Welcome to the Friday Feedback, which doesn’t want to beat around the bush today because that bush is brought to you by Miracle-Gro and also Gavin Rossdale and we’re just about at the boundary of my means.

I also have to hit the road for a graduation, sponsored by Virginia Tech. So why not get this gala going? Onto the Feedback. As always, comments appear as posted. In other words, spare a square!

Kevin said:

Who wouldn’t want to play for that guy? I never played baseball and I’m ready to buy a glove and some spikes.

It’s Randy Mazey’s world! I think even back when I dropped in on TCU’s alumni game I came away most impressed by the impact Mazey seemed to have on his players. Tell me, doesn’t this make much more sense now?

“You’re talking about someone who, if he finally gets to the point, will jump you and get on you like something you’ve never seen. But that’s because the expectation level is where, as long as you’re playing for him, you’re going to give him 110 percent,” said former TCU pitcher Greg Holle, who ended last season in Class A of the Milwaukee Brewers organization.

“All of his guys are going to work hard and stay out of trouble and take care of the small stuff. He’s responsibility-oriented. I don’t know a ton about West Virginia. That may not have been a top team where they’ve been in previous years. But give him some time and patience for a little bit and he’ll get everything he’s got out of the talent he has.”

rekterx said:

I’m choosing “making lemonade out of lemons” over calling it spin. The man truly attempts to embody optimism.

Kevin is right. Who wouldn’t want to play for that guy?

Who knew that WVU baseball could be so much fun? They got swamped on Sunday. But we’ll tune in to find out how they respond in the final B12 series and the B12 Tourney. And if they fizzle at the end, we’ll tune in next year to see how things go. And the year after that we open the new stadium. We are going to have the privilege of watching a real baseball coach build a real baseball program. And then ….. well …. this is going to be fun!

We’re at the point now here, regardless how the rest of the season goes, the season is an unquestioned win for the Mountaineers. Mazey’s got thousands of people in three different cities coming to games. He’s doing media teleconferences with 12 and 15 people on the line. These are the things, as they say, that don’t show up in the box score.

smeer said:

here’s the genius of Mazey . . .

his quote – “Who would ever think that with a week left in the season, we’d have a chance to win the Big 12?”

the rest of us – “With one series to play, WVU is not mathematically eliminated from the race.”

The scary part is there is a huge chasm between 1 and 8 seeds. 2 through 7 – lots of parity – gonna be tough.

The greatest challenge is depth of pitching and the Mountaineers are not yet there. Quality starts are critical in the tournament because you can’t eat up the bullpen early. We know who Harrison Musgrave is — but I think it’s fair to pay attention to his next start. It looks like WVU has the offense to bail out a bad start from a second or third starter and win a 9-8 game. But that bullpen has to hold up for two or three games, in all likelihood, if WVU is going to make a run.

Clarence Oveur said:

Is it true that Musgrave threw 140 pitches on Saturday? If so, that might be a problem.

He’s only a sophomore…need that arm for the long haul.

No. It was 143 pitches and he’s a sophomore coming off Tommy John surgery.

rexterx said:

So how high in the draft will Musgrave go? And how high will he have to go in order to decide to not come back next year?

I’ve heard very little buzz about him.

Mack said:

I know he’s a JUCO guy so the assumption is that he was there due to his academic troubles. Is that the case? Is he from Paris? I don’t know why, but if he’s from Paris and “he’s a really intelligent player” then for some reason I’m suspecting that maybe he’s not horrible academically.

From what I’ve heard through the years, it’s can be hard for a kid to go from a high school in Europe to one in the United States. School here and there is different. It’s not like going from one college to another college and having course credits in jeopardy, but sometimes Europe-to-America kids have to get stuff done late that might have been taken care of previously if the kid was in the states the whole time — and I’m lying if I say I’m an expert on this. But then drop the Parisian in a high school in Simi Valley and you can understand the presence of a learning curve. Then move that Parisian from Simi Valley to Mountain State Academy and the curve has a curve. It’s hard, man. It’s hard. Dibo speaks three languages, though. He’s at least a capable learner.

glibglub said:

He lacked a certain, as the French say, I-don’t-know-what.

Oui!

Mack said:

I know more or less as many languages as Gordon Malone knew.

I suspect this is true.

Kevin said:

I dunno, I thought his comments were a little over the top in saying WVU was “by far the most cocky and arrogant” given what we see go on during games all day on Saturdays. That said, I could see how some of Geno and Tavon’s antics could rub someone the wrong way and fire up an opponent going into the game and during the game. Especially when you consider that WVU was the new kid in school and getting all of the attention at that point in the season.

This just in, Davis didn’t think the wind was a factor in his performance that day.

Fair to say WVU’s swagger upon entering the conference — and that includes the show the Mountaineers put on at the media days in Dallas — and the 5-0 start probably contributed to the perception and the response. I just never understood the constant need to start something at midfield before the game. Remember the scene at the Kansas State game, which was right after the Kansas State game?

