The lights went dark at Madison Square Garden, as WVU prepared to take the court for the Big East Championship vs. Georgetown. Spotlights shot like laser beams from the ceiling, illuminating the packed house, Spike Lee, Bob Huggins, John Thompson III.
The next thing you heard was the beginning of “Hypnotize” by the legendary Notorious BIG pumping from the speakers, bass vibrating off of the hardwood, “Biggie, Biggie, can’t you see, sometimes your words just hypnotize me…”…
Waiting for the lineups to be called, five Mountaineers: Smith-Jones-Butler-Ebanks-Truck sat side-by-side surrounded by teammates. They locked their arms, and started swaying side to side as the bass from Hypnotize shook the Garden. And they were smiling. There was never a doubt. We were going to win that game.
That’s Swagger.
WVU’s football and basketball programs have long carried a certain swagger. However, We’ve also seen it wane as of late. That is the ingredient which has been missing from our football program, in particular, over the past few seasons. WVU fans long for it. We’ve been missing it.
Swagger is going to Norman, Oklahoma to start your 3rd year as head coach at WVU, fresh off a Peach Bowl victory over Florida,, and deciding to pull off an onsides kick with 10 seconds to go before the half, then recovering and going for the jugular to score a decisive TD with under 5 seconds showing on the game clock.
It is Major Harris completing perhaps the most incredible touchdown pass in WVU history vs. Penn State in ’88, and instead of making a spectacle of himself to celebrate, simply lifting one finger into the air and jogging off the field.
It is Jake Kelchner, game on the line vs. 3rd-ranked Miami, hamstring torn, launching a bomb to Jay Kearney down the middle of the field to seal one of the greatest wins in WVU lore.
It’s deciding that you are going to leap over an entire Virginia Tech offensive line and you are not going to let Lee Suggs score on your watch.
Swagger is Pac Man refusing to back down from Kellen Winslow Jr., despite being 6-inches shorter, and then slugging him in the face.
It is Quincy destroying a Hokie linebacker on his first carry of the game.
It is traveling to Georgia with nothing but freshmen across all of your major skill positions, yet nevertheless being up 28-0 before most people finished their second beer.
Love him or hate him, even Dana Holgorsen had his own brand of swagger, more flash than substance, but swagger nonetheless. People were drawn to it. “You wanna win the game, let’s go win the fvcking game.”
Swagger is not getting off a team bus with Yankees hats. That’s arrogance. It’s not slogans. “Spot the Ball”, “Match the Mountains”, “Trust the Climb”. Those don’t mean a thing.
Instead, true confidence which carries gravity comes from the little things. Steve Slaton scoring a second 52-yard touchdown in the Sugar Bowl, and simply handing the ball to the referee. “Been there, done that, Bulldogs.” Major Harris has a 65-yard touchdown run negated by a holding call. The very next play, he takes a 74-yard run down to the “1” before running out of gas. Stuff of Legend. Tavon Austin stutter stepping to set up an Oklahoma DB on the sideline, then blowing by him for a 70-yard touchdown. Next level talent – recruits and fans from all across America are drawn to that. WVU football has been appointment television for many years.
And this “swagger” isn’t not necessarily outlandish, loud or brash. It’s often quiet, but those on the outside – nationally- they notice. I’m talking about moments like Jeff Hostetler kneeling in the end zone, after sticking a dagger in Pitt’s hearts. I’m talking about Mike Gansey, one arm held high, pointing at the heavens with his eyes shut, after hitting the winning free throw vs. Villanova in the Garden. Major Harris, one arm dangling, firing a touchdown pass to the corner of the end zone in a national championship game. Da’Sean Butler, beating his chest after burying a trey vs. Kentucky in the Elite Eight. Coming up Big on Big Stages. We’ve known that feeling, time and time again both on the football field and on the hardwood.
Being a Mountaineer fan is different. We are fatalistic, and we are endlessly hopeful, all at once. It’s a blessing, a curse, heaven and hell all at once. So, despite recent woes, we will pack the house in Pittsburgh, because we know that next great moment is always right around the bend.
Tomorrow, we go to Pittsburgh in search of another victory in the Backyard Brawl. And, the reason it is much more than that is that a win tomorrow goes a long, long way. It’s not the be-all, end-all. Still a long way to go in 2022. Going to Pittsburgh and defeating a ranked, 7-point favorite Pitt team on their home field – that would go a long, long way to injecting the Mountaineer football program, and Mountaineer nation, with some much needed juice.
You want to get that Mountaineer swagger back? BEAT PITT.
