Post by WVUfanPHILLY on Aug 15, 2007 0:33:04 GMT -5
By Dave Hickman
Staff writer
MORGANTOWN — There was a time when neighbors around Mountaineer Field wouldn’t have known there was a West Virginia football practice in progress unless they looked out their windows. And even then, if it was being held anywhere except the grass practice fields, it still was pretty much under the radar.
Not any more.
Thirty to 45 minutes before practice officially begins each day, the music starts blaring over the stadium’s sound system. Ditto when the workout ends. And occasionally there’s even some during practice.
And while this high-tech, cutting-edge group isn’t your father’s football team, the music might well be.
There’s Elvis. There’s 1960s and ’70s rock and roll. There’s the occasional upbeat country song.
What there isn’t, though, is a whole lot of today’s music.
“I don’t think anybody likes the music,’’ said junior kicker and resident jovial malcontent Pat McAfee. “Let’s just be honest: The music is terrible out there. Let’s just say it. It’s bad and anybody who’s been out there knows it’s bad.’’
Bad music? Elvis?
“I can’t get down with Elvis,’’ McAfee said. “I think my parents like him. I guess that’s why I can’t get down with him. I just keep thinking about my mom. I could see her listening to Elvis.’’
Not all of McAfee’s teammates dislike the music that much, or at least they aren’t willing to say so. Quarterback Patrick White usually comes onto the field dancing to it. And he’s not alone.
And, truth be told, it’s not being played because the players like or dislike it. As with everything else in a Rich Rodriguez preseason camp, there’s a reason for it.
“At times we play it to simulate pre-game. Other times we play it to create some chaos to make our guys focus more on what they’re doing,’’ Rodriguez said. “It’s hard to simulate that in practice. You have to create some noise. And the best way to create some noise is to put something over the loudspeakers.’’
In other words, at least at times the coaches want the music to be a distraction, almost an annoyance, in order to force them to focus harder.
“It’s distracting me,’’ McAfee laughed. “Of course, I’m not really doing anything except sitting on the side.’’
Rodriguez said the first few times the music was played he didn’t care for it either. Apparently too much country and/or too much modern. Video coordinator Dusty Rutledge is in charge of the play list.
© Copyright 1996-2007 The Charleston Gazette
Staff writer
MORGANTOWN — There was a time when neighbors around Mountaineer Field wouldn’t have known there was a West Virginia football practice in progress unless they looked out their windows. And even then, if it was being held anywhere except the grass practice fields, it still was pretty much under the radar.
Not any more.
Thirty to 45 minutes before practice officially begins each day, the music starts blaring over the stadium’s sound system. Ditto when the workout ends. And occasionally there’s even some during practice.
And while this high-tech, cutting-edge group isn’t your father’s football team, the music might well be.
There’s Elvis. There’s 1960s and ’70s rock and roll. There’s the occasional upbeat country song.
What there isn’t, though, is a whole lot of today’s music.
“I don’t think anybody likes the music,’’ said junior kicker and resident jovial malcontent Pat McAfee. “Let’s just be honest: The music is terrible out there. Let’s just say it. It’s bad and anybody who’s been out there knows it’s bad.’’
Bad music? Elvis?
“I can’t get down with Elvis,’’ McAfee said. “I think my parents like him. I guess that’s why I can’t get down with him. I just keep thinking about my mom. I could see her listening to Elvis.’’
Not all of McAfee’s teammates dislike the music that much, or at least they aren’t willing to say so. Quarterback Patrick White usually comes onto the field dancing to it. And he’s not alone.
And, truth be told, it’s not being played because the players like or dislike it. As with everything else in a Rich Rodriguez preseason camp, there’s a reason for it.
“At times we play it to simulate pre-game. Other times we play it to create some chaos to make our guys focus more on what they’re doing,’’ Rodriguez said. “It’s hard to simulate that in practice. You have to create some noise. And the best way to create some noise is to put something over the loudspeakers.’’
In other words, at least at times the coaches want the music to be a distraction, almost an annoyance, in order to force them to focus harder.
“It’s distracting me,’’ McAfee laughed. “Of course, I’m not really doing anything except sitting on the side.’’
Rodriguez said the first few times the music was played he didn’t care for it either. Apparently too much country and/or too much modern. Video coordinator Dusty Rutledge is in charge of the play list.
© Copyright 1996-2007 The Charleston Gazette
