Welcome back the Friday Feedback, which will be holding a bake sale at the VFW from 2-5 p.m. today. The Big 12 is for real this time and with that comes road trips that aren’t as affordable to cities that aren’t as accessible as they were in the Big East. I understand your plight, but let’s not be naive: In newspapers, that will matter. I’ve been lucky enough to work at two places that would go to the moon to cover the game and I remain confident that won’t change. It is going to be different and require a different consciousness, though. But, again, that’s not what I’m worried about these days.

The Big East is what I know. There are people in the Big 12, SEC, ACC and Big Ten that I know. There are places in different leagues that I’ve been fortunate enough to travel to through the years. But all my best memories in this job seem to funnel back to the Big East and the cities I’ve traveled to and have gotten to know because I cover a team in the Big East. I’m just crushed about losing the Big East Tournament. It’s my favorite. It’s the best thing ever. I won’t argue this. I’m devastated by realizing I’m covering it one more time. I remember an endless list of great games and plays and players and coaches.

I remember the national anthem and the pregame buzz in the two championship games WVU played. I remember WVU beating Boston College in 2005 and the fans chanting “ACC” again and again … and I wonder what awaits the Mountaineers. I remember Allan Ray pushing Mike Gansey in the back and the crowd gasping when they realized one of the best games they’d ever seen would be decided at the foul line by a shaky free-throw shooter. I remember Da’Sean Butler and exactly what he said after his game-winners in 2010 and I remember Wellington Smith throwing the ball as high and as far as he could when WVU won the title. I remember people crying when “Country Roads” played inside The Mecca. All gone now. It kills me. Goof on the Big East all you want, but you’re losing a huge, huge thing. You’ll be fine on the basketball side. You won’t be the same.

The football will be better, but there are so many memories there, too. Too many to recount, as is the case on the basketball side, but that’s not my point. I think I’m good at what I do, but I’ve honestly measured success a little differently. I always wanted to look back and say I did a good job because I knew that I enjoyed what I did. The Big East guaranteed me that satisfaction. The Big East offers New York City, Chicago, Tampa, Louisville, Cincinnati, Washington, D.C., Philadelphia and New Jersey. These are destinations and I got to go there every year. For work.

There are beautiful campuses at Notre Dame and Marquette and Georgetown and Villanova. There are fantastic basketball venues at Louisville and Pitt and classic old school ones on campus at Villanova and UConn. There are fun football stadiums at Cincinnati and Louisville. I’ve always enjoyed those times. The game and the story mattered, but, again, it’s about more than the games.

I remember going to an Irish Pub in New York with Mike Cherry after the Big East Tournament games in 2005 and trying to figure out what was happening. I remember ridiculous train rides with Justin Jackson whenever we were in Newark for a game in New Jersey or in New York. I remember the crazy blizzard at the Carrier Dome in 2006 and walking to the arena with Dave Hickman, who was bloodied when a plow rolled by and kicked up a cinder that smacked him in the forehead. I remember New Year’s Eve in Milwaukee last year and the guy next to me at the bar who was inconsolable after finding out out his girlfriend was cheating on him with his best friend … Beth.

I remember rolling with Bob Hertzel and hitting old haunts in New Jersey. I remember meeting the gang of street toughs Jack Bogaczyk once belonged to in Covington, Ky., right outside Cincinnati. I remember Jim Laise ruining an outfit when he squeezed a bottle of barbeque sauce too hard and made it explode. I remember the various things Colin and I got into in our two seasons. I remember my beard and my Billy Mays costume for Halloween in Ybor City in 2009. I even remember the many meals I ate alone or the museums or galleries I went to because I’d rather do that than stay in my hotel room. I guess my point is I remember something about every trip and I can tell you where to go to eat a good meal or to be entertained, and now I realize those days are numbered.

New experiences await, and that’s exciting because I can’t wait to get into Texas, but there was nothing wrong with the old ones, the ones I could rely on and look forward to every year. Hate to see it end, really hate to see it end the way we are right now, but this is where we are right now and it’s sad on a bunch of different levels.

