Ben Ijalana Will Look out For Peyton Manning's Life

Get off My Lawn Kid

Selected #49 overall by The Colts. 

Congratulations to one of the finest players in Villanova history.

Day One Over, Ben Ijalana Not Picked

Round one recap.

LIES!!!

This is the best .gif ever. Fact just lost all credibility. Yes, just now when he said that the Jose Reyes .gif was the best ever. I took him to be a 100% reliable source who would provide only facts before this. Now I just don't know what to believe anymore. If I can't trust Fact, and every single thing that he puts on this blog, then who can I trust?

Off Topic- The Greatest .gif Ever

Jose Reyes freaking out on an umpire last night after a bullshit call.. Fucking awesome.

Dana Holgorsen is Making the Rounds

With Mahmoud Ahmadinejad

The WVU Mountaineer is A Terrible Human

The Fact on Villanova Sports Big East Photoshop Extravaganza (A Recap)

So I've taken it upon myself to use the one thing I learned in high school to vent my frustration against the obstructionist Big East Schools.  I'll use this to post all of them from the past week.

Let's begin:

Oliver Luck superimposed over Joseph Goebbels' body

Back to Basketball: Markus Kennedy Highlights

Courtesy of the man himself, h/t to VUHoops for the lead.

It's Official.. WVU is Responsible for The Taliban

Ridiculous

Apparently they take the second amendment very seriously in West Virginia.

Changeup- Preparation For The Penn Relays: Nnenna Lynch in Maxim

Here's former Villanova track star (and the school's first Rhodes Scholar) Nnenna Lynch. Apparently she posed for Maxim and was named one of People's most beautiful people.. awesome.

 Or this (after the jump)

I Knew John Marinatto Was an Appeaser

He has an oversized head

A Brief Villanova Link Roundup

Slow day today, and I'm fresh out of photoshop ideas.  Linkz!

• The Villanova women's distance medley relay has a chance to do big things this week at the Penn Relays.
• Ben Ijalana is a virtual lock to get drafted in the first two days of the upcoming NFL draft. 
• VUHoops decide to use almost the exact title i had planned for a post about football.. for shame.
• Take a look at the photoshopped pictures of Oliver Luck and others that i have been making for the past few days.. terrible, but awesome.

Today's old school hip hop song: Public Enemy's Terminator X to The Edge of Panic

I find your lack of faith disturbing Oliver Luck

I Love Football Rumors... NOT

Nothing substantial.. If I hear something then you'll know.

UPDATE: There will be no press conference.

More evidence of Oliver Luck's subversive activities

Here's another photo an anonymous tipster sent us of Oliver Luck brokering an arms deal with Saddam Hussein in the early 80's.  It's truly amazing what this man has gotten away with.

Now we know how Dana Holgorsen got the WVU job

With Slobodan Milosevic

If you're a Bosniak, I would suggest getting out of Morgantown (I don't know why you're in West Virginia in the first place)

Oliver Luck Killed President Lincoln!?

What a pitiful human being..

Oh yeah.. Happy Easter

WTF GREG SCHIANO TOO!?

Choppin Sieg Heil

This is getting ridiculous..

Finally.. a reason to visit Providence

Jamine Peterson, a former Providence forward who has left the program, has revealed that he did so in order to avoid disciplinary action for arranging sex acts for recruits visiting the school.

Says Peterson:

"(Providence coaches) would tell us to have a good time but be careful and stay out of trouble. They knew we were going to show him some love with a female."

He also implied that this wasn't a new phenomenon:

"I was doing what they did to me when I was in the recruiting process," said Peterson. "Every time a recruit visits, the coaches would ask us if we can take them out and show them a good time."

Peterson on the willingness of one particular jersey chaser to help the cause:

That's exactly what Peterson did. He called a female who the Providence players called numerous times to perform oral sex on recruits. According to Peterson, "She always says that's her hobby. That's what she likes to do. She wants to be a porn star."

How many recruits does Peterson recall her performing oral sex on? "Let's just say she's in double figures."

