Welcome to a Where-the-hell-was-that-all-year-Rutgers? edition of the Friday Feedback. At some point last night, WVU fans hoping to avoid Birmingham, Ala., had to hope the Scarlet Knights would do something wrong and stop looking so appealing to the Sun and Car Care bowls. By the way, cue the Greg Schiano coaching carousel in 5, 4, 3 … That was an overall frightening display of football — and by frightening, I mean, “Am I really headed to Birmingham for Christmas?”

I say no and the most likely destination is Charlotte and the Car Care, but Birmingham and the PapaJohns.com is possible, especially if Pitt and WVU lose. The Sun then has to really think about Rutgers. The Car Care, which doesn’t need a second school in ACC country if it gets the University of North Carolina, can pick WVU or Pitt and win in either case.

The biggest Birmingham obstacle is UNC. The Tar Heels already played and beat Rutgers and the bowl doesn’t want a rematch — but if it really wanted Rutgers, it could avoid one by picking another ACC team. WVU’s only route to the Sun is a win Saturday and a Pit loss.

My head is spinning and we haven’t even gotten to the big stuff. Fun little doubleheader tomorrow with WVU finding itself against a really good Cleveland State team. And if you think that’s a bias, you’re absolutely right. The State is coming off a brutal home loss, but to battle, Vikings all. Then it’s off to Mountaineer Field for an emotional farewell to a pretty good senior class and its leader, Pat White. Can’t say much that hasn’t been said already. Just enjoy it one last time, if you know what I mean.

Onto the Feedback, which today will begin with an interesting e-mail from a famous name I’ll have to keep private:

???? said: 

I’ve been thinking about it, though, and I kind of think he isn’t a starter, considered that he could possibly not get into a game until the second half …
WVU receives opening kickoff, never scores or punts in the first half and only kicks off ot start the second half. It’s even possible that he not get int he game at all, say WVU decides to receive the opening kickoff and the other team decides to kickoff to start the second half (because they screwed up and went with the wind in the first half … it happened with WVU, you remember).
 
So, therefore, I am officially elimintaed Pat McAfee as a starter.

Fair enough, and that may be right, but that doesn’t make it right. As always, comments appear as posted. In other words, there are no shortcuts.

Bonnie the Bartender said:

How do you like Vegas so far?

You have no idea how funny that is.

Ben M (Suffolk, VA) said:

Mike, I mean Make,

I’m really enjoying the live updates to your blog. I really hope this becomes a more frequent contribution, especially for games that have limited or no option to watch on TV.

Thanks!

You’re welcome. That was kind of fun, but I’m not sure it’s going to be a regular thing. The Daily Mail goes to a morning edition Jan. 5 — we’ve been an afternoon paper, which required a different, somewhat dated approach to writing the news — and I’m back to deadline writing. Not only that, but the live blog readership numbers aren’t great, though Las Vegas was encouraging. I will not define encouraging because it is, in fact, discouraging.

Sam Wilkinson said:

Can’t get a 3rd and 1 and can’t make a foulshot. Fundamentals kill the Mountaineers, no matter what the sport.

And yet rifle is unstoppable.

How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Coach Stewart:

1) $crew excellence, mediocrity is easier to maintain.
2) I’ve always loved Mickey.
3) Charlotte is closer than any other bowl city.
4) A Pitt fan bought me a beer out of sheer pity (this never happened under the previous administration).
5) “Pitch-and-catch” may be the next “Yada Yada Yada,” I heard it while walking in the Lower West Side of Manhattan.

I won’t comment. The name says it all.

oklahoma mountaineer said:

Driving round pegs into square holes……WVU has the GREATEST RUNNING QUARTERBACK in the history of college football. He has improved, but his strength is RUNNING.

He scored on a broken play — and great effort on his and the team’s part to make it work.

We have a coach who plays for field position and defense, yet in the 4th period with the lead and 3rd and 10 Pat throws a bad pick. On him, but the play call is UNBELIEVABLE.

The O-Line has been the disappointment of this year; little, if any, improvement through the year for a veteran group.

I feel bad for a core group of winners on offense that seem to have become average. The small things this year, but a lot of veteran players, has been what has beaten them in at least 3 of the 4 losses.

