Habib Took a Mouse

Well, Habib left Friday and we were happy. Then we discovered he may have taken a parting gift. He had our purchasing agent by a green Microsoft Wireless IntelliMouse early in his employment here. Well, now the mouse is gone. We have a suspicion he took it with him. So, we've spent the day trying to locate the mouse...here are some of the signs that are hanging throughout the building:

Yeah, maybe that's overkill for a $30 mouse. But, seriously, if you find our missing mouse, let me know. We're pretty distraught about it.

Vote for Steve Slaton

https://r.espn.go.com/espn/contests/theheismanvote/index

Football Predictions

Terrell Owens may or may not have attempted to commit suicide. I have no idea...I doubt we ever will have a full explanation of what happened. I doubt I really care that much. Anyway, I'm not feeling well...the weather change has just killed me and it's about 58-degrees in my office so I'm just giving you my predictions:

East Fairmont 26 - North Marion 13
University 35 - West Fairmont 28
Morgantown 24 - Wheeling Park 12
RCB 17 - Bridgeport 13
Virginia Tech 21 - Georgia Tech 17
Ohio State 35 - Iowas 21

T.O. Update

Man, I really, really hate doing a T.O. update because, well, I just feel like a complete waste because I really, really dislike TO and I don't want to do it. But I'm going to. Honestly, I don't feel overly sympathetic...I mean, it's a shame...he apparently has more problems than we thought he did. But as unsympathetic as I feel, the folks over at Deadspin have no souls at all. I'll admit it, I laughed my way through the comments...check them out for yourself:

T.O. Tried to Kill Himself

Just Some Things

I don't really have anything to write about so I'll just throw out some recent headlines:

• NYC may ban artificial trans fatty acids. Is this really what it is coming to? Does the government have to regulate everything?
• T.O. wasn't in the news enough so he decided to OD on his medication. Drudge is saying the police report said it was a suicide attempt. I'll hold judgment on that for now. But, as I read the ESPN artcle, the best line in it is attributed to Parcells about Terry Glenn: "He was trying to cut some tape off his uniform," Parcells said. "He had his hand down in his pants and he missed. Fortunately he cut his hand."
• Barry is going to play in 2007. I'm excited...how about you?

And, because I have some work I really need to do today, I'm going to wrap it up with a video that I thought was funny:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJsDfLndlKU

I Have A Smirk On My Face

Well, I don't even want to talk about the Steelers game. They are now 1-2 in arguably the toughest division in the NFL. Baltimore's defense looks good and Cincy may be the best team in the AFC. I don't know what else to say about that...

What I do want to talk about is Bill Clinton's performance on FoxNews and Monday Night Football. First, Der Slickmeister was on FoxNews defending his attempts to stop terrorism. He says he left directions on how to stop terrorism and that he was closer to capturing Bin Laden than we have ever been since. Alright, sure, I believe him. Whatever. I don't care. Clinton is defending something I very rarely here brought up. I didn't think the movie "Path to 9/11" place undue blame on him or his administration.

I believe Clinton probably had the best chances of killing Bin Laden. Of course, it was probably easier to track him before he blew up two of the largest towers in the world. I believe Clinton left instructions on his terrorism strategy. I would enjoy seeing what that strategy was. I'm guessing it was something like "Work with the Saudis and Palestinians on ending terrorism." Clinton is ranting and raving for one reason: ELECTION! Yes, it's that time of year and Clinton is out front trying to show that the Democrats are not soft on security and that his administration took securing this nation seriously.

Listen, I know, as do you, that Bill Clinton and no one in the Democrat Party wanted to see what happened on September 11th happen. I know Bill probably did what he thought was best to secure our country. The problem is, and has been, the inconsistency of Clinton's story. And the bigger problem has been the attempts by many Democrats to make it sound as though terrorism involving the United States never occurred before Bush was elected. They want their "audience" to believe that terrorists never targeted the US before we elected the "cowboy" and if we would simply vote out Republicans, terrorism would end. Obviously no Democrat will say that verbatim but that is the innuendo they lay forth. And it's bull. So, Clinton is out there touting the "we had a plan" agenda. Maybe he did, maybe he didn't...does it matter now?

For my second item, which will be short, Monday Night Football returns to New Orleans tonight. Here is the news story headline I heard for it this morning: Tonight, The Superdome, not long ago a symbol of America's failure to the people of New Orleans will host it's first . . . yada, yada yada.

A symbol of America's failure ot the people of New Orleans?!? Once again, bull. First, the people of New Orleans were told to evacuate. They chose not to leave. Second, those who couldn't leave on their own or "didn't have no moneys" should have been evacuated by the City or State. Ray Nagin failed, not America, in evacuating New Orleans. Third, billions of dollars were dumped into the city after the disaster. Is that America failing?

Come on! Wake up! America didn't fail New Orleans. Once again, it's spin. The United States stepped up and assisted the New Orleans recovery. I know people from here who went down to help rebuild homes and donated money...I donated money. Is that failure? What more can we do? It's not my fault Ray Nagin didn't help evacuate the people of New Orleans. It's not America's fault that the Governor of Louisiana told Federal Authorities that the local entity was in control before the storm. It is certainly not America's fault that money that was given to New Orleans to steady the levies was spent on other projects by the government's in New Orleans.

Yes, some studies may have said that the levies could be breached. I'm sure there are other studies that say the levies were secure and safe. I can find contradicting studies on just about every topic in the world. That's just the way things are. Anyway, I resent the notion that America failed New Orleans. America has bailed out New Orleans and the only thing we hear is how we should give more. And as for personal responsibility of the people of New Orleans for not leaving when advised to? That's not their fault at all. Personal responsibility died long before a Hurricane named Katrina.

Near Upset Saturday

So many near upsets...so many upsets that didn't happen. I don't even know where to begin. Maybe with Notre Dame/Michigan State because it upset me the most. And it wasn't because I had to hear the ND football players sing after the game despite how very, very badly they sing.

