Welcome, By-Godders, to the Shotgun/Throwdown, WVU's best place for sports links, information, sophomoric humor and daily distractions. We're being brought to you today by Four Peaks Brewing Company's Kilt Lifter Scottish Style Ale.
What You May Have Missed:
Track Qualifies Seven for NCAA Prelims - WVU Athletics
Seven Mountaineers will compete in the 2015 NCAA East Region Preliminaries.
FURFARI: Steve Earley came from Pa., played football and stayed for 39 years - Times West Virginian
Steve Earley, an offensive guard, came to West Virginia University to play football in the 1970s, but left Morgantown with a degree and decided to make a living in the Mountain State.
News of Note:
Football
WVU's Man in the Middle - WVU Athletics
LB Jared Barber is back to 100 percent and ready to go in 2015.
Expectations for West Virginia Mountaineers defense high in 2015 - Big 12 Blog - ESPN
A baptism by fire. Tony Gibson’s first season as defensive coordinator at West Virginia can be represented by those simple words.
Big 12 post-spring position rankings: DB - Big 12 Blog - ESPN
1. West Virginia
Baseball
Oklahoma sends West Virginia to quick exit at the Big 12 tournament - WV MetroNews
After a 6-1 loss, the Mountaineers' season ended with a two-and-out showing in Tulsa and a 27-27 record.
WVU Loss To Oklahoma Ends Season - BGN
Sheldon Neuse’s bases loaded double lifted Oklahoma to a 6-1 win over West Virginia as the Mountaineers were eliminated from the Big 12 Tournament with a second loss in as many days Thursday in Tulsa.
Missed Chances - BGN
West Virginia's inability to capitalize in scoring situations wasted an excellent pitching effort from Mountaineer starter Chad Donato as WVU dropped a 3-0 decision to Oklahoma State on the opening day of the Big 12 Championship.
Mountaineers hold heads high in defeat - Exponent Telegram
A year to remember ended with a game to forget for West Virginia’s baseball team Thursday afternoon.
Out of luck - Exponent Telegram
As the final out of West Virginia’s baseball 2015 season was recorded, the scoreboard showed a rather lopsided 6-1 deficit Thursday in an elimination game against No. 3 seed Oklahoma in the Big 12 Tournament in Tulsa.
WVU’s Season Ends with 6-1 Loss to OU - WVillustrated
West Virginia's season comes to an end with a 6-1 loss to the Oklahoma Sooners in the Big 12 Conference Tournament on Thursday afternoon.
WATCH: WVU's Mazey, Players Address Media in Tulsa - WVillustrated
WVU baseball head coach Randy Mazey, along with Ross Vance and Ray Guerrini address the media in Tulsa following Thursday's 6-1 loss to the Oklahoma Sooners in the Big 12 Conference Tournament.
Gold and Blue Now: Friday, May 22 - WV MetroNews
Randy Mazey talks after his team’s season came to an end after a 6-1 loss against Oklahoma in Tulsa.
Sooners Survive First Elimination Game With 6-1 Win Over West Virginia - Crimson And Cream Machine
Oklahoma blew a tight 2-1 game wide open in the top of the eighth inning with just one swing of Sheldon Neuse's bat and lived to fight another day in the Big 12 Baseball Championship.
Recruiting:
WVU Extends Offer to One, Shows Interest in Others at Florida HS - EerSports
West Virginia swung by Vero Beach (FL) earlier this afternoon and extended a new offer to 2016 defensive end Patrick Bethel.
Pro News:
Jay Cutler Needs Kevin White to be Productive to Succeed - College to Pro Sports
It is no secret that Chicago Bears Quarterback Jay Cutler struggled last season.
WVU legend Steve Slaton retires from football - College To Pro Sports
First Pat White and now Slaton retires. With that, the backfield duo that led the Mountaineers to national prominence on the field during the mid-2000's are out of football
No quarterback battle in New York: Jets name Geno Smith 2015 starter - USA Today (autoplay)
But heading into third season, Smith may be down to final shot to claim job for good.
Around the League (and Beyond):
SportingNews ranks Art Briles as #5 Coach in CFB - Our Daily Bears
Hey, Fred - Wide Right & Natty Lite
No school dominates the NBA Draft lottery more than the University of Kansas - Business Insider
Big 12 strong and weak: Kansas State Wildcats - Big 12 Blog - ESPN
Sooners Schedule Three Game Series With The Tulane Green Wave - Crimson And Cream Machine
Does Oklahoma State have one of the nation's easiest 2015 football schedules? - Oklahoman
More Texas Longhorns Behind-The-Scenes Hoops Video - Barking Carnival
Is Gary Patterson the best coach in college football? - 247Sports
Corey Taylor proved against TCU he's the best pitcher in the Big 12 - Lubbock Avalanche Journal
What's On Tap:
2015 Phillips 66 Big 12 Baseball Championship - Big 12 Conference
Full schedule and results
Video of Interest:
WVU's run in the Big 12 Championship has ended following their loss to Oklahoma Thursday afternoon in Tulsa, Okla. Watch host Jeff Culhane breakdown the team's 2015 season on the Big 12 Championship Update.
Video of (Dis)Interest:
The King is gone...and went out with perfection:
Miss Throwdown:
Today's Miss Throwdown is a former Playmate. CLICK HERE for today's gallery (it's ok, they're SFW) of Amanda Cerny.