Jim Buzzerd

A prediction

Way back before Al Gore invented the internet I fancied myself as a decent judge of West Virginia University's football team. I seemed to have had a handle on things like their talent level and how it compared to their opponents. In those days it seemed pretty easy to look at a Mountaineer schedule and pick the teams they would beat and those they wouldn't. Get lucky with a few toss ups and, voila, I could actually convince a few people I might know a little of what I was talking about.

Smith gets backup call

A guy I was playing golf with last week asked me when Coley White will get to play football for West Virginia University. I did not have to hesitate when I told him, "He may never get to play quarterback there."

Some concerns

Last week in this space the suggestion was made that the amount of success the West Virginia University Football Team would have in 2009 would depend largely on how well the young offensive line develops. While that is true, there are some other concerns which weren't mentioned and should have been.

Camp opens

West Virginia University's football team began fall practice last Saturday in preparation for the September 5 opener against Liberty. There is good reason to be optimistic about the 2009 Mountaineers, but enough questions remain that the prognosis is a bit cloudy.

White signs

Former West Virginia University quarterback Pat White has agreed to terms with the Miami Dolphins. White was a second round pick in the NFL draft last April. College football's all time leading rusher at the quarterback position reportedly agreed to a four year $4.5 million contract. Unconfirmed reports also indicate $2.4 million of the deal is guaranteed.

Just stay down T.O.

Once upon a time I began to play fantasy football. That was 11 or 12 years ago. I forget the exact season, 1997 or 1998, but I wound up with a receiver named Terrell Owens on my team. This was an auto draft league, so the computer picked him for me. I suppose I had him ranked fairly high, but he wasn't really on my radar.

Geezer golf

It was early November 1988. A group of us was on a golf trip at the Pinehurst Golf Resort in Pinehurst, North Carolina staying in the majestic Old Carolina Hotel. At this hotel there is a huge lobby with lots of comfy chairs and sofas to lounge in before or after golf.

Rivalry?

I was bouncing around on the internet a little while ago and found myself on the ESPN website. If you check out that site and follow college sports you have come across the work of Pat Forde. If you have a bias toward West Virginia University athletics, there is a good chance you have mixed reviews of his work. Actually, as far as these sports website writers go, Forde may be more Mountaineer friendly than most. Even so he will occasionally rankle WVU feathers with some of his musings.

Quarterback issues

First things first. Last week I accused Central Florida of double scheduling football games with West Virginia University and Auburn. An action which left WVU scrambling for an opponent very late in the process. While UCF did have to back out of a game with West Virginia at a fairly late date, it was Buffalo which had a game contracted with WVU, but scheduled a game with Auburn on the same date when the Alabama school offered Buffalo more money.

Give me Liberty? I may pass

Since the NCAA allowed college football teams to schedule 12 games, a disturbing trend has surfaced with the West Virginia University football schedule. The presence of 1AA schools on the schedule seems to have become a fixture. Last year it was Villanova. One time it was James Madison and another it was Tennessee Chattanooga. This year it is Liberty from Lynchburg, Virginia.