I'd like to say that I'm surprised by Peterson's revelations, but as you can see in this screen capture from a certain Spike Lee film, these types of accommodations for recruits are nothing new. 

See.. It Happens Everywhere

And to think.. All Bruce Pearl did was make a few impermissible phone calls and take a couple kids to a barbecue at his house.

Finally, Cam'ron offers his comment:

The Hits Keep Coming for Oliver Luck

Yet another anonymous tipster has sent us a picture of Oliver Luck with another ruthless dictator.  This time it is a bit more modern day.  I can only assume this meeting between Colonel Gaddafi and Luck happened relatively recently.

More incriminating details emerge from Oliver Luck's past

"Let's see you try to get past this iron curtain Nova"

After we previously reported our discoveryof  a photo of Oliver Luck with Hitler, an anonymous tipster sent us this photo of Luck with Joseph Stalin in 1922.  It's amazing what kinds of connections this man has made throughout his life.

I knew I recognized Oliver Luck from somewhere

With Hitler at Berlin in 1935

 

 

 

I knew I had seen Oliver Luck somewhere, but I couldn't pinpoint it, but after doing some Google images sleuthing, I finally figured out where I had seen him.  Above is the finest evidence of Oliver Luck's affiliation with Hitler. Note that he was in charge of TWO German NFL Europe teams, so he's obviously a Nazi.

When you fight with West Virginia fans

remember that this is who you're dealing with:

WVU Fans Have Potty Mouths

Here's an unprovoked barrage of insults (in reverse chronological order) from West Virginia fans last night on my twitter after I offered a fairly intelligent and balanced criticism of their athletic director yesterday.

What incentive is there for Oliver Luck to talk?

I really can't figure out why West Virginia athletic director Oliver Luck has taken it on his shoulders to be the only person in the conference in a position of power who is willing to say anything.  He has basically been saying "I'm not allowed to say anything, but I'm going to talk about Villanova anyways."   His willingness to defy what seems to be a clear order from Providence is an extension of his middle finger to the Big East administrators, particularly John Marinatto.

As you can tell from Luck's comments, he isn't much of a fan of Villanova joining;

"There are two sort of questions I think that people have," Luck said.  "One is really what are the facilities that Villanova is able to use and how do those fit into the Big East with what we have now with our football schools.  Are those really at a level that are BCS, automatic qualifier appropriate for a conference like ours?  I think that's the first question and obviously the conference didn't feel quite comfortable with all the information regarding what I would call the infrastructure question."

I would like to point out to Oliver Luck that the ACC, (a conference that I'm sure WVU would jump at the opportunity to join if invited,) has two stadiums with capacities of less than 35,000, (Duke and Wake Forest,) and the SEC, (which Luck would blow his load if he was invited to,) has one with a capacity of less than 40,000, (Vanderbilt,) and none of these conference's statuses as an automatic qualifier are in doubt.  The fact is that PPL should be viewed as an asset, because it would instantly become the stadium in the conference with the nicest amenities, and as the former GM of the Houston Dynamo, Oliver Luck should know that these soccer stadiums are first class facilities, and a 30,000 seat all-seater PPL park will likely be one of the conference's nicest stadiums.

He went on to say:

"When we talk about adding a 10th member, the question is what does that 10th member bring and what are the other options, quite honestly," Luck continued. "It's sort of like buying a car, you don't go and just look at one model.  You look around and say what are the different options, what are the different prices, and what are the plusses and minuses?  I think a lot of schools were interested in having a better sense of what other possibilities would be out there."

This is funny because I didn't know that people from West Virginia had cars Luck is making it abundantly clear that he, and his university fancy themselves as "big time".  I'm sorry Mr. Luck, but who are you going to add that won't make the conference something big and unwieldy? So please Mr. Luck, get off your high horse, step into the real world, and stop being such an elitist dick, because no one is forgetting the fact that YOU'RE IN WEST VIRGINIA!