As for this weekend, the Kicking Nikki’s get things going when they play host to Georgetown in the women’s soccer Big East semifinals. The men’s basketball season begins tonight with an exhibition against Northern Kentucky. Tomorrow, it’s WVU v. Louisville: Once more with feeling. Live game blog and Texts From Game Day are included. Sunday afternoon Marlon LeBlanc leads his men’s soccer team into the Big East quarterfinals against No. 11 St. John’s.

Onto the Feedback. As always, comments appear as posted. In other words, have a backup plan.

JP said:

If that game proved anything, it’s that Rutgers is still Rutgers.

Remember when Rutgers was chopping wood and turning the corner 2006? Since the win against No. 3 Louisville pushed the Scarlet Knights to 9-0 that season, the team is 36-27 overall and 15-20 in the Big East.

Bill said:

Rutgers: turning the corner since 1896.

… that, too.

Bobby Heenan said:

A couple of X’s and O’s questions after I went back and watched some old WVU defensive highlights….

1) In the Oklahoma Fiesta game we had a couple of zone blitzes with Dingle dropping off into coverage while safeties and/or LB’s blitzing (watch the Quinton Andrews INT on some Youtube highlights). I don’t believe I’ve seen this type of blitz this year. Seems like a nice little wrinkle to the blitz package. Anyone else note anything like this in our blitz package this year?

2) I couldn’t find it on any tape, but I swear on some 3rd and long situations we used to go 4-down lineman (Cooper-DE, Berry-DT, Dykes-DT, Dingle-DE). Am I imagining this? I know Casteel mentioned keeping everything very simple in the spring and fall practices to make sure the D could grasp the fundamentals, but could we be ready to implement another package with Irvin-DE, Miller-DT, Wright-DT, Clarke-DE. I’m not calling for a 3-3-5 overhaul, just a wrinkle because I don’t think our LB’s or Safeties have been successful at getting to the QB on blitzes.

Good observations and I’m positive Jeff Casteel has thought about it as a way to be more effective and, more importantly, more efficient on pass rushes. With regard to No. 1, Dingle was wise player and swift enough to do those things. Personnel matters and WVU does not have the same sort of personnel this season. As for No. 2, it’s again a personnel thing. WVU could do that because Cooper was a linebacker marauding as a defensive end. It was a 3-3-5 that turned into a 4-2-5. On occasion in the past, you’ve seen a safety drop down and turn the 3-3-5 into a 4-3-4. Either way, it was a pass rush and pass cover defense. I don’t think they’d go with your version of the four linemen, only because I’ve never seen it anywhere but the goal line, but I’ve been wondering about using Najee as that Cooper player. Najee did it before and he’s big and quick enough to do it now. I just don’t think anyone on the team is a better option than Irvin.

hershy112 said:

Mike,

You touched on buyouts for individual games and/or series, but what’s the penalty for possibly moving these games to a later year? I know the schedule is pretty full coming up, but even moving these out 5-7 years. How does that work?

No cost. It’s a gentleman’s agreement to do it, though I’ve heard that sometimes you tend to sweeten the payout because times change and the value of the game changes along the way. Not a deal-breaker, though. I think WVU is going to have this kind of an issue with the six-game ECU series.

SheiYbuti said:

Marshall is not “screwed” with a buyout. They get $300,000, the opportunity to switch an away loss for a (relatively) cheap FCS home win, and the chance to audaciously and inaccurately run their incessantly open mouths that WVU dropped them because it was scared to play them.

I have to amend something. The buyout is $150,000. That’s the penalty for a home team ending the game. The visiting team has to pay $300,000 — and you can see what the distinction is made. As for Marshall, they’re already playing a FCS team. Mike Hamrick would rather not play two, but also knows teams can hold him hostage if he has a hole on his schedule in January or July. I’m sure someone will have no problem running with the “scared to play them” angle, though. You’re absolutely correct there.

Bill said:

I have 100% faith in Luck and Clements but this would seem to delay things. When was the last time you heard about a lawsuit resulting in a speedy resolution on a matter? It seems we are quickly running out of time to be officially let go from the Big East in order to work on scheduling, and I am assuming there is no legal precedent for a move like this but not sure if that is good or bad for us. I wonder what happens if we really do say “f-you we aren’t playing in the big east next year, deal with it”.

