Send off to the Final Four

Today WVU fans gathered at the Coliseum in Morgantown to send the Mountaineers off to Indianapolis and the Final Four.

To get the crowd fired up, they played the following video.



He's right... every state but one.

The John Wall Dance

University of Kentucky Freshman John Wall is a complete douchebag. And like any douchebag, he has a dance named after him. It's known as the John Wall Dance and its story is as follows...



Pretty douche-esque, right?

Right.

Anyway, John Flowers and the rest of the Mountaineer basketball team seem to agree. That's why, after WVU defeated the University of Kentucky Wildcats 73-66 for the right to go to the Final Four, J-Flow lead the Old Gold and Blue in a mockery of the, you guessed it, John Wall Dance.



Damn that makes me smile.

We Took Our Top Off...

... the Jeep yesterday. We traveled around Charleston with the wind in our hair (what hair I have left, that is). It was really quite refreshing and enjoyable.


At one point I was waiting for my wife a parking lot and leaned the seat back, looked up and saw the following...


With all the hustle and bustle going on around me, it was relaxing to see such a calming view.


Jeeps rock.

Mr. Rodger's Neighborhood

Last week I attended a training session in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The three day long event was held at PBS's member station, WQED. For those of you who grew up near Pittsburgh, you might remember that WQED was where Mr. Rodger's Neighborhood was filmed.


Check out what I bumped into...



That's Daniel Striped Tiger's Clock! What a pleasant surprise during an annoying training session full of facts, stats and role-plays. Quite nastalgic.


Here's another... this is Lady Elaine Fairchild's Museum-Go-Round.


I was also told that Mr. McFeely still worked in the building. I walked around one afternoon trying to find him, but didn't have any success.


Cheers to Mr. Rodgers!

"Big Shot" Butler's 2009-10 Buzzer Beaters

WVU-Cleveland State 12-19-2009


WVU-Marquette 12-29-09


WVU-Villanova 3-6-2010


WVU-Cinncinatti Big East Tournament Quarter Finals 3-11-2010


WVU-Georgetown Big East Tournament Finals 3-13-2010

The Big East Tournament

It's been 26 years since WVU has won a basketball conference tournament. I was six years old when the Mountaineers beat St. Bonneventure in the Atlantic Ten finals and I don't recall a second of it. This was long before I even knew what a basketball was.

In 2005, John Beilein, Mike Gansey and Kevin Pittsnogle lead the Mountaineers to the Big East Tournament finals on one of the most unlikely runs. WVU, the number 7 seed, upset the number one (Boston College) and number three (Villanova) seeds before losing to Syracuse in the championship game. I attended that game and left Madison Square Garden and New York City wondering when we'd ever have another opportunity at a conference title as great as that one.

You see, the Big East is the best basketball conference in the universe. It's built on grit. It's built on muscle. It's built on defense. It's built on strength and intensity. There is very little finesse in the Big East. The likes of Rip Hamilton, Derrick Coleman, Ray Allen and Carmello Anthony have all graced the floor of Madison Square garden while fighting for their squads during the Big East Tournament. That's why Da'Sean Butler and the rest of the Mountaineers' performance last night was so damn impressive.

We've always been the little guy. Not yesterday, and not this year, however.

On the heels of a Da'Sean Butler buzzer beater against Cincinnati and a narrow victory against Notre Dame in their second game of the tournament, WVU faced Georgetown for the conference title.

The Mountaineers did not disappoint.

With nine seconds left in a tie game, Da'Sean "Big Shot" Butler took an in-bounds pass, drove the lane and put up a twisting, maneuvering, contorted shot that fell with only four seconds left. The Mountaineers were up 60-58. Georgetown didn't call a time out and immediately pushed the ball up the court only to miss a layup as time expired. The Mountaineers were conference champions.

The scene at MSG was amazing. Bob Huggins was near tears while being interviewed on national television. Da'Sean Butler was smiling from ear to ear while receiving tournament MVP recognition. The championship trophy was being hoisted by Wellington Smith, Kevin Jones, Devin Ebanks and Joe Mazzula. Joe Mazzula, a guy who pushed through a terrible shoulder injury to be in that exact place... holding a Big East Championship trophy over his head. All the while, the likes of "Country Roads," and "We are the Champions" echoed throughout Madison Square Garden. Quite frankly, it was almost unbelievable.

From here the Mountaineers enter the NCAA Tournament. At this point WVU could be a one or a two seed. They could end up playing as close as Buffalo, New York, or as far away as Long Beach, California. An early loss in this tournament, however, has the ability to turn a season sour. Let's go, Mountaineers. Let's preserve this Big East Championship.

Let's keep this thing going.

To be continued...

Spring just Sprung in Charleston...

The mercury hit 65+ degrees here in West Virginia and that means it's time to have a cookout. Onion bun, special sauce, red onion, tomato (was surprised the grocery store had such a nice selection given the shortage), colby-jack cheese and some super solid ground beef made for an enjoyable dinner.


Nutrisystem is for wussies.

Laury's

It's taken a year and a half, but I've finally found my favorite restaurant in Charleston. Laury's, located just across the Kanawha River from downtown, is a fine dining establishment with reasonable prices and a menu made for a meat and potatoes kinda dude.

Two weekends ago I had the honor of accompanying my wife to an event that included a free meal at Laury's. You guessed it. I ate like a champion.

First I had an appetizer of scallops and dumplings coated with some kinda white sauce. They put some green stuff on the plate as well (fillers).

After the scallops came a caesar salad prepared table-side. I was too eager to eat it and forgot to take a picture. My belly overtook my brain, which seems to happen a lot. :)

My entree was a filet prepared medium and topped with a shrimp cake. It came with a twice baked potato covered in melted cheese and sour cream. It was a heart attack on a plate.

Last but not least was a piece of caramel cheesecake washed down with a Great Lake's Burning River.

So, yeah. I pigged out and I'm bragging about it. Can you blame a brother? It was free!

Congratulations, Canada

I tried to root for Canada. I really did. However, after watching the United States and Canada play in the preliminary round two Sundays ago, I knew I just couldn't do it.

I'm an American. I didn't really have much of a choice. I have to take the good with the bad. I have my wonderful freedom and rights just like I have an economy that nearly destroyed the world and a former POTUS who started a holy war for personal benefit.

I like everything about Canada. I like their healthcare. I like their view on gay marriage. I like their liberalism in general. However, I just wasn't born there.

That's why I came to the conclusion earlier in the week that I just couldn't root for Canada if they played the United States in the gold medal game. I didn't have the right. My heart was with my guys... the Americans. You were right, Mr. 653!

However, if the United States had to lose, it couldn't have happened a better way. Sidney Crosby of the Pittsburgh Penguins (probably my favorite hockey player of all time) scored the game winning goal in overtime. It brought mixed emotions. It felt like I'd been punched in the gut, but at the same time I was really happy for Sid the Kid.

Despite the outcome, I'm pretty certain the United State's and Canada's Olympic success has only increased awareness of hockey. Let's not only be a fan of hockey every four years. Be a fan of hockey every day.

Congrats, Canada (ya jerks)! ;)