Predictions

Well, shoot, let's get right to the point...first, my predictions for the WVU/Marshall game:

• There will be a lot of intoxicated WVU folks there.
• Mountaineer Field at Mylan Puskar Stadium will be at standing room only.
• There will be a lot of cursing and probably some things thrown.
• A few people will be brave enough to wear ugly green clothes.
• Those people in ugly green clothes will be ridiculed relentlessly by drunk Mountaineer folks.
• Brian and/or Andrew will throw a chicken bone at someone in ugly green clothes.
• Don Nehlen is a Friend of Coal and will make sure everyone knows it.
• Pat White and Steve Slaton will run for a combined one billion yards...or maybe 300.
• The Mountaineer band will play "Hail, West Virginia" at least 12 times (including pre-game).
• Mountaineers will beat Marshall. Final score: 45 - 17

Alright, now with that over with, let's get on to HS football...

East Fairmont v. University - In an attempt to fire up his football squad, Coach Haddox pulls out a bow and arrow and fires into the air. A bald eagle falls to the earth. Haddox informs the teams they will destroy University like he destroyed that hawk. A player tells Haddox, "Hey, that's an eagle, not a hawk." Haddox responds, "They are the same thing." Well, needless to say, an argument ensues that continues to gameday. Sensing the discontent on the East sideline, the University players add fuel to the fire by telling both sides of the argument they are right. Needless to say, the argument persists throughout the evening and, while East argues, University plays football and wins. East Fairmont 24 - University 34

Fairmont Senior @ North Marion - Fairmont Senior will come out of the locker room chantining "Remember RCB." North Marion will come out chanting "Remember when we stomped you all the time...and everyone else in football." West Fairmont should be too good...but Coach Gerry White has a trick up his sleeve...it's called running the ball. North Marion will do it...FSHS won't. Fairmont Senior in the upset. North Marion 27 - West 22

And, for some other scores...no back story:

Morgantown 48 - Brooke 27
Bridgeport 28 - Preston 14
Florida State 16 - Miami 28
Virginia 13 - Pittsburgh 24

Update: From Greg - A preview of the matchup from WBOY...one of my favorite Clarksburg stations. Nothing makes me happier than watching WBOY (and their horrendous newscasts). Anyway, here's the preview: Friends of Coal Bowl Preview

And, from Brian: Chicken wing throwing is saved for teams like VT or other fowl mascots!
Of course...how could I miss that...my apologies. So, what do you throw at a buffalo? I have some thoughts but they're not very appropriate.

Also, from the Marshall web-site: Huntington Advertiser sportswriter Dug Freutel in 1933 started referring to Marshall teams as the Boogercats (referring to Scotland's Bogie Cats, a "fleet, elusive, courageous" animal) and some other scribes followed in using that nickname. Freutel complained that Thundering Herd made one think of "cows stampeding down a country road," but many people thought Boogercats stirred up worse images than that.

Tell me, how awesome would it be to have the Marshall Boogercats? Man...I only wish...

Ernesto, Why Has Thou Foresaken Me?

Well, there's a chance this Tropical Storm/Hurricane Ernesto may come up the East Coast and hover around Morgantown on Saturday ruining the West Virginia/Marshall matchup. I am not very pleased about that news. Saturday was supposed to be a wonderful day...the opening on college football in Touchdown City and the beatdown of the Green Machine. But, instead, we may be seeing 20 MPH winds and downpours. That just doesn't seem right.

Legend has it that Fidel Castro once stood at the Cuban coastline and ordered a hurricane to miss the tiny island and the hurricane listened and completely missed Cuba. I wonder if we can get Don Nehlen or Sam Huff to stand outside Mountaineer Field at Mylan Puskar Stadium and force the rain to head to Pittsburgh? Or maybe Huntington? Or Boston? That would be sweet.

Anyway, it's about 60-degrees in my office as usual. I am about sick of needing to run a heater in my office when it's 80-degrees outside. I think it's time to build me a new office...one with temperature controls that work. Just insane...

Lastly, if you're coming up to the Great American Italian Heritage Festival on Friday (during the day), let me know and I'll meet you on the street because, well, I'll be here not doing any work. Or if you're at East/West Stadium Friday night, or at the Mountaineer game on Saturday, track me down. Predictions for the Big Game will be tomorrow I think.

NCAA Rules Changes

I had seen this at the end of last year and wasn't real happy about it but I forgot. Thanks to Greg for reminding me and making me mad about it again...the NCAA once again has passed changes to the football rules that punish West Virginia. It's like the snap rule all over again...this time, it's the new clock rule.

In case you missed it, essentially the clock will run on changes in possession...so, if you punt to me, the clock will start immediately instead of after the first snap. The goal is to shorten the game...which, well, isn't necessarily a bad thing because the games are long. But, it completely changes the strategy used in the game and really hurts offensive minded teams, like WVU. Rich Rod thinks it could eliminate 2-3 offensive drives...which isn't good.