Michigan State had Notre Dame pretty much on the ropes. All they had to do was "take care of business" and finish off the game. Instead, John L. Smith turned into Don Nehlen and decided to run a conservative offense that quickly allowed ND back in the game. Michigan State just melted down...and it was just very bad coaching. Of course, if you didn't know that, you could watch Chris Fowler, Lee Corso and Charles Woodson (?!?) on the Gameday wrapup on ESPN and they would tell you how Michigan State always melts down and blows the big ones.

Other than that, Georgia needed a last second touchdown to beat a horrible Colorado team. The Hokies pulled away late from Cincy. USC didn't necessarily look that great against Arizona...only getting 20 points. Actually, the theme for just about every game Saturday was start slow and then pull away late...I could say it about Ohio State, Florida, Michigan, West Virginia.

Now, speaking of West Virginia...here we go. I was pretty disappointed in the way the Mountaineers played Saturday. Due to our poor offensive play calling, Slaton only had 80-yards on the ground. Pat White had a career high in passing yards, which some people are going to say is proof is arm is improved but a majority of those yards came off screens or swing passes and not any good strikes down the field. Maybe that's the spread offense but I wasn't overly impressed because you don't need to play off a receiver or give any room at the line if all passes are going to be within 2-3 yards of the line. I'm not saying White didn't show some arm strength and accuracy, I just want to see the field spread North/South instead of East/West.

I think the offense is okay though. Some concerns but I think we can put up points. I just didn't like the variety of plays. As for defense, I'm not impressed. If ECU had a few better players, they would have taken that game to the end. Receivers were constantly open and the 10 yard cushion we give receivers will eventually be tore apart by some team. A team like Louisville will love the soft coverage we play. If Pinkney can throw for 247 yards, Brohm or Cantwell can surely throw for more. On a positive, the rush defense was stout, only giving up 41 yards.

Overall, I can't say I was happy with the ECU game. I have yet to see this Mountaineer team play 4 good quarters of football against any team. I'm not sure we have it in us to play 4 tough quarters. This is the major disadvantage of this easy schedule...we're not battle tested like Louisville has been by Miami. I'm not saying we can't win and can't put it together...I just haven't seen it yet. Hopefully we will by November 2nd.

Football Predictions - Ahmadinejad Style

My interview with Mahmoud Ahmadinejad regarding upcoming football picks:

Open Mike: Mahmoud...can I call you Mahmoud? Mahmoud, East Fairmont plays at Bridgeport. East Fairmont beat Bridgeport 21-0 last year. What is your prediction for this year's game?

Ahmadinejad: Unfortunately I didn't have any contact with the people of the Bridgeport. But my general impression is that the people of Bridgeport are good people. Everywhere in the world, people are good.

OM: Mahmoud, you didn't necessarily answer my question.

Ahmadinejad: I think George Bush stole the painting of Jesus from Bridgeport High School.

OM: Ummm...ok. Well, we'll move on. North Marion has really struggled this year. They are going to travel to John Marshall this weekend. What do you think of their chances?

Ahmadinejad: North Marion and John Marshall are seeking peace, love, friendship and justice. The people of North Marion and John Marshall do not have any problems.

OM: Agreed. But what about the football game? I mean, they're playing against each other in football.

Ahmadinejad: When they play football, it means aggression and violations of the rights of John Marshall. I recommended to Gerry White that he can change his behavior, then everything will change.

OM: Do you know anything about football Mahmoud? Any thoughts on Morgantown/Preston?

Ahmadinejad: No.

OM: Okay. Let's look at the college day. What do you think of Notre Dame's big loss to Michigan last week?

Ahmadinejad: Let's assume that it has taken place. Where did it take place? So what is the fault of the Palestinian people? These questions are quite clear. We are waiting for answers.

OM: I think it happened. Will Notre Dame bounce back or fall to Michigan State?

Ahmadinejad: In any school in which the people are ready to vote for the Catholics to come to power, it is up to them. In our country, the Catholics are living and they are represented in our Parliament.

OM: Yeah, that's what I figured. I just want to get this over with. Tell me what you think about #4 West Virginia vs. East Carolina?

Ahmadinejad: What West Virginia is attempting to do to East Carolina is unfair. East Carolina represents the oppressed peoples of the world and West Virginia continues to apply undue pressure upon the schools like East Carolina. It is not right. West Virginia should deal with their own affairs and leave all others be.

OM: Well, Mahmoud, it has been a real pleasure for me. Any last, parting words?

Ahmadinejad: Cowher should not have played Roethlisberger last week.

And, that was that. Not many predictions...here's my guesses:

Bridgeport 28 - East Fairmont 24
John Marshall 38 - North Marion 17
Morgantown 56 - Preston 21
Michigan State 24 - Notre Dame 17
Ohio State 35 - Penn State 21
WVU 56 - East Carolina 13

Chavez Update

Well, I feel the need to update on these guys since I kinda attacked some on the left...and I was afraid Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Rangel were going to ruin all my fun. But leave it to Iowa's Tom Harkin to give me a quote I really wanted to hear: Harkin said the comments were "incendiary", then went on to say, "Let me put it this way, I can understand the frustration, ah, and the anger of certain people around the world because of George Bush's policies."

So, basically Tom is saying "Hugo's comments were a little over the line...but I understand where he is coming from. He was echoing the sentiments of the Democratic party but he just said it a little more blunt than we prefer."

Chuck Rangel's condemnation of the speech was much funnier. I'm not going to quote it, you can read it for yourself here -- but here's the basic point. Hugo, buddy, pal...that wasn't nice. Don't attack our President. Now, we wish he was kind and generous like you are but you can't say those things. Not here anyway. Say them at home and we'll shake in agreement, but not here. But, again, thanks for the oil. Our President is too stingy to give us free heating oil. Oh, and give me a call when you get home.

At least Nancy Pelosi had the guts to just condemn the speech and not take a shot at the President in the same breath like Rangel.

As for Chavez himself, he decided to travel down into Harlem to a church where he delivered a nice speech at a church. Highlights include calling Bush an alcoholic, a sick man and a man who walks like John Wayne. Good stuff.

Anyway, Chavez is really causing a problem on the Left and it's because he sounds like them. He told the attendees at the church that America is attempting to suppress and hold back blacks and minorities. Sound familiar? He talks often about the sympathy he feels for those the government ignored during Hurricane Katrina. Sound famililar? Chavez has essentially usurped the Democrat agenda and is using it. That points Democrats in a very tight spot...they can't side with the dictator from Venezuela but they really, really want to.

