January 3, 2008
West Virginia tabs Stewart as Head Coach
West Virginia looked high and low to find its next head football coach, and then settled on someone the Mountaineers already knew - promoting interim head coach Bill Stewart to head coach.
On the heels of WVU's win over Oklahoma in the Fiesta Bowl, Stewart will be named the new head coach in a press conference scheduled for 11am EST today.
Fullback Owen Schmitt, who scored on a 57-yard run, called Stewart the "glue" that kept the Mountaineers together during a rocky month."We're a family," Schmitt said. "That's why we prevailed."
Stewart came to West Virginia as quarterbacks coach in January 2000 after two seasons as offensive coordinator in the Canadian Football League.
Don Nehlen, the former Mountaineers coach who hired Stewart, said Thursday he was glad his former assistant had landed the job.
"He's just such a good person and the kids love him," Nehlen said. "It's such a good fit with the program."
Pat Forde has a great piece on Stewart today at ESPN.com, noting that "Coach Stew" is sincerely a nice man who is enjoying his rise to the top.
Stewart has spent most of his coaching career as an assistant coach on the offensive side of the ball, but was previously head coach at Virginia Military Institute from 1994-96, where he compiled a 8-25 record. He has also coached at Salem College, North Carolina, Marshall, William & Mary, Navy, Arizona State and Air Force.
Comments:
FanoftheGame said:
posted on January 3, 2008 10:31 AM — 198.211.223.194 — link — abuse?
This was a huge win for WVU. Stewart probably deserves this opportunity. Hopefully, for WVU his bowl success will carry into next season. He sounds like a great guy and a player's coach, but time will tell if he is able to continue to build on the program that Rich started.
40 Acres of Burnt Orange
posted on January 3, 2008 10:34 AM — 76.182.205.22 — link — abuse?
said:
Great choice! Seeing the way the team rallied behind him well see if he can finally get WVU over that hump that Rich Rod couldn't. But as FanoftheGame said only time will tell if he can keep WVU on that path to a national title.
wvu_lifer
posted on January 3, 2008 10:42 AM — 75.109.107.108 — link — abuse? said:
Mixed emotions on Coach Stew. The players love him, that's a given. He has all of 3 yrs head coaching exp, all at VMI. He compiled a record, well, it was bad, but it's VMI too. I so hoped that politics would not play a part in this. Pat White, he should go into politics. Don't get me wrong, this is a good man! Just a little uncertain about him as a HC. Yes he did well against a team that didn't want to play us. Remember, they attempted to get out of the dessert( i see why now) and play Va. Tech? I was pulling for Mr. Locksley, many were for Jones. I must give (and i hate to do it) kudos to the admin. They ended the search immediately after the game! Putting all this crap behind us. I hope we can hold onto some commits. Way to go WVU!!!
1st_and_NOLE
posted on January 3, 2008 11:23 AM — 71.14.108.232 — link — abuse? said:
I hope this works out well for WVU. I can't comment too much about Bill Stewart as a coach because I know very little about him.
I only wonder if the victory was more based on how fired up the WVU players came out to spite RR or because this guy is actually a good coach.
Yeah, he got WVU ready to play in a big game they were naturally going to be fired up for under the circumstances. The biggest question is, can he do that on a weekly basis through the course of a season when emotions won't be as high?
Only time will tell but I hope WVU continues to improve as a program - they're fun to watch.
wvu_lifer
posted on January 3, 2008 11:39 AM — 75.109.107.108 — link — abuse? said:
@#6 1st_and_NOLE, My sentiments exactly. Like Switzer said before the game, players play, compete, that's what they do, reguardless of who is leading them. I know the team wanted to win for Coach Stew, and yeah, rub it in "R2's" nose a little. Can Stew do this week in and week out? Can he get them up for a NE LA ST.? This is a recurring theme, "Only time will tell".
Charlie
posted on January 3, 2008 12:03 PM — 24.26.18.81 — link — abuse? said:
wvu_lifer....
Reportedly, he's getting $4 million for 5 years. Hopefully that will be coming courtesy of Rodriguez. That frees up some money that they can hopefully use to entice McGhee and Casteel to stay.
Main thing, Stewart is West Virginia through and through. He's not looking to use this as a stepping stone. Whar sold me is the love and support all the players gave him.
TE
posted on January 3, 2008 12:23 PM — 204.68.245.11 — link — abuse? said:
I think this is a BAD hire for WVU...
Notice how quickly the Administration moved to hire this guy? I'm sure he's a nice guy, and the player's were enthused about him running the ship, but you don't let the players hire the coaches, if you ask me...
The Administration stonewalled Rodriguez and jacked him around on the promises it extended to him from the Alabama situation...He left, and now they're in a lawsuit...
