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

The floor is yours

June 4, 2012 by Mike Casazza

Had to get away for a family funeral this weekend. I’ll be back in town this evening and back at work tomorrow. Feel free to provide a covered dish in my stead. Enjoy!

Friday Feedback

June 1, 2012 by Mike Casazza

Welcome to the Friday Feedback, which finds itself writing, talking and thinking about WVU baseball, of all things, this week. The search for a baseball coach is ongoing, but Oliver Luck is now gone for the next week or so as he fits in a vacation abroad, the sort of thing that was interrupted by another coaching situation last summer. I’m told six people have interviewed, including one Thursday, though it may be a little more or less than that and some of those candidates are no longer candidates.

The point remains that this is a search for a replacement as opposed to the installation of a replacement. Needless to say, when Greg Van Zant was bounced May 19, there was no Dana Holgorsen signed and sealed and waiting only to be delivered, even though Luck had told Van Zant weeks earlier he was done.

Still, this is a tricky position to fill. WVU is going to play its non-conference home games off campus — make that well off campus — in 2013 and you might see all the “home” games in, say, Charleston, or you might see rotating “home” venues. College baseball plays 14 weekends in a season. At WVU, you can’t play at home those first three weekends because of the climate. The weather improves and then the next three weekends are good for home series. Then comes the eight Big 12 weekends — four home and hour away. Except in 2013, it will be four “home” and four away. That’s 11 of 14 weekends on the road. That’s hard, man.

The payoff, of course, is the new stadium that should, or could, be built in time for 2014. Wednesday’s vote by the Monongalia County Commission to move the overall TIF project forward to a public meeting was significant. There is still a lot that has to happen to make the TIF district and the baseball stadium happen and there are bound to be reservations and objections. The opportunity to present those comes June 27 and, speaking from experience, those things can be powerful and influential and completely change the path of a project. The citizens of the cities and counties here are really sharp and protective and realistic — and dare I say more than the people to whom they appeal?

The other obstacle also involves reality: WVU has, for many, many years, not supported the baseball program at WVU. That is absolutely known throughout the industry, and while Luck has been here but two years and has already green-lighted the full allotment of scholarships and fast-tracked the baseball stadium plans, there is a history to overcome. And if you ask many involved in the program, it is an unattractive history.

“I’ve been extremely loyal to the university, and I’ve tried my butt off, but there’s a picture being painted that this is my fault,” Van Zant said. “The issue is not a coaching issue or a players issue. It’s an administrative issue.

“They can say what they want about me and paint a picture of me not being a good coach. They can go out and get a better coach for the Big 12, but whatever they do, it doesn’t matter if you don’t support the program.”

Now, before you dive off the deep end, just read the story and consider the hurdles placed in the path of progress. It’s not a defense of Van Zant or his coaching philosophies. It’s not excuses or justifications. It’s not going to grow into an expose on the way he treated players or the way players just didn’t like him.

That’s what bothers me so much about the way people respond to Van Zant. Many people wants a specific story told about that guy, and that’s fine, but this is not that. That story is known and almost unnecessary right now. This is now about how one guy is gone and a new guy will be here eventually and he’s going to have to work against resistance that was planted and later bloomed across the past decade or so. And if it changes and the resistance is conquered? Bully for them, but then you kind of have to wonder what might have been a decade or so ago.

One book thing: Wives, daughters, sons, grandsons and granddaughters, please check out Waiting for the Fall’s Father’s Day Special.

Just in time for Father’s Day, you can order two copies of Waiting for the Fall for only $25. Author Mike Casazza will sign one copy with a personalized inscription, perfect for that special Dad.

After placing your order, send an email to mikec@dailymailwv.com with your inscription request–include the recipient’s name and any special message you want him to include. Mike will personally sign and ship the two books to you. If you prefer for the inscribed copy to ship to a different address, be sure to include that in your email as well.

Onto the Feedback. As always, comments appear as posted. In other words, protect your text.

JP said:

I was wondering about this when Chavas Rawlins announced his commitment. First I thought we were going to turn him into a receiver. Apparently that’s not the plan.

Auburn did ok with Cam Newton. Maybe Chavas Rawlins can replicate that success in Morgantown.

I wonder if Chavas Rawlins is any relation to Chivas Regal?

There is an asterisk here: His younger brother is a big-time 2014 linebacker prospect. He has a friend who is a wide receiver and a cousin who is an offensive linemen. They’re big-time 2013 targets. Certainly there have been instances before where a team recruited a friend or relative and gave him what he wanted or told him what he wanted to hear with a goal of getting someone else in the near or distant future. Figure if Rawlins comes in and redshirts a year and then turns into a safety, that might not impress his little brother too much. Who knows? What I do know is the coaches could tutor a kid to play the offense, but also tailor the offense around a kid. The part that’s impossible to ignore, though, is that it would be a dramatic change and happening with Ford Childress on the roster.

Continue reading…

Hey, no pressure Darwin Cook

May 31, 2012 by Mike Casazza

Scout.com’s College Football News has its WVU preview out and there’s a pretty obtuse, though sensible argument made about what it will take for the Mountaineers to be a notch better in 2012.

The team will be far better if … the Mountaineers win the time of possession battle. It might be an overblown stat considering a touchdown scored on a :29 drive counts as much as one that takes 7:29 to produce, but it’s hard for high octane offenses to score when they’re sitting on the sidelines. West Virginia didn’t get destroyed last year in time of possession – losing 30:33 to 28:20 – but they were on the wrong side in the three losses to LSU, Syracuse and Louisville. The Mountaineers lost the time of possession battle in most games, but they had the ball for 36:55 against Clemson.

