Ah, the paradox of controlling your own destiny. If it’s your destiny how can you control it? And until last weekend the most commonly heard phrase on Sportscenter was: “West Virginia controls its own destiny."
Whatever.
There is no destiny in college football. And if there is, no one can control it. There is, however, a little curse on the unfortunate squad that happens to be ranked #2. Now the Mountaineers have fallen victim to this curse, twice. And this one will sting for a long time.
All these guys had to do was win against 4-7 Pitt. Win by passing. Win by rushing. Damn it! Just win! It shouldn't have been hard. It was the 100th Backyard Brawl, a home game, and there was plenty of motivation. The Mountaineers were four touchdown favorites. A Pat White injury and three turnovers later, coach Rich Rodriguez and his team was left on the field speechless, watching their dreams tick off as the Panther sideline exploded.
Then again, it was a game that defied all logic. The Mountaineers could only rush for 104 yards, the lowest total since 2001, against a Pitt defense that has been less than stellar to say the least. Even before White went down, he struggled. The only points the mighty West Virginia Mountaineers could muster in the second half resulted from a safety on the final clock-killing play.
Twice West Virginia got the ball back in the last minutes of the 4th quarter, and twice they failed to score. The one thing that was not out of the ordinary was Pitt freshman sensation LeSean McCoy who rushed for 148 yards.
Pitt’s defense stepped up when they needed to.
As for any Mountaineer fan, what can you say? In a season where Michigan lost to Appalachian State, USC lost to 41-point underdog Stanford, and the No. 2 team has lost 6 times to unranked teams, this shouldn't be so shocking. Plus, you’ll still play in a BCS Bowl. That’s more than Mizzou can say. But after knowing they were so close to playing for all the marbles and coming short against bitter rivals, West Virginia fans now have a decision to make: self-immolation on the 50-yard line or on the university president's lawn.
A fan on a West Virginia blog said it best:
"This was the last straw. I am a 1984 grad of WVU and grew up 15 minutes from Morgantown in Preston County. I will never cheer for the Mountaineers again. Not ever. I hope they lose every freaking game they ever play from now on."
This guy has an idea how to make his newfound desire a reality that's almost as stellar as his WVU education. Apparently West Virginia couldn't do enough to control their own destiny.
Who knew the football gods were so cruel?
Whatever.
There is no destiny in college football. And if there is, no one can control it. There is, however, a little curse on the unfortunate squad that happens to be ranked #2. Now the Mountaineers have fallen victim to this curse, twice. And this one will sting for a long time.
All these guys had to do was win against 4-7 Pitt. Win by passing. Win by rushing. Damn it! Just win! It shouldn't have been hard. It was the 100th Backyard Brawl, a home game, and there was plenty of motivation. The Mountaineers were four touchdown favorites. A Pat White injury and three turnovers later, coach Rich Rodriguez and his team was left on the field speechless, watching their dreams tick off as the Panther sideline exploded.
Then again, it was a game that defied all logic. The Mountaineers could only rush for 104 yards, the lowest total since 2001, against a Pitt defense that has been less than stellar to say the least. Even before White went down, he struggled. The only points the mighty West Virginia Mountaineers could muster in the second half resulted from a safety on the final clock-killing play.
Twice West Virginia got the ball back in the last minutes of the 4th quarter, and twice they failed to score. The one thing that was not out of the ordinary was Pitt freshman sensation LeSean McCoy who rushed for 148 yards.
Pitt’s defense stepped up when they needed to.
As for any Mountaineer fan, what can you say? In a season where Michigan lost to Appalachian State, USC lost to 41-point underdog Stanford, and the No. 2 team has lost 6 times to unranked teams, this shouldn't be so shocking. Plus, you’ll still play in a BCS Bowl. That’s more than Mizzou can say. But after knowing they were so close to playing for all the marbles and coming short against bitter rivals, West Virginia fans now have a decision to make: self-immolation on the 50-yard line or on the university president's lawn.
A fan on a West Virginia blog said it best:
"This was the last straw. I am a 1984 grad of WVU and grew up 15 minutes from Morgantown in Preston County. I will never cheer for the Mountaineers again. Not ever. I hope they lose every freaking game they ever play from now on."
This guy has an idea how to make his newfound desire a reality that's almost as stellar as his WVU education. Apparently West Virginia couldn't do enough to control their own destiny.
Who knew the football gods were so cruel?
--Chris Nierman
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