Don't Be Louisville. Please, God, Don't.

by Dr. Charley West on Sep 16, 2008 3:04 PM EDT in Louisville Comment 14 comments

Want to know how worried other Big East programs are about WVU? Glad you asked.

Let's just check Louisville (via Card Chronicle) because, you know, they have some experience with this.

We've touched briefly on the similarities between the Louisville football program's late 2006-2007 and the West Virginia football program's late 2007 up to the present, but given the events in Greenville last weekend, I think it's high time we take a look at the full checklist.

--Losing a shot at the national championship in an especially cruel and depressing fashion? Check.

--Still managing to win a Big East championship? Check.

--Victory in a BCS game? Check

--One of the most successful coaches in program history bolting for a more high-profile job? Yup.

--The manner in which the breakup occurs results in an extremely upset fan base? Oh yeah.

--A replacement is found almost disturbingly quickly? Check.

--Said replacement is a humble, soft-spoken guy who has undoubtedly referred to rap music as "crap" on multiple occasions? Uh-huh.

--Said replacement says all the right things during the offseason, and earns the adoration of the fan base by appearing like the perfect contrast to the former guy who's now perceived as untenably weasely? Check.

--The return of several starters, including a Heisman Trophy front-runner at quarterback, leads to a consensus top ten ranking and widespread talk of a national title? Check.

--The team is less than impressive in its season-opening throttling of an overmatched FCS squad, but the staggering final score overwhelms any and all of the concerns brought up in the ensuing days? I remember that.

--A horrendous performance in week two that leads to widespread panic among the fan base? Oh yeah.

--Positive chatter about the potential for Big East titles and BCS victories sprouting mid-week? Those were the days.

I think we need to win Thursday.

0 recs | Comment 14 comments |

Story-email Email Printer Print

Comments

Not much I can say to that list but……WOW

by WVUIE97 on Sep 16, 2008 3:44 PM EDT reply actions

But we have such a great group of positive young men! We can certainly out strain em.

by chuckzub on Sep 16, 2008 3:58 PM EDT reply actions

When we have what amounts to an entire recruiting class getting booted from the team, then you can officially compare us to Louisville. Right now that’s the deciding factor, and what really crippled their program over the past year. To blame it all on Kragthorpe is as ignorant as blaming Stewart for fielding an extremely green defense this year.

by Q-tip Motha on Sep 16, 2008 5:29 PM EDT reply actions

Oooooo, spooky similarities. Right up there with “Lincoln had a secretary named Kennedy, and Kennedy had a secretary named Lincoln.” If Kragthorpe has a secretary named Stewart, the season is surely lost.

by landshark on Sep 16, 2008 5:35 PM EDT reply actions

Hey, I was in M’town during the Cignetti years. With the coaching change and the loss of 7 defensixve starters, I came into the season expecting the "Eers to go somewhere between 9-3 to 7-5, with a win in a small bowl. Next year I was expecting only slightly better with the loss of Pat White and the coming turnover on the O-line.

I’m not ready to panic until the 2008 recruit class gets on the field. By then we’ll have a good idea about Bill Stewart.

by Don Gilbert de las Montanas on Sep 16, 2008 5:47 PM EDT reply actions

In the immortal words of Micheal Bolton the team needs a lot of “time, love, and tenderness.”

Time to adapt to the new style of offense.

Love them because they are still our Mountaineers.

Tenderness because someone needs to coddle them if they are getting thrashed by the national media for not living up to their potential.

by 5th Year Senior on Sep 16, 2008 5:54 PM EDT reply actions

you know how I know you’re gay?

Michael Bolton?

by RIch on Sep 16, 2008 8:12 PM EDT reply actions

I just want to say that is the gayest picture of the Krag I have ever seen. …or is that Michael Bolton? Funny, you know come to think of it , you never see those two together. hmmm

by Shrader on Sep 16, 2008 8:41 PM EDT reply actions

I wasn’t ready to panic until East Carolina almost screwed the pooch this past weekend. I’m not as concerned about the defense as I am the offense and the coaching on offense.

Get Krag a wig, he’d probably look like Michael Bolton after all.

by Mike from Fairfax on Sep 17, 2008 10:11 AM EDT reply actions

Also, both new coaches kept the old Defensive Coordinator.

Both defenses lost a ton of starters.

by Beamer's Goiter on Sep 17, 2008 10:25 AM EDT reply actions

Where’s hump day?

by r on Sep 17, 2008 10:56 AM EDT reply actions

Very spooky. This makes me a little concerned. Pat White, save us!!!

All Michael Bolton references should include a quote from Office Space. Those that don’t, they better be about negative, awful things that should happen to Mr. Bolton. All others, well, they just lead us down the road to confirming your sexuality.

by BurghMountaineer on Sep 17, 2008 11:35 AM EDT reply actions

there was nothing wrong with that reference-until I was about twelve years old and that no talent ass clown became famous and started winning Grammys.