JP said:

Well isn’t Cody Davis the self-appointed guardian of all that is right and true about football.

Indeed, but let’s get to the better set of teammates: Geno Smith and You-Know-Who.

Clarence Oveur said:

What Pitt likely doesn’t realize is that it’s doing the same thing to WVU as Penn State did to Pitt back in the late 90s: using an excuse to throw the rivalry away. It’s a sad and unfortunate bi-product of conference realignment.

To spin what Pederson said regarding PSU/Pitt, almost the exact same thing could be said of the Backyard Brawl:

“It shouldn’t matter what conference either school is in, these institutions should always play. It’s a great game. It’s got 100 years of history to it, we’re 75 miles apart and are located in the same geographic region, practically in the same backyard. Those games ought to be played.”

See how easy that was? I’d say it’s every bit as convincing as Pederson’s justification.

Bully for you, Pitt Panthers. You get your ex-girlfriend back. She took all of your money and gave you an STD…but hey, she’s back!

Bang!

Kevin said:

I think the same argument applies to Va Tech. The statements the school officials make sound plausible enough, but I think that if people really want to do something they find a way to make it happen/work.

Makes me wonder what the real reason(s) might be. I read that Pitt was annoyed at our abrupt departure from the Big East and that Beamer didn’t like coming to Morgantown because we throw batteries and pennies… Who knows? It may be that the series aren’t important/lucrative enough for people to make the extra effort to put it together.

You know, it’s fun to get worked up about it and to wonder what the explanations are, but I think there comes a point where you just say, “Who cares?” Either play it or don’t, right? There are plenty of other opponents, possibilities and distractions out there. It’s sad the rivalry isn’t there, and that matters, sure. But does an explanation? I would argue no, though I feel like Pitt and WVU  don’t have enough common openings to make it work. I think they will, eventually. Above all else, I think and I’d like to think WVU thinks that with the Big 12 schedule so … unfamiliar? … inconvenient? … that it would be better for the fans to stay away from long term series and to rotate those non-conference opponents to keep things fresh and exciting. Is a six-year series with Pitt better than two-year series with Maryland, Kentucky and Pitt? I (edit!) don’t think so.

Rugger said:

Kevin, Blake Warren played MLB for VT (as did his bros and his father was Redskin Donnie Warren) and he worked for me….I once asked him why…..it was the projectiles and bus harrassment techniques…….Blake thought he overreacted….he said Beamer loathes Morgantown.

Sweet Caroline this is cute…….a keystone state circle jerk w two mediocre squads…..pass.

The Universe is our rival. Game on!

Well, now that you mention it, that’s interesting.

Homer said:

WVU is still waiting on a UCLA return game of legend …

Note to self: Engage Mickey in this very topic. Press “record.” Share with the world.

jaybirdeer said:

I think he needs to ease up and schedule some high quality low majors that won’t kill the RPI, but need some W’s as he has done in the past. I think there is enough quality there in and out of conference that if they win games, they will be fine. The concern is with all of the newcomers how is the chemistry early on while everyone is still getting acclimated.

Good point at the close. Lots of new pieces and players coming from different levels getting used to a new level. That’s got to be hard to massage. And I think you could see a good opponent enter the mix here. The Gonzaga series ends after this season, so maybe WVU starts a home-and-home at home this coming season.

overtheSEC said:

If not only UK or South Carolina, Ole Miss with the Andy Kennedy connection would have been fun, too.

Also, if you would’ve told the 2009 version of ourselves that WVU is playing Missouri in the 2013 Big12/SEC Challenge, how many of us would have thought “Sweet! We’re in the SEC!”

Here’s my favorite neatly arranged theory going: Big Ten adds Missouri, SEC annexes WVU.

Bobby Heenan said:

So now we wait and see whether Childress or Millard stick around should Trickett win the starting gig. Surely they won’t both leave if Trickett wins the job, right? Right?

What if they show up at Dana’s office, stick-and-bandana slung over their shoulder, at the same time?

smeer said:

also Dawson said he ran a “different” (no fluff) film room than Spavital (now that he’s QB coach). Not that Rawlins had any time to compare the two.

Guess this means we whiff on his LB brother . . .

The Dawson thing might have some validity because Rawlins was Spavital’s guy, but we’re not saying Dawson is different to a detriment. And WVU had not yet offered the younger Rawlins yet. He’s still coming back from a bad knee injury. I think it’s important to note that the high school coach for both of the Rawlinses have said nothing but nice things about the coaches.

JC said:

Best way to expand the seating is make the student section smaller. Sell tickets and make more money off what’s already there. I know the horse is dead, but I’m still going to keep kicking it…….

OK, so we agree adding seats isn’t going to happen, but that WVU has to find a way to get more of its fans into the games. I’m inclined to agree with you here. It’s addition by subtraction and at no cost. I really can’t see WVU continuing with the current setup knowing it can do better without much maneuvering.