The boosters and some administrators obviously wanted a big name, badly...and instead, the AD and the goose-steppers get some awshucks no-name that the players like who no one can complain about...To ensure that their authority will never be usurped the way Rodriguez was routinely able to there in Morgantown...
That was all about hiring a coach they could control and pull the strings of...I'm afraid that fella's right...WVU might be good next year, and Devine might keep them respectable (F-you, Joe McKnight...Jacking around with him until national signing day screwed us out of getting a commitment from that kid!), but they're about to slip back into mediocrity, soon...
Poor man's Larry Coker...
wvu_lifer
posted on January 3, 2008 12:31 PM — 75.109.107.108 — link — abuse? said:
I can tell you this. After going to breakfast this morning and overhearing the same conversation, the concencus in my home town is, "huh"? More of a wait and see kind of attitude. We West Virginians normally aren't complacent with things, like i said on another thread, this has "Wait and see" over it. 1 bowl win does not give you an auto HC position, and i so wanted Mike Locksley!! We'll have to "Wait and see" i guess.
TampaGator said:
posted on January 3, 2008 12:33 PM — 71.101.63.118 — link — abuse?
Don't know much about the guy, except:
1. He coached a gem last night; had them boys playing out of their skulls, and...
2. He's got Steve Spurrier's facial expressions down to a tee... :)
Congrats to WVU on helluva win!
Good luck with hire...
My $.02.
Happy New Year, y'all! (...or should I say, Happy Year after "THE Year of the Gator")
GO GATORS!!Eye of the Tiger said:
posted on January 3, 2008 12:39 PM — 138.163.0.41 — link — abuse?
This is the guy for the job IMO. He was very confident and composed the whole game and I think just his attitude alone was a big part of the success WVU had last night. One thing I liked about the way he coached is it looked like he was having fun in an awkward situation. His players seemed to be having fun as well almost throwing up 600 yards total offense. Good win, good coach.
Autigerman said:
posted on January 3, 2008 12:51 PM — 129.61.46.60 — link — abuse?
That was a great win by WV last night.
Im not sure i totally agree with the hire though.
Isnt Rodrigues about to pull his staff out of there? Im pretty sure he will take a few coaches with him if he hasnt already which is common pratice.
Good luck to WVU you deserve better then Rodrigues gave you.wvu_lifer
posted on January 3, 2008 12:58 PM — 75.109.107.108 — link — abuse? said:
Charlie, yessir, i've had that Wheelin feelin, lol! Why is Central Catholic so good in AA ball? Every year, they kill Williamstown in the Finals! Not that i'm a Willy fan, just without fail, CC destroys em!! Can't wait to get back up there on the Island a bet some ponies!
wvu_lifer
posted on January 3, 2008 12:59 PM — 75.109.107.108 — link — abuse? said:
Charlie, yessir, i've had that Wheelin feelin, lol! Why is Central Catholic so good in AA ball? Every year, they kill Williamstown in the Finals! Not that i'm a Willy fan, just without fail, CC destroys em!! Can't wait to get back up there on the Island a bet some ponies!
FanoftheGame said:
posted on January 3, 2008 1:10 PM — 198.211.223.194 — link — abuse?
Is it just me or does this guy look exactly like "George Utley" from the ole "Newhart" show? Was he or was he not the maintenance man at the Inn? ......just kidding.
Congrats WVU fans on getting yourself a new coach. I would rest a little easier if the WV admin would have let the hangover from the OU win pass a little more. Hopefully, the admin don't sober up in a few days thinking, "we hired ...who? What the hell were we thinking?"wvu_lifer
posted on January 3, 2008 1:11 PM — 75.109.107.108 — link — abuse? said:
#19 Bevo, No, not really at all! It was Butch Jones this, Locksley that, Doc Holliday here, and a "big time coach" there. Now the admin has a puppet, just hope he can pull the players' strings. Yeah, he did well last night, but they were geeked for the game, so we'll see???
wvu_lifer
posted on January 3, 2008 1:18 PM — 75.109.107.108 — link — abuse? said:
#23 Sobriety?????? In Morgantown, oh, we won't ever have to worry about that. Untill 2 years from now when we go 6-5, they may come out of the funk then. This is the guy they wanted to have. He want give any gruff to the AD, or the Admin. He won't ask for, well, probably anything. I hope they continue to improve on the facilities. However it wasn't him they promised it too, so we'll see again! Between the players and the Gov, the Admin kinda had no choice. See AD Ed and Gov Joe are good chum(P)s, lol!
TE
posted on January 3, 2008 1:34 PM — 204.68.245.11 — link — abuse? said:
The OC that called that game last night will be leaving with RR...He stayed for the sake of continuity on offense...