Dear Oliver Luck: Shut up

If the conference tells you to shut up, that isn't an invitation to keep talking.

Rutgers(NJ) is trying to get civilized

I really don't see the problem here?

They canceled Rutgersfest.. Step one to integrate itself into civil society.

Kemba Walker's Reading Habits Make UConn Look Like a Joke (because it is)

Not a member of Oprah's Book Club

Kemba Walker is graduating from UConn in three years with a degree in sociology (good for him).  Also notable about Walker is the fact that he just recently read his first book from cover to cover.

Now I'm not a star student by any means, and I'm definitely not nearly as good of an athlete as Kemba Walker, but I want to know how it's possible to make it through college (or high school for that matter) having never completed a book.

An article that hits the nail on the head re: Villanova v. Big East

In an article posted last night, Joseph Santoliquito from Patch Media rightly places the blame squarely on the shoulders of the Big East.  Among other things he notes that it was not Villanova who approached the Big East, but the converse.

Santoliquito is skeptical as to the underlying motivations of the three schools that are believed to be the ones obstructing such a move:

"There are some Big East schools that aren’t bubbling with enthusiasm over the prospect of Villanova entering the Big East. Rutgers, Pittsburgh and West Virginia are allegedly the schools in the way. There have been reported concerns about how a small school like Villanova, relatively speaking to West Virginia, Rutgers and Pitt, actually benefits the league. But another more serious underlying issue is that Villanova will be tapping into some of the fertile high school recruiting grounds in Southeastern Pennsylvania, and the Delaware Valley area that currently being mined by that trio of Big East schools."

 Getting down to specifics:  

Pottsgrove High School standout Terrell Chestnut is a classic example. The prized senior defensive back originally gave a verbal commitment to Pittsburgh, but when the school fired football coach Dave Wannstedt, Chestnut changed his mind. Once it was made public Chestnut was available again, Villanova showed interest, but West Virginia, Chestnut’s second choice originally, won out this time.

So as you can see through reading that article, Villanova was the one being pursued, not the other way around, and because of that it's pretty easy to draw the conclusion that the Big East should garner at least the majority of the blame.  Something that is encouraging about this article is the fact that with very few exceptions, the Philly media is firmly in Villanova's corner.

The Big East has begun contract negotiations with ESPN

Well, the Big East has begun renegotiating its contract with the worldwide leader according to Sports Business Daily.  While the initial offer is between $110 million and $130 million, the Big East is split as to whether or not to do as other conferences have and bring in some competition to give them a bit of a financial boost beyond what the mothership is offering them.

Why Rutgers(NJ) is such a shithole

Villanova doesn't have enough mixed gender fighting, shootings, or demented former players for their liking I guess.

Report: Father Peter Wasn't Much Help

According to a new report in The Philadelphia Daily News, Father Peter Donahue gave a flaccid presentation to the rest of the Big East in March which did nothing to help sway opinion.  The article goes on to say that he's fully on the side of upgrading now after people started ponying up the money.

We'll see what comes out in the near future, because much to The Prezel Man's chagrin, this deal might still happen.

Keep voting for Brian Karalunas

Brian Karalunas of the Villanova lacrosse team is currently in the lead in the fan voting for the Lowe's Senior CLASS Award.  However, some dude from Syracuse is catching up though, and the gap is shrinking by the day, so a vote for Karalunas not only helps a Villanova player, but it hurts a player for Syracuse.. The very definition of a win-win situation.

An Open Letter to John Marinatto

Mr. Marinatto-

I understand that managing an athletic conference with 16 teams is not a simple task; I also realize that the conference cannot be expected to comment on every issue, especially issues such as the Villanova Football situation that are have such wide reaching implications on the future of the Big East, but the conference's decision to make no comment on this situation has opened the floodgates to a wave of speculation and cynicism regarding the future viability of the conference.  In my opinion, you owe the Villanova fans who have sat patiently through this long, seven month process an explanation beyond the abortion of a press release that was issued earlier in the week.

Just a little bit of transparency is all we want.

