Talkline | Sept. 15, 2025

WVU Coach Rich Rodriguez joins the show in the second hour after the win over Pitt. WV Attorney General J.B. McCuskey stops by. WVU Board of Governors Chair Rusty Hutson talks campus security and supporting athletics. 

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:13):
What a difference a week makes. How are you feeling
about mountaineers and Rich Rodriguez? Now, Metro News talk Line
is underway.

Speaker 2 (00:24):
You radio turned off.

Speaker 3 (00:32):
From the studios of w v r C Media and
the Metro News Radio and Television Network, the Voice of
West Virginia comes the most powerful show in West Virginia.
This is Metro News talk Line with Dave Wilson and
t J.

Speaker 1 (00:47):
Meadows.

Speaker 4 (00:49):
Activated Switch network can l from Charles.

Speaker 3 (00:54):
Stand By to David TJ.

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You're on.

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Speaker 1 (01:11):
Good morning, Welcome into the program of Metro News talk
Line and COBA Insurance Studios. Ethan Collins is our audio
producer today. He handles the phones as well. You can
give him a call at eight hundred and seven to
sixty five Talk eight hundred seven sixty five eight two
five five. Ethan'll put you through to us. We'll put
you on the air. That's how that works. You can

(01:32):
text the show as well. Three oh four Talk three
oh four. Jake Link is our video producer, making certain
we look good on the Metro News TV app coming
up later this morning. W Board of Governor's Chair Rusty
Hudson will join us. Joe Bricado will stop by. We'll
recap the Mountaineers win over Pitt on Saturday, plus run
down the high school. There's a high school game tonight

(01:54):
as a matter of fact, and the ball coach himself,
Rich Rodriguez will join us. Second hour of Metro News
talk Line this morning with all that say good morning
to TJ. Meadows, he anchors our coverage from the Charleston Bureau.

Speaker 6 (02:08):
Morning sir, Good morning, sir. And some mondays are just
better than others. I walk into eleven eleven Virginia Street
East today on the front stoop, Dave. You're familiar with
the entrance to the building, as is anyone who drives by.
Who do I see but Bob Vance Advance Refrigeration and
office flore right there in the flesh. Got a great picture, Jake,

(02:29):
you want to pop that up. What a great morning,
What a way to start the day, Bob Vance Advance Refrigeration.

Speaker 1 (02:35):
I thought you were gonna say he ran into Dave
Allen first thing today.

Speaker 6 (02:38):
No, No, that would not be a great Monday. But yeah,
kind of cool. Bob Vance turns out he lives in
the area from the area.

Speaker 1 (02:45):
Cool deal.

Speaker 7 (02:46):
Cool.

Speaker 1 (02:46):
Well, look, it's a better Monday than it was last week,
given the college football situation over the weekend. A lot
more happy people, a lot of happy people around the
state today, given the win on Saturday in Morgantown. Tony
Gibson got his first win as a head coach down
at Marshall on Saturday as well. Much better college football weekend.

Speaker 6 (03:10):
Tough weekend to be a hokey. See what happened to them?
My goodness, gracious, you know, I had.

Speaker 1 (03:14):
A conversation about the Hokies that nobody is really interested in.
But they've got some problems, not just a roster problem,
but they've got some nil institutional issues. As college football
and the NCUBA moves forward, speaking of which we'll to
talk about that a little bit. Some changes coming to
the NCBLA basketball selection process, maybe some poetic justice on

(03:37):
Saturday as well. Please welcome into the conversation. The Attorney
General for the Great State of West Virginia, JB. McCuskey,
joins us from the Charleston Studios this morning.

Speaker 8 (03:46):
Good morning, sir, good morning, and from my perch, it's
always a bad day to be a hokey.

Speaker 1 (03:52):
Well, we didn't say there was a good day. We
just said they got some issues to do.

Speaker 8 (03:56):
It's just getting worse. It doesn't pain me to watch
to watch that program.

Speaker 6 (04:02):
Well, was it like thirty eight four or something like that.
Thirty seven four was at the final.

Speaker 1 (04:06):
It wasn't ultimate.

Speaker 8 (04:07):
I think they Yeah, they got their their butts kicked pretty.

Speaker 6 (04:09):
Bad, and then of course fired their coach.

Speaker 8 (04:12):
Yeah, and they pad them a half a million dollars
to come in there and whip their butt too.

Speaker 3 (04:15):
That's always the.

Speaker 6 (04:16):
Oh is that what it was? That was the pay
for play five and a grand Okay.

Speaker 1 (04:19):
Look not this is way down in the weeds, but
Old Dominion watch out for them in a few years.
There's a lot of money, a lot of business down there.
A lot of school too.

Speaker 6 (04:28):
Yeah.

Speaker 8 (04:29):
Old Dominion has like thirty five thousand students or something
like that.

Speaker 1 (04:31):
It's huge.

Speaker 6 (04:32):
I'm not trying to take anything away from it. I
mean they beat them fair and square.

Speaker 8 (04:34):
But and if I remember correctly, I think the president
of Old Dominion is a guy named Brian Hemphill who
used to be the president at West Virginia State.

Speaker 6 (04:42):
That's groos thinking that.

Speaker 8 (04:45):
Okay, I think he went to Radford and then to
Brian's a super guy, uh A and a star in
the academic world too.

Speaker 1 (04:51):
Well, Jbi, I want to get into the lawsuit with
the NCAA, want to get into a couple of other
things with you, but I also wanted to just give
you an opportunity. Over the weekend, most people who came
up to me, they wanted to talk about Charlie Kirk
the news. Obviously, all the Sunday shows were still talking
about his assassination and the fallout from that. What was

(05:12):
your reaction to everything after we've had a couple of
days to process everything that happened last week.

Speaker 2 (05:17):
Yeah.

Speaker 8 (05:18):
So I was actually with twenty seven of my fellow
Republican attorney generals when we got the news, and a
large portion of them were pretty good friends with Charlie.
He spent his entire life working in politics, and you know,
if you know anything about him, he started when he
was eighteen years old. He forewent college to try to

(05:38):
build this sort of youth led revolution of free speech,
and it was his belief that getting people from behind
a screen to in front of other people would start
to build the dialogue that our country was built on.
And there is something very very insidious about the idea

(05:58):
that the biggest proponent of free speech in our country
was gunned down while trying to bring divergent thoughts together.
And I have long thought that if anything was going
to take down this country, it's going to be the
fact that we no longer have the ability to disagree
with each other in person and to love each other

(06:20):
in a way that goes beyond your political beliefs. And
as soon as we lose that ideal, which I think
is sort of the founding principle upon which this republic
was created, we're going to have real problems. And the
reason why I think this murder is resonating so deeply

(06:41):
as one Charlie had an army of followers, and the
people who didn't follow him, you see so many people
who respected him for his efforts, and I'm very, very
hopeful that out of this incredible tragedy we can all
start to see what is happening under the water. And

(07:02):
you know, everyone likes to talk about the duck, right,
and so the country's sort of floating along the thing.
But there's these these little flippers underneath that are working
so hard, and there are so many people working to
undermine the greatness of this country. And I think the
most important thing that they're trying to take down is
our ability to believe that America is great and disagree

(07:27):
on how to get to its potential.

Speaker 1 (07:29):
And that is the key to.

Speaker 8 (07:31):
A real disagreement, is for you to be able to
look the other person in the eye and say, I
believe that you love this country, and we disagree on
how to get it to its potential. And that was
what he was truly trying to do. And when you
combine that with his unwavering Christian faith and his truly

(07:54):
fearless ability to describe his faith and to extol his faith,
and to use his faith to to speak intelligently about
issues that are difficult to talk about, you know his
loss is going to be felt for years. But I
do believe that a healing moment can come from this
as we all start to see that violence is happening

(08:17):
in our country on the political sphere, and that this
country was literally created on the idea that ideas can
be expressed in public without the fear of violence. That
is how we became who we are, and all of
us need to really think about how we interact with
other people, particularly online, and start to do better.

Speaker 6 (08:41):
Does this chill people to the point where they no
longer want to stand up in these kinds of public
forums for fear that they could meet a similar faith.

Speaker 8 (08:48):
Well, I'm one of those people who frequently is standing
up in these public forums. And I can tell you
there was about one hundred and fifty more police officers
at our conference on Friday than there were on Thursday.
And I can tell you that fear is the goal
of those who shot Charlie Kirk. They want us to

(09:09):
be afraid. And as long as we go boldly and
continue to believe that the founding principles of this country
will continue to guide the people of this country, I
think fear does not need to creep in. I think we,
if anything, this needs to be a moment for courage
as opposed to a moment for fear.

Speaker 7 (09:31):
JB.

Speaker 1 (09:31):
Mccuskey's joining us West Virginia Attorney General. I'm interested to
get your take on this, and it wasn't on anything
that we had talked about coming in, but I'm interested
to get your take because over the weekend, we saw
people around the country who posted on social media. Most
of the people who have posted on social media celebrating
his murder or making flippant comments about his murder. I'm

(09:55):
not sure exactly how to describe it, but mostly celebratory post.
They lost their jobs, they had their identities posted online.
Is that counselor cancel culture in reverse?

Speaker 9 (10:07):
JB?

Speaker 1 (10:08):
Is that counter to what you just said where we
need to come together and have a marketplace of ideas.

Speaker 8 (10:15):
It's a great question. I mean, the First Amendment does
not cover your employment, thank you. And so if your
employer does not believe that it is part of their
corporate culture for you to be celebrating the murder of anyone,
it's completely fair game for you to be fired. And
to be fair, I would certainly look very seriously at
ending the employment of anybody who celebrated the murder of

(10:36):
anyone who worked for me.

Speaker 6 (10:38):
And isn't that nothing? But isn't that the way it
should be? Because here's the thing. The employer can do
what they want, and guess what if the populace doesn't
like that, they won't patronize that business. The market takes
care of it, does it not.