So, you've got a head coach who wasn't calling the plays on offense that beat OU...
Also, let's not forget OU had plenty of D-Line guys out for that game, including at least one starter, and Malcom Kelly was a non-factor who barely played. WVU got some lucky breaks with that and Bradford playing tighter than Jessica Simpson back when she thought 98 degrees was slightly lower than her base body temperature...
Oh, and on another recruiting rant...THANK YOU, PHIL LOADHOLDT...We're SO GLAD you opted out of your commitment to LSU to head to OU, LOL!
wveersfan said:
posted on January 3, 2008 2:56 PM — 216.230.70.238 — link — abuse?
#26......FYI, the new HC knows the offense AND defensive plays. All of them and he gave the nod as to which play to run last night.
There will be no dropoff just because a guy that likes Rod was helping give skybox looks at the D and had suggestions on what to call. Calvin Magee hasn't called a pass play in his whole career, so I know who had the last say last night.
Get another argument. Calvin Magee only relays what he sees, then is vetoed by Rod on the sideline 99% of the time. Some OC. Rod has always called the plays. Stewart knows them all (plays) and is much more balanced and aggressive, as you saw last night. Rod would have lost that game by letting OU come back after we got up big in a hurry. He plays not to lose.
You'll see. Tressel will love him.
kershawdw said:
posted on January 3, 2008 3:22 PM — 24.136.33.6 — link — abuse?
Are you guys serious about thinking this is a good hire? I think its a knee jerk reaction to a big win and a very bad decision. Yeah he's a nice guy, and yeah is a WVU guy and yeah the players love him but that doesn't win ball games. Proof is in the pudding, he went 8-25 at VMI when he was the head coach. I hope I am wrong but WVU fans should prepare to go back to mediocrity.
Tampa Hurricane
posted on January 3, 2008 3:36 PM — 24.96.199.254 — link — abuse? said:
I can't believe that WVU hired Stewart as their HC due to this single win. What were they thinking...if you can't get a good coach, at least get one cheap enough so the previous coach will be paying his entire salary. This hire just shows what WVU truly believes their football program is worth!
OU Fan said:
posted on January 3, 2008 3:57 PM — 84.146.57.243 — link — abuse?
TE post #26, you can't hate on Bradford man. The kid(true freshman) did what he could against a West Virginia defense that was constantly in his face. He had no protection and but did at times make some bone headed mistakes. But the kid still had decent stats for the night and should only improve over time. Only time will tell. And you're right about Loadholt. The guy is a beast, but he holds the record for the number of false start and holding penalties called against him and when he matches up against defensive ends with speed, he gets burned. Well, I wouldn't say he always gets burned, but he sure as heck did against West Virginia. BOOMER!
TE
posted on January 3, 2008 4:16 PM — 204.68.245.11 — link — abuse? said:
Well, I can tell you this...Stoops' OC should've been shot for the opening drives...
The first 9 plays, WVU hit him 3 times on passing downs...Ridiculously alarming situation, which would've continued had your offensive line not done a mean impersonation of a boy/girl dance at the end of summer camp at Lake Minnetonka...Trying to disrobe the 'Eer DL was not pretty, and NOW you guys see how ridiculous SEC officiating and non-holding calls are...LOL!
The OC should've had Bradford under strict orders during the first few drives...
"Sam, I don't care if your back foot hits on the 3rd step, 5th step, or 7th step...When it hits, I want that ball OUT of your hand, son..."
Until you get a feel for their pressure and what they're going to throw at you, you've got to go with the quick passing game at first...at least until you get that initial feel...and that's ESPECIALLY vital to help a young kid like Bradford on the biggest stage of his career early on to develop a rhythym and pace...
Instead, the kid got flustered early, and could not find a groove for the rest of the night...
With Kelly not playing, they should've put a HUGE emphasis on making sure Sam was comfy in the pocket early on...Some early screens and going to the tight end on some rollouts away from pressure would've worked, and we saw them rolling away from the pressure...in the SECOND half...
Stoops and Company get treated like sassy mouthed, red-headed stepchildren against top flight competition...Aside from the Jedi Mind Trick he uses seemingly yearly against the entirety of the Texas Football team (Only Vince Young has been proven immune to his powers as a Jedi, it seems), evidently he's out-talenting a somewhat over-rated Big XII, only to get trounced in ugly fashion and outcoached by a wide margin come time for the brass tacks to get fought over...
You can't argue with Championships and W's over Tejas...But, you gotta wonder...Do you like the new nickname I've come up with him...Facetious though it may be...
Big Game Bob?
OU Fan said:
posted on January 3, 2008 4:47 PM — 84.146.57.243 — link — abuse?