Well, if there was no lawsuit, there would be an even longer delay. Lawsuits aren’t tidy, but this one served a purpose. WVU wants to expedite its exit. It’s not going to be quick, but it should be quicker now. I’m also sure WVU is working on its schedule already. In their minds, the powers that be are planning a Big 12 schedule and the subsequent number of nonconference games. It would be nice of the Big 12 to figure out what Missouri was going to do so WVU could learn its Big 12 slate. Also, what if something crazy is going on inside the Big 12 right now?

rekterx said:

It’s a little surprising that among the charges against Marinatto and the BE that the suit doesn’t also list “and other stuff too.”

Had to be an error in editing.

Dr. Stern said:

Who wants to bet that when Marinatto was first asked about the day’s “legal filings” he responded that he “wished the best for Ms. Kardashian”?

Good question. I still don’t know which was more of a surprise filing Monday.

philip said:

the fact that the conference was outmaneuvered even after a three-day head start should be entered as evidence of a bad operation.

It’s almost as if there’s a lack of leadership.

AnxiousEER97 said:

I don’t find the specific facts alleged in the Complaint to be all the persuasive based on the claims asserted. Nothing we didn’t already know, at least. And discovery is a two way street. I bet that Pitt and Cuse weren’t the only two teams talking to the ACC prior to the announcement. Ahem. Might be kind of awkward to suggest that the BE is failing to lead when one of the parties challenging that leadership is actively pursuing membership in another league, thus undermining BE leadership. Heck, the filing of the suit might serve to undermine the BE even more …

The words “discovery is a two way street” excite me a lot more than they should. This could be so much fun. I figure the Big East takes the allotted time to respond and then asks for an extension. Could be a while before we see something substantive, which means we might see some sort of a resolution in that time.

Shoot4Show said:

So with the university announcing the intent to leave the conference on 6/30/12 in tandem with submitting payment of the initial portion of the exit fee, and with the BE accepting payment, the BE has given inadvertent, tacit approval of the exit on said date. Do you think the lawyers at Pitt and Syracuse wish they thought of that?

That’s the most interesting part of the filing, I think. Was there a written agreement? It reminds me of the Dusty Rutledge variable in our old lawsuit.

Foul Shot said:

First reaction when I heard this last night was that WVU was being proactive rather than reactive in this whole situation regarding the 27 months.
WVU had to be totally reactive when Pitt and Syracuse are announcing they are leaving and if you believe the media reports of Rutgers and UConn negotiating with the ACC – WVU had to find a home.
The Big East has been leaking oil for months if not years in football.
It is every man for himself and I am glad WVU is pushing the issue toward a quick resolution.

I know there are people who are saddened and embarrassed by WVU’s course of action, but if WVU wasn’t going to be the first to do it, WVU would have been in line. Someone was bound to do this because, as you say, this became about the individual institutions and not the conference establishment a long, long time ago. Presidents and athletic directors are charged with doing what is best for their schools, no matter the action, reputation or collateral damage. They’re also emboldened because they can have the most power in the absence of authority figures. This is bold, this is unfortunate, but this is, on so many levels, a necessity. Let me ask you this: What if … Nebraska did this first to get out of the Big 12? Would that change the way you feel? Just because it’s unprecedented doesn’t mean it’s wrong.

Bill said:

HERE IS WHAT I DON’T GET. Why does the big east care to keep WVU, Pitt, and SYR for 27 months? Aren’t they prepared to invite a zillion other schools very soon who can compete RIGHT AWAY? Why not take all that money from WVU, Pitt, and SYR and let them go? You’re talking over $60 million.

Didn’t Marinatto recently make the statement that they only want schools who want to be here which was the reason why the exit fee wasn’t voted to a higher amount? If there is no rule or law that doesn’t allow teams to leave a conference, why delay the inevitable? Everyone in the world knows which teams are leaving, which are thinking about leaving and which ones want to be here so each new school is free to choose their own destination.

