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May 29, 2011

When Pitt appeared to show slow to no interest in Dana Holgorsen. Especially when WVU swooped in and nabbed the hottest OC in college football (well, maybe after Gus Malzahn), there was shall we say — some anger and frustration over the coaching search.

There were rumors that the Pitt administration had serious concerns about Holgorsen’s reputation for enjoying a few too many adult beverages and his behavior. But that was less than clear whether it was being blown out of proportion as counter-spin to justify not pursuing Holgorse and/or letting WVU nab him.

Now, it seems that there may have been a little more to this than any of us truly realized. Holgorsen the Barbarian appears to be venturing into Billy Gillispie territory.

This story paints an extremely dim portrait of WVU’s football future.

Holgorsen has reportedly been involved in at least three and, perhaps, as many as six alcohol-related incidents in the last six months, according to multiple sources with knowledge of the situation.

That’s right, six.

The first five were hushed up, but the sixth incident at Mardi Gras Casino in Cross Lanes on May 18 has blown the cover off Holgorsen’s embarrassing antics. Nitro police were called to the casino at about 3:20 a.m. on May 18 to remove an apparently intoxicated customer who didn’t want to leave. Holgorsen was asked to step outside, sit on a bench and await a taxi. No charges were filed.

That sent WVU into damage control.

WVU athletic director Oliver Luck was summoned back to Morgantown from a Big East Conference athletic directors meeting by school president James Clements, according to sources. WVU’s president reportedly told Luck that if he read one more article about the coach-in-waiting, it would cost Luck his job.

A predictable mea culpa statement from Holgorsen followed, saying, “I will not put myself in that situation again.”

But, is he ready to turn over a new leaf?

The Intelligencer/Wheeling News-Register reported Saturday that Holgorsen allegedly was asked to leave both a bar inside Oglebay Park and, later, at Wheeling Island Hotel, Casino and Racetrack earlier this year.

Sources say there was also an incident at Pete Dye Golf Club in Bridgeport, W.Va., which involved Holgerson being told to leave and not come back. And, then, there are rumors of three incidents at the Morgantown hotel in which he lives, including being banned from the hotel bar.

Also, there are allegations he was asked to leave the Union Pub And Grill in Huntington on Oct. 28, 2008. That’s the night Marshall upset Houston, 37-23, at Edwards Stadium in a game nationally televised by ESPN. Holgorsen was the Cougars’ offensive coordinator.

Now, far be it from me to write anything that backs up a Hoopie, but WVU fans counter with two points. The first that the writer is a Marshall-homer who loves to take shots at WVU whenever possible. The second, that the “sources” for almost all of these incidents are unnamed. I have serious doubts that Luck’s job is on the line if Holgorsen goes down. It damages him, but I don’t see him getting fired.

Still, there appear to be at least three incidents to this point. The one from earlier this week and two others.

According to witnesses, it did in Wheeling earlier this year.

He allegedly was asked to leave both a watering spot inside Oglebay Park and, later, at Wheeling Island Hotel, Casino and Racetrack.

Since no local police were called and no reports or charges made at either site, those alleged situations received little local attention.

But, as long as eyeballs are open, the truth will surface.

As Jerry Hinnen at CBS Sports puts it:

Even if not all of these allegations are proven accurate, clearly there’s enough veracity here to declare the initial casino incident far from an isolated occurence. Even worse, when there’s this much evidence of a pattern of this kind of behavior, it throws serious doubts on Holgorsen’s statement Wednesday that he would “not put [him]self in that situation again.”

But taken as a whole, it’s difficult to argue Holgorsen’s pattern of behavior doesn’t indicate that the Mountaineers are handing their program (and millions of dollars) over to a man with legitimate self-control issues.

Have to agree. I don’t care what kind of free spirit he may be portrayed. I don’t care how much he can try to imitate Bob Huggins. This is more than that.

All of this makes me a bit uncomfortable and feeling somewhat hypocritical. I love the drink. I still have a drink or two several times a week. I look back with a bit more nostalgia and fondness for the heavier drinking days than I probably should. So, to take some sort of moral, judgmental position on this is uncomfortable. But when you take on full-time responsibilities — be it as a parent or a high-profile job — there has to be at least a semblance of personal control. You have to know when to reign it in for something bigger and less immediate. Otherwise, the issue is deeper and much more serious than, “well he likes to have a few drinks, and he’s not hurting anyone.”

Kudos to WVU on this. The whole matter has guaranteed that people will be talking and watching Big East football more than expected.

Holgorsen in less than a week’s time has essentially put himself in a zero tolerance situation.  Every camera phone in every West Virginia is going to be on him if he sets foot in a watering hole. He makes one bad move and it will be all over the place and WVU will have little choice but to cut him loose. I guess we will see how much control he really has over this with his job on the line.





Well WVU fans…welcome to the Haywood zone!

Comment by HbgFrank 05.29.11 @ 11:17 pm

Pitt used to have their C-Boys on the playing field: Cox, Cunningham and Clemens.

WVU counters with their H-boys albeit off the playing field: Huggins and Holgerson.