TE, the Big 12 can't be that overrated especially with the way Mizzou manhandled Arkansas and their wild Hog offense. I still can't believe that same Arkansas team beat the LSU team who will be playing in next weeks national championship game. But as we both know, its any given team on any given Saturday. And I can't argue with you on the brilliance of the OU offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson. And Stoops will get his bowl game mojo back. I just hope it will start next year. Hell, a win in the Independence Bowl would satisfy me. BOOMER SOONER!
bassace5 said:
posted on January 3, 2008 5:06 PM — 69.180.245.114 — link — abuse?
If you are reading this blog, you probably fall into one of these two categories: 1) your a West Virginia fan just checking on other fans reactions to the naming of our new head coach, or 2) you are here to criticize the selection of our new head coach. If you are a fan like myself, I agree....only time will tell. But isnt that the case NO MATTER who we hire? Lets be realistic here....what other coaches were we looking at? Had any of them proved themself with a big win AS A COACH AT WVU? NO. Lets be honest, we didnt pass over any HUGE names to give Stewart a chance.. And if you fall into the other category of just wanting to criticize....did you watch the game last night? You can argue specifics if you want, that the game was all about emotion for the WVU players, ETC ETC....but the bottom line is this: we were looking to hire a NEW HEAD COACH...and the guy coaching WVU in arguably its biggest game to date WON THAT GAME. And let me just throw this in: the coaching decisions made last night were light years beyond the decisions made in the Pitt game. Everybody needs to simply realize what has been mentioned many times already. Only time will tell if Coach Stewart can win consistently. BUT when is this not the case with a new hire? At this point, he is the best choice. If you look at the given situation and take it in context (dont bring up Stewart's coaching record at VMI..thats not even a comparable situation....if he would have had that same losing record with a team that had comparable talent as WVU, you might have a point) then you must agree that Stewart is the best choice. He led the WVU team through a very tough few weeks, then led them to an impressive victory over OU last night. Give the man time to take what should be a very positive recruiting situation and prove himself. Isnt that what we would be doing with any other new hire? If he doesnt win, then whose to say that any other possible hire we were looking at would have? One of those BIG names we passed over to give Stewart a chance? Who? Any other coach would be facing the same potentially damaged recruiting situation that Rod's depature has put us in....although last nights big win might have just offset some of that damage. Oh, and who was coaching that game? BILL STEWART. I for one, as a WVU fan, am very excited about seeing Coach Stewart lead our team. Why wouldnt I be? We whipped OU last night....let's all just give him the chance that the administration....not to mention the players, deemed him fit to receive. The bottom line is this: we had to hire a new coach people. And a coach doesnt just magically appear on the sideline and start winning games, and your always taking a chance with a new hire....thats just a given. And from what I have seen from Stewart as a head coach, he is worthy of this job. It wasnt our first choice to have Rod leave and to be put in this position to start with....but since we were, we had to make the best decision with the information we were provided. Taking that into consideration, I think that last night we were provided with more than enough information that this man deserves the head coach job. Having said all of that, only time will tell.....let's support Stewart, and let the man coach.
bassace5 said:
posted on January 3, 2008 5:07 PM — 69.180.245.114 — link — abuse?
If you are reading this blog, you probably fall into one of these two categories: 1) your a West Virginia fan just checking on other fans reactions to the naming of our new head coach, or 2) you are here to criticize the selection of our new head coach. If you are a fan like myself, I agree....only time will tell. But isnt that the case NO MATTER who we hire? Lets be realistic here....what other coaches were we looking at? Had any of them proved themself with a big win AS A COACH AT WVU? NO. Lets be honest, we didnt pass over any HUGE names to give Stewart a chance.. And if you fall into the other category of just wanting to criticize....did you watch the game last night? You can argue specifics if you want, that the game was all about emotion for the WVU players, ETC ETC....but the bottom line is this: we were looking to hire a NEW HEAD COACH...and the guy coaching WVU in arguably its biggest game to date WON THAT GAME. And let me just throw this in: the coaching decisions made last night were light years beyond the decisions made in the Pitt game. Everybody needs to simply realize what has been mentioned many times already. Only time will tell if Coach Stewart can win consistently. BUT when is this not the case with a new hire? At this point, he is the best choice. If you look at the given situation and take it in context (dont bring up Stewart's coaching record at VMI..thats not even a comparable situation....if he would have had that same losing record with a team that had comparable talent as WVU, you might have a point) then you must agree that Stewart is the best choice. He led the WVU team through a very tough few weeks, then led them to an impressive victory over OU last night. Give the man time to take what should be a very positive recruiting situation and prove himself. Isnt that what we would be doing with any other new hire? If he doesnt win, then whose to say that any other possible hire we were looking at would have? One of those BIG names we passed over to give Stewart a chance? Who? Any other coach would be facing the same potentially damaged recruiting situation that Rod's depature has put us in....although last nights big win might have just offset some of that damage. Oh, and who was coaching that game? BILL STEWART. I for one, as a WVU fan, am very excited about seeing Coach Stewart lead our team. Why wouldnt I be? We whipped OU last night....let's all just give him the chance that the administration....not to mention the players, deemed him fit to receive. The bottom line is this: we had to hire a new coach people. And a coach doesnt just magically appear on the sideline and start winning games, and your always taking a chance with a new hire....thats just a given. And from what I have seen from Stewart as a head coach, he is worthy of this job. It wasnt our first choice to have Rod leave and to be put in this position to start with....but since we were, we had to make the best decision with the information we were provided. Taking that into consideration, I think that last night we were provided with more than enough information that this man deserves the head coach job. Having said all of that, only time will tell.....let's support Stewart, and let the man coach.