Remember after Katrina..."George Bush doesn't care about black people." I mean, that was Kanye but many Democrats said the same thing just in fancier ways. And now Chavez is saying it. Hugo Chavez may end up being the best thing for the Republicans as the election approaches. Maybe Bush will end up thanking him for his attack before this year is over.

Ahmadinejad. Hero of the Media?

I was going to entitle this "Ahmadinejad. Hero of the Left?" but I know too many people on the left that have more sense than that. The American media on the other hand...not so much. But then I read that former President Clinton is urging talks with Iran and I wonder.

Anyway, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is a lunatic folks. The man has denied the Holocaust and has called for the annihilation of Israel. It is easy for him to talk to the American media about brotherhood and peace but go back to his country and talk about "Death to America" and "Death to Israel." The American media interviews him and describes his well-spoken manner and knowledge...but they lob softball questions at the man and are taken in by his charm.

He insists that his nuclear ambitions are to power his country in one sentence and, in the next, rails against the US for attempting to keep his country with "the bomb." And he is never called on this. He makes it clear he wants nuclear weapons and the American media still pretends he wants it only for "peaceful" purposes. People who believe this clown are only kidding themselves. He is looking to alter the world for the worse and I don't think the American media is portraying that correctly at all. We have a nut out there who is making a new Axis that we need to deal with before it is too late.

One of his partners in this crime against humanity is Hugo Chavez who made a "devil" speech at the UN yesterday that I am sure fired up anti-American sentiment in the anti-American world body. Chavez has become a hero of the American left because he is so much like Fidel Castro. A dictator who buries his own people to increase his power. Yep...sounds about right. This is the guy Ray Nagin wanted to get money from to rebuild New Orleans. Another presence out to destroy America...what a great guy.

And then you have the Great Hugo Chavez calling

Monday Night Football

Well, I'm pretty bummed out about the whole Monday Night Football Extravaganza for the Steelers. The offense was obviously on another planet. The defense played pretty darn well but wasn't quite enough to overcome Jacksonville.

The lack of any type of running game is what has me most concerned. I think Ben will come around and play solid throughout the season. But the pressure Jacksonville was able to get on him and the ability to completely stop the run could be trouble. The offensive line was unable to give Ben adequate protection and they didn't create any gaps for Willie to run. Maybe the Jaguar's defense is just that awesome...maybe not. We'll see what they can do against the Bungles this weekend.

As for Monday Night Football, this was my first chance to see the new crew. I like Tony Kornheiser. He seems to be a little reserved so far...trying to figure out what all he can say...and what he shouldn't. But I like his analysis and I like his delivery. He probably could bring a little more PTI style to the broadcast...I look for him to really start cutting loose soon and bringing more entertainment to the show.

Oh, and in real news, France's Prime Minister Jacques Chirac called for the discussion of sanctions against Iran by the U.N. be suspended. Jacques apparently feels the multinational talks with Iran are making progress and that Iran is doing nothing wrong. Jacques...call me in 5 years when Iran is lobbing weapons around your country and maybe even in your country. Chirac wants to look reasonable but instead he shows how weak the Western Alliance is and that is playing right into the hands of Ahmadinejad, Chavez and their allies. It is absolutely insane...

Great Football Weekend

Wow...what a weekend for football. Overtime in the NFL. Blocked kick to win the game in Oregon. Almost enough blocked kicks to win games at Florida State. T.O.'s broken finger. There was just a lot of great football this weekend...so, I'm not sure where to start. Let's start in Louisville:

Alright...the Cardinals finally got that "big" win they have so desparately been awaiting. Not only did they beat the Hurricanes, the smashed them into the ground. The only negative might be that it appears Brian Brohm will be out 3-6 weeks with some strained ligaments. With that diagnosis, he should be back in time for the big game against WVU. I don't see them being tested before then.

But, I'd like to focus more on Miami's pre-game behavior. THE U decided that they would come out and stomp on the Cardinal at Papa John's Stadium which, rightfully so, made the Cardinals pretty mad. Coach Petrino's brother was in the middle of the near melee. My question is obvious: Why does Miami feel it necesssary to behave in such a manner? Do they feel they have the right to stomp someone's logo and make a scene? Where are the coaches? Does Larry Coker have any control over THE U?

If I were a Miami fan, I would be as embarassed by that behavior as I was by the ensuing game. Miami was a visitor to Louisville and should act as such...that doesn't include disrespecting the Cardinal Stadium or the Cardinal team. There's no way Coach Rod would ever allow such a display when WVU visits there in November. And, if he did, I would be absolutely mortified. I, for one, am happy that THE U is gone from the Big East. They are thug players who have no class and no respect for anyone in college football. And, as Louisville showed, they aren't that good this year.

Alright, just some other shorts for the roundup:

• With that said, I really enjoyed watching Tommy Bowden beat Daddy again. That game would not have even been close if it wasn't for the special teams issues that Clemson had. I don't believe FSU is that good...Miami was just bad.
• Auburn/LSU might have been the most boring game in college football. And why would LSU not pass the ball into the endzone at the end of the game? Completion at the 5-yard line. Hooray!
• Michigan stomped Notre Dame! Michigan stomped Notre Dame! Michigan stomped Notre Dame! Michigan stomped Notre Dame! Somewhere Lou Holtz is crying in a beer. Somewhere Charlie Weiss is trying to eat Lou Holtz's leg. Michigan stomped Notre Dame! Michigan stomped Notre Dame!
• The Oregon/Oklahoma officials blew a call. Oregon won. Oh well...it happens. Get over it and figure out what is wrong with your football team.
• Slaton is 4th on ESPN's Heisman Watch. And a mixed article by Ivan Maisel about the Mountaineers. He writes some nice things and takes a few shots too.
• After watching the Raiders on Sunday, I have to agree with Bill Simmons that Art Shell is not really alive.
• I'm sure Brett Favre is sure glad he came back. But, after the way he acted in the off-season, he deserves it. The need to play the backup. But if Favre continues to be selfish like he has been, I hope they go 0-16.

