Welcome to the Friday Feedback, which has the EXCLUSIVE on the SEC’s covert presence in Morgantown this week …

But let’s begin with Ken Kendrick and a conversation that honestly started Wednesday with baseball. I clue you in on my schedule and my intentions because I’ve already received nonsensical messages this morning, both good and bad, that are presenting this all wrong.

I don’t know who is perpetuating the idea that I took someone’s advice and called Kendrick , or that I’ve been sitting on this a while because no one is allowed to speak to the media and that I callously chose to drop it at the worst time,  or whatever theory has been bandied about out there. I called to talk baseball. Wednesday.

Then Thursday happened and TCU left abandoned the Big East and panic tightly gripped WVU’s fans. Some things Mr. Kendrick and I  grew to talk about later on in a 40-minute conversation rose to the surface. Thursday was a puzzling day. People I spoke to were surprised and saddened and for obvious reasons. Others were just astonished. It was the first time I sensed a little uncertainty amid what had been perpetual optimism. Whatever the reaction, the conversation from the day before with Kendrick, I thought, was a good supplement to the day’s news.

I have to admit, some of the things that are happening right now are curious. I see that it’s a struggle to understand and even more difficult to accept. Yet when Ken Kendrick starts comparing conference expansion to mergers and acquisitions, when he adds color to gray areas by explaining the relevance of media rights at the end of week peppered with the significance of the Big 12’s media rights deal, that matters.  When he says, “That part is probably not as easy to communicate to the public,” and I realize he can help communicate it to the public at a time when people want something, then the topic changes.

He wasn’t negative or positive. He was realistic. He didn’t deny knowing things that were taking place, but he did say he’s preoccupied and perhaps he’d know more when his season ended. He didn’t forecast the end of intercollegiate athletics at WVU and he didn’t predict WVU would be forever ignored in this process. He talked about a topic.

He didn’t say anything that was completely new, but he did articulate it quite well. WVU is, thus far, left out of this wave of expansion and that’s almost absurd to many, but there is an explanation, in Mr. Kendrick’s eyes.

“The general theme as I understand from people back in West Virginia is that we’ve had some outstanding teams on the field, very good success, devoted fans throughout the state, but that a dominating factor with the larger conferences is the media rights they can obtain for their members,” Kendrick said.

“The schools that they choose bring media markets to the table that maybe that conference doesn’t have and now they can enhance their package in negotiations with whomever the carrier is, whether it’s Fox Sports or CBS or others without naming them.

“I think West Virginia, just as a fact, is in a tough place. We don’t have a major city. We don’t have a major media market at all – and I mean that as no disrespect. There’s nothing wrong with that. But it is a small state with small towns.”

Kendrick said things are similar in baseball, which produces significant revenue from its local media rights because there is a lot of content for a large number of games. The regional sports networks focus on that content and what can be made from it.

“The volume of content is the same with Pittsburgh and Phoenix,” he said. “If you look at the number of television sets and the number of people who will buy cable and therefore pay the fee for our games on their network, we outdistance Pittsburgh, just like we’re outdistanced by the Yankees and New York.

“That’s what it’s all about. These guys pay a fee and they want a return. The return is the number of subscribers. West Virginia just isn’t up on that list when compared to other schools and those factors are more of the drivers for these decisions.”

Apologies to Mr. Kendrick for pulling the switcheroo, but I do have a neat little baseball story ready to go. See you in November.

Now, what to make of this meeting with the Big East presidents today? I think it is what it is. It’s intended to be largely constructive. It may be aggressive and pass out invitations. It might even move a lot closer, or all the way, to a vote on the exit fee and the 27-month period  — and that part might have to precede invitations even though a few schools don’t want to get there today.

A lot of people have expressed to me their desire to see WVU withdraw from the conference. I don’t see any sense in that unless it’s followed by the immediate admission into another conference. And I don’t see that, either, but, since I believe now more than ever that nothing is impossible, I guess it’s possible WVU has this all mapped out and is executing the greatest act of espionage ever, one TCU intercepted and used as its incentive to leave the Big East, one that ends with Missouri staying put, one with Oliver Luck helping Big East schools find new homes and one with WVU standing tall at the end as the SEC’s 14th team.

