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 Hofbräu Oktoberfest, because it still is and Country Roads can stick it (just kidding...but not really).
Basketball held their Mountaineer Madness on Friday evening, and other than the banner raising, wasn't a big deal (see UK's or Michigan State's for a big deal). It's also the beginning of 'Cuse week. All of the coverage I could find is all inside. 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 and then hit LIKE). We had over 19,000 fans of the old West "By God" Virginia page...we need to get it up there for this one as well. Sorry for the delay. Take a jump...
What You May Have Missed:
Coach Stewart Friday Teleconference - WVMetroNews.com
Football: Coach Bill Stewart quotes - MSNsportsNET.Com
2010 NCAA College Football Polls and Rankings for Week 8 - ESPN
BCS #20, AP #20 & #19 in the Coaches
NCAA College Football BCS Bowl Projections Week 7 - ESPN
Fiesta is the projection
No. 25 West Virginia 20, USF 6 - Photos - SI.com
Big East helmet stickers, Week 7 - ESPN
Football Award Winners: WVU - USF - BGN
Daily Word: Andy Katz's preseason top 25 - ESPN
WVU in the "dozen more to watch"
Marketing grant to raise awareness women's basketball - Charleston Daily Mail
WVU women reaching out for more fans - Times West Virginian
Hertzel Column
WVU women’s basketball team thinking big - Times West Virginian
Erin Andrews Opens Up About Career, Family, Dancing and the Law - NCAAFB FanHouse
Craziest fans? "Morgantown, West Virginia. Oh my gosh, they're nuts on a Thursday night. Are you kidding?"
WVU Nets Comeback Win - MSNsportsNET.Com
Women's Soccer: Down 3-1 in the second half, WVU came back to win 4-3 in OT
Miller Scores Two In Milestone Win - MSNsportsNET.Com
Women's Soccer, 3-0 over Georgetown. This one is worth the click, if nothing else for the the inset pic of the expression/posture of the Hoya player in between two Mountaineers.
Mountaineers Beat Pitt - MSNsportsNET.Com
Women's Volleyball: For the first time in more than 20 years, the West Virginia University volleyball team defeated BIG EAST rival Pitt in the "Backyard Brawl"
News of Note:
Football
Football Notebook - MSNsportsNET.Com
Stewart still wary of allowing big plays - Charleston Gazette
Inconsistency still keeping offense from being special - Charleston Gazette
Maybe we can get Huggs to give them the "Special" talk from last year
WVU may have reason to stay conservative - Times West Virginian
Hertzel Column
Defense rules the night for WVU - Charleston Gazette
West Virginia's defense leading the way - PPG
Mountaineers' D gets redemption vs. South Florida - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
WVU defense carrying the load so far - Times West Virginian
Hertzel Column
Offense calls plays based on its defense - Charleston Daily Mail
"We score 20, 21 points, I already know it's a victory in the books," said receiver Jock Sanders.
Your thoughts on the Jock Sanders claim - 'Eers to the Ground
WVU football Q&A answers 10.18.10 - 'Eers to the Ground
Sanders closes in on receiving mark - Charleston Gazette
Sacks starting to come easy for WVU - Charleston Daily Mail
Raising the bar - Times West Virginian
WVU Football Team Continues to Gel - WVillustrated.com
Now all we need is the Gym, Tan and Laundry and we got a Jersey thing going - Hey-OOOO
Mountaineers Could Be Favored Rest of Way - Intelligencer / Wheeling News-Register
Don't you mean "Should"?
WVU readies for last stretch - Martinsburg Journal
Mickey's Column
Geno 'already a vet' - Register-Herald
WVU Quarterback Geno Smith is Having Quite a Year - WVillustrated.com
Can Noel Devine Turn it Around? - WVillustrated.com
West Virginia's trick play took steam from Bulls - Register-Herald
West Virginia’s performances at Mountaineer Field inspiring - Parkersburg News and Sentinel
Big East power rankings, Week 8 - ESPN
Too Early to Crown West Virginia Big East Champs? - WVillustrated.com
Music Video Highlights: USF Game - WVillustrated.com
WVU Football Photos WVU vs. USF III - WVillustrated.com
Basketball
Huggins welcomes challenges ahead - Times West Virginian
Banner Evening - MSNsportsNET.Com
Unless they've changed the picture caption, it was "raised to" not "lowered from"
The Mountaineers Go Mad - WVMETRONEWS.COM
Article, video and photo gallery
Another Mountaineer Great On The Bench - WVMETRONEWS.COM
Darris Nichols joins the BB staff as a GA this year
Two 'Power' Forwards for WVU - WVillustrated.com
VIDEO: 2010 WVU Dunk Contest - WVillustrated.com
or rather...lack thereof, contest that is
Joe Mazzulla Video - WVillustrated.com
Cam Thoroughman Video - WVillustrated.com
Kevin Jones Video - WVillustrated.com
Recruiting:
Petteway Chooses WVU - Intelligencer / Wheeling News-Register
The article doesn't mention his position, but he's a Safety
Around the League (and Beyond):
College GameDay Final: Week 7 - ESPN
College Football Overtime - Stewart Mandel - SI.com
So ... it's going to be that kind of season, is it?
What we learned in the Big East: Week 7 - ESPN
Eric LeGrand injury leaves Rutgers in no mood to celebrate 23-20 overtime victory over Army - Star Ledger
Our thoughts and prayers certainly go out to the young man...but why would you celebrate a victory over Army in OT?
Send a Get Well Message to Eric LeGrand - RU Athletics
If you are so inclined
Bearcats outlast Cardinals 35-27 - Cincinnati Enquirer
Is that a sign the offenses are getting better or their defenses are bad?
Louisville's flaws proved fatal in loss to Cincinnati - Courier-Journal
Pitt 45 - Syracuse 14: So That Was Awkward - Troy Nunes Is An Absolute Magician
Pitt opens Big East season with a win over Syracuse, 45-14 - PPG
Football Suspensions Continue - Cardiac Hill
Having fun yet Wanny?
UConn football: No easy answers - Journal Inquirer
USF to take hard look at every spot - Tampa Tribune
BCS Is Still Rigged After All These Years - NCAAFB FanHouse
Tim Brewster Fired as Minnesota Football Coach, Effective Immediately - NCAAFB FanHouse
Videos of Interest:
Video of (Dis)Interest:
Where was this during Vegas week?
Miss Throwdown:
Today's Miss Throwdown is a Czech model who's most notable for looking amazing and gracing the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue cover in 2003. Here's Petra Nemcova (pic links to a gallery, as usual).
Hofbrau Oktoberfest image via www.energyproductions.com