The Shotgun/Throwdown: Monday (11/29/10) Edition

Welcome, By-Godders, to the Shotgun/Throwdown, WVU's nationally recognized best place for sports links, information, sophomoric humor and daily distractions.  We're being brought to you today by National Bohemian, in honor of today's Miss Throwdown.

Let's recap the weekend:  WVU lays the smack down in the Backyard Brawl, Men's Basketball beats VMI and the Ladies win their tournament in the Virgin Islands.  All of this and yet the biggest story wasn't really a story at all.  It was just some ploy to increase internet traffic/subscriptions and stir people up.  Any respectable news outlet that quoted the story initially has since taken those down and in some cases, printed retractions.  Enough of that, Rutgers is up next and we still need some help from a surging USF team.  Basketball is steadily moving along. Huggs is upset and Sarah Miles suffered an injury, among the notable items.

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What You May Have Missed:

Gold and Blue Report for Monday - WVMetroNews.com

Football: Coach Stewart Teleconference - MSNsportsNET.Com

Bob Huggins: Postgame Press Conference - WVMetroNews.com
Huggins talks about why Dan Jennings and Truck Bryant didn't play in the game, Kevin Noreen's performance and how key Casey Mitchell has been for the Mountaineers this season.

2010 NCAA College Football Polls and Rankings for Week 14 - ESPN
#23 AP, #24 Coaches and #24 BCS

Big East power rankings: Week 14 - ESPN

Projecting all 35 bowl matchups - Stewart Mandel - SI.com
Orange here

NCAA College Football BCS Bowl Projections Week 13 - ESPN
Orange and Charlotte here

Big East bowl projections - ESPN
Fiesta here

A question: Would you go to Charlotte (again)? - 'Eers to the Ground

Football: Rutgers Game Set For Noon - MSNsportsNET.Com
Have I mentioned how much I hate Nooners?  Although with the weather forecast, it might be better...this week at least.

@TonyCaridi: Early line - Twitter
Early line has WVU a 21point favorite over Rutgers.  South Florida a 2 point pick over UConn.

West Virginia Wins Island Division - MSNsportsNET.Com
The No. 10/11 West Virginia women’s basketball team defeated No. 19/17 Iowa State, 64-53, Saturday in the Paradise Jam Championship game held in the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Women's Basketball: Time Set for Saturday's Game - MSNsportsNET.Com

News of Note:

Basketball

WVU Basketball Game Recap: WVU 82 VMI 66 - WVillustrated.com

WVU Downs VMI - MSNsportsNET.Com

WVU basketball: Huggins not pleased with direction team is heading - Charleston Daily Mail

An interesting no-doubter - Charleston Gazette

Mountaineers Win In Different Way - WVMETRONEWS.COM

Oddball sights at the Civic Center - Charleston Gazette

PoG: West Virginia vs VMI - BGN

Ragged Win - BGN

Strange Saturday - Times West Virginian

WVU Freshman Kevin Noreen Earns Piece of the Pie - WVillustrated.com

VIDEO: Postgame Reaction from WVU's Win Over VMI - WVillustrated.com
Huggs, Noreen, Mazz, KJ and Casey

Mountaineer Report: VMI Postgame - WVMetroNews.com
Bob Huggins talks about why Dan Jennings and Truck Bryant didn't play and the team talks about freshman Kevin Noreen stepping up.

Kevin Noreen: VMI Postgame - WVMetroNews.com
Noreen talks about stepping in and performing for the Mountaineers when he is called upon.

Joe Mazzulla: VMI Postgame - WVMetroNews.com
Mazzulla talks about Kevin Noreen's performance and how things changed on the court when he got in foul trouble.

Jones wants to be own player - Times West Virginian

Kevin Jones: VMI Postgame - WVMetroNews.com
Jones scored 22 points for the Mountaineers and talks about the team's performance.

Casey Mitchell: VMI Postgame - WVMetroNews.com
Mitchell talks about the flow of the offense throughout the game and the way he performed.

