Well, if I’m going to be providing some basketball content on The Pitt POV then I need to cram some BB study in quick-like. To help with that, and to familiarize some readers to the details of the basketball program, here are some things to get started with.
We have a new BB coach! Yeah Us!!
Kevin Stallings was hired away from SEC’s Vanderbilt University in AD Scott Barnes’ first big personnel move. Like it or not – he didn’t have the best track record there. The Vandys had four sub-20 win seasons in the last decade and averaged only 20.9 wins per year… barely meeting the 20 win benchmark that defines a ‘good’ season.
But he’s our guy now, bought and paid for. 
As soon as he’s finished Part II of his anger management course I’ll try to get an interview with him. Just kidding!
I think our new Athletic Director went out on a bit of a limb to hire Stallings . Even though the general consensus among fans, at least from what I can tell and remember I’m new at the BB coverage, is that Jamie Dixon had run his course at Pitt. We were what we were and it wasn’t champions.
I did follow that story line a bit back when the chatter about Pitt changing coaches was on the Internets and it seemed to me that signs pointed to Dixon being gone no matter what the Pitt administration or the fans wanted. It was more like Jamie Dixon was washing his hands of the Pitt job rather than the reverse.
Many fans were not happy with the Stallings hire. I have no real opinion on it yet but I do wonder if he is a stop-gap measure by Pitt until there is enough money in the BB budget to go after someone that would be a better fit. Pitt is spending big money on the FB program.
Salaries are the highest they have ever been in that sport and we are pumping money into brick and mortar facilities, both in FB and with major investments in the ‘minor’ sports infrastructures.
I don’t know for sure but looking back on Barnes’ long-term plans news he released last week it does makes me wonder.
Stallings has some big shoes to fill in his new job – Dixon had 328 and .727% winning mark while leading the Panthers roundball team onto the hardcourt. But Stallings was no slouch before his hire here either. Here is some of his resume’:
As a head coach, Stallings has quietly put together an impressive resume as evidence by some of the accomplishments listed below:
• 455 wins – tied for 25th-most among active coaches
• 12 seasons with 20 or more wins
• 16 postseason appearances, including nine NCAA Tournament bids
• Eight NBA Draft picks, including two first round selection in the 2012 draft
• Five All-America selections
• Five Academic All-America award winners
• 45 all-conference selections, including 37 All-SEC honorees
• 62 academic all-conference performers
• Four conference Player of the Year selections
• Three conference Coach of the Year honors
• Three conference tournament championships, including the 2012 SEC Championship
• Winningest coach in Vanderbilt history with 332 wins
So he actually had more wins at Vanderbilt than Dixon did at Pitt – albeit with weaker SEC conference play. At least I think the SEC was weaker than the Big East & ACC, right Pitt fans? His Pitt players returning from a disappointing 21-12 record with an even-steven 9-9 record in against ACC opponents will have their work cut out for them. Down a bit is a listing of who we have on the roster this season.
You can see that Stallings was able to get three players to re-commit to Pitt after they changed their minds when Dixon took off:
PITTSBURGH- Incoming freshmen Justice Kithcart and Corey Manigault along with junior college transfer Crisshawn Clark have recommitted to the University of Pittsburgh men’s basketball team. All three considered reopening their recruitment following Pitt’s coaching change before quickly recommitting to new head coach Kevin Stallings.
“We are extremely excited to have Corey, Crisshawn and Justice in the fold,” said Stallings. “They each bring different skill sets to the table that will help our team. My conversations with each of them and their families have been really positive and I am looking forward to getting to know them even better as we move forward.”
“Corey, Crisshawn and Justice…” That sounds like something a drunken old Scotsman might garble when trying to make a toast to the newlyweds at the end of the reception.
Those three kids are all 3* recruits so it looks like we may not see any true FR Phenoms coming in to save the day anytime soon. Our last 4* BB recruit, Damon Wilson out of NY State, had some playing time last year averaging 10+ minutes per game for a minor 3.3 ppg. He’s a 6’5″ Guard and should be a player to see more action this upcoming season although I have to say from reading his Pitt bio and doing some quick searches I don’t see where that 4th star comes from.
