Usually this would be the last day of reports before the game, but with a 7pm start time, I think I’ll find time to churn out another round-up tomorrow.

In the “behave or else” category of security, there is this piece on the WVU players asking the fans to stay in the stands. There is also this attempt at what I’m guessing humor or to rip on Pitt in the student paper.

Collapsible goal posts? If West Virginia beats Pitt, is that really considered an upset?

That’s giving Pitt too much credit.

I have two words: Notre Dame. Pitt got dropped, at home mind you, by Notre Dame. That’s the same Notre Dame that needed a last-second field goal last weekend to beat Navy.
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But really, all the talk of post-game debauchery is out of place because beating Pitt shouldn’t warrant tearing down goal posts. West Virginia should beat Pitt.
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If Pitt beats West Virginia, that’s an upset.

So the goal post stuff can be put to rest. So can Grant Avenue turning into Andre Rison’s old house. After beating Tech, I was all for destruction and burning stuff, but the prospect of beating Pitt doesn’t excite me nearly as much.

This coming from a kid who watched his team go down to the Cincinnati Bearcats? Glass houses you idiot. Add in the fact that in his last line, he clearly doesn’t get the Backyard Brawl.

You want examples of what the Backyard Brawl means to real WVU fans? How about straight from the official Hoopie website. Pitt Preview, Campus Connection and Pitt Week, all written by John Antonik, an alum of WVU and Director of Internet Services for the site. Personally, I think it’s cool that the WVU site actually has some real opinions written for the site, rather than nothing but press releases. But read the pieces, especially “Campus Connection.” A really solid, personal piece recollecting the games he’d seen. It really helps get the flavor for what it means to Hoopie fans, and gets you in the mood for the game.

Another retrospective on the Backyard Brawl from ex-coaches: Don Nehlen and Jim Carlen from WVU and Johnny Majors of Pitt.

A few player pieces. Two on Pitt QB, Rod Rutherford. Then one on WVU QB Rasheed Marshall coming back from a concussion.

Then there is the Dominion Post top 5 list of the day, on the 5 worst games.

Finally, some nauseatingly good natured camaraderie between the WVU and Pitt Chancellors. Screw that I want drinks in the face, threats made, and punches thrown. I want Cheney going after Calipari in a post-game interview. Blood! Blood! Blood!