West Virginia
Oklahoma-West Virginia: Our Picks
![Oklahoma-West Virginia: Our Picks](https://www.si.com/.image/t_share/MTgzOTYwMzA3NTQ1MTU1NDY5/eric-gray---nebraska-2.jpg)
John Hoover
The Oklahoma offense has dedicated seven turnovers within the final three video games — six of these from quarterback Dillon Gabriel. If OU can clear these up in Morgantown, count on a snug Sooner victory. If not, West Virginia’s offense is explosive sufficient to hold 40 or extra on the Oklahoma protection. This figures to be a shootout — aren’t all of them in Milan-Puskar Stadium? — as a result of the Sooners haven’t stopped anybody all 12 months, however the Mountaineers’ protection can be shaky. OU has received all 9 conferences since WVU joined the Massive 12, however the Sooners’ streak shall be in jeopardy if the offense doesn’t carry the staff once more. WVU ran simply 49 offensive performs final week in a 31-14 loss at Iowa State, however the Cyclones’ protection and the Sooners’ protection don’t look a lot alike. The Mountaineers may have a neater time transferring the soccer this week.
Last rating: Oklahoma 41, WVU 38
Ryan Chapman
The Sooners dropped a irritating sport final week, however the offensive success was nonetheless there. If Oklahoma can merely restrict its turnovers, Eric Grey and the OU working sport can put a big level complete on the board. JT Daniels has given opponents the possibility to choose him off this 12 months, throwing eight interceptions, and if the Sooners can simply be satisfactory on the bottom then the protection will make sufficient performs to beat one of many worst groups within the Massive 12.
Scroll to Proceed
Last rating: OU 42, WVU 31
Josh Callaway
West Virginia has been a very totally different staff in Morgantown versus on the highway. Regardless of their report and their standing within the Massive 12, beating the Mountaineers won’t be a simple activity for an Oklahoma staff that proper now can not seem to get out of their very own means. However, that is merely a sport the Sooners must win. On the highway or not, West Virginia is in final place within the convention and fairly clearly the worst staff within the league. Their coach is on the recent seat, and their season has largely been a catastrophe. If OU rolls in there and leaves with one more loss, Oklahoma’s season strikes into full catastrophe territory of their very own if it is not there already. JT Daniels and the Mountaineers offense will get factors on the board however Dillon Gabriel and the OU offense, if they’ll avoid a bunch of turnovers like final week, ought to be capable to win the shootout. It is a intestine examine sport for the Sooners, they completely cannot drop this one and return right down to .500 earlier than Bedlam subsequent weekend. We are going to discover out a little bit of what Oklahoma is product of on this sport.
Last rating: Oklahoma 45, West Virginia 38
Ross Lovelace
The Sooners appear to be easing gamers again from damage weekly, and because the last stretch of the season is shortly approaching, it’s now all fingers on deck. Billy Bowman has labored his means again to enjoying time, though not beginning, and may proceed to ramp up his snap rely, which is very large for Oklahoma’s protection. JT Daniels has been careless with the soccer during the last 4 weeks, and though Oklahoma’s protection has struggled mightily, the secondary has give you a couple of key interceptions. If the Sooners protection can power a turnover or two early, the dashing assault has been adequate to take Oklahoma the gap on Saturday. The Sooners want to complete sturdy not solely to salvage what’s left of this 12 months, however at this level, extra losses would add to the negativity heading into subsequent season too. The sense of desperation shall be attention-grabbing to see this weekend.
Last rating: Oklahoma 45, West Virginia 27
![](https://newspub.live/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/np-logo.png)
West Virginia
New online PN program offered at West Virginia Junior College
![New online PN program offered at West Virginia Junior College](https://gray-wsaz-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/S7372AX675BYPJNNMMASWSTUVM.jpg?auth=3a5fe3cc2a8cad4e59b4e0b8aa3232bfbf080e4bc8b6e45dfba7e42a0ab59e60&width=1200&height=600&smart=true)
CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) – With the success of their online RN nursing program, West Virginia Junior College is starting a new program that they say will give students the best of both worlds.
