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 Crown Brewing, in honor of our host state of Indiana.
West Bound and Down...We gonna do what they say can't be done. We got a long way to go and a short time to get there. Short time equals 80 more minutes. 80 more minutes to climb the highest peak WVU has ever climbed. The Mountaineers have fallen just short before, in what seems a lifetime ago, before many of us were born. The waiting is starting to get a bit agonizing for me, but I'm trying...trying to still enjoy this. Keep the tips, suggestions and requests coming. There's still time to vote in the Hump Day Bracket semis. Finals will be revealed sometime after 8 EDT tonight. Here we go...
What You May Have Missed:
View from West Virginia campus - ESPN
Fans send off Mountaineers - Charleston Daily Mail
Sights And Sounds: A Mountaineer Sendoff - WVMETRONEWS.COM
Video link
Final Four Stadium Set-Up - WVIllustrated.com
slide show
WVU Alumni at NCAA - You Tube
Video (der)
Player Video Interviews - WVIllustrated.com
WVU Final Four balls to benefit Make-A-Wish - Charleston Gazette
Will the Final Four help WVU gain students? - Charleston Gazette
West Virginia 77, Morgan State 50, First Round - Road to the Final Four - Photos - SI.com
4 picture gallery
Bob Huggins Interview - WVIllustrated.com
Video
Jarrett Brown Video - MSNsportsNET.Com
News of Note:
A tempo-free take on the Final Four - ESPN
Final Four matchup: No. 2 West Virginia (31-6) vs. No. 1 Duke (33-5) - Sporting News
Loading Up On Laundry - WVIllustrated.com
Cherish The Moment - MSNsportsNET.Com
Great moments have defined WVU season - Times West Virginian
Hertzel Column
Final Four fever - Times West Virginian
Living, dying with the Mountaineers - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
Tony Says WWHIS - MSNsportsNET.Com
Rebounding key to West Virginia-Duke matchup - PPG
West Virginia's strengths: rebounding and defense - SanLuisObispo.com
WVU gear a hot item - Charleston Gazette
Da'Sean: West Virginia Picks Us - Intelligencer / Wheeling News-Register
Butler: Bring it, doubters - Charleston Gazette
Meaning of game not lost on Butler - Charleston Daily Mail
Ebanks key to WVU’s defense - Register-Herald (AP)
WVU's Ebanks surprises with tough defense - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
Kevin Jones West Virginia Final Four Diary: Getting ready for the Duke Blue Devils - Dime Magazine
WVU’s Mitchell made right call - Parkersburg News and Sentinel
Pennsbury Product Pepper Excited For Final Four - KYW Newsradio 1060 Philadelphia
Starting Five: Huggins should want title the most - Sporting News
You have to embrace old Bob Huggins - Courier-Journal
Article and video
West Virginia alum Huggins returns Mountaineers to high places - JSOnline
Abnormal times call for normal behavior - Charleston Gazette
Huggins trying to keep things normal - Charleston Daily Mail
Huggins' tracksuit garners attention - Charleston Daily Mail
Don't Sweat Huggins' Look -- NCAABB FanHouse
FINALLY, somebody gets it.
Bigger, More Physical Duke Presents a New Mountain to Climb - EerSports
Can WVU realistically win it all? - GrafWV.com
Bars, restaurants gear up for big sports weekend - Charleston Daily Mail
Jerry West just can't watch - JSOnline
A trip back to last time WVU made Final Four - Times West Virginian
News of the Enemy:
Emergence of Brian Zoubek, Lance Thomas keyed Duke's NCAA run - SI.com
Coach K: Duke kids deserving of some credit - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
Freshman Dawkins: Duke’s X-factor? - Bluefield Daily Telegraph (AP)
Where are all the Duke haters? - Frumpzilla
Article and video. Thanks to Amelia, to whom I'll gladly cede a Hump Day post in exchange for 2 more victories by Huggs and Co.
Around the League (and Beyond):
Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany: NCAA tournament expansion 'probable' - ESPN
Hollywood meets heartland at Hinkle - ESPN
Butler Bulldogs coach Brad Stevens turns coaching dream into reality - ESPN
Seton Hall officially introduces Kevin Willard as new men's basketball head coach - Star Ledger
U of L approves Pitino deal - Courier-Journal
Pitt's Dixon get's two-year extension - PPG
USF's Pierre-Paul waiting for invitation to NFL Draft - Tampa Tribune
Jones: “I view us as one of the nation’s biggest programs” - Cincinnati Enquirer
Syracuse University spring football Day 6: Coaches turn up the volume - Post Standard
Rutgers QB Tom Savage taking precautions to stay healthy - Star Ledger
Video of Interest:
Keep on doubting...who is this next guy anyway?
Video of (Dis)Interest:
Indy, here we come...
I put "sophomoric humor" at the top for occasions exactly like this:
Gallery of the Week:
Miss Throwdown:
Today's Miss Throwdown is a former Playboy Playmate who gained further notoriety as Jason Kidd's girlfriend. Here's Hope Dworaczyk.
Crown Brewing image via www.brewersofindianaguild.com