West Virginia Must Graduate to Higher Aspirations

Move on.

We blew the shot at a national title. We lost a winning coach.

But we won the Fiesta Bowl. We got a coach who embodies the soul of West Virginia—a good person who works hard to get ahead.

And we get to watch Owen Schmidt run one more time—in the Senior Bowl.

Stop pointing fingers. Settle the lawsuit so that no one looks any worse. Forgive and forget. Do not let the bad incidents of the 2007 Football season define you, when there were so many good times.

We have a great team returning in 2008. We have terrific fans, alumni, students, families, great facilities. More West Virginians are actually playing for the Mountaineers than ever before. We now have a great asset, who can glean Florida's fields for talented athletes. The future is bright.

We should not be influenced or upset by outside sportswriters, or fans of other programs. We know what adversity is. We know about hardships and hard work. Just ask any coal miner that has to spend his days in a mine only four feet high. 

We have a great reputation across the country as hard workers with great attitudes. When we meet other West Virginians in other parts of the country who may be wearing blue and gold and the WV, we greet each other, and talk about home and the Mountaineers.  And we smile.

We believe in integrity and honesty and openness. We are like a breath of fresh air in a world of ugly lies. Even the President visited this state six times to experience it, to realize that there are good people out there and a lot of them are in West "By God" Virginia.

So save your money for next year's season tickets. Buy your gold shirts, your WV hats, and save your voice for "Let's Goooooooooo Mountaineers."