As Chuck pointed out yesterday, Mick Cronin isn't a bad coach. So give the devil his due. He's had to try to hold the program together and build it back up after the release of an iconic coach (thank you very much). The job he's doing despite the turmoil surrounding the team this year is commendable.

For most of the time he's been coach at Cincinnati, I've despised Cronin. The games have been ugly and probably caused Mr. Naismith to flinch in his grave a couple times. Cronin is extremely animated on the sidelines, which only fuels my desire to beat his team more. But in a Dr. Strangelove kind of way I'm learning to love Mick Cronin and stop worrying. Because those same child like tantrums he throws on the sideline segue nicely into the things I like to do.

Like when his lightsaber needs a little blue miracle.

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Cincinnati announced last week that they would be going with all black helmets this year. Early reaction has been somewhat lukewarm. But those people don't know the power of the dark side. Or the power of Dark Helmet. Maybe it's just me, but I can just imagine Butch Jones walking the sidelines this year dressed like Rick Moranis in Spaceballs. And every time something goes wrong, he turns to some flunky saying, "I'm surrounded by A-holes."

Language is mildly not safe for work

Surrounded by idiots (via PoorTreatment)

Feel free to photoshop Butch Jones into a dark helmet picture and leave it in the comments.

There are a lot of things that happened last night, some good, some of course bad.

Here are Saturday's talking points:

• The touchdown reversal was clearly the incorrect call.  If it had been ruled a touchdown on the field, then we're talking a completely different story.  But it wasn't.  It was ruled a fumble, and there is absolutely nothing that could be considered indisputable about that video evidence.  By definition, indisputable means beyond doubt.  I would love to have the replay official look me and the rest of West Virginia fans in the eye and tell me that there wasn't a shadow of a doubt on that call.  It simply was an incorrect call.

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West Virginia, at 7-2 overall and 3-1 in conference, needs to earn a dose of respect.  Wins over Liberty, East Carolina, Colorado, Syracuse, Marshall, UConn, and Louisville have not quite done the trick.  Even ranked #25 in the BCS, the Mountaineers need that defining game to transform this season from lackluster to electric.  They get their chance Friday night.

Cincinnati is 9-0 and looking to start a season unbeaten in ten for the first time in school history.  They are ranked #5 in the country, territory that is usually reserved in the Big East for WVU.  Even when their Heisman candidate QB Tony Pike went down with injury, superstar backup Zach Collaros kept the machine running, maybe even more successfully than Pike himself.  It will be Collaros who starts for the Bearcats Friday, with Pike expected to at least play for the first time in a month (he is slated to start next weekend against Illinois).

So how can West Virginia win?  Glad you asked.

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A lot of Mountaineer fans will be making their first trek to Cincinnati and Nippert Stadium this Friday night.  As veterans of this road trip, The Smoking Musket has provided this handy "how-to" guide for the game.  We want you to have a good time, but it's also probably a good idea to bring a semi-automatic weapon, at least two pints of your own blood for quick transfusions, and a cyanide caplet just in case you fall into the wrong hands.  Also, I can only vouch for the places on this specific map.  Wandering off the map means certain death.

Good luck!

[Note: clicking the image will provide a larger, easier to read version.]

See, the great thing about playing Cincinnati is that you can say whatever the hell you want to about them.  Why?  Because they don't have any fans.  Or any fans that use the Internet, at least.

This should actually be kind of fun.  Like, for instance...

• Cincinnati, America's Lower Back Tattoo  #BeatCincy
• Cincinnati, where jail time is a welcome respite.  #BeatCincy
• Cincinnati Bearcats, because ManBearPig was already taken. #BeatCincy

• Cincinnati, because Huggins thought Manhattan, KS was a step-up. #BeatCincy
• Cincinnati, the best cities sound like venereal diseases.  #BeatCincy
• Cincinnati, just lie and tell people you live in Kentucky.  #BeatCincy

See, isn't that fun?  Have a few beers, come up with your best efforts, and go nuts.  Anything in the comments will speak for themselves.  Solid entries via Twitter will be added after the jump.

[Inspiration via TNIAAM]

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