Additionally, it will really alter the game inside of 2 minutes...knowing that you can punt and the opposing team will have even less time to run their offense is a major advantage. The other rule is on the kick...the clock will start upon the foot hitting the ball instead of the receiver catching it. Once again, a disadvantage to teams that are down with little time left. Instead of being able to faircatch and save time, the clock is already running, plus it continues to run on the change of possession.

I really hate these rule changes...I mean, really hate them. Maybe they can tweak them inside of 2 minutes or something to try to give the trailing team a little more of a chance. I agree the games are long but I would rather see them long than take away chances for teams to score or make comebacks. If the new rules had been in place last year, WVU would have never beaten Louisville. Hopefully the changes don't cost WVU this year...

Rapidly Approaching

Man, we are really closing in quick on one of the most looked forward to events in the state. I have been waiting for this for nearly a year now...and I can't wait. No, not WVU/Marshall...I'm talking about the Italian Heritage Festival here in Clarksburg. It's the one time of year that the street outside my office are overrun with vendors and people from supposedly all over the country. I can watch out my window and see them crown Regina Maria...definitely a highlight of the year. I can listen to Italian music blare from noon to 5:00 p.m. when I finally get to escape.

Work comes to a complete stop because the music is so loud that you can't concentrate on anything...it's completely insane. I never get tired of hearing O Sole Mio. Seriously...I don't. Especially by people who cannot sing. Now, the food...the food is excellent. It's the only time of year I can walk down to the street and get a funnel cake. And, well, all the food is obviously good.

Ah yes, the Italian Heritage Festival. If anything could possibly upstage WVU/Marshall in the State of West Virginia, this is the one event. They're outside getting things prepared as I write...I just can't wait.

Tiger on Delay

I don't know how many people watched Tiger win the Bridgestone on Sunday but I was really frustrated by the tape delay. We're not talking about a 5-second tape delay...we're talking like an hour or something. And, during the playoff holes, you really could tell because between shots they would take like a 15-second commercial break and the golfers would magically be on the green. It was really annoying.

Anyway, Tiger won his 52nd tournament and 4th in a row. He almost collapsed down the stretch which is very unTiger-like but he held on for the victory. He is now 5th on the all-time victory list...and he's definitely not done yet.

Anyway, not much else at the moment I can think of. Mountaineer football approaching rapidly. I'll get my predictions for the big game up soon...if you can call Marshall a big game.

Update on Stuff

First, I've heard that West Fairmont has not lost junior running back Jerry Kelly for the season and he may be back by the next game. That's good news for Fairmont Senior who lost to RCB on Friday. I'm hearing that expectations remain high for the Polar Bears despite the loss...they simply came out flat against RCB. Next week should really tell us if they are for real or not.

T.O. Update: Terrell Owens was fined $9,500.00 for missing a meeting. How much longer can the Tuna and T.O. co-exist? One of them will be out at the end of the season. If we're really, really lucky...it will be both.

Lastly, I had this conversation today about the Johnnie Johnson Jazz & Blues Festival in Fairmont. There was an article in the Times-WV today about the disappointing attendance. My favorite quote from the article was “I think people in Fairmont are so used to going other places to be enter­tained that they can’t see what they have here.” Not sure I agree...

There are several problems with the Jazz & Blues Festival. First, advertising. I had no idea it was even going on. There might have been something in the paper but nothing that caught my eye. I didn't see any signs or hear anything on the radio. Second, location. Sorry...Palatine Park is not easily accessible and parking is autrocious. It either needs to be move to a better location (closer to I-79) or there needs to be major renovations made in the Palatine area.

Third, let's be honest, it's a Jazz & Blues Festival. You're not going to attract a lot of people in the Fairmont area to a jazz festival. You are going to have to advertise to Morgantown and Clarksburg...I'm sure you could get a decent amount of students from WVU and Fairmont State if you would move the festival to after Labor Day. You could also get advertising in the high school and attract a younger generation if you would wait until after school is in session. Instead, you're trying to hold a festival as youth are shopping and trying to get settled in for school. Not smart.

I hate to the see the jazz festival die but I'm not sure they'll ever attract a large crowd without some major changes to how it operates. I'm sure there are many other elements that add to its failure but these are a few I see.

WVU = No Sales

I've often wondered where WVU stood in the pantheon on major collegiate sports outside of this area. It's hard to get a real feel for it because we are so inundated with Mountaineer sports and Mountaineer sports paraphernalia. And it's nice to hear about WVU on ESPN and other major sports networks. It's really nice to hear Mark May and Lee Corso predict WVU in the National Championship Game this year. But, where does WVU rate against the likes of Texas, Michigan and UNC when it comes to the real show of support for a college team: athletic apparel?

Well, I finally received my answer from The Collegiate Licensing Company, and that answer is not well. West Virginia University didn't even crack into the Top-75 in top selling collegiate merchandise for the July 1, 2005 - June 30, 2006 time period. WVU ranked behind the likes of Montana, BYU, East Carolina and Central Florida. We were behind TCU, Southern Illinois, James Madison and Nevada. WVU couldn't even muster the support to bypass Marshall, who ranks 48th on the survey.

