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

Half-right isn’t half bad

December 10, 2007 by Mike Casazza

Both the AP and coaches polls are out and while WVU’s men’s basketball team isn’t terribly close to a ranking, it is starting to get some attention. A nationally televised beatdown and some impressive statistics will tend to have that effect. And, by golly, if you’re lucky ESPN’s Doug Gottleib will take notice!

But with their only loss a two-point neutral court defeat to Tennessee, and thumpings of Auburn and Duquesne last week, I will admit that I missed on this team. While Huggins is a polarizing guy, it is hard to not admire the lack of ego involved in allowing his team to run John Beilein’s offense while demanding his own solid man-to-man principles on defense.

No such thing as bad publicity, only the Mountaineers are not running John Beilein’s offense.

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WVU basketball No. 1

by Mike Casazza

…though not in either of the polls that “matter,” but rather on one that probably should matter more than it does. It is the Pomeroy Rating, the brainchild of Ken Pomeroy, who started his own blog years ago and was eventually recognized by ESPN.com and asked to contribute his thoughts.

Obviously, what he thinks has some merit. Today he thinks WVU is playing better than anyone else in the country.

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Official: All-Big East not that important

December 8, 2007 by Mike Casazza

Hate to beat a dead horse to death, but it’s worth a few well-placed kicks to the ribs. West Virginia left tackle Ryan Stanchek, who inexplicably wasn’t first- or second-team all-Big East Wednesday, was named second-team All-America Friday and first-team All-America Saturday.

Vindication, thy name is Stanchek!

December 7, 2007 by Mike Casazza

I was in my hotel room in Birmingham, Ala., Wednesday when the phone rang. On the other end was my boss, Jack Bogaczyk, who had the All-Big East football teams. He listed the WVU players, I scribbled the names down and then corrected Jack.

Me:…and Stanchek’s first-team?
Jack: Right.
Me: OK, because I didn’t hear you name him.
Jack: You know what? I didn’t. Let me check again…Nope…Not second-team either.
Me: Unbelievable…

This was only slightly less stunning than Saturday night. I really felt bad for Ryan Stanchek. I don’t know that I can tell you for certain who the four best offensive tackles are in the Big East, but having watched Stanchek all year, I felt he was one of the best.

Even worse, he’s probably a better guard and a lot of people think he can play guard in the NFL. Yet you just knew people would say, “Well, he wasn’t even all-Big East in 2007.”

Well, never fear.

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Hey, students: Everyone listens to Huggins

by Mike Casazza

It’s worth repeating. Bob Huggins has an impeccable sense of timing. He questions his student fans Monday, whips an SEC team by 29-points Wednesday and then Thursday is discovered to be the driving force behind a new practice facility.

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I think they’ll listen to Huggins now

December 6, 2007 by Mike Casazza

If nothing else, Bob Huggins is opportunistic. Not only did he swoop in and return to his alma mater after a group of mostly underclassmen won the NIT last season, which is a far better situation than he would have inherited in 2002, but he picked a pretty good time to call out his student fans.

The coach pointed out Monday night during his weekly appearance on the Bob Huggins Statewide Sportsline that only 400 students showed up at a recent game at the Coliseum. The students are alloted 4,000 tickets per game.

“I continue to hear from people who say ‘I would love to buy season tickets but the only thing available now is 5-6 rows from the top on the non-student side,” Huggins said on the program. “No one would love to have 4,000 students at the game more than I would. But if the students are not going to come to the games, then we probably should sell those tickets to people who want good seats.”

Huggins said in the 18 games last year, university students only used the full allotment of tickets once.

“Everybody wants them there. And when 4,000 students are there, it’s an unbelievable atmosphere,” he said. “But if they are not going to go, those tickets really shouldn’t sit there unused. That’s just my perspective.”

You can say things like that and exactly how much it resonates depends on various factors. Certainly performance is one of those factors, so when you say that, then back it up by going on the road and crushing a SEC team by 29 points on national television, I’d say you’ve made a pretty good argument. 