Say these six schools can join the Big East, but can’t do so until 2013. And say the Big East lets the three schools go and banks $60 million. The Big East now has five teams and lose its BCS bid. I think if the Big East can get enough teams in for 2012 — Boise State can’t come in until 2013 — then it will let WVU, Syracuse and Pitt go with a hefty penalty.

glibglub said:

Our intrepid blogger likes lawsuits. I guess they’re interesting in small doses. Is it me, or has WVU been involved in more than its fair share of very public lawsuits in recent years? Companies often post – usually at industrial work sites – the number of accident-free days. Is it intended as motivation or deterrent? Who knows? But sometimes it seems WVU would be justified in posting a sign with the number of days since a lawsuit was last filed. Maybe on a little patch of lawn outside Stewart Hall.

Well, I do read and study contracts and I do like the law and cases, so I’m weird — not that this is a revelation. As for lawsuits, I find it fascinating to see how these dealing pull back the curtain to reveal operations in ways we don’t normally see. Also, I’ll be starting the “Days without a lawsuit” thing soon. Anyone have a tip how I can add it to the side here?

Spatial Angel said:

Must be a negotiating ploy.

If this complaint makes it to court, the Hon. Spatial T. Angel presiding, the Hon. SA would chastise the WVU attorneys for their sloppiness. Then he would give them a pop quiz on the definition of denigrate. Then he would laugh them out of court. It wouldn’t be a mirthful laugh.

No mirth? Fine …

overtheSEC said:

Marinatto needs to stop speaking publicly/issuing statements unless the words “…have accepted an invitation to join the Big East” are included. Are you kidding me?
If this is the way Marinatto makes all of his decisions, his wife had better give him 3 months notice for when she’s going to be “in the mood.”

Mirth!

Karl said:

I read the lawsuit and found the actual argument pretty weak. Saying that the Big East wasn’t taking any action to rebuild and protect its members is not a fact, and it’s very debateable. In fairness, Marinotto et al were trying — they were going after Boise, BYU, UCF, Houston, the service academies, etc. No matter what metrics you wanted to use — BCS stats, wins/losesses, AP/USA finishes — the potential replacements are, in fact, superior teams to the two that defected. Syracuse has been the worst Big East team since the Miami group left. Pitt has never won a Big East title outright. Boise has lost, what, one or two games the last three years?

It is also clear that the Big East leadership’s hands have been tied because its membership has been reluctant to commit to rebuilding. That’s a choice. WVU, Rutgers, UConn, Louisville and possibly the others are all guilty of that. Their well-publicized attempts to leave has made viable replacements reluctant to join and placed their AQ status in greater jeopardy. So, in reality, it’s not a case of the conference not protecting its members, but its members not protecting the conference. WVU’s departure does more damage to the league’s ability to stay solvent than any other member could. I don’t know if that comes out in the counter-suit.

All good points, especially the reluctance to rebuild, which I think is what WVU is aiming at. But consider this as it relates to your original point: All these times the presidents voted and Marinatto was empowered and Marinatto spoke and said or did nothing, it establishes a trend. He was trying. The Big East was acting. We laugh at all that empty rhetoric before, but, in a way, he was leaving a trail back to the beginning of when he was working when WVU alleges he was not.

JC said:

Mike, is Big 12 invitation conditional upon entry on July 1, 2012? If WVU is actually forced to stay 27 months, does it affect their acceptance into the Big 12? Any chance the offer is taken back if WVU cannot escape?

No. Not sure how that theory got out there and then grew legs. It was never a deal with conditions. But it does, perhaps, explain Missouri’s pace. The Big 12 needs 10 for the television contract. It might be  flexible, though. FOX wants it to work with the Big 12 and wants to beat  out ESPN for the next Big 12 contract. The two share the rights now.

Karl said:

Can the Big 12 hold on to Missouri for 2012? If they stayed for one year, wouldn’t that be the practical way for all conferences to proceed and get their affairs in order? The SEC doesn’t need them right away (if they’re going to the SEC).

They can remain partnered for a year, but my sense is it ends soon and Missouri is in the SEC for 2012.