An entire season summed up in one game, didn’t you think? Everything that will define this team was found in those fourth quarters. I think most depressing was the fact WVU couldn’t even avoid getting into trouble. You know you’re not good at certain things, yet you continually confront those things. That said, if Jalloh catches the TD pass and Stanchek doesn’t hold on the third-and-1 conversion — and those are two of the most trusted players on offense — the game is very different.

Rob W. said:

Here is a big difference as I see it. For years, this game – or games like it – would be very big for our program. We would be talking about the difference between an eight win versus a seven win season, talking about momentum going into a bowl, and talking about the prospects of getting into the national polls. The difference is – that in a very short period of time – those that follow the program became used to every game having an impact on major bowl bids, top ten rankings, and – dare I say it – National Championships. This game does matter, but more like it would in the old days as opposed to the not so distant past.

Rob, that’s a great take and I think there’s a certain reality within that this team realized some time ago, too. But, hey, that’s what makes the highs so high.

Birch said:

I haven’t missed a home game in years. I don’t plan on skipping this one either, but I can say, for the first time in just as many years, I’m not looking forward to this game at all. I feel like I’m going to a funeral. That being said, hope springs eternal in Mountaineer Land. Always has, always will. Next year is a new year and we still have 2 games with Pat White left. Hey at least we’re not Syracuse!…yet.

Ouch. But yes, support will be a tangible element Saturday night for the first time in a long time.

Erinn said:

Birch, I’m with you. It makes me sad that I actually dread Saturday night. I’ve never felt this way for a game … even in the last days of Nehlen it was something I looked forward to. But being at 8 p.m. in what will feel like 9 degrees and capping off a rather disappointing year … well, I’ll be suprised if there are 40,000 fans there to cheer White on for his last run on Mountaineer Field. And that makes me even more sad.

That being said, don’t forget to throw something white over your heavy coat!

There will be more than 40,000, even if there isn’t. Is it bad that this game is big for very weird reasons not really related to the game?

Josh24601 said:

It is utter tragedy that the “White-out” idea was not broached by Pat White’s daddy.

Bill Stewart will organize the Whiteout, Jeff Mullen will organize the Whiteout, Jeff Casteel will organize the Whiteout.

Foul Shot said:

I have never been a fan of the “all fans wear the same color” idea as I don’t think it amounts to a hill of beans as to whether the team wins or loses.
But, to honor the greatest Mountaineer football player ever, it is quite appropriate.

Things are silly enough, but why not just say the Whiteout is for Pat White. No one would have even blinked. No one would have been offended. Honest. If it was about the seniors, go with the Gold Rush like before. But Whiteout. Pat White. I’m not fooled.

philip said:

i can appreciate this as a tribute (wink wink) and not as some weird cheerleading exercise. the humble mr. white deserves to know has the thanks and admiration of an adoring mountaineer nation.  

You have to give Pat credit here. He didn’t want it and I’m thinking that’s where this deception originated. Why, when we met with him Tuesday night, he said he hadn’t heard much about the promotion. Then I saw something strange. Folded in a clear plastic bag was a white towel with blue writing. It looked familiar so I asked “Is that a Whiteout towel?” He quickly made the towel disappear.

Erinn said:

And when they announce the seniors before the game it won’t be a coincidence when the last name announced is for Number 5. Just ask Stew. It’s alphabetical!

I’m now convinced that’s why Reed Williams took the medical redshirt. Oh, and if it snows? That’s a coincidence, too, because this is absolutely not about Pat White.

Mack said:

Sadly, it’ll be cold out, which means most fans will opt for carhart brown and camo.

You know this.

Homer said:

The most fitting tribute would be to bring a White towel and throw it sideways – or 10 yards over the head of the person in front of you.

Hey, I’m nothing if not fair and balanced.

LisaH said:

Mike — Thank you for always pointing out the insanity of our sports. I think you are hilarious!

Again, fair and balanced … and my mom’s name is Marie, in case you were wondering.

oklahoma mountaineer said:

This is a curious development in one fashion; the Product may have a place for TBA on his team. It would follow his pattern of signing a number of dual threat QB/athlete types and deciding after they get on campus which one is to be the QB and which are moving to the slot/DB, etc.

It’s sad how much some things that are obvious continue to haunt Stew and drive his thought pattern…..and how other things, such as the BEST RUNNING QB in NCAA HISTORY being pigeon holed into a 50/50 offense is not…..

The Product will take a run at Tajh Boyd because he’s a talented player who could fit the spread offense very well, but also for the chance to give WVU the finger on signing day. That would be splendid.  

