It was mentioned yesterday in the comments — I’m telling you, I don’t do much around here — that a provocative series was running on another paper’s Web site chronicling the Mountaineer Sports Network, which is, as we all know, none too popular among many readers.

Well, said comment wouldn’t dare drive readers to another site, which I appreciated, but the purpose of the blog is, at times, to drive readers to other sites. Here’s a look at the series to date (more will follow):

– Certainly not a revelation, but a succint explanation of how TV controls college athletics. 

– MSN and West Virginia Radio Corporation have a unique and successful relationship.

The highlight, though, is the unapologetic defense of that unique and successful relationship which has brought the people who make news and the people who report news close together. The line separating news and opinion is blurred — especially in times when news breaks or stories are advanced and the benefits of that relationship are quite evident. However, in the opinion of those involved, the blur is justified.

Dale Miller, the general manager of the West Virginia Radio Corp., admits there is little impartiality and doesn’t believe there should be.

“I make no apologies. I mean, in sports, I’m Vince McMahon. Are we cheerleaders? Sure. Are we going to go on the air and destroy the Mountaineers? No. Are we going to get a coach fired? Not really,” he said. “We don’t think it’s our job when we’re working as a vendor to this university to do other than promote their product.”

The truth is that contractually, as an affiliate, they have an obligation to promote WVU athletics and must run a given number of promos per week for events.

“We’re the kind of station that when the coach says ‘Let’s wear gold‚’ we go on the air and say ‘Let’s wear gold’ incessantly for five days. It’s that kind of relationship,” Miller admitted.

Mike Parsons, the deputy director of athletics who runs MSN, understands there is a certain obligation to present the news, but not to the point that it becomes a negative.

“I know the values of journalism. I look at us as more entertainment media rather than journalism media, yet we still have responsibilities. We have to be accurate; we have to be fair. We may be biased. We’re the home team, but we can’t ignore a player who gets suspended. You have to mention it. We just won’t dwell on it,” Parsons said.