The Manigault kid though looks promising though, especially at 6’8″ . The name aside (see below) you have to be impressed with his offer sheet – to be chased by Georgetown and Maryland isn’t peanuts. At least those were big programs when I last closely followed college ball. Also Xavier wanted him and they embarrassed us in the NCAAs not too long ago so that means something right?
Here is who we’ll see warming up on the court before the 1st game is whistled to start:
By the look of the stats we have a nice returning team going into this season. We lost our #3 scorer, James Robinson and his OK 10.2 ppg but who also carried a poor .373 field goal percentage. I think that stat – BB’s FG % -, is much like the yards per carry for a football running back in that it is a key indicator of a player’s quality and worth on the field.
A team can live with a poor shooter if he’s strong in other aspects of play but Robinson’s 3.2 rebounds per game looks to be easily replaced also. Maybe you all can tell me about some redeeming qualities he had but to my eye he’s not going to be sorely missed.
Hey, I just noticed we are sorely lacking in height. Can’t teach that can you?
I’m 6’6″ and can tell you from 1st hand experience that it don’t mean a thing if you can’t position yourself and use learned martial arts discipline and associated moves to intimidate the other players, like this.
Returning hometown kid 81″ Michael Young looks to be a player though. He put up more points than anyone else and had more rebounds…
One of the top returning post players in the ACC after earning honorable mention all-conference honors as a sophomore a year ago … Has started all 70 games of his career … Enters the year with 669 points and 396 rebounds (167 offensive rebounds) … Powerful interior player with the ability to stretch defenses with solid shooting touch out to the three-point line .
Note the “with solid shooting touch out to the three-point line ” tidbit which is accurate because at and beyond that line he tailed off to a .333 hit rate. Not the worst on the team and for a guy 6’9″ I guess that’s OK – just pales in comparison to his good .537 two-pointers stat.
I assume he’s at Power Forward so pulling down 15+ ppg and almost 7 rebounds from that position is a good starting place for Stallings to start. If the HC knows what’s good for him he’ll keep hands off that young man and build a different team round him than we had in the past.
Here is a nice interview with Young conducted by the Pittsburgh Sport’s Now Alan Saunders:
AS: What are your early impression of Kevin Stallings?
MY: I love him. I love the whole staff. Everybody is coming with energy and positive vibes every day, just wanting to get better. They want you to get better and they want to make sure that you’re getting into the gym on your own, things like that. It’s just a positive environment. Not to say that the last environment wasn’t positive, but this is new, with new coaches, a new style of play and new voices. Everything is going well so far.
Take it FWIW but sometimes change is good even if it might not look like it right off the bat.
Here are the numbers on the whole squad, less the class of 2016 recruits of course:
I said before that I don’t follow Pitt BB much (at all) but in the one game I watched last season I did notice we looked slow and sloppy as shown by the last play of the game when Robinson ran into his teammate:
Pittsburgh (21-12) had a chance to take the lead in the closing seconds when Hayes missed a 3 and James Robinson took the rebound the other way. But his wild layup surrounded by defenders bounced off the rim, Happ corralled the loose ball and the Badgers put the game away with three free throws.
“Got the rebound. It was about 2 seconds on the clock. Just tried to get a good shot,” Robinson said, “and I just ran into my own teammate.”
At least he’s honest.But he’s done good things in the clutch also:
With that game, and as had become a tradition with Pitt and Dixon, we bowed out of the 2016 NCAA tournament with a first round loss to Mighty Wisconsin (home of ex-Panther All-Time greatest FB HC Paul Chryst).
The Panthers tended to do that a lot. In the last decade Pitt was bounced out by the second round nine times. The one season when we actually progressed past two rounds we did pretty well – finally succumbing to Villanova in the Elite Eight by the almost slimmest of margins in a 78-76 loss.
BOSTON — It was physical. It was defensive. It was just the way they like it in the Big East.
With bodies clogging the lane and 3-pointers clanging off the rim, Scottie Reynolds made a half-court dash for a last-second basket to give Villanova a 78-76 victory over Pittsburgh and send the Wildcats to their first Final Four since the 1985 team made its stunning run to the NCAA championship.
Too bad Jamie but at least you actually got somewhere important in the post-season unlike any of our stumble bums football HCs since 2004.