I think that's enough for today. The Steelers should win tonight and be off to a good start defending their Super Bowl crown. I'll be interested to see how Big Ben looks. Oh, and I still have a strong dislike for Lou Holtz.

Mid-Day Football Update

Well, Cincinatti hung with Ohio State for about a half and then Ohio State decided to lay down the law on the poor Bearcats. No surprise there really. On the other hand, Michigan State destroying Pitt was a bit of a surprise. I can't read this Pitt team yet...hot and cold. Kinda like Palko's whole career. From a Heisman hopeful to a giant bust. My confidence in Pitt being the 4th good Big East team this year just collapsed.

Syracuse finally won a game...beating the hapless Illini of Illinois. I know this was not a game between two titans but I'm about tired of hearing it described the pillow fight of the week. I know both teams are struggling but there's no reason to continually make fun of both squads. New coaches, new players...they're trying their best. I just don't respect the ESPN commentators who want to kick both programs...

I just finished watching Iowa beat Iowa State. Here is how classless the ESPN reporters have become...following the game, this question is posed to the player of the game, an obviously upset and distraught Mike Klinkenborg: Mike, you just buried your dad 3 days ago. Can you tell me how you feel now?

Come on! What a stupid question. WHY? Why would you ask someone like that? I swear. I mean, if the reporter approached him and asked "Mike, how do you feel?" that's one thing. But to throw in the "you just buried your dad" is just ridiculous. I mean, we already knew what happened because they spent half the game focusing on it. Of course, that has become ESPN. Ask the "hard hitting" questions. Make someone cry or angry. Nice ESPN...very nice work! You guys are awesome. Any network that employs Lou Holtz is number 1 in my book.

Anyway, that's my mid-day update. I don't know if there will be an evening update or not. I'm going to watch the Louisville/Miami game or the LSU/Auburn. Those are the games of the week. Why GameDay is at USC is beyond me.

Watch what you say...

UPDATE: I was just watching GameDay -- here is the sign of the week as far as I am concerned: Charlie Weiss - Love Child of Rosie O'Donnell and Jabba the Hut?

Before I get to that, I need to say this: I think ESPN needs to make another new station and call it ESPN ND. All Notre Dame, all the time. We can watch Charlie Weiss walk his large derriere around the ND facility and try to motivate his player. We can watch Brady Quinn and his sister. We can watch Samardzija play baseball and football. It would just be an awesome channel...the only commentator would be Lou Holtz. I can see it now...

How about this Muslim outrage at the Pope? He apparently offended the Islam religion by calling it "inhuman." I can't necessarily defend that...it's not a very nice thing to say. Should it cause riots? No. Obviously not. It is completely insane and I just don't understand these people...

I think I may have said this before but, if I didn't, here goes: What would happen if Christians around the world rioted every time someone insulted Christians? The world would be over. There's hardly a day that goes by in this country that someone isn't attacking Christianity. Rosie "Insert mean nickname here, there's too many to choose from" O'Donnell attacked Christianity on the View just the other day. No one cares about who was offended by her lard butt. Senators and Congressmen attack religion on a regular basis on the floor...hardly a word is said. There is a constant assault on religion in this country and there aren't riots...it's life.

But, oh dear, if someone draws a cartoon of Mohommed, we have to riot. If someone says a "Allah Akbar" the wrong way, we have to burn things in the street. This isn't a big WVU win...there's no reason to burn stuff. This is why there will never be an understanding between our world (Western) and their world (fanatical). And to simply attempt to appease them by saying, "Now, be nice to them...don't make fun or say anything insulting" is not a solution. No one likes to be insulted but when you act in a manner as they have, it's going to happen.

It's a crazy situation. I have no solutions...I don't even have any suggestions. It will be interesting to see how the Pope responds. He obviously knows he's under some heat but he'll want to show a strong leadership. Are we heading back down the path of the Crusades? I think we're getting closer everyday...

WVU Game

As always, there's positives and negatives that come out of these games and I'm having a hard time telling because of WVU's quick start. The first quarter was absolutely unbelievable. The WVU offense marched right down the field for a quick score and then the fumble recover on special teams put us up 14-0 before most people had staggered to their seats. How awesome is that?

Obviously, the best drive was when WVU started at their own 4-yard line and drove down the field to go up 21-0. And the awesome interception put the Mountaineer up 28-0 and, well, that was pretty much the game. At that point, I think there was a letdown for the Mountaineers because, well, the game was, for the most part, sealed.

Positives first because, well, it was a very positive game. Slaton and Schmidt, along with White, are quite a threesome in the backfield. White and Slaton are deadly quick and Schmidt can plow throught defenders when he needs to. The offensive line created huge holes in the Maryland defense for runs...it was just amazing. Special teams played very, very well...creating turnovers and not allowing Maryland anything big on kick or punt returns. McAfee has shown a great variety of kickoffs...he can kick the ball probably 5 different ways and seems to have pretty good control on where that ball is going.

The defense played well early...they forced some turnovers and they were able to get pressure on the quarterback which has been one of the early season complaints. For the most part, I thought they defended well down the field.

Now, for the complaints...which were coming...you knew they were. We still haven't seen Pat White throw the ball much. Of course, if you can run like we did, why would you throw? But there were a few instances where I would have liked to see White throw a mid-range pass. It seems to be screens, wideouts or really, really deep. I have not seen a well executed slant pattern or mid-range pass this year.

The secondary continues to play soft. Maryland consistently moved the ball with short passes that picked up 3-5 yards. The WVU defense had a hard time stopping Maryland on short yardage downs...namely the 4th downs that Maryland converted. The Maryland O-line was obviously bigger than our D-line but we'll face that again throughout the season I'm sure. And, of course the penalties were unacceptable. Way, way too many.

But, we were up big early and lost some composure. If it were a close game, some of those complaints would have probably been addressed. Until we're in a tight game, it's hard to tell how those things would play out. When you're up 28-o that fast, it's hard to stay motivated and composed. Rich obviously just wanted to get the game over with and prepare for the next one. All in all, I was very, very pleased. Maryland is a tough opponent and this could have been a real stumbling block...but, not problem.

