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 Black Bear's Pirate Bear Ale, in preparation for tonight's opponent.
The Mountaineers are in Miami. The team charter arrived amid a nice celebration and the Orange carpet was rolled out. There are several articles with galleries and videos of the festivities and interviews from the arrival. Back on the hoops side, WVU travels to Seton Hall for another Big East tilt tonight. We have several previews (and we'll have our own later today).
PROGRAMMING NOTE: There WILL be another edition tomorrow morning covering the results of tonight's game and anything else I can dig up.
Let's GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
What You May Have Missed:
Gold And Blue Now: Friday - WVMETRONEWS.COM
Dana Holgorsen talks about the team arriving in Miami and the men's basketball team prepares for a quick turnaround against Seton Hall
Head Coach Dana Holgorsen - Mountaineer TV
West Virginia coach Dana Holgorsen visits with media upon the team's arrival in Miami on Thursday afternoon.
Mountaineers Arrive - MSNsportsNET.Com
The West Virginia University football team made an Orange Carpet arrival in Miami on Thursday afternoon.
Preview: WVU vs Seton Hall - BGN
West Virginia has another quick turnaround as it travels to New Jersey for a match-up with Seton Hall on Friday night.
WVU basketball: Mountaineers to find out road in Big East has sharper incline - Charleston Daily Mail
"It's going to be rough," WVU senior guard Darryl "Truck" Bryant said generically of venturing away from the WVU Coliseum in the Big East. "Road games in the Big East, you know it's going to be rough.
Time to get physical - Charleston Gazette
WVU frosh indoctrinated into rough and tumble Big East play
WVU on the road at Seton Hall today - Times West Virginian
Jones comes into the game leading the Big East in scoring with 20.4 points a game with Pope third in scoring at 19.0 while Jones also leads in rebounds with 11.5 per contest while Pope is second at 11.2.
HERTZEL COLUMN: Truck, KJ and ‘The Turk’ lead by example - Times West Virginian
Instead, because they form the heart and soul of the West Virginia basketball team, it is best to simply call them The Three Mountaineers.
Musings Of A Mountain Man: December 30, 2011 - WVillustrated
John Woolard discusses Bob Huggins and his career milestone.
NFL Week 17 Preview - WVU Pros
A rundown of NFL Week 17 games involving former West Virginia Mountaineers.
News of Note:
WVU in Miami, minus 4 from roster - Charleston Gazette
The Roberts brothers, Trey Johnson and Michael Dorsey aren't with the team
WVU football: Tandy kept busy studying film of Clemson's offense - Charleston Daily Mail
WVU will practice four times at the University. Cornerback Keith Tandy has been at work for far longer.
WVU kicker's pleased - Martinsburg Journal
West Virginia placekicker Tyler Bitancurt certainly has been a contributor to his team's success this year.
Mountaineers Arrive In Miami - WVMETRONEWS.COM
Article, gallery and video
Mountaineers arrive in Miami - Register-Herald
“They talk about it all the time,” Goode said. “Eain Smith always tells me, even when I dropped him off at the airport for break, ‘We can’t lose this game.’ So I told him we aren’t going to lose it. Hands down we aren’t going to lose this, because he can’t come back home for the rest of his life and hear that we lost a BCS game in the Orange Bowl.”
WVU arrives for Orange Bowl - Charleston Daily Mail
Casazza's Notebook
Notebook: Fla. recruiting value is cited - PPG
Also some notes on Hopkins, player workouts and locals in the Orange Bowl
Herbstreit's Take: The Orange Bowl - WVMETRONEWS.COM
“(Head coach Dabo Swinney) has got to get his team to respect West Virginia and to feel like ‘If we don’t play our best game, we’re gonna lose,’” Herbstreit said.
Goode Speaks to Media Upon Arrival - Mountaineer TV
Linebacker Najee Goode speaks with the media upon arrival in Miami.
Video: Orange Bowl Arrival - BGN
Interviews with HCDH, Barclay, Goode and video of the team arrival
MSN Rewind: Miami 1973 - MSNsportsNET.Com
The Mountaineers have not fared well here, going 2-11 in their 13 prior trips to the “Cruise Capital of the World.” However, West Virginia will get another crack at improving that record on Wednesday night, Jan. 4, against Clemson in the 2012 Discover Orange Bowl.
Around the League (and Beyond):
Seton Hall's blowout loss at No. 1 Syracuse turns West Virginia game into 'must-win' - Star Ledger
Zach Collaros To Start Liberty Bowl For The Cincinnati Bearcats - Down The Drive
Rutgers/Iowa State preview - On the Banks
Rutgers Beats Florida 85-83 in DOUBLE OT - On the Banks
Your Post-Game Dejection Thread: Vandy 74, Marquette 57 - Anonymous Eagle
Sizing up the Big Battle between Louisville and Kentucky basketball - Courier-Journal
Syracuse vs. DePaul: No. 1 In The Windy City - Troy Nunes Is An Absolute Magician
Report: Family donates $4.5 million for basketball practice facility - The UConn Blog
Their desire has only been amped by our facility
Reviewing/Previewing Pitt In The BBVA Compass Bowl - Cardiac Hill
Plus-one, LSU repeat top 2012 college football predictions - Andy Staples - SI.com
#4 is especially nice
College Football Mailbag - Stewart Mandel - SI.com
Another VCU, Big East competition, other 2012 predictions - Seth Davis - SI.com
#3 is bad here
What's On Tap:
West Virginia Mountaineers vs. Seton Hall Pirates - ESPN
9 pm tonight from the Pru on ESPN2
Brigham Young Cougars vs. Tulsa Golden Hurricane - Preview - ESPN
Armed Forces Bowl - Noon today from Dallas on ESPN. Tulsa is giving 1.5.
Rutgers Scarlet Knights vs. Iowa State Cyclones - Preview - ESPN
Pinstripe Bowl - 3:20 pm this afternoon from the House That George Built on ESPN. Clones are getting 1.
Mississippi State Bulldogs vs. Wake Forest Demon Deacons - Preview - ESPN
Music City Bowl - 6:40 pm tonight from Nashville on ESPN. Bulldogs are giving 6.5.
Iowa Hawkeyes vs. (14) Oklahoma Sooners - Preview - ESPN
Insight Bowl - 10 pm tonight from Tempe on ESPN. Sooners are giving 13.5.
Video of Interest:
Video of (Dis)Interest:
This is genius:
Miss Throwdown:
Today's Miss Throwdown is a gorgeous Russian model who's done work for Intimissimi and the SI Swimsuit Issue (among others), including one stint as the cover girl. Here's your weekend video of Irina Shayk and a 3 page mega-gallery (click on the picture).
via nextround.net
Pirate Bear Ale image via www.blackbearmicrobrew.com
