Doug Smock: Herd sinking in a river of yellow
HUNTINGTON - First off, I'd like to apologize to the folks at Lindy's preseason magazine. It seems like a year ago when I cracked it open and saw the publication ranked Marshall 90th of the 128 teams...
View ArticleMitch Vingle: Big 12's next step; college hoops recruiting
By Mitch Vingle Ye olde notebook:By now it's common knowledge the Big 12 isn't expanding. The barbs over the process have subsided, at least to a large degree. Which leads us to this question: Now...
View ArticleMitch Vingle: WVU's Gibson, Boone County and the 'Pond Fork Defense'
MORGANTOWN - In Boone County, they're calling it "The Pond Fork Defense." With pride.The WVU Mountaineer defense, that is.It's being called that in honor of Van's favorite son, West Virginia defensive...
View ArticleMike Casazza: Rest of Big 12 hoops still looking up at Kansas
By Mike Casazza KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Last year, it happened on a bus ride from Ames, Iowa, back to campus in Lawrence, Kansas, and Landen Lucas remembers it vividly because it's an event as annual and...
View ArticleMitch Vingle: Oklahoma State special teams sound alarms for WVU
By Mitch Vingle On paper, West Virginia seems in pretty good shape heading into Stillwater to play Oklahoma State. Even in the Mountaineers' worst matchup - that of the OSU pass offense, which is No....
View ArticleDerek Redd: Another bad idea from the NCAA
By Derek Redd Once again, the NCAA creates a measure it says will change college athletics for the better. And, once again, the association, through that measure, leaves college athletics vulnerable...
View ArticleFrank Giardina: Recalling some football names from days gone by
By By Frank Giardina For the Gazette-Mail It's the end of October and a time to remember some past names of state and Kanawha Valley football players and coaches. n Tom Bossie Jr. - When Charleston...
View ArticleDoug Smock: When you're 2-6, why not hurry up?
By Doug Smock HATTIESBURG, Miss. - Never fear, Marshall fans. Your team is going to play offense. On Thursday.Yes, that's the night in which the Thundering Herd's basketball team presents itself to...
View ArticleNorman Chad: Why is mediocre Jeff Fisher still coaching in the NFL?
Editor's Note: This week Couch Slouch is presenting several sets of disturbing facts and figures - all verified by an independent auditor - in regard to the interminable, inexplicable NFL coaching...
View ArticleMitch Vingle: WVU's offensive line needs some depth
By Mitch Vingle MORGANTOWN - If No. 14 West Virginia doesn't roll Saturday at home against 1-7 Kansas, it'll be a shocking result. Consider that Texas Tech put up 59 points in a loss to Oklahoma. And,...
View ArticleMike Casazza: Changes help WVU basketball bounce back
MORGANTOWN - As hard as it is to believe nowadays with a spot seemingly reserved in the top 25 and high seeds awarded for the NCAA tournament, West Virginia basketball was in need of a change not too...
View ArticleMitch Vingle: Good hoops news for WVU, MU
By Mitch Vingle This is a dream column for a Kanawha Valley writer. See, I have great sports news for fans of WVU.Also, I have great sports news for fans of Marshall. And, neatly, it all comes from...
View ArticleDerek Redd: Academy focuses on more than just baseball
By Derek Redd Bobby Johnson was just looking for a place where his son, Akili, could work on his baseball skills indoors over the winter. He scanned around Kanawha County, and that turned out to be a...
View ArticleFrank Giardina: November thoughts turn to baseball
By By Frank Giardina For the Gazette-Mail It took a captivating World Series like the Cubs vs. Indians to bring much of the country back to baseball. Many fans went away after the strike of 1994,...
View ArticleMitch Vingle: WVU, Kansas follow script in Mountaineers' blowout win
By Mitch Vingle MORGANTOWN - When folks look back on Saturday's Kansas-WVU football game, it will be remembered for following the pregame script. (OK, so no one will ever, ever, ever look back on the...
View ArticleDoug Smock: Current Herd no match for 2007 Marshall team
NORFOLK, Va. - No, Marshall football fans, you have not died and gone to 2007. If you're reading this media outlet, you're alive but definitely in a time warp. If you're reading this on a smartphone,...
View ArticleMitch Vingle: It's a good time for WVU to be relevant again
By Mitch Vingle West Virginia University's football program picked a very good time to become relevant again. Those that followed the Big 12 expansion mess know of what I write. Throughout the...
View ArticleMitch Vingle: Getting to the point with WVU coaches
By Mitch Vingle MORGANTOWN - It's the day after the election and many of us simply want to celebrate the end of the process. No more debates. No more nasty commercials. Life is good again. So, in that...
View ArticleMike Casazza: Tough love makes right side of WVU's offensive line tougher
By Mike Casazza MORGANTOWN - His time on campus and his superiority in the middle of West Virginia's offense give Tyler Orlosky the freedom to think and speak on his own. He masks no meaning. He...
View ArticleMitch Vingle: Coliseum has many new features - and beer
By Mitch Vingle MORGANTOWN - Earlier this week, I wrote that it's a good time for WVU to again become relevant in the world of college athletics. I pointed to the ongoing success of the football team,...
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