Off to East Carolina next for a showdown with the Pirates. I can't imagine that being much of a contest but WVU needs to stay focused, and undefeated, to setup the showdown in Louisville on November 2nd. Way too early to look ahead...but I am.

Prediction Day

I'll be honest with you...I just don't have the ambition to sit here and write stories about how the Mohigans, offended that Morgantown still uses an Indian mascot, comes in to assist East with a victory. Or how global warming assisted the Knights in making the Polar Bears extinct. I just don't have it. What I do have the ability to do though is give you the predictions from some of the biggest games in the area...

East Fairmont v. Morgantown - Make that #1 East Fairmont v. #9 Morgantown. No, that wasn't a typo. According to the WVSSAC ratings, East is #1 in the state. The question: Can that last? I had someone offer me 10 points yesterday and I took the bet. Not only to I believe East can beat a 10-point spread, I believe East can beat Morgantown even. Let me say that again: I believe East Fairmont can beat Morgantown. Morgantown has given up a lot of offense this year and, well, that just happens to be the Bees strength. East Fairmont 31 - Morgantown 21.

Fairmont Senior v. Preston - West Fairmont definitely needs the victory Saturday night to get back in the NCAC hunt...and, well, the playoff hunt. The Polar Bears are currently #24...but it's early. A win over Preston puts them right back in the thick of things. Preston is pretty much in the same boat. But West showed they are pretty good against Morgantown last week in the loss. They should be able to handle Preston. FSHS 25 - Preston 12

Other HS Scores:
North Marion 21 - Buckhannon Upshur 20
Bridgeport 35 - Liberty 10
University 24 - Elkins 14

Okay...now for the bigger games:

West Virginia vs. The Maryland Friedgens and Terrapins - I'll be honest...this is the early season game that scares me. Big Friedgen has had Rich's number at times...even last year they played pretty close and Maryland was really bad. And the rumor is that Ralph has been eating only like 5 meals a day...and has been exercising. So, he'll be ready for this game.

But, what is scary is the expectations on WVU for this game. WVU is a 16-point favorite and a lot of pundits are saying WVU needs to crush Maryland to maintain "respect" or whatever. I'm afraid WVU might get into a close battle and lose focus because they're worried about outside factors. You know what I mean? Ok...maybe not.

I think Slaton can get some big runs and I'll be very interested to see what Pat can do with his arm. The secondary remains a huge concern for me and this is their first real test of the season. To be honest, neither team has played anybody yet so both squads will be feeling out their offense and defense. And, well, if it comes down to coaching...Ralph has been known to stomp opposing teams like Bowser from Mario Brothers. Should be interesting...

Anyway, despite my concerns, WVU wins easily over the Fridge and his turtles. West Virginia 42 - Maryland 17

Other college games:
Louisville 45 - Miami 28
Michigan 24 - Notre Dame 17
LSU 21 - Auburn 20
USC 35 - Nebraska 17
Tennessee 17 - Florida 12

Weather Change

It's that time of season...we've left Summer and are quickly deteriorating into the season known as Autumn. I really hate the weather change...it just makes me sick. But, there are some good things about fall:

• College football. That's pretty obvious.
• NFL football. My interest in the NFL has diminished for some reason but I still enjoy the games...I'm glad it's that time of year...
• Baseball playoffs. Especially considering the fall of Boston...it's a great playoff season.
• NASCAR Chase...hey, it's really pretty entertaining.
• No more 100-degree days. I don't mind hot weather but sometimes it's just too hot.
• No more mowing gras...well, almost.

But I really just hate the weather change when it gets cold and I don't like the shorter days. Especially on days like today when it's pretty dreary out. But, hey, that's the way it is...it could be worse...I could live in Ethiopia.

Habib is Dead...Long Live Habib

Oh, how I have awaited this day! After 2 years of trying to get Habib to leave, the day has finally arrived. Habib turned in his 2-week notice today...ending one of the more painful episodes of my existence.

It's not that Habib was a horrible person...he just wasn't very motivated and, well, wasn't that smart. Habib asked me for drivers for a hard drive...Habib took an image of a computer and put the same image on the same computer and couldn't figure out why it still had the same problem. Habib turned off the server one day by accident. Habib has had some troubles...

But today Habib is remembered for his good points...that time he -- ummm, well, I'm sure he's done some good things. He has a very clean office...which is good. So, farewell to Habib...may he be remembered as he always was: staring out the window with a monocular.

Path to 9/11

I didn't really plan to watch the movie but I decided it was a better alternative than the Manning Bowl. Anyway, for the first night, I thought the movie was pretty good. I really didn't think it portrayed the Clinton administration as bad in any way. Of course, it's been edited some more...but I didn't see what they were talking about.

I'm guessing some of the scenes in which the people in Washington were portrayed as weak or afraid to act was probably the biggest gripe of those in the former admininstration. But, I didn't see that as a knock at them...but as a knock at the way we handle situations regardless of who is in power. It remains a major complaint of citizens of the U.S. that we are afraid to act or don't act strong enough. Consider the complaints that we don't have enough military in Iraq or that we have been too afraid of civilian causalties. Same thing in this movie...afraid to act for fear of world reaction.

My theory on why Clinton's folks are so upset is because it showed that terrorists activities were occuring during that time and it showed they didn't like the Clinton administration. Clinton has long held the belief that he had endeared himself to the Arabs and Islamic folks and this movie showed that wasn't the case. I truly believe that he believed his Mid-East peace talks made him a hero in Israel and throughout the Islamic community. And, well, that obviously wasn't the case. It doesn't matter whether it be Clinton, Bush or myself as president...these people want to destroy the country. And I think Clinton believed they liked him...or wanted everyone else to believe that.

Now, I thought the movie also portrayed some blame that could go to the conservative wing of the nation too. Clinton did order the cruise missle strikes on the training camps in Afghanistan. They were heavily criticized because most believed he was trying to distract citizens from his political problems. I believe it was compared to the movie Wag the Dog. Perhaps if the whole story was known and Clinton wasn't beaten up so bad for those strikes, more action could have taken place. But, after that fallout, there wasn't a whole lot more that was going to happen on that front.

