Welcome to the Friday Feedback, which gets its news from all sorts of places — wait until you see the FB/TE coach WVU hires, likely today — and would like to show you what an example.

Here’s an email from Jan. 11 in response to something I’d written a few days earlier in which I presumed Noel would not return to school:

I talked to Tavon after the Louisville game at the Sheetz on Chestnut Ridge Road — no kidding — and he said Noel’s coming back. So, if you want to run info from an 18-year-old who’s not part of Devine’s family, then I say go for it! “We all coming back,” Austin said.

By that date, I think we were all being led to believe Noel would indeed return. However, The Poet was prophetic two months earlier. Impressive! A follow-up from said emailer yesterday:

I will now believe anything Tavon Austin tells me.

Me, too. Come to think of it, maybe we — yes, I — should have just believed Noel. He said last month he planned to come back and hadn’t even filed the paperwork with the NFL to get an evaluation. That should have been a pretty strong indication of his intentions.

True, he left the door open and said the Gator Bowl might impact his decision — and I think we can agree the way the game unfolded was at least minimally impactful — but it occurs to me this all just falls in line with Noel’s career at WVU. He said one thing. Everyone else said another. He’s never really asked for anything special while on campus and simply wants to be himself and do normal things and not be held to and/or against perceptions.

Onto the Feedback. As always, comments appear as posted. In other words, don’t believe everything that you read.

JP said:

Jordan Roberts leaving may be a sign that Noel is staying

The Artist Formerly Known as EER96 said:

Someone please notify Jeff Mullen. They will be here so get them the darn ball!!

Oh, that’s not fair. I’m sure Jeff knows and is busy finding ways to incorpo–

Birch said:

Somewhere Jeff Mullen is drawing a bubble screen on a napkin.

…I knew it was coming. And I suspected it’d be you, sir. Well done.

oklahoma mountaineer said:

This was probably smart for both; Noel can show, if allowed, that he can catch the ball out of the backfield and Jock will get more opps to run routes further down the field.

If they can, they will make more at the end. The key is whether Oll Stewart and his sidekick can get them into those plays.

In one regard, I’d like to be Mullen next year because there are a lot of talented options on offense. In another, I wouldn’t want to be Mullen because there are a lot of talented options on offense.

ccteam said:

The WV basketball team is shamefully wasting a golden opportunity. I hate it for the majority of the players who are on board. Hopefully they can get on the same page with Huggs and each other before this year is over, but I’m not counting on it as of now.

This was pre-USF and call me crazy, but I think they’re starting to figure things out. Maybe they realize there’s an opportunity to be had or wasted and they’re getting pointed in the right direction. I just feel like it’s close.

Dave said:

Mike – is there a chasm growing between Ebanks and the team/Huggins? It seems that from the “personal reasons” he sat out, the questions that Huggins defers to “you have to ask him,” the players in articles repeatedly talking about why things continue to happen in a negative way and how they want Ebanks on the floor, but don’t know why he’s not out there, etc., that there is a problem.

In another article this morning, someone wrote that an NBA scout said something to effect of “welcome back to the party” when he came off the bench in the second half on Saturday, but then was back on it after another foul about a minute later.

I haven’t read someone calling him out, but there seems to be a lot of things pointed at his direction.

 I don’t think I’d call it a chasm. The thing about this team — and it’s been this way for a while — is no one really holds anything back. To them, the truth is the truth and it shouldn’t hurt if it’s put out there for everyone to see and hear. To that, no one’s named Ebanks or fire bombed him this season. Not in public, at least. I think there’d at least be more specific mentions if he was that much of a problem. There’s nothing wrong or salacious about one player saying they need Devin on the floor. Again, the comment was pre-USF, but if you watched that game closely, there was camaraderie among the players I hadn’t seen in quite some time. A lot of it was Devin engaging people and maybe he felt obligated to do and be a little more after the Notre Dame loss, but it looked to me like everyone was a little more lively and happy to be out there when he was playing well. It certainly is a different team when he’s on because it picks everyone up a little bit. It’s almost as if the teammates are relieved and therefore excited.