“Hospitals seem to really need practical nurses, so we started the idea around West Virginia with West Virginia Junior College creating an online practical nursing program,” said Kelly Pauley, Director of the Practical Nursing Program.
The college says the new program will allow students to get in-person, hands-on experience with labs and clinicals – while still being able to take their classes virtually from the comfort of their own home – or on the go.
“You know some of our students go to baseball games, park in the lot, you know, and get to watch their baseball game of their child while also studying for their tests,” Pauley said.
The college says the program takes 12 months and students will earn a diploma in practical nursing – and be prepared for their licensing exam. Whether its the online or in-person program, Pauley says their goal is to teach their students to be great nurses.
“That’s our main goal here is to really make sure that we are bringing out people who will be able to take care of me someday and you and our community,” Pauley said.
Copyright 2024 WSAZ. All rights reserved.
West Virginia
West Virginia Picked to Finish Seventh in Big 12 Football Media Preseason Poll
![West Virginia Picked to Finish Seventh in Big 12 Football Media Preseason Poll](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,w_1461,h_821,x_308,y_384/c_fill,w_1440,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/GettyImages/mmsport/138/01j1t4328jyec54tg0kp.jpg)
The Big 12 Football Media Preseason Poll was released on Tuesday, with West Virginia football finding itself roughly in the middle of the pack in the new-look Big 12.
Of the 16 teams slated to compete in the conference this season, WVU was voted to finish seventh-overall and received zero first-place votes. While not a pick to be among the league’s worst programs this season, some could perceive the prediction as a slight, considering the Mountaineers finished in a tie for fourth-place last season and return a number of impact players from a team that ended the season 9-4 with a Duke’s Mayo Bowl victory.
However, such preseason polls can mean very little in the long run. For example, WVU was picked to finish in last place amongst 14 teams in the conference last season, which as previously mentioned did not play out as the polls expected. Last year, head coach Neal Brown and his staff used the dismal prediction to motivate his team — if this year’s roster sees themselves as a Big 12 Championship competitor after last season’s solid performance, the same could be done again this year.
The full poll can be found below, with the teams and vote totals listed in order from first-to-last.
2024 Big 12 Football Media Preseason Poll
First-place votes in parenthesis.
1. Utah (20) 906
2. Kansas State (19) 889
3. Oklahoma State (14) 829
4. Kansas (5) 772
5. Arizona (3) 762
6. Iowa State 661
7. West Virginia 581
8. UCF 551
9. Texas Tech 532
10. TCU 436
11. Colorado 400
12. Baylor 268
13. BYU 215
14. Cincinnati 196
15. Houston 157
16. Arizona State 141
West Virginia
Babydog is not West Virginia’s Li’l Sebastian. She’s ‘puppaganda.’ • West Virginia Watch
![Babydog is not West Virginia’s Li’l Sebastian. She’s ‘puppaganda.’ • West Virginia Watch](https://westvirginiawatch.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Babydog-202040701.jpg)
On West Virginia Day, Gov. Jim Justice held a dedication to the four new murals in the state Capitol rotunda.
The next day, we heard rumors that Babydog, Justice’s prized English bulldog, was in the murals. Sure enough, when I looked through the state Legislature’s photo gallery, there she was … right between a painter and a musician, with Seneca Rocks in the background.
We immediately began contacting state officials and the artists, with not much luck. The renderings released in April did not include Babydog in “The Shivaree of Seneca Rock.”
First, let me make it clear that I’m not blaming Babydog. Babydog is baby. She is innocent. She can’t help that she is chonky and people love her for it.
And yes, it is kind of funny and silly that she is in what’s supposed to be a historically accurate mural. (Sorry, it’s not actually “our” Babydog in the mural. It’s Babydog’s “20th grandma,” according to Randall Reid-Smith, secretary for the West Virginia Department of Arts, Culture and History.)
