I got my “Media” guide in the mail the other day and finally decided to flip through it yesterday. It wasn’t beneficial, but it wasn’t time wasted, either.

These things are increasingly less about serving the media and more about publicizing the university, but, oh well. I remember Marc Bulger had seven pages to himself in his senior year. Noel Devine has one and it features a big action photo.

Granted, the NCAA intervened and put page limits in place, which helped my back a great deal, but I have the hardest time now finding the simplest facts about teams that one would think should be in the “Media” guide. Some are buried in the back in small print. Some aren’t included. I should say this isn’t a WVU-only problem — in fact, WVU is pretty good at cramming in as much as possible. And I mean that. I can, for example, tell you “NFL scouts visit the Puskar Center on a weekly basis.” (Page 12)

Really, who is that for? Me or the 6-foot-2 high school senior with 4.4 speed in Miami? I’m OK with that, I suppose, because I do like to find out quirky crap, like how WVU can wear nine different uniform combinations! (Page 24) I’m absolutely getting that in a story this year. Be on the lookout for these, too:

– “Playing for the Mountaineers gives you instant notoriety” (Page 2). Pet peeve because notoriety isn’t a good thing.

– “West Virginia’s offense is a blend of all-over-the-lot passing” (Page 2)

– “Game-breaking plays are standard on WVU’s special teams” (Page 6). No comment.

– “West Virginia is currently one of three teams in the nation to be riding at least a four-game bowl winning streak” (Page 10). OK, that’s actually a pretty good one. And did you think back in 1998 you’d one day read that?

– “Since 2002, West Virginia has had 17 All-Americans named to 44 different All-America teams” (Page 10). Impressive!

– “Since 2002, West Virginia has had 14 All-America selections on 32 teams” (Page 14). Come again?

– “Mountaineer graduation rates exceed that of the general student body” (page 16).  That’s a good one, too.

– Of the top 20 crowds in Mountaineer Field history, three have come in the past 10 years — No. 5: Pitt, 2003; No. 16: Notre Dame, 2000; No 20: Miami, 2000. (Page 31)

– Najee Goode bench pressed 485 pounds. (Page 40)

– WVU is 148-105-6 all-time against 2009 opponents with winning records against eight of the 12 opponents. Exceptions: Liberty (first meeting), Colorado (0-1), Suracyse (26-30) and Pitt (37-61-3). (Page 52)

– The varsity roster (ie, no newcomers) has players from 15 states. The most come from West Virginia (27) and Florida (18). Only one player — junior offensive lineman Matt Timmerman — comes from New Jersey. That’s a big change from the late 1990s. (Page 57).

– The newcomer roster adds Hawaii (Finau!) and Washington (transfer kicker Josh Lider) as well as Germany (defensive lineman Curtis Feigt. The recruiting class adds two West Virginians and six Floridians. (Pages 101-102)

– Pronunciations: fran-choe Allen, Al (like rail)-rick Ar-NETT, guess-lee der-vull, KNOW-ell Devine, Najh-A Goode, Logan Hay-Stee, Scott koz-loww-skee, Pat Lay-Zhure, Ben Oak-a-New-me, Mike Poy-tee-A. (Page 57)

– Zac Cooper is working toward a second degree in history. (Page 65)

– Devine is one of nine children in his family … which I did not know. (Page 67)

– Pat Lazear’s brother, Tyler, plays at Shepherd. (Page 76).

– Jock Sanders “missed the entire spring campaign due to an off-field issue.” (Page 88)

– Bill Stewart is “never lacking vim, vigor or an outgoing personality.” (Page 104)