Hang On said:

The presumptive incoming CUSA schools cannot play a BE schedule in 2012 without negotiating additional terms(paying more exit penalties) with CUSA to escape early themselves. WVU, Pitt, and SU should be on the hook for that additional cost, but no more.

I could get behind that. I bet you the College Football CEO would, too.

mike4352:

– Then again, hard to blame Marinatto for the quality of football in the Big East. WVU is linking him to a fiduciary responsibility, but, in theory, Bill Stewart or Dave Wannstedt or Greg Schiano or Skip Holtz would be just as guilty. The product stinks, teams are leaving, the league is in shambles, the AQ is in question and there’s money attached to all that, which then implicates Marinatto, but there comes a point where you have to wonder how involved Marinatto really is in the completed picture.

*********************************

I just can’t agree with you on that one. Had the Big east management atempted to expand to 12 teams back when VT, Miami, and BC left we may not be having this conversation right now. Instead they added the schools they added, and then went on to add some more BB ONLY schools. EXACTLY the wrong move to make if your looking out for your football conference.

Also, even since that didn’t happen, had marinatto dropped 3 B-Ball schools, Invited Boise State, and 2 other schools with decent football as FULL members last year when they invited TCU … we probably would not be having this discussion. The REASON schools decided to look elsewhere is that the conference leadership FAILED to do their job and provide security for the conferences AQ status.

A Conference has obligations it must meet as well. This contract isn’t just a one sided deal where he schools must meet their obligations, and there was PLENTY the management could have done this past decade to Secure the AQ status, and increase the value of the conference. The management made VERY poor choices, and as a result folks looked elsewhere.

You’re allowed to disagree. I see your points, but I see mine, too. First, you can’t tie Marinatto to the previous expansion. That wasn’t him. Second, you can try to add schools, but if they don’t come, it’s not necessarily Marinatto’s fault. Maybe Boise likes its situation — one that’s worked out really well — and doesn’t want to take on the task of being in the Big East. Travel, competition, etc. That’s not really Marinatto, either. Extend that to other teams that may be closer. If they don’t want to join for their own reasons or if they don’t want to join because the league isn’t worth joining, I find it hard to solely blame Marinatto’s alleged incompetence. Now, could they have added more when they added TCU? Certainy, and I agree that’s his biggest error. That’s the real indication he failed at a key time. But if he tried and teams weren’t willing because a better offer might be available, it’s not entirely upon Marinatto. Hey, don’t get me wrong, though. He screwed up.

Mike in Santa Fe said:

How embarrassing would this be to the Big East – WVU – Big East BCS Champs – 2011 -2012 -2013

Less embarrassing than WVU winning in 2011, Syracuse in 2012 and Pitt in 2013.

JP said:

WVU is exiting a burning house and they should carefully examine the Big 12 bylaws before doing so? Why, so Louisville can take our spot and we are left in the Big Least? The Big XII scenario is not ideal for a number of reasons but you know what would be worse? Staying in a conference with the realignment losers plus Navy, Air Force, UCF, Houston, and SMU. That would make for a thrilling home schedule, wouldn’t it? The excitement surrounding that conference’s football approximates the Nationwide golf tour.

WVU had two choices, neither of which are just exactly perfect, but the road we are taking is the better long term choice. Getting out of the Big East is the best thing that has happened to WVU in a long time.

I’m not saying they shouldn’t have made the move or that some of those smaller details should have prevented it. I think there would be more explanations available by now. By the way, you have to have 12 sports in the Big 12 — six for men and six for women. You can have more, but you have to have a specific six on each side. WVU has the women’s sports covered — basketball, volleyball, soccer, tennis, cross country and track and field. WVU offers three of the six on the men’s side — football, basketball and baseball — and, I would think, has to add cross country, track and golf.

SheikYbuti said:

Even in off years we should scrape together enough wins (no worse than 2-1 non-conference, and no worse than 4-5 in) to get to a bowl. It’s just that the bowl will probably be difficult to get to. Iowa State, Kansas, Baylor, Texas Tech, TCU, and Kansas State (in about that order) each has the potential to be the next Rutgers.