That was a nice year – really a pinnacle year for Pitt BB’s recent history. The fact that it dove tailed with our FB team’s 9-3 regular season that happened at same time was pretty special for fans and truth be told is something that we would kill to have happen again…soon please God.
When I was really bored I’d read BB fan’s comments detailing the sufferings of the slings and arrows of crappy BB fortune that came pouring out after those losses in the past years. Why? Because it reminded me that the FB team wasn’t the only underachiever in the Pitt sports stable.
That sounds harsh but when you guys make me start talking about BB it just reminds me of the true mediocre run we have had in athletics over the last ten years or so.
But Hey -That’s all going to change now right? We have a new Chancellor, new AD and a new HC (<< copied from almost every FB article written by the media last fall) and we are going into the season a new year with a 0-0 record dammit!
Am I missing something or what? I looked all the Hell over for a full 2016-017 BB schedule and couldn’t find one. All I could find was this article on the final scheduling of the non-conference games for this season. Is the full schedule not finalized yet? Strange way of doing business if that’s true.
Reed does not approve. But hey! Lookie here…
at Maryland (ACC – Big Ten Challenge) [Nov. 29] –The Terrapins went 27-9 with a 12-6 Big Ten conference mark last season and reached the Sweet Sixteen of the NCAA Tournament. Maryland returns several key contributors, including All-America candidate Melo Trimble (14.8 ppg., 4.9 apg.), and is likely to start the season ranked in the top 25 of the AP Poll. Pitt has won three straight meetings in the series but Maryland holds a 5-4 edge all-time against the Panthers.
Well, I’ll have to get tickets to that game as it is only a few miles right down Rt 1. Maybe we can get together before the game if anyone else is thinking about attending.
From the YOU CAN’T MAKE THIS UP dept: ex-HC Dave Wannstedt did an interview with the guys at Pittsburgh Sports Now and actually said this:
“I think you just have to be careful that you don’t win too soon,” he said. “If you win too soon, all the sudden, everyone expects more the next year.”
Honest to God folks – it just never stops with Wannstedt does it? But this is one of the stupidest things I have ever heard in my life – sports related or not. The best part is that it comes tumbling out of the mouth of a HC who took a full four years to have a winning record at Pitt.
I swear – the fact that some Pitt fans actually wanted Wannstedt to be Pitt’s AD is truly incomprehensible to me. Granted I haven’t ever had a high opinion of DW but this takes the cake.
On a separate note: Our new BB recruit Cory Manigault’s last name reminds me of a man who was arguably the best basketball player who ever lived. Earl “The Goat” Manigault was a legend who, if you ever saw him on a basketball court, would leave you shaking your head in disbelief.
When I was younger I had the pleasure of watching many BB stars when they were in college and the NFL: Ewing, Jordan, Bird, Magic Johnson, Dr. J, and many others. Remember yesterday when I said I was a gym rat for years? That’s what my life was like – chasing BB around any way I could.
Well, I also traveled around and tried to see as many of the great players who I heard about in the courts and gyms I was playing in. I had the pleasure to watch Earl Manigault play a game in a summer league BB in New York city back in the early ’70s and I’ll say without hesitation he was the Number One player of all I saw play.
I’d put Connie Hawkins next, then Michael Jordan. Manigault and Hawkins, who had ties to the city of Pittsburgh when he played on the ABA Pittsburgh Pipers, were two men who would have been the Kings of Basketball if they could have let the drugs and the booze go.
I wonder how many fights young #1 son Narduzzi got into when his buddies were talking about his sisters – each one very attractive as shown here. Mom’s a stunner also. What a nice looking family – I wish I grew up next to a nice family like that who’s Father traveled all the time.
pittpov.com 
Wow, I’m shocked at the silence regarding the newly released PSU testimonies and it’s implications for JoePA, Bradley, and Schiano…
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Regarding Stallings…I was as shocked and initially disappointed as the majority at the time of his hiring . However, I’ve been impressed with the staff he has put together ànd believe him to be a class act who has handled the adversity very well. I am rooting for him to succeed and exceed all expectations!
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Stallings was not wanted by the PITT faithfull mainly on how he handled the Jeter’s transfer, and the fact, he was someone else’s “used car”. The word is obviously out among the recruits. Stallings not doing a bang up job recruiting. This could (will be?) his downfall at PITT.
