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

Going, going, gone

June 16, 2016 by Mike Casazza

Jordan Scott, twice a member of WVU baseball’s recruiting class and selected in the 14th round of this year’s MLB draft, is now a professional. The high school third baseman who played the outfield this past season at IMG Academy had a smooth swing from both the right and the left side of the plate.

He would have been a player for the Mountaineers, as evident by what manager Randy Mazey had to say on signing day in November.

: “Jordan may be the best athlete in this class. He is a switch-hitter with power from both sides, and can run a 6.4-6.5 60-yard dash. He is a great kid that comes from a great family and he loves West Virginia. He can play multiple positions, hit home runs, steal bases, and is also a great defender. We are looking forward to him making an immediate impact in our lineup.”

But, hey, getting paid to play the game you love? Can’t hold a grudge for that. Best of luck, Mr. Scott.

One time and on budget

by Mike Casazza

That video doesn’t really haven anything to do with this post, but it’s technically part of the stadium experience, and that’s precisely what West Virginia is attempting to enhance this and next offseason. As of today — and it literally just started pouring outside — progress looks to be pretty promising. Allow this photo gallery to be WVU’s character witness.

#WVU125 update

by Mike Casazza

Myrtle Beach! I’m tracking the hashtag on Twitter, and it’s starting to get some momentum now that people have their flags and are beginning to escape their offices and hit the road — or take to the air — for vacation.

But it’s not all vacation shots. So far we’ve seen the flag at the Stanley Cup Final, the NBA Finals, the Penguins championship parade, at a Little League game, at a church, on segways and at a wedding in Punta Cana.

So far, so good, but we need something outrageous soon to really distinguish this social media endeavor.

Potentially bombastic progress

June 15, 2016 by Mike Casazza

 

It was a little more than a year ago that college basketball decided to form a 12-person oversight committee. Bob Huggins wanted to be on it, but he knew that was not likely. “I would love to be on it. It probably won’t happen, but I would love to be on it.”

He was right. He’s not a member, and the committee has gone on without him and done some things he didn’t particularly like, namely overhauling the pre-draft process for players. Huggins is a critic, and though he understands the value for the individual, he’s opposed to what it can mean for the team.

But none of this is to say the man and his voice have been overlooked. Huggins, a dozen other coaches and four college administrators — three are involved with the oversight committee — have been asked to evaluate the NCAA tournament’s selection, seeding and bracketing process.

This is awesome. Bob Huggins doe not tiptoe.

Continue reading…

Three stars for this guy

by Mike Casazza

Highlight reels are supposed to make people look good. No one has ever been hurt by a highlight reel. Even the one I send out when I apply for jobs is great, and though it’s basically me backspacing, anguishing over ledes, singing along to Spotify and chuckling at my plays on words, the hair is great, the wardrobe is business casual and the soundtrack is superb.

So in other words, we’re going to suspend certain disbelief — those first three plays! — when we have a look at Collin Smith, the latest player to pledge to West Virginia’s 2017 recruiting class.

But man, he looks like a football player.

Continue reading…

Tate over?

June 14, 2016 by Mike Casazza

Our comprehensive coverage of Tate Martell’s Recruitment and Artistic Twitter Account came to an end Sunday when the top uncommitted quarterback in the 2017 class pledged his services to (The) Ohio State.

So, that’s it, right?

Well, I don’t know Martell whatsoever, but I do know recruiting and in particular quarterback recruiting, and I do know that Martell, who de-committed from Texas A&M and then innocently had a fun time with the second visit to the carousel, will be part of a Buckeyes roster loaded with quality young QBs.

Then again, that’s nothing new up there, but it’s never guaranteed to be tenable.

Maybe one or more spins off, and no doubt WVU and so many others would be willing extend its arms and offer a safe landing.

Probably down 0-2 in the count here

by Mike Casazza

 

Randy Mazey was aware that last week’s Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft could rob his 2017 team of eight to 10 players. He was wrong, wonderfully wrong, and had but three players selected. Closer Blake Smith was a senior, so he can’t be counted among the eight to 10.

Chad Donato was the team’s best pitcher, and he was picked in the 11th round. Prep outfielder/infielder Jordan Scott was picked in the 14th round. Both are likely gone to pro baseball.

Continue reading…

Most accurate mag last three, five, 10 and 18 years

by Mike Casazza

There are some copies out there for Friends of the Program as well as the e-versions you can get quite easily, but the hard copies, as you see, are now available to the public. Tis the season for preview magazines, and I’m partial to a few of them.

Some of Mr. Steele’s content is slipping out now, including his preseason All-Big 12 team. Representing WVU: receiver and kick returner Shelton Gibson, center Tyler Orlosky and offensive guard Kyle Bosch. Gibson as a receiver feels like something of a surprise, but the Big 12 is now without a lot of receiving talent that topped the league’s statistical rankings last season. Bosch and Orlosky? Not shocking, especially Orlosky. Turns out WVU has one of the nation’s savviest offensive lines.

Close the book on 2017 schedule

June 13, 2016 by Mike Casazza

That creature will be buzzing around the Mountaineer Field sideline in 2017.

WVU will entertain the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference’s Delaware State on Sept. 16, 2017, at Mountaineer Field. It will be the first time the two schools have played.

The Mountaineers will pay the Hornets $500,000 for the visit, and Delaware State is due no other compensation for the matchup. WVU, which is 16-0 against FCS teams, paid Liberty $400,000 last season and will pay Youngstown State $500,000 this season.

If either team cancels the game more than a year in advance, it pays the other team $300,000. That fee jumps to $500,000 if the game is canceled with less than a year remaining before the game.

We’ve seen a few iterations of WVU’s scheduling model — no FCS teams, maybe FCS teams, different ADs, different takes and now different conference initiatives — and it was unfair to hold the Mountaineers to one philosophy.

And the FCS is fine. You’re likely to see more and not less in the future.

Continue reading…

Welp!

by Mike Casazza

There are two ways to read this, and they couldn’t be more different:

  1. You have to give your Money a chance to be heard.
  2. This explains the ambiguity around Briles’ status upon the sweeping announcements last month as well as Jim Grobe’s one-year deal and the fact all the assistants were retained.

I can’t see this happening for so many reasons, but just consider the amount of lawsuits coming Baylor’s way, to say nothing of the voices we’ve yet  to hear, and everything legal discovery and personal disclosures could still reveal in time.