Don't Call Stewart Dumb

Following the loss to East Carolina, Bill Stewart wasted little time in signing his six-year contract with West Virginia University. Coincidence? Unlikely. Stewart isn't stupid and knows that without a contract he is essentially an at-will employee and the university could cut ties with him with no penalty. If WVU comes back from Colorado this week with a 1-2 record, the vultures will be out in force and Stewart may need that contract to save his skin.

Stewart might be a hometown boy with the "aw shucks" personality but he's still the coach of a major university football program and he knows how to play the game. Had WVU remained undefeated deep in the season, he probably would have renegotiated the contract before signing, getting some more money. But since WVU has already faltered, he had to sign. Stewart has an agent and, regardless of what anyone wants to believe, he answers to the almighty dollar just like everyone else. He might have lost to ECU but the guy isn't dumb.

In other news, when I speak of dumb, I speak of the SEC officials. I tried to watch the Georgia - South Carolina game, or at least half of it, and was amazed by how the ineptitude of SEC officials. They are the slowest officials I have ever seen. They can't make a call without talking to every official and they're calls are usually confusing, even to the announcers. This isn't the first time I watched an SEC game and was amazed by how poor their officiating can be. For being the best football conference in America, you would think they can get some decent officials.

I feel bad for the people stuck in Texas following Hurricane Ike. But were they not repeatedly warned to evacuate? I remember reading that everyone should leave or else they will face the consequences on their own. I'm not saying people shouldn't go in there and try to help those who weren't wise enough to leave. That would be very bad. I'm just waiting to see how those people stuck in Texas are going to blame Bush for their problems. You know it's going to happen.

Oil is at it's lowest price in six months and gas prices have shot up. That really doesn't seem very fair, does it? I had to pay $4.09 today for gas. It was like $3.68 the other day. Where is John Veasey when you need him?