Roundball news!!! WVU smokes tOSU in their house 76 48 ALEX RUOFF BIG EAST PLAYER OF THE WEEK

That is right Round ball fans Big East Basketball is about to begin... but the Eers had the task of playing tOSU on their own floor before entering that frey. As it turns out tOSU was not much of a problem for the Eers as they simply dominated them. Huggs has them ready and willing to play defense. It has lead to transition points a plenty. Rewarded for their work the last week Alex Ruoff is the Big East Player of the Week. Way to go Al. The Mountaineers are nearing the top 25 in both polls as well 26th in AP and 27th in Coaches. Look out BIG EAST here we come... (image by WVSports.com)

Ruoff was named BIG EAST Player of the Week after he scored a career-high 38 points in a win against Radford and followed with a team-high 17 points in a 76-48 win at No. 15/13 Ohio State. In the 38-point effort against Radford, the senior set a school record with nine 3-point baskets. He also had eight rebounds and five steals. Ruoff averaged 27.5 points for the week and is the team's top scorer for the season with a 17.0 average.-Big East.com

WVU 9 and 4 Pat White 4 and 0 in BOWLS WOW What a ride!

Some days are just special. Some time periods are just special. Some eras are special but one thing that is unequivocally true is what Weezie said in the post below: PAT WHITE IS SPECIAL. WVU finished this season with a record of 9-4, and a win in the MCCBOWL in Charlotte NC (Immage by AP). That after the previous 3 seasons of double digit wins was some what of a disappointment, but the way it ended sure was sweet! After the ACC raid the Big East conference was left for dead. Sports aficionados insisted with regularity that with the defections of Miami, Va Tech and BC that the Big East Conference didn't even warrant a its automatic BCS Bowl Bid. Then a funny thing happened on the way to the grid iron season of 2005. Adam Bednarick and co-starter Pat White took the helm away from a very accomplished WVU QB, Rasheed Marshall. For the first part of that season the Mountaineers came out of the gate with win after win. New comers White, Slaten, Reynaud, and Schmitt were becoming household names in the making. You see with one blemish on the season being a 34- 17 defeat at the hands of the most hated traitors Va Tech, the team became something special. Adam and Pat were splitting the responsibilities at QB and things were going well the Mountaineers were climbing into the top 25. Then came a game against Big East Newbie Louisville who was touted as the prohibitive favorite to win the Big East Title. They had super-star qb Brian Brohm and one of the most formidable running back tandems and receiving corps in the nation. And for 3 quarters and 4 minutes they simply dominated the Mountaineers. The Mountaineers were trying to drive down the field with Adam Bednarick at the helm and then he was injured. Well we had a co-starter waiting for a chance to play, his name was Pat White. He proceeded to come into the game and lead the team to one of the most amazing wins in WVU regular season history. Yes he had a little help from one of his best friends Steve Slaten who only scored 6 touchdowns, but it was Pat White who gave the spark to the engine that would be a dominant force in the Big East and a perennial top 10 team. WVU would go on to win its first Bowl Game in the Rich Rod era. It was just one of the small bowls, the Sugar Bowl against a week team the SEC Champ Georgia Bulldogs, who by the way were expected to demonstrate to the Little East just what SEC speed was all about. Apparently Pat White and Steve Slaten didn't get the memo that SEC had superior speed because guess what WVU ran all over the cow puppies for a Sugar Bowl win of 38-35. The following season expectations were again high for the Mountaineers. They had a tough regular season ending it with two losses but were able to get the bid to the Gator Bowl. They were to play the team steeling ACC conference Runner Up Georgia Tech. Well Steve Slaten got injured prior to the game and thus the responsibility was left to Pat White and company to bring home a victory against another team from Georgia in their back yard of Jacksonville Fla. Turns out that the score 38-35 was the mark at the end of that game as well with WVU again winning. With two 11 win seasons under their belt next came the year that ended the Rod Era and began the Stew saga. It ended with WVU losing two key games one to South Florida and the game that ended with Rod leaving a loss to our most hated spitt kittycats in a game that was to be a laugher the Eers just couldn't get it done. But because they had already won the Big East Championship they got the nod to play in the Fiesta Bowl. For the Eers to win this Bowl game hell was going to have to become a little chilly as it were, according to the college football experts. In fact, the only place in America that thought the Eers even belonged on the field with the Sooners were the Mountaineer Faithful. Again the team apparently didn't get the memo about them losing because alas they destroyed the Big 12 Champ Sooners 48 28. Pat winning his second Bowl game MVP and tying the record for most Bowl wins by a starting QB. Well that brings us to the end of 2008. As was stated below in Weezie's post the Eers played in the Car Care Bowl. In a game where the Mountaineer faithful were to get to see just one more demonstration of Pat White's might. He lead the Mountaineers to a come from behind 31 30 victory over the Tar Heels of UNC. This establishing a record that can never be bested for a starting QB a forth BOWL WIN. (Image by Streeter Lecka / Getty Images) I post this in awe of that accomplishment. Not only was this the "!" of a career of "!!!'s" but it left me with tears falling down my cheeks for as Pat demonstrated his greatness on the field for one last time as a Mountaineer he ended his career with the same humbleness that he began it. He simply stated that he was overwhelmed by the support and that "once a Mountaineer always a Mountaineer!" He left the field the greatest QB nay the best player to ever where the old Gold and Blue. He was and is, in the words of Tina Turner, "simply the best!!!" Thanks PAT and thanks Seniors for being the winningest class in School history. You are loved and you will be missed.