Every year, the Big 12 is, I’m told by those who cover it, three levels: Texas and Oklahoma; contenders; pretenders. Wouldn’t you put WVU right up there with Oklahoma State and Texas Tech and … TCU? No reason they can’t be on that high second level right away and threaten or stand on that first level from time to time, too.

The 25314 said:

I hope personal grooming habits is a chapter in your book. I’ve always wondered what brand of hair gel Josh Yeager used, how long it took Mike Gansey used to shave his legs, and where Patty B got his spray tan.

I already know Rich Rod used up all the Propecia in Morgantown, hanging Jamie Smalligan out to dry.

It’s the follow-up novel to the other novel that hasn’t been published. But thanks. Easy manuscript.

Brother X said:

As long as The Turk is going with that look (which I approve of) he needs to wear nothing but track suits (no shirt underneath with the jacket only zipped halfway up) and smoke non-filtered Eastern European cigarettes.

Also he NEEDS to go the Bill Walton headband route. Right down to the it being a stripped headband (in school colors of course) as seen in your Walton reference pic. Although a stripped headband in the same colors at the Turkish flag would be pretty epic.

Couldn’t agree more. I want an A or an F and you’ve submitted the 5.0, A+ from one of those AP classes.

The 25314 said:

Deep down in my stomach, with every inch of me, I pure, straight hate Rich Rodriguez.

WVU is willing to pay damages for breaching the bylaws and leaving early. Rich Rodriguez was not willing to pay damages for breaching his contract. This is comparing apples and Satan.

Noted, but my point is WVU sued Rich to honor an agreement and now WVU is suing the Big East to not honor an agreement. I’m sure that was his point, too. They’re not identical, but his point is, in the big, nonsensical picture, kind of cute.

SheikYbuti said:

For the record, I think P-Rod, as distasteful as he is, is an intelligent guy who understands the distinction between the two situations. Pretending not to, however, makes for better television. It’s just too bad that many will accept that pretense as gospel and form an opinion unfavorable to WVU.

He’s great on TV. Great.

Mack said:

The situations are different, but when you say “A contract is a contract” that’s when you back yourself into a corner and are going to be made to look like a hypocrite in the future. That’s why these legal battles are always stupidly played out in public because you try to come up with everyday excuses to explain your legal position, etc. At the end of the day, the strategy in any civil lawsuit is to get the best deal you can possibly get under the circumstances. That’s it. That’s what happend with the Big East and the ACC, that’s what happened with RichRod and WVU and that’s what will happen with WVU and the Big East.

Let’s do that again: CIVIL LAWSUITS ARE ABOUT GETTING THE BEST DEAL YOU CAN GET UNDER THE CIRCUMSTANCES. I don’t care what the facts of the lawsuit are… they’re not about priniciples, they’re about money.

With that said, RichRod was clearly joking around in that clip and at the end of his comments (which lasted about 10 whole seconds, so how people can be angry with it is beyond me) even said that the Big East should let WVU “move on.”

RichRod is a decent guy when you get him out of the BS world of college football. My guess is that many of the jerks in the coaching profession are also.

I think you had everybody right up to the end.

Fan in Waiting said:

OK, fine he has a point and I’m in complete agreement. I don’t remember RichRod coaching for WVU the year after all this went down. Nope, I remember him starting to dismantle the traditions of big M and the rest as they say is history. He fought it; we’ll strategically fight. He’ll lose the money but gain the freedom. Uh, we’ll lose the money and gain the freedom.

I too loath that man with every fiber of my being.

ahh, – can’t – take – it … must … not … side … with … him … the Big East also had a fiduciary responsibility to manage the league to be successful (think Enron execs here folks or maybe John Sully @ Apple pre Steve Jobs ) but they clearly haven’t. They have mismanaged the association with Laurel and Hardy like efficiency. They should be glad we’re not suing them to reclaim some of the money we’ve paid in over the years.

RichRod was part of a fairly well run ship. So well run that we even avoided getting major violations due to him.

There, I feel better. Can we have some type of RichRod warning on these clips in the future? … I’m walking over to the stadium to get a beer.

… moving on …

pknocker40 said:

Marv Robon is in the past and does not matter.

Enjoy the weekend!