Speaker 8 (10:49):
The market is designed to take care of it, which
is sort of the genius of our system is that
you have a First Amendment and a free market, and
those two things, in concert with each other, are what
this entire country was built on. And so, you know,
is it cancel culture in reverse? It is really really
disgusting for anyone to cheer the death of anyone that

(11:12):
is inhuman in some respects. And so for me, if
an employer decides that that is not how they want
their business to be portrayed, I think it is it
is well within their rights, and it is not cancel
culture to get rid of somebody who's doing that.

Speaker 6 (11:29):
Would this would that apply to the state if a
state employee said something like that, how would that work?

Speaker 8 (11:34):
It's a different analysis. But the state employees by and
large are at will employees, which means they can be
let go for any any reason.

Speaker 1 (11:45):
So, yes, is there a distinction JB. Between again celebrating
the death of somebody, celebrating a murder and simply having
philosophical disagreements, Because that was the conversation that I had,
at least one of the conversations I had over the
way coming out and saying I disagree with a political
stance or philosophical stance a social issue is much much

(12:08):
different than coming out and saying I'm glad this person
was killed. And here's why. Those are two very different arguments.
One is not really operating in the marketplace of ideas,
at least in my opinion one hundred percent.

Speaker 8 (12:21):
And if somebody were to come out and say, you know,
Charlie Kirk and I disagreed on X issue, but I
hope that he is in heaven and I pray for
his family, then that that is a completely different thing
than he deserved to die. And I think there is
a respectful way to disagree and to be fair. I
think that that was he would probably be very very

(12:45):
accepting in posthumously of people disagreeing with him on issues,
but using common sense and common dignity to describe the
pain that his family and that his friends are feeling today.

Speaker 6 (12:58):
We know now it was one individual, at least preliminarily,
we have no evidence that there were others involved. There's
been I wouldn't say a rush, but there has been
judgment or characterization of what motive was that was put
out there. I think it's fair to say that Kirk
was targeted because of the free speech. Now what element
did that person disagree with? I don't know. How can

(13:21):
we responsibly talk about what happened in this individual without
getting into these conversations of Oh, the left is totally
wacky or the right is just as bad. Doesn't that
just compound the issue if we start to illustrate and
characterize this blanket of blame across the board at a
wide level.

Speaker 8 (13:40):
I think we need to find a way to express
our opinions non violently, and there can be an argument
to be had long term about whether which side of
the aisle is promoting this kind of violence. But I
do think that there is an undercurrent of an inability
to press ourselves with words, especially as it pertains to

(14:04):
politics and what you see when somebody has something bottled
up inside of them and they want to express something
but they can't. You see it in toddlers all the time.
It turns into this immense rage that when you compound
that with addiction to being online, and you can pound
it with this culture where we where people are surrounding
themselves only with people they agree with, right, they find

(14:27):
these little hives of agreement, where then these awful ideas
continue to sort of blossom with no breaks. Right I live.
I have friends from all across the political spectrum. My
sister is one of the more liberal political people I've
ever met. She's also a lot smarter than I am.
If you've ever met my sister, she's just I always say,
she's just like me, but she's liberal and smart. And

(14:50):
so the frustrating thing for me is as we'll argue
about politics and she always wins.

Speaker 1 (14:54):
But I know I'm right, but.

Speaker 8 (14:56):
You know, But the point here is is that people
need to learn how to express their opinions without hating
the person with whom they're communicating. And I think that
is a failing of our public schools, if I'm being honest,
it's a failing of our universities. Universities used to be

(15:17):
the place where everyone went to argue. It's where you
went to find people that you were different than. And
now there's this relatively uniform grouping of professors. I mean,
when you look at the political ideology of the people
that work at our nation's universities, it's in some instances
ninety nine percent liberal, right, And so there isn't a

(15:38):
marketplace of ideas and no one is ever putting themselves
or being put into a place where they're both learning
how to disagree, learning how to express their opinions, and
then that's being reinforced by the fact that they're surrounded
completely by people that agree with them. And that is
a very, very dangerous ecosystem for the marketplace of ideas.

Speaker 1 (15:57):
Jamie mccusky, West Virginia State Attorney General. I brought you
on here because I want to talk about the NCAA
rule change. I would love to talk about the nc DOUBLEA.
We've got a couple of minutes here, So look, West
Virginia and you and the governor took a little flak nationally.
People poked a little fun. Oh you're sue in the
state because mountaineers didn't get into the NCAA tournament. But

(16:20):
after all of that, there is going to be some changes.

Speaker 5 (16:23):
Yeah.

Speaker 8 (16:23):
I don't know of another AG and governor who've actually
prompted a rule change within the NCAA selection process, which
I think if you want to talk about vindication, that's fine.
I never really paid too much attention to the people
that were poking fun. The system needed some added transparency.
The system had some obvious problems, and I was able
to negotiate with the NC DOUBLEA because we didn't use

(16:45):
pejorative language, because we didn't try to skull drag them.
We were able to identify the problems and we were
able to convince them that changing them was the correct
thing to do. I'm very thankful that they did that,
and I'm very proud of the team of people we
have in the AG's office who helped me to move
this along. And you know, I think what you're going
to see is in the future, it's very less likely

(17:07):
that you're going to find another Bubba Coming Cunningham story
on the exact same token on the other side of
the token. Three weeks ago, the NCAA ruled that four
of our football players were ineligible, and all four of
them were very similarly situated to players who'd been found
eligible throughout the country. And so the John Genola and
Rocky Genola lawyers here in Charleston and our office sought

(17:31):
to get an injunction against the NC double A. Our filing,
which was written by a guy named Caleb David who
was just an absolutely fantastic lawyer and got a lot
of national press out of this, was used by the
judge to find these players eligible. And I'll tell you
watching Ty Edwards, who was one of those four players,
a player who I knew deserved a chance, a play
difference maker score three touchdowns, have one hundred and fifty

(17:54):
yards and be the reason ostensibly why W won This
game showed I think the in some ways the unfairness
of the way that the NCAA was treating these four guys.
And we can get into that some other time if
you want to hear their stories. They're pretty amazing. But
you have to stand up for what is right when
it's right, and when that turns into success for a

(18:18):
young person who's going to graduate from WU, maybe get
in the NFL, but definitely have a college degree and
a possibility at a great life. That those are the
kind of things that that while there may not seem
super important to everyone, really make you understand how in
public service you can make a real difference.

Speaker 1 (18:35):
West Virginia Attorney General JB. Mccusky appreciate you coming in.
Appreciate GENI uh appreciate you listening to our questions this
morning as we went down a road. What didn't anticipate,
but hey, sometimes you go that way. Hey, thanks guys.
Everybody have a great day out there. Appreciate it. JB. Mccusky,
West Virginia Attorney General. We're back at the moment. This
is talk Line from the Encobe Insurance Studios.

Speaker 10 (18:55):
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It's very, very encouraging and exciting.

Speaker 10 (19:16):
Listen to Live Healthy West Virginia for candid conversations with
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West Virginia is presented by WVU Medicine.

Speaker 13 (19:25):
Football season is here. Get Mountaineer football coverage and watch
live high school football games every week by downloading the
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Speaker 6 (19:32):
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Speaker 3 (20:06):
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Speaker 1 (20:15):
More Texter asks. So what was the rule change? The
NCAA made good question. The new NCAA rules this is
for the Championship twenty twenty six Championship require the Selection
committee chair to recuse themselves during final at large team
selections if their institution is under review. Additionally, if their

(20:37):
institution is among the last four at large teams, the
chair cannot publicly comment on its inclusion. So you avoid
a situation like we had last year where the chair
has ties to or as president of North Carolina, or
has ties to a comp They're going to have to
recuse themselves. So you don't have a situation where wait

(20:57):
a minute, Mountaineers have this resume, this team has that
that resume and they got in because you know you're
the chair.

Speaker 6 (21:03):
Isn't that common sense. Well, Lloyd, that kind of look TJ.

Speaker 1 (21:07):
The NCAA and common sense have never converged very often.
Coming up, Joe Bracado, speaking of common sense, we'll join us.
We'll get the latest on the Mountaineers win over Pitt
over the weekend. We'll review that. Also, there's a high
school football game tonight. Why might you ask? Well, Joe
will tell us that's coming up. Plenty of texts to

(21:28):
get to. Ryan Smells will join us from DC a
little bit later on this hour as well. It's talk
line from the Encoba Insurance Studios. Hope you're having a
good start to your Monday. We're back at a moment
on Metro News. Metro News for forty years, the voice
of West Virginia. It is ten thirty times to get
a news update. Let's check in with the Metro News

(21:49):
radio network. Find out what's happening across the great state
of West Virginia.

Speaker 4 (21:54):
Western Virginia Metro News. I'm Jeff Jenkins. West Virginia has
a six hundred and twenty five million dollar applic cation
into the federal government for broadband expansion. It's expected to
reach seventy four thousand locations, including unserved, underserved and community
anchor institutions. In twenty twenty three, the state was on
target for one point two billion dollars, but the Trump
administration has changed things. Administration pushing satellite technology for broadband expansion.

(22:18):
Now West Virginia Broadband Enhancement Council Member Randolph County State
Senter Robbie Morris says, that's cheaper, but it may not work.

Speaker 14 (22:24):
Here based on tree top analysis, based on slope analysis,
based on skyline analysis, that low Earth orbit satellite was
not going to provide the coverage, the availability of the
reliability that fiber would, so they chose fiber in that
even in high cost areas.

Speaker 4 (22:45):
You can read more at wv metronews dot com. A
new millionaire will be introduced this hour at West Virginia
Lottery headquarters in Charleston at ten thirty news conference schedule
to hand over a powerball check to the person who
hit all numbers, but the powerball in a recent drawing
says big winners don't have to be publicly identified, but
this winner chose to be Saint Elvis based Triton Construction

(23:06):
is morning the death of one of its workers. The
worker died early Saturday morning while working the Interstate sixty
four project in Barbersville, Please say the worker stepped into
traffic and was struck. Trenton says it's saddened by the
news and is helping the workers family. You're listening to
Metro News for forty years, the voice of West Virginia.

