Associate Sports Editor |
This apparently angered many, as I received a record total of e-mails in response to the prediction. This led me to believe that somewhere there is a Chuck McGill doll and someone is beating the living hell out of it.
I have three short statements concerning the scouting report and the e-mails that followed WVU’s win.
1) I honestly thought West Virginia would not win. Keep in mind that when I’m sitting at this cubicle, I have to drop the “we” label I routinely use when discussing the Mountaineers. I initially had WVU losing 20-17, but after looking over the numbers and the scouting report, I felt that it would be a much more daunting task that originally thought. Thus the prediction.
Furthermore, I made this prediction not only in The Daily Athenaeum, but also on CollegeFootballNews.com, where I also make weekly picks.
Personally, I think it takes some serious stones to pick against your own school in front of a national audience. Unfortunately, I must then deal with the backlash when such a prediction backfires.
2) I sifted through the e-mails and noticed the many labels of incompetence that were attached to my name.
This led me to believe that I could use my incompetence as a defense to actually claim I was trying to push the Mountaineers to victory.
After all, if I am so lousy at my predictions, and I picked the Mountaineers, it is quite likely WVU would be sitting at 7-4 right now, instead of 8-3.
Makes sense?
No?
Damn.
3) Out of all the e-mails received, one thing did not escape me: each e-mail was dated after WVU sealed the win, 21-18.
I’m pretty sure I could have made an accurate prediction after the game as well. Just a thought.
Now on to other things that do not involve how much I
suck.
How good is Quincy Wilson? Well, this is how good he
is.
In what situation would a team have a running back that
could end up as one of the 10 greatest rushers in NCAA history, and not
worry about his graduation?
This situation, folks. Quincy is fantastic and will have
no problem filling the void left by Avon, production-wise.
Wilson will have even bigger shoes to fill when it comes
to leadership, however.
It appears West Virginia is now out of the Continental
Tire Bowl picture, with the Insight Bowl and Gator Bowl now in the future
for the Mountaineers.
It is still mathematically possible, at least at the
time this column was written, that WVU could go to a BCS Bowl. But that
would still take Pitt and Virginia Tech both defeating Miami, and WVU defeating
Pitt next Saturday.
Some people are telling me to get this idea out of my
head, that it’s impossible.
But who thought 8-3 and a top-20 team was possible? I
rest my case.
If I had a game ball to give out, I would do it in New
England Patriot fashion.
I have never witnessed team chemistry like this before.
From the coaching staff to the players, this group of individuals epitomizes
what a team should be.
So as spectacular as the defense was, or how huge Brian
King’s pick was, or the goal line stand, or Quincy’s big night, or Derrick
Smith emerging for the injured Miquelle Henderson, or Rasheed Marshall’s
huge third down run, etc. ... My game ball goes to the whole team.
Thank you.
Chuck McGill can be reached at:
Charles.McGill@mail.wvu.edu.
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