A Quick Look at WVU's 2012 Schedule

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Here is a look at WVU's schedule for the upcoming year...the first in the Big 12!
Day, Date, Opponent, Time
Sat. Sept. 1 Marshall TBA
Note: Why?

Sat. Sept. 8 Open
Sat. Sept. 15 vs. James Madison + TBA
Note: Cash grab game in DC.
Sat. Sept. 22 Maryland TBA
Note: Is there anybody still playing for the Terps?
Sat. Sept. 29 Baylor # TBA
Note: Interesting homecoming game. And, the first Big 12 game ever for WVU.
Sat. Oct. 6 at Texas TBA
Note: First trip in the Big 12 is to take on the Legend of the conference.
Sat. Oct. 13 at Texas Tech TBA
Note: One of Dana's former stomping grounds. Defense optional.
Sat. Oct. 20 Kansas State TBA
Note: Huge matchup, as Kansas State looks to be one of the top teams.
Sat. Oct. 27 Open
Sat. Nov. 3 TCU ^ TBA
Note: The battle of former Big East teams? Kind-of?
Sat. Nov. 10 at Oklahoma State TBA
Note: Another former spot for Dana. Take the over.
Sat. Nov. 17 Oklahoma TBA
Note: Depending on how the season goes for both, could be a Gameday option.
Sat. Nov. 24 at Iowa State TBA
Note: I have been looking of forward to the first trip to Ames since October!
Sat. Dec. 1 Kansas TBA
Note: Charlie Weis has some serious work to do.

+-FedEx Field, Landover, MD#-Homecoming^-Mountaineer Day

You're On Candid Camera!

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Syracuse Athletics: It's always something, isn't it?

As has been widely reported in the Syracuse area, SU's former media director Roger Springfield appeared this morning in Onondaga County Court to be arraigned on an indictment charging him with felony unlawful surveillance. The indictment follows a month-long investigation by Syracuse Police and the Onondaga District Attorney's Office, in response to a disclosure directly from Syracuse University upon its discovery of some videotape evidence that seemed inappropriate. As is the tradition on this blog, we'll break down what the charge means, possible outcomes of the case, and the potential fallout for the Athletic Department.

Springfield, whose real name is evidently Roger Cahak, is charged with Unlawful Surveillance in the Second Degree, which in New York is a Class E felony. The crime is relatively new, becoming law in 2003 -- in response to evolving technology and the privacy concerns that follow. There are four potential theories upon which a person could be guilty of the crime, and based on reports I've seen at this point, it's unclear which of the four Springfield faces.

One theory is that when one acts for his own (or another's) amusement, entertainment, or profit, or to abuse or degrade a person, he intentionally uses an imaging device to secretly view, record, or broadcast a person dressing or undressing or shows his intimate parts at a time or place where the person has a reasonable expectation of privacy, without the person's consent.

The next theory is when one acts for his own (or another's) sexual gratification, he intentionally uses an imaging device to secretly view, record, or broadcast a person dressing or undressing or shows his intimate parts at a time or place where the person has a reasonable expectation of privacy, without the person's consent.

The third theory is when one acts with no legitimate purpose in using an imaging device to secretly view, record or broadcast a person in a bedroom, changing room, fitting room, restroom, toilet, bathroom, washroom, shower, or any room assigned to patrons or guests in a hotel, motel, or inn, without such person's knowledge or consent.

The final theory is when one acts to use an imaging device to secretly view, record, or broadcast, under the clothing being worn by the person, the sexual or other intimate parts of a person (i.e. "upskirting").

I could pretty certainly assume that theory number four doesn't apply here. So from there, the questions we will need to deal with include what Springfield's intent was, and whether there is a reasonable expectation of privacy in a college locker room. In the case of theory three, we know the "prohibited areas" or surveillance -- they're spelled out in the statute -- and the defendant charged under that theory would have to rebut the presuption that he acted with no legitimate purpose. In those instances, surveillance for crime or theft could be a legitimate purpose depending on the circumstances and the notice given to people entering those areas.

