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Post by cviller on Feb 1, 2010 9:29:17 GMT -5
According to several reports, including personal statements by student athletes on Twitter, Pittsburgh athletic department officials held closed door meetings with all of the University's student athletes last week about the potential move.
Pitt message boards lit up with the news and the validity of the rumor, though not verified by the University or either conference, was somewhat reinforced when those Pitt athletes who posted about the meeting on their Twitter accounts were forced to remove the posts.
This weekend, many outlets are reporting that Pittsburgh has indeed decided to accept the Big Ten's invitation and will formally announce the move to the Big Ten on Thursday, Feb. 4, a coincidental (or not) day after National Signing Day.
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Post by cviller on Jan 31, 2010 18:47:47 GMT -5
Has anybody heard that this is about to happen?
Word is that the Big East will have a press conference soon to announce the details.
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Post by cviller on Dec 16, 2009 12:26:06 GMT -5
Sources: WVU's Doc Holliday heading to Marshall By Mitch Vingle Sports Editor Advertiser
CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- West Virginia associate head coach Doc Holliday has left Florida, where he was on the road recruiting for the Mountaineers, and is en route to Huntington.
It also looks like he's en route to the head coaching football job at Marshall.
Sources, who asked to remain anonymous, told the Gazette that no deal has been finalized, but that Holliday is the apparent choice to succeed Mark Snyder, who recently chose to resign rather than be fired as the MU coach.
Holliday, a Hurricane native, has been a silent candidate throughout the process because of his job with the Mountaineers, a rival of MU.
Holliday is expected to meet with MU athletic director Mike Hamrick this evening and Thursday and, if a deal can be finalized, sign a contract.
The sources say WVU head coach Bill Stewart and athletic director Ed Pastilong have been informed of the proceedings.
Holliday is known nationally for his ability to recruit Florida. He began making in-roads while an assistant for ex-Mountaineer head coach Don Nehlen and made waves that eventually led to jobs with North Carolina State and Florida.
When West Virginia officials chose Stewart as their head coach instead of Holliday almost two years ago, Holliday accepted a $406,000 salary to join Stewart as associate head coach. The contract made Holliday one of the nation's highest paid assistants.
Central Michigan's Butch Jones, the other Marshall finalist, reportedly signed a five-year deal to become the head coach at Cincinnati.
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Post by cviller on Mar 7, 2009 10:26:33 GMT -5
NO BCS TEAMS should be playing on a Friday! Three Friday games!!!!
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Post by cviller on Feb 11, 2009 11:48:14 GMT -5
Here's part of an email I just received from a friend in Columbus.
WEBN is going crazy with the news that University of Cincinnati President Nancy Zimpher is leaving and taking a job at SUNY in New York. She is the one that fired Bob Huggins and everybody has hated her. People in Ciny think this will clear the way to get Huggins back as coach of UC.
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Post by cviller on Feb 5, 2009 1:23:39 GMT -5
WVU Release Morgantown
The West Virginia – Colorado football game has been selected by ESPN and will be played on Thursday, Oct 1, 2009, at 7:30 p.m., at Mountaineer Field at Milan Puskar Stadium. The complete 2009 football schedule will be released in the near future.
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Post by cviller on Feb 5, 2009 1:19:55 GMT -5
MetroNews Sports
The Mountaineers lost their second consecutive road game to a ranked opponent as they again could not recover from a rough first half. Syracuse broke open a close game with a late run in the first half. The Orange pushed their lead from 24-22 to 35-24 over a 2:30 minute span.
Syracuse led 37-29 at the break. The Orange eventually pushed that lead to as many as 20 points in the 2nd half as they win 74-61 in front of over 21,000 fans at the Carrier Dome.
Johnny Flynn and Eric Devendorf each scored 22 points. Many of the Syracuse baskets were set up by penetration from Flynn the point guard. The Mountaineers were heavily outscored in the paint.
The Orange also held West Virginia to just 35% shooting from the field.
"It's hard to come in here and shoot (poorly) and win," WVU coach Bob Huggins said. "The disappointing thing for me is that we didn't get the loose balls. We were not the aggresser like we needed to be. We've got to go stick people. And stop their penetration to the goal so we can rebound"
"They've got more artillery than we have," Huggins said. "That doesn't mean we can't win, but we have to be a lot more assertive."
Da'Sean Butler led West Virginia in scoring with 23 points. Alex Ruoff was the only other WVU player in double figures as he scored 10 points.
The Mountaineers will try and get back to the .500 mark in Big East play Saturday as they host Providence. The Mountaineers are 4-5 in the league and 15-7 overall.