Comment by steve 05.30.11 @ 6:40 am

This guy is a ticking time bomb!

Maybe they can monitor him with an ankle bracelet or put him under a 24 hour watch.

This guy has major issues!

Comment by Nightmare between 5th & Forbes 05.30.11 @ 8:45 am

Get a proofreader! Jesus man! A 10 year-old could do better I think.

Comment by slim shady 05.30.11 @ 10:42 am

Tressel resigns,

Comment by alcofan 05.30.11 @ 11:27 am

Mike Heywood used to coach in Ohio. Maybe he’s available when he gets out.

Seriously though, as a alum of Pitt and Ohio State both, welcome to the absolute worst off-season of my life. Here’s hoping OSU comes out of this nightmare as well as Pitt came out of the Heywood nightmare.

Comment by Lee in Altoona 05.30.11 @ 11:59 am

Rev. George….thoughts?

Comment by Jeff in CPa 05.30.11 @ 12:20 pm

Slim shady, who are you referring too?? You’re sentence is no piece of English literature either!!! Ha ha LMAO!!!!

Comment by Dan 05.30.11 @ 1:48 pm

Ok Jeff, you asked for it. What would you expect me to think? Personally, I liked the man. But, he is human and not a saint. Rumors already are circulating on his replacement for 2012. Rich Rodriquiz> Hardly! The recently retired Gator coach? Possibly! Whatever, OSU will return as a Big 12 (or whatever, now, power. I wish Tressel well and am relieved he will not be cruising w.Pa. where he has enjoyed unwarranted successespecially in the “Little Washington” area. Rev. george in Columbus

Comment by Rev. George Mehaffey 05.30.11 @ 3:01 pm

Happy Memorial Day fellow Panthers.
And if it’s bad for WVU it must be good for us.

You know after the coin incident in Hooterville that could have put out Tom Herrion’s eye(I’m sure the morons were aiming for Coach Dixon), I kind of feel that way about the Hoopies anymore.

As far as Holgy, the way I see this is: he’s single, he’s living in a hotel and he’s got a lot of money in his pocket. Let’s address these 3 potentially huge problems,the way I see it.
1) Single man in new hunting area means he’s going to go out ALOT. (duh) Unless he takes up Gin Rummy with 3 old guys also living at his hotel. (who also like to drink)
OR THEY START BRINGING WOMEN TO THE HOTEL FOR HIM.
(Although if he’s already be banned from the Hotel bar, his partying with said women will be limited to his room, unless WVU rents a conference room in the hotel for Holgy to party in.) (By the way if I was AD Luck, this is what I would do, complete with Security Guard(s).

2)He’s living in a Hotel. Huge problem here, since one tends to want to leave the Hotel and your room and venture out. Who would want to stay in your Hotel room a lot, even if it’s a Suite type arrangement, which I’m sure it is.
He’s probably in some sort of Residence Inn type of situation. So again if I’m the AD, I would want to get him into some sort of house/condo/townhouse whatever ASAP. Hotel living is not helping the situation. The last time I checked you usually have to walk past the Hotel Bar while leaving or entering the Hotel. Again not good for someone with no self control.

3) He’s got a lot of money in his pocket. Again for a guy with no apparent self control, this can be a disaster waiting to happen. Perfect example are ALL the young guys in the various sports leagues with A LOT OF MONEY in their pockets.
BAR, STRIP CLUB, DANCE CLUB (Casino)…..Repeat.
BAR, STRIP CLUB, DANCE CLUB (Casino),,,,,,Repeat

So good ole Ollie the AD better hurry up and find Holgy a wife that’s fertile and get some little ones in the oven. Sort of like what they are doing with Big Ben. (No actually, exactly like what they’re doing with Big Ben., ie “Mr. Drink Like a Champion.”)

Cheers
MB

Comment by melvinbennett 05.30.11 @ 3:31 pm

Food for thought…….

While PITT, Ohio State & WVU have all had their problems over the last several years, with PITT & Ohio State having major nukes hit their football programs. It’s interesting to note, Diaper Joe and the Happy Valley diaper changers have managed to steer clear of NCAA sanctions and so forth. Especially with all the many arrests, players driving drunk, engaged in fights and mass melee which has become so commonplace, that our beloved state university in the middle of nowhere is commonly referred to State Pen(n). (as in penitentiary)

……

Comment by melvinbennett 05.30.11 @ 3:55 pm

Chas, talking about (recent) revisionist history ….

link to bleacherreport.com

Here is just one of several stories you can find that says Holgorson was Pederson’s primary candidate, even though Holgorson has long had party reputation.

Then, only after it became apparent that WVU was way ahead of Pitt for recuiting him did Pederson attempt to disassociate himself from Holgorson. Here is a story that tells you just how far ahead that WVU was than Pitt in recruiting him.

link to pittsburgh.sbnation.com

Then the hypocrite Pederson has the gall to preach discipline when hiring Heywood, then reiteates it again when the SI story came out in March. Further, not only is he a hyprocite, he has probably has the the two biggest botched firing/hiring of the last 10 years in college FB

Comment by wbb 05.30.11 @ 5:06 pm

I WISH HOLGORSEN THE BEST I WANT TO SEE A SHOOTOUT WHEN PITT/WV PLAY WITH PITT WINNING SOMETHING LIKE 66 TO 60 F PITT 66 WEST VIRGINIA 60 FINAL

Comment by RandyRndyTime 05.30.11 @ 6:28 pm

I hope this guy can curb his public drinking. His actions surely set a bad example for his charges; and it does nothing for the reputation of WVU.