Speaker 11 (23:22):
Attention high school football fans. If you're wondering where your
team ranks each week, check out the Tutors Biscuit World
Power Rankings at WV metro news dot com. Each Tuesday morning,
Metro News will update the power rankings for all four classes,
and to find out where your favorite team ranks, simply
go to wv Metronews dot com, click on the high
school Sports tab, and then the high school Power Rankings.

(23:44):
Twenty twenty five Metro News Power Rankings are presented by
Tutors Biscuit World. Start your day the homemade way. Visit
them at Tutors biscuit World dot com.

Speaker 6 (23:53):
Get ready for some hard hitting high school football.

Speaker 13 (23:56):
The twenty twenty five season continues Friday night with our
go Martina the Week, Martins Bergen, Hedgesville, Plat's Catch Ok
Hill and Shady Spring Williamstown at Rohn County and Parkers
versus Parker's burgsou all on Metro News TV, brought to
you by That Thrasher Group, Marshall University, and the Mountaineer
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(24:19):
or visit Double DV metronewstv dot com for more information.

Speaker 4 (24:23):
Former US ander Joe Mansion will be piling up their
frequent flyer miles this week as his book tour begins
in full force. Mansion, who began his tour Friday in Morgantown,
is scheduled to be in New York City today, Nashville
on Wednesday, LA on Thursday, and back to Washington, DC
next weekend. The group West Virginia's for Affordable Healthcare will
have Cuts in Consequences town halls beginning this week to

(24:45):
talk about proposed changes to Medicaid. The first meeting tonight
at the Ohio County Public Library. From the Metro News
anchor desk, I'm Jeff Jenkins.

Speaker 1 (25:14):
On Friday, the w Board of Governors met and passed
a resolution committing to the Athletic Department being one of
the top tier funded athletic departments in the Big Twelve.
We'll talk to board chair Rusty Hudson about that coming
up in the second hour. Admit it. I want you
all to be truthful. You can text the show three

(25:36):
or four, talk three or four. It's just the three
of us. Admit it. You were nervous at halftime on Saturday.
Admit it. You don't have tomit. Maybe you had all
the confidence the world. Joe Bricado had all the confidence
in the world on Saturday. He knew the Mountaineers would
come back and rally to be pitt in the backyard
brawl in overtime, and he joins us on Metro News

(25:58):
talk Line this morning. Never had any out, did you, Joe?

Speaker 5 (26:02):
Sure?

Speaker 1 (26:06):
What happened? What clicked late in that ball game that
turned that situation a one to eighty.

Speaker 5 (26:13):
I think Nico Markiel summed it up pretty well in
his postgame press conference. And give Nico a ton of
credit when he goes to a postgame press conference, as
we've seen a number of times over the course of
his four year career, he always seems to have the
right things to say about a game, about a particular teammate,
but he brought to mind what happened in last year's

(26:33):
backyard Brawl where West Virginia had a ten point lead
in the fourth quarter. Pitt finds a way to score
fourteen points and they find their way out of the
game there at actress Or Stadium to get three point
winning regulation. He summed it up by saying, you know,
just weird things can happen sometimes in the backyard brawl,
and you never know what to expect. I think you
have to give a ton of credit to Markiel for

(26:56):
staying in after you know, this is the second game
in a row that he has been pulled from the
game to try to get some type of offensive spark,
and it's easy for a player to maybe kind of
go sideways about that and have it affect them. That
was not the case. Markyl got his chance, led to
scoring drives at the end of regulation and then the
touchdown drive. It over time and it all worked out
in the end.

Speaker 6 (27:17):
Joe walk us through the last play of the first half.
A lot of people, including myself, are still confused about
how that first half ended. What light can you shed?

Speaker 5 (27:28):
It's a good question, and I've seen a number of
different interpretations.

Speaker 15 (27:31):
Of that play.

Speaker 5 (27:33):
Basically, when there's a penalty when there's a stopped clock
and then the clock has to wind, it was ruled
that there was not enough when the ball is spotted
in the field of play and there's not enough time
to then run another play, and that's ultimately what was ruled.
My understanding is that that's why that flag in particular

(27:55):
was it was a penalty but not actually a penalty.
That's the best I can sump.

Speaker 1 (28:01):
That sounds about right. A penalty that's not actually a
penalty makes perfect sense. Joe Bricano joining US mentioned his
talk line is ty Edwards ready to be a feature back.

Speaker 5 (28:11):
I said on sports Line Friday night when Brad and
Greg asked to what we're going to be talking about
if we was Virginia wins on Saturday, and I said,
whichever individual steps in and running back and can take
that position and kind of make it their own. And
I think Tye Edwards, playing for the first time as
the math in the years, certainly made a great case with

(28:32):
the performance that he had to be able to carry
the ball twenty five times, and he said after the game, yeah,
he was pretty tired, you know, seeing his first action
and such a heavy workload. But you know, when you
lose to Jahim White, a guy that everybody had kind
of assumed was Wash Virginia's best offensive player, and you
lose him for the season last week, somebody's got to

(28:52):
step up. Edwards had the opportunity to great the advantage
of it, and I think he certainly cast his chip
as the guy that is going to lead the running
back corps going forward.

Speaker 6 (29:03):
How do you take this momentum and turn it into
the game against Kansas.

Speaker 5 (29:08):
Yeah, the challenges don't get any easier. I mean you're
looking at a Utah team two weeks from now, the
next home game that softer a good start the season,
and Kansas, despite the laws to Missouri, they looked really
good in their first two victories of the season. Plus
Kansas is coming off of by so it's certainly a
great challenge. And you know West Virginia there's still lots
of things that need to get cleaned up. I mean,
this offense is certainly not operating at a point of

(29:30):
efficiency that the coaching staff is going to be happy.
But I will say this, I think the one thing
you can say through the non conference portion of the
schedule in the verse three games. Westernia's defense, if they
can continue to play at the level that they're playing at,
they're going to keep this team in games even if
the offense does go through some spells where things are
not clicking. So I think that's the one thing that's

(29:51):
coming out of these first three games that you can
take the most positives from. The defense is going to
be able to give your offense an opportunity to work
through some struggles. Because that was a really, really impressive
defensive performance. I know Pitt scores twenty four, but you
know six of those points came off of interceptions deep
in Westernvigini's territory, which the defense is still able to
get a stopped. So you know, really, if you look

(30:13):
back to last two weeks, the defense gives up seventeen
in Ohio, theoretically eighteen against Pitt. Those are some pretty
pretty impressive performances over the last two weeks.

Speaker 1 (30:23):
Joe Briccano joining US Metro to his sports Rich Rodriguez
will join us coming up second hour of the show.
I'll ask him this question, but Joe, I want your observations.
How much did this win mean for him, especially coming
back to West Virginia.

Speaker 5 (30:37):
Now leading up to the game, I mean he was
coach Rodriguez. I think my view was a little bit
measured in some of the comments when he was asked about,
you know, his personal history with the backyard brawl, certainly
the two thousand and seven game. But I think you
saw in the postgame interviews on the field, his postgame reaction,

(30:58):
his postgame hugged with newmarkiol You saw that emotion really
come out. And if anybody has a chance to watch
his postgame press conference, if you're if you're in it
for football or for some comedy, you get a little
bit of both in that. But I think you saw
the motions of him come out to great effect. I
think it probably led. It meant a lot more to him,

(31:21):
maybe than even he knew going in, but certainly a
lot more than what he led on throughout the course
of game week.

Speaker 6 (31:27):
Someone compared it to a w WE promo, which I
thought was a great example and very fitting. Great press conference.
Rich did talk about the number of injuries that that
Pitt had. I'll let him elaborate on that when we
talk with him. But Joe, is it time to take
a look at this rule in terms of players taking
dives and should there be some kind of consequence series

(31:48):
quarter or something. Your thoughts there no question about.

Speaker 5 (31:52):
TJ and I think rich you know, and I posted
that clip on my on my Twitter site. It's about
a minute and ten seconds where coach talks about everything
that happened during the game, but more importantly, you know,
so the potential solution for it. The solution that he
suggested was, you know, if a player is lost, if
a player goes down on the field because of an injury,

(32:13):
they have to sit out for the rest of the series.
I think that's a reasonable way to go about fixing
the problem. And it's not just against West Virginia. There's
other fast tempo offenses that have defensive players do this
same thing, you know if they compared to other sports.
If you are a soccer player, professional soccer player and
you you know, have a cramp or what have you,

(32:35):
you know, you have to leave and then the official
then waves you want I mean, there is at least
a little bit of delay for you to get back
in the game. If you're a baseball player and you're
hurting the field and you can't continue, you're out for
the rest of the game. I think it's reasonable to say,
if you're a defensive player and you have an injury,
you have to go to the sidelines for the rest
of the series and then you can come back on

(32:55):
the next series. That's not an unreasonable way to go
about it. What was interesting and dreading the sideline reporter
for the radio broadcast also picked this up. What I saw.
There were lots of times where paton Ardewsy would come
over to the injured defensive player and he would be
covering his mouth. Now, that's interesting because usually that's not
something you would necessarily think that, you know, you need

(33:15):
to cover your mouth if you're discussing, you know, an
injury situation. It was something a little bit different that
I hadn't seen from other coaches that do that, And
I saw that on Saturday a number of times during
the second half talking.

Speaker 1 (33:29):
To Mention New Sports Joe Broccato, Joe, you can read
more about the Mountaineers over at wv Metronews dot com. Joe,
Why is George Washington and Cable Midland playing tonight?

Speaker 5 (33:39):
So there was a lighting issue. Apparently there were a
number of power outages in Onwa on Friday night. The
originally scheduled game between George Washington and Cable Midland was
set for Friday evening, but there were no lights at
the field, and obviously at that hour you're not able
to get the game in. There was some talk that
the game would not be played, but they are going
to play the game tonight seven thirty at Cable Midlands.

(34:00):
This will be a chance for the Nights to try
to pick up their first win and a chance for
the Patriots to look to continue their unbeaten starting the season.

Speaker 1 (34:06):
What was wrong with Saturday? Okay, just asking was there
a homecoming dance Saturday? Was that the issue?

Speaker 5 (34:17):
I've heard that that's the case.

