Apology for Beating UCLA

On behalf of all of West Virginia, I apologize to CBS and ESPN for the Mountaineers beating UCLA at the Coliseum today. In case you weren't aware, WVU was not supposed to beat the #2 team in the nation. It messed up ESPN's brackets and Jay Bilas was not happy about that. It also hurts ESPN's bubble because they had figured WVU was out of the bubble mix. This really hurts some other bubble teams that ESPN has been pumping up.

But mainly WVU is apologizing because the Mountaineers beat UCLA without Darren Collison playing for the Bruins. Collison is UCLA's third leading scorer. Jay Bilas said UCLA would have beaten WVU if Collison was playing. He didn't say "it would be a different game" or "Collison being out changed UCLA's game" -- no, he said "UCLA would have won if Collison had played." A definite. No question. Who had to step up to defend WVU? The hated Digger Phelps who was the only person on the GameDay panel to give the Mountaineers any credit for beating UCLA in consecutive years.

Of course, CBS was on the same kick. Collison, Collison, Collison. Clark Kellogg repeatedly reminded the national audience that UCLA was playing without their 3rd leading scorer. But little, if anything, was mentioned of WVU playing without Davin Bawinkle and Joe Mazzulla. And little, if anything, was made of Ted Talkington, a walk-on, being forced into action against the #2 team in the nation.

No, none of that matters...UCLA played at the Coliseum without Darren Collison and that's not fair. WVU should forfeit the win because Jay Bilas said we wouldn't beat them if Collison played...and it's not UCLA's fault Collison is injured. UCLA made a great comeback...Collison would have finished it. It's all about UCLA...who cares about West Virginia?