From Rivals.com

WVU's 2008 football preview. Enjoy!

OFFENSE

THE SCHEME: Coach Rich Rodriguez is gone, but his power-spread option remains alive and well in Morgantown. New coordinator Jeff Mullen is putting his stamp on things. He has tweaked the system, installing more motion and promising to amp up the passing. Expect more deep passes down the middle in an effort to bring more balance to what already is a devastatingly good offense.


Sophomore running back Noel Devine should receive more extensive work this season.
STAR POWER: Senior quarterback Pat White is a wondrous wizard who is capable of scoring anytime he carries the ball. He carried 197 times last season for 1,395 yards (that's 6.8 yards per tote!) with 14 TDs, and he needs just 724 yards to become the top rushing quarterback in NCAA history. But he left two games (USF, Pitt) early with injury, and WVU - not so coincidentally - lost both. The Mountaineers can't afford for White to get hurt, which is why Stewart has vowed to have White pass more often. With the passing game more of an emphasis, don't be shocked if White – who is an underrated thrower – enjoys the first 2,000-yard passing season of his career.

IMPACT NEWCOMER: Watch out for redshirt freshman wide receiver Bradley Starks. The former third-string quarterback now is a first-string receiver. This team needs some big-play receivers to stretch the field and keep defenses honest. Starks has great speed and has been a quick study when it comes to running routes and catching the ball.

IT'S HIS TIME: Running back Steve Slaton left early for the NFL, but few in Morgantown are fretting. That's because Slaton's departure has created more touches for sophomore running back Noel Devine. In limited duty last season as a true freshman, Devine averaged 8.6 yards per carry en route to running for 627 yards on 73 carries. The diminutive dynamo (5-8/173) is a true game-changer and ankle-breaker who is outstanding in the open field. But depth at tailback is dicey, so it's vital the staff not overwork Devine.

STRONGEST AREA: This will be one of the nation's top lines. The top eight players return from a unit that helped the Mountaineers rank No. 3 in the nation in rushing and No. 9 in scoring. The unit also yielded just 13 sacks, the fifth fewest in I-A. The unquestioned star is left tackle Ryan Stanchek, the epitome of the quick, mobile lineman WVU has become known for. He teams on the left side with guard Greg Isdaner to form a dynamic duo. Both will contend for All-America accolades. The spot with the most competition is right tackle, where Stephen Maw is battling Selvish Capers.

BIGGEST PROBLEM: With Stewart committed to throwing more, some viable targets need to emerge. Last year's top receiver, Darius Reynaud, is gone. Staffers like the potential of Dorrell Jalloh, who had 24 catches in 2007. And at 6-8, Wes Lyons is a mismatch waiting to happen and a threat in the red zone. Also keep an eye on Tito Gonzales, a speedster who showed home-run ability in the Fiesta Bowl with a 79-yard TD catch. Don't forget about Starks. The tight end spot was neglected and ignored under Rodriguez. No more. Redshirt freshman Will Johnson converted to tight end from receiver and is the school's most promising prospect at the position since Anthony Becht. Johnson also will double as a fullback, where there's a massive void with Owen Schmitt gone. Not only was Schmitt a devastating blocker, he also was a good receiver, effective with the odd carry and a fan favorite.

OVERVIEW: The pieces are in place for this again to be one of the nation's most productive offenses. White and Devine are ultra-explosive weapons, and a standout line is in place to pave the way. It's vital the passing game develops so opponents can't stuff the box with an extra defender. And it goes without saying that White must remain healthy. Without him, West Virginia becomes ordinary.

33-5
That's West Virginia's record from 2005-07. The only school that has a better mark over that span is USC (34-5).
GRADE: A

DEFENSE

THE SCHEME: Coordinator Jeff Casteel didn't follow Rodriguez to Michigan, which means his 3-3-5 stack defense remains the norm. But Casteel has work to do with seven starters gone. Casteel is a master when it comes to scheming and tweaking his funky formation, showing an array of blitz packages that keep offense off-guard.