Onto the Feedback. As always, comments appear as posted. In other words, bend the rules.

p.i. reed said:

i am stunned by the lack of reporting by local media on this, a story of tremendous importance

I bet you mean the lack of articles. Trust me, plenty of reporting going on here. I’ll express a frustration by the lack of articles, but you go with what you get and, speaking for myself, I can’t go with a lot of the things I’ve gotten. I can tell you one thing I was considering writing before would have turned out totally wrong. I think a lot of people are having a hard time finding tangible, transferable information that passes the editor’s test. And I think others just don’t care. Don’t put them in the same canister.

JP said:

P.I., I hear ya, but I think there’s a media blackout on Luck and Clements’ end.

That’s not true. They just won’t comment on TCU, for example, but neither has the Big East. The only comment from a Big East personality I’ve seen is Susan Herbst, who hasn’t met a situation unworthy of her comment. And, technically, TCU hasn’t made the move yet. Semantics, I know. As for Luck and Clements, they don’t want to stir or spoil spirits without being able to back up what they say and anything they say is going to be thin. Let’s also consider that if something is afoot, they’re not sharing. I will say this, though: Very small and tight inner circle. Not an excuse or even a complaint. Just the truth. And like I said before, a source of my frustrations.

glibglub said:

On the road last two days and missed lots it appears, including LSU’s jet and Thriller zombies in at Bent Willey’s. Speaking of fictional creatures in pop music, did I mention I saw Mike Slive with a Chinese menu in his hand, walking through the streets of Motown in the rain? He was looking for a place called No. 1 Super Buffet. Gonna get a big dish of beef chow mein.

Also, I saw Chuck Neinas drinking a PBR at Mario’s Fishbowl. And his hair was perfect.

I imagine Chuck Neinas goes through a hell of a process to order at Mario’s. He has to consider all options and outside candidates. He must vet references and testimonials. Then there’s the whole interview process. And that’s just for the flavor of wings.

Shannon said:

This is the biggest male soap opera this side of professional wrestling.

Agreed, but we need some steel chairs. TCU swung a big one Thursday. I was wondering if the Big East might think about a web cam for today’s meeting. Say it’s behind closed doors. Say word comes that Louisville is leaving. Michael Hayes pops up on the feed. “Our guys in the truck are telling us there’s an incident in the back.” Cut to the back and Marinatto is laid out. A steel chair is on one side and a Papa John’s pizza box is on the conference table. I bet you Army joins on the spot.

Drew said:

I can’t believe Marinatto wasn’t fired.

Without him this conference has little hope. With him it has none at all.

He’s good for basketball. Those schools like him. He hasn’t hurt them at all. In time, he might actually be helping them.

p.i. reed said:

Is there something I am missing/not reading that makes so many confident here of a new landing spot, particularly in the SEC?

Inferno fueled by the Internet. It’s produced a lot of smoke. Just seems so strange to me Missouri is not the one the SEC wants, yet the SEC is still waiting for the school it doesn’t want to make up its mind.

p.i. reed said:

man, there’s a lot of sec chatter on the twitter machine tonight

See!

Karl said:

P.I. — I, for one, am not brimming with confidence that we’ll be invited to another conference. Yes, WVU is the strongest football program left in the Big East and arguably all the non-AQs and indys (except ND). We’ve got a traveling fanbase, a well-monied athletic dept., and plenty to brag about on the field this last decade. Unfortunately, none of that seems to be a factor in the conference shifts. If it were, the ACC wouldn’t have taken the WORST program in the Big East in the post-Miami-VT-BC exodus years and another that’s been consistently middle of the pack.

I think we need to be prepared for the possibility that things might not go our way. I worry that if WVU sits around waiting for the SEC or Big 12, that call may never come, and in the meantime, the conference we will continue getting picked apart and get weaker. Then we’d be in hopeless shape. I’m in the minority on this, but I prefer a retooled Big East. Get the service academies, maybe a few mid-majors or football onlys, and lock everyone down.

The Big 12 will never be stable as long as the Longhorn Network exists. It would be terrible as a fan, too — we’re nowhere near those schools. That will impact recruiting. As far as the SEC, yeesh. I just don’t don’t like the idea of my alma mater getting in bed with all these filthy Johnny Reb schools.

I hear everything you’re saying, but I can say with certainty WVU and its leadership has talked to the leadership in every conference — be it the league executives or presidents and athletic directors at the schools. It knows quite well where it stands in relation to others and relative to the situation. It’s just that the interest isn’t exactly reciprocal. WVU is in line, but so, too, are others.

