I loved the '80s as much as the next guy, but ...

G: "Shoot me now, Jacque."
Me: "I can't shoot you, George. I like you too much."
Sweet Ann (from behind the cubicle): "I'll do it, George!"

I just saw this story in the Daily Mail:

WVU adds four assistants
MORGANTOWN — New West Virginia University Coach Bill Stewart is turning his staff vacancies into a "Return of the Native" scenario.
Three former Mountaineer players and coaches — John "Doc" Holliday, Steve Dunlap and David Lockwood — have been hired to rejoin the WVU coaching staff, sources said today.

Is anybody else ready to dust off their "Up the Middle-O-Meter"? I'm not trying to be a Negative Nancy, but ... eesh.

Trust me, I look back on most of the '80s with a smile and a wisp of nostalgia and a dreamy, glazed-over glance. I'm not sure I'm ready to look back on THIS part of the '80s with that same look.

Who's in for a trip to Johnstown? I'm gonna need some hockey to put this out of my mind.

Hometown proud

(Picture from thatgoddardkid.wordpress.com -- a blog by fellow New Martinsville kid Jordan Goddard)

I hope that someone gets the purchase order for the new ones in soon. And I hope they look a little less chintzy than the ones in Grant Town did. But I'm really proud of whoever did this one. That's just how New Martinsville rolls.

Quote of the Week

Paige, on Arizona Diamondbacks honcho and WVU grad/big donor Ken Kendrick:

"Don't shit in the punchbowl, Ken. It's our party."

For those who may not have seen what lead to my awarding of the Quote of the Week, here's the context from a story on ESPN.com:

West Virginia booster Ken Kendrick, who was outspoken in his support of Rodriguez following his departure, called it a "sad morning."

"He is so overmatched it's not even funny," said Kendrick, managing partner of Major League Baseball's Arizona Diamondbacks. "He's a nice guy and a father figure. But they had a wonderful architect and they hired the painter to build the next house. I want Bill Stewart to win and I want our program to be successful. But I feel bad for our future. I'm very concerned."

Really, Ken? Really?

I get it. Rich was your boy. And that's cool. I'm OK with that. But is it necessary to kick a man in the sack the morning after he picks up the pieces of something shattered at his feet, takes some duct tape, puts the thing back together and happens to make it work?

And here's the other thing -- I don't think it really matters what you think. You'll write your check or you won't. A big wallet doesn't give you the final say and it doesn't entitle you to be a total douchebag. You love this program so much? Just do everybody a favor and shut up.

About that pesky WVU coaching situation ...

As always, I'm not saying. I'm just saying. And I'm saying I'm amazed that there are more conspiracy theories about this coaching departure than there were about Sept. 11. And it's stupid.

At the end of the day, Rich Rodriguez made a choice. Every day, we all make choices. He made a choice. That's it. That's really as complicated as it gets.

I'm trapped in a glass case of emotion!!

The only thing I'm saying about Saturday:

"This reminds me of two years ago when that -- AUGH -- I DON'T EVEN HAVE A WORD FOR HIM -- promised me up until freaking 24 hours before opening kickoff that he bought season tickets for us, and you know what? It was all a lie. A huge letdown and a huge lie. Like this season's been. It's all one GIANT HUGE LIE and one giant letdown."
-- Jacque on the phone, 11:45 p.m. Saturday night, taking it all out on someone who just happened the be the unfortunate S.O.B. who answered the phone

Cooler heads since have prevailed. The sun came up, but still hasn't shined here. I really don't even mean what I said about the season being a letdown. Or a giant lie.

You want a prediction about the weather, you're asking the wrong Phil. I'll give you a prediction: It's going to be cold. It's going to be gray. And it's going to last you for the rest of your life.

It was a great idea at the time!

This came in the mail yesterday. It's just a shame that nobody's going to see it under the five other layers of clothes when Erinn and I go into Nippert Stadium Saturday night for the WVU-Cincinnati game.

I'm so excited for this trip! Erinn and Mike (her husband, whose blog you should read after this one by clicking HERE!) and I will leave on Friday and we'll eat at a restaurant you can read about here.

I'm taking my camera ... now that I've got the cord and I stopped being lazy ... to document the action. :)