WVU Cursed?

[WVUALLEN]

Are we a victim of the Chief Cornstalk curse?

I'm looking forward to the day we win a major national championship.

However, I am sad to report that this day may never come.

I have no solid evidence, but I believe there is an age-old conspiracy between the NCAA and the city of Morgantown dating back to the year we became the number one party school.

We can have our upsets, our bowl games, hell, we can even make a deep run in the college basketball playoffs, but we will never be able to hoist the most important trophies.

I certainly don’t agree with the conspiracy against this great school, but I can understand if I choose to look at it from an unbiased perspective. Which I’m totally not going to do.

For those of us Mountaineers who attend the games, and after affairs, we can see first hand the passion of the people who love their school and team.

West Virginia has long been thought of as one of the strangest parts of the country in regards to ghosts, legends and strange happenings. This part of the country, which was originally a part of Virginia, was regarded by the Native Americans as a haunted spot, plagued with ghost lights, phantoms and strange creatures.

The bodies of Indians were taken and dumped into the Monongahela River where they remain for many years, will not rest in peace.

So how real is the curse? Is it simply a string of bloody and tragic coincidences, culled from centuries of sadness of WVU sports? Can it be used to explain why the area seems to attract strange happenings and eerie tales? Or is the area somehow blighted, separate from any curse, and attractive to the strangeness that seems to lurk in the shadowy corners of America?

Fact or coincidence? Who can say... but I know that I hope, for the sake of the fans of WVU that Chief Cornstalk will one day finally rest in peace!

Let's Go Mountaineers!

some parts of above story taken from multiple articles

 

[MichiganHerd]

Chief Cornstalk must have flown out to the Michigan game after cursing WVU. UM blew a 3 run lead in the 9th as well. 4 Hits, 6 Walks, 2 Hit Batsmen, all in 1.2 innings of relief pitching.

 

[dave]

Chief Cornstalk must have flown out to the Michigan game after cursing WVU. UM blew a 3 run lead in the 9th as well. 4 Hits, 6 Walks, 2 Hit Batsmen, all in 1.2 innings of relief pitching.

I have tried to tell these guys that misery is part of being a fan. Choke jobs happen to fans across the board but they stick with you longer when they happen to your team.

 

[WVUALLEN]

Chief Cornstalk must have flown out to the Michigan game after cursing WVU. UM blew a 3 run lead in the 9th as well. 4 Hits, 6 Walks, 2 Hit Batsmen, all in 1.2 innings of relief pitching.

Perhaps it's the Rodriguez curse.

 

[steeleer]

It’s college baseball. No one north of Charlotte gives a crap. Nor should they.

We’ll be alright. I promise.

 

[AZeer]

This one is right up there with 13-9.

 

[5-Technique]

It's possible to consider that Manoah choked against Duke as he was wild to the point of making an errant throw to home from about 25 feet away. However, considering the scheduling of games and how it breaks down over a season, the ace of the staff typically has to pitch once per week and typically it's one of the games of the 3-game weekend series. This spacing allows a team to rack up a lot of wins when you have a 1-2 punch like the Mountaineers have on their staff. But the tourneys (esp the NCAA) pretty much require the use of every available arm. Throughout the year, I thought that the starters were solid, if not great more than they were bad and the closer was lights out almost every time but, the middle relievers struggled a lot of the time throughout the year and Mazey had to run his reliever out there for more than one inning against A&M because of it. I sensed he was tiring if not tired due to his elevated pitch count and loss of control, especially up in the zone. However, Coach Mazey did a great job and I am proud of the boys and what they accomplished. A lot of the regional hosts seemed to lose this year so I don't really think it was a choke job necessarily. We had a great year and hosted a tournament that we haven't hosted since the mid-50s and provided many memorable moments. I just think that the matchups in regional play are a complete crapshoot and I think the lack of depth of our middle relief corps was a fatal flaw that was magnified in a tournament setting. But be that as it may, I'm proud of the guys and proud of the coaching staff. Looking forward to next year as a lot of these kids will be back for another run at a conference title.

 

[WVUALLEN]

This one is right up there with 13-9.

I would say it's more like....

Miami Hurricanes Tremain Mack blocking WVU punt with 29 seconds left for the win.



We were leading that game 7-3...

13-9 - Pitt led the entire 2nd half. There was no miracle comeback.

