Ann Arbor, January 30, 2008: MICHIGAN PLANNING TO ACQUIRE WOODBURN HALL
After hiring basketball coach John Beilin and football coach Rich Rodriguez from West Virginia University, Michigan is planning to acquire another venerable landmark from the Mountain State's flagship institution of higher learning: Woodburn Hall, the 19th century academic building considered the very heart of WVU's campus.
While Michigan officials refused to comment, reliable sources report that Woodburn Hall agreed to be transported brick by brick from Morgantown to Ann Arbor.
Nearby building Martin Hall looked surprised by the news, but the Mountainlair, WVU's student union that "never really got along with" Woodburn Hall, appeared relieved.
Woodburn Hall is to replace Michigan's Chrysler Tower, which served honorably for over three decades, but is being torn down next month.
Michigan officials have said the razing is a result of three decades of wear and tear, but it is widely speculated that the building's demise was also influenced by its dated 1970s retro look and its unprecedented string of four straight losses to Ohio State's Glieberman Library in the Big Ten Annual Campus Architecture Competition.
The loss of Woodburn Hall comes at a particularly inopportune time for WVU, not only coming on the heels of Michigan's luring of the two WVU coaches, but because the building recently received a $1.25 million upgrade consisting of a new roof, state of the art communications rewiring, and a coffee bar.
The building traditionally received routine maintenance, but a year ago, when the University of Florida offered to acquire Woodburn Circle to replace it's hurricane-damaged provost's building, WVU officials offered a sweetened infrastructure package to keep the century-old landmark.
The WVU community is mixed in its opinion of the news. Mark Smith, a grad student in forestry management originally from Poca, said, "I respect what Woodburn Circle has done for us over the years, so I can't really hold this against it. Michigan is a great place to be, and if good ol' Woody has decided to move on, I wish it well."
Peter Hutchison, a sophomore marketing major from Fairmont, had a different response.
"Woodburn Circle is nothing but kindling to me now. I had classes there for cryin' out loud, and I loved it, but if it ever shows its shingles around here again, so help me, God, I'll start a bonfire."
WVU President Mike Garrison had no comment on the loss of Rodriguez or the reported loss of Woodburn Hall, but he was seen meeting with the WVU Mountaineer mascot after sports blogs linked it to the open mascot position at the University of North Dakota, which recently announced plans to raise the profile of its athletic programs.
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8 months ago
What kind of bonehead would write this crap????? Can you prople not realize how big of favor you for us in WV. We were able to get a better basketball coach and recruiter for are basketball team, and a much better coaching staff and recruiting coachs for are football. Why do you people up there keep wanting to stir things up? Get over it , you all screwed up with you hiring, took the peice of shit off are hands, and we thank you for that. Probably same people who votied for Romeney, beleaveing jobs will come back to your shithole up there , are same ones to beleave that your football will as well. You all preach that MICHITGAN , has tradition?, I can't recall many players that come from there, who?, Ford who was a dumb ass republican, Brandy?, noone even knew him when playing college, Harbaugh, which I do like, but i hear he even hates MICHITGAN, doesn't want to coach there, and one of your first choice s , thats coach s LSU, was smart enough not to return, and eneimum, white boy who thinks he is black, same with kid rock, jeese, get over it , your stuck with richy rich for now, deal with it.
8 months ago
The writer of this stupid piece is weird. If this guy has nothing better to do then to live in a make believe world, then he needs serious help for his mental problems.
8 months ago
Ozzy: I am actually a WVU fan and did not intend this piece to be taken as anti-WVU. Thank you, though, for thoughtfully and pleasantly expressing your displeasure with the article and for noting that the University of Michigan has woefully little tradition other than Gerald Ford, Brandy, Harbaugh and eneimum. I am so proud you and I are on the same side.
Anonymous: you are correct; I have mental problems and I in fact have nothing better to do. Thanks.
8 months ago
haha I think this article was awesome
8 months ago
OMG - Woodburn has a coffee bar???? I never knew.
8 months ago
LOL at ozzy trying to act like losing Rich Rod was no big deal. You got a better recruiter? Yeah okay, get real nobody is going to want to play at WVU now.
8 months ago
Excellent stuff, Norm. (And never overestimate the intelligence of football fans ;)
8 months ago
Are you the real Ozzy? Because you write about as well as him.
8 months ago
wow ozzy, go to hell
8 months ago
I stand by my word, Richy Rich never did have a good recruiting class while here, landed 2 , 5 stars while here, and the first was a bust, was lucky to get Devine last year. We was just fortuant that are 2 and 3 stars panned out, which will not always happen. We did get the best recruitier in college football now with Doc Holiday. P eople seem to forget WVU went top national championship in 80,s and 90's, but never did when the Frad was here. It is the best thing to happen to WV that Richy is gone, we got the recruits we were striving for. You can't base football tradition on size of football stadium you have, be real people, game day in Morgantown, is biggest city in WV at that time. We strive on people like fropm the jobless and crime infestied state like MiShitgan, thinking there are in a much better enviroment, ha, that is so funny, you not realize we are america's best kept secret and prefer to keep it that way. I do feel a lil sorry for you all, bless your hearts.
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