Of course, Dixon did a poor job recruiting the last few years
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We all had hoped Jamie would be replaced by the next great young coach – clearly didn’t happen!!!!
I think Stallings has the experience and know how to be a good coach for the Panthers. My main concern is does he have enough fire left in his belly to take this position by the reins and drive it or his he just going to be glad he got a job and ride it into retirement? Time will tell…….
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I’m hoping that the initial reaction to his hiring will put that fire in his belly to disprove the naysayers. Time will tell……
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I assume Wanny was referring to his NFL coaching experience where, completely opposite to what happened at Pitt. he won right away as a HC for both the Bears and Dolphins but tailed off after that
Whatever, I hope HCPN ‘didn’t win too soon’ … we all will be a very disappointed group if Pitt returns to 6 and 6 this year.
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Sounds like Reed isn’t a fan of Wannstedt. He had his warts, but you don’t fire a coach, especially if you’re Pitt, who averages nine wins in each of his last three seasons, or as I put it, in his last 39 games. Think of the embarrassment Pitt could have saved itself by staying the course rather than what transpired after.
Too bad the football recruiting budget Wannstedt had was whatever coins Nordy could pull from his butt. The most hilarious story was the locker room carpet was all tore up and Wanny went to Pederson to have it replaced and it never happened so Dave said he’d pay for it himself. That was some kind of leadership Pitt had then.
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Leftist… DW wasn’t fired for his record but for off field issues. He wasn’t going to be there in 2011 no matter what happened in the W/L record.
wbb – either way,NFL or college,it is a ridiculous due to not win right away.
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LeftCoastPanther, you are obviously new here.
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Well, the site is relatively new, so, yes, I’m new here. I’m so glad there is another Pitt website like this to come and post on.
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Wannstadt’s comment cautioning against winning too much or too soon and raising expectations has to be one of the dumbest things I’ve ever heard. Glad we moved on, despite the pains of the process.
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Wannstedt always talked out of his butt. Moving on was NOT worth the pain. We ended up with three years of Moosehead and his penchant for fumbling and screwing up games about as bad, if not worse, than Wannstedt. The YSU loss in 2012 is still the lowest moment for me.
Thanks for the O-linemen, Paul. I’m grateful for that though. Of course Wannstedt would have landed some of those kids, too.
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Stallings coached at Vandy 5 years longer than Dixon at Pitt, against inferior competition. He should have way more wins than Dixon.
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@Reed Corey Manigault is the nephew of Earl “The Goat” Manigault. It doesn’t appear that you knew that. Kevin Stallings better have been able to better Dixon’s win total. He coached four more years at Vandy than Dixon did at Pitt.
Sadly, James Robinson’s shooting stats aren’t markedly worse than many of the guards with whom he played over the past four seasons. That was probably the bigger problem for Pitt over the past few years.
I still don’t know why people cling to the notion that Dixon failed to recruit decently rated players over the past few seasons. It’s an easy, but not factually accurate, argument. Dixon recruited a couple of high four stars (Taylor and Robinson) that never really developed. He recruited two five stars that didn’t stay (Birch and Adams). He recruited four star Young who has been a very good player for the most part. He recruited four star Wilson who remains a work in progress. Sprinkle in some very good three stars like Patterson, Artis and Zanna. If you want to argue development, retention or transfer success, I am with you. I think Dixon did not fully deliver in those areas over the past few seasons.
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@ PittPT – The latest PSU revelations do not surprise me at all as a prosecutor of 31 years and what I learned there as well as through other sources. i have more to say but it may be too long for a post. (Maybe I will write it and send it to our editor for thoughts of what to do with a professionally and calmly written opinion pieced not a ranting post),. All i will say now is that while the pedophile protector/denier built an excellent football program it reminds me of Mount Trashmore in Virginia Beach where a beautiful park was built over a landfill where local residents were encouraged to throw their trash. Looks pretty on the outside but is rotting garbage underneath.
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I laughed at that Wannstedt comment this morning. Who says that?
To me, Dixon and Stallings are very similar, they are both good, but not great coaches. Dixon is knwn for his defensive teams. Stallings is known as a good offensive coach. Maybe the change in leagues will do them both some good.