Speaker 1 (34:20):
Just throwing it out there.

Speaker 6 (34:21):
I mean, there were a couple of big football games
going on too that people might have wanted to go to.

Speaker 5 (34:27):
The three of us collectively had enough going on Saturday
at our different ports of call that we didn't need
to throw one more game onto it.

Speaker 1 (34:32):
I mean, I wasn't going to go to the game.
I'm just throwing it out there because now you've got
to play two games in five days. If you're these
two teams.

Speaker 5 (34:41):
It's better than not playing the game, in my opinion.

Speaker 1 (34:43):
Fair enough, big a storyline coming out of week two
or week three. I beg your pardon.

Speaker 5 (34:48):
I think the best game was probably the one that
Greg Carry was at where Herbert Hoover got a late
field goal to feed Nitro fifteen to fourteen. And that's
a big, big win for Herbert Hoover because they already
took a loss to Independent to open up the season.
So the Huskies are now two or the Huskies and
the Wildcats are now two and one. For Nitro was
really a big opportunity to see if they can maybe

(35:09):
crack into the top tier in Class Triple A, and
certainly they have the talent to do so. But for
the second year in a row, Hoover wins a very
tight and very well played game between those two teams.

Speaker 1 (35:19):
Are you going to ona.

Speaker 5 (35:22):
Efforting?

Speaker 1 (35:23):
I see I've put them on the spot what three times?
And in five minutes here. I'm sorry, Joe, didn't I
didn't mean to put any peer pressure on you there peppering.

Speaker 6 (35:30):
Him the pepper.

Speaker 5 (35:32):
The Monday schedule, the Monday schedule is very busy, so
we're trying to work some things out.

Speaker 1 (35:36):
If we can, you know what, We'll send Dave Allen
over to cover it.

Speaker 7 (35:39):
For you.

Speaker 1 (35:39):
How's that sound? Thank you, Dave, you have an assignment tonight.
I know you've got that busy schedule. And all Metro
New Sports Joe Ricano. You can read his coverage. You
can see his coverage, read Greg Carey's coverage and the
rest of the sports team over at wv Metronews dot com.
Joe always appreciate it. Safe travels. Thank jev Ryan Schmells,

(36:01):
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Speaker 1 (37:56):
Three at four Talk three or four. The text line
eight hundred and seven to sixty five Talk is the
phone number Senate Democrat leader Chuck Schumer warning of a
government shut down if Republicans do not agree to the
healthcare demands coming from Democrats. Fox News Radios Ryan Schmels
is in DC. Ryan, what's the latest? As the shutdown

(38:19):
talks start to warm up a little bit?

Speaker 7 (38:22):
Now, Oh, well, I think you've got these healthcare provisions
like the Affordable Care Act subsidies that are supposed to
be expiring soon that Democrats are kind of putting out
there as their potential redline here. So there are certain
demands that Democrats are going to probably be flirting with
throughout the next couple weeks, and this is certainly one

(38:43):
of them. So we'll have to wait and see if
this is something that Leader Soon and Leader Johnson are
willing to jump on, or if they come back and say, no,
give us something different.

Speaker 6 (38:53):
I mean, is there any semblance here that this will
be any different from every other negotiation we go through. Ryan,
we get right up to the edge, they work a
deal out. Seems to be that that's what we're hearing
from our representatives here in West Virginia.

Speaker 1 (39:03):
Won't happen.

Speaker 6 (39:04):
We'll get a deal worked out.

Speaker 7 (39:05):
That's what you always watched for. But you know, there's
there's always the other dynamics that gets fun with this,
Like we're all got to watch for what's going to
happen with Chuck Schumer and do some of the pressure
that he's facing. You know, the remember him caving on
the government shutdown and breaking that filibuster last time. You know,

(39:25):
led to calls for him to resign or for a
new Senate leadership on the Democrat side. So Schumer's kind
of got his back against the wall here, and there's
a lot of people watching what he does in this situation,
so that might, you know, obviously the politics rep play here,
but that also contributes to whether or not, you know,
he's going to do whether the government's going to shut down. Honestly,

(39:48):
quite frankly, it could be dependent on what Schumer does.

Speaker 1 (39:51):
Fox News Radios Ryan Schmells joining us. Can the Republicans
on the House side of things get everything in order
and get something done with out having any trouble this
time because Mike Johnson's had his hands full trying to
get all the Republicans crowd over on that side.

Speaker 7 (40:06):
Yeah, well, he's got the advantage of having Donald Trump
on his side this time. So if President Trump wants
a specific deal or likes what Johnson is is cooking up,
then then they'll be fine. But yes, there is the
idea that if they put something together it's not going
to be conservative enough, then they're in trouble. But at
the same time too, they also have to keep in

(40:28):
mind that if Democrats aren't going to go along with
whatever they put out, you know, showing that unified fun
is their best chance of getting something passed. So there
are a lot of moving parts here and a lot
of different ways of looking at this, and it certainly
those are just a few of them.

Speaker 6 (40:42):
Thomas Massey says he has two hundred and seventeen votes
for discharge on the Epstein files. How will that play
into the cr if at all.

Speaker 7 (40:50):
I'll probably not really play into it at all. I mean,
if he's able to get this next signature, I mean
they're voting on this thing. That's the reality of the situation.
If Lamar Republican and crosses over and signs this discharge petition,
this thing is getting voted on. I don't know when
that would happen, uh, but it could acten almost immediately.
So it is it is kind of a go time

(41:12):
with this thing. And and if they get if they
get that extra signature, like I said, we're going to
see a vote on the Epstein files and whether or
not to release it or not. And it's going to
be high profile drama. Most likely.

Speaker 1 (41:24):
Fox News Radio is Ryan schmell Is joining US mentioned
News talk Line Charlie Kirk's assassination still dominating headlines to
start the week. What's been the feeling in Washington, d
C the last several days.

Speaker 7 (41:37):
Well, I think there's a lot of different things that
are going on. So, uh, the number one, you have
just the tension that's going on here and a lot
of the concern that people have with with with safety
right now. I mean a lot of people are on
edge and it's it's a very tense time in Washington,
d C. You know, you saw it come to the

(41:57):
fruition on the house floor when Lauren Bobert right now,
Lauren Bobert, but then they were trying to do a
moment of silence. They did the moment of silence, but
then there was there was someone tried to push for
a prayer and some Democrats started yelling no, and you know,
all hacks started breaking boose on the house floor to
the points Speaker Johnson had to gabble in multiple times
to try to get order back in the building. And

(42:20):
that was a very brief period of time, but you know,
it certainly showed just how tense things are right now,
and you know, member safety is a big, big issue
right now. One thing that Rick Scott of Florida is
trying to do is that he's trying to push a
petition or gather signatures on a letter to GOP leadership
on the Senate side to allow members to use official

(42:41):
funds for their own security. I believe the House ratified
that rule this year and allows that now. So, I mean,
member security has been a huge issue. It costs a
lot of money to protect these members, especially when they
go back to their districts. So it's something else to
watch for. Ryan.

Speaker 6 (42:56):
The Trump administration asking for quite a bit of money
to bolster security for the Supreme Court after the Kirk assassination.
Bring us up to speed there.

Speaker 7 (43:05):
Right, So President Trump has has put in a request
or reportedly is going to be requesting the Congress to
approve over fifty million dollars in additional security for both
administration members as well as different justices, whether it's the
Supreme Court or some of the high profile lower courts. So, yes,
I mean, this is something to watch for. It cost

(43:27):
a lot of money to keep people safe, like we
just said, and there have been numerous changes of Secret
Service in the last couple of months. Ever since the
Trump assassination. And some of the scrutiny that agency has
gone under. And and we'll see if the Trump administration
and is able to get this funding. I don't think
it will be an issue, but you know, it is
just a one more additional cost at a time when

(43:50):
Congress is trying to find a ways to cut spending.

Speaker 1 (43:53):
Fox News Radio is Ryan Schmells joining us from Washington,
d C. Always appreciate it. Thank you, Ryan, Hey, thank
you have to go you as well, Buddy. Coming up.
We'll get a couple of text in and then we'll
break for the top of the hour. Three oh four Talk.
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Speaker 1 (45:53):
Text line three or four sof three oh four two
part text here Yeah, I got time, guys. The Governor
of Utah said he was sad to have to report
that the killer of Charlie Kirk was one of us
and not from the radical left and not a liberal.
Will you tell us what? The Governor of Utah said?
About what he found out about the alleged killer of
Charlie Kirk glad to This is Newsweek reporting. While speaking

(46:16):
with the Wall Street Journal on Saturday, Utah Governor Spencer
Cox says he believes the alleged Charlie Cook shooter, I'm
not going to say his name, don't need to had
been deeply indoctrinated with leftist ideology. As investigators continue to
seek a motive for the conservative activist assassination, one bullet
board that inscription, hey fascist catch, followed by arrows that

(46:38):
seem to reference the inputs of a command. It goes
on from there. It's very clear to us, Cox said,
and to investigate at this person who was deeply indoctrinated
with leftist ideology. So I don't know where you got
the first part of your statement texture, but that is
what Newsweek, Newsweek and Wall Street Journal are reporting. All right,

(46:59):
gonna break for the top of the hour. Coming up,
we'll talk to Rosty Hudson. He is the Board of
Governors or Chair of the board of Governors for WVU.
They want to see the athletic departments be one of
the top funded in the Big twelve, plus security concerns
on campus. We'll get into that coming up six minutes
from now. This is talk Line on Metro News, the
voice of West Virginia.

Speaker 3 (47:26):
Metro News. Talk Line is presented by Encova Insurance, encircling
you with coverage to protect what you care about most.
Visit Encova dot com to learn more.

Speaker 1 (47:37):
Second hour Metro News talk Line. Hope your week is
off to a great start. It's gotta be off to
a better start than last Monday. Mountaineers get the win
over Pitts in the backyard brawl. Rich Rodriguez will join
us coming up later at this hour Marshall one. On Saturday,
Tony Gibson gets his first win as a college football

(47:58):
head coach. High school game tonight if you're into that, So,
gotta be off to a better start than last Monday,
as far as the sports scene goes. Eight hundred seven
to sixty five, Talk is the phone number. Three oh
four Talk three oh four is the tax line. Those
are the two ways to get in touch with the show.
We'll have some open line opportunities coming up this hour.

