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 Narragansett Beer.

As the weather is trying to change over to spring (operative word is trying), we begin the annual transition from the round orange ball to the oblong brown one. Spring football drills are less than a week away and they will be the most important spring drills that WVU has had in quite some time. I have a few articles previewing the upcoming sessions and a couple on the Mountaineer NFL draft prospects, along with the usual fun.

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What You May Have Missed:

Money Not As Big In Big East Football - Forbes
Ummm....DUH

‘You can’t coach size’ - Times West Virginian
Baylor’s Griner major obstacle in loss that ended WVU’s season

Things are not always as they seem - Times West Virginian
Hertzel Column

A little bit about possible point guards - WVU Sports with Mike Casazza

Former Mountaineer Jock Sanders gets set for the Draft - WVMETRONEWS.COM

Looking at Big East NFL draft hopefuls - Big East Blog - ESPN

WVU star spreading wisdom - Martinsburg Journal
Mickey's Column profiling Rasheed Marshall

News of Note:

WVU Spring Football Preview - WVMETRONEWS.COM

10 Questions as WVU Spring Football Practice Approaches - WVillustrated.com

Five Guys to Watch - MSNsportsNET.Com
Campus Connection - Antonik's notebook

Geno Smith top dark-horse Heisman pick - Big East Blog - ESPN

WVU OL Barclay Ready To Learn This Spring Despite Injury - WVillustrated.com

Bill Stewart and the Punt - Pre-Snap Read

Recruiting:

Huggins back on recruiting trail - Charleston Daily Mail

WVU Signee Aaron Brown's High School Career Ends in Loss - WVillustrated.com

Around the League (and Beyond):

Is The Big East Overrated? Debating Both Sides - LostLettermen.com

Like always, UConn's hopes lie with Oriakhi - The UConn Blog

Cronin: UC needs stronger commitment to basketball - Cincinnati Enquirer

Scoop Jardine To Return For Senior Year, Much To The Haters Chagrin - Troy Nunes Is An Absolute Magician

Wayns Denies Rumors - VUhoops.com

Louisville men's basketball team will be overloaded next season - Courier-Journal

Don't sell Louisville football's Will Stein short - Courier-Journal

NCAA Tournament Experience May Be Overrated - Wall Street Journal
This might be interesting, given some of the recent discussions

NCAA wants schools to answer supplement questions - SI.com

What's On Tap:

2011 NCAA Men's Basketball National Championship Tournament (all times listed are EDT)

(3) Connecticut Huskies vs. (2) San Diego State Aztecs - Preview - ESPN
7:15 tonight from Anaheim on CBS

(3) Brigham Young Cougars vs. (2) Florida Gators - Preview - ESPN
7:27 tonight from New Orleans on TBS

(5) Arizona Wildcats vs. (1) Duke Blue Devils - Preview - ESPN
9:45 tonight from Anaheim on CBS

(8) Butler Bulldogs vs. (4) Wisconsin Badgers - Preview - ESPN
9:57 tonight from New Orleans on TBS

Video of Interest:

Video of (Dis)Interest:

Warning NSFW: Strong Language, Natalie Portman in a thong and a quick flash of bare breasts at the end

<br /><a href="http://widget.uproxx.com/b/3/http://movies.msn.com/movies/movie-trailers/?src=SLPl:embed:&fg=sharenoembed#/video/741da3f6-e99d-421b-b537-bdbf45a87a9c" mce_href="http://widget.uproxx.com/b/3/http://movies.msn.com/movies/movie-trailers/?src=SLPl:embed:&fg=sharenoembed#/video/741da3f6-e99d-421b-b537-bdbf45a87a9c" onclick="javascript:pageTracker._trackPageview('/outbound/filmdrunk/movies.msn.com/movies/movie-trailers/?src=SLPl:embed:&fg=sharenoembed#/video/741da3f6-e99d-421b-b537-bdbf45a87a9c');" target="_new"title="Exclusive: 'Your Highness' Trailer (Mature Audiences)">Video: Exclusive: ‘Your Highness’ Trailer (Mature Audiences)</a>

Miss Throwdown:

Today's Miss Throwdown is California native, Chanta Patton. Click on her picture for today's gallery.

Narragansett Beer image via www.jannorris.com