Ye olde notebook:
If you're a major college baseball fan in West Virginia, you might be like me.
A little hazy, that is, on how this NCAA baseball tournament stuff works.
Hey, we deserve a break here. After all, Marshall's last appearance in the event was 1978 and the program has only been there twice. WVU, on the other hand, has been in the event 11 times, but the last appearance was in 1996. If my math is on point, that's 20 years ago.
OK, so allow me to tap the brakes here. Unless MU wins its Conference USA baseball tournament this week in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, or WVU wins its Big 12 tournament this week in Oklahoma City, there's no guarantee either will make the NCAA tourney.
But let's look at the possibilities, shall we?
First, understand that the NCAA baseball tournament is filled in much the same way as the NCAA basketball tournament.
Out of 298 eligible teams this season, only 64 (or 21.4 percent) make the baseball tournament. There are 31 automatic berths for conference champions. Most leagues, like the Big 12 and C-USA, fill those with tournament champs.
WVU enters its tourney at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark against 5th-seeded Oklahoma at 10 a.m. Wednesday as the No. 4 seed. Marshall enters its event at Pete Taylor Park against 7th-seeded FIU at 8:30 p.m. Wednesday as the No. 2 seed.
So both have a shot at winning a conference title. If they don't, however, each are hoping to receive one of 33 at-large invitations - just like March Madness.
Both Mountain State teams appear to need wins yet to get in. But Marshall is right there regardless. The Thundering Herd, 32-19, was No. 65 in the Rating Percentage Index on Monday afternoon. WVU, 33-21, wasn't far behind at No. 75, up from No. 81.
But what happens if they get in?
I'm glad you asked - because I needed a refresher myself. First, eight teams are dubbed "national seeds." That means they'd host a Super Region if they advance past the non-Super regional.
All 64 teams, however, are sent to that first tier of regionals at 16 locations throughout the country for four-team double-elimination events. (With me so far?) The winners of those events then go to one of the eight Super Regionals for a mano-a-mano best-of-3 deal to determine the final eight College World Series entrants.
In the CWS, which is played in Omaha, Nebraska (yes, I remembered that!), there are again two double-elimination brackets of four teams each. The winners meet for a best-of-3 championship.
Got it? There will be a test later.
Now let's see if MU or WVU can try to tackle it.
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You knew it was coming, Part I.
When I pointed to middle school pole vaulter Megan Bailey, I should have known not to swing out of my strike zone. Sure enough, I received an email pointing out another local pole vaulter with even better marks.
Dianna Goodman, a seventh grader at Winfield Middle School, apparently is one of the best nationally in her AAU age group. She's consistently cleared 9 feet this year. Congrats, Dianna. We'll be watching.
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You knew it was coming, Part II.
When I took some light jabs at the Knight Commission, I was expecting at least a little backlash. Sure enough, I received an email from Amy Perko, executive director of the Knight Commission.
It wasn't nasty. Perko just wanted to make sure folks know the group's meetings are not secretive. (I did not mean to suggest that.) Also, she wanted all to know the Knight Commission's 2001 recommendation (reinforced in a 2010 report) that teams must be on track to graduate at least 50 percent of their players to be eligible for postseason events was adopted by the NCAA in 2011.
There ya go, Amy.
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Back to college baseball.
The Pac-12 has the most national championships all-time with 17, followed by the SEC with 10.
The old Big Eight had four (Oklahoma won two; Oklahoma State won one and Missouri won one). The Big 12 has two (Texas in 2002 and 2005).
Among C-USA teams, Rice won a title in 2003.
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Here's truly a column note. Sports Illustrated's web site presents the "Effys," which are awards based on efficiency (thus the name) or other advanced metrics.
WVU's basketball team won the award for the 2015-16 "Defensive Team of the Regular Season" because of its "suffocating, entertaining and ridiculous" full-court press defense.
It did not, however, win the "Effy Defensive Team of the NCAA Tournament."
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And finally...
I had to shake my head when I saw that Alabama has offered a football scholarship to 8th-grade linebacker prospect Jesus Machado of Hialeah (Florida) Champagnat Catholic School.
Until, that is, I read the ESPN story. And saw Machado also has offers from Iowa State, Michigan State, North Carolina State ... and West Virginia.
I stopped shaking my head. As it fell to the table.
Apparently, Alabama was late to the party.
C'est la vie.