(48:18):
Your opportunity to weigh in again. Eight hundred and seven
to sixty five Talk and three oh four Talk three
oh four. TJ. Meadows is in Charleston Morning, sir.

Speaker 6 (48:27):
Good morning. Flipping through the news during the break there,
Dave caught my eye. Following two days of talk to Madrid,
Treasury Secretary of Scott Besson said the two sides being
the US and China, have agreed to our framework for
a deal to divest TikTok from its Chinese owner, Byte Dance.
So I guess the President is up against it. On Wednesday,
he either has to delay again or do something. So
there's the latest. We're still not following the law, but hey,

(48:50):
you know we do that.

Speaker 1 (48:50):
These days, we'll get a TikTok deal. Gotta have TikTok.
It's very important. Still not on TikTok, never have been.
Don't understand it. I've reached the point in life, TJ.
Where I've decided this is as far as I'm gonna
go with technology. I'm not going to learn anymore. We
all reached that point. This, I've reached it. I'm like,
at this point, I'll hire my nephews to do whatever

(49:12):
it is I need to do technologically speaking moving forward.

Speaker 6 (49:16):
If it weren't for being in the business we are,
i'd be off social completely. I had gotten off all
of it and then Kick got back on it. I
feel like I kind of had to be But I'm
starting to reevaluate that truth be told.

Speaker 1 (49:28):
If only I could get an intern to do my
social media for me, that'd be all right, That'd be
all right. Jake. You know I got Jake. What Jake,
You're now my social media coordinator? Thank you. I don't
think he's gonna do it, tj, but you know, we'll try.

Speaker 6 (49:45):
What are you paying?

Speaker 7 (49:46):
See?

Speaker 1 (49:46):
That's the key. I'm paying anything duties other assigned duties.
It's a tricky little line at the end of your
job description. Two days after conservative political activist Charlie Kirk
was assassinated while engaging with students on campus at Utah
Valley University, W Board of Governor's chair Rusty Hudson asked
for a report on campus security procedures and protocol. He

(50:11):
also and the board also made a commitment to make
the W athletics department one of the top funded departments,
or at least in the top tier of funded departments
in the Big Twelve. To talk about that and more,
please welcome to the program. The chairman of the W
Board of Governors Rusty Hudson, Rusty, good morning, thanks for
joining us.

Speaker 7 (50:28):
Thank you appreciate it.

Speaker 1 (50:29):
We'll get to sports in just a moment. Security at
the forefront of a lot of people's minds. What's the
board want to know about security on campus?

Speaker 7 (50:40):
Well, just with the horristic events of last week and
just you know how that all went down, and really
just are you know, being a public university and a
free speech university and you want to make sure that
you have security protocols that will protect you all free
speech in all demonstrations that are peaceful. And you know

(51:02):
that's the key for us at Western University. We want
to be able to give people the ability to express
their ideas and their concerns, but at the same time
it needs to be peaceful. So all I did was
just ask for them to come back and they'll do that.
It can explord me. We've already had some conversations around
it that just to come back with what the plans

(51:23):
are for you know, these free speech demonstrations, but also
for things like football games and you know where there's
a lot of people at events on the campus and
making sure that we have all of our ducks in
a rows. It relates to keeping people.

Speaker 6 (51:36):
Safe, Rusty, the question remains how the shooter got on
the roof, and I know the university is going through
their protocols to help identify that. But do universities I
would imagine they do have a duty to ensure that
people can't access those kinds of areas and as part
of this review, to make sure that WVU is locked

(51:58):
down as much as it should the benefit of public safety.

Speaker 7 (52:03):
Well, absolutely, And you know, I think that uh, you know,
we have a from what I understand, a visual visual
coming on campus and we want to be prepared for that.
And and you know, part of our security protocol is
around making sure that every building is secure, that the
rooftops are clear, and that you have the proper and

(52:25):
rite a number of police officers, uh, you know, on
the ground and monitoring the situation that's going on. I
think that might have been some of the issues in
Utah just based on what you know, what we've seen.
But yeah, I mean, you know, if you're going to
allow these things on your on your campus, you've got
to make sure that you have the proper security in
place and making sure the buildings are secure. And you

(52:48):
know that that there's nothing going on that you know,
can be can be a security risk.

Speaker 1 (52:55):
Colleges should be a place where you have these types
of discussions, philosophical discussions, political discussions, agreement, disagreement. How do
we ensure they remain those sorts of places where without
without fear of the violence that we've seen in the
last week.

Speaker 7 (53:11):
Yeah, it's it's really sad. I mean, you know, to
your point, that's where we should be having these conversations.
But but the you know, the environment we're in today
has become so volatile, and you know, nobody can disagree
anymore because if you do, then I'm gonna I'm gonna
hurt you. And you know, I'm I'm old enough. I

(53:33):
can remember when I was growing up. You know, hey,
you you had disagreements with people, but you went out
to eat and you had you know, it never went
any further than that. You were still friends. Now you
can't even be friends with somebody on the other side.
It doesn't seem like and so it's it's just really
an environment that has become just way to do volatile,
and you know, from the university standpoint, we've got to

(53:55):
make sure that we're keeping an environment where all of
that can occur, but in a very very peaceful and
safe manner for everyone involved.

Speaker 6 (54:04):
Practically, do you think we should move all of these
events indoors? I remember when I was a student many
moons ago, people used to stand up right on the
Mountaineer statue in front of the Mountain Layer and just
start espousing, and people would would gather. These days, that
would seem to be problematic for the points you just mentioned.
Should should we pull all of this stuff inside where
it should be better secured. Should we go as far

(54:25):
as asking people to walk through some kind of detection
device to make sure they don't have guns on them.
I'd like to understand practically where you think we ought
to be.

Speaker 7 (54:34):
Yeah, I mean, look, we can't even you know, we
saw it last year. We couldn't even protect a president outside.
You know, it's really difficult when you're outdoors like that
because you know, as we saw in Utah, somebody can
reach a reach a speaker or someone from a pretty
far distance, and it is difficult when it's outside. And

(54:55):
you're right, it used to be where people could go
outside and nobody everybody would listen. But it didn't, you know,
it didn't get to a point where you know, people
were getting physical and you know in a in a
bad way around you know, around these situations, and yeah,
I don't know. I think it's one of those situations
where it's it's hard to know how to manage those things.

(55:18):
But I think that you know, you you just have
to do the best you can with it. We're I
feel like Western University has a great plan to manage
these things outdoors. I've looked looked at our plans and
I think that we're we're covering all the bases, so
we feel like we've got a safe environment for for
any kind of demonstration or any kind of vigual like

(55:41):
we're going to see this week.

Speaker 1 (55:42):
West Virginia University Board of Governors Chairman Rusty Hudson is
joining us. Also at the meeting on Friday, the Board
of Governors passed a resolution that directs athletic leadership and
the university to develop a plan that would position w
athletics and the top funding tier among Big twelve in institutions.
Why is that a priority for the board?

Speaker 7 (56:04):
Well, we've seen where where athletics is going right now,
and for a lot of us, it's not it's not good.
I mean, we we see this and we just can't
believe how much money is being thrown at athletics. But
we know it at you know, West Virginia University and
our board specifically, that athletics is in our in our minds,

(56:26):
is the door to the university. H It's what everyone sees,
it's the image, it's it is everything to the residents
in our state. It's a source of pride. And we
want to make sure that everyone in this state, all
of our you know, our constituents, our citizens, our alumni

(56:50):
across the country, understand that this board takes athletics very seriously.
And we know that everything enrollment, funding, alumni support, donor relations,
everything drives off of our athletics department and that it's
a big part of what we do and it also
is huge for our academic success. And we want to

(57:12):
be known for high academics and we want to be
known for athletics, and so we want to put them
in the same vein. So we want everybody to understand
that we take it seriously and that we're going to
make the financial commitment that's necessary to compete not only
in the Big twelve, in the top tier of the
Big twelve, but nationally because at the end of the day,

(57:34):
you know, we don't know where this is all going
to end. There could be another musical you know, game
of musical chairs and the conference alignment and all that
we need to be We need to show that we're
prepared to do what's necessary to be part of, you know,
whatever that end game is.

Speaker 6 (57:51):
When you look at the landscape of college athletics today,
are there specific tactics or strategies that you or the
board would like to see the athletic department implement as
part of this strategy and part of this call to action, Well, there's.

Speaker 7 (58:08):
So many things. I mean, we need donor support more
than ever. You know, we've made the commitment already as
a board to meet the twenty point five million dollar
revenue share, which is the maximum that we can spend
on our athletes across all of our sports. You know,
I think, you know, we've got to upgrade and get

(58:31):
to a point of adding premium seeding to our university
or to our stadium. We're leaving dollars on the table there,
and so that's a big priority because at the end
of that stadium experience and you saw the Saturday. What
a great environment we had for the pit game, but
we were leaving money on the table by not having

(58:52):
more premium seeding, more updated premium seeding. So I think
that's a big priority. And you know, just just a
across the board, it's it takes facilities, it takes you know,
new nil you know, the NILS is separate from the university,
but it's still going to be a very important part
for us to be able to compete for players. But

(59:13):
in all of our revenue sports and so we were
going to need everything that's out there to be upgraded,
and the university is making a financial commitment. We're going
to go out and we're going to do what's necessary
to meet those commitments.

Speaker 1 (59:28):
Is there a number, what's the number it will take
to put WU in the top tier athletic funded programs.

Speaker 7 (59:37):
Well, we don't have that number yet because as you
can imagine, it changes. I mean each year the you know,
each team in the in the Big twelve, those numbers change.
But between now and February, which is when we've asked
the administration and the Finance Committee of the board to
come back with the plan, we'll have more numbers than

(59:59):
as to what that entails, because we want to make
sure that we have the best data possible that we're
going from first, uh, so that we know what our
you know, what our true target is. But but it's
not it's not immaterial, you know, it's it's going to
be a number that to get us up there is
going to you know, take some work, but we're going

(01:00:21):
to It's a commitment. It's something that our board feels
very strongly about and it's you know, all board members.
So so we're we're committed to making it happen.

