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Sylla can change the essence of WVU’s offense

MORGANTOWN Let us begin with the reality of life in college basketball: big men don't grow on trees. If they did, West Virginia probably would stand tall in the production of dominant centers as there is surely no shortage of trees for them to grow on within the state. But while other schools have harvested big men such as Wilt Chamberlain, Bill Russell, Bill Walton, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Patrick Ewing right through Purdue's Zach Edey from the last couple of years, WVU has normally had to make due with smaller or less talented centers who could dominate games. Perhaps what says this ...

Izzo-Brown’s rare long-tenured coaching career

MORGANTOWN — Nikki Izzo-Brown, West Virginia's women's soccer coach since the sport was introduced at the school in 1996, calls herself a "unicorn" and it is wonderful self-image for anyone to have. In its mythological sense a unicorn is defined as "the symbol of purity, grace and things ...

Bizjack is the scorer that WVU has needed

MORGANTOWN — For the most part, this new era of college athletics has been, shall we say, annoying, especially the idea of every year in darn near every sport fans — to say nothing of coaches and even the players themselves — have to learn a new roster of players. By the time the coach had shaped them into what he wanted and by the time the fan had decided just who his or her favorite player was, he found himself wishing him well at his next school, in the professional ranks here or abroad, or simply going out to earn a living like all of us working stiffs. That hurt, not helped, ...

Rodriguez ready to embark upon an interesting second season

MORGANTOWN — A week before West Virginia opens fall camp of Year 2 of Rich Rodriguez 2.0, about the only thing certain about the product that he will put on the field is the uncertainty of what lies ahead. Call it a sign of the times. RichRod's Homecoming a year ago was more the stuff nightmares are made from than dreams, leading him to a 4-8 season that avoided being a complete flop by a revenge victory in the Backyard Brawl against Pitt. It did little for his record, but it certainly did wonders for persona and kept the local off his tail. RichRod has some breathing room in this ...

Summer with Big 12 coaches, No. 8 Houston’s Willie Fritz

MORGANTOWN — Sometimes coaches are more alike than we think they are. Take West Virginia's Rich Rodriguez and Houston's Willie Fritz who meet in Morgantown for the final home game of the season on Nov. 21. It seems Rodriguez has been in the public eye for a long, long time. Like could it ...

Only 50 days until WVU football kicks off, yet there’s a lot to do

MORGANTOWN — On July 17, West Virginia football released a hype video on its social media platforms. It showed moments from the past, including Tavon Austin, Pat White and Pat McAfee, and showed some highlights from last season. The 17th of July marked 50 days until the Mountaineers run out ...