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

Let’s discuss and dissect at 11 a.m.

April 26, 2013 by Mike Casazza

Knocking on a lot of wood, but I’ll be situated on my train and ready to chat at 11 a.m. to go over last night’s draft and WVU’s prospects following spring football and in replacing Tavon Austin, Geno Smith, Stedman Bailey and the rest of the departed Mountaineers.

Forgive me if the link isn’t working or if I’m not rolling at 11:01, please. We’re scheduled to leave at 10:52 and a lot of Penn Station is underground. Also, Amtrak Wi-Fi, you know? If something happens and we can’t get going at all, I’ll let you know. Patience! I mean, isn’t that the theme of the  past 24 hours?

As always, two links for you: The traditional one for your home or office is right here and the more modern one for your phones or tablets is right here.

Mr. Smith goes to Miramar (Update!)

by Mike Casazza

How about that? Once projected as the No. 1 overall pick, or at worst certain to go very early, even as he was skipping out on the Senior Bowl, Geno Smith slid all the way out of the first round Thursday night.

It was an agonizingly familiar green room struggle, the sort of sideshow referenced above that makes for gruesome, gripping television as Smith actions last night seemed to depart from his words the day before.

And then came the words from someone who has been in Geno’s shoes.

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WVU v. the NFL Draft: What, Geno Worry?

April 25, 2013 by Mike Casazza

 

You are looking live from the Tier 4 mobile studio tonight as we prepare to take in the 2013 NFL Draft. And I’m already jealous.

I’m sitting next to the Central Michigan college paper and the young man covering the No. 1 pick is done with the heavy lifting. We were talking about my “plight” and only then did I understand how wide open this is tonight.

Fun!

I’m on the left side of the room and everything except some national radio booths are to my right. I can see where the team tables are, but I can’t see where the players and their entourages are. I’ll scout it out because for all we know Geno Smith could be the Greenroom Guy tonight.

Not that that worries him. Not in the least.

And with the first click …

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The issue at hand

by Mike Casazza

Not a great offseason to be in need of a quarterback, which is why you witnessed a short list of trades a few weeks ago. The draft leaves more questions unanswered than answered with the available quarterbacks, which is why so many people have so many opinions about where Geno Smith might go tonight. Or tomorrow. I’m know I’m planning two wholly different stories.

Generally speaking, he’s viewed as the best quarterback and perhaps worthy of a top 10 pick. But he’s also seen as overvalued that high and thus available to a team with a high pick, and a need, though later in the draft if that team might trade down several spots. My ears being open this week, that’s the outcome I anticipate. Either that or someone jumping up out of the early part of the second round. I don’t pretend to know anything, though.

And no matter how it breaks, the rest of the quarterbacks are more or less tethered to Geno.

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Eu: Touche!

by Mike Casazza

Aware and a little weary of the slights, Geno Smith tapped back lightly Tuesday. He explained it Wednesday.

“It’s not even to get back at anyone, first of all,” he said. “It’s not about getting back at anyone. You can’t do that through Twitter. The only way to do that is to prove them wrong on the field. Basically, what I said was I want to thank them for continuing to motivate me by saying things.

“Obviously, I don’t read them, but people call me and say, ‘Did you hear this? Did you hear that?’ No. I don’t care about that stuff. But as long as it’s out there, I’ve got to stay on my A game.”

 

Peers expect Tavon, Geno to excel in NFL

by Mike Casazza

You might remember the very fun Tavon Austin v. Kenny Vaccaro matchup at Texas this past season and how the Longhorns safety pretty much stuck with Tavon wherever he went once Tavon had sliced through the defense for a 40-yard touchdown. That was classic game within the game stuff, and both remember it well, so much so that they became friends afterward.

And you may remember WVU’s two games against LSU, games with different results, but games that left two of the Tigers draft prospects impressed by who they had to combat that night.

Well, Vaccaro and LSU’s Barkevious Mingo and Eric Reid are all in New York with Tavon and Geno and 19 other prospects. The three who have played against the Mountaineers in college each witnessed things they think will make WVU’s products successful in the NFL.

“Tavon is probably the most electric player I played against,” said Mingo, a defensive end who was 2-0 against WVU in 2010-11.

“I can’t even explain it. And Geno just keeps making plays. I don’t think he missed that many in the (2011) game we played against him.

“There are just not a lot of people who can bring the ability he has. He sat back in the pocket and he was well-protected, so he didn’t have to move that much, but I’ve seen that if you pressure him, he can get out of the pocket and make plays with his feet.”

Warning: NFL wants to make use of Tavon

by Mike Casazza

Tavon Austin is having a pretty nice time with the pre-draft process, which we know by now is very much the opposite of what’s happening to his quarterback. Yet as Geno Smith’s name slides down draft boards and heats up debates about his ability and his potential, Tavon keeps rising up and quieting critics who once said he was too small or too gimmicky to make it.

In the irony or ironies, though, we find that the opinions have come all the way around on that stuff and the NFL is smitten with Tavon and what he can do for a team.

Austin said every team he met with vowed to use the touch pass he and Smith made famous, but he said there are other plans for the player who ran for 344 yards against Oklahoma.

“Every team said that they’d definitely like for me to come in and play running back here and there or on third down,” he said.

Those teams generally had one last thing to whisper in Tavon’s ear before their meetings ended. They happen to think he’s a …

Mike Mayock rather likes WVU’s receivers

by Mike Casazza

Don’t let Geno’s detractors see this footage

April 24, 2013 by Mike Casazza

Good thing the draft is tomorrow. Otherwise, what I’m about to show you would be used as fodder to pick away at Geno Smith as he readies for the NFL.

I mean, the guy really struggled during a flag football game with kids at the Play 60 clinic today. And the weather was divine.

Film don’t lie, gang!

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Marlon LeBlanc has arguably lost his mind

April 23, 2013 by Mike Casazza

I’m not sure how closely you follow this stuff, but WVU’s men’s soccer coach put together a schedule that’s as difficult as any I’ve witnessed here. That applies to all sports, not merely soccer. LeBlanc says it’s “arguably” the hardest he’s had, but he’s modest. And an Arsenal fan.

This thing is crazy. How crazy?

Well, I could recite the release and say the Mountaineers will be “taking on eight teams that have combined for 33 Final Four appearances, five teams that have combined for 11 national finalists and four teams that have combined for 11 national championships.”

But why limit it to that? Just know that it wasn’t enough to schedule the reigning national champion on the road. He scheduled the reigning national champion and runner-up. On the road. In a 48-hour window.

The following weekend, WVU will have a busy travel weekend playing at Georgetown on Sept. 6 before flying to Indiana for a match on Sept. 8. The two squads played in the 2012 National Championship with Indiana winning 1-0.

“We’ve always said that to be the best, you have to play and beat the best. Georgetown will be one of the best teams in the country next year with some of the highest scoring forwards in the country,” LeBlanc said. “Indiana is one of the greatest environments in college soccer with the history; eight national championships, countless Final Four’s and Big Ten Championships.”

Credit LeBlanc for this: He does not stand up with his hands out and beg for attention or revenue or resources. He instead does this. If you want to watch competitive college soccer — and, yes, I know that’s not for everyone — he has stood up with his hands out and presented you with this.