Well, it's been quite a while since I wrote a "Mountaineer Monday" post - but I do think it's time.
In honor of WVU's first Big XII game coming up this weekend, I have 12 things to say regarding Mountaineer Football today :) and since I'm in a picture kinda mood, I'll use some pictures too (all pictures link to their source if they are not mine)!
1. It is our first season in the Big XII - and this logo has been all over Morgantown since July. It's wonderful! However, my personal favorite rendering is the T-shirt that has the Big XII inaugural logo on the front and "
Pitt still sucks" on the back - hey, some things never change!
2. As a new fan-member of the Big XII, I found myself confused on Saturday night. There was the Michigan-Notre Dame game on, a classic of old-school power houses, but then, there was the Oklahoma - Kansas State game. It was strange to be watching a game and trying to decide which team I was rooting for - and that I knew not a single player on the field. This is going to take some getting used to. I don't think there will ever be a team I hate as much as Pitt (and I really do hope we manage to get them back on our schedule again. No
backyard brawl is just weird.), but I do know I will dislike other Big XII teams more than others.
3. One thing I am proud of is that WVU has the only real-life mascot. All the rest are cartoons and people dressed in giant costumes. I truly mean no disrespect, it is a simple fact. The Mountaineer even has a real gun (no real bullets though, some potential problems there).
4. Oh, and what the heck kinda circus goes on when Oklahoma scores? I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw this: Do they take that thing on the road? Wonder how the horses will react when the Mountaineer shoots his musket when we score? (Really, I need to work on my memory, I should have some recall of this from the Fiesta Bowl...unless I was so traumatized I blocked it out...)
5. This week's "Stat the scares the heck out of me" relates to Kansas State:
Most non-offensive TD's scored by a football team since 1999? - Tied with 84: Kansas State and Virginia Tech.
Seriously, this makes me shudder. And makes my nerves related to the WVU - KState game on 10/20 already on complete edge.
WVU was on the receiving end of many many many "Beamer Ball" scores (scores by Virginia Tech's defense and special teams - dubbed "Beamer Ball" after their head coach, Frank Beamer because of his emphasis on special teams). I really hope our new coaching staff is taking note of these things. Holgorsen? Are you listening?!?!
6. And speaking of our new coaching staff. What they heck do you call this? I call it a piss-poor decision. WVU is NOT gray. We are "gold and blue". We do not wear gray helmets, we wear navy blue helmets. Please remember this in the future, thank your lucky stars we didn't lose on Saturday while wearing these, and don't do it again.
7. Because, do we need to remind you what happened the last time the uniforms were messed with?
8. I didn't think so. Moving right along, and back to happier things. Big XII conference play starts this weekend! WVU hosts Baylor and celebrates homecoming. To help celebrate, we are striping the stadium, like below. I'm super excited to see an aerial photo of this.
9. One super awesome thing about WVU joining the Big XII is that Kansas is also a member of the Big XII! And that means that
Michelle and I are going to have some fun being rivals :). And, more importantly, we have an excuse to visit one another a couple times a year! She and her DH are coming to Morgantown for the WVU - KU football game on December 1 and then on March 2 I'm heading to Kansas City for the WVU - KU basketball game! I'm so excited to share Mountaineer Football and learn about KU basketball with my heart-sister!
10. This Saturday will be our 3rd home game of the year. And our 3rd Noon kick-off. These noon games are killing me. Don't get me wrong, I'd be there if kick-off was at 7:00 am, but I'm dreaming of a 3:30 kick off! Plenty of sleep-in AND tailgate time - what could be better? Oh, and a night game or two...because frankly, there's nothing like a night game in Morgantown. See?

11. I feel like the last 3 games have been warm-ups for the "real" season. Of course every year you have the non-conference portion of the schedule to get through, but gearing up for Rutgers, UConn, and the rest of the Big East was getting a big challenging. It was more a paranoia over what game we might lose that we should win and being nervous about injuries. This year, it's totally different. Each game kinda feels like a bowl game - a big name team that we don't know much about. Coaches, traditions, chants, mascots, everything. It will all be new for the rest of the season. My nerves can't take much more "hype", so it's a good thing conference play starts on Saturday.
12. This week will most likely drag on and on and on. But Friday promises to be fun - the homecoming parade always is. And Saturday will bring the Big XII to Morgantown for real (we've already had volleyball and soccer Big XII games). I just know I'm ready. I'm ready for some big-time college football. I'm ready to see if this team is all that it's hyped to be or if we are over-rated. I'm ready to see if Geno Smith can continue to put up Heisman Trophy numbers in the face of conference play. I'm ready to turn the page and see where the story takes us!