JP said:

If the Answer Dude says the SEC chatter is hooey, then I’ll start believing it

I’ll be waiting.

r said:

Students are saying: Slive reported seen in Morgantown today.

Oh! This is my favorite, and I mean this as no offense to you, r. Everyone has a cell phone that can take pictures or shoot video or both. And no one got a picture of him. Also, everyone here follows this closely, to some degree. What does Mike Slive look like?

Bill said:

Did I hear right that SEC has no men’s soccer? Hopefully our guys could stay in the big east.

Correct. South Carolina and Kentucky play in CUSA. I highly doubt the Big East lets WVU leave as a football school and participate in other sports because it’s convenient. It’s a big deal people overlook here. Now, the SEC and Big  12 both have women’s soccer, so you wouldn’t have to get rid of that sport. Or add that sport. Might have to add others. See where I’m going here?

pushthebutton said:

Mike,
You asked if the novelty might wear off during a 14-year drought in between conference tittles (assuming an SEC move). Sure it might.
But the alternative is ZERO novelty in a non-BCS league. What is the novelty in having successful seasons against teams nobody cares about going to mid-tier bowls? Further, who is to say that level of success would continue without the tv money that comes from being in a BCS league.

Well, yeah, but do you believe WVU ends up in a non-AQ league? I can’t see that … but the TCU move does give me pause. Remember, the Big East was going to be able to count TCU’s BCS data from this cycle when the next BCS cycle is negotiated after 2013. That’s gone and you can’t add a team that replaces it. My point is there is a consistent financial demand involved in this transition. The finances come mostly from football. Success in football creates better finances. Etc. I do see your point, though. It is the logical counter to mine.

Grumpy said:

Ok two good things happened in the game. The offense scored consecutive the rest of the game that we didn’t have to punt again. The offense scored enough that the kick coverage got extra practice.

I know you kid, but you’re right about the extra practice. That ended up being very important to Holgorsen: “We were firing people left and right and trying new people left and right and firing and rehiring and replacing and moving people around,” Holgorsen said. “That’s been something that we’ve been doing, but we did it throughout the course of the game due to the face we had a lot of opportunities. There’s nothing like live work for that unit, which we do get in practice, but we’ve got to do it in a game. Due to the fact we had a lot of reps at it, we had a chance to get 23, 24, 25 guys in the game on that particular unit.”

pushthebutton said:

ESPNU was replaying the last few minutes of UConn and Western Michigan this morning.
I watched. UConn is terrible. That is all.

Noted. Dana disagrees. Says they could be 5-0 … and consider 24-21, 24-20 and 38-31 losses, the latter decided by a UConn fumble at the WMU 13 with 45 seconds to do.

SheilYbuti said:

I’m struggling, trying to think of an appropriate post . . . ow, OW . . . my typing finger . . . cramp . . . hurts . . . OW! . . . I’ll get back to you in a moment.

You must sit out the rest of this edition.

Sam said:

How about somebody assigned to each game to legitimately injure fakers? In other words, a guy goes down, play stops, trainers come out, he hops back up, walks off the field, a guy in a steel-toed boot is there to meet him with a hard kick in the shin. Problem solved.

I’d sponsor this legislation.

Jeff in Akron said:

Not to make light of the issue of faking injuries, but comparatively speaking, I would prefer to complain about teams faking injuries because WVU is scoring so many points than to complain about WVU needing to score points to begin with.

On the complain-o-meter, WVU is definitely in the green. Besides it is fun watching Holgorsen mouth stuff (anything) at officials when it happens.

I heartily agree with the last point. It’s the prevailing reason I record games now.

glibglub said:

You need to have some kind of credentialed, independent verification that there is or is not an injury. I say bring in @DrJulianSanders. #ifitstweeteditmustbetrue

The same guy who’s been asking me for information and then telling people everything he knows?

Robert said:

If they player is hurt then he need to set out for a certain time limit, not just one play. Make it 5 mins, if they are actually hurt then they need to take a break to make sure that it is not serious. If they are not hurt then they are lost from the game for 5min.

Absolutely. I’d say at least the entire series. There needs to be more than this one-play minimum. Kind of upset I didn’t cram that into the column space.

Bill said:

Wow that was pretty direct. I like it though. I know how fickle our fan base can be but if we really expect to be an SEC-like team, we need to prove we can show up for ALL the games. I’ll be there this weekend. Looking forward to getting back to Morganhole after a couple years of just away games

I think Dana had enough of hearing one thing and seeing another. But, yes, direct. I think that’s just who he is and how he rolls. Don’t have to like it, but you might want to get used to it.

