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 New River Pale Ale, as suggested by Mike M.
First and foremost,
CONGRATULATIONS TO THE REPEAT BIG EAST CHAMPION WVU WOMEN'S SOCCER TEAM!!!!
At least they beat Louisville over the weekend. Back on the football side of things, everyone is still reeling from Saturday's loss and trying to find a way to fight back and make this a successful season. Hey, it could be a lot worse...look at Penn St. right now. Simply appalling. Your daily dose awaits.
What You May Have Missed:
Dana Holgorsen: Sunday Teleconference - WVMETRONEWS.COM
Audio and transcript
Gold And Blue Now: Monday - WVMETRONEWS.COM
In Monday's episode, both the football team and the men's basketball team talk about rebounding from shocking loss from over the weekend and we breakdown the Cincinnati Bearcats.
Back-to-Back Championships - MSNsportsNET.Com
Goals from forwards Blake Miller and Frances Silva, and a stout defensive effort, guided No. 11 West Virginia past Louisville, 2-0, in front of 1,550 fans at Dick Dlesk Soccer Stadium in the finals of the BIG EAST Women’s Soccer Championship. The Mountaineers won their second consecutive title and third in the last five years.
Head Coach Nikki Izzo-Brown - Mountaineer TV
West Virginia coach Nikki Izzo-Brown talks about her third Big East tournament championship since 2007.
Men's Soccer: WVU Drops Quarterfinal Match - MSNsportsNET.Com
The No. 16 West Virginia men’s soccer team fell to No. 13 St. John’s 2-0 on Sunday evening at Dick Dlesk Soccer Stadium in a BIG EAST Tournament quarterfinal match.
Big 12 offers challenges to WVU basketball team - Charleston Daily Mail
What will remain the same is what matters most to Huggins, though. WVU will still be WVU.
Preseason power rankings: Coaches - Rivals.com
Huggs checks in at #11
HERTZEL COLUMN: Problem at West Virginia is cultural - Times West Virginian
Bob doesn't seem happy with the present administration #Surprise
2011 NCAA College Football Polls and Rankings for Week 11 - ESPN
Relegated to "receiving votes" this week
Nichols Victorious in Homecoming Effort at WVU - WVillustrated
"Me and Schappy were smiling ever since we stepped in West Virginia," Nichols said after the game. "I'm just happy to be here."
News of Note:
No Emotion, No Efficiency - BGN
After video review of Saturday's 38-35 loss to Louisville, WVU head coach Dana Holgorsen came to two major conclusions: his team didn't put on a winning performance in any of the three major phases of the game, and it played with a notable absence of emotion.
WVU players comment on 'total team loss' - Bluefield Daily Telegraph/AP
“Words can’t explain it,” said West Virginia quarterback Geno Smith. “It’s just a total team loss. We obviously didn’t make enough plays on offense to win the game and that’s what hurts the most.”
There is enough blame to go around on WVU football team - Charleston Daily Mail
It's been obvious for weeks that West Virginia hasn't wanted to be part of the Big East anymore. It seems the Mountaineers' football team might be taking that literally ... and way too early.
Mountaineers have to ‘keep playing’ - Charleston Gazette
That West Virginia's football team finds itself today squarely behind the eight ball is not unfamiliar territory. It might be somewhat surprising, but certainly not unfamiliar.
Defense struggles to make plays when most needed - Daily Athenaeum
The Mountaineer defensive line put all the effort they had into the play and stopped Louisville sophomore running back Dominique Brown in the backfield. But, somehow Brown must have pushed forward because as the players looked up, the referees were spotting the ball past the first down spot- giving the Cardinals another set of downs.
WVU Not Walking The Walk in ’11 - Intelligencer / Wheeling News-Register
West Virginia's 38-35 loss to Louisville on Saturday was its second loss this season to a team it was favored to beat by double digits. It's pretty much happened at least once - and in most cases twice - every year since the Mountaineers regularly started to become favorites, with one head-scratcher following another. It's a trend that has spanned several senior classes, and now, a third head coach.
Things won’t get easier for Mountaineers any time soon - Daily Athenaeum
Heading into its bye week following a 43-16 against Connecticut, things were really looking up for the West Virginia football team.
A lot of work ahead for WVU - Parkersburg News and Sentinel
The reality of that scenario was never more apparent than last Saturday when West Virginia was upset by an average Louisville team in a 38-35 stunner.
WVU in similar spot as last season - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
Even with losses to Syracuse and Louisville, the Mountaineers have an outside chance to win the Big East.
Players still have designs on league crown - PPG
"We need to put it together all four quarters. I think that's what's haunted us these past couple games," Miller said. "These next three games we're going to have to play four quarters full throttle. ... We can talk the talk. We need to start walking the walk."
Recruiting:
HERTZEL COLUMN: Small recruiting classes hurting West Virginia - Times West Virginian
Stewart brought in just 19 players in 2010 for this year, six short of the number he could have had. This year’s recruiting class was 23 strong, leaving them having used just 42 of the 50 available scholarships.
Around the League (and Beyond):
Holding At Ten - BGN
Interim Big 12 Commissioner Chuck Neinas said Saturday the conference has no plans to expand further prior to next season, although that doesn’t mean a move back to 12 teams couldn’t happen eventually.
Upset helps Louisville Cardinals' own realignment plan - Courier-Journal
Bulls falter late, fall 20-17 to Rutgers in overtime - Tampa Tribune
Connecticut rallies in fourth quarter, tops Syracuse 28-21 - Post Standard
Defense Leads UConn Past Syracuse - Hartford Courant
Cincinnati Bearcats 26 Pittsburgh Panthers 23 - Down The Drive
Pitt Vs. Cincinnati: More Second Half Woes - Cardiac Hill
College GameDay Final: Week 10 - ESPN
College Football Overtime - Stewart Mandel - SI.com
What's On Tap:
Football: Cincinnati Game on ABC - MSNsportsNET.Com
West Virginia University has announced the Nov. 12 BIG EAST Conference football contest at Cincinnati in Paul Brown Stadium will be aired on ABC at noon.
Video of Interest:
Video of (Dis)Interest:
Miss Throwdown:
Today's Miss Throwdown is a Vicky's model from Macedonia. Here is today's gallery of Katerina Ivanovska (click on the picture).
via nextround.net
New River Pale Ale image via 4.bp.blogspot.com
