Matthew J. Darnell’s first memory as a Mountaineer fan is cheering on Oliver Luck — whether the Mountaineers were on offense or defense — in a 1980 game against the Richmond Spiders. His formative years were then spent enjoying a Bluebonnet Bowl victory and believing Grantis Bell was the coolest person alive because he wore #1.
Part of him still believes that.
These days, he’s a season ticket holder and practices optimism in the face of an increasingly negative and boo-prone fan base. His favorite Mountaineers of current and recent years include Alex Ruoff, Pat White, Karl Joseph, Kevin Jones, Joe Mazzulla, Pacman Jones, Darris Nichols, J.T. Thomas, John Flowers, Cam Thoroughman, Nikki Izzo-Brown, Marlon LeBlanc (sorry I can’t name any soccer players) and Pat Miller.
Yes, Pat Miller. Come on. Take it easy on the guy. He’s universally abhored. Someone out there should like him.