Saturday's game will tip off at 4 p.m.
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Post by cviller on Feb 4, 2009 11:32:42 GMT -5
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Post by cviller on Feb 4, 2009 11:20:23 GMT -5
WVU recruiting central
By Mitch Vingle Sports Editor
The letters are really rolling in now. And the news has been good for West Virginia coaches.
The Mountaineers have landed their quarterback of the future. WVU's coaches received a letter-of-intent this morning from decorated Eugene Smith, a 6-3, 190-pound standout from Miramar (Fla.) High. Smith was a Parade All-America team member and finished No. 2 in the voting for Mr. Florida. The Miami Herald named him Florida's No. 3 prospect. The cousin of former Miami University standout Melvin Bratton, Smith turned down offers from such schools as Michigan, Alabama, Kansas, Miami, Florida and LSU.
Also falling in line was Smith's passing mate at Miramar, receiver Stedman Bailey, a 5-11, 186-pound wideout was a Florida Class 6A first-team all-state selection. He was the MVP of the Nike Camp in Gainesville, Fla., last April.
Perhaps WVU's most acclaimed tailback recruit has also sent in his paperwork. Tavon Austin's letter arrived before 11 a.m.
The two-time Maryland offensive player of the year owns most of that state's records and turned down Boston College, Illinois, Maryland, Michigan, North Carolina, Pitt and Rutgers.
The first to sign was wide receiver Logan Heastie, 6-3, 192-pounds, from Chesapeake, Va., who already enrolled in January. He will count toward this class.
Heastie earned four stars from both Scout.com and Rivals.com. He played in the ESPN UnderArmour All-American Game in Orlando in January. Second team All-American by USA Today, the only player from Virginia on the squad. Also offered by Virginia Tech, Penn State, Florida, Alabama, Oregon, Boston College, Tennessee, North Carolina and North Carolina State.
Also signed now...
Daquan Hargrett, a 5-10, 190-pound running back from Miami's Northwestern High. A Top 100 Florida prospect, according to the Miami Herald, Hargrett was also offered by Clemson, Iowa State, Minnesota and South Florida. Hargrett was an ESPN Top 150 player.
Terence Garvin, a 6-2, 210-pound safety from Baltimore's Loyola Blakefield High. A consensus all-state pick in Maryland, Garvin played in the Crab Bowl, which featured that state's best players. He was also offered by Maryland, Virginia, Syracuse, Boston College and North Carolina State.
Shawne Alston, a 6-0, 222-pound running back from Phoebus High in Hampton, Va. Alston was an A.P. group AAA first-team all-state selection. He was also offered by Penn State, Maryland, Illinois and East Carolina. Rivals gave him three stars.
Ryan Spiker, a 6-4, 280-pound offensive lineman from Tri-Valley High in Dresden, Ohio. A three-star recruit according to Rivals, Spiker was an A.P. Division II first-team All-Ohio pick who turned down Cincinnati, Michigan State, Indiana, North Carolina State and Wake Forest.
Pat Eger, a 6-5, 275-pound offensive lineman from Thomas Jefferson High in Clairton, Pa. Eger was a WPIAL Class AAA first-team all-state selection who was also offered by Maryland and Pitt. He was also a member of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Fabulous 22 team.
Dominik Davenport, a 6-1, 265-pound defensive lineman from Phoebus High in Hampton, Va. Davenport was recently praised by recruiting analyst Tom Lemming and was the Roanoke Times' No. 13 rated Virginia player. Also offered by Florida State, Maryland and Virginia.
Darwin Cook, a 5-11, 185-pound defensive back from Shaw High in Cleveland, Ohio. Cook was a member of the Cleveland Plain Dealer All-Star team and A.P. first-team Division II All-Ohio selection who turned down Cincinnati, Wisconsin and Purdue.
Pat Miller, a 6-foot, 170-pound defensive back from Hoover High in Birmingham, Ala. Miller was an honorable mention Alabama Class 6A all-state selection who was also offered by Kentucky, Mississippi State, Oregon and Oklahoma State
Jonathan Scott, a 6-4, 190-pound defensive back from Daytona Beach, Fla., and Seabreeze High. Scott was a Florida Class 4A third-team all-state selection. His older brothers Kenny (Georgia Tech) and James (Ole Miss) were also Division I signees. Also offered by LSU, Alabama, Clemson, Auburn, Florida State, Michigan, Illinois, Kentucky, Rutgers and South Carolina.