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Open forum needs you … and you need an open forum

December 4, 2007 by Mike Casazza
http://blogs.cisco.com/news/uncle%20sam.gif

So I’m stuck in traffic on the runway in Atlanta this afternoon — which, correct me if I’m wrong, kind of defeats the purpose of flying — and the gentleman next to me spots the West Virginia University men’s basketball media guide as I’m writing the preview for Wednesday night’s game.

Obviously, he wondered what the hell happened Saturday night.

Him: What the hell happened Saturday night?
Me: …I’m not exactly sure I can summarize my surprise. It’d be like you won the lottery even though you didn’t know you bought a ticket. But only the complete opposite.
Him: (Confused look)
Me: I mean, you just never saw that coming. Ever. What I can tell you is that an entire state and fan base is completely devastated.
Him: ‘Ya think?

His simplicity was deep. I think there is devastation, but I don’t know for certain. How could I know? I’d like to think my Cleveland connection would give me some insight, but I’m guessing that is a fate far less cruel.

I do know, however, that putting my thoughts into words really helped me get over some stuff. Consider this my prescription for your recovery. Post a comment here and share with everyone your thoughts and feelings, your stories about dreams becoming nightmares.

Don’t stop there, either. Help heal the Mountaineer nation by sending this along and encouraging others to do the same. It’s group therapy. I’m here for you and you’re there for everyone who wants to chime in. I think it’ll help … or your money back.

P.S.
A graphic and only after 148 posts!

Coaches’ poll revealed

December 3, 2007 by Mike Casazza

Sorry for the delay. Crazy day of Heisman Trophy voting and preparations for the Fiesta Bowl. It’s settled now, though, and we’ll get back to business…Wednesday. Travel day to Birmingham, Ala., tomorrow for the SEC-Big East Invitational.

This gives me time to restructure some blogistics. To be honest, there were some neat things planned under the assumption West Virginia would play in the national championship game.

Woops.

We’ll get to know Oklahoma a little bit in the days to come, but I thought it was interesting to see how the coaches voted in the poll, as revealed by USA Today. Rich Rodriguez had WVU at No. 8 and Fiesta Bowl opponent Oklahoma at No. 5. The Sooners got their No. 1 votes from Coach Bob Stoops and from the Old Ball Coach, Steve Spurrier. Hawaii’s No. 1 vote came from old school Hal Mumme of New Mexico State.

Friday feedback

November 30, 2007 by Mike Casazza

It’s been a while since I’ve gotten to what makes this blog so great … that being you and the things you say about the things I think.

It’s been so long and, indeed, such an eventful week that I feel the need to review some highlights.

I got my Heisman ballot in the mail.
Rich Rodriguez got grilled.
WVU was ranked No. 1 (sort of.)
A blog made a big mistake.
Jesus! He likes WVU.
Someone went streaking.
Men’s basketball still exists. 
Rodriguez remembered Pitt.
Pitt formulated a plan.
The ACC smarted.
I confused people.
WVU threatened people.
Dave Wannstedt coached.

Off to the feedback. As always, comments appear as printed. In other words, the rumor is true: John Kilbourn wasn’t unemployed for long.

Erinn said:

WWKD?

(what would Kige do?)

About the Heisman Trophy? I think you’ll be delighted to see WKWD.

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The one with “Run faster”

by Mike Casazza

There are many ways to describe the mismatch that takes place  at Mountaineer field Saturday night and I’ve seen — and written — many of them this week. Few, if any, are as eloquent and accurate as this from Times West Virginia columnist Bob Hertzel.

There is this scene in the first Indiana Jones movie, “Raiders of the Lost Ark,” where Harrison Ford, playing the adventurous archeologist, is threatened by a sword-wielding assassin who menacingly waves his sword in threatening loops only to have our hero pull out a pistol and casually shoot him.There is a moral to this one-sided confrontation: Never bring a sword to a gunfight.

We think of this today as Pitt prepares to bring a butter knife of an offense to Morgantown on this Saturday evening to challenge a West Virginia team armed with college football’s equivalent of a nuclear arsenal.

It is as hard to argue as it is to forget the basis of the column, that being the … quizzical … comical … ok, absurd line from Pitt coach Dave Wannstedt at halftime against WVU two years ago.

And since we’re close to wrapping up this week, I have to admit I really thought I could make it without posting Pat White meowing. Turns out I was wrong. Still hilarious.