Welcome to the 150th edition of the Friday Feedback — hold your applause, please. And you should know, we were in negotiations and almost moved today’s Feedback to Chuck McGill’s Marshall blog, just because it’s the hip thing to do these days.

Moving on, the good great news is we’re almost there. Just have to surf through the next week and then we’re good to go. Big East media day is Aug. 2 and Keith Tandy, Bruce Irvin, Geno Smith and Dana Holgorsen will quite likely be in the middle of the circus in Rhode Island. They might even get to talk a little football, if they’re lucky. I’m not lucky enough to attend and we’ll rely on the work of others, but I’ll get my feet on the ground soon thereafter. Players report Aug. 4 and practice — practice! — begins Aug. 5.

Not sure what I can promise on my end because I just don’t know how Holgorsen is going to structure things. Is the media allowed to attend? I would wager on yes, but for how long? What part? What’s off limits? All of that, of course, could limit the picture and video content I share here, but, who knows? Maybe not. Then again, not sure how many times I can show a victory drill or fumble recovery practice, anyhow. Maybe we can liven it up. And maybe you have ideas.

Onto the Feedback. As always, comments appear as posted. In other words, when life hands you lemons, you better get that damn permit. (Aside: First reaction is to say the officers must have something better to do — except it’s true. People are getting stabbed near Cay Creek, for crying out loud, and Midway officers are now being threatened for their actions.)

pknocker40 said:

Movember (the month formerly known as November) is a moustache growing charity event held during November each year that raises funds and awareness for men’s health.

– “Hard stubble on my right. My center is itchy. Impossible not to scratch. Situation excellent. I tousle.”

Yep, that’s what I’d remember about Movember.

This isn’t a joke. Not at all. It’s tremendously tremendous. I can’t wait. It’s going to get more than slightly out of control around here that month. I can’t promise you many things, but I can promise you that.

Drew said:

Could someone please explain to me how to pronounce Bogaczyk?

buh-GAH-chick

hershy112 said:

Painted the court the wrong colors? Wow, how does one mess that up?

I would argue it’s harder to mess it up than it is to do it just right.

pknocker40 said:

Ken Kendrick might be able to recommend a painter….

Uhoh! He’s off to a strong start today, folks!

Josh24601 said:

Is a different paint scheme being applied to the Coliseum floor, or is just being re-painted as is, adding the new charge circle in the lanes?

If it’s the latter, that’s just damn impressive. Russ Sharp chuckles from beyond, remembering the wrong-blue turf delivered to Mountaineer Field a few years ago.

I’m not sure. Didn’t seek clarification like I probably should have, but I’m thinking the latter. Huggins likes the floor as it was. And the error was significant enough to bounce the team out of there for two days. Whatever the case, though, they used the wrong colors. I really hope it was, like, red and black, but I’m not that fortunate.

Dave said:

I read that Hinds is not even enrolled yet and whether or not he will is “unknown” by Huggins.

With the Keystone Cops scenario with Stewart and some of the football recruits, how does the university not know in July whether a kid is going to be enrolled for the fall semester? College basketball, at this level, for this type of coach, and with a trip to Italy on the line, seems like it would be pretty high on the priority list of things to make sure get done ahead of time.

And I’m sure it was priceless to see Huggins bust up laughing with the new 8 being there on their first day. Coaching has those moments at every level, whether it’s teaching a 6 year-old that baseball is not like kickball, you just can’t pick up the ball at 2nd base and peg the runner in the back to get him out (one of my more curious moments) to the college and even pro level.

You have to remember how careful people must be when talking about this stuff. This one is tricky, yes, but there was also some bad info out there this week — also, the JMU game was not MOVED to FedEx; it was always going to be there. Anyhow, they say he’ll enroll, but whether or not he can make the trip to Italy is the unknown, and, frankly, looking unlikely. There are deadlines to meet for that sort of stuff and, though no one is saying it, nor can they, if he’s trying to get right academically, he might be subjected to other timelines on his end. As a broad example, you can only take tests on certain dates, you get grades/scores back after a period of time and summer school has an end date. So on and so forth. It’s not always possible for both timelines to match up. I’ve been told all along he wasn’t going to be here until late this summer. At first it was late July. Now it looks more like August. Either way, his trip to Italy was always uncertain, at best. Also, anyone get the feeling this season will age Huggins or make him younger with nothing in between?

