Really, how "free" is a freethrow?

free- adj: 1. given without consideration of a return or reward: a free offer of legal advice.

Basically what that means, when used with freethrow, is that the opposing team is GIVING you free points. You stand facing a basket, no one directly in front of you. You have all the time in the world to put up a basic shot, that is easily makeable, unless you're either crippled, or very new to basketball. I was told in 8th grade (3 years ago) that I wasn't good enough to play in the middle school league, yet if you give me 10 freethrows, I'll usually sink at least 7 of them. It's just you and the basket, and maybe an opposing crowd, which is easy to ignore with a little practice. It's the basketball god's way of telling you, "Here, have a point or two on me."

Yet here my beloved Mountaineers are, slowly slipping in the Big East standings, with nothing to blame other than freethrow shooting (and maybe some despicable officiating.) It killed us against Georgetown and Shitt err... Pitt, and almost gave us another loss to a clearly over-matched Marshall team.

But really, is there ever a team that loses a 1-4 point game that can't blame the foul line at all? Lets say a team loses 80-83, but shoots a respectable 10-14 from the stripe. What if 11, 12, 13, and 14 go in? That team is walking away with a win. Sure, other things could've have happened that could've changed the outcome (rebounds, turnovers, ect.), but those things aren't as easy to fix as a missed mid-range shot with no one defending you.

I look at this WVU team, and I see so many great shooters. I watched Darris Nichols bank in a pressured 3-pointer tonight like it was a lay-up. I've seen Joe Alexander put a one-handed shot in over much bigger defenders many times. Yet with that undefended shot, it just dosen't fall. And don't even get me started on Wellington Smith.

As much as I love this team. We're not fun to watch at all, It's just fucking rediculous how a team with such great shooters, can suck so much with the worlds easiest basketball shot.