Photo Gallery II: WVU vs VMI - BGN

WVU Basketball Photos: WVU vs VMI - WVillustrated.com

WVU Basketball Photos: WVU vs VMI II - WVillustrated.com

Football

Stewart: Tavon to Stay Put - MSNsportsNET.Com

Mountaineers cornerbacks minimized impact of Pitt's star receiver - PPG

Tandy the best pass defender - Martinsburg Journal
Mickey's Column

West Virginia’s Hogan leads resurgence for Mountaineers - Parkersburg News and Sentinel

BCS fate not in WVU's hands - Charleston Gazette

Calling USF, Win One for WVU - WVillustrated.com

Stewart wants focus on Rutgers - Charleston Gazette

Rutgers is WVU's only concern in drive to Big East title - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

Stewart got through to Mountaineers - Times West Virginian
Hertzel Column

WVU Defense is Flying to the Football - WVillustrated.com

WVU football: In second half, offensive line played big role against Pitt - Charleston Daily Mail

WVU offense shows renewed vigor - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

What we learned in the Big East: Week 13 - ESPN

Football: Pitt Award Winners Announced - MSNsportsNET.Com

Big East helmet stickers: Week 13 - ESPN

Linebacker JT Thomas - Mountaineer TV
Linebacker JT Thomas talks about Friday's win over Pitt in the Backyard Brawl.

Running Back Shawne Alston - Mountaineers TV
Running back Shawne Alston talks about Friday's win over Pitt in the Backyard Brawl.

Music Video Highlights: Backyard Brawl - WVillustrated.com

Photo Gallery IV: WVU vs Pitt - BGN

Non-News Item of the Week:

Bill Stewart: Reports on retirement totally false - PPG

Bill Stewart Refutes Reports of His Retirement - WVillustrated.com

Stew Says Retirement Report Is False - WVMETRONEWS.COM

Really Eersports.com?!?! - WVMETRONEWS.COM

Stewart: "No Intention" To Retire - BGN

WVU football: Stewart says he's not retiring - Charleston Daily Mail

Stewart: Retirement reports false - Times West Virginian
Hertzel Column

Stew shoots down rumors - Register-Herald

Stewart denies ‘report’ - Parkersburg News and Sentinel

Around the League (and Beyond):

Starkey: What’s realistic for Pitt football? - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

Should Dave Wannstedt Go? - Cardiac Hill

Boston College 16 - Syracuse 7: Who Knew 7-5 Would Feel So Disappointing - Troy Nunes Is An Absolute Magician

Cincinnati Bearcats lose at UConn, ending their bowl streak - Cincinnati Enquirer

UConn 38, Cincinnati 17: Huskies somehow one win away from BCS bowl - The UConn Blog

Murray runs USF to overtime victory over Miami - Tampa Tribune

Rutgers season in freefall after 40-13 loss - On the Banks

Sacked nine times Friday, Rutgers' QB Chas Dodd tries to hold up - Star Ledger

Louisville bowls over Rutgers 40-13, now eligible for bid - Courier-Journal

Miami Hurricanes considering Charlie Strong? - Card Chronicle

Louisville tops Marshall, 80-66 - Card Chronicle

Pitt Vs. Penn: Another Blowout Win For Panthers, 82-58 - Cardiac Hill

Syracuse 53 - Michigan 50: Brick Friday - Troy Nunes Is An Absolute Magician

Syracuse 80 - Georgia Tech 76: We Are Legend - Troy Nunes Is An Absolute Magician

Austin Freeman Is Awesome. Georgetown Beats UNC Asheville 87-72. - Casual Hoya

Villanova vs. Tennessee Brief Postgame Notes - The Nova Blog

College GameDay Final: Week 13 - ESPN

College Football Overtime - Stewart Mandel - SI.com

Videos of Interest:

Video of (Dis)Interest:

We love Kelly Brook around these parts.

Miss Throwdown:

Today's Miss Throwdown is a native of Baltimore.  Click on the pic for a lovely gallery (at the bottom of the linked page) and video of Nicole Moser.

National Bohemian image via beer.fishtownbriefcase.com