Whether there is a reasonable expectation of privacy in a college locker room seems to be an area of focus in this case, according to a statement made by Springfield's attorney. A quick search of NY cases doesn't turn up much concerning a reasonable expectation of privacy in locker rooms, so I'm not so sure why Springfield's attorney feels so confident. The way I see it, if I'm an athlete I have -- if nothing else -- an expectation that the only people who can see me change are my teammates, and maybe my coaches. A locker room is a large changing room -- with doors, no windows to the outside, and limited access. The people in the locker room are all in the same boat -- all exposed to each other, but only to each other. If that expectation did not exist, then the locker room itself would not exist -- the football players would take their pads and jock straps off right at the 50 yard line of Ernie Davis Legends Field, while the ESPN cameras are still rolling and the crowd is filing out the revolving doors.

And, of course, that's absurd.

And so, I have a feeling that Roger Springfield doesn't have much of a case. As an E felony, he faces a maximum of 4 years in state prison; however, he could get local jail time, or even probation. Possibly more damaging, however, is the possibility that a conviction for unlawful surveillance could require Springfield to register as a sex offender under New York's Sex Offender Registration Act.

To his credit, it appears Springfield fully cooperated with the investigation, and even provided additional evidence to the authorities. I'm still trying to get my head around that. So, assuming he has no criminal history, it seems likely that he'll escape having to serve any state prison or even local jail time. His attorney could even make a motion with the Court for this to not be treated as a sex offense, if the facts and circumstances of this case and of Springfield himself would make treatment as a sex offender unduly harsh to him.

While New York does its prosecution, it seems that other jurisdictions may not get involved. There are allegations that some of the surveillance could have occurred in Florida, but Florida seems content in letting New York deal with this. The possibility still exists that the Feds could get involved.

Today was merely the first step in the criminal process. Springfield was arraigned on the felony indictment handed up by the Grand Jury; he appeared in court, was apprised of the charges against him and had his rights explained to him, and the case now moves on to discovery and motions, as well as plea bargaining discussions between Springfield's attorney and the District Attorney's Office. Best case scenario, he gets probation with no sex offender registration. I guess time will tell.

I will say this: Syracuse University seems to have done everything right in this case. As evidenced in its official press release, SU discovered the problem, immediately reported it to authorities, and fully cooperated in the investigation. It also acted quickly in suspending, and then firing, Springfield. There was no cover-up, no referral to a law firm to investigate. So, you know, we've all learned a lot from the Bernie Fine thing.

St. John's - Syracuse Preview

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Syracuse students agree: NYC is STILL Syracuse country.Is James Southerland playing today? According to Twitter he is. And the Post-Standard has confirmed it. Either way, Syracuse takes on a St. John's team that is last in the Big East in rebounding. They also aren't very good at shooting the long ball with the exception of star D'Angelo Harrison. However Harrison is the definition of a streaky player. He could rattle off five unbelievably long or impossible shots and miss the next ten. If Harrison is on, and he can be as he leads the team with 18.5ppg, Syracuse will have to respond. But again the good news is that Syracuse is a far better rebounding team (2nd in the Big East) than St. John's. If St. John's starts missing shots the game could get out of hand for them quickly. Syracuse has played far better at home than on the road. SU outrebounded ND, the opposing team for the first time in four games, and that is with a guy named Jack Cooley on the roster. They also shot 48.9% in that game. While Harrison probably will get around 15 points, so will CJ Fair. And probably Southerland will add ten off the bench in the excitement of being back on the floor in a game. St. John's is not a team that can bust the zone so look for them to really struggle in the first half, with Syracuse gaining a modest lead. St. John's should get a run going in the second half to close the gap, but Syracuse's transition game will definitely keep them in the lead. Syracuse, playing at home, against a team they have dominated for a good stretch, will play well. I'm picking the Orange to win this one by 16. This game is available on ESPN nationally at 3:00pm.

St. John's - Syracuse Postgame Reactions OR Still The Best in New York

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There were only a few puzzling moments from Syracuse in this one.St. John's was in a tough position. They were playing a top ten opponent on the road in the Big East and without Steve Lavin on the bench. They gave it a good effort, but Syracuse could not be denied, especially with the return of key reserve player James Southerland, having had his eligibility restored. It was too much for the scrappy upstarts from Downstate. Syracuse beats the Red Storm 77 to 58.

