Thursday, June 17, 2010

Thursday

Some small tidbits direct from http://msnsportsnet.com/
- An Outside the Lines crew has been following Da’Sean Butler since he injured his knee in the Final Four against Duke. Now, Butler’s feature will finally air on ESPN2 this Sunday at 9 a.m. so be sure to set your DVRs.

Also, read this from NBA.com: A knee injury hobbles Da’Sean Butler, but does not end his NBA dream … http://www.nba.com/2010/news/features/scott_howard_cooper/06/11/dasean.butler.feature/?ls=iref:nbahpt1


- Devin Ebanks worked out for the Indiana Pacers earlier this week. Ebanks also has workouts scheduled with Atlanta, Milwaukee, Orlando and Memphis. All of those teams have late picks in the first round with the exception of Milwaukee, which picks 15th.

AP sports writer Cliff Brunt caught up with Ebanks earlier this week … http://www.usatoday.com/sports/basketball/nba/2010-06-15-3782139494_x.htm


- The Big East is refuting an Orlando TV station report stating invitations to Central Florida and Memphis are imminent … http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2010/06/17/big-east-dismisses-ucf-memphis-expansion-report/


- ESPN Blogger Brian Bennett is picking his top 25 players in the Big East this year … http://espn.go.com/blog/bigeast/tag/_/name/top-25-players-2010

So far, Bennett has unveiled three WVU players – Chris Neild at No. 17, J.T. Thomas at No. 15, and today, Jock Sanders at No. 13. I will say this, I know it is tough picking a top 25 for anything, but if there are 16 better players in the Big East than Chris Neild I would love to see them. In fact, if there are 10 better players in this conference than Neild then the Big East is in for one heck of a year.


- The word from some of the players over at the Puskar Center is that freshman quarterback Jeremy Johnson has been the real deal during 7-of-7s. One veteran defensive player even brought up the name Pat White when asked to give a comparison.

Hmm.

Tuesday, June 8, 2010

Worst time of the year....

I hate the offseason. I don't follow the NBA, I HATE watching baseball...If it weren't for the Arena league and NCAA Football on XBOX 360 I think Id hang myself.

Yes, I realize that its been nearly 2 years since Ive posted anything here and that all 3 readers I had at that time have forgotten about me, but Im looking forward to starting this project back up and being as active as I can this season.

A lot has happened since my last post. Pat white finished his career in high style against North Carolina in the Car Care bowl, having the best passing game of his entire career and becoming the only QB in NCAA history to start and win 4 bowl games during his college career. Now hes moved on to the NFL and is trying to prove he deserves to be one of the Dolphins 3 QBs this season.

Last season we saw Jarrett Brown take over the reins at QB1 after waiting ever so patiently behind #5. The season had its highs and lows but, for the most part, was a success. Barring an injury to Jarrett, WVU probably goes on to win the aptly named Bowden Bowl and complete a 10 win season.

However things didn't work out that way and we must move on. One good thing that did come out the rollercoaster season is some very valuable game experience for sophomore quarterback Geno Smith(who I think is the next big thing at WVU, along with Tavon Austin). Most of his action came in games when Brown was injured, most notably Marshall when he went 15/21 for 147 yards and 1 TD, including this beauty to Alric Arnett.

Coming into the spring months Geno Smith once again injured his foot and was kept out of the majority of spring practice. He did get some valuable reps in the 7-on-7 drills where it's said that he really shined. The spring game was just too soon for him to go into live-game action, however, so Coley White stepped into his role and played QB1 for both sides. Although we all wanted to see what Geno could do, Coley showed that big brother isnt the only one in the family with some razzle-dazzle. Though he had some tough sledding with the 2's, he went off with the Blue team completing 16 of 25 passed for 162 yards and 3 touchdowns. He impressed so much that coach Stew was second guessing his idea to move Coley exclusively to receiver. I think we all remember when Adam Bednarik went down and some kid named White, who no one had ever heard of, got his number called and the rest is history. All it takes is an opportunity.

Spring wasn't all rainbows and sunshine though. Rumors began to swirl that celebrated recruits Deon Long and, most notably, Logan Heastie were unhappy and would be leaving WVU. Everyone downplayed the stories and it was very hush hush but eventually it was revealed to be true. Bill Stewart didn't have much to say on the subject. He merely indicated that the pair didn't have the work ethic expected of them and that the staff was only concerned with the players who want to be here and that's that.

Fast forward past spring and into the dreaded offseason....nothing exciting is going on except...oh wait...conference expansion! Though it is interesting to think of how things could shape up and play out all the little scenarios and think about who could be playing who for what conference championship, Im pretty bored with the expansion chatter. For those of you that are tired of hearing it, good news came today in the form of a Longhorn. Texas declined an invitation to join the Pac-10 and has stated that the university will stay in the Big 12. Not long after Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and Texas A&M all pledged to stay with big brother, UT.

This is good news because the Pac-10 will not become the super-conference they had hoped and the Big 10 wont feel the need to compete(steal teams from the Big East) to stay afloat. Now that the Big Ten has 12 teams (Nebraska was a good add...this program will come back to national prominence)and the ability to have a conference championship - a.k.a make more money - I look for all the expansion hoopla to calm down a bit. The Pac 10 will probably try to find one more team to even themselves up and also have the ability to put on a championship game but I think the storm has settled for now.

Though rumor is the Big Ten is still eying the Big East...mostly Rutgers....aye aye aye.