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Day Three , Vol. 1: Friday Feedback

The Feedback from New York City? A nickname for Joe Alexander? Bottles of BBQ sauce exploding on WVSports.com writers? Deja vu all over again?

Let’s stop there. I don’t mean to undervalue what’s going on right now with West Virginia’s basketball team. In fact, I want to individualize it. Thursday’s win was special, certainly the best of the season and the catapult into the NCAA Tournament, but comparisons to 2005 are really unfair.

Be honest: Are you that surprised? Did you not just hang with UConn 13 days ago? Didn’t Boston College beat WVU twice and by a combined 32 points in 2005. Weren’t fans booing WVU in the 20-point home loss to the Eagles that year? That rally was really unexpected. This? Not so much.

First and foremost, this team entered in a much better situation. In truth, the Mountaineers were in the NCAA Tournament after Wednesday’s win. The 2005 team needed to reach the semifinals. The 2005 team had a five-game losing streak at one point and finished 8-8 in the Big East. This team never lost more than two in a row, only had two losing streaks all season and finished 11-7 in a better conference.

At the same stage, this team is, quite simply, better. Why? Joe Alexander. We may be able to give the kid a nickname, too.

Broadway Joe.

I’d be stunned if this didn’t hit the back pages in New York City.

The comparisons to Kevin Pittsnogle, though, do warrant mentioning. Pittsnogle generated a greater buzz in 2005 — so, too, did the entire team as the Mountaineers dominated the back pages that year — and there are a few simple reasons. He was more appealing. West Virginia kid, tattoos, unique last name and a fascinating combination of range and accuracy that defied his size and position.

Alexander, on the other hand, is just killing people. He’s almost indefensible and he has a knack for creating — and making — his own shot that WVU fans haven’t see in a long, long time. He may very well be playing better than anyone in the country. If everyone knew his background, he’d be off the charts now.

That said, Georgetown has to go small on him tomorrow, perhaps with an Austin Freeman, and encourage Alexander to post the defender up. That way the double-team arrives and Alexander has to pass out. WVU isn’t hitting from the perimeter, so it’s a good gamble. One wonders if JT3 will be inclined to let Alexander roll, take his chances on the slumping shooters and simply shut Da’Sean Butler down.

Onto the Feedack. As always, comments appear as posted. 

Homer said:

Can you asterisk Joe Alexander’s first-team All-Big East honor? The guy has had a great season, but this awards inflation has to be capped or at least acknowledged.

1998 — Damian Owens become the first WVU player to make first-team and he earned it. One of FIVE selections — along with Rip Hamilton, Tim James, Pat Garrity and Felipe Lopez (of all people).

2001 — Calvin Bowman *really* earns it. He’s one of five, along with Preston Shumpert, Troy Murphy, Troy Bell and Nova’s Michael Bradley.

The following year, the team grows to seven. 2002-03 is a reasonable six. 2003-04 it’s seven. 2004-05 back to six.

The past three years, those teams have been jokes as the league bows to the whiny coaches who want everybody to get a blue ribbon and an ice cream cone.

2005-06 — Gansey and Pittsnogle joined by NINE OTHER PLAYERS — Eric Hicks, Rudy Gay, Steve Novak, Chris Quinn, Aaron Gray, Allan Ray, Gerry McNamara, Randy Foye and QUINCY DOUBY. Pick the best five there, or even six or seven. Gansey and Pittsnogle probably still make it.

2006-07 — Frank Young joins 10 OTHER GUYS — some of whom I don’t even remember playing from a year ago — Colin Falls, Aaron Gray, Herbert Hill, Lamont Hamilton, Demetris Nichols, Curtis Sumpter, Russell Carter (!?!?!), Dominic James and Dr. Roy Hibbert.

This year, another 10 guys joining Alexander: Gransberry, Brian Laing, Sam Young, Kyle McAlarney, Luke Harangody, David Padgett, Hibbert, AJ Price, Jeff Adrien and Deonta Vaughn. You’re telling me that stellar list can’t be pared down by 4 or 5 guys?

Bottom line: Marcus Goree’s second-team selection in 1999 on the worst WVU team EVER means more than Alexander’s inflated pick. Goree had to take second behind Hamilton, Tim James, Johnny Hemsley, Jamel Thomas and Ron Artest.

He was joined on the second by El-Amin, Murphy, Etan Thomas and Bootsy Thornton, plus integrity.  