Country Roads said:

There’s no wasted opportunity yet. Granted, it doesn’t make me feel good that their chemistry isn’t better at this point in the year. But if they are able to gel in time to make a run in March, we will barely remember this blip.

To be fair, Huggins is juggling a lot of things now. He’s managing Casey Mitchell and trying to find more time for Pepper and Jennings. His two point guards are progressing, sometimes together. Ebanks is up and down and he’s still got to maximize Butler and Jones. Meanwhile, they’ve played a tough, tough schedule and they’re now five games into Big East play. Just look at all the different lineups and personnel combinations we’ve seen this season — and it has yet to involve Kilicli, who absolutely will play once he’s eligible. I know Huggins gets paid and paid well for this, but it’s a lot of coaching and it’s not always going to look pretty. Chemistry is hard to come by when things are so different so many times.

Foul Shot said:

Slow start last night.
But great finish.
It seems like our basketball team does not start getting it going until Mazulla gets in there and starts diving around and showing some energy on defense.
Maybe Huggs should just start him.
That would be preferable to falling behind by 10 – 20 pts.
It is a concern that the guy cannot take an outside shot. That will start to hurt as the defense falls off on other guys. But, he sure was the MVP (in my opinion) of the ND and pretty much for the USF games.

He’s their catalyst, no doubt, but I wonder if starting him puts a strain on the bench it just doesn’t need right now. The word I’ve been getting is Mitchell’s been killing it in practice, but it just hasn’t shown up in games. If he gets right and Mazzulla and Pepper can be substitutes, things look and work a lot better.

Sam said:

1. Dan Jennings was slightly overhyped. He’ll be good, but seriously, what has he done recently? (Also, last night’s color commentator was certainly interested in Dan Jennings. Disturbingly so.)

2. Who was the white dude clanging free throws at the end of the game? Did we let Mark Lowther get in the game, or was that somebody else?

3. Devin Ebanks perpetually looks like he isn’t trying. He had the least impressive double-double in the history of basketball last night. Is this just what he’s like? Because it seems like he’d destroy teams if he ever showed up with his serious face on.

I think Jennings was hyped because of his personal story and his basketball potential. Quite a combination. Overhyped? Eh, maybe, but there is a lot to be excited about there. The clanker was Cam Payne, who, interestingly enough, used to wear No. 33 and had to change it this season because it is to be retired sometime soon in honor of Hot Rod Hundley. Casey Mitchell, however, is wearing No. 33 this year … and isn’t doing so well. Cursed? As for Ebanks, his big games aren’t always going to be impressive. They run virtually no plays for him — whereas WVU rank a ton of stuff for Joe Alexander. Devin gets his by cutting, rebounding and running. Not only that, but his worst moments are when he plays fast and tries to do too much. He’s much better when he doesn’t play like he’s double parked.

Sam said:

My point wasn’t that Jennings won’t eventually be a great player for us – I think he will be. But as of right now, this absurdity that we got at the beginning of the season – “Dan Jennings will do one incredible thing every game!” – seems a bit overblown. He looks and plays like a freshmen.

I also didn’t mind the color commentator last night. She got killed this morning on Morgantown radio. I just thought her…uhh…”enthusiasm” for Dan Jennings was a bit strange.

…I think he’s averaging 1.1 incredible plays per game. I’ll have to double check that one.

OB1 said:

Rosie Palmer? That’s nothing. I once saw Loraine Abdul (Paula Abdul’s mother) sing the national anthem. She brought it my friend. Served it up hot and nasty like a Chili’s hot plate.

Sounds like they were both a handful.

overtheSEC said:

Regarding Flowers shooting the Bull sign–I freaking love it.