But the problem is that protocols were not followed with the mural, which was funded by taxpayer money.
Reid-Smith, who would not return our calls for an interview, said on Metronews’ “Talkline” that he and other top members of the Justice administration, after reviewing the initial draft of the mural, felt it needed more content, and added a cardinal, elk and Babydog.
However, any changes made to the Capitol must be approved by the Capitol Building Commission. He said the mural with Babydog’s likeness was approved by himself, state Museums Director Charles Morris, Deputy Chief of Staff Ann Urling, Administration Secretary Mark Scott and Director of Intergovernmental Affairs Rebecca Blaine. Reid-Smith is the only one on that list who is a member of the Capitol Building Commission.
Like many things in Justice’s administration, there’s been a lack of transparency with the process. The Gazette-Mail’s Phil Kabler sent a Freedom of Information Act request related to the state’s decision to enter into a contract with John Canning & Co. for the mural work, since the current Capitol Building Commission never approved the work. Kabler said the response he received was the April 3 news release announcing the murals.
Reid-Smith also tried to justify the decision by saying, “People will always remember Babydog, and so that is creating history.”
Yes. People will remember Babydog because Justice brings her everywhere — along with her own chair — and uses her to try to endear people to him.
People on social media have compared Babydog to Li’l Sebastian, a beloved 25-year-old mini horse from the sitcom, “Parks and Recreation.” The mini horse is the city of Pawnee’s mascot, and some describe Babydog as West Virginia’s mascot.
Everyone loves Lil’ Sebastian, who somehow has an honorary degree from Notre Dame. Even curmudgeon Ron Swanson squeals in delight when the tiny horse visits city hall.
Both Li’l Sebastian and Babydog have songs about them. Both have merch. Both make special appearances at events.
Except Li’l Sebastian’s owner isn’t a politician.
Li’l Sebastian’s owner never ran for U.S. Senate.
Li’l Sebastian never endorsed a political candidate.
Li’l Sebastian never lobbied around the state against personal income taxes.
Babydog is a distraction. Justice has had a lot of bad press, even going back to before he was elected governor. In February, when it was announced that Carter Bank & Trust listed several of Justice’s properties at the Greenbrier Sporting Club for auction, Justice announced soon after that Babydog would need surgeries for a torn ACL. A few days after Justice’s companies sued to block the auction, an official news release came out saying Babydog’s ACL surgery was successful.
On West Virginia Day, Justice was scheduled to unveil a statue of the state’s first governor, Arthur I. Boreman, in Wheeling. He showed up 40 minutes late and sat in his air conditioned car on the 92 degree day until it was his turn to speak.
Wheeling Mayor Glenn Elliott, Justice’s opponent in the U.S. Senate race, posted on X that Justice “spoke at length about his own dog and said nothing about Governor Boreman.”
Justice apologized to the crowd for not bringing Babydog to the event, “It’s unseasonably warm, and Babydog absolutely can’t stand it when it’s unseasonably warm.”
Same, girl.
Now that things have been heating up with Child Protective Services and the Department of Human Services as reporters and legislators try to find out how a Boone County teen fell through the cracks, Babydog has popped up in a mural.
It’s OK to love Babydog. But remember she’s there to distract you. Pay no attention to the man behind the English bulldog.
GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
-
News1 week ago
A Florida family is suing NASA after a piece of space debris crashed through their home
-
Politics1 week ago
Biden official says past social media posts don’t reflect ‘current views,’ vows to support admin ‘agenda’
-
World1 week ago
New Caledonia independence activists sent to France for detention
-
World1 week ago
Israel accepts bilateral meeting with EU, but with conditions
-
World1 week ago
Netanyahu says war will continue even if ceasefire deal agreed with Hamas
-
News1 week ago
Arkansas police confirm 4th victim died in grocery store shooting
-
Politics1 week ago
DeSantis signs bill allowing residents to kill bears, vetoes bill that fines slow left lane drivers
-
News1 week ago
Woman accused of trying to drown Muslim child in Texas in possible hate crime