Overall, what I have seen of the movie so far doesn't seem all that controversial. I probably wouldn't even have watched if such a big deal hadn't been made about the whole thing. And I definitely wouldn't be analyzing it for the Clinton mistakes had they not said anything. But, like I said, maybe the cuts they made changed the way everyone was portrayed. I don't know.

What I do know is that today is the 5th year anniversary of 9/11 and I'm afraid that too many people in this country have already forgotten what happened that day and the feeling they felt. And I'm afraid that too many people in this country are not willing to make sure that it doesn't happen again. Only time will tell...

As for WVU...82 players took the field. When Coach Rod was taking volunteers to play QB, I went down and threw a couple passes. I went 2-5 for 17 yards which I thought was pretty good.

Predictions

A little late but I didn't completely forget. In lieu of cool stories, I'm going to give you the video below the predictions to watch. I don't know how it took me so long to find this and get it to you...I apologize.

Anyway, here are the scores:

East Fairmont 35 - Nicholas County 17
Morgantown 52 - Fairmont Senior 21
RCB 28 - North Marion 13
University 31 - Buck. Up 16
Ohio St. 25 - Texas 21
Penn St. 31 - Notre Dame 30
WVU 117 - Eastern Washington 2

And, here's the dange of investigative journalism:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xwWWf-Akws8

Response to Davis

Being the master here, I get to answer the questions posed to me in a grand fashion...so, first, here's the article re: Clinton's response via a letter sent from Bruce Lindsey, head of the Clinton Foundation, and Douglas Bond, a top lawyer in Clinton's office:

BUBBA GOES BALLISTIC ON ABC...

Here's another article re: reactions of others in the administration:

Clinton Administration Officials Assail ABC's 'The Path to 9/11'

I agree with your point on sway. I don't see anyone's opinion of what happened September 11th change because of this movie. Personally, I don't think you can blame anyone other than the terrorists for 9/11. Granted, Bush was told in a memo in August that an attack may be coming. Additionally, Clinton may or may not have had the opportunity to catch Bin Laden. The CIA and FBI may have dropped the ball. Maybe if someone connected all the dots, it could have been prevented...but, well, they didn't. And therefore, two towers collapse in NYC. Obviously tragic.

But, let's be honest...before September 11, 2001, would anyone really, truly believe something like that could occur in the United States? The WTC attack of '93 showed it possible. The Oklahoma City bombing showed some vulnerabilities. The USS Cole and two embassy attacks showed there was terrorism...but, if you were President, would you believe something like that were possible inside our own borders before 9/11? Personally, I don't think I would have.

September 11 was a tragedy with plenty of blame that could be assigned. But wouldn't we all be better off to learn from the mistakes and find the failings rather than trying to assign blame? I think the answer is yes. We just need to figure out a way to do that...

And, as I typed the above response to JD, the following occurred:

ABC alters 9/11 show under pressure

Some people will care about tha a lot more than I do. Let the fight begin...

Game Tickets from Citynet

Citynet is giving away 2 tickets in the Touchdown Terrace for every Mountaineer home game. Go to their site on MSN to sign up for your chance to win tickets:

http://www.msnsportsnet.com/wvu_citynet_promo/

This isn't spam or anything...it's just a nice promotion that maybe someone will win.

Path to 9/11

Alright...it's taken a few days but the "controversy" over the 9/11 movie has finally erupted with the former Clinton Administration demanding major overhauls to the movie (in, what, 3 days?). Apparently the Clinton Administration is not shown in the best light...missing opportunities to capture Bin Laden, minimizing the threat in order to preserve the Clinton legacy of peace in Israel (how has that worked out?), and, for the most part, being a bunch of bumbling idiots more concerned about interns than policy.

Well, that's how I'm guessing it's playing out...of course, I haven't seen it. Now, obviously, I have no idea what really happened in the years leading up to 9/11 and what opportunities were missed and what really happened behind closed doors. Some "academics" are claiming it was an inside job...who knows. What I do know is that ABC had better not cave to the demands of the Clinton Administration to change this movie. Let's look back, shall we:

Michael Moore made a "documentary" about 9/11 which claimed the Bush Administration dropped the ball. The Bush Administration covered up aspects of 9/11. The Bush Administration assisted Saudi families in leaving the country. And the Bush Administration failed to recognize the threats leading up to 9/11. And, well, a lot of his information proved to be false and there was outcry on the right but it never stopped the movie from being distributed AS IS with factual errors. The movie is still cited by some on the left as absolute fact and is touted continually as the final word on 9/11.

Well, now there's another movie showing the failures of the Clinton Administration. Bill Clinton, himself, broke the story about passing up the opportunity to arrest Bin Laden during his administration. There were embassy bombings while Clinton was in office. Heck, they tried to blow up the towers while Clinton was in office...there's no disputing that. So, obviously there were signs that the Great Bill and his SOS Albright missed or didn't want to see. And, that is, for the most part, the focus of the movie from what I can tell.

So, let's say there might be a factual error or so...the Clintonistans need to address those like the Bush's had to address Moore's slanderous movie. But to pull or change the movie is unacceptable. What about the 1st Amendment? If Bush succeeded in suppressing Moore's movie, can you hear the lib outcry? Well, same argument here...there's enough facts to make this movie. And if Bubba doesn't like his portrayal, let him argue it after the fact.

Personally, as I've said before, everything around 9/11 has become political and you can't make a movie about those events without someone scrutinizing which side of the aisle it falls on. I don't know if I'll watch the movie or not...but Bubba's demand that it not be shown definitely piques my interest. It will be interesting to see what happens with this whole episode...

Hate the New Clock Rules

According to a study, the new NCAA clock rules eliminated 18.32 plays per game. It really hurts teams that rely on offense more than defense...teams like WVU who can turn a couple extra plays into scores pretty quicky. I don't like the new rules...and if you don't either go to the site below and sign the petition to get it overturned:

http://wehatethenewclockrules.com/process_signup.php

Katie's Debut

Well, darn it, I pretty much forgot to watch the CBS news last night. I saw the last 10 minutes, or thereabouts, but missed most of it. But, let's face it, evening news is, for the most part, a dead product. Whether it's Katie Couric or Brian Williams or Chuck Norris, people are not going to tune in for the evening news like they once did because, well, there's 8 million other ways to get the news and it's much more convenient (Internet, 24-hour news network, my blog, etc.)