I loved this. It set off wild debates between me and people I know and trust. The size of the all-conference team now is both misleading and infuriating. It’s a delicate balance. I’m sure coaches, athletic directors and presidents had worries about all-league teams when the Big East expanded, so this must have been an agreed upon issue. That said, coaches do, in fact, have too much influence on simply getting their guys on there. I always say the max should be eight people. That’s basically a good college team: five starters and three reserves. Let’s begin with 2005-06: I say it’s Gay (Player of the Year), Hicks, Foye, Gansey, Pittsnogle, McNamara, Ray and Novak. Last year, it’s Jeff Green (Player of the Year), James, Hibbert, Nichols, Hill, Carter, Falls and Hamilton … and I’m stretching near the end. This year, it’s Harangody (Player of the Year), Padgett, Price, Adrien, Young, Vaughn, Hibbert and Alexander … and again I’m strecthing. The point, I suppose, is that maybe my eight is too big and it should be six or seven. It need not be diluted.

glibglub said:

University of West Virginia references do get under my skin. I suggest that every time you’re around Tranghese, make it a point to refer to Conference Big East. See how he likes it.  

I’ll refer this to the WVU fan Web site the Blue and Gold News.

Mack said:

I blame Oklahoma. They go by both OU and the University of Oklahoma. They opened the can of worms.

When I was in Arizona for the Fiesta Bowl, I saw a bunch of people wearing hats or sweatshirts that said “University of Oklahoma” and I kept thinking, ‘Wow, these people are idiots.’ I was wondering if there was a Gabe’s on every corner in Norman and fans liked slightly irregular clothing. Turns out I was the idiot.

Erinn said:

I was disappointed in Wright’s ensemble. The color gray does nothing for him.

I thought it looked sharp. The tie was sweet. We’re missing the larger point. Huggins has worn the black suit and the blue T-shirt the past four games. WVU is 4-0. 

Homer said:

ESPN alternately has 80 or 37 teams in the tournament depending on who’s talking. Zero accountability. Or credibility.

It does seem amazing one person can invite everyone and the next can deny everyone. Then you realize it’s the formulaic “I’ll take Side A, you take Side B, OK?” This isn’t a very exciting year on the bubble and ESPN has to sustain attention. The discussions get people riled up. It gets players and coaches riled up to the point they want to win a game, then see what the commentators have to say afterward. There are no losers, really.

Mack said:

Since every Big East game is on ESPN, every Big East game is an “elimination” game. Then, in the next round, the team has to win again to be “sure” it’s in. The top teams, of course, have to win to be sure that they A) get a #1 seed, B) don’t have to play out west, C) can avoid having to play Bracketbuster U, D) etc.

Actually, scratch what I said. This makes as much sense and in fewer words.

Joe said:

What was up with the way the ref’s called the game in the 2nd half? I’m not complaining….Also, it looked a lot more physical, and the ESPN guys hardly said anything about it.

Second-worst game of the year for the officials. Maybe nothing will top the Marshall game. That was atrocious. This, though, was nearly as bad. There were a few calls that made almost no sense. Alex Ruoff is demonstrative, yes, but he doesn’t gripe about officials. When he fouled out on what appeared to be a nothing foul, I thought he’d tack on two technicals for good measure. It got to the players and it threatened to affect the game. I thought both teams were equally slighted and it’s becoming evident some officials just have a hard time keeping up. I can think of a few plays I saw these past two days where I’m sure an official was totally out of position and still made a call. It also continues to surprise me that coaches can work the officials to get a call. Why? College basketball really needs to examine the entire operation in the offseason. Too many guys are working too many games. They get tired, too, and it’s my view that many are worn out right now. The teams don’t deserve that.

Homer said:

Anybody on here want to argue that Beilein wins that game with those same players? No chance. First off, rebounding would have been 40-20 UConn and the score about a similar margin.

The rebounding margin — 42-26, WVU — is the most stunning stat in some time. We were standing around before the press conferences wondering if it was true. I know Beilein teams didn’t win many rebounding battles in Big East play. I’m positive it was never plus-16. I’m completely convinced a plus-16 against Connecticut would have never, ever happened. And that was the difference Thursday. UConn got very, very few second shots and WVU gave the Huskies a minimal number of opportunities. The Huskies had 10 rebounds in the second half. WVU had three on one offensive possession. A total and telling metamorphosis.  

oklahoma mountaineer said:

Mike, I hate to admit it, but Huggs seems to have gotten inside these guys heads….It’s amazing what teaching of technique will do.

Not long ago, everyone was on Huggins for crushing his players in the press. They respond to it and look at what’s happened the past few games. The team that let games against Tennessee, Oklahoma, Georgetown and Pitt get away has finished against St. John’s, Providence and Connecticut. They took it upon themselves this game. Players called the two key timeouts that avoided certain disaster late in regulation. Huggins spoke and they listened.

Enjoy the weekend!