Marshall hires Doc Holliday

[will5979]

Doesn't seem to bother you guys to schedule a plethora of MAC teams at the beginning of the season. What's the difference? The two should play. I remember back in the 70's when WVU was regularly getting their tails kicked.

Born in 79, didn't start following college football till 1991. Baseball is my true passion, has been since I was lucky enough to see Pete Rose play in person in 1985. Obviously I don't remember ANYTHING about a rivalry with Penn St. so to be honest, I have never hated them cause we didn't play them the last 2 decades.

Not going to argue cause actually it does bother me. I hate the exhibition game teams have at the beginning of each year, bring in an AA school, beat em up, give them a check. I never have liked it. If we must have a tune up game every year then we could use Marshall for that. I really wouldn't care if Marshall was on our schedule for our tune up game, but they are one of our OOC teams AFTER the AA school that we play.

We have 5 OOC games every year and to be honest I would rather have a Big Ten school on our schedule to go with our SEC, ACC, and CUSA opponents. I know that next year it will be an AA school, LSU, Maryland, MArshall, and UNLV.

[reds1869]

Here's the thing: Marshall fills your stadium. We are a guaranteed draw...no one else can say that. For goodness sake, you couldn't even fill the stands against Pitt! Same goes for you guys coming to Huntington. You are a 100% lock-down sell-out.

If you think that Marshall would be replaced with a better opponent, you are wrong. It would be Eastern Michigan, Louisiana-Monroe, etc. And none of those teams would be nearly as big a ticket seller for you as Marshall. To me, that suggests that people in the WVU fan base might just care a tad more than they admit.

[will5979]

To me, that suggests that people in the WVU fan base might just care a tad more than they admit.

I thought that next you were going to qoute Booby Pruett that we are skeeret!

Did you hear about those guys a few years back that bought season tickets to Marshla just to get the WVU tickets and they burned the rest? If I do that next year I'm selling the rest. You want to buy them?

[RollyInRaleigh]

The WVU/Marshall game fills the stands at both stadiums and is a great thing for the state, one that is in need of anything positive and good for its residents. Being from there, and having lived there for 30 years before moving, I can't see any negatives to playing the game each season. No doubt that the mounties have dominated, but the games have been pretty good and exciting. Having two strong football programs should be the goal for the state and moving forward, that could very well happen again. There will be ups and downs for both programs, but I just can't see any negatives.

[Slyder]

I wouldn't call 9-3 and the 16th ranked team "mediocrity". There's plenty of teams below you that'd gladly settle for that.

We are 16th in the rankings because we draw ESPN ratings and bring in revenue $$$.

[Slyder]

I thought that next you were going to qoute Booby Pruett that we are skeeret!

Did you hear about those guys a few years back that bought season tickets to Marshla just to get the WVU tickets and they burned the rest? If I do that next year I'm selling the rest. You want to buy them?

Speak of the devil. On the scout board I read theres a rumor going around that Coach Stew in all his wisdom has called of all people... Bobby Pruett about an assistant coach/recruiting position at WVU. Just a rumor no real specifics.

Honestly I really couldnt care whether we played or didnt play Marshall, because regardless that would like be some cupcake team that we'll struggle to kill. So might as well at least get some money moving in the state economy.

Although its a dumb idea to have any games more than maybe a 2 for 1 at Marshall with half the capacity.

[Boston Red]

We are 16th in the rankings because we draw ESPN ratings and bring in revenue $$$.

Wow, what's amazing is that you probably actually believe this. How do you think ESPN massaged all those BCS computer rankings to get WV ranked so high? That's some pretty impressive stuff.

[will5979]

Wow, what's amazing is that you probably actually believe this. How do you think ESPN massaged all those BCS computer rankings to get WV ranked so high? That's some pretty impressive stuff.

Well, regardless of the end of the season we had the Gator Bowl no matter what...granted we did legitimately earned the bid but since our fans travel so well and J-Ville needed money...well, politics at its finest. Weird that it works in the world of college football as well. Speaking of which that is the only reason FSU is there. no way should they have received that bid OVER Miami or VT.

[WVRed]

Marshall is not a rival. They never have been. The series has been lopsided and both play in completely different leagues on a different level. Its like a AAA high school powerhouse playing a A high school that has not yet fallen prey to consolidation.

Marshall to WVU is like an annoying little brother...sure you can whip them, but its just not the right thing to do, adn there is no need to flex your muscles. This series is bad BOTH programs, its a lose-lose situation.

Hoppy Kurchival said it best back in October when he said the "divorce" between the 2 schools needs to happen. What should be a Mexican fiesta has turned into a Mexican standoff. And lets get real, is a "rival" that never wins really a rival at all?

