Welcome, By-Godders, to the Shotgun/Throwdown, WVU's best place for sports links, information and daily distractions. Today we're being brought to you by Hop'n Gator.
Happy New Year!! If you are a Big East sports fan, this is your weekend. The What's On Tap section is overflowing today. We have 4 bowl games and a full slate of ranked BE basketball teams in action. The ones we're most interested in, of course, are the Gator Bowl and the Purdue BB game. Lots (and I mean lots) to cover inside. Here's where you submit your tips, suggestions and requests. Let's get a couple of big wins today and start 2010 off right!!! Let's GOOOOOOOOOOO...
What You May Have Missed:
Gold and Blue Report for Friday - WVMETRONEWS.COM
Florida State Preview - MSNsportsNET.Com
Gator Bowl Preview - BlueGoldNews.com
Gator Bowl preview - Register-Herald
Purdue Preview - MSNsportsNET.Com
Mountaineer Fans Hit Florida - WVMETRONEWS.COM
Article, gallery and video.
News of Note (FB):
WVU will try to keep up with Florida State's E.J. Manuel - Charleston Daily Mail
Bowden has seen end looming for years - Charleston Daily Mail
Bowden set for an emotional farewell - Martinsburg Journal (AP)
Some of WVU's key recruits were bypassed by Seminoles - Charleston Daily Mail
Casazza's notebook
Gator Bowl notebook: Mountaineers looking to continue bowl win streak - Charleston Gazette
After all these years, Bowden's never at a loss for words - Charleston Gazette
Florida State coach never forgot his state roots - Register-Herald
End of an era - Charleston Gazette
Football could use a few more Bowdens - Register-Herald
Stewart stays resolute amid Bowden buzz - PPG
Gator Bowl hosts West Virginia, Florida State in last Bowden game - SI.com
Bobby Bowden preparing for finale with Florida State Seminoles - ESPN
Bowden, Bryant the same yet different - Times West Virginian
Hertzel Column
WVU vs. Florida State - WVMETRONEWS.COM
The Respect Game - WVIllustrated.com
WVU seniors try to reel in emotions - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
Devine preferred WVU over ‘Noles - Bluefield Daily Telegraph
Native Floridian Thomas is all Gold and Blue now - Times West Virginian
Quick Take: Mountaineers and Seminioles Ready To Square Off - WVIllustrated.com
Most WVU bowl wins can be classified as upsets - Times West Virginian
Mickey's Column
WVU Mountaineer defense lives up to billing - Parkersburg News and Sentinel
O-line key to WVU’s success - Parkersburg News and Sentinel
WVU meets Florida State in Gator Bowl today - Times West Virginian
Gator Bowl Pep Rally - WVIllustrated.com
Video link
Gator Bowl Press Conference - WVIllustrated.com
Video link
News of Note (BB):
Mountaineers facing test in the Midwest - Charleston Gazette
Andy Katz's Daily Word: West Virginia, Purdue will meet in battle of unbeatens - ESPN
BIG EAST Hardwood Slate - WVIllustrated.com
Unbeatens Purdue, West Virginia face off - Martinsburg Journal (AP)
Winning every game isn't everything - Charleston Daily Mail
No. 4 Purdue, No. 6 WVU meet - Times West Virginian
Major test awaits WVU - Parkersburg News and Sentinel
Around the League (and Beyond):
Cincinnati seeks defining bowl victory - ESPN
Huskies Facing A Tough Defense - Courant.com
Papajohns.com Bowl preview - ESPN
Hoyas use balanced scoring attack to hold off Red Storm - ESPN
66-59
Louisville/Kentucky is college basketball's best rivalry - Card Chronicle
Puh-LEAZE!!!
Louisville vs. Kentucky rivalry reveille was heard early - Courier-Journal
Summer job pays off for Pittsburgh guard Ashton Gibbs - syracuse.com
Syracuse basketball has NCAA Div. 1's only undefeated men's and women's team - syracuse.com
Time to say goodbye to seniors - Tampa Tribune
International Bowl preview - ESPN
What's On Tap:
West Virginia Mountaineers vs. Florida State Seminoles - ESPN
Gator Bowl at 1 pm on CBS. Line has WVU by 3.
West Virginia Mountaineers vs. Purdue Boilermakers - ESPN
2:30 pm today from Mackey Arena in West Lafayette on ESPN. Purdue is favored by 4.
Cincinnati Bearcats vs. Florida Gators - ESPN
Sugar Bowl at 8:30 pm from Naw'lins on Fox. Gators are giving 12.5.
South Florida Bulls vs. Northern Illinois Huskies - ESPN
International Bowl at Noon Saturday on ESPN2. Bulls are giving 6.5.
Notre Dame vs. Connecticut - SI.com
Noon Saturday on ESPNU from the XL Center in Hartford.
Pittsburgh vs. Syracuse - SI.com
Noon Saturday from the Dome on ESPN360 and MASN.
WVU Women vs. St. John's at 2 pm on Saturday on MASN. (I couldn't find an article to link)
South Carolina Gamecocks vs. Connecticut Huskies - ESPN
Papa John's Bowl from Legion Field in Alabama, 2 pm Saturday on ESPN. Gamecocks are favored by 4.
Louisville vs. Kentucky - SI.com
3:30 pm Saturday from Rupp Arena on CBS.
Villanova vs. Marquette - SI.com
3:30 pm Saturday from the Bradley Center in Milwaukee on ESPN2.
Georgetown vs. DePaul - SI.com
2 pm Sunday from the Allstate Arena in Illinois on MASN.
Tailgate Recipe of the Week:
Grilled Cajun Style Gator Tail
Ingredients
4 To 6 Lbs Gator Tail
Lemon wedges
Seasoning Mix:
12 T Paprika
6 T Garlic powder
3 T Salt
3 T White pepper
3 T Oregano, crushed
3 T Black pepper
2 1/2 T Thyme
1 T Cayenne pepperTo make seasoning mix, combine paprika, garlic powder, salt, white pepper, oregano, black pepper, thyme and cayenne pepper in jar with tight fitting lid. Shake well to combine. Mixture may be stored for up to 3 months. When ready to cook, cut gator tail meat into 1/2" cubes. Roll each cube in 1 tablespoon of the mixture. Cook over high heat on an outdoor barbecue grill or under the oven broiler for 4 to 6 minutes, or until gator tail meat is white and firm to the touch. Serve warm with lemon wedges. The seasoning mixture will coat up to 24 (4 oz.) servings of gator tail.
courtesy of wildliferecipes.net
Video of Interest:
Videos of (Dis)Interest:
I don't like to repeat post, but in the tradition of year end review, this was by far, my favorite video that I came across in 2009 and it deserves re-posting.
New Year's Gallery of the Week:
via coedmagazine.files.wordpress.com
Miss Throwdown:
Today's Miss Throwdown is famous for...does anyone really know how she got famous? Anyway, she's gorgeous and today's Miss Throwdown. Here's Kim Kardashian.
via thedailyfix.com
Hop'n Gator image via farm4.static.flickr.com