Ye olde notebook:
If Marshall hoops coach Dan D'Antoni wanted to grab my attention, he accomplished the feat. If he wanted to pique my desire to watch an upcoming Herd game, check that box too.
See, on Tuesday, D'Antoni said this to our Doug Smock about Miami transfer James Kelly: "James is probably the best athlete ever at Marshall University."
He went on to say he's "seen the best [MU basketball] players. But pound for pound, inch for inch, [Kelly] might be the best. Almost LeBron-like - that's a comparison physically."
Those are hefty statements - especially for a player that averaged 6 points and 3.7 rebounds for Miami in 27 games of action before sitting out last season.
Yet maybe Kelly really, really improved. I hear ya, Dan, and I'll certainly be over. But the "best athlete ever" at Marshall? Hmm. Just in hoops I can think of John Taft, Skip Henderson and Tex Williams. That Jason Williams guy wasn't bad. Ditto that Hal Greer cat.
In football, Randy Moss, Chad Pennington and Byron Leftwich were OK, I think. (I won't even bring up the physical specimen that's ex-MU golfer and Hurricane resident Jonathan Clark.)
But I hear ya Dan. Can't wait to see. Really.
nnn
Programming alert: If you're tuning in to the 7:30 p.m. WVU-TCU game tonight on FS1, you might first catch a half hour of North Carolina-Pitt, which starts at 7 on ESPN.
I know, I know. Why would I write such a treasonous thing while based here in the Mountain State? Say what? Watch Pitt?
Actually, though, the blood boiling is exactly why some might check out the game. Keep in mind that one of West Virginia's own, Ryan Switzer, is now a junior for North Carolina. Remember too he grew up following the Mountaineers and didn't care for the Panthers either.
So a couple years ago, when Switzer burned Pitt for two punt return TDs, he reverted to Almost Heaven mode and strutted to the back of the Heinz Field end zone.
"I was blowing kisses to the Pitt fans," he told our Chuck McGill afterward. "I was just showing them a little bit of love. I thought I'd cheer them up. They had a tough day."
Switzer also flashed the "304" area code with his hands to the Pitt fans. The Tar Heels beat the Panthers 34-27 that day. Apparently, the UNC playmaker and George Washington High grad treats it as his own Backyard Brawl.
nnn
If you're desiring a quick snapshot of WVU's football recruiting, you've come to the right spot. The Mountaineers have 20 commitments for the next letter-of-intent signing day.
According to ESPN, West Virginia has one Top 300 recruit of the 20. He's 5-foot-9, 151-pound receiver Steven Smothers, who is listed as running a 4.61 second 40-yard dash.
The Mountaineers' team ranking for the 2016 class is No. 40. It appears the Big 12 is again having a down recruiting year because WVU's No. 40 is fourth in the league after Baylor (14), TCU (21) and Texas (38).
According to 247 Sports, WVU has the No. 38 recruiting class nationally.
nnn
After the San Diego Padres finished their baseball season, Morgantown native and former WVU standout Jedd Gyorko was asked to describe 2015.
" 'Disappointing' is a good word," he said.
Indeed, Gyorko, now 27, has struggled somewhat since signing a $35 million contract. He was tried at shortstop after moving from second base. And he finished the season with a .247 batting average with 16 homers, 57 RBI and 107 strikeouts in 421 at-bats.
Likewise, former Mountaineer and East Fairmont standout David Carpenter struggled, but as much with his shoulder as anything. After moving from the New York Yankees to the Washington Nationals, Carpenter, 30, ended the season on the 60-day disabled list. Known for his four-seam fastball, the righty was 0-1 with a 4.01 earned run average in 30 games.
But then there was Hurricane native Alex Wilson, now with Detroit. The righty, 28, was 3-3 with two saves on the season with a 2.19 ERA in 59 games. He pitched 70 innings and had 38 strikeouts using a nasty slider.
Oh, and a note on Wilson. Not only does he pitch, but he and friends Phil Carey and Daniel Blanco formed a real estate development company in Houston, Texas, named PAD Home Investments. (The name comes from Phil, Alex and Daniel.)
nnn
Since talking to Adam Williams, now an assistant hoops coach at Longwood University, about Central Florida recruit Tacko Fall, I've been fascinated.
Fall is a 7-6 center who can reach up flat-footed and wrap his fingers around the rim. He's said to be somewhat of a project offensively but a demon defensively.
Yet within the American Athletic Conference, UCF - led by former Marshall coaches Donnie Jones and Shawn Finney - is picked to finish ninth. What that tidbit and a little research uncovered is the AAC is not to be overlooked this coming basketball season.
SMU, with standout Nic Moore and seven letterwinners back from a 27-7 team, was picked in the preseason poll to finish first. Connecticut, which has eight back, was picked second. Cincinnati, which has all five starters returning, was picked third.
Remember when West Virginians always knew all about those last couple teams?
nnn
And finally ...
On Tuesday night many of you undoubtedly watched the World Series. And those that did undoubtedly yelled at the TV when the feed was interrupted.
What Fox eventually did was switch to its international broadcast team of Matt Vasgersian and John Smoltz. My quiz to you: What famous call did Vasgersian make that will always be in WVU football lore?
The answer: "Owen Schmitt... LIKE A RUNAWAY BEER TRUCK DOWN THE SIDELINE. Big Owen Schmitt. Touchdown, West Virginia!"
It was in WVU's 2007 Fiesta Bowl win over Oklahoma. Bonus tidbit: the cutaway music afterward was "Party Like a Rockstar" by Shop Boyz.
Insert mic drop.