Yes, I know it's just an athletic apparel survey but I'm really shocked by how low the Mountaineers rank considering the high profile they have enjoyed over the last couple years thanks to the great seasons in basketball and football and how much coverage they have received on a national scale. I'm sure the WVU people are also trying to figure out why Mountaineer merchandise hasn't caught on nationally because that is lost money for WVU. I've always been a big fan of the flying WV but obviously it hasn't been embraced outside the Mountain State. Take the numbers for what you will but I'm taking it as WVU remaining a regional power only.

Former WVU player arrest update = Tennessee Titans cornerback Adam "Pacman" Jones was arrested outside a bar early Friday and charged with disorderly conduct and public intoxication. Way to go PACMAN!!!

Beano Cook thinks WVU will stumble and lose three games. I think Beano will stumble and lose three teeth.

Woodson beat Morgantown which means I was 2-3 for the week and WAY off on my prediction. Morgantown is no longer undefeated. Maybe this is the year...

Lastly, eastfairmont.com is looking for some columnists. If you have something to add to that site, please e-mail that address...they need some help.

Reflections on Week One

Well, obviously my predictions were not completely correct. East Fairmont won and West Fairmont lost. University rolled and so did Buck-Up. So, that wasn't bad...I wasn't horrendous like Chris Berman.

The biggest story out of Week 1 has to be West Fairmont's 21-7 loss to RCB and the loss of junior running back Jerry Kelly. While there is nothing official to report, I've heard that he may be lost for the season. I'm really hoping not because I just hate to see that. But, West may be in trouble...and the promising season in which they were to challenge Morgantown may be lost. It will be interesting to see how they rebound against North Marion...who is coming off a 46-13 drubbing at the hands of University.

On a positive side for Marion County, junior quarterback Carter DeVault threw 4 touchdowns as the Bees downed Elkins. The Bees overcame a slow first half to lay the Tigers out before the game was over 38-18. It's still too early to tell if this is the team that will break the 30-year playoff drought. The defense bent at times but never broke down. The offense looked pretty high powered behind DeVault and Sevier. The real test will be next week as the Bees host University.

And, that's about it for this morning. Maybe more this afternoon after I've had a little time to recover from the late return from Elkins.

High School Predictions

I don't really have the time or energy to give you stories about how Robert C. Byrd traveled to the Great North to wrestle Polar Bears or how the dead arose from Forest Hills Cemetary to take Coach Haddox back to the sounds of Michael Jackson's Thriller. So, instead of those great stories, I will just give you the scores...

East Fairmont @ Elkins (formerly Forest Hills) - East Fairmont seems to own the Tigers most years from some reason and that always makes the East Side faithful excited about the possible playoff run (folks, it's only been 30 years...get over it). But, this year the Tigers strike back and finally win. East 14, Elkins 20

Fairmont Senior @ Robert C. Byrd - Fairmont Senior is supposed to be a beast this year. They are supposed to challenge Morgantown. Yeah, right...don't see it. But RCB isn't very good...at least, they haven't been. West Side rolls. FSHS 27, RCB 13

University @ North Marion - Hopefully none of the North Marion players get sick or forget to show up or the Huskies might have to forfeit. University isn't going to be great this year but they should be able to beat the undermanned Huskies. University 23, NMHS 13

Morgantown @ Woodson - Woodson is a team from DC. Ummm, I have no friggin' idea who they are. How am I supposed to pick this game? Woodson? Come on! I'll still take the Mohigans over whoever Woodson is. Wonder if the schools was named after Rod? Anyway, Morgantown 72, Woodson 10

Alright...that's my predictions for Week 1 of the powerhouse known as West Virginia High School Football.

Oh, and if you missed another article on consolidation for East/West in the Times today, it's a must-read. Phares has obviously made up his mind that it is the move to make and the BOE is going to begin a full-scale PR push to make the citizens of Marion County accept it. Once again, if you are against it, you better get out there and be heard before it is too late. The BOE has the paper and the resources to make it happen...and, once they get some momentum, it's going to happen fast. I implore you again, if you are against consolidation, get the word out now.

Poor Tom Cruise

Oh, it breaks my heart so to hear that poor Tom Cruise has been "fired" by Paramount Studios. Tom Cruise is obviously insane and the studio has finally had enough. To commermorate the occassion of Tom Cruise's firing, I will repost an entry originally from July 15, 2005 about Tom Cruise and his ranting on the Today Show. Here goes:

Tom Cruise has lost his mind. I mean, truly and absolutely lost his mind. To the point that it actually detracts from his movies. It's hard to even look at him because he has become so obsessed with his religion...SCIENTOLOGY.

Scientology...hmmmm...yeah. Here's the start of the story of Scientology:

75 million years ago, there was an alien galactic ruler named Xenu who was in charge of 76 planets in our sector of the galaxy, including planet Earth, whose name at that time was Teegeeack. All of the planets Xenu controlled were over-populated by, on average, 178 billion people. Social problems dictated that Xenu rid his sector of the galaxy of this overpopulation problem, so he developed a plan. Xenu sent out Tax Audit demands to all these billions of people.