Comment by MountieFan16 05.30.11 @ 6:34 pm

I’m actually with you Randy. As fun as this is, hope WVU and TCU are top of the line programs, with Pitt, hopefully, consistently in the top 20,15 or 10, with some great games at the end of the year, that actually matter nationally.

Hate WVU, them winning when they’re not playing Pitt is important for the conference.

Comment by Dan 05.30.11 @ 6:54 pm

In the eyes of University execs, Haywood’s mistakes pale in comparison…Hell, they’re likely guilty of similar transgressions themselves.

But the prospect of dropping a bleary-eyed sot into a recruit’s parent’s living room is incomprehensible, image-wise.

There is no way this guy can continue in the program.

Comment by steve 05.30.11 @ 7:19 pm

wbb…I still find it hard to believe that Holgorson would have taken the convoluted “head coach in waiting” position at WVU if he could have had a normal hire at Pitt (or somewhere equivalent).

Comment by auggie from latrobe 05.30.11 @ 11:09 pm

PITT did not suffer a “major nuke” when they hired Haywood. In fact, his transgressions were addressed within hours and his firing showed that PITT was pretty aggressive in keeping their standards intact.

Bemoaning the fact that we went from a 20s recruiting class to a 50s recruiting class is purely speculative as to what sort of ‘damage’ that will show… I think not so much in the long run. Recruiting rankings are about the most ridiculous stat in football.

The “major nuke”, if there was one, were the incidents that happened over the 2010 season and the SI article which led to the need to replace a winning HC.

Heywood’s hire will be a trivia question answer in a couple of years.

Comment by Reed 05.31.11 @ 6:11 am

To reference an old post – Dana Holgorsen is “The Most Interesting Man In The World”

I guess his catch phrase is “I don’t always drink beer…but when I do….I drink A Whole F’ing LOT!”

He lives vicariously through himself

His legend precedes him, the way lightening precedes thunder

He is the life of parties he has never attended

Police often question him just because they find him interesting

…couldnt resist!

Comment by Coach Ditka 05.31.11 @ 7:20 am

The best line of the Huntington newspaper story.

“Luck is busy trying to get permission to sell beer inside Mountaineer Field. And, now, I think I know why. Maybe, it’s so Holgorsen won’t have to leave the stadium at halftime.”

I bet that was a running joke around WV before it was put into the newspaper.

Comment by Pitt Dad 05.31.11 @ 8:07 am

Win or lose, the Hoopies Booze…

Comment by Dan 72 05.31.11 @ 9:56 am

Reed you are “right on”. And Jeff, upon further reflection I add to my response to your request of yesterday the following: Of course, Tressel transgressed. May I add the follwing to the “culpability list— the greed inherent in the world of sports both here and abroad, the sorry state of college (and pro) football, the athletic “culture at Ohio State which has the largest athletic budget, the obsession to build and build latger stadiums, and finally, the ALMIGHTY for creating us humans in the first place. Some of the above is tongue in cheek, but possible conversation starters. Rev. George in Columbus, a city which today is covered in shame.

Comment by Rev. George Mehaffey 05.31.11 @ 11:07 am

Hilarious, Ditka. LOL

Comment by Lee in Altoona 05.31.11 @ 12:28 pm

auggie, for one thing, WVU was offering at least half a million more at the time than Pitt. The 2nd reason is that WVU had discussions with him as early as Nov 14, a month before Pitt met with him. The 3rd reason is that he and WVU AD Oliver Luck were long time acquaintences.

Reed, the facts show what a hypocrite Pederson is yet you still don’t want to be believe it. He claimed in March that the SI article had a major impact on him firing Wannstedt. Yet, the facts show that within only a few days of the firing, he met with Hologerson who has had a major reputation as a partyer since at least 2008.

Our AD is full of spin and is totally full of something else.

Comment by wbb 05.31.11 @ 12:29 pm

Dana sounds like someone I would have liked to party with – back when I was in college … Go out, pound beers and shots, and pick up trashy women together if you don’t pass out or get arrested first. He seems like a perfect fit in the backwoods inbred country of WVU. It’s not like the WV women are disease-free, so no worries of him passing on new STDs to WV women. Dana and WVU are perfect for each other. He’s got a bad hairdo too – real bad.

Comment by dish 06.01.11 @ 11:21 pm

[…] Today, more of the same but a more specific allegation from WVU blog Smoking Musket: outgoing head coach Bill Stewart was the source of the story that claimed Coach-in-waiting/OC Dana Holgerson has been partying a bit too hard in West Virgi…. […]


He lost me at the “Comb Over” during the vetting process, to be honest….

Comment by Pauly P 06.08.11 @ 12:08 pm

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