Published: August 26, 2006 11:58 pm         

WVU-MU clash suspends partisan politics

For a few West Virginia legislators, partisan politics halts between the white lines of Mountaineer Field.

At least there will be a 60-minute suspension of partisan rhetoric come next Saturday.

In those minutes of football, attention will be riveted on West Virginia and Marshall in a revival of a series some lawmakers have been clamoring for in recent legislative sessions.

Being a Republican or Democrat, a liberal or conservative, an independent or even a Mugwump, if such is still about, simply doesn’t figure into the issue at hand. Any partisanship could prompt a blizzard of yellow flags.

All that really matters is which team of gridiron combatants rolls up the biggest number on the scoreboard.

Jody Smirl no longer is in the House of Delegates, but for years, she tried to force a legislative act compelling the Mountaineers and Thundering Herd to tangle regularly in football.

Her efforts never came to a floor vote, but there was some keen debate over the issue.

Last year, in her absence, a deal was brokered by Gov. Joe Manchin with the two schools to crank the series back up.

Manchin’s personal allegiance is to WVU, where he was destined to be a starting quarterback until a knee injury ended his career. The knee still troubles him, and, in fact, prompted corrective surgery a few weeks ago.

As governor, he can’t take sides, not without angering, if not alienating, a sizable chunk of the electorate. There’s an old, unwritten football axiom politicians obey. You can’t please all football fans all the time. So you talk just like those guys in the striped shirts, whistles and funny caps. Neutrality is safe.

“I’m cheering for a wonderful turnout, no injuries and great fan participation,” the governor says.

“If all of those things happen, then the state of West Virginia is the big winner.”

Smirl, a Republican, in fact, was the first to propose a renewed clash between the two schools.

“It was a lot of fun each year trying to do that,” she said from her Huntington home.

“The irony of it is, I retired, and that’s when Joe took up the banner and helped to get it passed on a different level. It never went through the Legislature. It just became a governor’s edict. That was good, though. We didn’t care how it got accomplished.”

Smirl is an Auburn graduate and knows first-hand the intensity that builds up when the Tigers claw it out each autumn with in-state rival Alabama — a rivalry, she likes to emphasize, that came about through an act of the Alabama Legislature.

In her House career, representing Cabell County, Smirl often arrived in green and white attire to honor her beloved Thundering Herd, and you will see her similarly clad when the teams collide next Saturday.

“A miracle would have to happen,” she says, acknowledging the underdog status of the Herd.

“I feel like this is still a building year for them. At least we’re hoping there won’t be any kind of a blowout. And we might be surprised. Naturally, we’re hoping for a win.”

For one lawmaker that weekend, using her last name might be a problem.

Delegate Charlene Marshall — that’s right, Marshall — represents Monongalia County and is a diehard Mountaineer fan.

“I could go back to my maiden name for awhile — Jennings,” she said with a laugh.

Back in her 1991 run for city council, the former Morgantown mayor was aided by some zealous WVU students, ever mindful of her last name and the kind of fish-eyed looks it generates in Mountaineer turf.

“They used to tease me,” she recalled. “They told me if I ever ran for any other office, just remember one thing — never use the colors green and white. So I campaigned in white and blue. In all my campaign mailings, I usually go with my first name.”

Marshall sees a 36-20 WVU victory, but won’t be in the stadium to cheer on the blue-and-gold.

“I get so nervous over it,” she said. “This one would make me even more nervous than any of them. So I better stay away. Of course, I have faith in the Mountaineers, but I will be nervous.”

Friends have invited her to parties, so it appears she’ll be cheering in front of a television set.

“I’m excited about it,” the Democratic lawmaker added.

Politics can shift an allegiance in a hurry. A case in point is Delegate James Morgan, D-Cabell.

Morgan owns a degree in agriculture from WVU and for 15 years stayed in Morgantown as the owner of an off-campus bookstore.

“I’m one of those people who might need a green and blue coat,” he quipped.

Morgan used his WVU degree at a family farm in Mason County, just across the river from the homestead of Agriculture Commissioner Gus Douglass. Once specializing in dairy products, the 600-acre spread along the Kanawha River, now run by Morgan’s nephew, has since changed to cattle, corn and hay.

“I think my loyalties now are with Marshall,” said Morgan, who, like Smirl, has never been shy about wearing ample green and white to the House or putting in a plug for the Herd on the floor.

“I have to believe what’s good for Marshall is good for Huntington. That’s what we’re after — what’s good for Huntington.”

Family considerations will keep him out of Morgantown on Game Day, but Morgan plans to catch the action on television, if possible.

Without making a prediction, he says, “I have to stick with the Herd.”

Cindy Frich, a Republican delegate in Monongalia, certainly isn’t shy about calling for an easy WVU triumph.

“I feel bad for those folks in Huntington,” she deadpanned.

She conferred with her mother, Marlene, who serves as campaign treasurer, to produce a prediction: WVU 41, Marshall 17.

“That’s awfully generous,” she said after the two initially called for a 52-14 final tally. “This is harder than politics.”

Frich suggested the Herd fans are putting too much stock in their recent success on the hardwood court.

“Just because they won a couple of basketball games ...,” she sniffed.

Yet, one must remember it’s easy to talk like that in Morgantown, where Herd loyalty is a scarce commodity.

Frich opposed the idea of using the Legislature to compel a WVU-Marshall clash.

“I think it should be up to the universities to determine their schedules,” she said.

“But I’m going to enjoy the game. Even before it came up in the House, I didn’t like it when the Legislature was trying to force them to play Marshall. But I’m ready for a win.”

Delegate Kelli Sobonya, R-Cabell, is glad to see the two schools pairing off without a mandate from the Legislature, since that goes against the grain of her ideology.

“While I am ecstatic that Marshall and WVU are playing each other, my first inclination would be, as a legislator who wants less government intervention and not more, that government shouldn’t force sporting teams to do certain things by law and at the same time take up time during a 60-day session to work on such things,” she said.

“I am glad that WVU and Marshall came to an agreement without being mandated by state government. All I can say now is, ‘We Are Marshall’ and ‘Go Herd.’”

Back in his campus days, Sen. Mike Oliverio, D-Monongalia, hit the field on many occasions as both a baritone horn player for the “Pride of West Virginia” and as the 1985 president of the WVU student body.

“I’ve always viewed Mountaineer football games as a celebration of West Virginia,” he said.

“People drive in from all parts of the state and have tailgate parties before and after the game. You see people throughout the state, side-by-side, be it from Beckley or Bethany.”

Based on pre-season polls, Oliverio says it looks as if a WVU victory is certain, but added, “That’s why we play the game.”

Nonetheless, his prediction is, WVU 41, Marshall 27.

— E-mail:

mannix@register-herald.com