As each one entered the audit centers for the income tax inspections, the people were seized, held down and injected with a mixture of alcohol and glycol, and frozen. Then, all 13.5 trillion of these frozen people were put into spaceships that looked exactly like DC8 airplanes, except that the spaceships had rocket engines instead of propellers. Xenu's entire fleet of DC8-like spaceships then flew to planet Earth, where the frozen people were dumped in and around volcanoes in the Canary Islands and the Hawaiian Islands. When Xenu's Air Force had finished dumping the bodies into the volcanoes, hydrogen bombs were dropped into the volcanoes and the frozen space aliens were destroyed.

And, well, it continues like this. If you'd like to read the rest of the story, go to: http://www.holysmoke.org/cos/scientology-lies-and-deceives.htm

Other Scientology beliefs:

• a person is an immortal spiritual being (termed a thetan) who possesses a mind and a body, accompanied by a lesser "genetic entity"
• the thetan has lived through many past lives, stored memories of which can cause problems in the present day
• a person is basically good, but is "aberrated" by the memories of past traumas

Of course, as Tom ranted so eloquently to Matt Laurer, they oppose psychiatry and don't believe in depression or any psychological disorder and completely stand against any medication that might treat a perceived psychological disorder. Additional celebrities who practice Scientology include John Travolta and Kirstie Allie. Yet, somehow they're not nearly as disgusting as Tom because they don't go around trying to convert every person they meet.

So, Tom, keep your mouth shut. No one cares that you think you came from aliens. And no one cares that you don't like psychiatry. It has helped people...we can't say the same for you. No one cares what you have to say unless you're playing Maverick in Top Gun.

East/West Consolidation

I somehow missed a big headline articles in the Times-WV on Saturday regarding the possible consolidation of East Fairmont and Fairmont Senior into one super high school and shutting down several schools in the county. And, well, when I got to work Monday, I had several people ask me my opinion and, of course, I was blindsided because I missed the article. But I have now gone back and read it and am prepared to discuss it not only with them but with you as well.

First, why would you consolidate? Answer: Money. Anyone who tells you otherwise is blowing smoke. This is purely a bottomline move. There are no benefits to larger schools (education-wise) other than money. I've heard a few people mention the benefits to sports teams. Ummm...I thought people went to school to learn first? Maybe not? Anyway, Phares wants to consolidate to help the MCBOE budget. Less schools = less teachers. Fairly simple.

I am completely against consolidation. Not because of the alleged rivalry between the schools (I will explain sometime later why the rivalry no longer exists), but because I don't see any educational benefit to a larger high school. Would a larger high school lead to a larger variety of classes? Maybe. But most kids are going to the college now to get those classes. Better teachers? Doubtful. More opportunties? No, probably less. More lost kids? Yes. Larger schools tend to lead to less and less one-on-one time with students who need that attention.

Some people think a consolidated East/West would be a beast in athletics. Nah, I don't see that either. A consolidated East/West would pave the way to a new AAAA division in West Virginia. Even combined, I don't see a lot of championships heading to the Fairmont area. A good baseball team and an excellent swim team. Maybe girl's basketball. Boy's once in a while. But it's not going to be the dominating force some people force themselves to believe. Especially when going against other Quad-A teams every year. And don't get me started on the travel expense to play a Quad-A schedule in West Virginia.

Lastly, think about the amount of time kids spend on the bus in Marion County already. Now start shutting down community schools and sending them further away. Is that really fair? Is that the goal? I thought one of the big educational pushes was to scale back on bus time. Now Marion County is looking to increase it. Something is wrong with that.

I don't see consolidation any time too soon. But, the local officials continue to try to make you numb to the suggestion. If you don't want it to happen, you need to speak up and let your voice be heard because the Marion County BOE has all the press they need in the Times and they will continue to push what a great thing consolidation would/could/will be. If you don't favor it, you need to be vocal and let it be known.

On the other hand, if the student population continues to diminish, it will eventually have to occur. There's no reason to have two high schools that house 700 kids. But, I also see no good argument to create a high school of nearly 2000. Well, other than money. And that's obviously all some in "education" have on their mind.

Weekend Roundup

First of all, I can't even begin to tell you how tired I am becoming of Terrell Owens, Bill Parcells and the Dallas Cowboys. I know that has been a recurring theme but I am just so sick of watching SportsCenter and having 20 minutes dedicated to T.O. and the Tuna. It is absolutely insane. So what if T.O. tweaked a hamstring and Parcells said he won't play until he practices. The amount of time ESPN is spending on this non-story is ridiculous. All I can hope is that T.O. blows up soon and we don't have to listen to this garbage all year.

Do you want to know why so much time is being spent on T.O.? Because it's easy. It requires no work to cover Terrell Owens and the Cowboys. It's a story that has been recycled 100 times over. It requires no investigation or effort. That's why ESPN loves it so much. It's an easy story and there's enough idiots out there that are interested to keep it in the headlines. Why investigate something difficult when the moronic T.O. and the egotistical Tuna are out there? This is why the "World Wide Leader" drives me crazy.