STAR POWER: Take your pick between linebackers Reed Williams and Mortty Ivy. Neither is spectacular, but both are sound, fundamental players who rarely are out of place. Their presence and production is vital since the linebacking corps is the anchor and heart of WVU's defense. Williams is an anchor in the middle who can stand his ground and stuff the run, while Ivy works on the edge taking on tight ends and has proved adept in coverage.

IMPACT NEWCOMER: Staffers are excited about redshirt freshman end Julian Miller. He flashed great ability as an edge rusher in the spring. At 6-5 and 220 pounds, he's a rangy athlete and could help a unit looking for pass rushers. Once he adds bulk, Miller will be a complete end capable of stuffing the run.


LB Reed Williams was named defensive MVP of West Virginia's Fiesta Bowl win over Oklahoma.
IT'S HIS TIME: Sophomore outside linebacker J.T. Thomas is primed to break out in 2008. He was all over the field late last season, making plays sideline to sideline. That quickness makes Thomas effective playing in space and dropping into coverage. He picked up where he left off in the spring, exciting coaches with his potential as a playmaker.

STRONGEST AREA: The linebacking corps has teeth with the return of starters Williams (107 tackles) and Ivy (89). The duo finished 1-2 on the team in tackles last season. Don't be shocked if the speedy Ivy, who is moving from the weakside to the strongside, emerges as an All-Big East player. Thomas is slated to start at weakside 'backer. But this unit will have a difficult time enjoying another tackle-filled season if the new starters replacing end Johnny Dingle and tackle Keilen Dykes flop at the point of attack.

BIGGEST PROBLEM: The secondary remains a work in progress, with four of five starters gone. And it didn't help when safety Charles Pugh was booted from the team. The one sure thing is bandit safety Quinton Andrews. He has developed into one of the Big East's most feared hitters but must stay motivated and focused. The rest of the secondary needs to develop. It's especially critical for corners Ellis Lankster and Kent Richardson to adapt quickly to starting roles.

OVERVIEW: This unit lacks depth across the board, so staying healthy is imperative. The front six looks salty, especially the linebackers. The key will be developing a cohesive and solid secondary. But it may be even more important for two new starters along the line to emerge alongside rising star Scooter Berry. The big guys have to stop the run and get some pressure.

GRADE: C

SPECIAL TEAMS

Pat McAfee punts and kicks, and is good at both. Last season, McAfee was 13 of 19 on field-goal attempts and averaged 42.7 yards per punt. Just 21 of his 46 punts were returned – and those went for an average of just 5.3 yards. WVU has no shortage of fleet, capable options in the return game. Devine showed his skills on kickoffs last season, averaging 23.3 yards, but he may be held back to preserve his juice for offense. Keep an eye on Jock Sanders, a burner who could emerge on returns.

GRADE: A

COACHING

Go ahead, call Bill Stewart the accidental coach. Mock his failed three-year run as VMI's coach from 1994-96. He doesn't care. Stewart was in the right place at the right time, serving as interim coach in the Fiesta Bowl and promptly guiding the Mountaineers to a stunning victory over Oklahoma. It was enough to get him the job on a full-time basis. Many of Rodriguez's former assistants followed him to Michigan, forcing Stewart to retool the staff. On offense, he hired Jeff Mullen from Wake Forest to coordinate. Ace recruiter Doc Holliday was brought on board from Florida as assistant head coach/tight ends/fullbacks. He previously coached at WVU for 20 years under Don Nehlen. Former Georgia tight ends coach Dave Johnson, who played for Nehlen in Morgantown, is WVU's third offensive line coach in three years. Up-and-coming Chris Beatty came from Northern Illinois as running backs coach. Lonnie Galloway was hired from Appalachian State to coach receivers. The defensive staff added former Kentucky assistant David Lockwood, a WVU alum who coached under Nehlen in 2000, as cornerbacks coach. Lockwood was defensive coordinator for two years (2005-06) at Minnesota. Former Marshall defensive coordinator Steve Dunlap was tabbed as assistant head coach/safeties coach. He spent almost 20 years at WVU under Nehlen and also has been a coordinator at Syracuse and North Carolina State. The lone holdovers along with Stewart are Casteel, who was Rivals' defensive coordinator of the year in 2007, and defensive line coach Bill Kirelawich, who has been at WVU for more than 30 years.