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I’m not going to go into the PSU info because it contains nothing new really. .. anyone who isn’t brainwashed must know that every single staff coach and clubhouse guy who was at PSU when Sandusky was there knew what was going on.
The thing about Joe Pa is that he wouldn’t just threaten to fire someone but to ruin their lives which he was powerful enought to do… So everyone was scared shitless
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There is one thing about the new PSU situation that I would like to mention since one of the guys (Colin?) of the morning Fan show reflected my thoughts exactly. Both Schiano and Bradley denied the assertions McQuery made in his deposition about them knowing of Sandusky’s actions well before 01 … BUT .. why would McQuery lie about that? There is absolutely nothing for him to gain by giving the testimony that he did.
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Here is the Wanny interview in its entirety While I agree he sounded ridiculous in what Reed pointed out above, he makes many other valid points ….. including raving about Reed’s man, QB Peterman. I know Reed was just dying to print that but I also know that he cannot possibly admit in public that he actually agreed with anything that Wanny ever said.
http://pittsburghsportsnow.com/2016/07/12/wannstedt-talks-pitt-narduzzi/
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Well – wbb, you just blew yesterdays article for me as i had exactly what you stated drafted up. I’ll still publish it anyway.
You have a short memory – I have praised DW’s recruiting and his going the extra mile to ensure that kids he was ‘inviting’ off the team due to scholarship numbers, etc (5th year players for example) would land on their feet at a good transfer school. He really did take care of his players – but as you know I think he did it exactly the wrong way too many many times.
I have also stated that he was loyal and took care of his staff coaches well.
But yes, I questioned many aspects of his time at Pitt and think he fell way short of what the University should have as a HC – that is my opinion and I’ve held that since about 2009.
But you are correct, the things that I have learned from others closer to the program than myself about about him and his decision making left me not only unimpressed but thinking that it was a good thing he was gone and would have been even better if there was a reason to fire him after the 2009 season.
I’ll post that article but you know from years of reading my that I hold to things I know to be true… whether or not others want to believe it could be that way.
But really – how in the world can anyone look at DW’s last three years of results on the field of play and actually believe Pitt fired him for those results. we have been fed that we are taking it to the “Higher Level” crap from Pitt for so long fans actually believed that in both Harris’ case and in DW’s case.
Just as it isn’t a coincidence that since DW was fired and the admin tightened things up we have had very few incidents with our players…
See – you got me going and I promised myself that after six years I’d leave the DW firing subject behind me on The Blather. i truly don’t want to write any articles about this issue any longer.
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My jaw just about hit the floor when I saw Wanny’s comment. I guess more than thirty years is TOO SOON? SMH
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I have a different take on the PSU mess….
Forget the whole cover up, who reported what to who, who didn’t tell on who, etc.
The most mind boggling part of the entire thing to me is that not one man stood up and was a freaking man. Jesus, even in prison, inmates take care of child molesters. Coaches are suppose to be these tough guys. Where was the fucking alpha dog that by nature protects an innocent victim. That fact that no adult male beat the living shit out of Sandusky is beyond belief.
Say three coaches saw something or maybe it was just McQuery who witnesses an actual act. Wouldn’t you march over to Sandusky in that moment and beat the shit out of him?!!!! Why didn’t they police it themselves like normal men would?
You can’t argue they were scared, instinct kicks in at that moment and a normal person would even risk their life to save that kid.
How any of them live with that on their minds is beyond me?
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Exactly wwb, And of course they are going to deny it. I wonder if they would take a polygraph (rhetorical question) .
The good news is that this slows down the sweeping under the rug and the return of the Paterno statue.
How many years will it take to get the other three to court?
The amazing thing is to read the comments on those stories. The sacred cow defense is amazing.
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The thing that is worrisome about Stallings is his win loss record. It is nice to hear that his players like him, but the bottom line is that kike Jamie, he has not got to a Final Four. Worse than that less success in the SEC than Jamie had in the Big East.
In the ACC almost every game is a big game, so we should know soon if he has what it takes.
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Sorry for the inadvertent racial slur. Should read like Jamie.
