WVa's Love Affair With Mountaineers Runs Deep.

[elleng]

The people of West Virginia have always been fervent sports fans, living through the university's football and basketball programs and Pittsburgh Pirates baseball as a means to escape what can sometimes be a tough life.

It's the kind of place where people could, before the advent of television, walk down the street and not miss a pitch of a Pirates game because everyone was sitting on the porch, listening to their radios. Where kids would sit on their grandfather's lap to listen to West Virginia football.

Where miners listen to Mountaineers basketball games deep underground.

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2010/04/03/sports/AP-BKC-Final-Four-West-Virginias-Passion.html?ref=aponline

[CBR]

1. I am so nervous and excited!!!

This article is so true. I can't remember a time that I wasn't watching WVU. It is part of life from birth.

[elleng]

3. Why? From Delaware? and filly fanatic?

Son in law (to be) is one of those!

Daughter student at WVU, so that's why I'm here!

[CBR]

5. Born in Bluefield, WV, graduated from Bluefield High, parents

both born and raised, graduated from Concord (a small college in southern WV), family been in WV for generations. I started liking baseball during my Dad's stint in the USCG (he was stationed in south Jersey); hence the Phillies love. My whole fam is dedicated to WVU sports.

I am in grad school in Delaware.

[Lasher]

2. Channel 13 in Charleston started running pep rally programs at 1 PM EDT today.

They'll keeep it going until the first game starts at 6.

[elleng]

4. Just returned from grocery, so I'll survive for a few hours!

We want to play WHOM? that is, we'd prefer which to win first game today?

[elleng]

6. Well, its over, Lasher.

[CBR]

7. Well that was depressing. nt

[Lasher]

8. Yep, we been whupped.

Duke was amazing! They earned the win, fair and square. I believe they'll win the tournament. I don't see how they can be beat if they play like they did last night.

And here's to the Mountaineers! They played a good game. Not a bad finish to a great roundball season.

I'm already looking forward to the fall. Maybe duke would like to play us a game of football.

[elleng]

9. any news on deshaun butler's knee or whatever?

that's a real episode.

[Lasher]

10. Da'Sean Butler's knee injury is real bad.

Mountaineers F Butler has ACL tear

West Virginia senior Da'Sean Butler was diagnosed Sunday with a torn ACL in his left knee a day after a hard collision in a loss against Duke in the national semifinals.

The Mountaineers announced the injury after the forward underwent an MRI at St. Vincent Sports Performance in Indianapolis.

Butler, West Virginia's leading scorer, drew a foul after driving into Duke's Brian Zoubek under the basket with 8:59 left in the second half of the 78-57 loss.

The senior collapsed to the court and writhed in pain as a trainer tried straighten his leg. Teammate John Flowers stood over him clapping his hands in encouragement.

West Virginia coach Bob Huggins didn't come out at first, but walked over to Butler after a minute or so as his star player lay there in agony.

Huggins barked at an official for a second, arguing that a foul should have been called on Zoubek, then knelt on the court next to his player. He leaned down to put his face nose-to-nose with Butler, cradling his head and stroking his face, trying to get the senior to calm down.

Butler pounded his fist on the court, then was helped up by a teammate and a trainer, unable to put any weight on his leg as it dragged behind him. He was lifted onto a nearby golf cart and rode to locker room facing backward, stone-faced toward the scoreboard as West Virginia's fans chanted "Da'Sean! Da'Sean!"

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/tournament/2010/news/story?id=5054764

[elleng]

11. Just found it.

Heckuvan injury.

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2010/04/04/sports/AP-BKC-West-Virginia-Butler-Injury.html?_r=1

Did you hear that he visited a woman in the hospital, who had a heart attack watching their last game?

[Lasher]

12. Hell I had a heart attack watching the Kentucky game and nobody came to see me.

Well almost. Seriously that was a nice gesture but I had not heard about it until now.

I wonder how this injury is going to affect Butler's chances in the pros.

[elleng]

13. MANY recover 100 %. Its a common ski injury.

Maybe some here could say a word, but I'd think it wouldn't have much effect.