Foul Shot said:

Still can’t get past the missed FG’s from 13-9.
Sorry Pat.

You can’t? You should talk to him about it. And one of his best friends on the Colts is former Pitt linebacker Clint Session. Think that comes up every once in a while?

Sheil Ybuti said:

I’m sure he feels worse about that than I ever could.

He does and he doesn’t. We talked about it for a while that day — Sssh! I’m saving it. — and he still thinks about it and he’s still made to think about it. But time goes on and he has new conquests and failures, new adventures and chapters to join that one. He did say he’ll never, ever get over it completely, though he also said the experience and the aftermath changed him for the better. He’s no Ray Finkle, though.

The Artist Formerly Known as EER96 said:

Have you seen the Jeff Mullen t-shirts? Come up with your own joke folks…

You think my commenters would do such a — never mind. Of course they would …

pknocker40 said:

I hear the Mullen shirts are only slightly offensive.

Three!

Sheilk Ybuti said:

They can’t be silk-screened, only bubble-screened.

That’s a good — what? Another?

Sheik Ybuti said:

It takes forever to get ‘em out of the drawer. They’re impossible to keep in stock, because you buy 3 and they’re out. If you can’t get it on in 25 seconds, you have to step back 5 yards and try again. And you can’t wear ‘em scuba diving, because they won’t go deep.

Are we done? No? Of course.

pknocker40 said:

I ordered a few to be shipped to Charleston but the deliveryman was instructed to stop at Elkview, two exits short…

Go on. I’ll wait.

hershy112 said:

I ordered my shirts and the deliveryman made it all the way to my driveway, but dropped the box in the street and the shirts got ran over. So I tried again a week later. The same deliveryman makes it to my driveway, drops the box again, ran over again. I’m not sure why they sent the same deliveryman.

Uh-huh.

lowercase jeff said:

the jeff mullen t shirts suck and made the last three years hard to watch when the eers had the ball.

sorry, that one got away from me….

Aaaaaand we’re done.

Drew said:

Are you sure he’s a poet, Mike? He didn’t rhyme once in that entire article.

He’s still too smooth. He reminds me of Business LeBron when he talks. Except, you know, he’s not a cowardly traitor.

philip said:

no rhymes, just reason from this poet. sounds like a man on a mission.

Yes!

rekterx said:

In another life I actually had some job responsibilities that sometimes tied into the Baltimore Juvenile Justice system. Unless you really know the kind of atmosphere Austin is talking about, you just don’t know what kind of world these kids grow up in. There is inner city … and then there is Baltimore. Baltimore is absolutely among the worst of the worst.

With some special attention and creative ideas WVU could offer more than just a football scholarship to a lot of these kids. WVU could offer a lifeline in a raging sea of despair and viciousness. WVU can offer hope for a better future. Daron Roberts is obviously leading the way in understanding this and Tavon Austin is also thinking about more than football.

We could have something special developing here.

Not only that, but I think he’s sincere. If football doesn’t work out, or when it meets its end, I definitely see him back home making the most of his aspirations.

Bill said:

Thank God Tavon chose to be a football player. He was just about the only big time playmaker we had last year, and I am excited to see him back this year. Imagine where we would be without him…..particularly the Pitt game.

I also have a lot more respect for this kid now. Seems to have a good head on his shoulders and I love the fact that he is trying to be a good recruiter for WVU as well as be a positive influence on kids back home.

I don’t understand the comment about the grades though…..whether you play football or basketball, aren’t the entrance requirements the same? Or is it based on the idea that you can skip college and play pro basketball, but not in football?