Karl said:

The only thing he said which I didn’t appreciate was his referring to WVU as “this place.” It makes it sound like he feels no connection with the Mountaineer community. I would really hope that’s not the case at this point. “This place” is your home now, Dana. Embrace it.

That was the line that caught the attention of everyone in the room — and I would include Dana in that. Might not have known or remembered his audience and its pride/sensitivity at that very moment. Or he was very aware and played on it. Either way, powerful sentence. A bunch of you said this and I’m inclined to agree: He’ll change the way a lot of people feel about him when he begins to connect with West Virginia. If he doesn’t …

The 25314 said:

Who cares if he refers to WV as “this place.” We hired him to win football games, not to rub vaseline on our heinies and tell us West Virginia is special and different than anywhere else.

And then there’s that part of the audience … but won’t you feel better about the guy when he does give you a hug?

wvu304 said:

We hired him as head football coach, which involves much more than x’s and o’s. Like it or not, there’s a lot of PR duties that come with the job.
As far as “who cares?” Are you familiar with West Virginians?
As Hertzel said, “Well, let me tell you about this place. It’s a place that gets ripped enough from the outside that it doesn’t need to [be] ripped from within…”
I’m not saying coach doesn’t have a point. I just makes me uneasy, because I’ve seen it my whole life. West Virginians, especially WVU fans, are touchy, and defensive. Directness can be refreshing, but an ounce of discretion would be wise. Huggs has earned his right to candor. Holgs has not yet.

Huggins was around more than five games, but he was also from the “One of Us” fraternity, so I think he had a little more credibility to his words. I also think many of the  people who don’t automatically or enthusiastically like Holgorsen, or who just don’t like him, will seek and embrace opportunities to dislike him — and that is probably the same everywhere.

Erinn said:

Sounds like an argument for why we shouldn’t be considered for the SEC, don’t you think?

I don’t know the specifics, but I do know there are no accidents. And I do know, in this instance, one is tied to the other.

Jeff in Akron said:

Look, Holgorsen replaced the previous coach because of sagging attendance, of course it is going to be a hot topic for him in his first year. How does Holgorsen look if his attendance does not improve over the previous regime?

If the students do not decide to come out and support the football team, Holgorsen/Luck will do what Huggins did and reduce the student section. To me, today was just the first notification that the process has begun.

And let’s connect the previous two comments: If WVU has no traction toward entering a new conference, or minimal, and the crowds are tame and thin, don’t you think Luck and Holgorsen take note and control what they can control? I think that makes sense.

JC said:

That bring said, don’t try to start a tradition with the Mantrip them cancel it after three home games because of weather…….just sayin’

I’m with you. You don’t see the coal miners checking out early.

Hunterdon said:

Say what you want about the economy, why it’s better to watch at home, why the students aren’t there etc., but empty seats look bad. You can’t pretend to be a big time program if you can’t even fill your stadium week in and week out. We can throw out statistics about the percentage of the populations that comes, etc., but recruits aren’t going to care that 35% of Morgantown comes to games. They are going to see entire sections empty and think that people don’t care about the program.

Erinn – I agree, Pitt 2005 was the coldest I’ve ever been in my life; I didn’t think it was possible to be that cold. But my entire family stayed until the end. We still laugh about that game and even bought each other Christmas gifts to prepare us for the next season.

I think that’s the point Dana was trying to make. There are elite programs and there is this. This is not that. There’s a variety of reasons, ones I’d have to believe he’s aware of, but his point remains.

The 25314 said:

LSU is contending for a National Title. WVU is not. It was 80 and sunny in Baton Rouge. It was 40 and MISERABLE in Morgantown. LSU had only played one home game. WVU was playing its 4th in 5 weeks, with another the next week. Baton Rouge has 800K people, with 1.2 mil in New Orleans, 1.5 hours away. Morgantown has 120K people, with 304K in Charleston, 2.5 hours away. Bowling Green was a perfect storm of reasons not to attend.

Look at WVU’s attendence figures in 2007 when it was contending. People filled it up every game. If Holgorsen brings us back to that level, people will come. But as we know through conference shuffling, West Virginia has a small population and there is not much we can do about that besides staying home on a cold, wet, Saturday afternoon and making babies.

