud Rich for calling out people on their stupidity/stubborness. Really refreshing in todays ‘don’t offend anyone, speak only in p.c. terminology’ sports society.

God, I hope this doesn’t make it on a message board. Um, I mean, God, I love message boards! 

Tom says:

Well, we lost a game away, at South Flordia, so they match up good with us, play their hearts out. Worse things happen in life and to the young men playing in that game. If they can handle it, the fans should be able to, and obviously they can handle it and proved it in the Dome.. for the most part they are kids..no, Coach isn’t, but they are and we need to keep that in mind.

Levity, thy name is Tom. Now please step aside so the torch-wielding mob may pass.