TE
posted on January 3, 2008 5:26 PM — 204.68.245.11 — link — abuse? said:
bassace5...Try mixing in a return every now and then, bud...If I would've attempted reading through that stream of conciousness, I'd have been arrested by an acute onset REM cycle by the third line...
OUFan, Mizzou over Arkansas? Shows nothing other than Houston's motivational powers and playcalling ability were sorely missed...There was all of one win by interim coaches this season...ONE...
They didn't hang 50 in regulation, OU Fan...They hung 28...
Eye of the Tiger said:
posted on January 3, 2008 5:33 PM — 138.163.0.42 — link — abuse?
TE,
Good post #34. If you wanna talk about terrible coaching let's talk about Stoops. Not only his opening drive, but the entire game. Going for it right before half in their own territory (leading to a touchdown) and not kicking field goals when they had the opportunities (also leading to scores). By not showing respect and making good decisions his team looked out classed and out played.
OU-Ron
posted on January 3, 2008 6:01 PM — 68.12.216.68 — link — abuse? said:
I don't think you will get an argument from anyone from Oklahoma about how bad the coaching was last night, but, even as bad as it was, Stoops is still one of the best coaches in college football, and I for one wouldn't trade him today for any coach out there...
Eye of the Tiger said:
posted on January 3, 2008 6:10 PM — 138.163.0.42 — link — abuse?
I guess he ranks right up there with Spurrier, Saban, and the rest. He really seemed rattled last night though and it definitely showed in what was taking place on the field. The score looks pretty bad, but I don't think OU was ever out of it, and if you take away some of those dumb calls OU probably could've won it.
posted on January 3, 2008 6:15 PM — 205.188.116.136 — link — abuse?War Eagle Atlanta
said:
bassace5: There are three types of readers on this thread: The two you mention and then the type that likes to make fun of other posters' writing style, lack of punctuation, and multiple postings.
I guess you know which I am. Maybe you shouldn't assume anyone other than a WV would be on here solely to criticize...
OU-Ron
posted on January 3, 2008 6:21 PM — 68.12.216.68 — link — abuse? said:
I don't know who he ranks with or who would rank him, that's my opinion. I think his decision to to pooch the ball on the kickoff just before half was the turning point of the game, it was a dumb call, but tell me what coach has never made a bad call...
OU-Ron
posted on January 3, 2008 6:37 PM — 68.12.216.68 — link — abuse? said:
bassace5, War Eagle is telling you that he's not critcizing and most everyone else is not except TE, but anyone that's been on here for a while has learned to ignore him, except for sometimes he can be funny...most of the time not...have missed your books TE....
GA Boy said:
posted on January 3, 2008 6:43 PM — 75.137.174.61 — link — abuse?
Man,what a great trip to New Orleans. That game reminded me so much of the Boise St game. It was over before it really got started. The WAC needs to step it up a few notches before they try the DAWGS again!
I have to give props to the Hawaii fans. They came out in force and are a great fan base. Very polite and enthusiatic about their team. Must have been 30000 of them out of the 73000 there. It was really fun watching them celebrate during the warm ups. I am glad they all got there early because that is about all the celebrating they were doing once the game got started. I love to watch the DAWGS play on the turf. The boys are fast I tell you! 8 starters back on defense and 9 on offense. Should be another good one next year.GO DAWGS (and LSU!)
GA Boy said:
posted on January 3, 2008 6:48 PM — 75.137.174.61 — link — abuse?
By the way, I know this is a WVU thread. Good game last night Eers. I did not get to watch it all since I passed out from exhaustion from my trip and had to be at work at 1:30 AM. You guys just come to play in bowl games, huh? Maybe WVU/UGA and OU/HI would have made for better match ups. I would have loved to get some Sugar Bowl revenge for that 38-35 beating you gave us. Maybe next year!