 Alli said:

Ugh, Stew, let it go! Being the better man does not mean constantly bringing it up. No matter how right you think you are, you just end up sounding bitter.

Agreed, and Stew’s a high road kind of guy. 

 Foul Shot said:

Man, I hope the foul shooting does not kill us again this year. It almost bit us last night.

It’s going to get you once. It gets everyone once, even good teams. And WVU is not good at the foul line.

Mack said:

Almost bit us last year? We shot 66% from the line (18 of 27) in the game that ended our season last year. Of course, Xavier shot worse from the line, but still. . .

I am a firm believer that free throw shooting does not improve over the course of a season and rarely improves over the course of a career. Anyone who thinks we’ll get better with the free throws this year is probably going to be disappointed. I remember a coach saying, “The only way to get better at shooting free throws is to recruit better free throw shooters.”

The problem with this team is that, so far, Ruoff is the only legitimate 3-point shooter. If he is cold, then all we have are guys who drive to the basket and . . . force fouls (and missed free throws). At this point, I think this team is all heart and not enough height and/or athleticism. They are pretty fun to watch though.

Free-throw shooting isn’t coaching. Maybe they tinker with your form (like John Flowers, who actually took a few words of advice from Jerry West), but it’s a player’s will to work on it and mental strength to make them whether alone in a gym, in a packed house, up by 20 or down by one. I’ll agree, for now, on the problems, but I sense Ruoff is coming around. I’m almost encouraged by the volume of shots. He’s smart enough to know if he’s slumping, he should’t be shooting. As a matter of philosophy, Huggins wants his guys to score at the basket and, unfortunately, sometimes you get fouled. What’s fun for me is to see these guys figure things out within a game and find ways to score, stop and win.

Alli said:

Mack, I agree with you about most of what you said, especially free throws. However, I do think we’re a very athletic team. One big difference is we lost Alexander, and despite some serious self-confidence issues, Joe was an athletic freak of nature. I don’t think any of us realized just how gifted he was until he left (well, at least I didn’t).

Everything else I agree with. We don’t have enough shooters, though I think Butler could do it. Like Huggs said, there is no excuse for Desean to go 4-9 from the free throw line. I also agree that this is probably something we should get used to, sadly.

Very athletic team, though some of the most athletic players — Smith, Ebanks and Jones — have’t had it going yet. There’s always great length on the court and the combination has turned them into a good defensive team and a better-than-average rebounding team. Obviously, they miss Joe and they need that person they can throw the ball to for a quick and easy score, especially with a lack of shooters. I still think that’s Butler.

Michael said:

I saw the game last night on FSS. Thank goodness Flowers compensates for his missed free throws with an uncanny ability to follow the shot & get the carom for a put back somehow. He might be the worst free throw shooter in WVU history.
Did you notice that both Jones and, especially Ebanks played minimal minutes? Proby actually saw a little PT though. Truck is way ahead of the other newbies right now: he has that Darris Nichols ability to hit the trey from the top of the key, a skill of which we are in dire need of right now.
Finally, how about Joe Mazulla? He jams his shoulder w 5 minutes left and just plays through the pain! I could not believe he was icing his arm during brakes in the action, and then dragging his limp left arm down court while still aggressively defending & driving the basket.
Mike- Can you tell us his status and what was the nature of his injury last night?

I didn’t mention this before, but Flowers saved them against Ole Miss. He got better over the summer and is in really good shape. He’s also an OK 3-point shooter, which makes his foul free-throw shooting so strange. He’s getting a bunch of offensive rebounds and loose balls and dirty baskets the team needs it if can’t shoot or knock down freebies. As for Mazzulla, he’s nicked, day-to-day and will give it a shot tomorrow. Nothing severe.

X-Rayted said:

I learned a long time ago that an ugly win is better than a pretty loss. Hugg Life will get as much out of this team as humanly possible, and as the season goes on, they will get stronger, (pun intended). I think we proved last year that after you make the tournament, anything can happen. This season is going to have a lot of games that resemble my golf game, it’s not gonna matter how, it’s just gonna come down to how many

Complete with club-snapping and profanity, I assume?

thacker said:

After observing last season, no need to worry about basketball and how the squad performs. Huggins will get the best out of them and the ball club will effectively adapt. They will evolve into their best.

Refreshing, isn’t it? Enjoy the weekend!