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

Your Media Day primer

August 3, 2009 by Mike Casazza

The Big East elbow-rubbing is today in Newport, R.I., with the official Media Day and predictions coming tomorrow. Popular topic prediction? Bowl scenarios! Cue Tampa Tribune’s Brett McMurphy and this timely tip.

Unless the Gator Bowl opts to commit to an agreement with the Big East exclusively and ditches its current hybrid Big East/Big 12 model, it’s “doubtful” the league will remain affiliated with the Jacksonville bowl when the new bowl agreements begin in 2010, Big East commissioner John Marinatto said.

“It would be doubtful,” Marinatto said. “It’s not what we want and not what we’re going to try for. It’s not on our agenda. We believe [the Big East] has earned that, we don’t want the hybrid [model].

“If we have to go somewhere else, so be it.”

Things I learned about WVU

by Mike Casazza

I got my “Media” guide in the mail the other day and finally decided to flip through it yesterday. It wasn’t beneficial, but it wasn’t time wasted, either.

These things are increasingly less about serving the media and more about publicizing the university, but, oh well. I remember Marc Bulger had seven pages to himself in his senior year. Noel Devine has one and it features a big action photo.

Granted, the NCAA intervened and put page limits in place, which helped my back a great deal, but I have the hardest time now finding the simplest facts about teams that one would think should be in the “Media” guide. Some are buried in the back in small print. Some aren’t included. I should say this isn’t a WVU-only problem — in fact, WVU is pretty good at cramming in as much as possible. And I mean that. I can, for example, tell you “NFL scouts visit the Puskar Center on a weekly basis.” (Page 12)

Really, who is that for? Me or the 6-foot-2 high school senior with 4.4 speed in Miami? I’m OK with that, I suppose, because I do like to find out quirky crap, like how WVU can wear nine different uniform combinations! (Page 24) I’m absolutely getting that in a story this year. Be on the lookout for these, too:

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Jock’s back

by Mike Casazza

Nothing official from WVU, and Oll Stewart will surely address this at his post-practice interview Saturday, but Jock Sanders is apparently back with the Mountaineers.

In a motions hearing Friday in Monongalia County Magistrate Court, Sanders’ attorney, Harley Wagner, said Sanders has been reinstated to the team after nearly six months of indefinite suspension for a DUI arrest in February.

Wagner also negotiated a deal to have Sanders’ four DUI-related charges dropped, if the WVU slotback handles a series of requirements.

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Friday Feedback

July 31, 2009 by Mike Casazza

Welcome to the Friday Feedback, which has completely exhausted the urge to write any more basketball and will instead focus on American Legion baseball … and WVIAC football … and, of course, WVU football.

Finally, right?

It more or less gets started Monday with Big East Media Day in Newport, R.I. That’ll be a big day here, but only because I won’t be in Newport. I’ll try to gobble up what I can and deliver it to you whilst hoping Jarrett Brown doesn’t accuse Craig Turnbull of being bolshephobic. (I lied — I really hope that happens.)

JB and Reed Williams will accompany Oll Stewart and they’ll be as interested as anyone else to see the preseason poll. My best guess? South Florida, WVU, Cincinnati, Pitt, UConn, Rutgers, Louisville and Syracuse. I think 1-2-3 will be fairly close. I wouldn’t be surprised whatsoever to see WVU at the top or in third, to see Cincinnati between Nos. 2 and 5 or Pitt between Nos. 3 and 6. I’d be more surprised if Syracuse wasn’t No. 8 than I would be if USF wasn’t No. 1. Then again, it’s the silly season, so we we can’t put much value into anything just yet.

Fall camp begins Friday when players report and the first of 14 practices (seven open, six closed, one scrimmage) comes a day later. Obviously, Fridays and Saturdays aren’t the most convenient days for the Daily Mail, but the blog never sleeps. It waits. We’ll make use of this space on those days — as well as the others — because it worked pretty well last year, right? 

Onto the Feedback. As always, comments appear as posted. In other words, play by the rules or face the consequences.

Alli said:

Here’s something confusing: I heard Heather Bresch was named the new President of Mylan today. 