GRADE: B

DATE OPPONENT
Aug. 30 Villanova
Sept. 6 at East Carolina
Sept. 18 at Colorado
Sept. 27 Marshall
Oct. 4 Rutgers
Oct. 11 Syracuse
Oct. 23 Auburn
Nov. 1 at Connecticut
Nov. 8 Cincinnati
Nov. 22 at Louisville
Nov. 28 at Pittsburgh
Dec. 6 vs. USF

SCHEDULE

Any march to greatness won't be easy, beginning with consecutive trips in September to East Carolina and Colorado. It's vital the Mountaineers make hay during a four-game home stretch from Sept. 27 to Oct. 23. Splitting those games could be daunting, considering two of the foes are Rutgers and Auburn. But WVU has beaten the Scarlet Knights 13 times in a row, and has whipped an SEC foe in each of the past three seasons. It all could come down to the last two games. The "Backyard Brawl" at Pitt could be a de facto Big East championship game, with West Virginia aching to pay back the Panthers for costing them a shot at the BCS title game last season. But West Virginia needs to have something left in its tank for a season-ending visit from USF, which has stymied and stuffed WVU each of the past two seasons.

OUTLOOK

The messy divorce from Rodriguez finally is settled. West Virginia lost a great coach but will get its $4 million buyout. Fans also may get to gloat a bit because the Mountaineers have legit national title hopes. Michigan? It looks like a long year for Rich Rod. Stewart takes over a program that has gone to three consecutive January bowls and finished in the top 10 in each of those seasons. And the 41 victories over the past four seasons is the best run in school history. Bottom line: Things are rolling for a program that is gunning for its fifth Big East crown in six seasons, and Stewart doesn't want to mess them up. If the defense can play a little better than average, the Mountaineers have more than enough offense to advance to the BCS title game they came so close to reaching last season before that crushing home loss to Pitt in the regular-season finale.

My recent trip to Amsterdam

I went to Amsterdam earlier this week and hopped on a train and went out to Haarlem which is only about a 15 minute train ride out of the city. It was a very nice way to spend a day. Another crew member took the pictures in the first set and was gracious enough to send them to me, the second set are pictures that I took. Enjoy them!

Some interesting facts about The Bavo Church pictured below

The Pipes have 68 registers and 5068 PIPES!!
The construction of the present church started in 1347
The Church became a protestant church in 1578
The organ was installed in 1735

Visit To Canaan Valley

Was in West Virginia for a week recently and got to go to my 20th class reunion and spend a few days in Canaan Valley with my cousins. I've got pictures of the reunion coming but here are some pics of my three days in Canaan. For those of you that haven't gotten to visit the place, please enjoy the pictures, it is spectacular and will forever be one of my favorite places on the planet.

Some Hysterical Clips from YouTube...when newscasting goes wrong

Giving Fair Response Time

I finally got a response from Holiday Inn from one of my complaints. It certainly took them enough complaint letters to get back to me. In fairness, here is their response.

Thank you for contacting Guest Relations regarding your experience with the Crowne Plaza Billings, MT. We greatly appreciate you taking the time to bring this matter to our attention and apologize for any inconvenience the guest bathroom conditions may have caused you.

It is IHG's goal to consistently provide superior service and accommodations and your comments are very important to us. The feedback we receive from our valued guests, like you, enables us to target problem areas and take the necessary actions to ensure similar situations can be avoided in the future. We appreciate the candid feedback we receive and welcome any opportunity to improve.

I have forwarded your comments to the General Manager and ownership of this hotel. I know they share our vision of providing the best guest experience possible, and am confident they will take the necessary steps to continue to improve their services.