 

[TownesVanZandt_rivals]

It's possible to consider that Manoah choked against Duke as he was wild to the point of making an errant throw to home from about 25 feet away. However, considering the scheduling of games and how it breaks down over a season, the ace of the staff typically has to pitch once per week and typically it's one of the games of the 3-game weekend series. This spacing allows a team to rack up a lot of wins when you have a 1-2 punch like the Mountaineers have on their staff. But the tourneys (esp the NCAA) pretty much require the use of every available arm. Throughout the year, I thought that the starters were solid, if not great more than they were bad and the closer was lights out almost every time but, the middle relievers struggled a lot of the time throughout the year and Mazey had to run his reliever out there for more than one inning against A&M because of it. I sensed he was tiring if not tired due to his elevated pitch count and loss of control, especially up in the zone. However, Coach Mazey did a great job and I am proud of the boys and what they accomplished. A lot of the regional hosts seemed to lose this year so I don't really think it was a choke job necessarily. We had a great year and hosted a tournament that we haven't hosted since the mid-50s and provided many memorable moments. I just think that the matchups in regional play are a complete crapshoot and I think the lack of depth of our middle relief corps was a fatal flaw that was magnified in a tournament setting. But be that as it may, I'm proud of the guys and proud of the coaching staff. Looking forward to next year as a lot of these kids will be back for another run at a conference title.

Didn't take you too long figure that out.

Reason why WV needs to play betted midweek competition.

Friday-Sunday is one thing but those Tuesday and Wednesday games determine NCAA Tournament play.

 

[TownesVanZandt_rivals]

It’s college baseball. No one north of Charlotte gives a crap. Nor should they.

We’ll be alright. I promise.

I disagree.
College Baseball for West Virginia is big because it is a third tier rights sport in the Big 12.
Meaning that more people interested the more money you can bring in.
This is why a lot of schools see the $$$$ in college baseball.

Nebraska played Ohio St in the B1G Tournament and 18K showed up in Omaha.
Nebraska loves college baseball. Actually went to a couple of CWS in the Big 12.

 

[steeleer]

I disagree.
College Baseball for West Virginia is big because it is a third tier rights sport in the Big 12.
Meaning that more people interested the more money you can bring in.
This is why a lot of schools see the $$$$ in college baseball.

Nebraska played Ohio St in the B1G Tournament and 18K showed up in Omaha.
Nebraska loves college baseball. Actually went to a couple of CWS in the Big 12.

Well I disagree with your disagreement. NO ONE cared about our baseball team until this run late in the year.

If you gave 99% of WVU sport fans the option of going to the game yesterday or watching a WVU football scrimmage against Ohio University at the same time, they would be at the scrimmage. Bookmarket

 

[AZeer]

I would say it's more like....

Miami Hurricanes Tremain Mack blocking WVU punt with 29 seconds left for the win.



We were leading that game 7-3...

13-9 - Pitt led the entire 2nd half. There was no miracle comeback.

YES!

 

[sg44gold]

Is WVU cursed? No.

Next question.

 

[Peaky BlindEER]

It's possible to consider that Manoah choked against Duke as he was wild to the point of making an errant throw to home from about 25 feet away. However, considering the scheduling of games and how it breaks down over a season, the ace of the staff typically has to pitch once per week and typically it's one of the games of the 3-game weekend series. This spacing allows a team to rack up a lot of wins when you have a 1-2 punch like the Mountaineers have on their staff. But the tourneys (esp the NCAA) pretty much require the use of every available arm. Throughout the year, I thought that the starters were solid, if not great more than they were bad and the closer was lights out almost every time but, the middle relievers struggled a lot of the time throughout the year and Mazey had to run his reliever out there for more than one inning against A&M because of it. I sensed he was tiring if not tired due to his elevated pitch count and loss of control, especially up in the zone. However, Coach Mazey did a great job and I am proud of the boys and what they accomplished. A lot of the regional hosts seemed to lose this year so I don't really think it was a choke job necessarily. We had a great year and hosted a tournament that we haven't hosted since the mid-50s and provided many memorable moments. I just think that the matchups in regional play are a complete crapshoot and I think the lack of depth of our middle relief corps was a fatal flaw that was magnified in a tournament setting. But be that as it may, I'm proud of the guys and proud of the coaching staff. Looking forward to next year as a lot of these kids will be back for another run at a conference title.

Lol, how the **** did Manoah choke when he only gave up 4 runs and WVU scored 0 against a so-so Duke pitcher? Was it his best outing? Absolutely not but still he allowed them the chance to win by only giving up 4. Offense, like most of the season, did not show up. Can’t blame that on a pitcher. I don’t care if Duke scored 100, still irrelevant when you score 0 runs

 

[5-Technique]

Lol, how the **** did Manoah choke when he only gave up 4 runs and WVU scored 0 against a so-so Duke pitcher? Was it his best outing? Absolutely not but still he allowed them the chance to win by only giving up 4. Offense, like most of the season, did not show up. Can’t blame that on a pitcher. I don’t care if Duke scored 100, still irrelevant when you score 0 runs

The lack of offense is a fair point but watching this team all year, their wins tended to come from leads they held onto rather than deficits they came back from and for that reason (and It's an opinion), it is a choke job. He was the ace of the staff, was/is a 1st round pick, was well-rested and still had the outing he did which included two wild pitches, a hit batter and one of worst 25 foot throws to home plate that I have seen in quite some time which allowed an additional run to score. Now I still love the guy and look forward to hopefully seeing him make the big leagues and pitch in the American League East for quite some time but I think criticism of his performance is fair, given the gravity of that particular game and what occurred. They lost as a team but they were placed in an early hole by their ace and on most days WVU was an average hitting ballclub that cannot overcome such a deficit.

