Mitch Vingle: Patrick Patterson - NBA standout, W.Va. promoter and Drake buddy
It was a little over nine years ago.Patrick Patterson, part of Huntington High's basketball "dream team," had 14 points and seven blocked shots against South Charleston in the Class AAA championship...
View ArticleMitch Vingle: Marshall, WVU baseball teams red-hot right now
By Mitch Vingle These days in West Virginia, it wouldn't be effective for one to throw a wet blanket over another's plans or hopes. Everything is already wet. And everything is already chilly. With...
View ArticleFrank Giardina: Morrison, Cinderella memory, Jimmy Mac and track names
By By Frank Giardina Last week, Gazette-Mail columnist Mitch Vingle paid tribute to two of our greatest high school tennis players, Cassie Mercer and Hunter Tubert from Huntington High. Mercer now...
View ArticleMitch Vingle: A re-set of the Big 12 expansion situation
By Mitch Vingle Much in Big 12 Expansion Land has quieted since Oklahoma president David Boren recently tapped the brakes on the talk. ("I think we got ahead of ourselves," he said.) The whirlwind of...
View ArticleNorman Chad: Syracuse schooling everyone on sports misconduct
Syracuse University, perhaps the nation's premier institution of higher learning in terms of balancing academic excellence with athletic achievement, has announced it will offer the first-ever U.S....
View ArticleDoug Smock: Here's to 12 more years of Herd baseball
AS A Charleston sportswriter who covers Marshall athletics, I would like to thank the university leadership for giving our fair town 12 years of Thundering Herd baseball. Has it been that long?...
View ArticleMitch Vingle: NCAA baseball, Knight moves and 8th-grade offers
By Mitch Vingle 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...
View ArticleMike Casazza: Why would WVU root for Big 12 expansion?
By Mike Casazza MORGANTOWN - I have tried and I have failed, but believe me when I say I have tried. The Big 12 itches, and it's not only trying to figure out where, when and how to scratch, but it's...
View ArticleMitch Vingle: Examining the state's D-I baseball crop
By Mitch Vingle At this instant, Nitro High is nationally known for its 2016 senior video. As of 2 p.m. Tuesday, the fun video had over 65,000 web hits featuring the students and dancing principal...
View ArticleMike Casazza: Competitive eater visits to conquer pepperoni rolls
By Mike Casazza MORGANTOWN - There's a 10-pound bowl of Vietnamese noodle soup served in a renowned restaurant in Las Vegas, and there you'll find a contest with a growing jackpot that goes to whoever...
View ArticleGW's Miller overcomes adversity, excels in sports and life
By Chuck McGill This is a story of person versus circumstance.NuNu Miller, an 18-year-old senior at George Washington who donned his burgundy cap and gown last week and flashed a toothy grin as he...
View ArticleMitch Vingle: WVU has a top baseball recruit in waiting
By Mitch Vingle The news was buried.Or, perhaps, its release was just mistimed. The Mountaineers' baseball signing class, you see, was announced back on Nov. 16, 2015, pushed down the news pages at...
View ArticleMitch Vingle: WVU's E. Gordon Gee on Baylor and lessons learned
By Mitch Vingle I think many misunderstand what happened this week in Waco, Texas. Yes, Baylor University's Board of Regents fired football coach Art Briles. Yes, the Bears' football program is under...
View ArticleFrank Giardina: West Virginia ties run deep in NBA
By By Frank Giardina Our state is a small, but we do some big things on the national sports scene. For example, just last week, Mullens native Mike D'Antoni was relaxing in the Mountain State and,...
View ArticleNorman Chad: Offering a mostly heartfelt apology to Canada
Couch Slouch would like to apologize to Canada, and to all Canadians. (It appears that everyone south of that border is apologizing to our northern neighbors lately, and I am not above reflecting the...
View ArticleDoug Smock: 'Freemiums' present another Greenbrier Classic twist
The Greenbrier Classic is making another splash in the golf world with the recent announcement of free admission. The move seems to be celebrated in some corners. On golf analyst Geoff Shackleford's...
View ArticleMitch Vingle: The tortuous journey of a WVU hall of famer and family
By Mitch Vingle As a sports columnist, you're fortunate to make many acquaintances. In the case of former WVU basketball standout Maurice Robinson, though, I consider him a friend. And when you see a...
View ArticleMitch Vingle: WVU's Gee on Big 12; MEC and recruiting
By Mitch Vingle Ye olde notebook: A meeting many have awaited begins Thursday in Irving, Texas. “It's the annual gathering of the Big 12 presidents, athletic directors and others involved,” said WVU...
View ArticleMike Casazza: Big 12 shooting itself in the foot
By Mike Casazza MORGANTOWN - There was a great episode of "Hoarders" on Wednesday. It was the Big 12's spring meetings. This gathering of the league's chief administrators was supposed to at least...
View ArticleMitch Vingle: Pirates legend returns to Charleston, roots
By Mitch Vingle For those hitting Charleston for the state baseball tournament, welcome. To the kids, take a moment when you hit the field. Soak in the surroundings. Record the sights, sounds and...
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