Sincerely,

X

Video: Andy Talley speaks about the Bone Marrow Drive

As most  of you know, Andy Talley is very involved in getting people registered for the national bone marrow registry, and several Villanova players including Szczur Christ have donated bone marrow.  Well, the annual marrow drive was yesterday, and they got 600 new names added to the list.    

Here's Coach Talley going into a bit more detail: 

more about the program:

Welcome to the Jungle Update-

I'm he gets on and does a duet with Samwell.

The Giants like Ben Ijalana

pleasepleasepleaseplease

30 Years Ago Today

In a twist of irony given the current situation, Villanova dropped football 30 years ago today.  In perhaps the best personal account I have ever seen on the subject, Villanova alum Jim DeLorenzo gives his account of Villanova dropping football on April 14, 1981 from the perspective of a student manager on the team.  I recommend it to anyone, especially people who don't understand the unethical circumstances in which the program was dropped.

Bring it UCF Commentors

Will says bring it on. He's a grown man.
Simba........Da lion

On The Banks is entirely off base

A couple days ago, I got into a bit of an exchange on twitter with the guy who writes On the Banks, a Rutgers(NJ) blog over at SB Nation.  He's basically of the position that Villanova should be kept out of the Big East at all cost, and even accused the Philadelphia media of smearing RU(NJ) and Pitt over a debacle they helped create (he clearly has no knowledge on how willing the members of the Philly media are to shit on Villanova for personal gain.)  His most recent post on the matter is a call to arms to split the Big East along football lines.

Shortsighted blowhards and Rutgers(NJ) fans who call for a split do so for two reasons

1. They do not recognize the true implications of a split because of ignorant bravado. 
2. Pure ignorance and stupidity. 

It's a well established fact that Rutgers(NJ) is not a model of how to run an athletic department in an ethical manner, a perennial powerhouse on the field, or a powerhouse academically, and since Rutgers(NJ) is none of these things, the proselytizing by On the Banks about how Villanova would be a "marginal member" (a favorite term of On the Banks) of the conference for football is completely off base.  The only problem is that people in the mainstream media generally accept them as a fact despite the fact that the school that is arguably Villanova's closest peer institution routinely makes it to bowl games (and wins them).

It kind of makes me wonder if they're just afraid to have another team that will kick their ass.

My e-mail to Orlando Sentinel columnist Mike Bianchi

Here's an email i sent to Mike Bianchi of the Orlando Sentinel.. it's a bit rambling, but that's fine.
 
Mike,

I have been reading your columns for the past few months simply because I find your willingness to shill for UCF comical.  The fact remains that the cons of adding UCF far outweigh the pros.  Yes it is a big school with a nice stadium and an emerging fanbase in a fertile recruiting ground, but at the same time they have a genuine fraud for a head coach, a less than sterling reputation academically, and they play in a less attractive market than Villanova.  Anyone who would add UCF simply to have a tenth member should have their head examined.  Why would a conference that has yet to see the implications of having 17 all sports members add an 18th when it still does not have a test case for the stability of the conference with 17?  Aside from the fraud they have on the sideline, I respect what The Knights have done on the field, but any school that would hire George O'Leary after what happened at Notre Dame, and his own practice facility doesn't deserve to be treated as though they are "big time".

sincerely,

Someone who does not ask college coaches about the sexual habits of their athletes

Villanova (Mr.) Brightsiding

That is (Mr.) Brightsiding

Perhaps the wave of pessimism after the Big East's initial announcement is a little unfounded.  The biggest hurdle that Villanova faces is the stadium issue, but The Union seems to be making overtures about expanding PPL Park with or without a partner.  The Union also appears to be quite willing to allow Villanova to use the stadium as evidenced by this quote from Union CEO Nick Sakiewicz:

"Our stance on this matter has always been the same," Sakiewicz said. "We plan on using this facility for multiple events and welcome the opportunity to host Villanova. We think they are a class organization, and [athletic director] Vince Nicastro is awesome. But it is a soccer stadium first, and we would like to ensure that the integrity of that [natural grass] pitch stays intact."