 

[MichiganHerd]

I would say it's more like....

Miami Hurricanes Tremain Mack blocking WVU punt with 29 seconds left for the win.



We were leading that game 7-3...

13-9 - Pitt led the entire 2nd half. There was no miracle comeback.

I was at that Miami game, and that one hurt worse than any game I've actually witnessed from the stands. Blowing the UMASS hoops game at home was another one that stands out. Up about 18 or so late in the game. Maybe I'm related to the cornstalk dude.

 

[xWVU2010x]

People comparing this to 13-9 need to get a grip. College baseball is only given even marginal coverage during the dead spot in the sports calendar that is the Summer, and even then most college baseball tournament games are not televised. The stadiums are mostly high school-esque. That's all because nobody cares, heck we didn't care until like last week, this is not some massive collapse that we will be looking back at decades from now as the downturn for WVU sports. It will be forgotten by the first football game, and only remembered when WVU is playing in the baseball tournament.

 

[MichiganHerd]

College baseball is only given even marginal coverage during the dead spot in the sports calendar that is the Summer, and even then most college baseball tournament games are not televised.

Though somewhat true, college baseball is a lot bigger down South, for obvious reasons, as that's where the decent teams all reside who actually put forth a decent effort in being competitive. One only has to look at the remaining 16 teams as evidence - 6 from the SEC, 4 from the ACC, 2 each from the PAC12 and Big XII, 1 from an American southern based school, and the outsider in Michigan, who won't stand a chance in the next round. You can look at the final 16 teams each and every year, and the teams will almost always be a similar makeup.

Of course, it works the exact opposite in college hockey. Schools up North go all in, and schools down South couldn't give a ratt's ***.

 

[xWVU2010x]

Though somewhat true, college baseball is a lot bigger down South, for obvious reasons, as that's where the decent teams all reside who actually put forth a decent effort in being competitive. One only has to look at the remaining 16 teams as evidence - 6 from the SEC, 4 from the ACC, 2 each from the PAC12 and Big XII, 1 from an American southern based school, and the outsider in Michigan, who won't stand a chance in the next round. You can look at the final 16 teams each and every year, and the teams will almost always be a similar makeup.

Just because they're good, do they really care much more down there than up here with say, lacrosse which is big in the mid Atlantic and Northeast? While lacrosse is popular up here, I don't see people heartbroken when their team is knocked out of the NCAA lax tournament, I figure its the same down there. For the fans its something to do, it has more interest than other parts of the country, but its not some huge spectacle that makes or breaks a persons day. People need to get a grip, if you notice there wasn't even a huge in flux of A&M fans taking over our board even though there was pregame bulletin board material. Did most of their fans even realize we played the other day?

 

[MichiganHerd]

Just because they're good, do they really care much more down there than up here with say, lacrosse which is big in the mid Atlantic and Northeast? While lacrosse is popular up here, I don't see people heartbroken when their team is knocked out of the NCAA lax tournament, I figure its the same down there. For the fans its something to do, it has more interest than other parts of the country, but its not some huge spectacle that makes or breaks a persons day. People need to get a grip, if you notice there wasn't even a huge in flux of A&M fans taking over our board even though there was pregame bulletin board material. Did most of their fans even realize we played the other day?

I only know that when I spent four years down in Tallahassee, baseball games down there were pretty big, with large crowds. Obviously, not on the same level as football and basketball, but it had a following. Definitely not the case up North. Hell, Michigan is in it, and except for the fairest of fair weather fans, there's not much talk about them up here.

 

[steeleer]

Though somewhat true, college baseball is a lot bigger down South, for obvious reasons, as that's where the decent teams all reside who actually put forth a decent effort in being competitive. One only has to look at the remaining 16 teams as evidence - 6 from the SEC, 4 from the ACC, 2 each from the PAC12 and Big XII, 1 from an American southern based school, and the outsider in Michigan, who won't stand a chance in the next round. You can look at the final 16 teams each and every year, and the teams will almost always be a similar makeup.

Of course, it works the exact opposite in college hockey. Schools up North go all in, and schools down South couldn't give a ratt's ***.

And both sides are right. They are both fringe sports that pale in comparison to the pros.

They appeal regionally and that’s it.

 

[xWVU2010x]

I only know that when I spent four years down in Tallahassee, baseball games down there were pretty big, with large crowds. Obviously, not on the same level as football and basketball, but it had a following. Definitely not the case up North. Hell, Michigan is in it, and except for the fairest of fair weather fans, there's not much talk about them up here.

A sell out crowd for a Florida State baseball game is about 3000 less than who shows up for a WVU-Rider basketball game, and I would imagine TV figures if applicable are even more lopsided.