Given the nature of family relations when it comes to West Virginia, is it any wonder that a member of the Hoopie family may be trying to fuck the coach-in-waiting and Mountaineer football?
There is some serious weird stuff going on in Morgantown. I realize the place is strange enough, but this is something extra.
Last night, twitter started percolating that there was something big and messy brewing with the West Virginia football program. Ultimately, lots of rumors and speculation. Yet nothing substantive.
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 Holgorsen has been partying a bit too hard in West Virginia.
The tension on the West Virginia staff has been palpable and not entirely unexpected. Holgerson was forced on Stewart, along with the coach-in-waiting status. The story on how much Stewart knew, when he knew and how he has accepted it has shifted multiple times. The only thing that seemed to have been clear is that Stewart was not happy to be in this position.
It’s important to note that the allegation that Stewart has been leaking stories of Holgorsen the party animal have not been substantiated. A West Virginia beat writer however, has a few dots connected to say that there is something.
West Virginia University is searching for anonymous contributors to newspaper stories it says contain “blatant inaccuracies” about the football team’s head coach-in-waiting and offensive coordinator, Dana Holgorsen.
Two senior university officials told the Charleston Daily Mail the scope includes members of the entire football program as well as other athletic-affiliated organizations.
The timing of WVU’s internal inquiry, which is a normal procedure in response to such incidents, matches up with a pause in the concluding phase of Coach Bill Stewart’s separation agreement with the university.
Two sources said the contract has been awaiting signatures for weeks, but has been tabled as the athletic department determines who has and has not participated in fabricating stories about Holgorsen and compromising the coaching transition.
…
WVU has been curious about its personnel for some time now. Weeks back, officials became aware of a series of alleged incidents that were said to involve Holgorsen. WVU began to look into the alleged incidents in the reports, beginning with a party in Wheeling before the start of spring football.
The event, which starts at a cabin at Oglebay Resort & Conference Center and moves later to the Wheeling Island Hotel, Casino & Racetrack, is organized annually by area WVU boosters. They invite the coaching staff and other members of the program, as well as other athletic department and university employees and representatives.
After making no discoveries to legitimize allegations Holgorsen acted inappropriately there, WVU officials moved on to other alleged incidents that had come to their attention at Bridgeport’s Pete Dye Golf Club and Morgantown’s Waterfront Place Hotel, where Holgorsen lives.
Those evaluations produced nothing substantiating, either, and one person familiar with the process said WVU grew suspicious the inaccuracies were coming from within.
And then came an actual incident with Holgorsen. That provided the one legitimate hook to hang the article from the Marshall-homer reporter listing the same claims WVU had already investigated.
Whether it is actually Stewart or someone close to Stewart spreading this stuff, it is creating a toxic brew. It becomes a real question as to whether the Hoopies can afford to continue with the Stewart sham for the final season. If he’s backstabbing Holgorsen, he’s toast. It also tosses Holgorsen to the head job a year early and without preparation for taking control of the entire program. A promising season could be wiped before ever starting.
Have to hand it to West Virginia. They took a look at what Pitt did in December and January and one-upped it in terms of drawn out melodrama and big twists. Pitt may have taken the harder first shot with the Haywood debacle, but that’s already faded.
The worst thing Dave Wannstedt did on his way out the door was not acknowledge the AD and keep everyone waiting as to whether he’d coach the BBVA Bowl until a week before. Small potatoes compared to Stewart possibly trying to bury the Mountaineer program and their new coach.
Give me a break. Lots of arms are apparently being twisted in Hooterville and the surrounding hayfields.
This is a quality site. No real need to use the vulgarity.
However, as Chas rarely does, there is really absolutely no need for you to correct Chas.
As a matter of fact, I can’t remember in years when Chas has used many vulgarities, therefore, I claim your post was totally unnecessary and totally uncalled for.
Chas, your articles and blog are awesome, there is no need to apologize, or even acknowledge above post. In my humble opinion.
Nothing needed to be commented on.
I’m looking askance at this whole situation – it almost seems to be fodder for a sitcom or something.
What I can’t figure out is exactly who would benefit from someone leaking stories about the HC-in-waiting? It isn’t like Bill Stewart is going to gain anything – WVU wants him out in the worst way but they are carrying a remaining $2.7M contract on him if they fire him outright (without mutually agreeing on on an exit settlement).
I suppose they could be underhandedly trying to get Stewart to either quit on his own – then they only owe him something like $800K+, or they are setting him up to have WVU be able to void his contract on an ethics charge. Either way it’s shaky at best.
Could be that it is a Stewart supporter who has gone off the rails and thinks he doing Stewart a favor.
But even if Holgorsen gets canned it isn’t like WVU is going to keep Stewart as HC any longer than previously determined, he’s out after next year regardless.
In any event it certainly is one of the stranger stories in sports for some while.
The bottom line to me is that Holgorsen is a train wreck waiting to happen and it’s a matter of when and not if.
there is a fine line between stereotypes, discrimination, racism, and ethnic slurs – you guys are treading that line.
… I mean really, who thought this shit was gonna work out?
Where’s Oliver Stone? (I would cast Charlie Sheen as Holgersen)