So glad you mentioned this. I couldn’t find a reason to include it in the blog, but I just can’t ignore this. I won’t. I’m not often floored, but when I heard this Wednesday, I was floored. I mean, literally floored. Someone told me the news at the Puskar Center and I said, “Wouldn’t that be funny!” That person looked at me and said, “Funny? No, no, that’s the truth. It really happened.” Next thing I knew a paramedic was hovering above me, shining a flashlight in my eyes and asking me if I knew where I was. “Oz?” I said. Once I gathered myself, I felt compelled to call Jim Clements to see if Mike Garrison would be the new provost.

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A reflective Jeff Mullen

July 30, 2009 by Mike Casazza

As opposed to, say, a deflective Jeff Mullen, who did his best last season to funnel criticism his way, but also rationalize it when compared to expectations and results.  

We forget and likely overlook 2008 was his first time as an offensive coordinator and while he’d been involved in game planning — to great success — at Wake Forest, he’d never called plays.

There has to be a growth period there, right? And maybe it’s now his time.

As Mullen looked back on his first season as offensive coordinator after coming over from Wake Forest, he is pleased that he felt the offense got better each week as the season went on. Even in some of the late-season failures such as against Cincinnati and Pittsburgh, one has to understand that the Mountaineers were facing strong defensive teams.

Having had a full year to put in his system and to work with the players, Mullen believes that leads to a smoother running offense.

“It makes a tremendous difference,” Mullen said. “I know what the staff is about. I know what the players physically can do. And the players know us better. They know what we expect of them.”

You can argue and agree with that all you want, I’m sure, but this much is clear: He is on the public’s hot seat. His job might be safe, but heretofore disgruntled people are aiming at him. If the offense sputters similarly, watch out. 

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“TV Fin-Who?”

by Mike Casazza

We’re less than a week from seeing the Hawaiian Sasquatch step out from the woods behind the Coliseum and stroll into the Puskar Center … or from seeing Verbal Kint slip into his limo and drive away with Kobayashi never to be seen again.

Tevita Finau is still expected to arrive next week, report for camp Aug. 7 and begin practice a day later. OK, I haven’t checked this morning, but nothing has changed the past two weeks and nothing will change between now and next Friday. It is, we’re all being told, simply a matter of time, paperwork and procedure.

And doesn’t that seem almost anticlimatic after all Finau has unknowingly put people through the past two years? Then again, what has he done and to who has he done these things? I can’t recall an article quoting him and more than one person within WVU football believes this is all a media-made melee … which I can’t really argue.

But my father-in-law just found out he has the mumps, which makes no senses unless he’s been bitten by this Finau fever, and yet I wonder if the Mountaineers are all that affected.

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Robert Clark comes on down

July 29, 2009 by Mike Casazza

WVU is going to need some cornerbacks in the near future and at least took a step toward securing one Tuesday when Robert Clark announced his intention to be with the Mountaineers.

“I like the coaches and what they’re doing up there,” Clark said. “I think West Virginia fits my playing style.”

West Virginia helped to make his decision easier after recruiting him as a cornerback.

Most schools have been recruiting him as an athlete and have been vague about where they see him fitting in.

More and more, that’s becoming the WVU way. Find some talented kids and instead of pitching them on how they can help in any one of a number of areas, sell them hard on standing out at one position.

Your thoughts?

by Mike Casazza

I was ready to share a story on The Legacy and the plans for and progress of his biography, but I hit a snag:

The Daily Mail’s new layout.

How about some Wednesday Feedback, from you? The good, the bad and the ugly, compliments, criticism and confusion are all welcome.

Why Markeith Ambles now matters

by Mike Casazza

The Puppy dug up his first wide receiver recruit when Georgia’s Markeith Ambles — neat name for a wideout — pledged for 2010 Tuesday. He’s the four-star, 6-foot-2, 185-pound, go-up-and-get-it type Kiffin familiarized himself with while at USC.

Good start for Tennessee.

Bad omen for the WVU? Maybe.

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Let’s continue with the debauchery

July 28, 2009 by Mike Casazza

Well, seeing as if we’ve already conspired to ruin the lives of WVU’s student body and spoil WVU’s general reputation today, why not stay in the dark alley dabble in some sports wagering?

Las Vegas has checked in with its take on WVU. What do we think of these numbers?

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