The Smoking Musket

WVU vs. Alabama To Open 2014 Football Season

2012-05-17T01:48:05Z

Just when we thought the offseason was going to be boring:

WVU v. Alabama to kick off 2014 season is "in the works." Requires some juggling on WVU's end to make it official.
— Mike Casazza (@mikecasazza) May 17, 2012

The juggling he's referring to is WVU likely dropping a home game, perhaps ECU or Maryland (not necessarily dropping, but deferring). While this would normally mean a monetary loss, if this does pan out as a Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game in Atlanta, the normal $2M home take would be offset by a $3.1M payout, if past numbers hold true. The other possibility being bandied about on Twitter is the possibility of Big 12 expansion and less league games, making the juggling a bit simpler. Time will tell.

This game has the possibility of being absolutely juicy. Holgorsen vs. Saban. Holgorsen's offense vs. Saban's defense, both with the summer to prepare. The possibilities are endless and almost too fun to think about. Ollie, let's get this done!!

UPDATE: Apparently, it's going to happen:

This WVU v. Alabama thing is basically done done. I'm told the juggling is finished and the one 2014 opponent has disappeared.
— Mike Casazza (@mikecasazza) May 17, 2012

ZOMG!!!

What's Your Mountaineer 30 For 30

2012-05-16T17:00:14Z

ESPN announced it will do another set of 30 For 30 documentaries. They already have a few subjects lined up like Bo Jackson, the 1983 NC State basketball team, and one called "Broke" about athletes that lost their fortune. Looking at all the great stories they put together for the first round of 30 for 30's, you'd think the announcement to do more would be followed by "duh".

So what about West Virginia University? What story would you want them to tell? Would you want it to center around an icon like Jerry West, or a team like the 2005 Mountaineer football team?

One that lives with me is the 1984 football team. It's one of my favorite years of WVU football. In a way, if you've read Waiting for the Fall by Mike Casazza, it fits the theme perfectly. Jeff Hostetler was gone and expectations were not as high for Kevin White, but they beat Penn State for the first time in 28 years. They took out Boston College and Heisman winner Doug Flutie. They beat Pitt, Virginia Tech, and everyone else but Maryland (Damn you Frank Reich!). They were ranked higher than I had ever seen them. Then lost the last three games of the regular season to teams they should have beat. Depth was an issue, and when key starters went down the season fell apart.

I throw it out there because I doubt it would be in most people's top five or maybe ten. Beating TCU was a sweet end to a roller coaster ride of a season, though. What's your Mountaineer 30 for 30?

The Shotgun/Throwdown: Return (5/15/12) Edition

2012-05-15T14:29:45Z

Welcome, By-Godders, to the Shotgun/Throwdown, WVU's nationally recognized best place for sports links, information, sophomoric humor and semi-daily distractions. We're being brought to you today by Rugenbräu, because I just love that picture.

Guess who's back in town today... OK, so I've been home for a couple days now, but you get the gist. Thanks to John for keeping you guys occupied while I was gone. During the summer, the S/T will run a couple times per week, keeping you up to date with as much as possible. If there was anything John did that I don't and you especially liked, let me know in the comments and I'll try to incorporate your suggestions.

WVU has a new basketball assistant coach and we also have some updates from the guys trying to make it in the NFL. These stories, FSU to Big 12 rumors, more features on WVU football, background on the "Flying WV" logo, Big 12 updates and more...

What You May Have Missed:

Gold And Blue Now: Tuesday - WVMETRONEWS.COM
Ron Everhart becomes a part of West Virginia's new basketball coaching staff and more conference alignment talk surrounds Florida State.

Everhart Excited to Work With Huggs - MSNsportsNET.com
It turns out the opportunity to work with Bob Huggins was simply too good to turn down, says Ron Everhart.

Goode, Tandy Sign NFL Contracts - WVMETRONEWS.COM
Former Mountaineers Najee Goode and Keith Tandy both signed contracts on Monday in the NFL with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The deals were both for four years.

Schmitt Earns Workout In Oakland - WVillustrated
The former West Virginia University fullback is currently an unrestricted free agent.

The Legend of the Flying WV - West Virginia University Alumni Magazine
Very cool read

News of Note:

Third-tier rights are worth something - Charleston Daily Mail
Was it really just last week Oliver Luck revealed what we'd long suspected when the West Virginia athletic director said he would put his athletic department's third-tier multimedia rights out for bid?

HERTZEL COLUMN: No right way to rank BCS coaches - Times West Virginian
What would you say if you were told that West Virginia University’s young football coach, Dana Holgorsen, is the 44th best football coach in college football?

A Spring Look At West Virginia Football - Big 12 Conference - Official Athletic Site
West Virginia went through spring practice knowing that when the 2012 season starts in September, the football program will enter a brave new world. The Mountaineers appear perfectly position to make a big splash.

