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 Caybrew Lager, in honor of today's Miss Throwdown.
Sorry for the delay folks. Work issues will have this running around this time all week this week. Bear with me. Today we have Orange Bowl features on on coaches, players, etc to go along with a few basketball bits and news around the league.
What You May Have Missed:
Gold And Blue Now: Monday - WVMETRONEWS.COM
Today's is embedded below
Men's Basketball: Jones Named Player of the Week - MSNsportsNET.Com
West Virginia University senior forward Kevin Jones was named College Sports Madness National Player of the Week, as well as Big East player of the week, it was announced on Monday.
WVU Prepares for Big East Play at 9-3 - WVillustrated
WVU enters Big East play with a 9-3 record. How does that compare to your expectations?
The Need to Give - MSNsportsNET.Com
What does a 58-year-old man who has nearly everything need? The need to give, perhaps?
Harris: Huggins' milestone proves value - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
Huggins prefers the noise generated by his surprising Mountaineers, who at 9-3 are performing better than expected with seven freshmen.
$24.1 million facility nearly ready for WVU hoops to unwrap - Charleston Gazette
"I was talking to somebody who went to a school where they were building a practice facility,'' Huggins said. "And while he was there they showed some pictures of our practice facility and said, 'Now, ours isn't going to be like this. West Virginia's is the best. It's going to be close, but it ain't going to be like that.'
Week to remember - Times West Virginian
Notebook
Orange will cost West Virginia a bit of green - Register-Herald
West Virginia University doesn’t expect to lose more than $1 million on the trip to Miami for the Orange Bowl game against Clemson.
News of Note:
West Virginia Mountaineers coach Dana Holgorsen, Stanford Cardinal coach David Shaw reach BCS games in first season - ESPN
For West Virginia's Dana Holgorsen and Stanford's David Shaw, it's helped to have a little bit of Luck on their sides as they made their way to BCS bowls in their first seasons as head coaches.
Mr. Outside, Mr. Inside - MSNsportsNET.Com
West Virginia has had some pretty good pass catching duos through the years - Danny Buggs-Marshall Mills in the early-1970s and Shawn Foreman-David Saunders in the 1990s are two who immediately come to mind - but no duo has been able to accomplish what Stedman Bailey and Tavon Austin did in 2011.
Time To Focus: WVU turns its attention to Clemson for final phase of pre-bowl workouts - OrangeandWhite.com
Like Clemson's Dabo Swinney, Mountaineers' Dana Holgorsen invested time in young players during first half of Orange Bowl drills
In Orange Bowl, there's a focus on offenses - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
A lot of things could happen in the Orange Bowl matchup between West Virginia and Clemson, but Tigers coach Dabo Swinney has a feeling about what fans won't see.
For WVU's Fla. natives, you can go home again - Charleston Gazette
When Stedman Bailey found out the Orange Bowl was West Virginia's postseason football destination, he literally couldn't control himself.
The Phoebus Connection - WVMETRONEWS.COM
WVU’s Orange Bowl matchup against Clemson will be the first time the two schools have played since their only other meeting in 1989, but that doesn’t mean the teams’ players are unfamiliar with each other. Mountaineer running back Shawne Alston saw the ability of Tiger quarterback Tajh Boyd firsthand when the two played high school football together at Phoebus.
Tigers preparing for an ‘Air Raid’ - The State
WVU coach learned under Mike Leach, Hal Mumme
Next stop for West Virginia's 'agile big kid,' Don Barclay? - PPG
Orange Bowl will mark end of an era for WVU's Barclay, who never guessed he would advance this far on the field
Lineman Joey Madsen - Mountaineer TV
Offensive lineman Joey Madsen talks about WVU's date at the Orange Bowl on Jan. 4.
Video: More Football Interviews - BGN
Tandy, Geno, Stedman, Garrison and Coach Casteel
Around the League (and Beyond):
Big East preview: Boeheim has Syracuse on road to No. 1 seed - Sporting News
Louisville football's opener for 2012 is tonight - Courier-Journal
Autozone Liberty Bowl Week | Third Down Will Make The Difference - Down The Drive
Rutgers still undecided on starting quarterback for Pinstripe Bowl - Star Ledger
Syracuse In The ACC: Coastal Or Atlantic? - Troy Nunes Is An Absolute Magician
UConn basketball: Blaney Prepares To Fill In For Calhoun - Hartford Courant
Seton Hall men's basketball mid-season report card - Star Ledger
Game 12: St. John's vs Providence (Big East conference opener) - Rumble In The Garden
BIG (East) Expectations - VUhoops.com
Notre Dame men's basketball: The time is now for the Irish - South Bend Tribune
#22 Pitt Left With Questions Unanswered As Big East Play Opens - Cardiac Hill
What's On Tap:
Western Michigan Broncos vs. Purdue Boilermakers - ESPN
Little Caesars Bowl, 4:30 pm today from Detroit on ESPN/ESPN3. Purdue is giving 3.
Louisville Cardinals vs. North Carolina State Wolfpack - ESPN
Belk Bowl, 8 pm tonight from Charlotte on ESPN/ESPN3. Cards are getting 1.5.
Video of Interest:
Kevin Jones is named the Big East Player of the Week, Bob Huggins talks about starting Big East play, WVU receiver Tavon Austin continues to prove his doubters wrong and WVU Sports Marketing Director Matt Wells talks about the ticket sales for the Orange Bowl.
Video of (Dis)Interest:
Miss Throwdown:
Today's Miss Throwdown is a Victoria's Secret and Sports Illustrated swimsuit model. Click on the picture below for today's gallery of Selita Ebanks.
Caybrew Lager image via www.joebucsfan.com