Anyway, in other news, Tiger Woods proves once again that he is the greatest golfer of this generation. Just a few short months ago there were some people (mostly the aforementioned network) claiming that Mickleson should be the #1 golfer in the world. Anyone making that claim now. Tiger owned the PGA like he owned the British Open. No one can touch him right now. Will he catch Nicklaus? Probably. Is he better than Jack? I'm not convinced of that for sure but I know it would be awesome to watch them compete against one another in their prime. And I'm not talking a Rocky VI-like comeback today.

Yanks own Red Sox again? Sure seems like it. The Yankees have won 4 straight against Boston and will be looking for the series sweep this afternoon. The Yankees are now up 5 1/2 on the Sox. I'm sure "Red Sox Nation" is whining like usual. I think the Yankees have finally found their lineup. Pitching is still questionable. I'm very worried about Randy Johnson and Mussina looked shaky before he left the game last night.

West Virginia is #5 in the AP poll and there are some seriously lofty expectations out there. The Sports Illustrated cover was awesome. The last time expectations were this high, the Eers fell flat. I don't see that happening this year. Can they go undefeated? Perhaps. Should they win 10+? Definitely. BCS bowl? Sure, why not? I am very excited for Mountaineer football. Only a couple weeks away before we welcome the Herd to town. Man, I have cold chills just thinking about it. Seriously.

Anyway, that's about it for the moment. East Fairmont football begins on Friday as they travel to Elkins. I will get my predictions up for that game sometime this week. Bees vs. Tigers? Sounds like an epic battle for the ages.

I'm Back

Well, I was out of town since Saturday, thus the lack of updates. But, I'm back now and I'm trying to catch up on news and work. I was down in the woods of southern West Virginia...and there was no Internet or cable...and I didn't have cell service. Completely cut off from the outside world for those few days...which was actually very nice. No worries. North Korea could have tested nuclear weapons and I would have been clueless. And, well, I didn't miss the technology at all.

Anyway, I'm back and I'm glad to see there has been a ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon. Hopefully that will hold for a while. Gas prices and oil prices have cooled on the ceasefire and on promising news of high inventories. That's good for everyone.

The guy who is confessing to killing JoBenet Ramsey rings of a nut to me...I'm not convinced this will solve the entire affair.

North Korea may be preparing to test nuclear weapons for the first time. Not the first time we've heard they were preparing to test though. And Iran has promised to have a decision on their nuclear program by August 22nd. Should be interesting...I'm guessing both countries will continue to be extremely defiant.

And, that's about it...I'll get more when I actually get some sleep and have some energy.

War on Terror?

Alright...I'm going to keep this very short for now but maybe I'll expand on this later. But, if you haven't paid attention to the foiled terror plot today, well, you should be. This wasn't an attack only on the United Kingdom...it was targeting American passengers and American airlines as well. This was a continued assault on the Western way of life.

Can we negotiate with these people? No. These terrorists were ready to kill thousands of innocent civilians. They weren't lined up prepared for battle. They were boarding a plane to visit relatives or return home. They were traveling for business. They were children traveling with parents. The folks these terrorists are targeting are everyday people like you and I. Not prepared for military engagement.

I say it over and over again: You cannot reach compromise with people who want you dead. There is no middle ground between life and death. And anyone who does not believe we are fighting a war against terrorists are living in a dream world. How many more innocent civilians must die before the majority of Americans wake up and see that 9/11 was just the start of a battle that will continue to rage until one side or the other wins. Either we win or we are destroyed. There is no coexistence with these Islamic fascists. And today should serve as a reminder of that fact.

Big East Predictions - No. 2 & No. 1

Well, only two teams remain in my rundown of the top teams in the Big East. And, well, no shock in that they are Louisville and defending champ West Virginia. Louisville, the new kid on the block who was supposed to run their way through the Big East last year and West Virginia who decided championships come through Morgantown.

These two teams will boast the best offenses in the Big East this year. West Virginia will work that spread offense to try to create running lanes for QB Pat White and RB Steve Slaton. The offensive line, as usual, should be beastly. Louisville will be hoping Brian Bohm is back to 100%. And, when they're not passing, the Michael Bush threat in the backfield will keep defenses busy.

On defense, West Virginia's defense was technically better than the offense, finishing 15th in the nation in total defense as opposed to 50th in total offense. West Virginia's Achilles heal has been, and may continue to be, the secondary. The soft 3-3-5 has been prone to give up big plays in the air. Most opponents don't have the talent to exploit that weakness but Louisville certainly can. Louisville's defense is solid...not spectacular. They were in the Top 25 defensively last year. There aren't any glaring holes to exploit like West Virginia's secondary.

Both teams will start the 2006 season with high hopes and talks of national championships. Other than Louisville's game with Miami, both have relatively light schedules leading into the Big East Game of the Year.

Louisville is going to be looking for redemption when the Mountaineers visit this year following last year's 3-OT thriller in Morgantown. West Virginia will be looking for its fourth consecutive Big East title and, maybe, a chance to play for a national title. The stakes of that game on November 2nd will be huge.

It's very hard to choose...really. But, my obviously biased opinion has WVU beating Louisville in one spectacular game. WVU will finish the season 12-0; 7-0 in conference but will not make the national title game. That hurts to say but if there are 3 undefeated teams, WVU is out. Louisville will finish 10-2; 6-1 in conference and will be the second representative from the Big East in the BCS. Not bad for a conference that was considered dead last year. The ACC? One team...that no one wants.

