Thief.

It's been super busy... And there hasn't been that much going on.

So I'm going to steal. This is directly from Pete Fiutaks weekly mailbag. Last week he had a question about RichRod and the WVU situation, in which he called WVU the crazy ex-girlfriend

ASK CFN 4/18

And finally …

Last week I remarked that West Virginia fans need to just let it go about Rich Rodriguez leaving for West Virginia. The responses were, well, interesting.

Let it go? Let it go?! The guy owes us $4 million dollars and stabbed us in the back? Pay us our money and live up to your contract with YOU signed. He’s a weasel and he’s trying to get out of paying what’s rightly ours. Let me guess, if it was the other way around you’d be screaming the WVU owes him. – SL

You obviously don't know West Virginia and what it means to be a West Virginian. The way Rich left was horrible. He lied to all of us. He called Terrell Pryor and told him he was going to Michigan before he told his own players, his boss and the West Virginia fans. Many of us got together and scraped up a lot of money to keep him here and he said he was here for a long time. He signed a contract. He crapped on us. He turned his back on his own state. He could have been up front with everything. No. He decided to be a lying snake, secure another job, tell recruits and attempt to get them headed to Michigan on WVU's time, before he tells a soul here in West Virginia. The same West Virginia who ponied up and met his demands just a year prior. He cries about the buyout? If he had stayed, the buyout was scheduled to drop to 2 million in August of this year. Well, if he would just pay WVU what it is owed, then that would give me some personal satisfaction, knowing how bad that hurts him to part with that kind of cash. Let him feel that pain. If or when he does, he can multiply that by 10 and then he will know how this state felt when he did what he did to this state, our school, our players and the fans. - CC

You don’t get West Virginia and you obviously never will. It takes something special to live here. It’s a special place. We don't have much here, so the football program means everything. Of course, you’d never get that. You probably wouldn’t understand a tough life. Your a joke and so is your anti-Mountaineer bias. – FK

You outsiders should just keep your thoughts about West Virginia to yourself. This is a hard place and our football program is our identity and our passion. We don’t have the lifestyle here other places have. So you better show West Virginia some respect or I wouldn’t show my face around here if I were you. And if you do, you’d better look both ways before crossing the street. - Anonymous

You have no idea of the pride of West Virginians and what it means to live in West Virginia. But that isn't what this is about. Unless you're a West Virginian, or you've lived here, you'll never get it anyway. - KG

First of all, did I say anything about the state of West Virginia? Analyzing the football program and saying something about the place are two completely different things (yes, they are), even though fans like to tie the two together.

Second, don’t give me this line about it being West Virginia and somehow West Virginians have some sort of toughness and honor that no outsider could comprehend. Everyone from every state thinks that way. You’re proud of where you’re from. So are Iowans and New Yorkers and Hawaiians and Californians. The excitement is fine, but you can’t thump your chest with this “you wouldn’t understand it” state pride and then keep complaining that it’s a rough place to live. You can’t have it both ways.

And finally, I’m not saying whether or not Rich Rodriguez is right or wrong or whether he’s a good guy or bad. I’m not defending him and I’m not taking his side. He’s a terrific football coach. Period. That’s all he is. Everything else is just corporate legal BS and it really doesn’t matter in your world, even if you think it does.

This has nothing to do with the money. You can use that as something tangible for your anger, but that’s not why you’re having problems with this.

Rodriguez doesn’t owe you. It’s not your money, and spare me the self-righteous garbage about being a tax payer blah, blah, blah. You’d be dead from a stroke if you really cared this much about every bad government or university contract that eats away at your tax dollars. Even if Rodriguez paid back every cent with a smile, you’d still be upset that one of your own rejected you. If you’re angry at the snipping, that’s another story.

Here was a coach who took what Don Nehlen had started and made it better. I know, Mountaineer football had its moments under Nehlen and had chances to win national titles in 1988 and 1993, but that ’88 team beat one team with a pulse (Syracuse) before losing to Notre Dame in the Fiesta Bowl, and the ’93 team barely got by its four good games before getting blasted by Florida in the Sugar Bowl. No one actually respected West Virginia football since it got rocked every time the bowls kicked in.

Rodriguez changed that.

With the 2006 Sugar Bowl win over Georgia, in Atlanta no less, the Mountaineers joined the world of the truly big-time programs. That wasn’t just any team WVU beat; that was the SEC champ in its own house. Now the program really was a national title contender and wasn’t just in the hunt based on a fat record against mediocre competition. The entire state had something to get really fired up about, and its fan base, who’s not used to the scrutiny that comes with the spotlight (ask me sometime about the time spent trying to keep Marshall fans in check when they thought their team was of national title stock) went crazy at anyone who dared speak in anything other than glowing terms when it came to their pride and joy.

Then Rodriguez, who had the program on the cusp of playing for the national championship before blowing it against Pitt, leaves for Michigan. It’s not like he pulled a Dennis Franchione and left Alabama for Texas A&M, at best a lateral move. Whether or not you believe it, the Michigan job is one of the biggest in all of sports and one of the crown jewels among coaches.