And for those heading into enemy territory: Let them hear us coming!
LET’S GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO MOUNTAINEERS!
The next thing you heard was the beginning of “Hypnotize” by the legendary Notorious BIG pumping from the speakers, bass vibrating off of the hardwood, “Biggie, Biggie, can’t you see, sometimes your words just hypnotize me…”…
Waiting for the lineups to be called, five Mountaineers: Smith-Jones-Butler-Ebanks-Truck sat side-by-side surrounded by teammates. They locked their arms, and started swaying side to side as the bass from Hypnotize shook the Garden. And they were smiling. There was never a doubt. We were going to win that game.
That’s Swagger.
WVU’s football and basketball programs have long carried a certain swagger. However, We’ve also seen it wane as of late. That is the ingredient which has been missing from our football program, in particular, over the past few seasons. WVU fans long for it. We’ve been missing it.
Swagger is going to Norman, Oklahoma to start your 3rd year as head coach at WVU, fresh off a Peach Bowl victory over Florida,, and deciding to pull off an onsides kick with 10 seconds to go before the half, then recovering and going for the jugular to score a decisive TD with under 5 seconds showing on the game clock.
It is Major Harris completing perhaps the most incredible touchdown pass in WVU history vs. Penn State in ’88, and instead of making a spectacle of himself to celebrate, simply lifting one finger into the air and jogging off the field.
It is Jake Kelchner, game on the line vs. 3rd-ranked Miami, hamstring torn, launching a bomb to Jay Kearney down the middle of the field to seal one of the greatest wins in WVU lore.
It’s deciding that you are going to leap over an entire Virginia Tech offensive line and you are not going to let Lee Suggs score on your watch.
Swagger is Pac Man refusing to back down from Kellen Winslow Jr., despite being 6-inches shorter, and then slugging him in the face.
It is Quincy destroying a Hokie linebacker on his first carry of the game.
It is traveling to Georgia with nothing but freshmen across all of your major skill positions, yet nevertheless being up 28-0 before most people finished their second beer.
Love him or hate him, even Dana Holgorsen had his own brand of swagger, more flash than substance, but swagger nonetheless. People were drawn to it. “You wanna win the game, let’s go win the fvcking game.”
Swagger is not getting off a team bus with Yankees hats. That’s arrogance. It’s not slogans. “Spot the Ball”, “Match the Mountains”, “Trust the Climb”. Those don’t mean a thing.
Instead, true confidence which carries gravity comes from the little things. Steve Slaton scoring a second 52-yard touchdown in the Sugar Bowl, and simply handing the ball to the referee. “Been there, done that, Bulldogs.” Major Harris has a 65-yard touchdown run negated by a holding call. The very next play, he takes a 74-yard run down to the “1” before running out of gas. Stuff of Legend. Tavon Austin stutter stepping to set up an Oklahoma DB on the sideline, then blowing by him for a 70-yard touchdown. Next level talent – recruits and fans from all across America are drawn to that. WVU football has been appointment television for many years.
And this “swagger” isn’t not necessarily outlandish, loud or brash. It’s often quiet, but those on the outside – nationally- they notice. I’m talking about moments like Jeff Hostetler kneeling in the end zone, after sticking a dagger in Pitt’s hearts. I’m talking about Mike Gansey, one arm held high, pointing at the heavens with his eyes shut, after hitting the winning free throw vs. Villanova in the Garden. Major Harris, one arm dangling, firing a touchdown pass to the corner of the end zone in a national championship game. Da’Sean Butler, beating his chest after burying a trey vs. Kentucky in the Elite Eight. Coming up Big on Big Stages. We’ve known that feeling, time and time again both on the football field and on the hardwood.
Being a Mountaineer fan is different. We are fatalistic, and we are endlessly hopeful, all at once. It’s a blessing, a curse, heaven and hell all at once. So, despite recent woes, we will pack the house in Pittsburgh, because we know that next great moment is always right around the bend.
Tomorrow, we go to Pittsburgh in search of another victory in the Backyard Brawl. And, the reason it is much more than that is that a win tomorrow goes a long, long way. It’s not the be-all, end-all. Still a long way to go in 2022. Going to Pittsburgh and defeating a ranked, 7-point favorite Pitt team on their home field – that would go a long, long way to injecting the Mountaineer football program, and Mountaineer nation, with some much needed juice.
You want to get that Mountaineer swagger back? BEAT PITT.
And for those heading into enemy territory: Let them hear us coming!
LET’S GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO MOUNTAINEERS!
