The Sock 'Em, Bust 'Em Board Because that's our custom

Texts From UConn Game Day

November 24, 2014 by Mike Casazza

Winning championships is cool. It’s the goal. It’s what schools sell kids on and it’s how kids pick schools. I doubt very much a string from the net at the Puerto Rico Tip-Off has ever tickled a prospect’s fancy, but playing for a team that’s going to go places and compete for hardware matters.

So good for West Virginia and those players Sunday night. And good for Devin Williams and Juwan Staten for making the all-tournament team … with dispatched UConn guard Ryan Boatright, who was in the middle of it all in the title game and then after.

How he made it out of there without a T or without being sent a row deep I don’t yet understand, but that’s one feisty kid who was seriously irritable last night and, as such, not exactly pleased to be mugging with Williams (who will absolutely forgive and forget and put his arm around his foe afterward) and MVP Staten (he’ll just pick his spots in a game and make you look silly) afterward.

The Don Juan Pond isn’t that salty. Maybe Boatright, who has a history with the Mountaineers, didn’t get the whistle he deserved and maybe no one put him in his place, but there’s proof again that living well is the best revenge.

The Mountaineers, meanwhile, are 5-0 and just played three pretty good games against increasingly competitive opponents in four days. I don’t know if they know what they’re doing yet. Let’s assume they don’t, because WVU is getting better in a hurry and is still making mistakes, but fewer every time out. That’s going to continue. So they’re learning really hard, if that makes any sense, and effort and tenacity will sometimes trump skill and knowledge.

Seriously, if things get real and there’s a book and bat near you, which one are you grabbing?

The skill and knowledge are going to get there. The effort and tenacity have their feet on the ottoman, though, and I don’t think they’re going anywhere. UConn is the defending NCAA champion, if you haven’t heard, and, yeah, sure, that roster isn’t the same. But there’s pride and there are expectations there, and the Huskies were completely disheveled by the Mountaineers.

This might be just a hot start to a long season. This might be the start of something special. Neither is my point. What I mean to say, what I feel pretty comfortable saying right now, is that win or lose, you’re going to know you played WVU.

I stay dumbfounded. Got my SUV surrounded by the girls that crowd around it. And it’s true, don’t it sound big? As they knocking on the window, they just wanna get close, texts on their  iPhone. My edits are in [brackets].

6:58:
I’m preparing myself for heartbreak by watching my Sounders fumble their way against the Galaxy.

7:04:
It’s hard to believe our last quality win over a non-conference team was against Marshall in Jan 2012 (they had a Top 50 RPI).

7:11:
Prepared for a 40 minute parade celebrating UConn’s tourney run. And some casual swearing.

7:15:
On pace for a foul every 8 seconds

7:16:
I can miss a dunk just as good as he can!

7:21:
As my friend just pointed out, Bob Huggins looks like Big Bird. Who knew?

7:24:
At one point just now Huggins looked like he belonged as a backup dancer in the “Gangam Style” video.

7:27:
Holton. Never. Stops. Moving.

7:31:
I don’t know what’d be more dangerous: Taking a shot for every missed Devin Williams layup or taking one for every made layup

7:40:
Guys light up Adrian. All the time.

7:40:
People in the bar I’m at think the refs are against WVU … Um no. WVU is fouling.

7:42:
And WVU also fights itself to rebound … Resulting in nothing.

7:42:
I love Gary Browne. I want him to have a good game in his homeland. But … You can’t always get what you want.

7:45:
Devin Williams doing a Wes Ours impression on that drive.

7:46:
Pass out of a triple team…when’s the last time THAT happened?

7:47:
Alley oops!

7:47:
Steal in the inbound was inevitable! They wanted it!

7:49:
Who does UConn #3 think he is smacking the floor?!

7:50:
Paige! Not having that convo with Boatright. I can dig it.

7:50:
Terry Henderson would have had to take a week off if that had happened to him. #[tempermental]baby

7:51:
Uh, nice to see one of our perimeter guards not backed into a corner.

7:53:
I loathe fouls away from the basket. Just putrid.

