Topic: MAKO: Pouties Proven to be Liars

[W0lfman]

WISH MORE MARSHALL-WEST VIRGINIA GAMES WERE ON THE HORIZON

Publication: THE CHARLESTON GAZETTE
Published: 06/27/1997
Page: P1B
Headline: WISH MORE MARSHALL-WEST VIRGINIA GAMES WERE ON THE HORIZON
Byline: TONY O'LEARY



STAFF WRITER

For Don Nehlen and Bob Pruett, there is only one drawback to the Aug. 30 football game between West Virginia and Marshall.

It's just a one-time deal at least until 2005.Each coach called the highly-anticipated, intra-state contest a
"win-win" for both schools Thursday afternoon at a McJunkin
Corp.-Alley Cats family picnic. The two sat side-by-side under a tent to answer questions - mostly about the obvious - and sign autographs.

"There's more football being talked about in the state of West Virginia this early in the summer than ever before. We should play every year regardless of the outcome," said M.U.'s Pruett, a Beckley native and M.U. grad.

Echoed WVU's Nehlen, "We can fill the stadium playing Marshall. Why should we be playing other [Mid-American Conference] teams or to be honest with you, East Carolina? That's not to downplay East Carolina, but the problem is schedules are worked out so far in advance."

WVU assistant athletic director Mike Parsons said Thursday that the Mountaineers' schedule is set through 2004 and there are no discussions at present with Marshall officials.

Parsons said there were negotiations about more games when the first WVU-M.U. game became official in March of 1996. However, an impasse was reached, in part, when then-M.U. athletic director Lee Moon insisted WVU make at least one trip to Huntington.Marshall's move to NCAA Division I-A from I-AA prominence helped facilitate this year's matchup. The teams have met four times before, but not since WVU's 81-0 romp in 1923. The other three WVU wins, all in Morgantown, were 17-15 in 1911, 20-0 in 1914 and 92-6 in 1915.

Pruett said he hopes the drought doesn't last as long.

"In the last 10 years, a West Virginia school has played for eight national championships. [WVU] has played for two [1988 and 1993] and we have played for six [I-AA titles in 1987, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1995 and 1996].

"No other state around can say that. Let's showcase that. Why debate it Let's play and go on," Pruett said.

(Actually it's nine. Glenville State played in the 1993 NAIA title game.)

The Thundering Herd capped its I-AA stay with a 15-0 record and a second national title. Pruett said he isn't sure how much of an adjustment it will be at the new level, competing in the MAC.

"Marshall hasn't won a Division I game since 1987. We open with WVU and Army, two top-25 programs that played in bowls last year so the price of poker has gone up at our university. I think we can be competitive at this level. If we can't, then we're going to do the things we need to do to be competitive," he said.

WVU has played a MAC team every year since 1987 but none have ever sold-out the 63,500-seat Mountaineer Field. The Mountaineers haven't sold-out a season-opener since its 1991 game against Pitt.

The best and worst attended games against MAC teams since 1990 came in consecutive years. WVU drew 52,346 for Kent State in 1990 and 32,597 for Bowling Green in 1991. Last year, attendance for the Western Michigan game was 47,938 when the Mountaineers went 8-4 and played in the Gator Bowl.

Neither coach said their players can escape the inevitable hype of what some souvenir-makers are calling "The Front Yard Brawl."

"I think that is sort of natural because everyone is talking about the game. But for the coaches, it's the first game of hopefully a 12- or 13-game season. We're telling our players our goal is to win the MAC and go to a bowl," Pruett said.

Nehlen figured it might help. He said the media's downplaying of past MAC opponents have made it hard for coaches to prepare the players for them.

"You guys have already told our kids how lousy MAC teams are. That won't happen now because our kids know how good Marshall is."

The two coaches have exchanged 1996 game films but neither is preoccupied yet with specific game-day strategies - only the customary compliments.

"Marshall is one heck of a team and we better be ready for them," Nehlen said.

"Coach Nehlen is telling us this is the best defense he's had in a while," Pruett said.

Pruett said approximately 50 players stayed in Huntington this summer, including quarterbacks Chad Pennington and Mark Zban and receivers Randy Moss and Jerald Long.
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PASTILONG DISHES CREDIT FOR '97 WVU-MARSHALL CONTEST

Publication: THE CHARLESTON GAZETTE
Published: 03/22/1996
Page: P1B
Headline: PASTILONG DISHES CREDIT FOR '97 WVU-MARSHALL CONTEST
Byline: MITCH VINGLE


The only words that came to mind were those of Popeye.

Well blow me down.

"We used your format,' said West Virginia athletic director Ed Pastilong.

The A.D. spoke of Wednesday's announcement that WVU and Marshall will play a football game in 1997. In a column two weeks ago, I suggested the Mountaineers pay M.U. a flat fee of $150,000. Then I suggested the administrators figure the average crowd for a WVU-Mid-American Conference game and split whatever money Marshall draws above that.

"We thought there were some good suggestions in that column and we discussed them,' said Pastilong.

In the end, WVU decided to indeed pay $150,000 and give Marshall 7,300 tickets with any additional revenue to be split. That's a little more generous than I proposed. But it's nice that the two sides got together before the politicians got involved. And - even if Pastilong was just
being kind - it's nice to think they were open to suggestions. Most athletic administrators would never dish credit.

Whatever, the WVU athletic director said a simple approach got the two sides through an impasse.

