HUNTINGTON — A couple of weeks ago, an idea percolated to write about the dormant WVU-Marshall football series.
With West Virginia in a Power 5 conference, with the school’s financial goal of six or seven home games, with a College Football Playoff in place and with Marshall’s desire to play home-and-home, the possibility of a resumption seemed as remote as Easter Island.
Aside from a possible far-off two-game cameo, I figured, I’ll never see it again in my lifetime.
Then it hit me. The most visable candidate to this point in the 2016 gubernatorial race is Jim Justice — a former MU golfer.
And on Monday, I attended an event. Where I experienced deja vu.
You might remember in this space when now-Sen. Joe Manchin first backed a MU-WVU series. He basically enlisted the help of then-Thundering Herd coach Bob Pruett to spread his word in southwest West Virginia. He dangled the series Pruett so desperately wanted. And Manchin became governor.
On Monday, Pruett sat with Justice as part of a “Coaches for Jim” coalition. Yet Pruett wasn’t alone. Former WVU coach Don Nehlen was also in place. The trio, in fact, stumped both in Morgantown and Huntington on Monday. Also, legendary state basketball coach Tex Williams and current Huntington Prep coach Arkell Bruce were in attendance in Huntington.
“It’s a phenomenal honor for me,” Justice said.
It went as one would expect. Pruett joked that MU fans had the moment to jab Nehlen. The former Mountaineer coach countered that, “At least we don’t put a billboard up” in Huntington as MU once did in Morgantown. The coaches complimented Justice.
But the question had to be asked. Might Justice follow Manchin’s gameplan and stump using a possible MU-WVU series as an issue?
“I don’t want to give you a political answer, but there’s an awful lot of components to it I don’t know,” Justice said in a private interview. “We know there are all kinds of issues with scheduling. There are smart people, whether it’s presidents of the universities or coaches, that haven’t put it together and it’s not because they don’t like each other.
“I have to hear an awful lot of information. Then, collaboratively, we need to come to a resolution or answer that makes sense to everybody.”
Re-read the last sentence. Justice didn’t dive headfirst in as Manchin once did. But he also didn’t say he’d stay out of the mix.
“First, I’d have to end up being the governor,” Justice said. “At that point in time, I’m sure the issue will come up. I’m sure people will bring me the information. Then, at that point in time, you make a decision whether to get people together to talk.”
He’s not saying he will. But he’s not saying he won’t either.
“I’m a Marshall grad, sure,” Justice said. “My wife is a Marshall grad. We love Marshall. I was in the dorm here when the plane crashed. So we love Huntington and we love Marshall. But at the same time, I’m a great supporter of WVU as well. I try to do as much as I can for the university. They have our [state’s] namesake. They are ‘West Virginia.’
“We don’t want to pull against each other. As I’ve said so many times, we have too many people on the outside throwing rocks at us. I mean, for crying out loud, our perception isn’t good outside of here. So why in the world do we need to hack on each other?”
For the unfamiliar, Justice’s name is strongly connected to sports. As The Greenbrier owner, he’s brought the Classic PGA golf tournament to White Sulphur Springs. He’s brought professional tennis exhibitions. He brought the New Orleans Saints training camp. And he’s bringing the New Orleans Pelicans to his resort for NBA hoops training camp.
Justice also coaches both boys and girls basketball at Greenbrier East High. And he’s said he’ll continue doing so even if elected.
“I am absolutely not kidding,” Justice said. “I am absolutely going to stay involved. I love those kids and I can’t see myself walking away from those kids.”
Both teams?
“I’m going to sure try,” Justice said. “I have a lot of great people that can do my businesses. I have a lot of great coaches too. But I’m a believer in what my dad said. I’m a worker. He said, ‘Son, if you can’t get it done in 24 hours, then you’re going to have to work nights.’ ”
The candidate was asked if elected whether he’d pay special attention to the state’s university athletic programs.
“I think politicians get into the education community and all they do is screw it up,” Justice said. “Thank goodness I’m not a politician. I think you have people in those communities that can establish the universities as economic drivers to this state. But what we do is handcuff them and stand on the sideline and wonder why it isn’t working.”
Justice is a sportsman. He hunts and fishes. He coaches. And you’ll undoubtedly hear references to athletics through his campaign. On Monday he called the state “a farm team for other states” in regard to bright students.
He asked how the Mountain State could be ranked 50th in so many dubious categories.
“You have to work hard to consistently be No. 50,” he said. “You can’t possibly tell me the opportunities aren’t limitless. I mean, jiminy, we can run a 4.1 [second] 40 [yard dash], stand 6-5 and have great hands. Why can’t we catch the ball?”
So sports will be a theme in Justice’s campaign. He made that clear with the formation of the coaches coalition. He made that clear with his references.
And he made that clear with his words concerning a possible future MU-WVU football series.