Regarding another Flowers activity I swear I’ve seen several times this year and would love a picture of it or simply someone backing me up–has anyone noticed that before free throws when the teams do their impromptu huddles in the lane, I swear that more than once this year I’ve seen Flowers emerge from the opposing team’s huddle. If I’m not imagining it, it’s great. It makes me think of two hand touch games where you’d pause at the line of scrimmage and listen to the other guy’s plays. Can anyone confirm this? If I am imagining it, just please ignore me.

Oh, I wouldn’t doubt it. This is a team full of characters and colorful personalities. The players and coaches are demonstrative and quite active and talkative in a game. And yet Flowers has emerged as maybe my favorite person to watch. Try it sometime, if you get to see a game in person.

The 25314 said:

What is your opinion on designing the final play (presumably) for Da’Sean to shoot a three-pointer, in light of the fact that he was 4-19, 3-11 at that point, and seemingly couldn’t buy a jump shot, in addition to the fact that WVU was completely dominating Notre Dame and presumably would have continued steam rolling them in OT?

We’re talking Notre Dame here. That wasn’t the intended play. The original plan was to get the ball high and then pass it low to Kevin Jones, who would
have the option to shoot or pass out for a jumper. Notre Dame had a foul to give and used it. Huggins said WVU expected that. The ball came in from a different spot on the floor with eight seconds to go. The Irish covered the play to Jones and without a timeout Butler had to improvise. At that point, 4-for-19 or not, he’s the best option. I thought WVU would have gone for the win, especially on the road and having spent so much energy getting back into the game. The Mountaineers thought otherwise with the first play — probably because they, like you, felt momentum, was theirs — but Butler said once he opted out of the play he was going for the win. I’m OK with it. Remember, these guys have done a lot of end-of-the-game stuff already this year. That’s not a bad thing.

rekterx said:

As far as Harangody’s flops, it is just one of many things he does very well on a basketball court. They don’t bother me in the least. It’s actually kind of fun to watch him because he seems to instinctively understand within a split second that now is the time to flop and this is how to do it. Tremendous game awareness.

WVU is not a fan of the flopping. Not from Harangody or from anyone and it was especially clear in the Joyce Center. That said, it is a matter of how you play the game and Harangody got his team some free throws and some points when the Irish needed them. At some point, you’ve got to back off the guy, right?

Dave said:

“As far as Harangody’s flops,” kind of coincidental that a guy with what can be described as “possum eyes,” knows how to instinctively play possum.

Well played. I wrote this over the summer and it’s worth repeating. There is a slow-growing movement to penalize floppers in college basketball. I’m not sure how it’d happen, but I’d love to see them try.

Sam said:

When it comes to flops, guys need to chase down the floppers and destroy them with fouls. Remind the refs what is, and what isn’t, a foul.

Look, I’m not going to encourage hooliganism, but it’d be hypocritical for me to discourage it, too.

Alli said:

I guess several hundred UT students tried to start a riot over this. Does that mean WVU fans are no longer considered the “jilted ex-lovers” of the college football world?
(Sorry for the double post)

Hey, vindication! I fear there’s more disappointment coming for the Volunteers.

Jeff in Akron said:

I have a couple of questions about all of this shuffling.

First, I wonder if Pete sets a self induced stitch limit in Owen’s developmental goals for the next year?

Second, I wonder if Boyd and his father are still happy kicking Oll Stew and WVU to the curb? Life’s little pleasures.

Hmmm, good points. I think Owen and Carroll probably hit it off and go surfing together and finish the afternoon with a couple of coasters. I also wonder if Father Boyd is involved in the hiring process at UT.

oklahoma mountaineer said:

Any doubts Doc is no longer a Mountaineer…….look at two of his targets for this weekend….
http://www.herald-dispatch.com/sports/x300707581/Holliday-tries-to-load-Herd

How great is it when you get nearly $1M back from former employees

http://www.charlestondailymail.com/Sports/WVUSports/201001150076

Mike, why does the money go to the general fund when the salaries from coaches are paid through MAC????

Procedure, I guess? The easiest explanation I can offer is to not worry about it: The money finds its way to the right places.