Anyway, that's my Big East prediction...hopefully they are true. Here's the rundown one more time:

8. Syracuse
7. Cincinnati
6. Rutgers
5. UConn
4. Pitt
3. South Florida
2. Louisville
1. West Virginia

Big East Predictions - No. 3

First, let's go back to something I said yesterday: Pitt could win the Big East. A couple people called me out on that and said I was out of my mind...or something like that. Well, guess what? I'm not. Pitt has consistently been an underachiever. Anyone ready to argue that? Pitt has also been one of the top recruiting programs in the Big East year in and year out (according to Scouts.com). Matter of fact, they had one of the top recruiting classes in the country last year. But that hasn't translated into wins for the Panthers. 5-6 is unacceptable and I don't look for them to be that bad this year. A break here and there, they could go undefeated in the Big East. And, well, they could be a force for years to come. I don't think Wannstedt is a good enough coach to make that happen...but, it's possible.

Anyway, back to my picks. Number 3 is pretty obvious...it's that defensive juggernaut known as USF. For South Florida, it comes down to speed on both sides of the ball. The receivers will be awesome...but they really lack some consistency at quarterback. Pat Julmiste can't throw the ball with any accuracy...look for him to be replaced early is he doesn't show improvement. USF will run a spread offense to free up the running game (sound familiar?). But the loss of Andre Hall could gum things up for a bit while they break in some new legs.

Defensively, you know how awesome the Bulls were last year...look for more of the same. By far this should be the quickest defense in the Big East. Stephen Nicholas, Ben Moffitt, and Pat St. Louis will make one of the best linebacking corps in the nation. It's going to be very, very tough to get anything by the Bulls...

The Bulls could make a run for an undefeated season...out of conference, they're toughest play Central Florida, UNC and Kansas. UCF could possibly give them a test...maybe UNC. In conference, they're going to be a tough out. Definitely going to another bowl game this year...which isn't bad for a team that didn't even exist a couple years ago. Overall, I see 9-3; 5-2 in conference with losses to WVU and UL.

Big East Predictions - No. 4

Hey, it's that time again...time to get to the "top" of the Big East...the Final Four so to speak. Not really...No. 4 isn't very good. But, that position has been reserved for none other than the hated Pittsburgh Panthers.

The Panthers are coming off a pretty disappointing 5-6 season. Tyler Palko underachieved and looked pretty lost most of the season. Dave Wannstedt is going to want to move the ball on the ground this season but he probably doesn't have the backs to do it so a lot of season will rely on Palko's unreliable arm. Pitt's number one receiver, Greg Lee, graduated last year so it is going to be up to some freshmen to step it up and become targets. It's not going to be easy.

Defensively, Revis and Phillips could make Pitt's secondary one of the best in the Big East. But the Panthers are going to have to make some major improvements to stop the run and get a better rush on the passer. Pittsburgh's defense should be one of the better defenses in the conference thanks to a lot of experience.

Pitt could challenge for the Big East title this year. They have an entire season to prepare for their two biggest games: Louisville and West Virginia. And they play both at Heinz Field. However, the Panthers, as usual, will underachieve. 8-4 seems reasonable...with losses to WVa, Louisville, South Florida and Michigan State. If Pitt plays inspired ball, they could go undefeated...watch out!

Big East Predictions - No. 5

I'm pretty unmotivated at the moment...and I have a feeling my pick for #5 will be pretty unmotivated too. Injuries obliterated UConn last year and they've lost their quarterback and haven't quite been able to pick a starter yet. Coming off a poor 5-6 season, UConn will be looking to bounce back strong but I don't see that happening. Their offensive line should be better this year but there's no depth on the team. Injuries on offense would absolutely kill Connecticut.

Defensively, the Huskies have been pretty tough. They finished 7th overall in the nation last year in defense, 4th in pass defense. Seven starters will be returning and expectations will be high for the defense to win some games.

The out-of-conference schedule favors UConn, with games against URI, Wake Forest, Indiana, Navy and Army. I think they can win all 5 of those games...all are at home except Indiana. In conference, I think the Huskies will only win 2 games. They could give WVU a test in October. Overall, the Huskies will be 7-5; 2-5 in the Big East and will be bowling again. Anything less will be a huge disappointment.

Random Things (Including Landis)

Well, I went to a retirement party last night for a friend. It was a lot of fun. But, I got to thinking: It's going to be like 30 years before I can have a retirement party. Maybe even 40. Who knows? With things going like they are, I may never be able to have a retirement party. That is pretty depressing. I want to retire now! But, since I can't, congratulations to Jim on his retirement.

A lot of people play horseshoes. And, well, up until today I thought the most dangerous part of the game was not getting far enough away from the pit and someone smack you with one of the shoes. Or you get a runner that chases you. Well, now there's a new danger that has been brought to my attention: Man's Buttocks Impaled By Horseshoe Stake. I don't even know what to say about that other than Ouch. I mean a really bad Ouch.