We also received your comments about the Terms and Conditions of the Priority Club Rewards program. These will be forwarded to the appropriate parties. I know they share our goal of consistent high quality, and I am confident they will take the necessary steps to achieve complete guest satisfaction.

If you have other concerns relating to your Priority Club account, please contact the service center at PriorityClub@ihg.com or at (888) 211-9874.

Once again, we appreciate you taking the time to share your comments with us. We know you have many choices when it comes to lodging and we hope you will continue to choose IHG for your future travel needs.

A New Message From T Boone Pickens

Find more videos like this on PickensPlan

My Unhealthy Relationship with Holiday Inn takes a turn for the worse.

Many of you know my long running frustration with Holiday Inn and affiliated properties. Those of you from my marching band days will remember the meltdown that I had in New Orleans with the Poydras Street property over the vanishing pillow. I'm still baffled at how a HOTEL can't have pillows! Others will have heard more recent stories of the many unclean, disheveled, and disorganized Holiday Inns and Crowne Plazas that I stay in on a regular basis. Unfortunately nwa gets a great deal with them so I'm continually punished with them. Last week I had yet another incident at the Crowne Plaza in Billings MT with a room that didn't have its bathroom cleaned. Their response was to give me a COUPON for 50% a meal THE NEXT TIME I'm there. As I point out in the letter below...offering me a chance to spend money at your business after screwing up isn't exactly a gem of an offer. Furthermore, if the bathroom in my room isn't clean I dare not even imagine how a restaurant kitchen that I can't see would look like.
Anyway, below is the original letter I sent to the manager of the property in Billings and when no response came from that the additional part of the letter I sent to Priority Club. Enjoy!

Dear Sir or Maam,

I sent the email below to the email address on the property website in hopes that the issues listed in it would be addressed and a response would be sent. Unfortunately after a week I have received no response or an indication that the email was ever received.
As a regular stayer at Intercontinental hotels I find it very disappointing that the company does such a poor job in responding to issues that have been brought to your attention.
My employer contracts with several of your properties so I'm forced to use them when I travel for work but after several complaints have been seemingly pushed aside I have decided that I will be actively working to avoid Holiday Inn and Crowne Plaza hotels on my personal travel in the future.
Furthermore, this email will be posted on my blog for all to read. I don't take this move lightly but as a member of several hotel frequent stayer clubs and a person who spends about 150 nights a year in a hotel it is important that I have a pleasant experience and repeatedly HI and CP have failed to provide that or even a response that issues have been addressed.

I stayed at your Crowne Plaza property in Billings, MT on July 2nd and would like to bring to your attention a couple of unfortunate issues that I encountered.
First, I would like to compliment the staff who was friendly and helpful at check in and check out and the van drivers were also very friendly and helpful. My issues however were with the room itself, more specifically the bathroom.
I arrived late at night and went directly to bed and got up the next morning and prepared to get ready for my day. In the bathroom I discovered stale urine on the toilet seat and on the rim of the toilet, one of the toilet paper rolls was completely empty and in the shower I discovered the bar of soap from the previous guest. I am with one of your airline contracts so my stay wasn't significantly long nor did I have the time to change rooms and still make my van pick up. In order to shower and prepare to go to work I was forced to use the dirty bathroom. Upon check out I informed the person at the desk who did apologize and offered me 50% off the restaurant the next time I visit. While the gesture was genuine I'm pretty sure that I'd have to question the cleanliness of your restaurant with my experience with your bathroom upkeep. Furthermore I'm disappointed that the solution to the problem was an offer for me to spend money with you. Somehow the thought of giving a corporation money as their apology to me seems a bit backward.
While I am not sure what compensation I should expect I'm sure that it is more than a chance to spend money at a property that I have no control over getting to stay in again. I do understand the long standing policy that hotels have taken toward crews in regards to their frequent stayer programs, in your case Priority Club. As a member of the club and a frequent stayer at Holiday Inn affiliated properties I've always been more than frustrated that I'm treated as a second class customer when I have come across situations at hotels. Policies that restrict compensation to crew members make us far less willing to consider hotels when we travel for pleasure. I might point out that service failures at programs at airlines, an industry that has a reputation for not being customer friendly, regularly compensate the individual involved no matter if the ticket was bought by him/her or the employer.
These might be two separate issues but the result is that one situation (the dirty bathroom) cannot be resolved because of the second situation (policy toward rewards members with company paid rooms)
I hope that you will take the information provided and work with your team to develop appropriate responses to service failures and also reconsider policies that feel punitive for guests staying on corporate contracts.
Thank you for your time.