Speaker 6 (01:00:33):
When you think about the capital you would need, you
talk about these improvements with seating, and obviously I would
think that would be very capital intensive. I guess you
can either fundraise, You could divert money from other revenue
sources within the university, shuffle funds around, Could you go
into debt? Could you could you leverage some of this
capital thinking you'll get a return. Is that something the

(01:00:55):
board would entertain or even able to entertain.

Speaker 7 (01:00:58):
Well, I think it's going to be a little bit of,
you know, all of the above approach. I think a
big part of it's going to be fundraising, getting people
to commit to premium seating. That's a big part of this.
You know, the university will have to, to your point,
divert and find funds to help out with this. But
at the end of the day, it's it's something that's

(01:01:19):
necessary because you just referenced it. It is a it
is a revenue enhancing project and that and it has
long term benefits and we're leaving a lot of money
on the table right now. We know that from you know,
just some of our internal reviews and such of other programs.
So you know, we want to be in the top

(01:01:40):
of the Big twelve in all categories, not just in
one or two. And you know, winning is obviously the
main goal. But to get there, we've got to it's
got to be in all of the all the above
approach of facilities and players and you know, right on down.

Speaker 1 (01:01:56):
The line, how much fun were you having on Saturday?

Speaker 7 (01:02:00):
Oh my goodness, Wow, what an experience. And you know,
I was telling someone in the stadium hadn't been like
that in such a long time. It just didn't seem
like it to me. But what a great experience, what
a great game. Felt so good for Rich and so
happy for him to come back and win that way.
You know, after you know, the two thousand and seven game,

(01:02:22):
and I just felt so good for him, and I
felt like, you know, we may have turned a corner
as a team. You know, you have eighty one new players,
and it's hard. You just don't you just don't have
a It takes a while to get used to each
other and play together. And I think the defense is
playing lights out. We saw flashes of what the offense
can be Saturday night, and I'm I'm feeling really good

(01:02:42):
about it, and but but really really happy for.

Speaker 1 (01:02:45):
Rich Rusty Hudson. He is the chairman of the West
Virginia University Board of Governors. Appreciate you stopping by this morning.

Speaker 7 (01:02:51):
Thank you, thank you anytime.

Speaker 1 (01:02:54):
Absolutely it is Rusty Hudson, w Board of Governor's chair
coming up. We'll get some of your text in three
or four t T Talk three or four. Actually got a
couple of open segments for you. Three or four Talk
three or four eight hundred and seven sixty five eight
two five five tax line and phone number David Morgantown,
TJ and Charleston. This is Talk Litel Metron is from
the Incovia Insurance Studios.

Speaker 11 (01:03:15):
Governor Patrick Morrissey a set of very bold goal fifty
gigawatts of new energy capacity by twenty fifty. Thanks to
House Bill twenty fourteen, West Virginia's coal plans will be
upgraded to run longer, stronger, and more efficiently, thus delivering reliable,
affordable base load power. Our families and businesses will be

(01:03:36):
able to count on. West Virginia Coal Association President Chris
Hamilton stated Governor Morrissey's plan to grow West Virginia's energy
generation capacity to fifty gigawatts by twenty fifty is a
dynamic approach to economic development which will supercharge our state's
coal industry and broader economy. With Governor Morrissey's leadership and

(01:03:57):
the action of the legislature, West Virginia is once again
America's energy leader. Cold is powering progress. Cole is powering
West Virginia. Brought to you by the West Virginia Coal Association.

Speaker 2 (01:04:14):
Do you want.

Speaker 12 (01:04:15):
Blazing fast fiber internet with speeds up to ten gigs,
the fastest in West Virginia?

Speaker 1 (01:04:19):
Of course you do.

Speaker 12 (01:04:20):
Is citty Net rapidly expanding its fibernetwork. You bet we are,
with plans to fit every budget and lifestyle. Yes, indeed.
How about an app that has parental controls in Wi
Fi management one hundred percent? Yes, what about West Virginia
based twenty four to seven customer support Always don't wait,
get on our install schedule and be first when city

(01:04:41):
net Fiber reaches your neighborhood. Visit citynet dot net today.

Speaker 11 (01:04:45):
Picture a community where every space tells a store. Those
are the communities we're designing at GMLM. Architects and engineers
with a blend of creativity and technical expertise, we design
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(01:05:08):
brighter future for generations to come. Because it's Zomel, It's
more than architecture. It's about building your legacy.

Speaker 1 (01:05:35):
Three or four talk three oh four. That is the
text line eight hundred and seven sixty five eight two
five five, the phone number told you get to some text.
We'll do it now. How about rich Rod's epic response
in the presser after the game when a reporter asked
about all the pit injuries, saying laughingly, I don't know,
are they going to have enough guys to play next week?

(01:05:55):
Crying laughing face emojis? Crying laughing face emojis? That that
is I think so I needed a social media intern
to explain the emojis to me. Uh three or four
talk three four. So the extreme leftist ideology is good
with violence, whereas the extreme rightist ideology is also right.
January sixth racism targeting LGBT Sadly, they are extremists on

(01:06:19):
both sides, unrelated to normal dims and Republicans. That is
that is true. That is true. The God of Utah
is trying to deny and deflect. Oh you know what
denying deflect? Okay, okay, moving on, You guys need to
talk to the past. Saturday Flagger at Elkins Speedway, thirteen

(01:06:39):
years old, flagged entire night. Wonderful job, duly noted. Duly noted,
Remember when snow White was our biggest problem? Do you
remember when snow White was a big all the remake
you're talking about must be talking about the remakes that
came out.

Speaker 6 (01:06:55):
It's in the last year. I was thinking about problem
for me. I didn't really care.

Speaker 1 (01:06:59):
I was trying to remember when the original Snow White
was a problem? Oh was that movie controversial?

Speaker 6 (01:07:08):
So get this. Over the weekend, I posted an article
from The New York Times talking about what the governor
of Utah had said. Just I didn't pontificate, just put
what he said. I'm wrong for even sharing that. According
to the social media response, why would you not want
to know what the governor of Utah has said relative
of this situation? I just I don't get where we
are today?

Speaker 1 (01:07:27):
Were we was it? Starwalt? All the things are running
together now? Starwallt brought this up. It is the lack
of ability to recognize when your side, the society, you
agree with one. We have sides, That's that's part of
the problem, But the lack of an ability to see
when your side is wrong, when you're going too far,

(01:07:49):
Because it's easy to go, well, they've gone too far, right,
they've they've gone too far. But it's harder when you
when you're the ones doing it. And I'm not articulating
that nearly as well as Starwalt said, but he brought
up a really good point. Because you're trying to save
the country, you're trying to save the soul of America.
That's why you're justifying your actions and the other side
is doing the wrong things.

Speaker 6 (01:08:10):
We say, Yeah, this is why I think being an
independent is so attractive. I don't have to take any
one side. I can have my opinion. I don't have
to carry the weight for the Republican Party or the
Democratic Party or any other organized party if I don't
agree with what they say. I think that's why more
and more people want to be an independent. They don't
want bogged down in the Minutia.

Speaker 1 (01:08:29):
Get some more of your texts coming up in a moment,
three oh four Talk three oh four. That's the text line.
The phone number is eight hundred seven to sixty five.
Talk eight hundred seven six five eight two five five.
We'll talk to the ball coach himself. Coming up about
eleven forty five. Rich Rodriguez will join us, fresh off
the win over Pitts. We'll ask him. I want to
know where this win ranks for him, because judging by

(01:08:53):
his response Saturday, it's got to be pretty high up
on the charts. We'll ask him. Coming up about fifteen
minutes from now. This is talk Line on Metro News.
Metro News for forty years, the Voice of West Virginia
it is eleven thirty times to get a news update.
Let's check in with the Metro News radio network find
out what's happening across the great state of West Virginia.

(01:09:15):
West Virginia Metro News. I'm Chris Laurence.

Speaker 20 (01:09:18):
A week to go to sign up for help for
those impacted but the Father's Day weekend flooding.

Speaker 21 (01:09:21):
The disaster relief application period in Marion and Ohio counties
following Father's Day floods in September twenty second. Small Business
Administration Public affairs specialist John Frederick says, unlike FEMA, they
offer load to no interest loans for homeowners, business owners,
and renters.

Speaker 1 (01:09:39):
We're a little bit different than FEMA.

Speaker 3 (01:09:41):
We are alone and there to help you get safe
and sanitary and kind of like a helping hand, and
we are there to get.

Speaker 1 (01:09:47):
You back to the way you were Predisaster.

Speaker 21 (01:09:50):
Applications can be made online or in person. I'm Mike
Nolting for wv Metronews dot Com.

Speaker 20 (01:09:56):
Former US Senator Joe Manchin to be in New York
on his book tour Today. Man, you kick that tour
off Friday in Morgan Tennis. It's one of the things
he worries about is people have looked to government too
often as the answer.

Speaker 11 (01:10:06):
I'm just afraid that people are expecting more from government
than what government's supposed to be able to provide.

Speaker 19 (01:10:11):
Government should be your partner.

Speaker 22 (01:10:12):
Not your provider, but it has to have the compassion
to take those who can't take care of themselves well.

Speaker 20 (01:10:17):
Mentions books entitled Dead Center in defense of common Sense,
and he calls out the extremists on both sides of
the isle, with no willingness to compromise on anything, and
more so a hatred of anybody with an opposing political view.
Calhoun County Commission out with a statement following Saturday's arrest
of Commissioner Jacobucumbers on fifty counts of sexual abuse of
a child. The statement says the Commission does not condone
and strongly condemns the alleged action. You're listening to Metro

(01:10:41):
News for forty years the Boys of West Virginia.

