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 Gritty's Halloween Ale to end our run of Oktoberfest beers.
The team (and also me) survived the snowy day in New Jersey this past weekend. The resilience was a plus, but there were still plenty of mistakes to learn from. Both soccer teams notched wins over the weekend, with the women advancing to the Big East semi's this Friday. There's also plenty of expected fallout of the impending move for WVU to the Big 12. Casazza's article on scheduling is especially of note because it details part of what happened to the initial invitation on Tuesday and subsequent finalization on Friday. Louisville (and their Senator) may have had partly to do with it, but Missouri still waiting was once again a major culprit.
Happy Halloween Everyone!!
What You May Have Missed:
Dana Holgorsen: Sunday Teleconference - WVMETRONEWS.COM
Audio and transcript
Gold And Blue Now: Monday - WVMETRONEWS.COM
Tony Caridi breaks down the Louisville Cardinals, Jeff Casteel talks about what the Mountaineer defense will be working on this week and Chip Fontanazza flashes back to last year's WVU-Louisville match up
2011 NCAA College Football Polls and Rankings for Week 10 - ESPN
#24 BCS, #24 AP & #21 Coaches
NCAA College Football BCS Bowl Projections Week 9 - ESPN
Orange and Belk here
Big East bowl projections: Week 9 - Big East Blog - ESPN
Belk here
Mountaineers face a challenge with 7 freshmen - Register-Herald/AP
“When you have a young team, there is just bad stuff going on everywhere and you can’t correct it all at one time,” Huggins said. “It is just kind of difficult right now.”
No. 13 WVU Routs Seton Hall - MSNsportsNET.Com
The No. 13-ranked West Virginia women’s soccer team opened BIG EAST Championship play with a convincing 5-0 rout of visiting Seton Hall in quarterfinal action Sunday afternoon at Dick Dlesk Soccer Stadium.
WVU Upsets Irish - MSNsportsNET.Com
The No. 18 West Virginia men’s soccer team clinched a home game in the first round of the BIG EAST Tournament with a 2-0 win over No. 12 Notre Dame on Saturday afternoon at Alumni Stadium in the regular season finale
Rifle: Mountaineers Remain Undefeated - MSNsportsNET.Com
The No. 1-ranked West Virginia rifle team continued its undefeated season and triumphed over No. 9 Murray State, 4688-4615, in today’s match at the WVU Rifle Range.
We all have a Woody O’Hara story - Charleston Gazette
This weekend, our state is saying farewell to a broadcasting icon, Woody O'Hara, who died Wednesday at age 70.
Big 12:
Big 12 Teleconference: Part Two - WVMETRONEWS.COM
Big 12 Teleconference: Part Two - WVMETRONEWS.COM
Luck, Clements Excited for Future of WVU Athletics - WVillustrated
Includes video
Scheduling work seems to be next step for WVU - Charleston Daily Mail
You see, this was a done deal Tuesday, but it was that night when, by the Big 12's admission, the membership, noted representatives of higher education, started to crunch numbers. Not mileage. Not the length of a runway. Not even televisions. This was about the numbers 10 and 11.
Here’s to pulling for the Big East (seriously) - Charleston Gazette
The best reason is because the sooner the Big East moves on, the sooner West Virginia might do the same.
Looks Like WVU, Big East are Headed for a Showdown - Intelligencer / Wheeling News-Register
You wouldn't believe how many different ways there are to ask how the Mountaineers plan to become a full-fledged member of the Big 12 next July when the Big East is holding everyone that leaves it - and that's just about everyone - to a 27-month waiting period?
Geography a worry, but mostly thumbs up on WVU's move to Big 12 - Charleston Gazette
Now that fans have had a chance to digest the news of West Virginia's impending move from the Big East to the Big 12 and have been given ample time to react, perhaps its time we let a few guys with direct knowledge of the program have their voices heard.
WVU’s goal: ‘Do what’s best’ - Times West Virginian
Big 12 entrance not accomplished through master plan
WVU Coaches Chime in on Big 12 Membership - WVillustrated
Following the news of WVU's invitation and acceptance to join the Big 12 conference, the coaches that make up its athletic department gave their thoughts on the move and the future of their program
Freshmen Talk Moving To The Big 12 - WVMETRONEWS.COM
The Mountaineers have a total of seven freshmen on this year’s basketball squad and playing in the Big East is one of the many reasons they decided to come to West Virginia.
WVU won’t see weather like that in Big 12 - Charleston Gazette
WVU notebook
Mountaineers taking step into college sports history - Times West Virginian
West Virginia University is taking a step into college sports history as it ventures out of a disintegrating Big East Conference and moves into the Big 12, a conference with teams that have helped write the very history of collegiate football and basketball.
Can you pass your first Big 12 test? - Times West Virginian
This is your first Big 12 test. Answers at bottom.
News of Note:
Football: Rutgers Award Winners - MSNsportsNET.Com
Bitancurt Named Lou Groza Award Semi-finalist - WVillustrated
one of 20 players named as a semi-finalist for the Lou Groza Award.
Fourth-down gambles paid off for Mountaineers - Charleston Gazette
The one by the Mountaineers paid off. The bigger one by the Scarlet Knights did not.
WVU's Ramblin Man - MSNsportsNET.Com
Shawne Alston proved Saturday that there is always value in having a big, powerful running back at your disposal whenever you need to move forward in difficult playing conditions.
Inspired defense survives meltdown - PPG
It all added up to 31 first half points yielded to an offense that hadn't scored that many in an opening half all year. It all turned around in the second half.
Standard Procedure - BGN
Reviews of game tape often show different things than coaches see during live action, but no matter what the review shows, the teaching and correction process remain the same.
Holgorsen: WVU may be growing up - Parkersburg News and Sentinel
"It was hard," WVU head coach Dana Holgorsen explained. "I'm proud of the guys and the way they responded. Rutgers wanted to win this game. You could tell it. For us to come in, especially after the loss last week, shows that our team may be on the verge of growing up a little bit."
HERTZEL COLUMN: Smith turns things around at right time - Times West Virginian
The most dependable sign of greatness comes, perhaps, when a player somehow manages to find a way to turn an unproductive game into a productive one.
WVU coach looking for consistency - Times West Virginian
“The second half was all about playing together on all three sides of the ball,” he said. “You don’t expect it to be there in game one. The goal is to eventually get there. Hopefully we can build on that second half.”
Around the League (and Beyond):
Rutgers' latest loss to West Virginia leaves a feeling that's all too familiar - Star Ledger
Louisvile 27 - Syracuse 10: Ville-ans Win Again - Troy Nunes Is An Absolute Magician
Louisville 27 - Syracuse 10: Just Win, Baby - Card Chronicle
Pitt Football Recruiting: Todd Graham Continues To Build Offensive Line - Cardiac Hill
Local WR pair getting chance at USF - Tampa Tribune
UConn Football: Pasqualoni Sticks With McEntee at QB - Hartford Courant
Cronin bullish on new Big East - Cincinnati Enquirer
College GameDay Final: Week 9 - ESPN
College Football Overtime - Stewart Mandel - SI.com
Video of Interest:
Video of (Dis)Interest:
Miss Throwdown:
Today's Miss Throwdown is Romanian Model Beatrice Chitra. Click on the picture for today's gallery.
Gritty's Halloween Ale image via www.bruguru.com