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17 March 2010
WEST VIRGINIA coach Bob Huggins has been around long enough to know it's time for him and his coaches to make hay.
The Mountaineers are ranked No. 5 in the coaches' poll, No. 6 in the writers' poll. They just won a Big East tournament crown. Da'Sean Butler is one of college basketball's brightest stars.
So, on Tuesday, Huggins became the say hay kid. He was interviewed by Mike Greenberg and Mike Golic on "Mike and Mike in the Morning,'' a national ESPN radio show. He was interviewed by radio personalities John Blackmore of Wheeling, Soren Petro of Kansas City, Tim Brando of Sporting News and Andy Furman of Cincinnati. He had appearances scheduled with Sid Rosenberg of Miami, Michael Kay of New York and Bruce Drennan of Cleveland.
Oh yes, and there was the interview with SI.com.
Nationally, many sided with Huggins over WVU's seeding controversy. On the other hand, there was the occasional needle in the haystack. ESPN's Colin Cowherd, for instance, backed the NCAA selection committee.
The point, though, is WVU basketball is a hot topic nationally. College basketball fans are taking the Mountaineers seriously instead of as a curiosity. (One didn't see nationally respected analysts picking WVU to reach the Final Four in the Kevin Pittsnogle/Mike Gansey days.)
Huggins is trying to capitalize. In the midst of it all, however, he took a few moments to discuss an assortment of topics in regard to WVU's grand situation, including the national splash, and any payoff he may be seeing in regard to recruiting.
"I haven't worried about recruiting, honestly,'' he said Tuesday. "There will be a payoff. There's no doubt about it, there will be. To get that much good play in New York has to help us. It will help us up and down the [East] coast.''
Even the controversy over WVU's No. 2 seed brought attention to the program. (Publicity is publicity, right?) He's handling it, though, correctly. Despite how some characterize Huggins' stance, he's not whining. He's standing up for his players and quickly moving on.
"There's no way we're the third No. 2 seed,'' Huggins said Tuesday. "No way. With that being said, we're just going to go out and play.''
The team's reaction after the NCAA Selection Show?
"Business as usual,'' Huggins said. "Most [players] didn't even stick around to see the rest of the bracket. Some did. It's a whole lot different than when we were sitting around hoping to get in.''
By the way, the coach said he wouldn't use the controversy to motivate.
"Our players aren't that dumb,'' Huggins said, indicating the Mountaineers would see through any attempt as a ploy.