Good question. First, there are about three times as many basketball schools as there are football schools and the entry requirements are not all the same. To distinguish yourself in football is a little more difficult because of the competition for spots. Secondly, football is more of a far-away goal you have to work toward. If you really want it, you have to go out and do it and get it. Basketball is different. It’s there. And you can hang around home and play basketball and “be thugs,” too. Not a lot of blacktop football or pickup games at the field around the corner. Football is something you can be good at and have take you places. You can do that with basketball, as well, but it’s also something you can just be good at and go nowhere. Basically, a lot of people in Baltimore have the hoop dreams. Some reach them. Some do not. They’re still good players, but they just didn’t make it for certain reasons. I guess. Whatever, it was more of a philosophical observation, one many players and coaches share.

lowercase jeff said:

bill – i think he is saying they make that decision before high school

youplay football for your school

you play hoops in the alley

Something like that, yes.

Sheik Ybuti said:

Tavon playing college basketball, eh? At the highest level, he could have been another Cookie Miller . . . only, you know, successful.

Below the belt. Even Cookie’s belt.

lowercase jeff said:

so we cant host a tournament on our court, but texas’ longhorn network VP can single out unsigned recruits BY NAME and pay their high schools for rights to broadcast their games????

disgusting

the ncaa is a joke

I don’t know about that. The AAU events are recruiting advantages. That’s why schools want them. It just took the NCAA time to get around to that. Again, the problem isn’t the rules. It’s the antiquated nature of the rules. The environment has evolved and lapped the enforcement. High school games are going to be on TV. There’s not stopping that. The NCAA needs to come around on that and monitor and structure it better. Stop worrying about the problem and start worrying about the solution.

NotSoFastMyFriend said:

If this alleged concert doesn’t happen prior to or after a home game, then it really doesn’t matter. Think about it: who in the hell cares if he comes to Morgantown on a non-home game weekend? Conversely, think about it if he DID come and play on the Friday before, the Saturday night after the game? Much more hype would ensue and everyone would be happy.

For the record, I can’t name one song by Paisley but am happy he’s a a WVU fan.

Well, for starters, it’s happening. They were given a significant go-ahead yesterday and permitted to have 6,000 fans on the field and a stage in the middle. It’s happening. It’s not happening before or after a game, though. It’s not possible. It would be ideal and awesome, but it’s just too hard to turn the stadium around from concert to game or from game to concert. I think it would be too hard to even have the concert Sept. 3 or Sept. 5, a day before or after the Marshall game. It has to be an open weekend. I keep hearing Oct. 15. Why does that matter? It’s revenue on an uneventful weekend and provided an ALL-IMPORTANT ECONOMIC BOOST! (Cue violin music)

hershy112 said:

Did someone say Norfolk State game? Talk about fans in the stands if they could pull off a free concert by Paisley after the game. Wow…talk about getting ahead of myself.

Free?!?! Too much Whiskey Lullaby for you, sir.

KMS said:

Wow, mention Brad Paisley and you can really make the distinction between the line that separates WV sports fans and fans of WV. Even if you hate country music, Brad Paisly’s star is a huge one and his love of WV and WVU sports is more than enough reason to get him to Mountaineer Field. Concert will sell out in minutes. I had the pleasure of seeing him in Charleston, but unfortunately he was not feeling well and I feel rather slighted by the lack of performance that I normally hear about from his shows. I could use a redemption concert.

And again, WVU is aligned with another non-college brand. People who don’t know or like WVU or college football will come to the concert. They might even come back. It absolutely doesn’t hurt. I’d say it’s all good, but then people might confuse it with the annual fiasco known as the All Good Music Festival. Definitely don’t want that.

SheikYbuti said:

Over/under on football team members in attendance at concert: 6.5

I’d hammer the over.

rekterx said:

Over/under on head football coaches in attendance at concert: .5

See above.

Jeff in Akron said:

I have to believe, of all the places that Paisley has held a concert, or is scheduled to hold a concert, Mountaineer Field might be tops on his list.