Floyd Landis is going to be stripped of his Tour de France championship. Sample B has come back positive and the doping agency said the testerone is synthetic. Landis has been pretty impressive in coming up with excuses for the results...like he was ready for it. The results have been caused by cortisone shots, thyroid medication and drinking beer and whiskey. It has been caused by dehydration and "maximum effort." Maybe the best was the masseur with a grudge that rubbed a foreign substance on Landis. Regardless, Landis will be stripped of the championship and will be banned from US Cycling for at least 2-years and this will darken the cloud over cycling.

Quick baseball update: The Pirates are playing well...they may not lose 100 games if they continue to win. 7 wins in last 10 games. The injured Yankees hold a 1-game lead over the hated Red Sox. St. Louis is trying to give away the NL Central to the Reds. The NL West remains anyone's to take. The Detroit Tigers are awesome.

I'll try to get Big East Prediction No. 5 up today...if not, it will be tomorrow.

Big East Predictions - No. 6

Well, who is good enough (or bad enough) to be No. 6 in the Big East? How about Rutgers? I know, I know...that's going to be a pretty unpopular pick for #6 coming off Rutgers bowl appearance last season. But, if I recall correctly, that bowl didn't go very well.

Anyway, Mike Teel will be back at QB following last year's back and forth battle with Ryan Hart for the starting position. And 1000+ yard running back Ray Rice and fullback Brian Leonard will be in the backfield again this year. The questions will be if Teel has anyone to throw to and if the Rutgers offensive line can open a whole for Rice and Leonard.

Defensively, Rutgers run defense was pretty good last year but they have a few replacements to make on the pass rush. The secondary remains a question mark but they'll bring a little more experience this year. Depth could be an issue and injuries could ultimately cause the Scarlet Knights downfall.

Rutgers has never gone to back-to-back bowl games in its 130-year existence. As a matter of fact, they have only gone to two bowl games ever. Unfortunately for Schiano and the RU faithful, I don't see a bowl game this year as the Knights go 6-6; 2-5 in conference. Wins over UNC, Ohio and Howard should be in the cards. A win over Navy or Illinois would be nice as well. If they can someone manage to win both, maybe a 7 win season can get them to that bowl game and keep the program in the right direction.

Big East Predictions - No. 7

Well, it's time for the No. 7 team in the Big East. But, before I announce it, I want to make a quick disclaimer: I am not required by law to stand by these picks if any player on any team is dismissed for taking a job that pays more than allowed by the NCAA or if any player is involved in a gunfight or if any player is suspended for taking steroids. Hey, it happens and that makes every pick null and void. Oh, and that injury thing can change standings too.

Anyway, on with the picks. Battling Syracuse for worst in the Big East will be none other than the Bearcats of Cincinnati!!! Where to begin with the poor Bearcats? How about the same problem Syracuse has: offense. Running game was pretty weak...6th in the Big East. The offensive line will need to find a way to make some holes for a couple decent running backs. Second year QB Dustin Grutza should show some improvement and he'll have some receivers to throw to.

Defensively, the Bearcats were very young last year. And, considering the offense, they played pretty well and kept UC in games. This year, the defense will be more experienced (obviously) and should create some havoc for opposing teams. Watch for some decent linebackers in Cincinnati this season.

Lastly, those Bearcat fans leave something to be desired. I know it's an NFL town (barely) and it's hard to draw a lot of support for football at a basketball school. But it's embarrassing when the opposing team brings more fans into your stadium than you do. Of course, the stadium is in the middle of Cincinnati's campus which presents serious tailgating problems. You definitely can't have a great tailgate party and stagger to the stadium like you can at Mountaineer Field...and, whether you want to admit it or not, that dampens attendance.

On the positive side, Cincinnati will improve throughout the season and could be bowling by next year. This year...4-8 seems to be pretty fair. Wins over Eastern Kentucky, Akron, Miami (OH) and Syracuse. The rest of their out-of-conference schedule is a killer: Ohio State and Virginia Tech. That won't help them. But within a couple years, they will be a force in the Big East. They've invested too much not to be.

Middle East Update

Haven't really said much about the Middle East conflict lately so I figure it's time for a quick update. Not sure much has changed except it seems to be threatening to spiral out of control. Lebanon doesn't have the ability to throw out Hezbollah. Israel is fighting public sentiment and is being condemned worldwide (sounds a lot like the U.S.). And Iran is threatening everyone in the region and the world...demanding attention because everyone has been distracted from their nuclear ambitions.

It's an amazingly dangerous situation. Most Americans don't have the ability to comprehend what is happening and why a simple cease-fire can't end this conflict. This is the microcosm of the battle happening worldwide between the Western way of life (our way of life) and fanatic militants who are hellbent on ending the Western way of life. I've said it before, and I'll say it again, there is no middle ground between survival and destruction...there's no compromise between life and death. And, really, that's what this is a battle of.

The current conflict between Israel and Lebanon may end soon but I don't see the real war ending in our lifetime. I know Americans want to bury their heads in the sand and hope this goes away, but it's not. Not for a long time.

