First the bad news. I was planning an elaborate celebration to commemorate the record number of comments and e-mails from this week, but Mark Richt never got back to me. Now the good news. It’s Friday, which not only means the weekend is imminent and ESPN can only suffocate us with Colts-Patriots hype for two more days, but that it’s time for Friday Feedback.

As always, comments appear as posted. In other words, I’m getting pretty good at Ctrl-V.

Joe says:

Regardless of how the rest of the season plays out… this is the best Mountaineer team ever. I don’t think anyone would expect this team to lose to the New England Patriots as badly as the 1993 team lost to the Florida Gators in the Sugar Bowl.

If Patrick White got hurt on the first series of the national championship game, I think this year’s Mountaineer team would be better off than the 1989 Fiesta Bowl team.

If this year’s Mountaineer team would have played the 2005 team early in the season, it would beat it by at least 40 points. That team, while great at the end of the season, was less than mediocre at the beginning and was lucky that its schedule was cupcake-filled early (not to mention the Big East was attrocious that year).

This team has a great offense and a great defense and the only things that can keep it from running the table are:

1. not getting the “breaks” (like Matt Grothe escaping a tackle and then finding a wide open receiver in the end zone) or the center deciding he doesn’t know how to snap the ball every time they get near the end zone.

2. injuries (like Steve Slaton fumbling two or three times before pulling himself out of a game).

I don’t think West Virginia will get into the national championship game just because there are too many teams ahead of them… but I think it’s entirely possible that the Mountaineers are actually the best team in the country this year… which is the only time that has ever happen in the history of college football.  

For starters, this team has a chance to submit a claim as the best ever and I’ll be careful to keep this topic away from Mickey Furfari, who is quite fond of yesteryear. I think the one thing you see from these Mountaineers that you didn’t always see from others is a cocky competitiveness. They know they’re very good and they know they can play. As such, you really don’t expect this team to leave it in the locker room because they absolutely believe they’ll play well enough to win every game. Obviously, it doesn’t work out that way, but it’s not for a lack of effort. In fact, that shows in what we’re seeing. WVU fell early in the season, but did not fold and has responded so impressively that it finds itself right in the position most people thought they could not rediscover. Remember the loss to Boston College in 2004 with everything on the line? That just doesn’t seem as likely this year and WVU would be more apt to hammer someone when it matters.

 Jack says:

I’ve always wondered why the Doug Flutie pass is played over and over and over. It wasn’t the longest hail mary ever… and it didn’t lead to a national championship. I know this because Don Nehlen has told anyone who will listen that Flutie never beat West Virginia. For my money, I’ll take Kordell Stewart to Michael Westbrook as the best hail mary ever.

Wow. Hate to disagree, but you don’t know, Jack. Flutie’s pass is the best. OK, B.C. didn’t win the national title, but the Eagles beat the defending national champion in Miami when Flutie found Gerard Phelan in end zone. And it was a wild, nationally televised day-after-Thanksgiving game. B.C. had a big lead, the Hurricanes staged a bigger rally and led 45-41 with 28 seconds to go. Flutie took B.C. from its 22-yard line to the Miami 48 in two plays and then avoided a sack to throw the game-winner as time expired from his own 37 and into a ridiculously strong wind. Again, I happen to believe history takes its place over time, but Flutie not only won the Heisman Trophy — the voting had closed before that game, actually — and was the national player of the year, but he left B.C. as the NCAA’s all-time leading passer. Great player, great play, great game, greatest Hail, Mary. I will not argue this. Long live 55 Flood Tip. 

Erinn says:

I vote for Nesha every day. I also vote for Pat White and his online contest.

You can vote for Pat for the 2007 Davey O’Brien National Quarterback Award by going here: www.daveyobrien.com

Fan votes count as 5% towards the winner and finalists. 

OK, we’ll allow it this time. So, yes, vote for Nesha. And Pat. Excuse me. Has anyone seen my hammer? I have to go hang up a sign.

Philip says:

now that would be the big, pointy hats, right?

Philip is talking about Cardinals … the ones from the Catholic church as opposed to the ones from Louisville. One has faith, the other does not.  As for the hats, it’s called a biretta and it’s neither big nor pointy. In fact, it’s underwhelming. No wonder they want to become pope.

Mike says:

Everyone takes every game so seriously… sports aren’t fun for anyone any more.

It seems like we get some sort of a reminder about this every week and the Georgia Bulldogs’ stunt last week was our latest example that some people just can’t let other people enjoy themselves and the — ahem — games they play. Rest assured, it’s still fun and I suggest you keep an eye on the actions of and the forthcoming stories written about WVU defensive end Johnny Dingle. For now, here’s his reply: “We should be able to go out there, do our thing and have fun. I know I love doing it and I know I’m going to go out there and have fun.”

Homer says:

“Seriously, you’d have a hard time booing the guy if you had listened in on the conversation.”

This might represent a fundamental misunderstanding on your part of fan behavior, both good and bad. The ill-advised fans are going to boo anybody; yet the fan who operates with greater restraint, maturity and intelligence may still boo Brohm with lust precisely because he is a model competitor, realizing that such an antagonistic relationship can be a sign of respect in modern spectator sports. In that light, Brohm will get booed because what else could a fan do to deter him?

Don’t you think that this weekend, there will be plenty of Colts and Patriots fans booing everything Manning or Brady does against their teams? It won’t be, for the most part I’d predict, because they don’t respect the abilities and characters of those players.

Some boo the opposition out of ignorance (or inebriation), others boo because they recognize talent and need an outlet for their cognitive dissonance when that player succeeds against your team.

Through either motivation, Brohm’s going to be booed rabidly, no matter how he represented himself in a conference call.

Couldn’t agree more. And I think I can safely say this is the first time “cognitive dissonance” has been used here. You need to come around more often, Homer. Per your point, yes, people do jeer out of admiration and out of animosity and there really is no way to discern between the two unless one is taking down notes and one is taking down a fifth of Crown. As it is, you’d have to be an absolute idiotnot to respect Brohm. Boo away, but do so with a certain reverence.

John says:

Mike,

I just want to say I recently started reading your blog and I love it! Keep up the good work.

Well, my dad’s name is Gene, I have no brothers and I have no friends named John who like me this much. It appears we have a fan. Where the hell is Mark Richt?