In the spring there was much ado in the news about Paisley holding a concert in Cleveland at Progressive Field. The local sports shows/personalities couldn’t believe that the Indians would do such a thing in the middle of the season. The thought being that it was an obvious play for money, great for AA ball but below what a major league team should/would do.

Sound familiar? To borrow from Sheik, my odds are on Luck clearing all the hurdles necessary to make the concert a reality. Revenue, anyone?

Really, there’s no difference. It’s a business, not a football program. It’s a stadium, not a shrine. The sooner everyone gets over it, the better. People can’t want the things they want from WVU athletics and not allow for some of these new ways to better enable the providers of the things the people want.

The 25314 said:

In its entire football-playing history, WVU has only played 7 home games in 1972, 1984, 1990, 1992, 1993, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010. So the local merchants need not act like it’s an entitlement or even standard practice.

Will the athletic department profit from the concerts? When the Coliseum is used for concerts, has the AD been profiting?

I definitely stole the seven home game stat and used it like a pie to throw in the faces of the outraged. Seven is a number that is big because people keep repeating it, not because it’s some sort of tradition. It’s not going to be so easily attainable in the future, either. People really need to wake up about this stuff or their heads will collapse into their necks in the coming years. Bob Hertzel did point out Pitt has eight home games this year. I’m not even sure what that means. I can’t come back with a counter to that, so perhaps you can, Zip Code, and I’ll steal from you again.

Foul Shot said:

Great, WVU is playing a game in DC.

What, against James Madison?

Just seems the opportunity is there to make a big splash, but the opponent just is not exciting.

No one can or will disagree with the point about excitement. I promise it wasn’t the top choice. But take the cost of paying a I-AA or a non-AQ for a home game — let’s make that a blanket $500,00 figure and assume WVU then nets $1.3-1.5 million — and weigh that against the promises made to WVU for playing the “home” game in D.C. It makes sense to go this way.

Karl said:

Foul — The upside to playing a nobody like JMU is that if the stadium is packed, the credit will be ours and ours alone. There will be no confusion about that. If we play another regional team, that would not be the case. I think there’s some important PR and marketing value to that.

If WVU can pack an out-of-state pro stadium against a 1-AA, it tells the nation that the program is a regional power in the northeast, not just a popular in-state football team. We’re also staking our flag in the DC metro area and claiming it as our backyard, not Virginia’s, Maryland’s, or Virginia Tech’s. That’s bold.

If WVU sucessfully rebreands itself that way, it’s going to reap rewards in recruiting and student enrollment. Suddenly, WVU can be viewed as a viable “stay near home” school, as opposed to the exotic backwoods place it’s been portrayed as historically.

OK, I wanted to get into more depth to the previous comment, but Karl took care of that. JMU is actually a sneaky good opponent here because there is such a strong JMU almuni presence in metro D.C. That shine will still mostly go to WVU, though. And no, there will be no confusion about that. I happen to agree with all that Karl said, but let me put it this way: Even if it doesn’t work out as presented above, isn’t it a risk worth taking? The negative is dispossessing your fans for a weekend, but there’s no way they’re boycotting the product.

Sheik Ybuti said:

“From what I gather, there was an opportunity to have one of these games this season, but the logistics didn’t work. And these weren’t JMU/FBS opponents, either. Top-shelf opportunities and one that’s … it sounds just too good to be true.”

Mike . . . you mean we almost played Kent State?!?!?

Touche.

rekterx said:

First there was beer! Now we move a home game away from Morgantown!

Whatever. Let the whiners whine all they want. And then just ignore them.

When BS and staff, and EP, are finally paid off and we are looking at record profits, which means more money to be pumped into football, the average WV fan who derives his self-esteem from the performance of a college football team won’t be whining.

Good points, and I hope we remember the money owed out there. Maybe not red numbers in the immediate future, but at least black numbers that won’t look so dark.

