OT: Article on the sad decline of WVU Football

RuSnp

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Jan 14, 2004
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Good article. I always had a soft spot for WVU - even though we fell short every time - there were some good matchups/ excitement in the mid/ early 2000s.

An East Coast league had it ever happened sounds like a panacea, but we can imagine the reality. Probably unequal revenue/power for PSU, and no guarantee at some point the BIG or SEC wouldn't just poach them anyway.
 

50 yd line RR

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Feel bad for West Virginia. Funny they found a home after the Big East imploded.Louisville would have done anything to get that spot.
Then Maryland left the ACC and Louisville takes their spot and a much better place.
For now anyway.
End of the day,the way things are going they will be together again.
 

50 yd line RR

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Long term no, but at least the ACC is a lot closer. W. Va. was on an island for a long time. Maybe the addition of Cincinnati will help.
Long term though, looks like it could be the Big Two and everyone else.
If that comes to fruition, why not put “everyone else” back into regions to cut down on travel and re-build some old rivalries.
 

brgRC90

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Apr 8, 2008
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Sad statement on the inequity of college football. West Virginia has always had it tough, though, small state with little local talent. Under the now-dying college football system a school like WVU could still carve out a niche and give us exciting football. Under a new pseudo-NFL expect more dull games and fewer innovators, underdogs and niche teams like WVU.
 

BeantownKnight

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Feb 14, 2008
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I had a few minutes yesterday before the Jets game, so I turned on the UTEP-Jacksonville State game. To my surprise, I see Rich Rod on the sidelines as the Jax St coach. They went through his career timeline, spending a lot of time on his years at Michigan and Arizona. But, I'll always think of him as the WVU head coach where he was perhaps most successful (and innovative).
 

Arizona Knight

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I had a few minutes yesterday before the Jets game, so I turned on the UTEP-Jacksonville State game. To my surprise, I see Rich Rod on the sidelines as the Jax St coach. They went through his career timeline, spending a lot of time on his years at Michigan and Arizona. But, I'll always think of him as the WVU head coach where he was perhaps most successful (and innovative).

And that 2006 WVU team temporarily saved the Big East.
 

RUDiddy777

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Feb 26, 2015
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And that 2006 WVU team temporarily saved the Big East.

It’s sort of inaccurate though that they were victims of the final Big East implosion as much as they brought it about - VT/Miami/BC departed well before they did and at time where Louisville and Rutgers were probably better than those who had left. Perhaps the conference would have survived if Pitt and Cuse didn’t follow WVU out the door, with everyone else scrambling to avoid UConn status.
 

RUdude

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Fair article..WVU is a tough position revenue wise and travel, support from state makes up a significant gap, and school has some really nice sports facilities Saw many games a decade ago; as one of my kids attended the school...
 
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DJ Spanky

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Jul 25, 2001
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West Virginia was a red headed step child in the Big East as was Rutgers. We've covered the breakup of the Big East: we can thank the powers that be in Providence for not having foresight and wanting the basketball schools to retain control of the conference. But I always thought the Big 12 was not a good fit for WVU, both geographically and culturally. Truthfully, though, I don't know if they had any other options; the only other conference which would serve them better didn't want them, the ACC.
 

RUTGERS95

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Sep 28, 2005
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I had a few minutes yesterday before the Jets game, so I turned on the UTEP-Jacksonville State game. To my surprise, I see Rich Rod on the sidelines as the Jax St coach. They went through his career timeline, spending a lot of time on his years at Michigan and Arizona. But, I'll always think of him as the WVU head coach where he was perhaps most successful (and innovative).
Wish he were at RU
 
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DJ Spanky

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Jul 25, 2001
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That's going to be a decidedly minority rooting interest on this forum.

 

Arizona Knight

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The Big Ten doesn't really need Penn State to be successful, especially with USC and Oregon joining soon.
When you are chasing

Bama
Florida
Tennessee
Georgia
Auburn
Texas A&M
Oklahoma
Texas
LSU
Etc.

You can use all the blue blood success you can.
 
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rob kight

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Oct 22, 2020
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Back in the Big East days, I always thought WVU fans were the best of our opponents. They were always rooting for RU when we played other teams. The geography of the Big 12 was not good for them. Unfortunately for them PSU will beat them by 2TDs+
 
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50 yd line RR

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West Virginia was a red headed step child in the Big East as was Rutgers. We've covered the breakup of the Big East: we can thank the powers that be in Providence for not having foresight and wanting the basketball schools to retain control of the conference. But I always thought the Big 12 was not a good fit for WVU, both geographically and culturally. Truthfully, though, I don't know if they had any other options; the only other conference which would serve them better didn't want them, the ACC.
The irony is the providence mob wouldn’t relinquish any power to football.
The football schools could have had a very good conference if they just stuck together.
Today the Big East is doing just fine as a basketball conference!
Why couldn’t Providence mob let it go?
We would of had the Big East basketball conference and the northeast football/all sports conference.
Everybody would of made out pretty good.
 
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GoodOl'Rutgers

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Sep 11, 2006
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Hmmmm.. WVU to the ACC might fix it fast.