Nice win!
kershawdw said:
posted on January 3, 2008 7:24 PM — 24.136.33.6 — link — abuse?
Bassace one name.... LARRY COKER...won a championship off of someone else's players and play's. Where did we end up every year after that until we fired him? A worse and worse record until we had to let him go. The moral of the story is some are ment to be great head coaches and others are not. Time will tell but his record as a head coach speaks volumes. I say this not to p*** WVU fans off but just to be a realist because all of us Canes have been there, you won a BCS game with a mediocre coach and we won a national title with a mediocre coach.The common denominator is they were both mediocre.
wvu_lifer
posted on January 3, 2008 7:49 PM — 75.109.107.108 — link — abuse? said:
kershawdw, how do we know he's mediocre? The man has only coached one true game. Expecting anyone to win at VMI is a stretch. We're stuck with him for a few, let's give him 2yrs before we start calling for his head. Man, it would be great if he is as good as coach as he is a person!
bassace5 said:
posted on January 3, 2008 9:08 PM — 69.180.245.114 — link — abuse?
Kershawdw...I know I typed way too much earlier...sorry, I was on a roll, but I already stated several reasons why Stewart is the best choice for us right now. In addition to failing to provide any points as to why Stewart isnt a good option for us, you didnt even say who you thought would be a better option. We need a coach now, this isnt a decision that can linger. There is buisness to be done.
Regan said:
posted on January 3, 2008 9:49 PM — 205.188.116.136 — link — abuse?
(We) 'Cane fans really can't get onto WVU for promoting an assistant to their HC job; Miami promoted both Coker and Shannon. Regardless of the feelings towards Coker, there is still a huge amount of respect for Shannon and hope for the future, even after this 5-7 season.
Personally, I hope things go well for Stewart; hiring someone who loves a team and a school and has heart is what this sport is supposed to be about.
I say give the guy a chance before giving up on WVU football's days at the top. Or, consider how well he had the Mountaineers ready for the Fiesta Bowl as his chance.
Either way, best of luck to him and WVU for the next five years.
Zac said:
posted on January 3, 2008 10:39 PM — 205.188.116.136 — link — abuse?
Hey, WarEagle-A, woke up in time to post one on the Open Thread. I see most of you enjoyed the game. I see the jury is still out on the Stewart hire.
I am worried this was an "emotional" decision; i.e. Stewart coaches WVU to this "Big Win" and suddenly he's the man.
The Good News: He does have the love and respect of his players. He knows how to motivate, prepare, and inspire his players. He's a good orator. He's a sound fundamentalist and is fundamentally sound. He has the talent.
The Bad News: He doesn't have all the tools. He has helped to recruit a couple of good players, but realistically, he needs a solid recruiting coordinator. He's definitely losing OC, Calvin McGee. He needs to find the right man to fill that vacancy. In addition, he needs to find a couple of position coaches.
Bottom Line: He's a "good ole boy" in a "good ole boy" community, in a position which cannot be run by "good ole boy" decisions. He has to think of the success of his players and the team as a whole. If he does that, he'll be successful. If he panders to old loyalties, he'll fall hard and fast.
I'm pulling for him; I want him to be successful, not just for WVU, but for Bill Stewart, a man who without question has paid his dues. Even if he never wins a NC, if he can just average 8-9 wins a season over the next 10 years, I can't see that being an issue.
Bill, congrats on the win. Best of luck to you, yours, and all the Mountaineer faithful!!!
Tampa Hurricane
posted on January 4, 2008 8:26 AM — 24.96.199.254 — link — abuse? said:
It sounds like WVU got a new HC that is going to be great for quotes. While at VMI:
"Don't let your actions give people reason to call you a n-----."
"All my life, I've been trying to shed the West Virginia country redneck image."
Hopefully now that he is at a larger school, he will have the same common sense that he had at VMI and give us football fans some more great quotes to comment about.
bassace5 said:
posted on January 4, 2008 9:52 AM — 69.180.245.114 — link — abuse?
Tampa....dude.....why are you spending so much time finding and reprinting OLD Bill Stewart quotes? Your not a WV fan...why do you care? Come to think of it..why are you even on this thread to start with?
Oh...thats right, there isnt a Miami thread for you to be on so you must be bored, just looking to grip about.
Tampa Hurricane
posted on January 4, 2008 10:23 AM — 24.96.199.254 — link — abuse? said:
bassace5, I didn't spend any time finding and reprinting old Stewart quotes. I was reading an article about this shitty hire, and his lack of thinking before talking was discussed in there. Call me crazy, but even in WV they should think twice before hiring a coach that calls players n******.
Zac said:
posted on January 4, 2008 11:07 AM — 205.188.116.136 — link — abuse?