Anyway, I did notice one thing that CBS News is doing right and that's the Free Speech segment. Regardless of your opinion of Katie, it will be ratings help to hear that someone you like (or dislike) will be on there ranting for a minute or so. Pulling in names like Clinton, Limbaugh, Franken, etc., into the Free Speech segment will raise interest. That was a good idea.

Not so good is the constant pleas for people to visit the CBS News website to leave comments on how to improve the show. I mean, that's not a horrible idea but in the 5-7 minutes I watched, they invited people to leave feedback 3 times. Feedback is important but it seemed they were desperate for it...and, well, that was annoying. I'm sure once they get their footing, that won't continue. Additionally, she needs a signoff. I was thinking something along the lines of "This has been Katie Couric and I'm an unabashed liberal but I still report the news as a neutral party. Good night."

So, that's my opinion on Katie's debut. I'm sure she'll do as well as she can on the evening news. I don't know if she'll win the ratings slot or not (I hate to say this, but there's probably a lot of people out there who still prefer their news from an AnchorMAN.) But, all in all, I think they have some decent ideas and I'll probably never watch again (except for Thursday when Limbaugh does the Free Speech segment).

Just a couple other things:

• I can't believe that Bush saying the folks in Tehran are tyrants is worthy of headlines anywhere. What else would you call Ahmadinejad and his merry band of thugs that continue their relentless pursuit of nuclear weapons and continue to promise the annihilation of Israel and Western society?
• Pakistan has promised not to arrest Bin Laden and his Taliban buddies if they are "good." Ummm, I don't know what to make of this...are they serious? Or is this a trap? Does Pakistan need money? WTF?
• Katherine Harris won the Florida primary for the Senate in Florida. Ummm, the world may truly be coming to an end.
• Someone wake up Lou Holtz. Notre Dame dropped in the polls after he said there was no way they could. He is such a great football analyst.
• Greg sent me a list of questions about the 9/11 movie that is going to be on this weekend. I can't get to the site today but it was from dailykos.com. Here is my opinion on the 9/11 movie: Regardless of who makes the movie and how it is portrayed, it is always going to have political undertones on one side of the other. It is going to be almost impossible to make a 9/11 movie without one side or the other feeling slighted or feeling blamed. There's probably plenty of blame to go around for 9/11 but, really, what good does that do now? Let's fix whatever the problems are and not continue to play those games...

Oh, and right or wrong, this literally made me LOL:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4p4aFBghYyA

John Raese Picture

Thanks for the link Davis...good stuff. Here's what I scanned in from the special insert in the Clarksburg Telegraph during Italian Heritage Festival week (hope this didn't scare the Italians too much):

Now, to be fair I must admit that I did contribute to the John Raese for Senate campaign. I had my reasons...I just don't remember what they were now. But, that was back during the primaries when I thought Raese would have the best chance of defeating Byrd. And before Raese started carrying around a big gun and vowing to take his big gun to Washington...or something like that.

As for that big gun, "It's a Winchester Model 1895, .405 caliber rifle. The gun was a favorite of President Theodore Roosevelt, who called it his "big medicine" to shoot large game including lion, buffalo, rhino and elephant." Ummmm, yeah. I just hope he doesn't lose his mind and shoot a large Byrd before the election.

I won't get into gun rights and stuff...they don't mean as much to me as some other things (taxes, security, etc.) but here is John's stance on the Second Amendment:

I’m a proud member of the NRA and strongly support Second Amendment rights. In West Virginia, we have the highest per capita gun ownership in the country with also one of the lowest – if not the lowest – crime rates.

This is proof that disarming American citizens actually makes them less safe and secure, and I will fight to preserve our Second Amendment rights and freedoms.

I don't know if you can make that argument or not but he's going to try. And if you disagree, he'll shoot you. All I know is that I don't necessarily feel safer with John Raese hauling around an elephant gun. I don't know about you...

A Little Politics - A Little Sports

First of all, have I said I really dislike Lou Holtz? If I haven't allow me to say that now...I really, really don't like Lou Holtz. I really believe he is senile. But, anyway, how about that Miami / FSU game? You want to talk about sloppy, that was it. Neither team really looked prepared to play. Stupid penalties, personnel issue, time management problems. I really, honestly believe WVU could have beaten either of those teams last night...they looked like high school teams.

Have you seen the John Raese ads with him sporting a rifle? With his finger on the trigger? Hey, I understand he is lobbying the NRA crowd here in WV but the ad is just a little scary. I like John Raese...but, I'm sorry John, you don't stand a chance against a man who has everything in the state named after him. WV, do you take RCB until death do you part? Yes...for better or worse.

Andre Agassi was retired from the US Open and from tennis completely on Sunday morning. It was a pretty touching moment really...Agassi played when US tennis actually meant something in the world. Unlike today...where US hopes ride on a man who I'm not sure cares if he wins or not. Roddick just isn't "the man" like so many others were -- Agassi, Connors, McEnroe, Sampras.

Lastly, this is an older story but let's see if you remember it: Valerie Plame, a covert CIA agent was outed as a CIA agent by the "Bush Administration" as a retaliation for her husband, Joe Wilson, disagreeing with the Administration. Well, that was the story anyway...and the "drive-by media" ran with the story and people were calling for the public hanging of Karl Rove and Dick Cheney because it was "obvious" they had orchestrated the leak.

Well, guess what? They didn't. The leaker was former deputy secretary of state Richard L. Armitage. And, well, do you think that was reported with the same gusto that the story had initially been reported with? No. It's pretty disgusting really...the media was indicting Rove and Cheney and several other members of the Bush Administration with no proof at all that they were involved in the least bit. And, well, now the truth is out and they don't say a word. Typical...but disgusting. Here's the Washington Post article "setting the record straight."

Nice article on ESPN about Pat White

WVU / Marshall

Well, I didn't really get to talk about it earlier because I despise Lou Holtz but the WVU/Marshall game went about as expected. I said it the other day and I'll repeat it: This isn't a rivalry yet. It's only the 6th game between the two teams and the second in 83-years. WVU is 6-0 against Marshall. That doesn't necessarily make a rivalry.

