Welcome to the first installment of the Smoking Musket's Wygal's WVU Where Are They Now? column. During the week, this site runs the nationally famous (or infamous?) Shotgun/Throwdown which gives daily links to what is current in Mountaineer sports. This column is a one-stop, weekly resource to see what your former Mountaineer favorites are up to in life beyond campus in Morgantown.
With the NFL undergoing a lockout, this is a time where ordinarily, most teams would going through their OTA's, the NFL version of Spring Practice. But since the owners have the players locked out of all practice facilities, that won't happen this spring. That also means that free-agents can't sign and no trades can be made for players under contract. All of this leads to a lot of conjecture about what could happen in the aftermath of a new CBA being signed. Marc Bulger is one of those free-agents hoping to find a new home. The NFL Draft is also less than two weeks away, and many former Mountaineers hope to get their names called. But there is one that you may have forgotten about (who we'll tell you about below) who may end up as the best former Mountaineer in this year's draft class when it's all said and done.
- Marc Bulger is a heavy favorite to be the next 49ers starting QB, according to several reports. Bulger's Ravens' head coach, John Harbaugh, is the brother of new 49ers head coach, Jim Harbaugh. Bulger reportedly was very sharp in Ravens' practices, but could never get on the field because he was behind Joe Flacco. Now that he's near the end of his career, and as healthy as he's been in several years, Bulger wants the opportunity to start again. The Arizona Cardinals will be in the mix as well.
- Short-lived, much hyped, former Mountaineer, Jason Gwaltney had a workout for the NY Giants on Thursday. Gwaltney eventually ended up playing for D-III Kean, and shattering school records while there. Gwaltney took part in a Pro-Day shortly before WVU's, and performed very well for scouts.
- The Toronto Argonauts of the CFL are interested in signing Pat White. White's style translates well to the CFL style of play.
- Devin Ebanks should return to the Lakers' active roster for the start of the NBA Playoffs. He does not regret his decision to turn Pro. In an interview with the LA Times, Ebanks talks about his decision to go to WVU, turn pro, and what it's like playing for the Lakers. He also provided this gem:
Earlier your sophomore season, it was reported you had a fight with a teammate and a three-game suspension. What happened?
It was just a little situation. Minor. We got over it. That's pretty much what it was.
Did you learn anything from it?
Not really.
- Anthony Becht will hold a youth football camp at Martinsburg HS this summer.
- And lastly, when Bob Sanders was cut by the Colts earlier this year, it raised an aesthetics question for the Colts. Enormous banners are hung around the outside of Lucas Oil Stadium, depicting different Colts players. Sanders was featured on one of those banners. Now that he is gone, the Colts needed to pick someone else from the team to appear on a banner. The Indianapolis Star ran a poll to determine who the fans wanted on the banner. Former Mountaineer Pat McAfee won the vote. However, the Colts decided to go a different direction: they hung a horseshoe instead.