3rd year coach

3rd year

POV’ers – there will be another wonderful Fran Lokar run tailgate prior to the North Carolina game located at Red 5A lot right next to the Red Parking Garage.

Starting tonight I’m going to post & pin an article with an attendance poll set in it so that Fran & company know how much food and booze to have on hand.

Please do stop by – we’ll have a nice North Carolina Pitt Panthers contingency there with BigB – Bernie – and his friends.  As always everything is free and you are more than welcome to enjoy with family…

So – Poll up tomorrow and please do put your input into it – Fran needs the info ASAP.

Michaelangelo holds a degree in Travel Writing from the University of Pittsburgh. He was a former staff writer for InPittsburgh Newsweekly, and currently resides near Atlanta, Georgia. He has been a Pitt fan since 1997 after he witnessed Pitt upset #22 Miami on Thursday night at Pitt Stadium.

141 thoughts on “POV Sunday Podcast; 11-5-17”

  2. PITT

    Dave Hart – 1-9 (x3)

    Carl DePasqua – 3-8

    John Michelosen – 4-6

    Some others:

    Franklin PSU – 11-3

    OSU

    Meyer – 14-1

    Tressel – 11-2

    Cooper – 7-4-1

    Bruce – 9-3

    WVU

    Holgorsen – 4-8

    Stweart – 9-4

    Rodriguez – 11-2

    Nehlen – 9-3

    MICHIGAN

    Harbaugh – 7-2

    Hoke – 7-6

    Rodriguez – 7-6

    Carr – 12-0

    Moeller – 9-0-3 (!! 3 ties)

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  3. Man that was one depressing podcast. Sounds like your heart isn’t in this any longer Reed…. This blog won’t work without you but you sound washed out.

    I know the hard hard work you do with the POV blog and realize your volunteer work comes first. Go with your heart friend… ike

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    1. This blog would work with anyone who was willing to put the time effort and money into it.

      I just think it might be better handled by someone who lives up in the Pittsburgh area so if they got a press pass he can actually go to all the practices and meetings and everything and all the interviews which I can’t do.

      I don’t know that I’m going to give it up but I’m just seriously thinking about what’s going to happen over the off-season … that’s all.

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  4. answering RKB from prior post about watching VT/Miami game:

    @RKB, my opinion on better chance versus Miami or VT having watched most of the game is that VT looks much more winnable IF the QB is as inconsistent as he was last night. Showed inaccuracy and especially when pressured. Both teams looked much more athletic than Pitt overall but especially Miami’s playmakers on offense.

    Key for Pitt versus VT will be d-line making the VT QB have a bad game.

    I don’t see anything specific to attack with Miami on either side. Hope the weather favors Pitt and maybe a continuing to improve Dinucci who will really be pressured and will not show enough athletic ability to outrun any of Miami’s front line.

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    1. Yeah, I was thinking we may not be able to score on the Miami defense – big and fast. Much better chance against VT. We need both the VT and Miami QBs to turn the ball over to us a few times – and they look capable of it…

      Go Pitt.

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  5. -I voted yes in the tailgate poll, and will stop by with my wife, but we don’t need any booze or food, just want to stop by to meet and greet the POVers…

    -Saw the highlights of the Penn State loss and the announcer yells “Down goes Penn State!” Don’t know who the announcer was by he seemed to gush out these words with the same glee as a Pitt fan would…

    -Haven’t had a chance to listen to the Sunday Podcast yet, but ike’s comment above is raising a bit of an alarm. Hope all is going well for Reed and all the POVers.

    Go Pitt.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. I think the entire country is finding out what a bunch of pompous, insular jerks populate Nit Nation. Problem is that they come out in droves because, well, that’s what cults do, especially when there is not much else happening anyway.

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  7. After seeing that Miami/VT score, I sure hope this isn’t the start of another Miami revival. Florida and FSU appear to be in disarray . When is Nevin Shapiro due to get out of the Pen.

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  8. Couple notes and thoughts:

    It seems like PITT is penciled in on the last few game dates of the season each year?? Again a late season Thursday game and the Friday after Thanksgiving with the students home for the holiday. Not really complaining but wouldn’t the Friday game be a great time to play psu, WVU or Notre Dame?