"We said, 'Hey, let's play a game, then back off and see what happens,'" said Pastilong. "That way we could eliminate arguing over who would play where when in future years.

"You can get too many things on a table.'

Amen. Squabbles will probably surface again in future meetings, but the good news is a deal is done.

"It's the type of contract we can't do every year,' said Pastilong. "But with 1997 being Marshall's first year in Division I-A we thought it the right thing to do. There's a lot of interest.

"Now we'll just back off until after 2000 and see then.'
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WVU SEEING BIG GREEN

Publication: THE CHARLESTON GAZETTE
Published: 03/21/1996
Page: P1B
Headline: WVU SEEING BIG GREEN
Byline: BOB BAKER


"They should have announced this game on St. Patrick's Day because we're going to play the Big Green,' West Virginia University coach Don Nehlen said Wednesday.

After months of negotiations, WVU and Marshall have finally agreed to play each other in football next year.

The Mountaineers will play the Thundering Herd in the 1997 opener for both teams on Saturday, Aug. 30, at Morgantown, the schools announced in a joint statement.

"This will be an exciting time for Marshall University, our fans, players and coaches. I can think of no better way to begin I-A football play than playing West Virginia University in a jam-packed Mountaineer Field. What a great day for the state of West Virginia that will be, Marshall athletic director Lee Moon said.

The kickoff time has not yet been determined.

The contract is for one game only. West Virginia will pay Marshall a flat fee of $150,000 and will provide the Herd with 7,300 tickets. Marshall will retain all revenue from the tickets.

Marshall could receive more than $300,000. For instance, WVU is charging $22 for single game tickets this fall. If the same price stays in effect for 1997, Marshall would get $160,600 if it sells all 7,300 tickets along with the $150,000 guarantee for a total of $310,600.

Although the game is a change from the normal WVU contract in which WVU pays the visiting team a guarantee but retains all ticket revenue, the Mountaineers still should end up ahead financially with the game an almost-certain sellout in 63,500-seat Mountaineer Field.

Both schools will share equally in any revenues obtained from special sponsorships, promotions or licensing agreements made specifically for the game.

It's not clear if WVU and Marshall will play other games. WVU athletic director Ed Pastilong said the Mountaineers are fully scheduled through 2000 but will continue discussions with Marshall.

WVU was originally slated to play at home against Louisville in 1997 but Louisville officials wanted out of that game in order to play a home game with another team, the A.P. reported. That left the opening to book Marshall.

MY NOTE: and you guys insisted that WVU had to buy Louisville out????


"We are happy that we were able to adjust our 1997 schedule to play Marshall. Moving up to Division I-A is a major commitment and we want to assist them in facing that challenge,' Pastilong said.

The schools had discussed the possibility of the Herd replacing Western Michigan on WVU's 1996 schedule but that could not be worked out.

A letter from Moon to WVU officials was made public in which Moon suggested that WVU play one game in Huntington for two in Morgantown.

The game at WVU will be Marshall's first as a major college team with 85 scholarships. The Herd will leave the Division I-AA Southern Conference after the 1996 season to become a member of the I-A Mid-American Conference.

The game is a "win-win situation for everyone,' Nehlen said.

"Traditionally we've had a Mid-American Conference team on our schedule. This is by far the best school we could have because it's difficult for us to play a Western Michigan or a Bowling Green when you don't hear much about them. Our kids hear a lot more about Marshall,' Nehlen said.

"And it will be a good deal for us financially because we'll put 65,000 in the stands,' he added. WVU has not drawn well against MAC teams in recent years. For instance,
WVU had 52,346 for Kent State in 1990, 32,597 for Bowling Green in 1991, 45,418 for Miami, Ohio, in 1992, 50,483 for Eastern Michigan in 1993, 50,063 for Ball State in 1994 and 46,624 for Kent State in 1995.

Nehlen remembers playing Marshall while coaching Bowling Green from 1966 to 1976. "When I first started coaching in the MAC, Marshall was a member of the league,' he recalled. Nehlen had a 5-2 record against Marshall while at Bowling Green.

Since becoming the WVU coach in 1980, Nehlen said he's pulled for the Thundering Herd to do well in the S.C. and in I-AA playoffs.

"I've always been high on Marshall's program. I've always hoped when they played that they would win. This will be the first time that I'll ever hope that they lose,' Nehlen said.

"I'll always respected their school and I've always respected their coaching. I like Bob [new Marshall coach Bob Pruett] and think they made a good choice of a coach. He's a good guy,' Nehlen added.

Pruett couldn't be reached for comment on the game.

The university presidents said in the joint statement that they were pleased that the game could be arranged.

"The long-awaited football game between Marshall and West Virginia universities is a reality and I want to commend athletic directors Moon and Pastilong for their resolve in reaching an equitable arrangement for this first contest. Regardless of the ultimate outcome on the field, the
entire state of West Virginia is the winner,' said Marshall president J. Wade Gilley.

During Marshall's announcement last June of its move to I-A, Gilley said he hoped to see the Herd play WVU before he retired.

"There are many ways that West Virginia University has collaborated with Marshall University, and I am pleased that we have found yet another way. Additionally, it will be another opportunity to bring attention to higher education in our state,' said WVU president David C. Hardesty Jr.

WVU and Marshall haven't met in football since 1923. They played four games early in the century and WVU won all four: 17-15 in 1911 at Morgantown, 20-0 in 1914 at Morgantown, 92-6 in 1915 at Huntington and 81-0 in 1923 at Morgantown.