Always respected WVU's athletics.. even their rifle teams.. so many Jersey kids go to WVU but somehow they aren't near as obnoxious to Rutgers as are Jersey-born Nova / BC / Cuse alum. Notre Dame are mostly not showing Rutgers hatred... like WVU-Jersey alum, ND-Jersey alum seem satisfied and do not need to hate their native State U.
 
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PSAL_Hoops

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Feb 18, 2008
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It’s sort of inaccurate though that they were victims of the final Big East implosion as much as they brought it about - VT/Miami/BC departed well before they did and at time where Louisville and Rutgers were probably better than those who had left. Perhaps the conference would have survived if Pitt and Cuse didn’t follow WVU out the door, with everyone else scrambling to avoid UConn status.
I thought Pitt and Syracuse left first. Didn’t WVU leave because they left? Not the other way around.
 

MADHAT1

Heisman
Apr 1, 2003
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Back in the Big East days, I always thought WVU fans were the best of our opponents. They were always rooting for RU when we played other teams. The geography of the Big 12 was not good for them. Unfortunately for them PSU will beat them by 2TDs+
we can hope the Mountaineers beat the Nits, but shouldn't expect it.
WV might wind up a winner in the expansion nightmare now that they have conference foes that live closer.
 
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wheezer

Heisman
Jun 3, 2001
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Back in the Big East days, I always thought WVU fans were the best of our opponents. They were always rooting for RU when we played other teams. The geography of the Big 12 was not good for them. Unfortunately for them PSU will beat them by 2TDs+
As the WV game got close, there was very good banter, Back and for ribbing between the fans
The Guidos versus the hillbilly memes were classic
Even though we almost never beat WV I could not despise them because their fans were all right
 

brgRC90

Heisman
Apr 8, 2008
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When you are chasing

Bama
Florida
Tennessee
Georgia
Auburn
Texas A&M
Oklahoma
Texas
LSU
Etc.

You can use all the blue blood success you can.
Meh, a lot of those programs are up and down, too. Tennessee was way down for a long time until last year. Auburn and LSU have been down. Texas and Texas A&M continue to disappoint.
 
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KnightFan

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Dec 30, 2008
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West Virginia has much bigger problems than football right now

The university is going through some very draconian budget cuts and academic studies are being slashed

There are 32 academic programs on the chopping block, including PhD in Math, which I believe is the only public math PhD in the state

Sad situation made worse by the rise of expensive administrative positions that add little value
https://www.forbes.com/sites/michaeltnietzel/2023/08/12/deep-cuts-to-faculty-and-academic-programs-recommended-at-west-virginia-university/amp/
 

RUTGERS95

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Sep 28, 2005
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West Virginia has much bigger problems than football right now

The university is going through some very draconian budget cuts and academic studies are being slashed

There are 32 academic programs on the chopping block, including PhD in Math, which I believe is the only public math PhD in the state

Sad situation made worse by the rise of expensive administrative positions that add little value
https://www.forbes.com/sites/michaeltnietzel/2023/08/12/deep-cuts-to-faculty-and-academic-programs-recommended-at-west-virginia-university/amp/
Yet to see a single academic position that was not overpaid
 
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Scarlet Jerry

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Jul 30, 2001
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I never understood why so many kids from NJ went to West Virginia. With a wide selection of excellent colleges and leading academic research universities in the northeast, including Rutgers, I never understood the appeal.
 
May 11, 2010
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I never understood why so many kids from NJ went to West Virginia. With a wide selection of excellent colleges and leading academic research universities in the northeast, including Rutgers, I never understood the appeal.

Kids want to go somewhere away from home and it’s a fun party school that traditionally had a good football team until they went to to Big-12
 
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Roy_Faulker

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Feb 7, 2002
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I never understood why so many kids from NJ went to West Virginia. With a wide selection of excellent colleges and leading academic research universities in the northeast, including Rutgers, I never understood the appeal.

Different situation - but with at least Ohio they offer in-state tuition reciprocity. That’s appealing as hell.
 

Arizona Knight

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Meh, a lot of those programs are up and down, too. Tennessee was way down for a long time until last year. Auburn and LSU have been down. Texas and Texas A&M continue to disappoint.

LSU won the national championship like 3 years ago. You’re trying too hard.
 
Oct 17, 2007
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West Virginia has much bigger problems than football right now

The university is going through some very draconian budget cuts and academic studies are being slashed

There are 32 academic programs on the chopping block, including PhD in Math, which I believe is the only public math PhD in the state

Sad situation made worse by the rise of expensive administrative positions that add little value
https://www.forbes.com/sites/michaeltnietzel/2023/08/12/deep-cuts-to-faculty-and-academic-programs-recommended-at-west-virginia-university/amp/

Agreed...the entire university is wildly mismanaged. They're eliminating all foreign languages. I guess no one from WV will grow up to work for the CIA, as an ambassador, translator etc

I'll of course root for them against the Cult but the school is circling the drain. For all of RU's faults we're in a way better and safer spot than them in every way, thankfully.
 
Oct 17, 2007
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I never understood why so many kids from NJ went to West Virginia. With a wide selection of excellent colleges and leading academic research universities in the northeast, including Rutgers, I never understood the appeal.

They admit everyone with a pulse, and at least in the millennial generation, it didn't cost that much more than in state for a Montclair or Kean.