That Time of the Year

Yep, it is that time of the year again … football is in the air. As we all get ready to answer the bell, I am reminded of getting ready for the season. For me it was always the real football — soccer … 2 a days hurt a lot after a summer of fun, but by mid-October the work put in was well worth it. Figuring out how to create a new team that could go after a huge goal was always a challenge. Winning late in the season always made the effort disappear. I remember going into seasons with big expectations and having to work extra hard to maintain, extend, and realize those exceptions. I sort of feel like I am in the same boat now.

Given WVU’s high hopes you are going to have to put up with me. Trust me, I know it is going to be a long shot, but just to have the Mountaineers in this position is amazing. Madeline has her WVU cheerleading uniform and the forthcoming Max has a jersey waiting for him. It is going to be an amazing fall, not just b/c WVU football could be good, but for a lot of reasons!

WVU Back in the Spotlight

Interesting … hype is just hype. But two articles linked from espn.com’s front page? Jeez.

5 Signs the Apocalypse is Upon Us

I’m not saying I am jinxed when it comes to sports, but let’s just say my teams DO NOT win things (or even do well) … consider this strange run in the course of a year:

1. Philadelphia Eagles make it to the Super Bowl
2. Penn State wins Orange Bowl in Football
3. WVU makes it to the Elite Eight in Men’s Basketball
4. WVU wins the Sugar Bowl in Football
5. The Steelers win the Super Bowl

The all scares the shit out of me. Can anyone say WTF?

Update: From ESPN.com, this is what I am talking about … it just aint natural:

Preseason Comes Early … WVU Number 1

I am starting to think I should turn this into a WVU sports blog. Predictions this early are just crazy, but I have never in my life seen anything like someone picking WVU number one in football. Can I say that again … never. Time will tell, but it sure does make me feel proud. I finally know what it feels like to be in the company with Michigan, FSU, Miami, and the other big boys!

Mounites of a Different Sort

I seem to be turning this space into a sprts blog … or a WVU fan blog. Not sure which one. But over the weekend, the WVU Men’s Basketball team went into Philly and beat previously undefeated and number 3 ranked Villanova. They didn’t just beat them, they picked the apart as they have done to a bunch of people this year and last. It is a good feeling. There is even a big story about more than just the game over at ESPN.com … and if prefer, there is always just the box score … cool!

WVU Game … Bowl Blast Hookup with iTunes

I was browsing the iTunes Music Store this afternoon and stumbled across a set of video based podcasts(?) for the Bowl Championship Series (BCS). Each is a 15 minute or so highlight reel from the games. Of course I had to grab the WVU v UGA game. At the start of it, Brad Nessler says something to effect of, “thanks to an unprecedented partnership between ABC Sports and iTunes what you are about to see is something we call Bowl Blast …” Cool. Here is the link at the iTunes video store.

WTF, WVU WINS!

That’s right … my Mountaineers beat the Unviersity of Georgia last night in the Sugar Bowl! The Mounties were big underdogs going in — and for a couple of good reasons … WVU never wins bowl games … or big games at all (let’s just say before last night they had lost 10 of their last 11 bowl games). I have been a WVU fan long before I did my undergraduate work there. My Dad’s doctorate is from WVU, my Mom’s undergrad and Master’s is from there … my family has lots of West Virginia history (no jokes) and it has always felt like home to me. I’ve watched WVU games for decades and I can never (and I mean never) remember them winning a game like this with so much on the line — especially in January. Another reason is the whole Big East is a patsy conference thing. Sure, Miami, Va Tech and BC all split to join the ACC last year. But if you look at things, WVU has been winning that conference, or sharing league titles, for several years now. Not having three of the big four from the Big East around makes it a bit easier to get through the conference. Finally, they were playing the champs from the SEC … the SEC is one of the top conferences in the country and man, are those teams fast.

Not last night! WVU jumped out 28-0 before UG made it a game. A great game at that. WVU ended up winning 38-35 … a fake punt in the final few minutes at the UG 48 yard line sealed the deal. Since when does WVU run a fake punt on 4th and 6 to win a game? All I can say is it was an amazing win for WVU. They deserved it … what a great team they turned out to be this year … a bunch of freshman coming off a disappointing finish last year to post an 11-1 record and beat the champion of one of the best conferences in the country. Good stuff!

I was a basket case … couldn’t talk, wouldn’t answer the phone, wouldn’t move from my spot, wouldn’t break my little “routines” that obviously won the game for us. Wow, a great win! Now, can the Nittany Lions do the same tonight? Here is a little screen cap stolen from ESPN.