Interesting, right? Dana Holgorsen’s offense is quick and capable and from anywhere on the field, so you’d think the Mountaineers are at their best with rapid scores. But perhaps that’s a detriment at times — especially in the Big 12, where prolific offenses (and sneaky running attacks?) might lead to games of attrition on defense.

We’ve been over this a little bit before and we figure third-down conversion percentages will be the most telling statistic of the season. The defense will actually be charged with those successes, though, and the offense’s ability to convert third downs and stay on the field should be influenced by the defense’s ability to stop third-down conversions and get off the field.

Fortunately, WVU has good junior safety who scored a momentous touchdown in the Orange Bowl. I mean, he’s really good.

Ten Best West Virginia Players
1. QB Geno Smith, Sr.
2. WR/KR Tavon Austin, Jr.
3. S Darwin Cook, Jr.
4. WR Stedman Bailey, Jr.
5. DE Will Clarke, Jr.
6. C Joe Madsen, Sr.
7. RB Dustin Garrison, Soph.
8. LB Terence Garvin, Sr.
9. RB Shawne Alston, Sr.
10. CB Darwin Cook, Jr.

New ballpark to cost (someone…likely you) millions

by Mike Casazza

The overall TIF district up at University Town Center — the one with retail and office space, plus the new baseball park — isn’t even finalized. Realistically, it’s probably premature to talk about dollars and cents, what when we’re still talking about the sense of the matter.

Still, it looks like it’s going forward and is on track for reality. So Wednesday, the day Monongalia County’s commissioners voted 3-0 to push the plan on to the next phase, Athletic Director Oliver Luck approximated $15-20 million.

“The majority of the money will come from the TIF, but we’ll make a contribution and ultimately I’d imagine the minor league team would make a contribution and eventually take over all the operations and maintenance of the building,” Luck said. “We really don’t want to have to spend money on an ongoing basis, and that’s the benefit of having a minor league team there.”

TIF gets the go-ahead

May 30, 2012 by Mike Casazza

The Monongalia County Commission voted unanimously Wednesday to move forward with the tax-increment financing district plan that would help WVU fund the construction of a new baseball stadium. There will be a public hearing June 27, though the state Legislature must still approve the TIF.

Wednesday’s development after a presentation by the developers, Mon-View LLC, is nevertheless encouraging.

“This is another positive step in the process of getting the TIF in place which will result in a new baseball park,” Oliver Luck said.

Geno Smith is swoll

by Mike Casazza

Yikes. In the summer of 2009, this lanky Parade Magazine All-American quarterback named Geno Smith showed up on campus, broke a sweat and weighed 190 pounds. At 6 feet, 3 inches tall, you kind of wondered if he could take hits. And when you saw the hits Jarrett Brown took that season that knocked him out of the game, you probably worried.

Well, Geno says on Twitter this week he’s 220 pounds. Basically, he’s Terence Garvin. Safety/linebacker Terence Garvin.

Kevin Jones, come out and play

by Mike Casazza

The NBA draft lottery is tonight and that shouldn’t really resonate with Kevin Jones, but he is still out there running through the pre-draft workout circuit. He’s a second-round guy and he’ll spend much of the next month auditioning for teams who want a low risk, high value player in the second half of the draft.

It’s a particularly interesting proposition this year because normally the second round is where teams draft and stockpile international players. This year’s draft isn’t expected to see the normal glut of international players. That’s significant for a guy like K.J., who on Monday worked out for the Golden State Warriors.

The Warriors, who have the No. 36 and No. 52 overall selections (second round), worked out several potential picks Monday. Michigan State forward Draymond Green, West Virginia power forward Kevin Jones, Syracuse small forward Kris Joseph and Xavier point guard Tu Holloway are all projected to be selected in the second round.

Doesn’t guarantee anything, I know, but I want to direct you to this one fellow on Golden State’s executive board.

Bob Huggins: Philanthropist

May 29, 2012 by Mike Casazza

So says the WVU Foundation, which awarded the basketball coach one of its 2012 Outstanding Philanthropy awards. Huggins is keeping considerable company, too.

WVU men’s head basketball coach Bob Huggins is being honored for his commitment and generosity to the University.

Mr. Huggins has not only led his alma mater to an unprecedented level of sustained success on the court, but has used his stature and notoriety to raise awareness and funds for causes off the court and close to his heart.

Foremost among these causes has been the Norma Mae Huggins Cancer Research Endowment, established in memory of the coach’s mother who died of cancer.  Through various fundraising efforts, he has mobilized an incredible number of donors around the state and nation in support of cancer research at WVU’s Mary Babb Randolph Cancer Center.  The endowment has quickly grown to over $600,000 with no indication of slowing down.

What was WVU thinking recruiting this guy?

by Mike Casazza

See Chavas Rawlins. See Chavas Rawlins throw. See Chavas Rawlins run.

Sorry, I just like saying Chavas Rawlins.

Nevertheless, Chavas Rawlins is a rising senior at Pennsylvania’s Monessen High and on May 18 he became the fourth player in WVU’s 2013 recruiting class. He is, as the scouting sites and colleges coaches call it, a dual-threat quarterback, one who passed for 991 yards and ran for 599 last season.

Hence the title this morning. It’s not a critique. It’s curiosity. Been on my mind for a few days, too.

Continue reading…

Please, no … crickets … while I’m gone

May 21, 2012 by Mike Casazza

You wouldn’t want to upset Sir Vivian Richards, or have me send him your way to inflict punishment with his bat. Please, entertain yourselves and the masses in my absence. See you in a week. Take care, everyone.