Brodrick Jenkins, a 5-10, 177-pound athlete from South Fort Myers (Fla.) High School. Jenkins was a Florida Class 3A third-team all-state selection and Miami Herald Top 100 (No. 92). He was also offered by Wisconsin, Boston College, Iowa, Wake Forest, Louisville, N.C. State, Pitt and South Florida.
Branko Busick, a 6-1, 215-pound linebacker fom Steubenville High in Ohio. He was an Associated Press Division IV defensive co-player of the year and A.P. Division IV-VI first-team All-Ohio.
Christopher Snook, a 6-3, 220-pound tight end/fullback from Highland High in Medina, Ohio. He was on the Cleveland Plain Dealer all-star team and was the newspaper's No. 6 selection in the Northeast Ohio Top 40 list. Also offered by Cincinnati and Wake Forest.
Cole Bowers, a 6-6, 280-pound offensive lineman from Cabell Midland in Ona. Considered the top prospect in the Mountain State, Bowers is a three-star recruit, according to Rivals and Scout. He was also offered by Marshall and Virginia.
Nick Kindler, a 6-7, 280-pound offensive lineman from Trinity High in Camp Hill, Pa. Kindler has been given three stars by Rivals and two by Scout. He's a two-time A.P. Class AA first-team all-state selection. He was also offered by Boston College, Connecticut, Illinois, Maryland, Rutgers and Virginia.
Jordan Weingart, a 6-2, 290-pound offensive lineman from Gainesville, Fla. The Buchholz High student was a Florida Class 5A first-team all-state selection and the Gainesville Sun Class 3A-6A co-offensive player of the year. He was also offered by East Carolina.
Curtis Feight, a 6-6, 270-pound defensive lineman from Mercersburg, Pa., and Mercersburg Academy. He was also offered by Boston College.
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Post by cviller on Jan 31, 2009 10:02:01 GMT -5
by jim butta
Ask anyone who has had to accomplish it-replacing a legend isn't easy.
That, however, will be the case when senior-to-be Jarrett Brown begins his final season in the gold and blue as West Virginia's starting quarterback.
"They (the coaches) know that I've waited four years for this," Brown said Thursday night. "The coaches are going to continue to push me, but it's going to be fun."
Brown was in the area, along with teammates Josh Jenkins, Matt Timmerman, Jon Walko, Nate Sowers, Wes Lyons, Selvish Capers, Chris Neild, Trippe Hale and Thor Merrow, as part of the Parkersburg Boys and Girls Club annual Steak and Burger Dinner held at the Grand Pointe Conference Center.
"There's going to be a different swagger on the offense this fall," added Brown, who has two starts under his belt during his tenure with the gold and blue.
"I've seen him (Brown) play since his freshman year," said Lyons, a senior wide receiver. "It's just his time to take over."
But, what a time to do so.
Brown, who has completed 81-of-125 attempts for 839 yards and five touchdowns and four interceptions, won't be replacing just any quarterback. The Florida-native will be asked to take over for No. 5-Patrick White.
Forget the fact that White leaves Morgantown as the all-time NCAA rushing leader among quarterbacks with 4,480 yards.
Forget that White piloted the Mountaineers to four consecutive bowl victories, including BCS wins over Georgia in the Sugar Bowl and Oklahoma in the Fiesta Bowl, a 42-9 overall mark and was named the Big East's Offensive Player of the Year as both a sophomore and a junior.
"I realize that part of it," added Brown, who was making his first trip to the area. "But, there's really not any more pressure on me this year than any other year."
The senior signal-caller is best remembered for his play on a cold and wintry night in Morgantown when he was needed to take over for an-injured White against a Rutgers team that was looking to claim its first Big East crown on the playing surface at Mountaineer Field. Brown made the most of his first collegiate start, however, by piling up 317 yards of total offense (244 yards passing and a touchdown) and scored a touchdown on a 40-yard run to lead WVU to a triple-overtime victory over the Scarlet Knights.
"That was my freshman year," said Lyons, who latched onto 11 passes for 104 yards during WVU's 9-4 campaign this past season. "I could tell right then that he could one day be our starting quarterback."
The comparisons will be inevitable, however, and both Brown and Lyons understand that.
"He (Brown) doesn't have Pat's ability to juke and make tacklers miss him," continued Lyons. "But, he is also a bigger quarterback and he has a cannon for an arm."
Brown also possesses one more item-Pat White's advice.
"We talked," said Brown. "What he (White) told me was to be a leader. To lead by example and that everybody would follow me if I did that."
Will No. 16 make Mountaineer fans forget about No. 5? Unlikely.