Adam said:

Ideally, the neutral site games won’t be a FCS opponent. That wasn’t the original plan for 2012. There were much bigger names out there, but there lacked some reciprocal interest to play the game. So it was JMU, which was willing to play the game at a minimal cost. From what I gather, there was an opportunity to have one of these games this season, but the logistics didn’t work. And these weren’t JMU/FBS opponents, either. Top-shelf opportunities and one that’s … it sounds just too good to be true.

Mike, now you’ve got to tell us who these teams were. What were some of the possible details? What was the team that sounded too good to be true? Please tell us!

Well, since Luck mentioned renewing interest in the series, Virginia Tech at FedEx is something people want(ed) to see, but that’s kind of an open invitation. Navy, I hear, was another possibility for 2012. Figure a lot of names are thrown out there and solicited to make it happen. As for the too-good-to-be-true, I have to leave it at that, but if what I gather was true, rest assured by description is apt.

Rick said:

Baltimore, Philly and DC area Alumni are gonna flock to this game, it won’t matter that it’s a I-AA team(sorry I’m not down with the FBS/FCS). Frank Giardina says that it’s going to increase travel for in-state fans. Wonder if the eastern panhandle residendts will be upset about driving 45 min. LESS than they would going to Morgantown? Or was he just talking about Charleston and Morgantown area residents?

pknocker40 Alabama in Charlotte is the most goodiest choice to me. They would have a bigtime home field advantage is ATL. And Beamer won’t play us anywhere.

A lot of people believe WVU fans exist only, or mostly, in Morgantown and Charleston and they’re the loudest objectors here. This game invites and involves a new audience and the opportunity is what will draw them. Spurning the “local” fans is one argument as part of a larger argument. If it’s your only argument, you have no argument here. You’re outnumbered.

Chad said:

Why are so many people all over the Mountaineer network complaining about this game and the “loss of business,” etc…but yet are not complaining about the same thing against the BYU game?

Give it time. We’re five years away from that argument. This is just the topic of the time.

SheikYbuti said:

I assume the MAC donation would be unchanged, but that the actual ticket price would be 6/7 of what it would have been otherwise. MAC donors will undoubtedly get some sort of priority on the FedEx Field seats for that one game (probably the best of the seats that the Redskins’ season ticket holders don’t claim).

Too soon to say for certain, but I believe all of that to be true.

Erinn said:

This is actually great for the Morgantown economy and I’ll tell you why. Bear with me.

Not only did I do it, but I have watched several friends try to juggle their wedding plans around WVU’s football schedule. This is phenomenal news for people who want to get married late summer/early fall of 2012. It is July 21, 2011 and you already know that Sept 15, 2012 is without a home WVU football game. You normally wouldn’t know this early on, would you?

All those hotels that are normally full with football fans could and should be full of wedding guests for all the weddings that could and should occur around town. Same thing for restaurants and anything that can be considered a reception venue. Touchdown Terrace could even make some bank that weekend.

You think about that.

Inside Luck’s office: “When will the flipping wedding industry thank me for this?” But seriously, that, too, is a reasonable point to be made about this. The lost revenue — correction: missing revenue — will be replaced. And it won’t be that big of a dent. Seriously, the whole economic impact argument is overextended. This game isn’t going to be on ESPN, so bars will still have people in attendance watching the game. That’s what people do here. Bar … Morgantown. Usually a good combination. It’s a Saturday in Morgantown, so restaurants will be full. And it’s one weekend. One. I guarantee you no one is going out of business. And I trust all the people playing the sad violin music will cue up Yackety Sax when they gloat about how concerts are supplying revenue opportunities to replace that one lost weekend 60 weeks from now.

Also, I’m going to put this  out there now: If I’m Luck, I hold a watch party at the Coliseum. Charge $10 to park and have a big old “Refugee Weekend” tailgate. Charge $10 to get a seat in the Coliseum and watch the game on the scoreboard.  Sell beer and concessions and laugh all the way to the bank.

P.S.
Mr. Luck, I want 2% for that idea. You’re welcome.

P.P.S
Enjoy the weekend!