    Nov 9th a little late in the season for a night game in Pittsburgh, while not complaining as it is beautiful here in Latrobe on Nov 5th today. Weather looks good for the POV tailgate Thursday.

    One of my mantra’s is that if you go looking for trouble you will surely find it. In most cases it’s not hard to do. The point here is, why are we digging so deep to find trouble all the time with PITT football? There are just too many variables in college football. << only 12 games against designated opponents of varying degrees.

    That’s not enough information to draw a conclusion when all we need are our eyes.

    PITT is weak at QB this year
    PITT is very young this year
    PITT lost a lot of players through graduation this year
    PITT lost key players through dumb suspensions this year
    PITT has another brand new OC this year etc etc.
    Heather sucks this year????

    PITT wins this week and upsets VT, I got the feeling. . . . .ike

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  9. Well that scenario is most likely the only scenario that get’s us to 6 wins ike.

    For we surely ain’t beating the Hurrithugs. They have to be undfeated going into ACC Champ game
    to ensure a ACC team in the 4 way.

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  10. Narduzzi is a buffoon. Season is lost. Play for next year and get Pickett reps. Playing Dinucci is moronic. Now next year when he realizes dinucci is better suited for D2 ball we waste another year on pickett and before he get good and comfortable he is a Junior. In addirion to terrible coaching and recruiting his management of players is terrible.

    Worry not, Heather is giving away expired loaves of bread and free kittens to the first 250 people who show they acrually care.

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  11. Miami is playing really good and passion and talent is taking notice. I give Richt credit. He made that turnaround fast. With UF Down and FL ST down Miami will get all the talent and many of the Gators whomcomitted will flip to UM.

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  12. They even have tough Nurses at Thug U !

    “Bridget Freitas, a 30-year-old nurse who attended the Virginia Tech-Miami game on Saturday night at Hard Rock Stadium, has been charged with felony battery on a police officer. Freitas was lifted out of the stands by three Miami-Dade police officers, who grabbed her by her legs. As she was being carried out of the seating section, Freitas swung at an officer, who responded by punching her in the face. “

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  13. Tom savage 9-30. LOL. How he is in the NFL is a joke.

    Does tyler Boyd still play? Honest question.

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    1. The Pedo’s have no QB’s on any NFL teams active list, with all those highly rated HS recruits. At least Pitt has 2 QB’s in the NFL.

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      1. As for Tyler, he’s missed the last 2 games with a knee injury. I think a change of scenario would do Tyler good, seems to be in Marvin Lewis’s (who is a dunce/disgrace) doghouse

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  14. Flying there now Emel. Come spend some of that retirement cash and hae fun with Upitt and lets eat Stone Crab every night.

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  16. I wouldnt be surprised if we lost to NC but beat both Va Tech and Miami. Call me crazy.

    I disagree that Nard Dog is a buffoon. Maybe a baboon at times but I’m willing to give him another year for just stability sake and he’s at least beaten a good team away from home unlike Franklin who is a great recruiter but terrible coach.

    I would like to see Pickett play particularly after that wasteful burning of the redshirt.

    And I believe Heather will be dishing out rainbows and unicorns since many on here believe in that stuff and will be happy.

    I will be watching on TV and rooting for alma mater. But I’ll be damned if I drink anything the Pitt administration serves me.

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  18. Upitt, Naw, not a buffoon but perhaps the most stubborn human on the planet. His stubbornness rivals Stallings use(or non use) of timeouts. The talk must occur. This IS in fact the duty of any AD. No one is saying fire him, but the talk must occur. He should have someone let him know he is accountable. This is pretty much basics in college athletics.

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    1. So now he is 14 for 143. Bum.

      Boyd will be cut this year. Inactive every week. Upitt right again.

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      1. He almost brought them back from a 20-7 deficit with 6 minutes to play. 19 of 44 for 219 yards.

        So why the hate of Savage….what did he do ?