Actually, Tampa-H, the years he's served under Nehlan and Rodriguez (In fact, Stewart was one of only 2 of Nehlan's coaches Rodriguez retained.) served him well. Instead of having this knack for meaning well, but saying something that can be taken as off-handed, he has matured gracefully. He has a wonderful knack for saying just the right thing. It seems he's developed a talent for knowing how to lift his players when their down, calm his players when their over-hyped, sooth them when they're hurting. We have all witnessed his ability to prepare and motivate.
More to the point, all through this whole thing with Rodriguez and MI, it seems as though he's known what to say and gotten it across beautifully.
All well and good. An individual who knows to whom, when, and where to say the right thing doesn't a great HC make. Obviously, there's more to it. So, as I've already said, the jury is still out. We really won't know how well he'll do in his position until by the end of next season, or maybe not even until mid-way or so through the following season. Till then, all we can do is speculate. Personally, if he does as I've suggested in Post 52, I think he'll do just fine.
TE
posted on January 4, 2008 12:04 PM — 204.68.245.11 — link — abuse? said:
OU Ron...People ignore me here? Seriously? I thought I was quite the beloved and adored posterchild for Fanblogs...
It's sad to know I'm more like the transparent wallflower, now...
:-(
OK, seriously? The dude was dropping N-bombs? He's never called plays...He's not a strong recruiter? He accepted $800K/year?
WVU's coming to a December 27th Bowl near you in the next few years...
OU-Ron
posted on January 4, 2008 12:41 PM — 68.12.216.68 — link — abuse? said:
TE, the only other poster on Fanblogs that demands more attention than you is coondawg, rest his soul, Hell don't ever go away, I learn new smack language evey time you post, by the way, I'll be pulling for LSU, although I can't stand the turtle neck...
posted on January 4, 2008 1:44 PM — 64.12.116.136 — link — abuse? said:
bassace5: Have you ever noticed on wikipedia that some of the articles are written in other languages, and one of those languages offered is known as Simple English? I guess it's on there for kids and retards. Here is your Simple English translation of my post above:
First, original, as written:
I guess you know which I am. Maybe you shouldn't assume anyone other than a WV would be on here solely to criticize...
TRANSLATION:
You know what kind of person I am. Maybe you should not think that all the people on here who are not West Virginia fans are only here to make fun of the Mountaineers. You do not have to say bad things about WV. You can say nice things about WV also. Or say things that are a mix.
Whew! That was hard. Hey, your diploma doesn't read like that, does it?
wvumounties8 said:
posted on January 4, 2008 1:54 PM — 71.164.53.73 — link — abuse?
I have followed the Mountaineers since the early 70's and find the Coach Stew is the right man for the job. It has already been reported that several of the assistants will NOT be following RR to UM, but stay at WVU with Stewart. What does tell you. Tell's me that they believe more in Stewart and WVU than RR and UM. IMHO. So, give the man a chance. He kept a team together and focused to the point that they dominated OU for 90% of the game. OU had a slim chance, but did not execute when they needed to. OU is a good FB club, with a storied past. So, I believe that Stew will continue to build on what RR started and give WVU they're storied past.
Lets Go Mountaineers..............bassace5 said:
posted on January 4, 2008 3:13 PM — 69.180.245.114 — link — abuse?
Hey War Eagle....speaking of retards, as far as this thread is concerned, it seems as though you are the poster child. If you are going to be part of that "third" kind of group you mentioned yesterday, you know, the kind that makes fun of other people's posts, then you should make sure your posts are grammatically correct before hitting the send button. In my response to you yesterday, I was simply jabbing back at you for leaving out the word "fan" from your sentance:
I guess you know which I am. Maybe you shouldn't assume anyone other than a WV would be on here solely to criticize...
What exactly is a WV?
does YOUR diploma read like that?Wow! I bet that WAS hard! You managed to sound goofy in just a few lines! At least I wrote (and, as you pointed out, reposted) a rather large entry for you to make that conclusion about me!
Actually, I dont know what kind of person you are. I dont know anything about you because what you have written is so off point that it makes no sense for you to even be on this thread. Maybe you should stick to the topic. Remember, the new WVU head coach, Bill Stewart? I was simply voicing my opinion as to why I believe he is the best selection for our team. Then you started in with personal attacks. I didnt mean anything against you, let it go man. This is a football thread. Maybe you should go to Wikipedia and see what that means.
Let's stick to football.
posted on January 4, 2008 3:42 PM — 64.12.116.136 — link — abuse? said:
Bassace: See, we did get you to use the return key to create new paragraphs, so that people might actually try and read your posts. In your monster-blob post above, the only way you could have made it worse was to have done it in ALL CAPS!!!
Call it tough love, but TE and I were helping you out. No thank you is necessary, just abide by the Fanblogs Code of Hammurabi while in here, the major one for you being #3:
There's no crying in Fanblogs!!