Speaker 11 (01:10:44):
Governor Patrick Morrissey has set a very bold goal fifty
gigawatts of new energy capacity by twenty fifty. Thanks to
House Built twenty fourteen, West Virginia's coal plans will be
upgraded to run longer, stronger, and more efficiently, thus delivering reliable,
affordable baseload power. Our families and businesses will be able

(01:11:06):
to count on. West Virginia Coal Association President Chris Hamilton
stated Governor Morrissey's plan to grow West Virginia's energy generation
capacity to fifty giggawatts by twenty to fifty is a
dynamic approach to economic development which will supercharge our state's
coal industry and broader economy. With Governor Morrissey's leadership and

(01:11:26):
the action of the legislature, West Virginia is once again
America's energy leader. Cole is powering progress. Cole is powering
West Virginia. Brought to you by the West Virginia Coal Association.

Speaker 20 (01:11:43):
Gay isn't at the stars that those new cabins at
Cooper's Rock State Forests near Morgantown. State Tourism Director Chelsea
Ruby says, dark skies is a big thing.

Speaker 15 (01:11:50):
We're blessed to live here and we're used to it,
but the dark skies that we have here in West
Virginia are really unique. You know, if you go to
the big cities around US, go to DC or Pittsburgh,
it just doesn't get that dark. You can't see the scars,
and so it's something that you know, I don't know
that we lean into enough.

Speaker 6 (01:12:08):
Where we think about and not from the Metro News
anchored ESK.

Speaker 1 (01:12:11):
I'm Chris Lawrence, open segment, Rich Rodriguez about fifteen minutes

(01:12:37):
from now eight hundred and seven to sixty five talk
the phone number and three h four talk three oh
four is the text line. Star Walt is a world
class hypocrite. Whatever happens, it's Trump's faults. It's his only side,
says the Texter. Star Walt's a lot of things. Hypocrite's
not one of them. You can call him a lot

(01:12:57):
of things. He doesn't like. Uh oh no, he does
like Ohio Valley pizza. It's another guy, and I know
that the tests Ohio Valley pizza. But not a hypocrite.
I disagree with that assessment. You two are giving the
Charlie Kirk topic two much oxygen. I don't know about you, TJ,
but when I was out and about over the weekend,

(01:13:20):
that was the thing and people are still talking about that,
and I don't know how history. I get very leary
of saying, you know, history will remember this as because
we won't write history. Somebody else will write history, but
this could be we could be living in a very
historical moment. I don't know what will happen from here.

(01:13:41):
I don't know who will be inspired to become future
leaders because of this event. Certainly people were in the
sixties inspired and you know by JFK, by MLK, but
by all of these these individuals. So you know, it's
a big deal. It's a big event. There's to be
a vigil on W's campus tonight, so I mean, yeah,

(01:14:04):
it's the story. It's the national story right now.

Speaker 7 (01:14:08):
Yeah.

Speaker 6 (01:14:08):
I mean, we talk about the news, and I have
no idea of the age or anything of the texter
who put that in. First off, I appreciate your comment,
but I think one of the things that you and
I haven't got to yet on this show. We've hit
about it, but not directly, is just what a profound
impact Charlie Kirk had, whether you agree with him or not,

(01:14:30):
on the conservative youth movement, kids gravitated toward him. Many
kids knew about Charlie Kirk. Many young people know about him,
whether they agreed with him or not. They are very
much focused on this story, and I agree, I think
it is significant. You can say it's a turning point

(01:14:51):
American history. I would say, look, this thing is a
continuation of a sad reality that has been around ever
since the founding and far beyond that in terms of
political violence and other examples that itself is not new.
But this meant a lot to a lot of people,
and I think sometimes as we get older in generations,

(01:15:11):
we forget that. But there was definitely meaningful connection between
Charlie Kirk and the youth of this country.

Speaker 1 (01:15:17):
We have not had an event like that. Certainly we've
had terror attacks, we have with war, all of the above,
We've not had an assassination like that in our lifetime.
Go back to the sixties, our parents' generation, grandparents growing up.
These things happened. The sixties were tumultuous. We didn't love them,
we read about them. I kind of think we're living

(01:15:40):
our own version of that here in the two thousands.
You have tumultuous times, and you have a major moment
that happened in front of thousands of people on the
national stage. This is a big deal. This is a
big deal. Whether you like them or disagreed with them,
doesn't matter. This is a big deal. People are reacting
to this. This is going to have have an effect

(01:16:01):
for years to come.

Speaker 6 (01:16:02):
I believe non elected is it John Lennon? I mean
anybody in between that I'm sitting here thinking I can't
come up with anything. And forgive me if I'm missing something.

Speaker 1 (01:16:14):
I wouldn't put him on this. It's approaching John Lennon.

Speaker 6 (01:16:18):
Well, I mean, but from John Lennon until now, I
can't get any assassination that is credible on the same stage,
and they're all bad before. Someone says, I'm trying to
prop one up over the other. But I can't think
of any notable figure that was a non elected public
figure since John Lennon, and I could be missing someone.

Speaker 1 (01:16:36):
I think you're right. I think you're right. I think
going through my head. Let me get some more text
in here. Three or four talk three oh four, y'all
being on your holier than thou soapboxes makes this show?
Uh suck all right? Uh? Three or four Talk three
oh four.

Speaker 7 (01:16:57):
Uh.

Speaker 1 (01:16:57):
Texter says I was absolutely against bringing rich Rod back
to w because of the interview he did as he
was walking off the field. I'm ready to forgive and
cheer him on, says Barry and Fharamount winning fixes everything.
Winning fixes everything.

Speaker 6 (01:17:12):
Are we back? I mean we've been in a rut.
Let's call it what it is. We've been in a rut.
Are we back? I think a lot of people would
say we're back.

Speaker 1 (01:17:21):
Gotta win some conference games. First, my son was so
down Friday night. He came in for the game and
he was sure we were going to lose. I kept
telling him things happen at the backyard brawl. Lol, we
can still win. Brad Howe told us that on was
that Friday? We talked to Brad Thursday or Friday. Some
weird things happen in games like this. They did, they.

Speaker 6 (01:17:44):
Did, Vegas was wrong. What it ended up at. I
think it ended up settling at six and a half?
Was the line?

Speaker 1 (01:17:50):
Is that what it was?

Speaker 6 (01:17:51):
I think it ended up settling six and a half.
I don't think it moved after that.

Speaker 1 (01:17:56):
Three or four Talk three h four. I think any
politician that speaks of hate against anyone needs to resign.
In our state, the last ten years, it's been nothing
but social issues. Let's see progress in jobs, roads, Stay
out of people's personal lives, says the Texter three or
four Talk, three oh four. I noticed our ag said

(01:18:16):
nothing about the Democrat state senator and her husband killed
in their home. Shapiro's home firebombed. This is the problem,
says Jim in Martinsburg. Uh three or four talk three four, boy,
that's a lot of lyrics and I short on a
little bit of time here. Let me go there real quick,

(01:18:39):
go ahead. What happened in Minnesota.

Speaker 6 (01:18:44):
The fact that we're not talking about that right now,
why would that lead anyone to believe that that is
condoned other than what happened to Kirk is more recent
and in the news. It doesn't mean that you condone
what happened in Minnesota or what happened what happened to
Josh Shapiro that was attempted murder, tried to kill he
and his family.

Speaker 1 (01:19:05):
Wrong.

Speaker 6 (01:19:07):
But why do we think and why do we suggest
that if we're not talking about those instances right now,
that they were somehow okay? I just I don't understand
that line of thinking.

Speaker 1 (01:19:20):
It goes back to what I the observation Starwalt made,
because we when it is your side that may be
in the wrong or perceived to be in the wrong,
you try to justify it. And we spend too much
time trying to justify bad actions. I think that's what
it comes down to. And in this instant there are

(01:19:43):
texts trying to justify, not necessarily justify what happened, but
defend the ideology of the alleged assassin that's coming out
in the news the last couple of days. What you
don't have to do that. You don't have to do that.
Like you said to you, we don't have to bring
up everything that's happened on both sides every time that
an incident happens. They're all bad. Nobody should. Governor Shapiro

(01:20:07):
should be able to come and go as he places.
His family shouldn't be in danger just because he's the governor.
What happened to those senators in Minnesota, where it was tragic,
is tragic. It's all bad.

Speaker 6 (01:20:21):
It was nice to see Governor Shapiro at the backyard
brawl by the way. Glad they invited him down.

Speaker 1 (01:20:26):
Oh, I forgot. Was there our bets? Was there some
sort of a bet between Shapiro and Morrissey.

Speaker 6 (01:20:31):
I have to go back and look. I would imagine
that there would be, but they were both there. Lots
of pictures they were down on the field. You know,
obviously he's got his pit gear on, being Shapiro governor's
got his WVU gear on. So you know, nice, nice time.
I'll have to take a look at that. I would
imagine surely there was something.

Speaker 1 (01:20:50):
Texter says, January sixth is a big deal. Dumbah.

Speaker 7 (01:20:54):
Yeah.

Speaker 1 (01:20:54):
Yes, every time anything ever happens, we'll make sure to
mention that January sixth happens. Do you write that down,
TJ write that?

Speaker 7 (01:20:59):
Got it?

Speaker 1 (01:21:00):
Every time something happens, make sure we mentioned January sixth happen.
All right, we're going to totally switch gears. Have some fun.
Rich Rodriguez going to join us a couple of minutes from now.
It's talk line from the Cove Insurance Studios.

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Speaker 1 (01:22:33):
We'll get in some more of your texts coming back
through before talk three or four. That's the text line.
Eight hundred and seven sixty five. Eight two five five
is the phone number. Joining us on Metro News talk
Line this morning is the head coach of the West
Virginia Mountaineers, Rich Rodriguez, Coach. Good morning, glad you could
join us.

Speaker 22 (01:22:51):
Oh, thanks for having me.

Speaker 1 (01:22:53):
How much fun have you been having for the last
couple of days?

