Basketball or Football

Steele is making me choose between my children...will WVU basketball or WVU football win a national championship first? There could be a passionate argument made for both sports...West Virginia football is obviously becoming a major player. West Virginia basketball is overachieving thanks to John Beilein. I was prepared to argue that neither squad would win a national championship in the next 50 years but, honestly, I don't believe that and don't want to argue for that. So, with that said, I have to pick football as most likely to win and here's why:

First, priority. I think the football program has a higher standing nationally and has more tools in place to win. With the recent promises to upgrade facilities, I believe the university has made football a priority which means the commitment to basketball with remain stagnant. There's only so much money in the state and it appears football is going to take more than their fair share.

Second, history. Both the football program and basketball program have been one win away from national championships. But lately, the football team is getting closer. The pieces, judging by history, seem to be in place for a championship run within the next 2 years. Will they win? No idea...but the pieces are in place.

Third, and most importantly, schedule. Let's face it...the basketball team has a most more difficult time navigating the Big East than the football team. The football team could easily run the table and be undefeated next year. The basketball team, on the other hand, would have to have quite a run to be better than a 5 or 6 seed in the NCAA tournament any given year.

And, in the same area, if the football team would go undefeated one year, they only need to win one more game to have a national championship. But the basketball team, even if they won the Big East and were a 1-seed, would still have to find a way to battle through the NCAA tournament to win a national championship.

Of course the counter is that if the basketball team sneaks into the NCAA's at a 7-seed but perform well, they still have a shot to win it all but if the football team loses one game, they're out.

But, I still think the football team is in the better position. Maybe we'll get really lucky and bother will bring home championships in the next couple years. The basketball team is making me a believer this year...and, well, football should be tremendous in 2007. Only time will tell.