• Once again, the leading scorer for Syracuse was CJ Fair who had 17 points on 7-13 shooting and 2-3 from beyond the arc, both from the corner. He also pulled down nine rebounds while playing 39 minutes. He also had a pretty serious dunk that was called an offensive foul.
• MCW also had 17 points on 6-9 shooting and 3-5 from behind the line. He had a really solid game overall including eight assists and six steals. It seems he has again struck a nice balance between scoring and assisting on scores. It helps with Southerland back in the lineup to take the pressure off him as well. He was also 2-2 from the free throw line.
• Brandon Triche also had a nice day with 16 points on 5-10 shooting (2-6 long range). Additionally, he added five rebounds, seven assists, and was 4-4 from the free throw line.
• James Southerland was a little shaky in his first half back after missing six games, but he made up for it in the second half and found his rhythm. He was 4-10 from the floor and 3-7 from behind the arc for a total of 13 points in 26 minutes of work. He also had two rebounds, assists, steals, and one block. Not a bad return for the team's leading scorer.
• Baye Moussa Keita had the game Syracuse fans were yearning for while Southerland was out. He was 4-4 from the floor in 22 minutes, earning eight points, four rebounds, and two blocks.
• Trevor Cooney was great defensively, but he still looks terrible on the offensive end. He played seven minutes and was 0-1 but had one steal.
• Jerami Grant took a step back from his last game's big performance but still had a solid day, yielding minutes in favor of Southerland. He had four points, shooting 2-5 from the floor in 15 minutes.
• Rakeem Christmas is still one of the best athletes on the floor but he also took a step back from his play in the Notre Dame game. He was 1-2 in 18 minutes, picking up two points, a rebound, steal, and block.
• Syracuse shot a gaudy 53.7% from the floor, 45.5% (10-22) from long range. They also shot 9-10 (90%) from the free throw line. St. John's only shot 41.8%, 22.7% (5-22), and 7-10 (70%) respectively.
• The referees let the kids play in this one, not calling anything ticky tacky or touch fouls. They only called actual body contact or charges. In reference to the charge on the Fair dunk, I do think CJ got beat to the position, but officials have to be weary of calling offensive fouls on players that are already in the air for a dunk. A defender should not be able to slip in and establish position when a player is going for a dunk already in the air to get a foul. Of course, this is the hardest call in basketball.
• Southerland had one of the prettiest plays on the day getting a long pass from MCW, then dishing it with no look to Triche to finished with a dunk at the other end to really put away any momentum St. John's had built.
• Syracuse had 12 turnovers in this game. That's a little high, led by three from Brandon Triche, but it is close to their average. St. John's had 16.

Syracuse remains the best basketball team in New York State and continues their win streak against St. John's. Syracuse has a bit of a quick turnaround as they now head to Hartford Wednesday to take on Connecticut for the last time as Big East members. Especially sad as there is no possibility of these teams matching up in the Big East Tournament in New York. Either way it will be a fun one, but for now it's fun beating that other pesky team in New York once again

Syracuse - Marquette Preview

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Syracuse students agree: Syracuse isn't looking good lately.Syracuse had a short turnaround between a dreadful offensive performance for a Big Monday match against another leading team in Marquette. And yeah, Syracuse is going to be playing against a great defense in Marquette who is active and grinds other teams down by their pace of play and outside shooting. Syracuse must dominate the offensive and defensive glass to have a chance of beating Marquette in their building. All the guards will attack off the bounce and find gaps in the zone to not only shoot from, but also kick out to more than capable shooters. Honestly, I wish I had even a small bit of confidence for the Orange's offense lately, but how can you after you've seen not only how they performed in their last game, but on the road overall this season. Brandon Triche bouncing back will be the key to the game. If Syracuse can get production from him they have a chance. But right now the smart pick is Marquette by 12. This game is available nationally on ESPN at 7:00pm ET.