Big East Predictions - No. 8

It's almost time...we've entered August and I'm ready to start counting down the 8 teams in the Big East to tell you, the general public, the best (and worst) of the Big East...and answer some burning questions such as: Can the Big East get two teams in the BCS? Will WVU go undefeated? Does Pitt really eat..., ummm, well, you get the idea. So, today, without further hesitation, I give you the No. 8 pick out of the Big East this year (oh, and I can't guarantee that I will do one a day but I'll try to.)

The Worst of the Big East? It was a close run for the bottom. The winner: WVU! No, really not. How about Syracuse? Yep, that's the winner.

Since the Orangemen changed their name to just The Orange, they've been pretty abysmal...but no less funny. The Orange...what a wussy name. Anyway, the 'Cuse's switch to the West Coast offense last year was pretty bad, leading them to a 1-10 record. The Orange was 117th in the nation in total offense and 116th in scoring...which won't lead you to many wins. Maybe a year running the West Coast will give them the experience needed to actually move the ball. But I'm not sure the talent is there for a high powered offense.

As for defense, Greg Robinson's a defensive kinda guy. The Orange defense wasn't horrible last year...they have a few holes to fill but the defense didn't lose games for them...it was the atrocious offense. Kelvin Smith is an All-Big East linebacker and they have a couple good corners to depend on. Defensively, I see a pretty decent team.

But defense can't overcome zero points...and that's what will kill Syracuse this year...no offensive production. Overall, the Orange post a 3-9 record (thank you Wyoming and either Wake Forest or Miami (OH)); 1-6 in conference. But they could upset anyone really...thanks to a their defense. But I'm guessing that by the end of the season, Syracuse will be begging to bring Paul Pasqualoni back. Greg Robinson should start looking around...

Microsoft Update

Well, just got off the phone with our handy-dandy MS rep and CDW...and, well, it wasn't quite as painful as I figured it could be. The woman was actually helpful and informative on the questions I had. I didn't necessarily like the answers but they were matter-of-fact and actually made sense. But, Microsoft licensing is still impossible as WVConfidential pointed out...here was his comment:

I have a golden rule when dealing with MS Licensing: once you find information you need, copy it to somewhere else, because you'll never be able to find it again.

It takes longer to find the ISO files for products you purchased than it does to download them. And once you do, there are five different versions to choose from. Only one of them works with your VLK. Do you feel lucky?

The names are helpful, too:
en_win_srv_2003_retail_volume_sortof
32bit_disc1_open_license_cocacola.iso

Yeah, it's great stuff...really is. Up until the past 6 months, we have been a Novell shop that used Corel products (WordPerfect) and, well, basically non-standard software as far as most people are concerned. The benefit of that is: 1) Pricing. 2) Ease of use. 3) Ease of licensing. For example, Corel offers Home Use. How? You send the CD home with the user and they install it. End of story. Microsoft? No, the user has to buy software (or the company does) and give it to the user to install. I mean, it's a little thing but it's really a pain.

We still are on the Novell backbone but we're going to complete MS soon and I am not looking forward to that...and the cost is going to be extraordinary (obviously). SQL licenses, server licenses, etc...yeah, it's going to be terrific. And don't forget Microsoft Exchange replacing Groupwise. Oh boy!

Anyway, back to Davis, the MS Volume Licensing site is an absolute joke. When it comes to the VLKs, he's right on the money with the number of keys they give you...it's like a crapshoot when you enter it...will it work or not? Are they trying to trick the software pirates? No...I think they just like people to be confused. And the amount of software they shipped us...man, I have 7 folders of software in my office of Microsoft products. We only ordered Office really...but I have 27 different versions of BizTalk. And SQL 2000, 2003, 2005, 2005 Developers, 2005 Standard, 2005 for Dummies, etc.

But, anyway, I'm done with Microsoft for today. All I really cared about was the Home Use Program and getting the best deal I could for our employees. I found a way to save them $11-$12, so I guess I did my job. Tomorrow, I attempt to tackle our Desktop Deployment Planning Services...I have a feeling it's going to be more of a headache.

Microsoft Kills Me Softly...

I think I wrote like a year ago or something about problems with Microsoft licensing. Well, today it's not necessarily the licensing but the benefits that come with volume licensing, which we recently purchased. Somehow, through no effort of my own, I have become the MS Software Assurance Benefits Administrator...and, oh my, what fun that has been. Through the Microsoft web-site, I can assign certain benefits to certain users...which is fine...I have that down. I've assigned some of it to myself...like Employee Purchasing Program and Home Use Program...those seem simple enough.

But there are also things like Training Vouchers, E-Learning, Support and TechNet Support. And, well, that seems simple enough too. So, I tried to get into them so I could show whoever I eventually assign them to how it works. And, well, circles. Click on a button, it takes you to the E-Learning Center...click another button and you're out of the E-Learning Center. It's just a horrible, horrible thing.

The further I dig into this thing, the more confused I get. Their web-site is like a series of mazes that have no end...when I think I'm almost to where I want to be, I end up back at the Microsoft Licensing site and have to try again. It's completely insane. So, I have a conference call today at 11:00 with an MS rep...if I live through it, I'll let you know if we ever get out of the maze.