Speaker 22 (01:22:57):
Well, it was it was fun, you know. Saturday night
was a lot of fun. Uh, Sunday it was a
little bit of fun. But then we after twenty four hours.
The every coach tell you that you kind of move on,
And so we enjoyed Sunday's walk through a little bit,
and by by last night we moved on to conference place.
So but it was it was it was a lot

(01:23:17):
of so appreciative that our crowd was fantastic. The atmosphere
was was unbelievable. So it was a good day for
the Mountain hareters.

Speaker 6 (01:23:26):
Is this for our fans? We've been in a little
bit of a run. How big a win was this
for our fans?

Speaker 3 (01:23:31):
You know?

Speaker 2 (01:23:31):
I hope you know?

Speaker 22 (01:23:32):
That's and I think we talked I talked to our
players about it obviously last week, but even before the
season started, about the importance of of playing hard and
doing the best you can because we have such a
loyal fan base, and everybody has so much pride in
our in our school and our program, and and and

(01:23:53):
and we got a great situation. We got a great
fan base, There's no question we have. I had tremendous
administrative support. Our board of governors is absolutely fantastic. They're
supporting us every way possible. So we have a lot
of things aligne Now we will be a whole lot
better the next time we play pitt in three years,
because we've had time to build a program and develop

(01:24:14):
all that, but to get to get that win Saturday,
with such a tremendous turnout of the crowd and with
a lot of attention on it was really neat for all,
not just our program, but for everybody that follows West
Virginia and West Virginia University.

Speaker 1 (01:24:29):
Where does the wind rank for you personally?

Speaker 22 (01:24:33):
A fair question. I was actually talking to some of
my coaches and my family about that, because you know,
we usually don't reflect. I usually don't reflect too much
one way or another, right, But then I said this probably,
I think probably as the night went on a bit, We're
sitting in my office till the lights went out, and
I'm like, this is probably in the top five for sure.
You know, of all the I don't know, three hundred

(01:24:54):
some games that have been a head coach, yet this
has to be in the top five because it was
a little bit improbable. You know, we've got a little
bit adversity right now that's going on in our program.
But also because of the I think the importance of
it to our program and and for me personally, you know,
you know our feelings about Pitt, So that wasn't you

(01:25:14):
know that was if you're gonna, you know, try to
feel good about one beating Pitt, it helps you feel good.

Speaker 6 (01:25:21):
I want to give you the high road. So I'm
gonna be careful about how I raise imposed this question.
But I'll get into the numbers at some point and
look at dives per game. But my perspective, it looked
like Pitt was taking some dives. Slow the tempo down. Obviously,
West Virginia pay uh, we go fast paced. What does
football need to do in terms of that rule to

(01:25:42):
make it better so that you can't slow the game down?

Speaker 22 (01:25:44):
You know, you're exactly right, and they they're NCA knows
it that the guys are just dropping, and you know
they've tried to, you know, help coaches not to do that.
They try to come up with a rule that if
it happens after they're ready for play, that it could
cost them up time out or a penalty. But you
know they're gonna do it. They're gonna do it before
the ball spotted. And when you have it happened that

(01:26:07):
much and sometimes two or three guys going down, like
come on to me, I think you need to have
a rule that for if it's all about health and safety.
Then make them sit out the rest of the quarter
or the rest of the half. You won't see as
many people falling out and diving, right if they have
to sit out the rest of the half, you know,
And it's not like you're punishing him. You're making sure

(01:26:30):
he's okay, right, You're making sure for healthles safety reasons.
So I think it's got to go beyond that because
the rule they put in, I think the intent was good,
but in reality the rule in is non effective.

Speaker 7 (01:26:41):
You know.

Speaker 1 (01:26:42):
One of the reasons we love sports it gives us
poetic justice, maybe karma. So here's a guy like ty Edwards,
all the adversity he had to go through with his
eligibility status, and in the biggest game so far this year,
he gets twenty five carries, one hundred and forty one yards,
three touchdowns. There's some poetic justice too that after what
he had to go through to get that opportunity.

Speaker 22 (01:27:03):
Yeah, and to his credit and all those guys credit.
It was kind of unknown. It was like how long
is this going to take for this to happen? And
you know, he worked out on his own. You know,
he's still not quite in shape. Yet you can see
he had to get some rest at times, but he
worked hard, he stayed engaged. You know, he was learning
on his own. And you know, obviously he made some
and I, you know, I had gotten on him earlier,

(01:27:24):
you know, when we were practicing about you know, he's
a big physical guy. You need to use that physicality
and and and rumanter pad is lower and he did.
I mean he lowered. And he's a two hundred and
twenty five pound grown man, so we need a little
spark there and he provided. It was fun to see.

Speaker 6 (01:27:40):
The intensity that we played with toward the end of
the game and that passion. How do you get the
guys to do that for all four quarters?

Speaker 22 (01:27:46):
Well, you know it's hopefully that's where our program is
going to be all the time, and it won't be.
And I and even in the first two games we
didn't play particularly well a lot of times, but we
were still playing hard. So I wasn't panicking when our
but but that's got to be who we are, that's
how we practice, that's how we you know, build our program.
That that nobody's going to take a playoff and nobody's

(01:28:06):
going to loaf, nobody's going to be soft and there's
a process of doing that. We're we're still not to
that thing, but at least Saturday for the most part,
you know, as longer the game went, I could feel
our guys and their physicality and the way they're playing hard,
you know, was going to help us win and and
not tell our guys I said. The longer the game
goes h was over time or not. I think it

(01:28:29):
benefits us because we think the way we practice prepares that.
Now that's you know, we're we're still progress, working progress
for us. But at least Saturday it showed a little bit.

Speaker 1 (01:28:40):
Football coach Rich Rodriguez joining us fresh off the win
over pit on Saturday while you were, I'm sure working
on some final preparations. On Friday, the Board of Governors
met adopted a resolution directing athletic department leadership to in
the university to come up with a plan to make
certain athletic department is among the top tiers funded departments

(01:29:00):
in the Big twelve. What message does that send to
you and the rest of the coaches in the athletic department.

Speaker 22 (01:29:05):
Well, we're thanks for bringing it up. We're all aligned,
you know, whether it's the coaches here, the administration of
Board of governors. You know, they understand what's changed now
in college athletics, and the dynamic has changed so much
in the last couple of years. And now we're all
we're running a business. There's always been running a business
to some degree, but now it's full law and business.

(01:29:25):
And for us to have a successful business, we have
to have support from not only know our outside donors,
but are within the school as well. And that's why
I feel so good about our future because we have
tremendous support here, you know, from our board and from
our administration, and everybody realizes what we got to do.
You know, we're you know, we're okay now, but what

(01:29:47):
we got need to do in the next two to
three years to truly compete on a national level. We're
going to be aligned now to be able to do that,
and there's a lot of work still to be done.
But I'm really really appreciative of our board and the
way they support in our let programs.

Speaker 6 (01:30:01):
Sure you took little time Saturday night to celebrate, but
I also imagine you got right to work on Kansas.
What times you turn the light outs on Saturday night,
stop and go home, get an hour or two sleep
before you were back at it.

Speaker 22 (01:30:10):
Well, we we had a whole bunch of recruits here
and so we spent a lot of time with them
before and after the game, and then there was there
there's many of our my friends that were here and
spent the first three hours of sitting outside my office
looking at the stadium.

Speaker 1 (01:30:25):
Emptied out.

Speaker 22 (01:30:26):
And then that was till about eleven eleven thirty at night,
and then I forgot I hadn't eat eating all day,
so then we all got something to eat, and then
I had to take a peek at Kansas at about
one thirty in the morning. So it was a long night,
but it was it was a lot. I couldn't sleep anyway.
I was too juiced up at the game, so I
don't think I fell asleep to about two or three anyway,

(01:30:48):
So it was it was a It was a great day.

Speaker 1 (01:30:51):
Mountain Near head football coach Rich Rodriguez, fresh off the
win in the backyard brawl and it's on to Kansas coach.
Congratulations on the wind, good luck in the next one
rest the season. Thanks for joining us this morning.

Speaker 22 (01:31:02):
Okay, great catching up with do you guys appreciate you
you as well.

Speaker 1 (01:31:06):
Coach Rich Rodriguez. Three or four talk three or four
is the text line eight hundred seven sixty five eight
two five five back to wrap it up in the moments.

Speaker 2 (01:31:15):
Along the lower gully, have reported sightings of a pirate
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boat it passes back to you carry.

Speaker 18 (01:31:23):
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Speaker 13 (01:31:43):
Football season is here. Get Mountaineer football coverage and watch
live high school football games every week by downloading the
Metro News Television app. It's Metro News shows all day,
including talk Lines, Sports Line, three, Guys Before the Game,
Metro News, Middays Hotline, and our new feature State of Minds,
right on your smart TV or streaming device. Get more
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(01:32:06):
powered by the University of Charleston, the West Virginia Department
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Speaker 1 (01:32:31):
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Speaker 21 (01:32:50):
Uh three or.

Speaker 1 (01:32:51):
Four talk three oh four is the text line texter says,
tell Hoppy to stop texting you. I blocked his number
a long time. Go three or four talk three or four.
Both sides is lazy. There are far more than two
sides in America. Okay, we'll say all sides from now on.

(01:33:13):
Three or four Talk three oh four says you can
tell TJ's not a sports fan. Rich Rod spent zero
time on Kansas Saturday night. Lol. I don't know about that.
Three or four talk three four. I saw Charliekirk debate
twice against a Columbus U student from England against a

(01:33:34):
professor from England. Kirk is a good speaker, but not
a good debater. He uses talking points rather than evidence
and facts. He lost both debates, says the Texter. There
will be a vigil on wvu's campus tonight, a Charlie
Kirk vigil that will be on the Life Sciences Squad
that'll start at seven point thirty tonight on wu's campus.

(01:33:56):
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(01:34:17):
The Mega Million's jackpot is four hundred million dollars. So
go ahead, play today, plumb out of time. I'll try
to do a little bit better tomorrow. Back at ten
oh six. Coming up on many of these same Metro
news radio stations, It's Metro News Midday with Amanda and
Dave for tj Ethan and Jake. I'm Dave. We'll talk
to you tomorrow morning. Talk Linel Metro News for forty

(01:34:39):
years the voice of West Virginia,