fieldgeneral

You hear all the rumors, but if it's true the FB coach is pushing for them to play only football, that isn't right. I don't care if it's "how it used to be done," kids want to play all sports they are interested in and shouldn't be pushed to quit something they want to do. I personally think playing multiple sports make a kid a better all round athlete. Just my opinion on the idea of pushing for kids to play one sport. If this isn't the case, then something is running them off.

http://www.cnn.com/2012/05/31/us/virginia-forest-football/index.html?hpt=hp_t2

I see it daily in other areas. kids are playing all sports and still doing travel / aau teams too. I see them on middle school teams and on the weekend playing on aau / travel / little league style teams. I agree what you say can and will work , if the interest is there, but having that link between little league to high school is missing there. If you take some of the middle school football / basketball programs away from some places , it would negatively impact some schools. I just think that a lot of kids are "concentrating" on one sport. In many cases in this area, you can't afford your best athletes just playing one or the other.

You took the first jab with the Iowa St. comment. You may have waited till the end, but I led off with it....big whoop. Sure we could have ended up 0-12 if things went a different way, but they didn't. VT probably could have made it to a title bowl had they not lost to JMU and Boise in a previous season, but they didn't. We could make up all sorts of scenarios. WVU finished 10-3 and not anything better or worse. When it boils down to it, WVU was in it's first year in a completely new offense. They ran a defense that was a very bend but don't break and had it's flaws. A first year Head coach in a major FBS school as well. They had some growing pains, sure. There is a lot of hype around the team for the year to come. YES , I DID SAY THEY RETURN 14 STARTERS......once again big whoop. It's a stat that you will see from any team talking about the upcoming season. They can be ranked anywhere 1-5 in that conference. Oklahoma ended up 4th last year with a great team. They just fell short in a couple of key games. A 10-3 record is nothing horrible, it won't get you a title which is everyone's goal. I can easily see them from a 2-5 finish in the Big XII. The Big XII is very similar to the brand of football being played in the SEC. It is the next most competitive conference right now. One Espn guy has them 7th preseason in the country while an SI guy has them 13th. http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2012/writers/andy_staples/01/11/way-too-early-2012-top-25/index.html I agree whole-heartedly with knocking off the big boys week in and week out. They took the right steps to become one of those schools. They may have looked elsewhere first, but things worked out really good for them. The Big XII will boast 3 conference champions this year and none of those are named Oklahoma or Texas.

Coach Stew was a great man and a true West Virginian. I met the man once at a coaches caravan. He was the most down to Earth person for being in his position. Regardless of how you felt about him as a Head Football coach, he was a great person and was in the profession for the right reason. The world's loss and Heaven's gain.

Apparently neither has yours. If you would like to discuss the topic, do so. Don't be an a$$.

1. I said they have taken the steps to be taken seriously. Honestly, a hokie fan yapping about being taken seriously is funny. I mean how many times can you lose to Clemson? WVU had one shot and blew their doors off. 2. I never said they could have went to the ACC. I know Duke and Unc would have never had it. It really proves that noone matters in the ACC outside of Tobacco Road. Honestly WVU looked into the ACC / SEC because they knew the state of the BE. They could have stayed and it would have looked like a brother to C-USA. It may have been plan C, it may have been in the works prior to the other two. You only know what the media threw out there. Same here. But in the end, WVU has ended up in a much better conference than the ACC or the Big East. They have a huge opportunity coming in this year with 14 starters returning for football. What would you consider the Big East? I gave you the stats. They are essentially the same as the ACC in categories that matter. 3. Sure we weren't invited by ACC or SEC. Geographically either would have been a better fit. Of course we were smart enough to look to get out of a sinking ship. We would have been stupid to stay. I never acted like anything that you say. You seem to want to say that I did this or acted like that or failed to mention this or that. I don't think anything I said was wrong or acting like anything you said, you assumed those things. Iowa st? Hell they could have probably won the ACC this year. If you call moving to B12 settling.....then hell yes we settled. VT has settled to try to be Football King in a bball only conference.

I agree, but is there enough interested from the area? I agree partially with you and completely with Frito. All the things you mention is important and true, but without the middle school program, you lose kids in that transition from little league to high school. You would think with the local minor league team, that it would be easier to keep the interest level up with the sport. I've drove by the field on Saturdays and seen what I guess is the coach working on the field. This was an often occasion. It takes more than the coach busting his hump and doing his best to teach them. You hit the nail on the head with those types of kids. Bluefield , Va lacks kids with that type of interest level in baseball. To me, I think MS would help. Some areas, some sports rule and others are something to do in the mean time.

We shall see. WVU has taken the right steps to be taken more serious in college sports. They have proved they can play with anyone, now it comes in the form of week in and week out. You hate to tell me that WVU made their bed? OK? Yes they chose this, they will be fine in both bball and football. I mean they could have stayed in a very mediocre conference like the Big East or the ACC, but chose not too. I'll take getting to see Oklahoma, Texas, TTU, OSU, TCU, etc... at Mountaineer Field anyday. How exactly is the B12 a mess? 3 conference champions from last year in addition to the rest of the very competitive B12. They seem to be pretty solid, not a mess. I'm sure VT will stay in the ACC, just a point of discussion from an article. Outside of Clemson last year twice, VT has it made... in football.

