It’s been a while since I’ve gotten to what makes this blog so great … that being you and the things you say about the things I think.

It’s been so long and, indeed, such an eventful week that I feel the need to review some highlights.

I got my Heisman ballot in the mail.
Rich Rodriguez got grilled.
WVU was ranked No. 1 (sort of.)
A blog made a big mistake.
Jesus! He likes WVU.
Someone went streaking.
Men’s basketball still exists. 
Rodriguez remembered Pitt.
Pitt formulated a plan.
The ACC smarted.
I confused people.
WVU threatened people.
Dave Wannstedt coached.

Off to the feedback. As always, comments appear as printed. In other words, the rumor is true: John Kilbourn wasn’t unemployed for long.

Erinn said:

WWKD?

(what would Kige do?)

About the Heisman Trophy? I think you’ll be delighted to see WKWD.

Eric says:

Who the heck is “Reporter 2″? As Bugs Bunny would say, “What a ma-roon.”

Yeah, we thought it was odd as well that Rodriguez would first be asked about his being mentioned as a candidate for the Texas A&M job … even though the job wasn’t open. Imagine our reaction when Rodriguez was then asked to comment. I had to fight the temptation to raise my hand and ask, “Rich, how’s it feel to be national champion?”

donsurber said:

UConn was way out of its league today.

Fortunately for the Mountaineers, UConn was in their league and the only “obstacle” to the Big East title. Perhaps the worst November performance by a BCS conference leader since the formation of the BCS. I have no information that would lead me to say this, but I’m sure Randy Edsall is looking for a new job soon. He won’t be fired, for certain, but I have a hunch he realizes this is about as good as it’s going to get for UConn in the Big East. He lost by 45 points and instead of the BCS, he’s headed to Charlotte for the Meineke Car Care Bowl.

Charley West said:

I was hoping to be #1, but the more I think about it, it’s just a number. Assuming we win and Missouri wins, we’re the marquee program who will get (easily) the most coverage leading up to the game. If it’s us and Ohio State, we may not be the marquee program, but we have the star power to garner enough attention. There’s only so many stories you can do on Vernon Gholston, anyways.

Charley, Shelley Poe would like to speak with you…

JP said:

I thought Saraceno was more Michael Landon or Nick Saban without the Just For Men.

 I knew I wasn’t alone.

Philip said:

pfeh. jumping on the bandwagon ain’t the same as walking on water.

Comment of the year?

Random said:

This has nothing to do with Mountaineer football, but does “I’m a man! I’m 40!” surpass “They are who we thought they were!” on the all-time greatest quotes list?

Oh boy…we might need to devote a post or even a day to this. Maybe between now and the bowl we’ll have some time. Hell, we’ll make the time because I’m obsessed with coaching meltdowns. If you’re looking for memorable quotes, as in something you could just say and everyone would laugh because they understood exactly what you were doing, I’d have to go with Dennis Green. You can’t leave out “You want to crown them, then crown their a$$” or “We let them off the hook.” The entirety of the piece is classic. As for Mike Gundy, “I’m a man! I’m 40!” will stand the test of the time. I think it’s so good that it overshadows some other things, like when he wishes for the reporter’s kids to be fat. Just very underrated. However, I’m going outside the box because you simply CANNOT beat Mike Valenti.

John said:

Bill Kirelawich?

No, John, Kirlav was definitely not the streaker…

DA Sandifer said:

Hey Mike!

Most Tech fans would be there if the travel was less than it is to Jacksonville. For us, it is a choice between the championship and the bowl game-most can’t afford both. It’s a matter of economics, not support of the teams playing. We agree that perhaps if the ACC would hold the championship game in a venue closer to the teams’ locations, then there wouldn’t be an issue!

Liked the comment about Charlotte-GOOD IDEA.

I think that’s exactly the problem. Where in this process did the ACC just stop thinking? You can’t have one of your best bowls games in the same city you play your conference title game four weeks earlier and expect fans to be siked. I like Charlotte for the title game. Not only is it a convenient location, but the ACC is North Carolina and Charlotte needs a boost because no one cares about the bowl there. The NFL team might be an issue, I understand. If that can’t work, just have it rotate through the league’s 12 campus cities. It’s an annual incentive and you’re giving the member schools $ome type of a reward. Jacksonville just isn’t it.

Brian says:

How come you’ve never written about a college football playoff system? Isn’t that required of any sports writer?

I believe it is, but I’ve learned about loopholes.

philip said:

a) you know what they say about imitation.

2) the posters obviously subscribe to the notion that if you’re gonna steal, you might as well steal something good.

and, d) do you feel like sally field? (i.e., they like me, they really like me!)

I wasn’t sure what you met, but after helping a family of Angolans, I’m over it. By the way, have you seen this poem? It’s awesome!  (Seriously, the comments to the post are hysterical.)

We close today with comments to the Choose Your Reputation post. I have a feeling we’ll be talking more about this next week. Enjoy the weekend and leave my couch the hell alone.

Mac said:

I think WVU is the only school in the country that is absolutely trying to forbid any type of rushing the field. ESPN still shows the clip of Rutgers fans overtaking the field last year in about 5 seconds. If the goalposts are taken down, then I see no reason to prevent the students/fans from rushing the field.

Carissa said:

Your e-mailer seems to have forgotten about the pepper spray incident of 1998.

The fans will rush the field if WVU wins, protect the goal posts and let the fans celebrate.

JP said:

don’t remember this being an issue after the final game in 1988 against Syracuse. Did people rush the field? I don’t remember that happening. Why is it different now?

I don’t agree with the fascist tactics that WVU employed after the Va Tech game. But really, rushing the field is bush league. Leave that to Rutgers.

Haven’t we been here before? If we win the national title game are we going to rush the field then too? I know winning games is exciting but it just seems silly to emulate things seen on tv that have no purpose.

Erinn said:

I have to disagree, JP. I was told yesterday that I can sometimes be a child when it comes to my feelings on this debate, but I think singing “Country Roads” boisterously from the field with fellow fans in old gold sounds a lot more fun and exciting than standing in my seat up on the second level with half of the spectators either already gone or marching down the steps and out of the stadium.

I was also told that I could hurt a football player by rushing field. True, I’m not saying the players aren’t immune to stupid accidents. However, I won’t be getting near one of them. If WVU wins, they will be way more pumped and excited than I ever can be. And I personally don’t want to be that close to a 300 pound guy covered in hard pads jumping up and down in anticipation of a National Title game. I would be more concerned for MY safety, not his.

Another thing pointed out to me in attempt to derail my childish behavior of wanting to rush the field was the team’s prayer circle midfield after a game. I have two suggestions. 1. Allow fans to rush the field and pray/celebrate with their team. 2. The team recognizes this may be impossible and moves its prayer to the locker room.

Lastly, I strongly feel that Pitt’s team needs to leave the field as soon as possible. My friends, family and I are responsible fans who would never do something so stupid as to try to hurt or antagonize one of Pitt’s players. But I’m not clueless enough to believe there aren’t fans out there who might do just that. Stadium security should recognize they will be outnumbered on the imminent field rush and instead use its force to ensure the Panthers safely get to their locker room.

Call me childish, but I’m excited and want to remember what will (hopefully) be a very magical night at Mountaineer Field. I hope those memories reflect happy Mountaineers fans raising their voices en masse with John Denver’s from the field. Doesn’t seem so silly to me.