WVU fans, you have to understand that no coach ever, EVER leaves gracefully, and no coach ever, EVER knows how to handle it right. Sure, it would’ve been nice if Rodriguez was up front and honest about everything, but coaches can’t be … to a point. They can’t talk about another job and then be all smiles and happiness when it doesn’t work out (cough, Glen Mason at Minnesota when he wanted the Ohio State job, cough). That kills recruiting and becomes a mega-distraction and a ridiculous circus (cough, Les Miles, cough).

Had LSU not played for the national title, Miles would’ve ended up being the Michigan head football coach, Rodriguez would’ve stayed at West Virginia, and none of this would’ve happened. But it did, you have a new head man, and while the program might not be as good over the long haul, it’ll be fine for now.

Fine, so you wish Rodriguez handled everything better and showed more respect to the University and to West Virginia. Now be the better man, or fans, and take the high road. Instead of getting all hot and bothered, you should be happy Rodriguez made your program matter. You should be happy that West Virginia football is such a big deal. You should be happy at all the fun memories you had when he was the head man. You should realize that this is big business and that your company lost its CEO and replaced him with another good one who should be able to keep the train rolling. You should wish Rodriguez well at Michigan, because for better or worse, he still represents you. You should let it all go and enjoy what should be a fantastic 2008 season.

Feel better? No? Fine, you may now commence with your usual barrage of grouchy and misguided “CFN hates West Virginia” e-mails.

Mailbag Alert

It's been a while since there has been a good mailbagging, but Fiu provided some good fodder this week.

Personally I really wish these people would just publish the ones that don't make sense... but I don't get paid for this stuff.


why does every national media personality be them writers or tv commentators, talk radio hosts and non-Georgia fans alike, their memories all begin in 1990? Every single stat that gets mentioned nationally regardless of year only references what has happened since 1990. Not 1989, ’88, 87 etc, you get the point. Just who anointed history to be written from there? – HW


I didn't see a complete sentence in there.... but you know... word.


PLEASE SETTLE AN OUTGOING DEBATE BETWEEN MY FRIEND AND I. WE BOTH LOVE OHIO STATE AND WERE DISAPPOINTED WITH THE LAST 2 NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP GAMES. MY FRIEND SAYS THE BIG TEN SUCKS THE LAST 2 YEARS AND WAS THE WORST B.C.S. LEAGUE OUT OF THE 6. HE'S SAYS #5 (ABOVE THE ACC IF HE'S NICE). I SAY THE MEDIA (NOT C.F.N.) HAVE BEEN VERY UNFAIR TO COMPLETELY BASH THE BIG TEN EVEN THOUGH I ADMIT IT HAS BEEN DISAPPOINTING AT TIMES. WOULD YOU PLEASE GIVE US YOUR RANKINGS OF THE 6 B.C.S LEAGUES FOR THE 2006 AND 2007 SEASONS SO WE CAN MAYBE END OUR ONGOING DEBATE? – JB


All caps definitely makes a better point than the whole logical statement idea. The grammar is better, but when you shout, who needs proper grammar? Seriously.

Ess-Eee-See Speeeeeeeeeed

According to SI.com, Urban Meyer continues to be pretty cool.

Urban is offering a scholarship to anybody who can outrun his fastest football players. While it's pretty unlikely that they'll be able to beat the Gators speedsters, it's a pretty cool thing to do.

They're also raffling off a chance to catch a pass from Tim Tebow, catch a punt, and kick a field goal.

Florida's spring game will be on ESPN tomorrow.

Watch it even if you hate the Gators... because it's FOOTBALL! ON TV. IN APRIL. AND IT'S 140 DAYS TILL REAL GAMEDAY!!!

Have a few hours?

I've said it time and time again... but one of the greatest things about college sports is it's ability to make you hate a kid for making a decision when he was 18 years. That idiot who went to the cow college across the state will feel your wrath for the rest of his years as you dominate their team year in and year out (except for the years that the refs screw you.)

For years and year our hatred was held to games and random sightings at Wal-Mart where you threw feminine products and Gay magazines into the cart of a total stranger based on the t-shirt and cap they chose for the day.

But gone are the days of face-to-face smack. The internet has brought the ability of anonymous smack talk to the masses.

And Thank God for it. Without the internet we wouldn't have a fan site called WorstFans.com


Without the interwebs we wouldn't have the following list of awesomeness in form of smack talk.

ACC
Big XII
Big East
Big Televen
Pac 10
SEC


Some of the more intelligible comments (NSFW at all. Like really. Or appropriate):

- I was 8 years old going to a Maryland game in College Park. Maryland fans threw flaming toilet paper rolls at me and yelled in my face and threw beer bottles at us. They would steal our car flags off our car while we were driving. They burn down their school if they win or lose the final four. I don’t know about Crab Cakes and Football in Maryland, more like Crab Cakes and As@ Holes! The ACC should of never let them yanks join.