Based on that quote, it appears that the comments that fans of the obstructionist schools are making on the internet about Villanova's lack of communication with The Union about the use of the stadium are entirely baseless.  It also would appear that Villanova has in fact been engaged in ongoing dialogue with The Union.  I'm hoping for a positive outcome once the dissenters get off their respective high horses, and they realize that Villanova is a better option than inviting (insert Conference USA team here) to the conference to play football (or possibly all sports).

Welcome to the Jungle?

Well apparently Will Sheridan heard we were all feeling a bit down about the whole BigEast Football thing, so he decided to give us all something to take our mind off of it. This makes me beyond happy. I'm legitimately giddy right now.

West Virginia Athletic Department: "We have no comment"

We reached out to the West Virginia athletic department for their comment on the situation, but they were too busy trying to prevent their fans from burning couches and fucking their relatives to comment on the ongoing Villanova situation.

On a side note, what does it say about a school when the athletic director (who played at WVU) has a son that is good at football, but that son goes to Stanford instead.

Marinatto: "We didn't think they were gonna accept.. We swear"

He also said "I'm a fat pig-faced guinea." Veering slightly off topic, he may have the worst haircut in the history of the world.  

 Due diligence is the word of the day, so here is a shitty video on the word of the day:

Rutgers: We don't want Villanova in the Big East

Because this is what our average fan looks like

Vote Finally Happens: Problem Solved. BigEast Football Here We Come!!!

Earlier today members of the Villanova administration met with representatives of the University of Pittsburgh and the BigEast Conference to work out a solution so that Villanova will finally be able to upgrade to the BigEast. After listening to recommendations from University of Pittsburgh administrators, the board of trustees voted unanimously to upgrade to BigEast Football. The stadium problem will be solved simply by upgrading our on campus facility. Above is a Pittsburgh artist's rendering of what the new Villanova stadium will look like. Construction will be complete by the summer of 2014.

The Big East's silence is deafening

Attempting to save face after sandbagging the shit out of Villanova, Big East commissioner John Marinatto released a statement where he said:

"The Big East Conference and Villanova University have worked closely with each other over the past several months regarding potential football membership," Marinatto said in the statement. "We will continue with our due diligence process and work with Villanova to continue to share relevant information and materials. The Big East Conference obviously very much values its long-standing relationship with Villanova and we are committed to continuing to work with them on this matter in an open and forthright manner. Until there is additional information to report, the conference plans no further comment."

Now if the conference did this because it didn't want to sound like it was Bush League, their behavior in the past couple days proves that they are exactly that.  Now I'll refer to The Wedding Singer for any further comment on the situation:

Upgrade/Riot Countdown- ? is For Big East Sandbagging

Today's countdown is sponsored by The Riddler because the Big East apparently just threw a wrench in Villanova's plans.

Time to burn Big East headquarters to the ground.

Upgrade/Riot Countdown- 2 is For Murle Sango

Wide Receiver- 1997-2001

I could have taken the easy route and chosen a Villanova player who played more recently like Darrel Young, or Fred Maldonado, but I decided to pick Murle Sango, a diminutive wide receiver from El Toro, California who is the best player on this list that nobody seems to mention (he also has one of the great names in Villanova history).  There is a simple explation for his lack of historical recognition:  he was in the same recruiting class as Brian Westbrook.

Sango's 98 receptions in 1999 (the year that Brian Westbrook blew out his knee) are a Villanova single season record, and his 236 career receptions are second in school history to Brian Finneran.

Ben Ijalana is Impressive

Listening to this guy speak makes me happy to be a Villanova fan.



and he's good at football.

Upgrade/Riot Countdown- 3 is For Brandyn Harvey

Wide Receiver- 2005-2009

A big, talented wide receiver who flashed early on in his career, but really came on in his senior season.  Starting with a huge game against Temple in week one, Brandyn Harvey wound up having one of the finer seasons by a wide receiver in Villanova history in 2009.  While he didn't put up Brian Finneran like numbers, he did something that even Matt Szczur was never able to do, lead Villanova in receiving yards in a season.