Again, I think your second point is his point. Silly to think he doesn’t identify and understand certain elements we cannot ignore. I think he stirred the pot because he wants to avoid another lousy crowd and because he believes he’s onto that 2007-level success. So, he wonders, why not be a part of it now?

Patchy said:

I attend every home game (blue lot pass etc.) and more than few road games. I don’t believe it gives me more of a right to comment but it does provide some context.

1) Fan loyalty and interest burns hottest when it is kindled from birth. Ohio State or Alabama fans have baby pictures (and every other kind) of them in school colors. There are more than enough of them enrolled at those schools and at the stadium for every game i.e. the student section is oversubscribed. I hate to keep picking on out of state students but there are heaps of them and the fact is they were wearing any number of team colors other than WVU until they arrived in Motown. Individual out-of-staters may be as loyal as any fan but obviously that isn’t the case for the larger population.

2) Police et al do they best they can with what they have to work with but Morgantown’s infrastructure is woefully inadequate and getting worse even on non-game days. Developers have run roughshod over cowardly zoning and planning types. The only quasi-expressway within the 79/68 triangle was 705 and it has been turned into the Mileground Pt 2 albeit with a bit of landscaping thrown in. I know people as close as Fairmont who, right or wrong, have decided it simply isn’t worth 1-2 hrs to get from MF to the Interstate.

3) In conjunction with #2: we hear plenty of PR about beer sales, but quite a bit less about the elimination of pass-outs. We know Luck et al would like you to forget they ever existed but whether you agree with the policy or not it also has had a definite impact on some people’s decision to attend.

No. 3 is interesting because I know a number of people who didn’t go into the Norfolk State game because they didn’t want to go in and want to leave at halftime of a blowout and then not get back inside. I know a number of people who chose to tailgate before the Bowling Green game and the head home without ever entering the game. Re-entry policy does impact both decisions.

JC said:

Sounds like most are missing the point:

1). Holgs mentioned the students several times, which as many have said already, is a problem. If the students don’t start showing up consistently, reduce the amount of tickets available. Most big time schools don’t even let freshman go to games unless they buy a general admin ticket.

2). If you have the means and the time, then go. That’s all he’s saying. No one is expecting folks to spend all their money or neglect family or other responsibilities. Don’t take his assertions so personally…..

If you can go, then go!!!! Move on…..

And No. 1 is interesting here, too.

Dave said:

This thread is absolutely hilarious because it is rehashing the fundamental issues that I’ve put forward for a few years.

Yeah … WVU doesn’t sell out, the students don’t show … SURPRISE!

Dave!

JP said:

Lost in all this hubbub is Mike C. getting the water bottle during his first question. How did you keep from laughing?

But he told me he agreed with my question. I think the water bottle was for emphasis.

Patchy said:

I find it amazing that recruiters expend significant energy on punters and kickers since many of them are streaky and occasionally never get their touch/confidence back. Why not focus on walk-ons who a) don’t cost a scholarship, at least initially and b) make the team by exhibiting good form i.e. talent and/or a timely streak?

Remember, it was a big, big deal in 2004/2005 when WVU gave Pat McAgee and Scott Kozlowski scholarships … and Kozlowski redshirted in 2005. Schools routinely oversign and WVU was giving precious scholarships to special teams players. You see a lot of schools prescribe to the walk-on theory and for proof check the schools with kickers or punters wearing a number in the 90s.

JC said:

Any room in the budget for recruiting trips to Australia or New Zealand?

You have to think about it now, right?

overtheSEC said:

Patchy, did you watch the LSU game? If not for the play of Tyrann-o-saurus, Brad Wing was the MVP of that game. Pat McAfee’s are hard to come by, and I get that that’s part of your point, but I think it’s very much worth the time and energy. Dude was the 5th best kicker coming out of high school.

That’s true, too. If you find a good one, go get him. If you have a good one, you’re better for it. I think you’re both right, which leaves us at this fork in the conversation: Nice to have one, but to what lengths do you go?

jtmountaineer said:

Maybe Kilicli can ask around Turkey to see if any young soccer players might want to try out some American football.

Yes, please. For one, the kid would be unflappable. There is no more hostile crowd than a Turkish soccer crowd. I can also sport my FC Fenerbahce kit.

Homer said:

I would just use this opportunity to say I wasted a couple of precious minutes by researching the worst positive-yardage punts in WVU history. Corey Smith is on the list but the worst I found was a 2-yard punt by GENE SIMMONS in 1948. Much better career as a face-painted bassist.

Enjoy the weekend!