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Thursday
May 2 2024
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PREVIOUS SPORTS
• Sideline: Yes, Non–Conference Games DO Count
• NCAA Preview 2009
• Sideline: Time For The Talking To Stop
• Sideline: In Memory of Air McNair
• Sideline: Will Goodell Hand Out Hard Time?
• Sideline: Marshall's Not Joshing
• NFL Draft: No Rush To Judgment
• NFL Draft Analysis 2009 (Part 2)
• Sideline: NFL Draft Thoughts (Part 2)
• Sideline: NFL Draft Thoughts
• Sideline: Will Play For Food
• Sideline: Wonderlic Scores
• Sideline: Manning and Sanchez
• Sideline: 2010 Leagues Sci–fi, or Fantasy? / March Madness
• Sideline: Break Out The Brackets
• Sideline: LaDainian Tomlinson On The Record
• Sideline: The Incredible Sulk Continues
• Sideline: Guildford Heat Fired Up
• Sideline: Super Bowl thoughts from the Valley of the Sun
• Sideline: I know I came in here for something
• Sideline: College Football National Signing Day
• Sideline: 27 Points — 27 Super Bowl thoughts
• Sideline: An Epic QB Matchup?
• Sideline: Appreciating Arizona for What They Were
• Sideline: NFL Divisional Weekend Preview
• Sideline: Bowl Season Hangover
• Sideline: Six weeks Later
• Sideline: Wildcard Weekend Preview
• Sideline: Santa's Sackings
• Sideline: A Weis Decision ...for Now
• Sideline: Eye on the Ticker
• Sideline: Lions — An Anagram of Losin
• Sideline: Ready for the Turkey
• Sideline: Making it to the Big Dance
• Sideline: Brighter Days Ahead for Chargers?
• Sideline: Unnecessary Hits To The Pocket / Upset: BYU
• Sideline: Romo's Pause / Seattle Seahawks
• Sideline: Weekend Prep: Red River and More
• Sideline: College Football's 'Crossroads' Weekend
• Sideline: Gramatical Error
• Sideline: Turning The Page
• Sideline: So Cal 'Quizzed
• Sideline: 3rd Tuesday Panic / Forté Yard Dash
• Sideline: Two and Oh; Oh and Two
• Sideline: No More NCAAffeine
• Sideline: Week 1 College Football
• Sideline: How To Spell Heisman / Chad Ocho Cinco
• Sideline: A Second Slice
• Sideline: The Favre story STILL won't go away
• Sideline: Olympic Notes / Ricky's Still Relevant
• Sideline: Committee Meetings
• Sideline: Let the QB Battles Begin
• Sideline: Slinging The Slinger — More Favre
• Interview: Clint Dempsey
• Sideline: Welcome to the 2008 season
• Sideline: Plus One
• 2008 NFL Draft Review
• Sideline: Draft: The Morning After
• Sideline: Draft: Thinking the Unthinkable
• Sideline: Draft: Ready For The Long Haul
• Sideline: Sofa–bound Sport
• Sideline: Post–Winter Wonderland
• Sideline: Six Impossible Things
• Sideline: Brady's Misdirection Play
• Sideline: Colorful Language
• Sideline: Let the Romo–bashing begin
• Sideline: Bowl Bites: The Wrap
• Sideline: All About The Coaches
• Sideline: Bowl Bites 3
• Sideline: Bowl Bites 2
• Sideline: Bowl Bites 1
• Sideline: Coach Situations Vacant
• Sideline: For Some, The Playoffs Are Now
• Sideline: A Certain Lack Of Welcome
• Sideline: Unrelated Notes
• Sideline: Two Thanksgiving thoughts
• Sideline: Halftime: NFC
• Sideline: Halftime: AFC
• Sideline: London / A Tale of Two Chads / Intimidation
• Sideline: Damp Squib / Other London Notes
• Sideline: Rock 'Em, Sock 'Em / Dolphins – The Aftermath
• Sideline: The Dolphins Did What?
• Sideline: Notes on the Defenses
• Sideline: Habits to be Broken
• Sideline: Overtime
• Sideline: This Week's Starters
• Sideline: USF: Covering The Spread / Fantastic Football
• Sideline: Grossman: The Final Act? / McNabb, the Epilogue
• Sideline: Eagles QB in Slight Controversy
• Sideline: Leftwich's Parting Gift / Boos cruise
• Sideline: Notre Dame M.I.A.
• Sideline: Looking Beyond NFL Wk. 1
• Sideline: Best Hope For Heisman
• Sideline: Coaching Hot Seats / AP Poll Feeling ’Appy
• Sideline: The NFL’s Prime Cuts
• Sideline: Michigan Falls to Killer Apps
• Sideline: Look Out Couch / The Taint's On You, Bud
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SPORTS
SIDELINE
Observations, Opinion & Occasional Silliness by Richard L Gale
TOUCHDOWN WVU (PAT GOOD)
The college underdogs continued their chip-chip-chipping at
the foundations of more established teams this
past weekend, even if the upsets were technical rather than
statistically staggering. The favored Georgia Bulldogs fell to the
South Carolina Gamecocks; Michigan lost again, this time massively
overwhelmed by an Oregon side that will probably spend the rest of
the season ranked above the Wolverines; and Boise State were upset by
Washington – though the fact that Boise State were favorites at
all is a measure of how 'what goes around comes around'. There were
no earthquakes, however. The only upset to create a tremor was South
Florida beating Auburn.
Amongst the almost-upends were Louisiana
Tech failing to outscore Hawaii, 44-45 in OT, Texas A&M squeaking
by Fresno State 47-45 in 3 OT, and West Virginia breaking away from
what had been a close contest with Marshall until the fourth quarter.
West Virginia never really felt as if they were about to be knocked
off, however. Of all the non-perennial contenders such as West
Virginia, Louisville, Hawaii and the like, West Virginia remain the
team least likely to trip over lesser foes. The combination of QB Pat
White and RB Steve Slaton is just so explosive, that a lack of a deep
passing attack doesn't seem a problem.
That is, if there really isn't a deep
passing attack. With White and Slaton getting so much attention, West
Virginia might be hiding some of their other lights under a bushel
here. Darius Reynaud looks like he might be a receiver or some note,
Owen Schmitt could be a start-quality NFL fullback, and this offense
simply doesn't work like this unless linemen such as Ryan Stanchek
are taking care of business. There's talent in them-thar hills (or
indeed mountains).
Meanwhile, Pat White may be a gilt-edged
Heisman contender. The trophy regularly goes to a player who fulfills
one of four established roles:
(1) The QB of the team that doesn't lose
any games by the voting deadline;
(2) The RB with the massive numbers;
(3) Mr He-Does-Everything; or
(4) The QB with outrageous numbers (his
team doesn't necessarily win, so neither does he, but he usually gets
an invite).
Pat White clearly fulfills role (3) in a
year when his rivals for such billing - Florida's Tim Tebow and
Washington's Jake Locker – are still establishing their
reputations. By comparison, Steve Slaton may never get the attention
he needs to qualify as THE name in role (2). By season's end expect
to see Pat White short-listed as role (3), and if the results go that
way, maybe role (1) as well.
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