Quote:
Originally Posted by tixe
WVU always has problems with the fans who think that being drunk and ignorant is a good thing (I don't get college students having that attitude, but it is what it is.) Have to admit, though, that Marshall's putting up billboards in Morgantown about how many "championships" they had won, using a really loose definition of that word, contributed to Marshall/WVU incidents. Marshall goaded for quite a while, acting like WVU was an inferior rival, and got the expected, if awful, response. I've noticed things have calmed down now around Marshall. Don't know if there are any hopes of WVU fans growing up.
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Seems like the Marshall-WVU argument makes its way into every thread. This isn't directed at anybody in particular, just seems that it always happens.
I've lived in Parkersburg for the past eight years, before that I lived in Kentucky outside of Huntington. I am a UK fan first, although I have been to a couple Marshall games and usually pull for the Herd when they are playing. My fiancee and her family are WVU fans so I usually follow the Mountaineers, but haven't really considered myself a "fan".
That being said, I have thought about jumping ship especially with my feelings toward Kentucky football. Basketball drives the bus in the bluegrass, similar to Kansas and the Carolina schools. When Rich Brooks retired (mostly due to his unhappiness with money being funneled everywhere but football), Joker Phillips, a UK alum and offensive coordinator, was named his replacement. Despite breaking the streak against Steve Spurrier last year, UK has looked pretty abysmal, even in the loss to Louisville and playing it close against Western Kentucky.
The problem isn't even with coaching, its with the fans and expectations. UK basketball fans expect to be in contention for a national championship year in and year out. Football fans are happy with just making it to a 6-6 bowl game. With Joker being a UK alum, he will likely get a longer leash than anybody else Kentucky has ever brought in.
West Virginia has stupid fans. Every fan base does but in Morgantown being drunk and ignorant seems to be a prevalent theme among the student section. I was there last year for the Rutgers game and it could be because of the lackluster product on the field (WVU still won), but most of the student section clears out at halftime.
That was the first I had heard of Marshall putting billboards in Morgantown bragging about "championships" (which is kind of a soft spot for WVU unless you count the rifle team). It is kinda silly though, would be like Morehead State putting up billboards in Lexington. WVU putting billboards in Huntington shouldn't be a big deal, as WVU is the flagship school of the state, but I've lived close to there and Cabell County is not too receptive of people from "Morganhole".
I'll always contend that the Friends of Coal Bowl should have been played, except about five years too late from when it started. Marshall put a scare into WVU at Mountaineer Field, and with the fan treatment there from reds1869 described and others i've talked to (WVU fans making shirts making fun of the plane crash), I think a return trip to Huntington the following year would have likely resulted in a WVU loss and probably embarrassing behavior on both sides.
I think the calming down of Marshall has more to do with them moving to C-USA (a huge mistake) and having to deal with probation and the mediocrity of the Mark Snyder years. I'll be interested in seeing how they do Saturday against Virginia Tech in Huntington. One of the football magazines here in Parkersburg has both writers predicting WVU to beat LSU and Marshall to beat the Hokies. I doubt it happens.