Simple Jack said:

Hasn’t Luck said the first priority in stadium renovations is improving the concourse, concessions, and bathrooms?

Bingo, but in the past 48 hours I’ve heard more about suites and seat licensing than I had before. And that would take some time, too. I think it’s what you mention, but maybe not.

I love you, Doug! said:

Sure would like it if the stadium displayed more in-game data (stats of the game underway, scores of other games) and provided wi-fi.

That has to happen and Luck has tried. So maybe it’s a cell tower. But would that take two years?

Bobby Heenan said:

Even if for just that lone football game or for the six basketball games, I’d gladly pay ~$15-20 (football) or ~$10 (basketball) for a legal stream of a tier 3 game if they want to go the pay-per-view route. If they can sync the WVU announcers with the stream even better.

I too live outside WV and have had to resort to firstrowsports, justin.tv., or other means to watch some lower level games.

Then you, sir, are exactly who WVU had in mind. You’ve swung at the pitch.

I love you, Doug! said:

I would gladly pay $100 per season to legally and clearly watch football games online instead of having to ask my wife point her laptop at the TV in D.C. and beam the game to me via Skype at 4 a.m. in a hotel room in Istanbul. #imafootballwaitressshesaid

That’s tremendous. They had you in mind, too, if not specifically, then theoretically. 

Karl said:

A project of this scope is way beyond the capabilities of a Mustache Pete like Raese. Oliver Luck is like Vince McMahon and Raese is one of the promoters in the old territories.

I touched on this in my column today, but I wouldn’t necessarily count out good old J.R. It might be tin foil hat stuff, but he has cards he can play if he so chooses.

Wayne said:

Raese is still trying to push for his appeal of the first bid (legal action coming?) I’m guessing that is due to the new bid specifying things out of WVRC’s normal operations and WVU’s right of approval for subcontractors. Mike, do you think that WVU wrote the bid to narrow the field and eliminate/discourage some bidders?

Yes and no. Maybe it’s just me, but it seems the RFP is like working in reverse. Remember, WVU was at the finish line in January. It has at least talked about the framework of a final contract, so it already knows what it wants and it’s spelling it out. If/when WVU aligns with IMG College, it can say, quite easily, “Look, we wanted these things. IMG specializes in these things. All of them. Not some of them.” And that would be that.

JC said:

So, let’s just go full blown NASCAR and label/brand EVERYTHING. Stickers on coaches headsets, ads all around the base of Mountaineer Field (like hockey), camera angles tailored to show these in the background while showing coaches and players, brand PAT’s and kickoffs and timeouts across all platforms, Jimmy John’s or Red Bull coaches shows, 24 hour digital content including assistant coaches shows sponsored by whomever, pay apps, sponsored pre-game and post-game shows on TV and digital, and even sponsored areas. Forget the north entrance, it’s now the Kraft Fight Hunger entrance. Blue Lot? Not any more. It’s now the Anheiser-Busch lot. Who needs section numbers? Brand it!

Think I’m kidding? Why not? Those who don’t like it won’t like only a few sponsored things, much less everything sponsored. Let’s go all or nothing……..think outside the bun…….

Didn’t see this until I’d submitted my column, but, obviously, there’s a similarity in our line of thinking.

WVMANIAC said:

I’m Sorry but you the older fellows commenting are really taking this to the extreme, we WVU be more commercialized yes but will everything be named NO…….

I have listened to other college games using IMG and there is hardly any named positions in the actual gamecast. In fact it will be like it is today with the “Northside Automotive Point After show.” Where you will see a change is you will have more “Mister Bs, Official Potato Chips of WVU athletics”

Here’s what I think will happen: I think Raese is going to try to slow this down again and get another year out of the current arrangement. That will buy him enough time to put together investors to get a good deal. Now he has an idea what IMG is going to propose, he will try to match it.

Raese only wants the Radio rights, which is totally stupid, because he wants them at a really cheap cost and is mad IMG wouldn’t deal with him. So I suspect him to be actively searching for another company to give him the rights on the cheap, which isn’t going to happen.

What’s sad is we are only getting the one side of the dealings here, there is someone who used to work for athletics working now for Raese — So that’s not a conflict of interest? There has been no contact at all from Raese camp to anyone with athletics?? I wish there was a FOIA on some other people’s emails, might help clean out the haze from the athletic department.

Lots of brown paper bag points there. And you’re right, but we’re going to notice a lot more “sponsorship recognition” at the venues. That’s going to happen. And, seriously, Raese is the wild card. Doesn’t mean he’ll play it, but he has it.

Down South said:

Regarding the University Gala Fundraising Event, Dana is going to want to know what color flip flops you wear with a tuxedo.

So close…

smeer said:

the fan base will have a cow if he wears black – much as they do over his black game day attire

Enjoy the weekend!