Also FWIW the only people in the state that seems to enjoy this game are people in Huntington and the 250 supporters that live just north of me in Logan.

A couple of things:

1. I currently live in Parkersburg but I have lived in Kentucky across the river from Huntington. WVU's fanbase really does not start until you get into Charleston, and you could make a case that it is divided. Everybody further down south either pulls for Marshall or UK. Charleston, Parkersburg, Clarksburg/Bridgeport, and Beckley are your real WVU pulls. You won't find very many WVU fans south of Charleston heading down 64.

2. Marshall will always be looked at by WVU fans as "Little Brother U" until Marshall ends up doing the unthinkable and beating them. When that day happens, half of the population in West Virginia will commit Harry Caray, and I believe a rivalry will be born. It took Louisville doing that in the NCAA tournament for the rivalry to be born with Kentucky, im just waiting for Marshall to do the same.

[WVRed]

Here we go with the different levels of play...comparing WVU/Marshall to WVU/Penn St. is comparing apples/oranges. No one cares, like I said except people in Huntington and Logan.

Trust me, we have our rivals...

1. Pitt-obviously
2. Louisville-was good 05-07, not so great now.
3. VT-former but we still hate em.
4. Cuse-was great in the 90s, not so much now.
5. USF-not official yet but they are getting there, they are our Achillies Heel
6. Maryland-Series resumes next year
7. Penn St.-former

Of those teams listed, Pitt and Maryland are the closest teams you have to a rival. If Pitt ends up leaving for the Big Tweleven as rumored, that rivalry could deteriorate just like the Va Tech rivalry did.

By that same logic, anybody in the Big East could be considered a "rival".

[reds1869]

A couple of things:

1. I currently live in Parkersburg but I have lived in Kentucky across the river from Huntington. WVU's fanbase really does not start until you get into Charleston, and you could make a case that it is divided. Everybody further down south either pulls for Marshall or UK. Charleston, Parkersburg, Clarksburg/Bridgeport, and Beckley are your real WVU pulls. You won't find very many WVU fans south of Charleston heading down 64.

2. Marshall will always be looked at by WVU fans as "Little Brother U" until Marshall ends up doing the unthinkable and beating them. When that day happens, half of the population in West Virginia will commit Harry Caray, and I believe a rivalry will be born. It took Louisville doing that in the NCAA tournament for the rivalry to be born with Kentucky, im just waiting for Marshall to do the same.

1. I grew up in Parkersburg but lived in huntington for a while. Your assessment of fan bases is pretty accurate, though only if you are talking the western counties. When you go east UK is replaced by VT and UVA, and WVU has a much stronger presence.

2. So basketball counts for Kentucky schools but not WV ones? Are you forgetting 2006, when a terrible Marshall team knocked off #9 WVU?

[will5979]

2. So basketball counts for Kentucky schools but not WV ones? Are you forgetting 2006, when a terrible Marshall team knocked off #9 WVU?

Depends on your opinion of basketball...

I like what Ty Cobb said about basketball, bunch of fruits running around in underwear! Obviously I hate that sport.

[WVRed]

2. So basketball counts for Kentucky schools but not WV ones? Are you forgetting 2006, when a terrible Marshall team knocked off #9 WVU?

I do remember that, actually. The Capital Classic in Charleston.

Sad thing is, while WVU is doing good in basketball right now, the fanbase really isn't as strong. People in West Virginia are football crazy and if Marshall would ever win people in Morgantown wouldn't know how to cope.

It should be a point that WVU will play Marshall in everything else but football.

[reds1869]

Sad thing is, while WVU is doing good in basketball right now, the fanbase really isn't as strong. People in West Virginia are football crazy and if Marshall would ever win people in Morgantown wouldn't know how to cope.

Good point. I was talking to my parents last night, both of whom live in Parkersburg and are huge WVU fans. Neither of them seemed aware that WV is ranked 6th in the nation.

[will5979]

Good point. I was talking to my parents last night, both of whom live in Parkersburg and are huge WVU fans. Neither of them seemed aware that WV is ranked 6th in the nation.

Known fact, WVU is a football school, basketball to most is well, basketball.

I grew up a WVU fan and I am a WVU grad...M.A. 2003.

And I honestly CAN'T tell you the BBall team's record or rankings. The only time I've ever enjoyed BBall is when WVU beat Texas Tech to advance to the Elite Eight and Mo-Town signaled the Russian space station MIR with couch burnings across the city!

But like I said before, I'm not a basketball fan...to me it is the most boring sport to follow, JMO.