DAGEEK

P.S. The Roundballers squeaked out a victory on Pat White day as well winning a game against 13th ranked OSU. :)

Pat White is S P E C I A L

I attended Saturday's Meineke Car Care Bowl in Charlotte to witness Pat White's last game as a Mountaineer. Many fans were disappointed that WVU's season did not result in a better bowl situation. However, the tumultuous season resulted in an opportunity for me to see Pat White in person one final time and for that I must say I'm grateful.

I want to thank DaGeek and Greg for coming down to enjoy the game and festivities. DaGeek, you and I have been sharing ups and downs in WVU sports for many years now and the moment wouldn't have felt as special without you there. Many WVU fans made the trip and we represented our team very well. Though UNC fans may have slightly outnumbered us in the stadium, the tailgating was easily dominated by WVU fans on the side of the stadium we were on. To their credit however, the Tarheel faithful were very gracious in the loss and handled themselves with class.

Last season, after watching Owen Schmitt break down in his post game interview, I knew somewhere that DaGeek was fighting back the tears with him. I poked a little fun at DaGeek for that, but this year, I understood a lot better. As I walked out of Bank of America Stadium yesterday afternoon, my emotions were running high in the realization that I'd just witnessed the end of the college career of the greatest football player to ever play for WVU. And Pat White is more than just a great football player. Bill Stewart may say some odd things at times, but I think he put it best when he said “I hope my son, Blaine, who's 14, grows up to be just like him. Not the quarterback, the man,” Thanks for the memories #5.

Weezie

So who is a Car Care Go"eer" this year?

Well the Geek has decided to make the trip to the Queen City. I hope that I will find that the team decided to make the trip too. I want to see this Senior Class off with a bang. If they win they will be the winningest class in WVU History, also they will have the first and only 4 Bowl win total. I think that for this weekend's tilt it is important as a fan to go down to the game and enjoy the festivities. Noaa Weather forecast is for what appears to be favorable game time conditions.

If you are a reader of this blog please chime in one way or another as to whether you are going...

DaGeek

Michigan loses Defensive Coordinator

And of course the speculation begins that we will lose yet another coach to Michigan.

Seeing as how the defense exceeded expectations about as much as the offense failed to live up to its potential, I wouldn't be surprised if Rod or some other HC somewhere tries to steal Casteel. Furthermore- the solidness of Casteel's performance is without a doubt the single brightest spot in our current coaching regime. For the time being, I'm opposed to the efforts to dump Stew simply because having to rebuild with all new coaches, on both sides of the ball, has an even worse probability of recapturing the success of the Rod years than sticking with what we've got and trying to see it through.

But if Casteel goes, the source of our greatest strength becomes yet another void, and at that point we should just blow the whole damn thing up if our administration has any sense. Dealing with the negative momentum of this past year on offense, and having to start anew on defense equals something in the 4 to 6 win range most likely barring any improbable stroke of luck in whatever mediocre hire would replace Casteel. At that point, just hire the guy from Buffalo to replace Stew and wait/hope for the results of his increased upside a few years down the road.

Thoughts on this situation, fellow readers?

I am getting further disenfranchised every time I listen to Coach Stew's radio show.

First off let me say that my "mountaineer Cool-aid drinking cred" is well established. I have for the long term been an eternal Mountaineer optimist, however I have been motivated by our coach to be responsive to his latest radio show. Coach stew did for at least the 11th time this year pointed out that Owen Schmitt is not on our team. I don't think that anyone in the Mountaineer Nation is ignorant of this fact. I find it insulting to both the fans and the team that Stew continually tells us who is not on the team. Those types of comments aren't made by Bob Stoops, Urban Meyer, or any other "top tier" program's coach. You play with the hand you are dealt. And frankly the cards WVU had to play with this year were none too shabby. We only have the best dual threat QB in the College football history. The supporting cast can play too. So what happened? I have heard nothing but excuses. Another thing I have heard all season is that we have a "new staff," well Coach Stew the truth is that you were hired to maintain a level of consistency from the previous Coach. The only bright spot this year from a coaching perspective (on the field) is the part headed up by the only two other holdovers on defense. Otherwise there has been nothing but underachievement and excuses. Finally, the thing that forced me to turn off my radio last night was the 5 minute love fest that occurred as Coach Stew praised over and over the administration. I don't have a problem with getting along with your bosses but this yes man stuff is infuriating when you consider that building a program requires constant pressure from the coach on the administration. So what does this all mean? I can't say at this time but it is pretty discouraging. I want to see it on the field and I want to hear accountability off the field. So far I have seen nor heard neither. Truth is sometimes hard to take and I have resisted all year the temptation to lose faith but I must admit that challenge is becoming harder and harder to bare. The reality is that this season to date is a disappointment. We have not accomplished the goals that I heard at the outset. I feel the worst for the Seniors who did come into this season with such high hopes. It is a shame to send them off this way. As always I will be at Mylon Puskar Stadium ready to cheer the Eers on to victory this weekend.

WHITE OUT IS ON TAP SO PLEASE COME TO STADIUM WITH WHITE CLOTHING OR WHITE TOWEL

DaGeek

Charlotte or Toronto

Where are we going Bowling?

Frankly, I'm not feeling too confident about USF this weekend. We've been picked apart at times and we can't stop the rush up the middle. USF likes to dink and dunk passes which means our defense actually matches up well. Unfortunately, so does their defense. I fully expect turnovers/not so special teams to be the key to the game.

I'm guessing a win puts us in the Meinke Car Care Bowl in Charlotte. Does a loss put us in the International Bowl in Toronto? At least we know where to go for beer in Charlotte.