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I know this may not go well here on a mostly male blog but I thought Jason Whitlock (Kansas City Star) made a very important point back in 2012 … he said that if one of the PSU four (President, coach, AD, security chief) was a woman, it would have been handled correctly. (And no .. this is by no means intended to have any relevance to the current presidential campaign)
But the point he made is that when you have a group of decision makers who all have the same mindset, with no conscience or counterargument, then you get these type of irrational decisions. All they were focused on was preserving the reputation of the (then) pristine reputation of their FB program which was bringing in millions of dollars revenue …. and nothing else mattered.
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Another good point wwb, but I am not so sure, Remember there was a woman that Paterno ran out of town for trying to place University standards on his players. He ran the program with an iron fist. Remember also that Spanier could not fire him.
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Stallings has wins because he has been coaching since 1961. He is a used car never been and as far as players saying good things, the AD Dept pushes that shit. I saw it first hand.
Stallings and Herman Munster will both be gone before the 2019 Season.
The entire nation laughed and still laughs at the hire. Vandy was firing his ass is the best part. THere would of been no buy out because our offer and a Sales Position at Radio Shack were the only interest this gypsy would of had. What a Joke. Another SOP Opportunity blown.
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Also on the psu mess. Couldn’t agree more that this is not new news. Only brained washed enablers held out any hope of joe not knowing. It’s just ludicrous to think that way. Hell, I think that franco may have known? It’s the denial that makes the crime even worse.
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http://www.cnn.com/2012/07/15/us/triponey-paterno-penn-state/
Here is what a was referring to.
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Oh and shave that ring around your head Stallings. A clean look would make him look less Funeral Salesmen.
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UPitt, even Belichak couldn’t win in Cleveland.
Hoping you are wrong but afraid you are right.
Maybe he should wear a hat, ala Bear Bryant.
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GC – That would be the best. One with a feather. Haha. Hope you are well Brother. I like this Blog a lot. Been on the road but big props to you Reed. Hell I was in DC the other day and forgot to reach out. Flew a Red Eye from AZ and landed in Baltimore and got on trains and subways, etc. It was fun. I’m back in a few weeks, maybe we can have a beer.
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If ever there was just cause to give the death penalty to a collegiate football program, this pedophilia cover up qualifies in spades. What did SMU do that was anywhere near as devastating to young peoples lives?
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notrocket – I’ve thought the same thing ever since this story broke. Someone at PSU should have kicked that sonofabitch’s ass the second they caught him in the act. A psychologist friend told me that pedophiles often get caught numerous times so it’s completely believable/plausible that he had been caught in some form of the act of molestation numerous times over 30+ years. It’s just beyond comprehension why nobody had the balls to put a stop to it…
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In Texas he would of been shot. He is a sick fuck and anyone that allowed it or turned an eye is as well.
With that said, I’m tired of hearing about it. PSU has good people as well and it is a shame they have to have this label as well. But when the high ups mess up and something so serious it takes many years to move on. I bet this will take another 20 years before it is considered case closed.
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Upitt – I’ll be tired of hearing about it when the ‘higher ups’ at PSU own this mess and stop trying to defend Joe and the other coaches. And, melting that fucking statue down (if they can pry it out of Franco’s bedroom) would help me get past it.
Yes, there are good people at PSU. My sister and several cousins attended PSU and are incredibly successful.
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On the BB front. I was not thrilled to hear the Keven Stallings hiring news. Actually I was initially very upset. As the story calmed down and I looked at the bigger picture and I can say I’m firmly sure that PITT basketball is in better hands today then last year at this time. Dixon had not and was never going to get over steve getting schitt canned.Those two were thick.
Now looking at KS’s record down at Vandy and the length he was there shows me that someone had to like him even if his time was beginning to expire. If you think that’s dumb then just look at what happened to Jamie. His time was at it’s end here and everyone should be at peace with this.
I’ve done the ole 180 on the hire and not only that, I’m thinking he may be a breath of fresh air for PITT BB even if it’s coming out of an old mouth.
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Rocky – Yes I agree.They could of saved a lot of the shit they get by owning it and blaming those that need blamed and starting clean. You are right.