Sincerely

T Boone Pickens talks about his future

Please check out his new website www.pickensplan.com It details his attempts to build a huge wind farm and he discusses the importing of oil and the damage it does to our economy.

T Boone Pickens, one of the biggest oil barons ever to live has announced that he is planning on building the largest wind farm in the world and is devoting his resources to reducing oil importation and consumption in the US. I'm impressed!

In Defense of Northwest Airlines

So I have this search set up on my computer that sends me alerts when any article that mentions Northwest Airlines is published on line. This also includes Blog mentions and many times I'll click through to see what is going on. Obviously it isn't always the best review of our product as that is the nature of the beast. When a company or an individual meet our positive expectations we tend to believe it is what we should expect and it is rarely talked about while falling short of the expectations can lead to incredible frustrations by the customer. Furthermore in a twist, expectations that one is about to have an unpleasant situation amplifies the bad experiences and oftentimes make situations seem worse than they really are.

While I won't argue with individual bad experiences as I know that they happen I do take exception that airlines are failing badly. Here are some interesting stats that we were given over the weekend.
Definitions--Load Factor means the amount of seats occupied vs. the amount of seats available. For example, on July 2nd, 86% of all the seats NWA had for sale were occupied. I can promise you if companies in other industries sold that large of a percentage of their product everyday there would be a great problem.
The other number is completion. Completion is the number of flights that operate vs. the number that are scheduled to operate. This number takes into consideration all flights including flights impacted by weather, crew, and maintenance. For example, on July 5th nwa completed every single flight in its schedule. Now this obviously doesn't mean that no flight was late or that everyone made their connecting flights but it is an impressive feat to get approximately 1400 flights a day to loaded, unloaded, catered, fueled, staffed, and safely into the air and back to the arriving destinations gate. NWA has completed this accomplishment 13 times this year and is on pace to beat the all time nwa record set just last year.

Date Load Factor Completion
7/02/08 86.0% 98.4%
7/03/08 88.1% 98.6%
7/04/08 77.6% 99.9%
7/05/08 81.1% 100.0%

Furthermore nwa has done this without compromising safety and while keeping its number one position in both on time performance AND luggage. All and all, a pretty impressive stat.
The one thing I would ask is how many times YOU can be sure of where you'll be within 15 minutes from six months out?
Just some thoughts. Feel free to express your outrage with me on it.


An addendum...
This post was started a few days ago but just finished this afternoon. This morning NWA joined a growing list of airlines and added a $15 charge for the first checked bag (which I absolutely hate) and will cut 2,500 jobs as it shrinks by about 9.5% this fall.

Minneapolis Pride Weekend.

My old roomie, Billy came up for Minneapolis Pride last weekend and we had a great time. He flew up Saturday morning and we hit the festivities at Loring Park including a concert by Deborah Cox (How Did You Get Here (Nobody's Supposed to Be Here) and 8 other #1 club hits) and En Vogue (the original lineup is back with a new album coming next year!) All in all, it was great fun.
Sunday we went to the Pride Parade and toured the city a little bit. I think I've got him convinced that moving to MSP wouldn't be such a bad thing. All my friends just need to visit me in July.
Below you'll see some pictures of the festival. I've got some concert clips coming but I have to go to a Verizon store and figure out how to transfer my video from my phone to my computer. Those will be up soon I hope

Enjoy!