IT'S OFFICIAL!

They will announce a decision on Tuesday.

Ijalana could sneak into the first round of the NFL Draft

Jason La Canfora of NFL Network recently reported that former Villanova tackle Ben Ijalana's stock is rising to the point that he could be a first round pick later on in the month.  Ijalana held his pro day on April 6th in front of 23 NFL teams and reportedly performed strongly.

There is no better press for a college football program while it's recruiting than to have a proven track record of developing players into pros, and if Ijalana is a first round pick, that bodes extremely well for the future of Villanova recruiting.

Upgrade/Riot Countdown- 4 is For Matt Szczur

Wide Receiver, Running Back, Quarterback, Kick Returner, Messiah- 2007-2010

Prior to recently, when you would name the greatest players in Villanova history, names like Billy Joe, Al Atkinson, Mike Siani, Howie Long, Brian Finneran, Chris Boden, Brian Westbrook, Brett Gordon, and Raymond Ventrone would come up, but Matt Szczur did something that none of the previous players was able to do- lead The Wildcats to a National Championship.  Drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 38th round out of Lower Cape May High School, and with several high level scholarship offers to play baseball under his belt, the fact that Matt Szczur came to Villanova in the first place is a bit of a blessing. 

Boy am I glad that he did come to Villanova.  In four years on the Main Line, Szczur finished his career with a stat line that doesn't adequately describe his true value to his team.  As far as I know, he holds few Villanova records, and he isn't even in the top ten in career receiving yards at the school.  One thing I do know about Matt Szczur: he is the single most versatile athlete that Villanova has ever had. 

One more time: All Hail Szczur!

Why The Big East chose Villanova over UCF

 

I think I'm going to have nightmares now.

Lacrosse: Vote for Brian Karalunas for The Lowe's Senior Class Award

So, yeah, Villanova super stud lax brah Brian Karalunas is up for the Lowe's Senior Class Award which is "the nation's premier award for NCAA senior student athletes," and fan vote makes up one third of the selection process, so click on this link, vote once a day and then hope that Karalunas gets this meaningless, corporately sponsored, false-promotion of amateurism prestigious national award.

Upgrade/Riot Countdown- 5 is For Antwon Young

Quarterback- 2005-2009

After seeing him start and play well at Maryland in 2007, I was convinced that Antwon Young was going to be a stud three year starter for Villanova.  A few weeks later against William & Mary, everything was thrown out the window.  In that game, Young suffered an ACL tear, Chris Whitney and the rest is history.  Young was still able to make an impact, including replacing an ineffective Whitney in a game against Penn in 2009, and a ridiculous 82 yard touchdown run against Towson in that same year.

Career Highlights:

Upgrade Fodder: As of right now, Villanova has the votes for a Big East move

My colleague Brian over at VUHoops.com have been doing some serious sleuthing, and they've been able to dig up some gold. In a recent piece entitled "what to expect when you're expecting (a decision)," Brian laid out what progress has been made including a startling revelation that

"A source close to the situation has relayed to VUhoops that the trustees in favor of this move currently have enough votes for the measure to pass on Tuesday."

Now VUHoops doesn't post just any rumor that they see as they have journalistic integrity (unlike us) and given the fact that they have cred in the national media, this report should not be taken lightly.  However, as the article states, Father Peter's recommendation to the board hasn't yet been made and could carry a lot of weight with the trustees.  There is also the matter of the strong dissent from the faculty, which won't ever be resolved until Villanova drops athletics altogether. 

All in all, this report is reason to be cautiously optimistic, but the situation remains fluid until next Tuesday when the vote comes down.

Ben Ijalana Pro Day Results

At least 23 NFL teams showed up to Villanova's pro day today, and tackle Ben Ijalana allegedly looked pretty good.