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I also am sick of this, however, there is much more to learn and the scope is staggering. Just check out who the State College detective was, then check out who the head of Central Region CYS was. Then where he was raised and went to school. And then ask Jerry Lauro who had the power to have him drop the investigation. The cover up is MASSIVE!
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You got that !
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The sad thing is that PSU initially owned up to it, but have been backpedalling ever since.
What makes you sick is all the denials and revisionist history.
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I agree Dixon had to go but trading in a used 2010 BMW X5 with transmission issues for a 1979 Ford Pinto with axle issues, no transmission, rust and 310k miles is stupid. Barnes has zero history in hiring anyone good and or his search firm cronies.
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See you guys in Stillwater! Again, No idea why any of us didn’t try out for Cheerleading. I would of slept with half the Cheer and Dance Teams.
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I figured you liked buckteeth.
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gc – I agree. They were on the right track initially.
JoeKnew – yes, this cover-up appears to be massive. The adoption process by which the Sandusky’s adopted a pre-teen son who was later repeatedly raped by Jerry is even in question. Sounds like the mom objected to the adoption but the courts didn’t even blink and allowed it to happen. Not sure of the validity of this last claim, but if true, may indicate more corruption.
Okay, I’ll let it go.
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Notrocket – I have a recent friend who worked at PSU for many years and he told me that Paterno was the most vindictive man anyone could imagine. His reach and ability to influence others careers at PSU extended way past the athletic department and he and his cronies could bring so much pressure to bear on employees (admin and professors, even) that they would quit for fear of literally not being able to find another job in the profession.
Quit or just keep their mouths shut in fear which is what a cult instills in their members. I use Cult in the sense that that was exactly the love/fear relationship Paterno had on those around him, just as cult leaders do also.
Fear, per pressure, the admin and community turning a blind eye all led to an atmosphere that Happy Valley was insulated in an us vs them world where Paterno ruled.
As I said above, I heard early on that Bradly knew what had been happening – people who are reading the news lately are making the mistake that since McQueary mentioned only one instance with Bradley and then another one with Schiano that was all there was. But you know that was only the tip of the iceberg and it went on and on from there. Those two are the only ones McQueary was questioned about under oath.
Honestly, what is just as bad and a shame is that Mike McQueary has been ostracized by the rest of the college football community because he told the truth – not one job offer for a coached and recruited some of PSU’s best players. As PSU recruiting coordinator he was very good at his job and down the line probably would have been a HC somewhere.
If it all wasn’t so horrific it would be an excellent situation for cause and effect in an Abnormal Psychology class to study.
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Here is updated info on Pitt BB schedule just posted:
Craig Meyer ✔ @CraigMeyerPG
Pitt draws SMU in the semifinals of the 2K Classic on Nov. 17 at Madison Square Garden. Will play either Michigan or Marquette the next day.
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Any long term successful college coach arrives at a point where they think they are invincible. Just a few examples:
– Woody punching the Clemson player
– Bo tearing up the sideline markers
– JoePa telling the PSU president to get off his property
– Bobby Knight throwing the chair and roughing up his kids in practice
And I haven’t even talked about the 2 current Louisville coaches. But, in our capitalist society, as long as their raking in the big bucks, they are tolerated. That’s what the US is all about I guess
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Following up on the Louisville coaches. The low down dirty Petrino and Pinitno…..and to think the former football coach’s name was Crum. Ironic I guess.
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On a basketball note, here is some data from a good friend of mine:
With Pitt POV, whoever that is, saying he would like to get up to speed on Pitt basketball, he might consider this:
COLLEGE BASKETBALL’S BEST PROGRAMS (Since 2001-02))
Most NCAA Tournament appearances, nationally (2002-15):
Team No.
Duke 14
Gonzaga 14
Kansas 14
Michigan State 14
Wisconsin 14
Texas 13
Pitt 12
Louisville 12
Arizona 12
Florida 11
Xavier 11
Kentucky 11
North Carolina 11
Marquette 10
Connecticut 10
Syracuse 10
Memphis 10
UCLA 10
Oklahoma 10
Villanova 10
Illinois 9
Notre Dame 9
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Her Ass makes up for the teeth Reed! 😀
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Screw PSU,Paterno, and anyone that defends Paterno!
