Since 1979 I have had some kind of personal contact with the Coaches at WVU in football and basketball. The so called revenue sports. When Oliver Luck hired Randy Mazey as the new baseball coach to take the team into the first season of Big 12 baseball it really meant nothing to me except I respect Oliver enough that if he says thats the guy then I back you clear to the centerfield wall.
A funny thing happened. The Mountaineer Nine suddenly had one of the better teams. Beating ranked opponents, taking series from favored fellow Big 12 schools and generally providing a bright spot that had in years past been a waiting period between spring football practice and summer training camp. Then Randy Mazey did something special. No, he didn't call for a suicide squeeze in the bottom of the ninth to beat TCU. There was no pitching change to bring in the freshmen lefty that nobody knew to pitch a complete game shutout of Texas. What Randy Mazey did was teach a life lesson to his team and along the way endeared himself to a special set of sports fans known as Mountaineer Nation.
With his team in Oklahoma waiting to play in the Big 12 tournament a disaster hit in nearby Oklahoma City with devastating results. The death toll is still rising at this point with many of those being affected being grade school children, kids that tossed the horsehide after school for the fun of it........toss it they will no more. Coach Mazey could have bben justified keeping his team locked safely away in their hotel but he took charge and went down in sports history as a man leading men in doing the right thing. The Mountaineers tried to make it to those most needing help but were turned back by the authorities who deemed it unsafe for the team to be in the aftermath. This would have stopped most men. Hey, we tried. Not Mazey. Our first year coach took his team and shopped for supplies that will help some Okies have a little relief in their time of suffering. Truly, the thought is what counts here
Coach, this is directed at you, I want to say how proud I , a lifelong Mountaineer, am to have you as part of West Virginia University and our great state. If you never win another game you will always be remember for teaching a lesson in life to your young Mountaineers during the May Tornadoes in Oklahoma City. I would love to be there to hear the standing ovation you get at the Big 12 tournament
You have made West Virginians and the Mountaineer Nation very proud. West Virginians are a different breed of people, I know because I am one born and bred. We never forget a helping hand. Welcome to West Virginia
Nice Job Coach
Mike on the Mic
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