LOL, I could care less if it's a shock to you or not. :) I don't visit daily , weekly, or sometimes monthly. I used to, just a lot of wasted time with most on here. Fun to read on occasion, but doubt that I waste much time here unlike some who seem to live here. Regardless of your view , the little league program doesn't feed much into the MS where there is no program. I feel the lack of a MS program is one of their main problems. Whether you are here or not, complain to someone who can make things happen. Coming on here and crying and critiquing the job a kid does or the coaches is a bit much at times. Just saying they have an easy fix in a MS program and getting kids more involved with baseball. I say get kids playing all sports not pushing them to one only. It's hard to be competitive when some of your school's better athletes are only doing one sport, but some people prefer that.

The ACC is a Basketball first conference. This is the first year in probably 5 ish that outside of Duke and UNC, that it has been relevant in basketball. In this year's tourney the ACC only had 3 teams make it into the second round and losing Duke in the first round to LeHigh. The Big (L)east as some like to refer to it as had twice as many (6) including 1 in the final four. Before you go throwing tradition and championships Big East 11 / ACC 12. As for football, the ACC has been to 15 BCS games with a record of 2-13 while the BE has a 7-7 mark in 14 games. Both are 1-2 in 3 BCS title appearances. Adding Cuse and Pitt is a bball move only because their football hasn't been relevant in many years consistently. There has been some talk of VT possibly moving to the B12 along with FSU if that happens. The B12 is one of two conferences that is consistently powerful in both basketball and football. The conference comparison was for the Big (L)east jokes. Just showing a comparison because my team is out of the Big East.

A lack of a good little league and middle school program doesn't help things. At that level, kids should be ready to play, not just doing it for the heck of it to have something to do. Don't bag on the kids and coaching, they do what they can with what they have. Sure they could field better and produce more runs. Most schools have a decent Middle School program that works with the HS in order to prep them for JV / Varsity. Even Bland and Narrows have one. Hats off to the coach for trying to turn around a dead program. They've had more success this year than in recent ones. If you need to complain, be part of the solution. Inquire about a MS program, go be a part of the Little League. Ask the coach how he would like things done to develope those younger players. With a minor league team in town, I would think it could be easy to plant that seed of love for the game at an early age, you just have to keep it.

Noone talking about the brawl? Looked to me like the Taz catcher was instigating it bit before he was pushed. Nice tackle by I guess it was the pitcher. http://www.wvva.com/story/18059441/tazewell-carroll-co-games-ends-in-brawl-at-home-plate

This could end up a good hire. I just can't understand why VT wouldn't look at a proven HC at a mid major conference. VT has a lot of exposure because of the football team and playing in the ACC. I just think they could have went after a bigger hire.

You don't think Roach will join Wyatt at Pikeview? He was approved and hired last night according to today's paper.

Looks like Wyatt will be the next HC for PV now.

I heard he might be coaching again. Anyone heard?

Not being a turd, but how do you know they don't do fielding practice quite a bit? Aren't you living away? A good little league and having a Middle School program would be a great asset to GHS. I hear the coach there has busted his tail to get the program going. It's tough when you don't have the skills being developed in Middle School. The MS has track but not baseball? The MED does have some traditionally good to decent teams. Bland had a very good MS team the past few years. Look for them to be very competitive over the next few at the HS level.

Penn St and TCU.....at least they are scheduling some quality opponents.

Appy St. is nice, location is interesting too. VT has a nice campus

I agree JMU was a quality team, but in no way should VT ever lose to a a FCS school.

A playoff system where: 1. Each conference champ gets in, then the rest are filled with at large bids. 2. Utilize a 10 game schedule. 3. With 12 conference champs, 20 at large bids, = 16 first round games, 8 second round, 4 thrid round, 2 semis, 1 champ. 4. That is 15 games for the teams making the championship. 2 more than several teams have done this year. If your not a fan of 32 go with a lower number and give a bye for the top 2 ranked. 5. Oh, do away with preseason rankings completley. Use a system similar to BCS point system, keep it for all I care. Each team gets points based on who they beat. * Just a thought. I enjoy watching the fcs games, they are tons of fun. It also gives young teams the ability grow and not be severly penalized for an early season loss.

Oh yeah, Marshall has beaten or played tough with WVU on most occasions in basketball. It's a good in state game. I would love to see it played in Morgantown or Huntington. I get why they do the "capital classic" , but I'm just not a fan of neutral site games. Oh, I've been to both Morgantown and Huntington. Huntington is a hole. I'd go to Morgantown any time over Huntington, sports excluded.

The Herd will give WVU a fit if they don't beat them this year in the capital classic. The Herd are a seasoned veteran team bringing back some good talent. Even though he was a former Pitt guy, the HC is doing well. I'm waiting for this thread to dissappear!

I heard GMS won the first one and BMS won last night. Anyone go?