St. John's - Syracuse Preview

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Syracuse students agree: NYC is STILL Syracuse country.Is James Southerland playing today? According to Twitter he is. And the Post-Standard has confirmed it. Either way, Syracuse takes on a St. John's team that is last in the Big East in rebounding. They also aren't very good at shooting the long ball with the exception of star D'Angelo Harrison. However Harrison is the definition of a streaky player. He could rattle off five unbelievably long or impossible shots and miss the next ten. If Harrison is on, and he can be as he leads the team with 18.5ppg, Syracuse will have to respond. But again the good news is that Syracuse is a far better rebounding team (2nd in the Big East) than St. John's. If St. John's starts missing shots the game could get out of hand for them quickly. Syracuse has played far better at home than on the road. SU outrebounded ND, the opposing team for the first time in four games, and that is with a guy named Jack Cooley on the roster. They also shot 48.9% in that game. While Harrison probably will get around 15 points, so will CJ Fair. And probably Southerland will add ten off the bench in the excitement of being back on the floor in a game. St. John's is not a team that can bust the zone so look for them to really struggle in the first half, with Syracuse gaining a modest lead. St. John's should get a run going in the second half to close the gap, but Syracuse's transition game will definitely keep them in the lead. Syracuse, playing at home, against a team they have dominated for a good stretch, will play well. I'm picking the Orange to win this one by 16. This game is available on ESPN nationally at 3:00pm.

St. John's - Syracuse Postgame Reactions OR Still The Best in New York

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There were only a few puzzling moments from Syracuse in this one.St. John's was in a tough position. They were playing a top ten opponent on the road in the Big East and without Steve Lavin on the bench. They gave it a good effort, but Syracuse could not be denied, especially with the return of key reserve player James Southerland, having had his eligibility restored. It was too much for the scrappy upstarts from Downstate. Syracuse beats the Red Storm 77 to 58.

• Once again, the leading scorer for Syracuse was CJ Fair who had 17 points on 7-13 shooting and 2-3 from beyond the arc, both from the corner. He also pulled down nine rebounds while playing 39 minutes. He also had a pretty serious dunk that was called an offensive foul.
• MCW also had 17 points on 6-9 shooting and 3-5 from behind the line. He had a really solid game overall including eight assists and six steals. It seems he has again struck a nice balance between scoring and assisting on scores. It helps with Southerland back in the lineup to take the pressure off him as well. He was also 2-2 from the free throw line.
• Brandon Triche also had a nice day with 16 points on 5-10 shooting (2-6 long range). Additionally, he added five rebounds, seven assists, and was 4-4 from the free throw line.
• James Southerland was a little shaky in his first half back after missing six games, but he made up for it in the second half and found his rhythm. He was 4-10 from the floor and 3-7 from behind the arc for a total of 13 points in 26 minutes of work. He also had two rebounds, assists, steals, and one block. Not a bad return for the team's leading scorer.
• Baye Moussa Keita had the game Syracuse fans were yearning for while Southerland was out. He was 4-4 from the floor in 22 minutes, earning eight points, four rebounds, and two blocks.
• Trevor Cooney was great defensively, but he still looks terrible on the offensive end. He played seven minutes and was 0-1 but had one steal.
• Jerami Grant took a step back from his last game's big performance but still had a solid day, yielding minutes in favor of Southerland. He had four points, shooting 2-5 from the floor in 15 minutes.
• Rakeem Christmas is still one of the best athletes on the floor but he also took a step back from his play in the Notre Dame game. He was 1-2 in 18 minutes, picking up two points, a rebound, steal, and block.
• Syracuse shot a gaudy 53.7% from the floor, 45.5% (10-22) from long range. They also shot 9-10 (90%) from the free throw line. St. John's only shot 41.8%, 22.7% (5-22), and 7-10 (70%) respectively.
• The referees let the kids play in this one, not calling anything ticky tacky or touch fouls. They only called actual body contact or charges. In reference to the charge on the Fair dunk, I do think CJ got beat to the position, but officials have to be weary of calling offensive fouls on players that are already in the air for a dunk. A defender should not be able to slip in and establish position when a player is going for a dunk already in the air to get a foul. Of course, this is the hardest call in basketball.
• Southerland had one of the prettiest plays on the day getting a long pass from MCW, then dishing it with no look to Triche to finished with a dunk at the other end to really put away any momentum St. John's had built.
• Syracuse had 12 turnovers in this game. That's a little high, led by three from Brandon Triche, but it is close to their average. St. John's had 16.

Syracuse remains the best basketball team in New York State and continues their win streak against St. John's. Syracuse has a bit of a quick turnaround as they now head to Hartford Wednesday to take on Connecticut for the last time as Big East members. Especially sad as there is no possibility of these teams matching up in the Big East Tournament in New York. Either way it will be a fun one, but for now it's fun beating that other pesky team in New York once again