Ijalana's unofficial results:

5.12 in the 40 (very good)
27 inch vertical jump (eh)
9 feet in the broad jump (pretty good)

After being previously injured, those are pretty good numbers.  It's just unfortunate that he wasn't able to participate in the Senior Bowl or the NFL Combine. 

Upgrade/Riot Countdown- 6 is For Ronnie Akins

Safety- 2009-Present

If I was asked to identify a breakout candidate on the Villanova defense in 2011, I would pick Ronnie Akins because he has all of the requisite tools to be a stud at safety.

After establishing himself as a special teams stud in 2009 when he was a true freshman, Ronnie Akins played a more established role on defense in 2010, playing in all14 games and finishing the season with 54 tackles, four tackles for loss, and two interceptions.  As the lone returning safety with starting experience on the Villanova roster, expect Akins to take a leadership role on the defensive unit. 

Less than a week to go!

Jim Calhoun has no choice but to retire

Just read on Sports Illustrated that Jim Calhoun's wife doesn't want him to retire. Guess he only has one choice now: Ride off into the sunset, just to put that bitch in her place. Just tell her "you're damn right you didn't want me to retire, now make me a sandwich."

"I beat cancer twice and cancer never made the mistake of bringing me a beer that was warm."

Andy Talley on KYW Radio Yesterday

Andy Talley was on the radio yesterday, and a few things he said piqued my interest.

1. He specifically mentioned that Christian Culicerto and Dustin Thomas are in a battle for the starting quarterback spot. Maybe this is just giving a loyal reserve like Culicerto a chance to compete, but reading into it a little deeper, you could be a little concerned about what the staff thinks about Thomas and his ability to lead the offense.
2. He sounds excited about the receiving corps in the upcoming season.  I am excited as well with the likes of Norman White, Dorian Wells, Mikey Reynolds, Joe Price, Kenny Miles and freshman Corey Reeder.
3. The depth of the offensive line is of major concern despite the fact that three starters from last year are returning. That tends to happen when you people like Ben Ijalana and Brant Clouser.
4. He seems to think the defensive line is going to be good, and I agree with him, because losing Marlon Johnson so early last year was a big blow to an already inexperienced line.
5. No Major injuries this spring.
6. No mention of the Big East.

Click the link above and listen to the interview in its entirety if you're as starved for football as I am.

Upgrade/Riot Countdown- 7 is For Dustin Thomas

Quarterback- 2010-Present

Much of the book on Dustin Thomas has yet to have been written.  The only certainty about him is that he has big shoes to fill.  I profiled Thomas last month and I noted his obvious gifts and the fact that he has a huge leg up on the competition heading into fall practice.  When I went to a practice last summer, I thought that he looked quite athletic and threw a very nice ball.

By all accounts, Thomas is faster and more elusive than Chris Whitney, and has a stronger arm so if he has the ball security and intangibles of Whitney, then he can be every bit the weapon. Thomas is in a unique position as he has an unimpeded opportunity to hold the starting spot at Villanova for a full four years, making him a prime candidate to break some records provided that he stays healthy. 

Awkward

Here's a little recap from one shinning moment via Twitter from last night:

Is it hot in here or is it just me? Seriously though, you have to feel for Moe a little bit here, kind of getting kicked when he's down. The thought process was probably something like this:

CBS intern putting together clips for the video: "Oh 'Nova was absolutely embarrassing for the second half of the season? I know, let's show the one shinning moment where their players were crying. That'll help ease the pain."

I think this is probably how all of us will feel if football doesn't get upgraded. "What's that? Our highly over-rated basketball team lost 8 out of their last 10 games, including their last 6 straight and a first round exit against George Mason? Oh, and our football is still in the FCS. Fuck." Anyways, maybe something good will come out of this. Maybe this will motivate next year's team to make sure none of them end up feeling like poor Moe did last night. I like the looks of that. Hopefully they will #BALL for a few more games next year.

The Story Of This Past Villanova Season

From One Shining Moment.. Thanks @Villangnome for the screencap