The Shotgun/Throwdown: Thursday (2/11/10) Edition

Welcome, By-Godders, to the Shotgun/Throwdown, WVU's best place for sports links, information and daily distractions; Now nationally recognized!  We're being brought to you today by Snow Goose Winter Ale, again, self explanatory.

OK, so the 2010 (The Year We Make Contact) football schedule was released yesterday and there are schedule breakdowns out there all over the place.  I included a couple, but they all say the same thing and 5YS did it much better.  The men are back in action tomorrow night in Oakland at the Pete.  Be careful if you go out into the snowy, drifty mess (depending on your location) and try to stay warm.   Tips, suggestions and requests are awesome.  Let's get going...

What You May Have Missed:

Gold and Blue Report for Thursday - WVMETRONEWS.COM

Rifle: WVU Returns to Top Spot - MSNsportsNET.Com

WVU grad conquers alcoholism, depression to make second Olympic appearance - The Daily Athenaeum
Your inspirational story of the day.  Thanks to WVmountainHigh for the tip.

News of Note:

Tony's Random Notes - MSNsportsNET.Com

WVU Team Report 02/10/2010 - WVIllustrated.com

Losses will hurt WVU seeding in Big East tournament - Charleston Daily Mail
This week in common sense...

The Turk's Story: Part Two - WVMETRONEWS.COM
Video link

'Dancing Bear' gettin' jiggy with WVU slate - Charleston Gazette
Vingle's intro paragraphs are a bit disturbing, then he attempts to breakdown the football schedule.

Most big games on road, again - Charleston Gazette

Return of Maryland highlights 2010 WVU football schedule - Charleston Daily Mail

Pitt expects another intense game against WVU - PPG

Pitt plans no heightened security for West Virginia game - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

Oakland Zoo will keep it clean against WVU - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
"Since WVU did that, that's more incentive for us to not do it," said Zoo member Erica Kelly, 21, a business major from Ellwood City. "I think they looked really bad, so I don't think that will be a problem." - gag a maggot

More Changes Ahead At WVU Home Basketball Games - WVMETRONEWS.COM

Little sense in changing NCAA tourney - Times West Virginian
Hertzel Column

Big East pre-spring power rankings - ESPN

2010 Pre-Preseason Rankings ... Big East - Scout.com

Hamrick addresses MU-WVU series - Bluefield Daily Telegraph

Recruiting:

Football: WVU Announces 20th Signee - MSNsportsNET.Com
Ishmael Banks has gotten NCAA clearance, evidently.

No More Secrets - Forte is a Mountaineer - WVIllustrated.com

Around the League (and Beyond):

Streaking Orange hold off slumping Huskies - ESPN
72 - 67   Evidently veteran BE referee Cahill made some questionable calls down the wire.

UConn-Syracuse ends on questionable call - ESPN
See...

Stop, thief! Syracuse 72, UConn 67 - The UConn Blog
...and somebody's bitter about it.

Sources: Rick Pitino makes himself a candidate for Nets' coaching job - NY Daily News

Six that got away from Cincinnati Bearcats - Cincinnati Enquirer

Dominique Jones guiding South Florida toward NCAA tournament bid - SI.com

Introducing the John Wall Snowman - straitpinkie.com

Texas feels targeted with new NCAA recruiting rule - SI.com
Anybody else feel sorry for them?  Didn't think so.

Mark Schlabach: Revised 2010 Top 25 - ESPN

What's On Tap:

Louisville Cardinals vs. St. John's Red Storm - ESPN
7 pm tonight on ESPN2 from Carnesecca Arena. Cards are giving 5.5.

Notre Dame Fighting Irish vs. Seton Hall Pirates - ESPN
7 pm tonight from the Prudential Center on ESPNU. Pirates are giving 4.5.

Videos of (Dis)Interest:

Ok, so I'm watching Letterman the other night and Charleston's own, Jennifer Garner tells the story of her, um, "encounter" with a dolphin.  There are SO many things I want to say here, but I want to keep it clean.  I'll just say, "Lucky Dolphin."  Just watch and enjoy.

These re-enactments are awesome.

Scream Queen Gallery of the Week:

via coedmagazine.files.wordpress.com

Miss Throwdown:

Today's Miss Throwdown is an Italian/American soccer WAG who donned the body-paint for the latest SI Swimsuit Issue and we love her for that.  After watching the first video, I knew I should have followed my passion for painting.  Here's Melissa Satta.

via i.cdn.turner.com

Snow Goose Winter Ale image via www.bruguru.com