7:54:
Boatwrong needs a T. Bench him.

7:55:
Win or lose UConn bench can go home happy  now that it got the carry call on Staten

7:57:
You knew, if Boatright HAD stuck with his commitment he’d have ended up leaving like everybody else *sigh*

7:57:
Sooooo we don’t have anyone who can take it inside. #fouls

7:58:
WVU’s going to win or lose this game in the final 4 minutes of this half.

7:59:
We got up by 15 too early.

8:02:
I admit I enjoy watching UCONN games entirely for the sneakers. Huskies ALWAYS rockin some quality Kicks on Court.

8:02:
Do you think when Huggs is all sweaty, mad and complaining to the ref the ref is thinking, “I didn’t know summer sausage could talk.”?

8:03:
I just don’t like Adrian.

8:04:
Kilicili would have still been lumbering up the court when Macon scored.

8:04:
I know it’s early but I love this team. Athletes all over the court.

8:04:
Boatright is gonna shoot his way back into the game or shoot his way out of the arena.No in between.

8:08:
Meanwhile, at Survivor Series, opening promo with Vinnie Mac!

8:09:
Hopefully we don’t call conservative plays in the 2nd half.

8:12:
If we lose, I’m going to find a way to blame Deforest

8:13:
This Huggins, the one you see talking to stripes, that’s the one we need for pressers.

8:14:
A Higgs presser is like sleepy-time

8:16:
Remember the universal WVU law: Never feel comfortable unless you’re up by 30.

8:19:
Trying to think of the last time WVU looked this impressive against a good team and I honestly can’t remember.

8:25:
Boatright’s a chatty lil [foe] isn’t he?

8:25:
I watched the Monmouth game and have done my part to help the team play better by not watching since.

8:26:
Team Cena vs Team Authority > WVU vs UConn

8:26:
Paging Pete SAMPRASSSSSSSS

8:27:
There isn’t a rebound Devin Williams has met that he doesn’t like (or engulf)

8:31:
Boatright getting the Wiggins treatment

8:36:
Oooh Huggy Bear just LIT Adrian up. Brackets all over that tirade. Oof.

8:36:
The flashing neon arrow above Adrian’s head just ran and hid.

8:40:
Get an extinguisher, Nate’s hair is on fire!

8:42:
That steal was Supermanesque

8:43:
Horrendous offensive foul call on Macon, who might be good, by the way.

8:44:
Let’s get up by 15 and quit for a while.

8:44:
Why doesn’t Huggs have a big guy in?

8:47:
How do you miss a wide-open 3 footer?

8:51:
So I think I know what happened to the D _eForest vacated…

8:58:
More like Bownedright

9:00:
I’m surprised they didn’t stop the game so Boatwright could pick up his jock strap

9:01:
Nooooooooo ooooooone drives like Juwan no one moves like Juwan no one makes Boatright look like a fool like Juwan

9:07:
 ¡La daga!

9:10:
When do we fumble the punt?

9:11:
Lol at Williams fouling out. “HE was the one fouling ME!!!!:

9:12:
Please, God, let us hang on to this lead!!!

9:12:
ESPN camera guys making early season mistakes. Leaving camera on Huggs on way to commercial.

9:13:
Alright, as long as we don’t run a draw every play, we should be good.

9:14:
Bark, Huggs, BARK!!!

9:15:
Boatright needs T’d up…son, you ain’t MJ!

9:16:
Juwan Staten might overtake Joe Herber as my all time favorite WVU player.

9:22:
Huggs to the ref “Did you know the McRib is back? I didn’t.”

9:24:
#1 thing you missed by watching WVU: Odell Beckham making the most ridiculous catch of all time.

9:24:
We need to see Boat wrong in his [stern].

9:25:
EAT [SAND] UCONN

9:26:
S-t-r-e-t-c-h shooting

9:27:
5-0. I hear you Huggs!

9:27:
Boatright…more like Boatwrong…am I right?

9:27:
Gonna need a handshake line (Boatwright) report from Hickman.

9:27:
Also, I’m glad Holton had that dunk. Really improved our dunk percentage from the game.