But, if a rivalry is built purely of hate, than perhaps it is. I'm not sure I've ever seen as much unadulterated hatred at a Mountaineer game like I did this weekend. When VTech came to town, or Pitt comes to town, it's similar but this had a completely different feel. I can't put my finger on it but there was hate in Morgantown. I don't think I've ever seen as many shouting matches in the stands as I did during that game. It was really wierd.

And, apparently the teams picked up on the vibe because they came out fired up. I thought we were going to see a fight after the kickoff. Marshall came out extremely thuggish and I do believe I saw a punch thrown. That's the danger of playing teams that have nothing to lose...they can try to bait you into things like that. And I believe that was part of the Marshall gameplan.

But, WVU methodically tore apart the Marshall defense and stifled their offense on the way to an easy 42-10 victory. Steve Slaton was awesome with 203 yards on 33 carries. Pat White's arm looks improved as he threw for 168 yards on a 10-14 effort. The defense looked stout against the run but I still have some secondary worries for later in the season...especially when looking ahead to Louisville. But there is a lot of time to improve before then. All in all, a very impressive effort.

As for the rest of the Big East, it was a good day. Pitt dismantled Virginia and Rutgers defeated North Carolina. Unfortunately Syracuse lost of Wake Forest but the Big East was 2-1 against the ACC...which is nice. Other than the Cal loss, there weren't too many shocking things in college football on Saturday. I didn't believe Notre Dame is the #2 team in the country before last night and I definitely don't believe they are now but that's an argument for another day.

Lastly, in case you missed it, Ben Roethlisberger is out for the opener and will be taken week by week. Emergency appendectomy will do that to you. So, his rough summer continues.

Oh, and please write ESPN and ask them to get rid of Lou Holtz: http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/news/story?page=contact/espntv

Oh, and Boston is 8 1/2 behind the Yankees. That's a shame...

Fire Lou Holtz!

There's a lot of things to talk about but I have to start with Lou Holtz because I am just completely sick of him. When ESPN hired Holtz, I had some reservations. He was under investigation by the NCAA for violations at South Carolina and it seems like a conflict to me to have someone who is being investigated commenting on college football. But, that's besides the point. His unapologetic pandering to Notre Dame borders on sickening and completely destroys any semblance of balanced and unbiased reporting on ESPN's NCAA coverage.

Notre Dame squeaked out a 14-10 win over an unranked Georgia Tech team Saturday night. The ND offense looked feeble and the ND offensive line was non-existent. Mark May, who I also despise, pointed that out but Holtz continued to talk about how impressed he was with the defense and that the offense was good and will be excellent. He continued to say ND will be national champs and Weiss was an offensive genius. HELLO? They scored 14 points against an unranked opponent. How can you say they looked like national champs? How can you say that win was impressive? Holtz cannot fairly report college football because he looks at everything through the spectrum of a golden dome.

Holtz is maddening because he won't even admit any weakness in the Notre Dame attack. Even as a die-hard WVU fan, I am willing to see and admit weaknesses in the Mountaineers game (like the still questionable secondary). Holtz wouldn't even admit that the Irish offense was out of sync. What he saw was a perfect game plan and a perfect game by Weiss despite Weiss' own admission that the coaching was questionable at times. Holtz needs to go. He is horrible for college football and horrible for ESPN.

Anyway, with that said, on to other games. East Fairmont beat University Friday night for the first time since 1993. It was awesome...maybe this is the year they end the 30-year playoff drought. I have faith...

And WVU stomped the Little Green Machine from Marshall 42-10. I would have liked to see 50+ points but you can't have everything. The secondary still gives me some worries...the defense bent a little more than I would have liked to see. The offense still looks like the juggernaut that ran all over Georgia. More on WVU and other college sports tonight or tomorrow...man, I just hate Lou Holtz.

UPDATE: The Fulmer Cup

Every Day Should Be Saturday - an awesome college football blog, has awarded Marshall University the 2006 Fulmer Cup, which is awarded to the university whose football team goes furthest in felonious behavior, maxes out their misdemeanors, and generally makes The Program look like an airbrushed, idyllic vision of college footballdom with their behavior.

Well, looks like Marshall at least won something this week...

WVU / Marshall "Rivalry"

Boy, there's a bunch of hype surrounding this West Virginia / Marshall rivalry. You would think these two programs are bitter enemies of the last 100 years or something. Well, guess what? They're not. This will make only the 6th time the two football teams have met and WVU is currently 5-0 against their "rival."

For a team to be a rival, there must be history. And there must be something at stake. WVU is the only team with something to lose in this "rivalry." For WVU, it's a similar game to Eastern Washington or East Carolina. You must win...and, if you don't, you're in trouble. For Marshall, they're expected to lose and should they pull out the miracle, well, then it's big news.

This "rivalry" is very similar to the West Virginia / Penn State matchups. It meant everything in the world when WVU played Penn State. To Mountaineer fans that is. To Nittany Lions fans, it was a heart attack. They needed to stomp the Mountaineers because WVU wasn't a team in their league. WVU was a fly with really obnoxious fans. Sound familiar?

So, Penn State comes to WVU and, most years, takes care of business. They destroy the Mountaineers for like 25 years in a row and all is going well. And then, one day, WVU beats them back. So what? WVU beats Penn State. It's a glorious day in the Mountain State. It's a sad day in Happy Valley.

And, despite the fact Penn State started winning again, all they heard about was that WVU victory. Because, it didn't matter how many times Penn State stomped WVU...all that mattered was the one or two times WVU got them back. And, well, that's all cool and stuff but I'm sure it wasn't if you were a Penn State fan.

Well, WVU fans, we're the Penn State folks now. And we can beat Marshall 20 times in a row (if the "rivalry" last that long), but eventually they will win one. Maybe a fluke...maybe they field a good team. But, regardless, they will eventually win...and that's all WVU fans will hear about for several years to come after that. And we won't like it. Does that make this a rivalry? No. Just like WVU wasn't really a rival for Penn State.

Here's to You, Marshall fans