No shedding tears if you think people are trashing WV's coach choice. Actually, most the outsiders were complimentary in their comments. WV homers all seemed to approve as well.
Since you're new in here, I'll go ahead and list out the FCOH for you. T-Mac used to break-in the new fish, but he only posts when he can these days...
FANBLOGS CODE OF HAMMURABI. annotated, unabridged.
1) Never, ever fight a land war in Asia.
2) Never go against a Sicilian if death is on the line. (note: Zac is straight Italian, so it doesn't apply to him.)
3) No crying in fanblogs!
4) h
5) Fly your colors. Pirates will be hanged, or thrown in fanblogs jail, if they post under various psuedonyms.
6) If a movie title appears in the thread description, you must quote a line directly from that movie before posting under that thread or must take a drink. Okay guys, am I confusing that rule with another game?
What are some of the other ones?
bassace5 said:
posted on January 4, 2008 3:49 PM — 69.180.245.114 — link — abuse?
Fair enough.....but, I wasn't crying about what other people were saying, I was just trying to point out why I think giving Stewart a shot is a good move. That's all. Sorry about the non-returns, and the double post!
Thanks for the rules, I will do my best!
posted on January 4, 2008 3:57 PM — 64.12.116.136 — link — abuse? said:
TE: I challenged it, too, a while back, but it was well-established long before I came around...
http://www.fanblogs.com/washington/006968.php
#73
posted on January 4, 2008 4:01 PM — 64.12.116.136 — link — abuse? said:
Rammer: Now, now, you've never heard such talk out of me. I have never referred to Nick as 'Satan'--do a google search with my moniker in quotes and see. And despite the biblical-proportion drought in the metro Atlanta region, I still flush!
TE
posted on January 4, 2008 4:16 PM — 204.68.245.11 — link — abuse? said:
Where's SHA at, lately?
Not that I actually want him around or anything, but he did add something to the joint...Even if it was a mean impersonation of a broken record playing anything and everything that could be perceived as a sleight to LSWhosers like myself...
WVU-88 said:
posted on January 4, 2008 5:51 PM — 209.33.42.175 — link — abuse?
Of the number of people I have talked with, the consensus seems to be that Coach Stew earned a chance. Hey, RR wasn't a proven head man at a major college either but WVU gave him a shot. For those non-West Virginians that may not know, RR's previous HC gigs were at Salem College, enrollment 600, and Glenville State, enrollment 1400.
If coach Stew can keep the bulk of the existing staff together, I believe he can be successful. What bothers me a little is Pastilong could have kept the lid on this a couple of more days to be certain and to avoid the criticism he was undoubtedly going to receive suggesting this was a knee jerk reaction to one well played game.
Rammer Jammer said:
posted on January 4, 2008 5:58 PM — 199.89.170.92 — link — abuse?
WE ATL
That joke wasn't meant for you, specifically.
It was a febal stab at humor.
BTW- I live in the same area. I don't think we will ever get caught up, rain wise. This time of year is supposed to be the "wet season"; yet, still no signs of relief
posted on January 4, 2008 8:24 PM — link — abuse? said:
I want to quickly respond to a couple of emails I have gotten on the subject of Coach Stewart and why I haven't discussed the terms of his departure from VMI.
For those that are not familiar, Stewart was asked to resign at VMI after the university investigated allegations of Coach Stewart using a racial slur during practice.
Quite honestly, I did not mention this about Stewart initially because I was not aware of the allegations. After getting two emails from regular readers (who are WVU fans) I did the google thing and found the allegations in several current newspaper stories covering the hiring.
I could not, however, find anything of substance that said proved the allegations true.
It is documented that Coach Stewart was accused of using a racial slur. It is documented that VMI investigated. It is documented that VMI asked him to resign. VMI did not cite the allegations as a reason for Stewart's departure. Stewart did not cite the allegations as a reason for his departure. None of the involved parties have -- to the best of my research -- cited the allegations as part and parcel to his departure.
IT IS NOT CLEAR TO ME THAT COACH STEWART WAS "GUILTY" SO I AM NOT INCLINED TO PAINT HIM WITH THAT BRUSH.
He is clearly beloved by WVU players today, be they black, white, brown, or any other color. He is publicly supported by fellow VMI coaches from that era - both black and white.
Therefore, it is a moot issue to me.
Any comments posted to this site that accuse any person of being a bigot/racist/etc should be reported as ABUSE and will be deleted.
gatorhippy
said:
posted on January 3, 2008 10:09 AM — 209.16.115.5 — link — abuse?Sounds better than any candidate's name that came up over the last month...
Congrats to Stew and the Eers...
Handled well...