Lilybelle said:

Please make it stop! No more Cotton Eye Joe!!!! It’s embarrassing, and once again puts West Virginians in a bad light.

Once again!

Dave said:

Don’t get me wrong, I cannot stand the song and it makes me cringe every time I hear it. I change channels if I’m watching the game on television or FF through it if it’s tivo’d.

To me, I never understood why they replaced some of the band’s time to shine with music. In the 70’s and 80’s, the band rocked. Then they made some modifications (added a drumset instead of the regular marching band instruments) and moved away from what I thought was a great setup. Since then, they seem to have moved toward more pre-recorded music and it’s gone downhill ever since (IMO).

Yes, the song in question is a dumb song that conjures up images of backwoods hicks and the stereotypes that WV’ians have tried to shed. But the fact is that as long as people react to it, it will be played. When I was younger, I wondered why there were so many dumn songs on the radio … the reason is because that’s what people were asking for and dancing to. Basically, it wasn’t “dumb” to them and they were having a “good” time. To each their own, I guess.

But playing the song, or the song itself, does not “make” fans look like a bunch of uneducated rednecks (as Julie referenced). The idiots who start slappin’ their knees and jumping up and down do.

To me, the band should be used to pump up the crowd, as it did years ago. Pre-recorded music should not … it has nothing to do with WVU and in this case, makes people look like fools.

But as long as people react, it will be played. It makes one wonder … why do the fans get up and make noise when that idiotic song is on instead of cheering their own team?

So good. As much as I dislike the one with the cotton eye, he’s damn popular. I think that’s what’s most aggravating. And I agree on the band. They’re great in the pregame, so why not in the game? The Big East Tournament is at the Garden. The school bands carry the day. Two of the best places I’ve watched games — and this is serious — are James Madison (Electric Zoo!) and George Mason (Doc Nix and the Green Machine) because of their bands. That said, you’ve got to incorporate the sound system and some hip music. There’s a balance out there.

Jeff in Tidewater said:

I don’t think this song is unique to WVU games…I hear it being played during a LOT of games all over the country. Last night at the Florida/Kentucky game for instance. It’s friggin’ everywhere! I would love for the song to be officially banned from any and all public gatherings!!!!!

Let me assure you, it is everywhere. And it does need to be banned. I will not argue this.

ltlbityjen said:

Just wanted to add that last night while watching the bball game I heard them play Cotton Eye Joe. We can’t escape it.

Told you.

Julie said:

Why were are at it, could we do something about non-athletes being on the floor? The YMCA guy does NOTHING for WVU’s image either.

/ducks
//prepares for reaction

The 25314 said:

I’ve been told Cotton-Eyed Joe is the redneck’s Soulja Boy.

Julie: “The YMCA guy” is RJB, and for the success of our teams, we need more of him, not less.

Sorry, Julie, but we’ll fight for RJB — in fact, we almost have. Two years ago, and then again last year, we tracked what happened immediately after RJB’s YMCA. WVU always rallied or put the game away, with rare exceptions. Also, Timmy Higgins doesn’t like RJB too much. For many, that’s reason enough to keep him around.

JL said:

My suggestion: “We Shootin’ Threes” by Patrick Beilien and Mike Gansey

I tried to block that out. FYI, Mike made the transaction wire last week and has been killing it ever since the trade.

Erinn said:

This song could bring down the roof. Seriously. If you could get the crowd to know the words and belt them out. If you could get crowd to get all the claps and the “hay!”s. AND if you can get the video on the big screen to feature a montage of sick WVU dunks that get hammered in on all the “hay!”s … This could be fun.

Can we get a crowd rehearsal?

I couldn’t neglect all the submission for the Coliseum playlist. It was too good to include here, so I’ll get into it separately next week. I did get a couple comments and email about the Muse song mentioned here. I think it’s definitely in the mix, as well as a few other suggestions. We can do this!

OB1 said:

Erinn-

No crowd rehersal needed. Just put it in the hands of YouTube Instructional Wizard Jay Redmon.

 Enjoy the weekend!