-You are so right. It must be those stupid Clemson fans voting that has put SCAR number 1. It couldn’t possibly be that South Carolina fans are ACTUALLY delusional, obnoxious, overbearing, drunk, and for the most part white trash that stumble out of their trailer parks on Saturday’s in the fall and head to ol’ Billy Brice, only to leave in the 3rd quarter when the liquor starts wearing off and the chickens are down by 3 touchdowns. This has to be a conspiracy by Clemson University- probably part of the same conspiracy that has kept USC a losing program for over 100 years!!!

- I have nothing to do with my boring life in Nebraska. I worship a bunch of young men in tight pants that play for my favorite team. Lawrence Phillips beat my sister, but I was cool with that because he is a God to me. Then Christian Peter beat my tranny-girlfriend after he nailed her, but that is even cooler since he is a white guy that plays football for my Huskers and I can’t satisfy my tranny.


- Tceh is made up of country kids that couldn’t get into Texas A&M or Texas. This makes them extremely bitter and they think they can gain rapport with Texas by hating on Texas A&M. Tceh is inferior not only to the flagships in academics, but also lags behind schools such as UH, Texas State, UTEP, UNT, Tarleton State, SFA, Baylor, TCU, St. Edwards, and even Concorida. There are at least 3 dozen schools in Texas with better academics than Texas Tech. I’ve never met a single person ever rejected from tceh.

- I would like to invite all mountaineer fans to attend my couch burning class being offered next Saturday at the brokeback bar & grill. We will cover such topics as using proper accelerants, not catching yourself on fire, denying to the police that it is your couch that is on fire even when it is on your porch, and other hot couch burning topics. I do ask that everyone attending keep to the subject matter at hand and not try to bring in unrelated subject matter....

Rich Rod posters will be available for you to threaten as well.

- UCF has been known to stab fans, cheerleaders, football players, and coaches of other teams. You need a bullet proof vest just to get in the student section. UCF also doesn’t allow anybody to drink from their water fountains. I heard for the halftime show they just put on a dogfight and the fans bet on which dog is going to win.

Ima graduit

I love College Football. Why would I have this blog if I was not passionate about all facets of the game. One of my favorite parts of college football is the rivalries. Only because college sports can you decide to hate a person based on a decision they made when they were 17 or 18 years-old. Then when you're 40 you still hate those people as well as the 18 year olds that are still making the decisions to go to that trashy 4 year juco.

It seems to me, when you want to represent yourself and your school nationally by writing a letter to a well established, well-known website, you may want to calm down the 18 year-old-fresh-out-of-fish-orientation i-hate-all-things-that-other-school rhetoric.

As a Michigan State Alum, I hate Michigan. Is this the year when the skunk bears finally have a losing season for the first time since 1967? Also, will this be the first year since 1990 I can go to A2 and watch the Spartans win in the quiet house? Sparty On! x- Billy McSTAT

Message board smack in a letter? Sparty would be proud

I want to make it a good habit to bring to you the drivel written by passionate fans who supposedly have a degree from said fine institutions of learning. In fact it may actually be a regular feature now.

This could work.

SI.com - Article on GA House calling for Playoff

From the article:

"The Georgia House voted 151-9 Friday in favor of a resolution urging the NCAA to create a playoff system for college football.

"The only major sporting event without a playoff system to identify its true champion that I know of is NCAA Division 1 football," said state Rep. Quincy Murphy, D-Augusta.

Georgia was ranked fourth in the BCS entering the last week of the season, behind Missouri, West Virginia and Ohio State. When Missouri and West Virginia lost, Georgia did not rise to second behind Ohio State but dropped to fifth in the BCS. Southeastern Conference champion LSU vaulted from seventh to second."

Ahh... democracy. If we can't get what we want on the field, we'll just pass a law to get it!!

It really could work. I mean what does it take, something like 67% vote to pass things in congress?

Basically we just have to have one school get screwed each year out of the MNC and they'll
get this done in 30 years.

Here's a question for you. Do you really think the NFL playoff discovered the best team this year? If you think for one second that the Giants were the best team in the NFL in the 2007-2008 season, you're off your rocker. They weren't the best team in their Division. Now I'm glad they won

I'm for a playoff, plus-one, pick a name out of a hat, or whatever. You name it, and it's probably better than what we have in place now.

It may be me, but going to congress because your panties are in a wad over not getting invited to the big dance is just petty.

Petty and low. I'm really surprised this hasn't gotten any coverage on the blogosphere.

Here's hoping it doesn't.

On a separate thought.... my money is on the 9 votes against this are true Georgia Tech Alums, not the t-shirt fans mentioned in the article. You can't bumpersticker your hate. It takes 4 years or more to develop it.

SI.com: Behind the times? Or just Naive?

I don't know if SI.com is just incredibly ignorant to todays times or a glutton for innuendos.

From their Campus Clicks photos.

I don't know how long the pitchfork has been around but it seems like something like below would be more accurate.