The Shotgun/Throwdown: Thursday (11/4/10) 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 Gritty McDuff's Scottish Style Ale, in honor of today's Miss Throwdown.

As per bye week tradition, it seems, news is kinda quiet on the WVU football front.  Men's soccer picked up a BET first round victory last night and the men's basketball open up exhibition season on Friday.  Expansion is still the buzz word of the day, so there's plenty there to occupy you.  If you have any tips, suggestions or requests for content that you think is worth sharing, you can send them to me by email or Twitter and don't forget to "LIKE" the Smoking Musket MAIN PAGE on Facebook (follow this link, then hit "LIKE"; the Like button right here just "Likes" the article, we're looking for more followers on Facebook).  It's all inside, after the jump...

What You May Have Missed:

WVU Team Report: Mid-Week Update - WVillustrated.com

Bottom 10 - ESPN
Check out the waiting list at the bottom.

Fire My Coach, Please: Week 10 - Pre-Snap Read
Weekly hot-seat rankings.  Nothing to see here folks, move along.

Guest Column: Be a true loyal Mountaineer and support your team - Daily Athenaeum - Sports
Coach LeBlanc makes some very good points, for all Mountaineer fans, not just the students.

Big East preview for 2010-11: Conference race remains wide open - FOX Sports on MSN

Truck and Joe Will be a Two Man Show at the Point - WVillustrated.com

Huggins, Miller to Reunite - MSNsportsNET.Com

Men's Basketball: Exhibition Set for Friday - MSNsportsNET.Com
The West Virginia University men’s basketball team will play its first exhibition game of the 2010-11 season on Friday, Nov. 5 against UNC Pembroke at the WVU Coliseum.

3-for-1 at Civic Center - Charleston Gazette
WVU's game with VMI at the CCC will be part of a triple header with WV State and U of C.

W. Basketball: Repella Chosen as Award Candidate - MSNsportsNET.Com
West Virginia University senior women’s basketball player Liz Repella was selected today as a candidate for the Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award.

Men's Soccer: Mountaineers Defeat Bulls [ed., 2-1] - MSNsportsNET.Com
West Virginia will now travel to No. 1 Louisville for a quarterfinal matchup on Saturday, Nov. 6, at 7 p.m. The Cardinals hold a record of 14-0-2 overall and 9-0-0 in BIG EAST play.

News of Note:

WVU football: Late hit against LSU 'altered' Devine - Charleston Daily Mail
In West Virginia's offense, has running back Noel Devine in 2010 become a new version of quarterback Jarrett Brown in 2009? - Can't really argue the comparison.

LSU hit on Devine a season-changer? - Times West Virginian
Hertzel Column

Casteel: Defense has share of blame - Charleston Gazette
We appreciate the attempt to fall on the sword, but we all know the problems are on the other side of the ball.

Turnover circuit not just for offense - WVU Sports with Mike Casazza

Football: Weekly Award Winners - MSNsportsNET.Com

The Neild Evolution - WVMETRONEWS.COM
Blurb and video

Cornerback Keith Tandy - Mountaineer TV
Mountaineers360 feature

Expansion

Big East is On the Right Track - WVillustrated.com

College Football Mailbag - Stewart Mandel - SI.com

Big East plans expansion - Boston Globe

Bogaczyk: Dozen is better for the Big East - Charleston Daily Mail

A look at the viable Big East expansion candidates - 'Eers to the Ground

Video: Big East expansion - ESPN

Big East expansion: Five burning questions - ESPN

Video: Big East benefits for UCF, TCU - ESPN

Foreseeing the future - Martinsburg Journal
Mickey's Column

Motivation behind Big East expansion - Video - SI.com
SI.com's Stewart Mandel explains the reasoning behind the Big East's decision to expand to 10 teams and names some teams that could be added.

Big East-Notre Dame football marriage makes BCS sense - Andy Staples - SI.com
BUT...Since when has Notre Dame done anything that made sense?  The TV deal with NBC is the only thing that comes to mind.

UCF says it hasn't had any contact with Big East about expansion in football - ESPN
Representatives from Central Florida and Houston both said there has been no contact between their schools and the Big East Conference regarding the league's desire to increase its football members. - I still say Houston will have to wait on TCU's answer, and if TCU says yes, no Houston.

Big East Report: Expansion, Stratification - NCAAFB FanHouse

As Big East aims to add football schools, Catholic programs like St. John's, face uncertain future - NY Daily News

On Big East expansion - Courier-Journal

Around the League (and Beyond):

Chopped: USF 28, Rutgers 27 - Voodoo Five

Rutgers drops into tie for last place in Big East with 28-27 loss to South Florida - Star Ledger
Who are they tied with?   Oh, that's right...

Pitt hopes to avoid rust with off week - PPG

Louisville football team’s reserves ready for a call-up - Courier-Journal

Syracuse vs. Louisville: Cause For Concern - Troy Nunes Is An Absolute Magician

UConn's Campbell suspended - The Day
Now we know where The UConn Blog got their inspiration for their name.

Big East awards race update - ESPN
I certainly understand dropping every WVU player from the O and ST list, but D too?

Five Step Drop: Andrew Luck - NCAAFB FanHouse
Tidbits from across the landscape

Source: NCAA drops charge versus Michigan Wolverines coach Rich Rodriguez - SI.com

What's On Tap:

Reminder: Even w/ an open week, there is a chat today at 1 p.m. - 'Eers to the Ground
Chat with Dunlap

Live chat goes down at 2 p.m. today - WVU Sports with Mike Casazza
...then chat with Casazza

Video of Interest:

Video of (Dis)Interest:

Ladies and Gentlemen Guys, I proudly present...Commando: The Musical.  (WARNING: STRONG LANGUAGE)

Miss Throwdown:

Today's Miss Throwdown is one of the newer Victoria's Secret models.  If you click on the pic, you'll get to experience a nice gallery of Miss Erin Heatherton.

Gritty McDuff's Scottish Style Ale image via www.2beerguys.com