Video: Top 20 roundtable -- West Virginia - ESPN
College Football Live's panel of experts preview West Virginia's upcoming season.

WVU Coaches Caravan rolling back into Beckley - Register-Herald
In Martinsburg on the 17 and next week in Beckley on the 24th

WVU Secondary Bringing "Dark Side" to Big 12 - WVillustrated
"It's a lot you can put into it, but that dark side is that grimy, that ready to get after everything," says junior cornerback Brodrick Jenkins.

Around the League (and Beyond):

Florida State-to-Big 12 seed could spark more conference realignment - Andy Staples - SI.com
No one has to make any decisions this week or even this month. But before the year is out, FSU's leaders will have to answer the questions of an increasingly aggravated fan base by either exploring the idea of another conference or by committing completely to the ACC.

FSU To The Big 12 Rumors: The Bigger Picture - Burnt Orange Nation
FSU To The Big 12? A quick analysis.

Big 12 Flow Chart - Wide Right & Natty Lite
This is wonderful

Kansas Spring Game Attendance Stacks Up Nicely On A National Scale - Rock Chalk Talk
Kansas almost doubled our attendance? Ugh!!

Texas Football 2012: What Could Go Wrong - Burnt Orange Nation

Texas-OU to Remain at Cotton Bowl Through 2020 - Barking Carnival

Don't Be Surprised That Aaron Green Chose TCU - Frogs O' War

Pittsburgh sues the Big East for its release - Yahoo! Sports
Following the leader, the leader, the leader...

What's On Tap:

Priority deadline looming for WVU season tickets - Charleston Daily Mail
Today's the day...

Video of Interest:

Video of (Dis)Interest:

I've missed you SOB's

Miss Throwdown:

Yes, I'm back, and I've brought heaven back with me. Today's Miss Throwdown is once again the South African stunner, Candice Swanepoel. Click on the picture for today's gallery (includes bonus galleries) and enjoy the video below as well.

via www.popoholic.com

Bill Hancock Is Tom Smykowski

2012-05-14T15:00:17Z

BCS executive director Bill Hancock finds himself in an awkward position these days. He doesn't have any say in how the new playoff format will be decided, and he didn't have a choice that one would be forthcoming. In the immortal words of Bob Slydell, "what would you say ya do here?" It's as if he's being beaten over the head with it like a stick by the conference commissioners.

They really seem to be the ones in charge here. We have the NCAA to govern the game. Well...they have the responsibility. The collective BCS poll is made up of polls independent of the BCS. As Hancock himself says, the conference commissioners make all the decisions.

"There's 11 conference commissioners and the Notre Dame AD. That's basically the board that runs the BCS. And I wouldn't hazard a guess as to where they are on this. They haven't come to a final conclusion. But they're split. It's safe to say that - they're split. ... The commissioners will collaboratively come to some agreement about what the format should be. There won't be a vote - they will just sit and talk it through until they come up with something that everybody can live with."

So you actually hand carry the documents from the client to the engineers? Or does your secretary do that? It's not that anyone is in love with the NCAA, but there's really no reason to have two organizations to run one sport. This question isn't breaking new ground. But it's never been more evident than now. We have a layer of bureaucracy that has no responsibilities, but you know their getting paid. At least until they decide they want to keep living, and back out into traffic without looking.

Ron Everhart to be announced as WVU assistant basketball coach according to Eer Insider

2012-05-14T13:48:02Z

Ron Everhart to be announced as WVU assistant basketball coach according to Eer Insider

According to Eer Insider, Ron Everhart is expected to be announced as an assistant on the men's basketball team today. Also, a heads up poster on BGN suggested a search on WVU.edu will show he's already in the system.

OLB Hodari Christian Verbals to WVU

2012-05-11T20:28:00Z

OLB Hodari Christian Verbals to WVU

It's being reported all over Twitter that McKeesport, PA linebacker Hodari Christian is on board as the third player in WVU's 2013 recruiting class. Christian, at 6'0, 210 lbs projects as a weakside linebacker (the "star" position currently filled by Terence Garvin). Welcome home, Hodari!

We literally were like this last night. Without the weed, of course. But it was just like that....

2012-05-11T13:40:11Z

We literally were like this last night. Without the weed, of course. But it was just like that. Start at the :44 mark for optimal likeness to last night. We was all bragging bout how we could do this all night long. And then it was over. Kind of like the Fall Down Pass Out. We think today was supposed to be the last day of that. Our hung over brain looked around and all we could see was what we already knew. Louisville wants out of the Big East. If we can get up off the floor we may do more later. But if not, have a great weekend Mountaineers, and keep your pass out hand strong.

Garvin & Cook Arrested for Shoplifting

2012-05-10T18:00:06Z

Garvin & Cook Arrested for Shoplifting

Apparently, when new DC Joe DeForest said, "Defense, we need more takeaways," these guys took the philosophy too far.