But, given the right tools around him, Brown can make a name for himself this fall and in the process lead WVU back into contention for the Big East title and yet another BCS bowl trip in January.
Contact Jim Butta at
jbutta@newsandsentinel.com
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Post by cviller on Jan 29, 2009 9:17:59 GMT -5
Sorry, I didn't listen to the TV, I always listen to Tony!
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Post by cviller on Jan 28, 2009 22:17:23 GMT -5
Garrett Cullen Morgantown
West Virginia (15-5) jumped out to an early lead over visiting St. John’s (11-9, 2-6 Big East) Wednesday night and never looked backed as they cruised for the 75-52 victory, improving to 4-3 in Big East play. Finally playing in a conference game without a significant size disadvantage, the Mountaineers were able to drive in the lane and create a lot of easy baskets. On the defensive end, the Mountaineers blocked seven first half shots. The final outcome was never really in doubt as the young Red Storm never sustained any momentum, trailing the entire contest. It was all West Virginia at the start as St. John’s couldn’t hit a shot, allowing the Mountaineers to push the ball and create fast break opportunities. Through the game’s first four and a half minutes, four Mountaineer layups gave the home team the early 8-0 lead. A Butler three with 2:28 left in the half was part of a 13-3 West Virginia run to close the half, putting the Mountaineers on top 36-20 at the break. Neither team could keep control of the basketball in the game’s first 20 minutes, combining for 21 turnovers. Butler led the Mountaineers with 11 points in the first half, hitting three of four three point shots. Forward D.J. Kennedy and guard Quincy Roberts led the Red Storm with five points apiece in the first half. The second half was more of the same as West Virginia stretched their lead to 49-32 on a Devin Ebanks’ jump shot with just over 11 minutes to go. Back-to-back threes by Ruoff and Butler seemingly put the game out of reach, increasing the Mountaineer lead to 59-34 with just under nine minutes remaining. West Virginia now has a tough two game road stretch, starting with a Saturday noon game at Louisville.
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Post by cviller on Jan 24, 2009 10:09:01 GMT -5
West Virginia vs Pitt will broadcast on FSN 428
Fox Sports Pittsburgh
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Post by cviller on Jan 21, 2009 17:23:54 GMT -5
The WVU men's basketball team battles rival Pitt in the 176th edition of the Backyard Brawl Sunday afternoon at the WVU Coliseum at 4 p.m. Sunday's game is a Gold Rush and fans are encouraged to wear gold.
The Mountaineers lead the all-time series, 93-82, and the clubs split the two meetings in 2008.
West Virginia (13-4, 2-2) has been led by senior guard Alex Ruoff, who leads the team averaging 16.5 points per game. Junior Da'Sean Butler has been a main scorer for the Mountaineers as well, averaging 16.4 points per game this season.
WVU won its two contests last week over Marshall (87-76) in Charleston and USF (62-59) at the Coliseum.
The fourth-ranked Panthers (17-1, 5-1) are coming off of a 78-60 home win over No. 8 Syracuse at the Peterson Events Center. Sam Young leads Pitt averaging 18.4 points a game.
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Post by cviller on Jan 20, 2009 9:07:17 GMT -5
Shawn Falkenstein We may never know what Joe Alexander had in store for us.
The former Mountaineer men's basketball player and current NBA rookie lost his bid to participate in this year's NBA dunk contest. He was one of three rookies vying for the fourth and final spot in the dunk contest next month during NBA All-Star Weekend in Phoenix.
Portland Trail Blazer rookie Rudy Fernandez, a native of Spain, will become the first international player to participate in the Sprite Slam Dunk competition, beating out Alexander and Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook.
More than 500,000 total votes were cast on NBA.com/dunk to determine one of this year's dunkers as part of Sprite's "They Dunk. You Decide" campaign. Fernandez received 251,868 votes, beating out fellow rookies Westbrook (147,279) of the Oklahoma City Thunder and Alexander (114,963) of the Milwaukee Bucks. Fernandez, who is among rookie leaders in scoring, assists, steals, three-point field goal percentage and free throw percentage, will compete against the Orlando Magic's Dwight Howard, the reigning Sprite Slam Dunk champion, the Memphis Grizzlies' Rudy Gay, who participated in last year's contest, and the New York Knicks' Nate Robinson, winner of the 2006 contest in Houston.
Alexander put a lot of work into the campaign, cutting several commercials and blogging on seejoedunk.com
The Sprite Slam Dunk competition will be held NBA All-Star Saturday Night Feb. 14, at US Airways Center (8 p.m. ET on TNT) in Phoenix.
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