Oh no Reed, Wanny likes Peterman. That’s the kiss of death. I guess that explains why he stunk against all the best competition he played against and that includes that awful INT in the endzone at Iowa. Yes that cost us the game even tho it was in the first half.
Chris Jones playing time will show us the difference between Stallings and Dixon. Jones should be coming off the bench and should only hoist up desperation 3’s. 5 min a game is enough unless we play Cornell or Syracuse.
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Steve – I’ll go on record right now and say Peterman will have the most productive year at QB Pitt has had since 2004 with Tyler Palko when he threw for 3067 yards with 27 TDs and 7 INTs.
Bet you a beer right now Peterman tops those yardage #s and TD #s.
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What’s somewhat interesting of note. The 2 coaches who knew (and I think everyone knew at Pedo State), how could they not. Sheesh the Monster even blatantly showed off his prey at Bowl Games, staying at the Team Hotel with them. Back to the 2 coaches who we now know, knew for sure, have very high paying asst. jobs, one at UCLA (in a galaxy far far away from Creepy Valley) and the other at one of college football’s iconic football programs, that being tOSU. While the coach who was forthcoming and truthful has been blackballed from coaching. Hasn’t held any kind of coaching job since leaving Pedo State in 2011.
Speaks volumes of the kind of society America has digressed into.
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Reed you are on! That would be wonderful I hope you win I’ll buy all night!
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Pretty nice bball article Reed. You will have to become somewhat basketball centric, as it appears the Blather is dead 😦 As it is no longer allowing comments.
I think a lot of us were extremely disappointed with the Stallings hire, as if Pitt was ever going to attract a top notch HC, it seemed like it would have been after having a pretty good run for 15 years. Now if Stallings is a bust and Pitt’s declines into Wake Forest territory, it would seem to be much harder at that point to get a top notch HC. Or course if they threw enough money at the problem, like we did in 2000, most problems can be solved.
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I’m sorry to hear that and it is the last thing I want to happen. But again, Chas do have an extremely full life away from the Blather and that’s why I did all the writing on there. But like Pat Narduzzi will do soon I followed the Big Bucks and left for greener pastures…;)
I’ll probably ask for some help on BB game reporting when the time comes – I won’t be able to bring myself to watch all the games AND write about them.
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Durand Johnson led the Johnnies in scoring and he was tied in three-pointers made.
Would have been an asset to us last year, if he could have stayed on the team.
When I was a resident, played tennis on some public courts on Fifth ave near Point Breeze.
Connie Hawkins was always there, banging tennis balls. Real nice guy.
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Reed – I will take that bet. Petermen won’t beat those stats. $50 and a beer.
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Mark – Matt Canada has been heard to say, away from the football facilities and the media, “Peterman is the man” …direct quote and not kidding either. We are going to see a lot of points this year.
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Reed – I hope you are right but I feel he leans on the run a lot. Peterman will get yards but not 27 TD’s in the air.
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Sorry for this in the Ball thread and assume many of you guys saw this PSU scorching, but always fun to read. Would love one “former: cult member to come on here and admit that they are reformed and no longer worship at the feet of the statue!!
http://chicago.cbslocal.com/2016/07/12/bernstein-joe-paterno-abetted-child-rape/
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There was a reason that Bradley slipped into the DC position. Was it silence or was it more than silence? I put this on the blather years ago. Sandusky and pedophiles generally, do not start molesting when they turn 50. The behavior goes back to the early 70’s. When was Bradley at PSU?
As far as Stallings, time will tell. He hasn’t coached a game so let’s see what happens on the court. From a recruiting perspective, he kept the Dixon recruits intact and closed on another. He is going after some four star guys, so let’s see.
Good to have upitt here. Ring around the head….lol
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Joe knew….and so did everyone else….
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Nothing new? Specific assistant coaches and the HC are directly accused by victims. On at least six occasions men at PSU had the chance to stop a child predator. Each time, the football program or a football career was the priority. State College PA was and remains a very dark place.
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Love the new Pitt BB coaches. They practice now like the NBA….
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Blather? What Blather?
Glad to see everyone has migrated. But, also sorry to see the Blather is done. Cheers to the Blather for always having such great Pitt sports coverage and just damn good conversation. I’m sure we’ll keep it up here.
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