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          1. I bet games he qb’ed and he sucked. Like he stinks now. 44 passes to get 219 yards. 5 chances within the 10 yard line against Indy. Tells you all you need to know.
            Wbb – Go swing off Stallings and Narduzzi.

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        2. He played QB for Pitt. Just the normal self loathing Pitt fan reaction to one of our own who is fortunate enough to see playing time at the highest level.

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  20. Tx_ you’re crazy but then again who isn’t. You make a good point here. This is just one more audition for Narduzzi. Seems like the UNC game is a poor mans trap game which PITT has no business in falling for.

    Pat better have the team up to play. Wearing the throwbacks? Who knows what’s that worth anymore? Miami looks real good but one does not never know?

    …and Tx_, agree again. Pickett needs a few packages as I repeat my myself. Give the kid some real time snaps. … but if PITT wins this next game all bets are off considering a bowl game….

    See you Wednesday Tx_ (Mike)… ike

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  21. 6 win Bowl Game in Detroit for the Fox’s Pizza Bowl. No thanks. Play him now. He is better than Papa Marinara anyway.

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    1. You could not be more right about playing Pickett. He should be playing the rest of the year. DiNucci is not a D1 quarterback.

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  22. How about that, 2 Pitt players involved in the key plays of the game. Jabal Sheard sacking Tom Savage on the last play of the game at the Colts 7 yard line.

    We do put out IMPACT players to the NFL. Unlike the Creepsters, the Hoopies and probably more than even the Suckeyes.

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  23. I worry that Pat narduzzi might be falling in love with dinucci and that’s why he’s playing him every freaking play on every single series.

    I just hope that he’s not so stubborn as to stick with the last quarterback he had which would be dinucci going through fall camp next year because that would be a big mistake.

    We saw that stubbornness with his playing Max Brown even though Max Brown was out played at the end of Camp by dinucci if you can believe that. I don’t trust Pat narduzzi’s Personnel selections at all really.

    I’d play All the Young interior defensive lineman before I put Shane Roy in there.

    That is how you build a team for the future. You don’t keep throwing a journeyman in there when you could be getting young DL kids needed reps who are going to play for 2, 3, 4 years.

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  24. Pitt has the same amount of NFL QB’s currently on Active Rosters than Ohio Fake, Pedo State and Hillbilly U combined.

    F*ck em all ! We should be able to recruit some stud QB’s. Hopefully these Pitt coaches bring up this stuff.

    COME TO PITT, GO TO THE NFL !

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  25. Talk about bums…how about 2nd stringer Geno Smith and 3rd stringer Cardale Jones. Both on horrid teams, still can’t get on the field. lmao

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  26. They do have large Jim Jones like cult followings….but in the NFL, that doesn’t mean squat.

    COME TO PITT…..BE A STAR IN THE NFL !

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    1. Emel – Who is the Pitt stars you talk about? Revis yes! Donald Yes. Fitz yes. Am I missing someone else? The rest are average at best or below. This is over 10’years man.

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      2. Aaaaaaaa….only the best defensive lineman in the NFL. Aaron Donald. Are you sure you really went to Pitt ?

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        1. & Jabaal Sheard, & Dion Lewis & Andy Lee (who is a NFL veteran, equated by Upitt as just being old, geez) plus our new hometown hero James Conner who has seen playing time already behind the best RB in the NFL playing with the Steelers. & I know I’ve missed muliple Pitt guys. So please spare me the hate.

          Reed, do me the favor of informing me of when the current “Trash Pitt” fest is over. Until then I’m out.

          For everybody going to the game, enjoy yourselves, that is the point after all, isn’t it? Bring home a win.

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  27. I just went back to two articles ago when the comments were talking about UPMC building more hospitals and not an on-campus Stadium.

    I hope people are joking when they try to equate the two things.

    There is no doubt in my mind what the world, and the city, needs is more hospitals and better care for sick people then it does an on-campus stadium for Pitt football.

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    1. You are correct sir, America is really aging. 10,000 or more people… each and every day are turning 65.
      And our illustrious medical industrial complex have like 90% of them on meds and probably more than half of chronic illnesses.

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  28. Reed Kohberger posted:
    “This blog would work with anyone who was willing to put the time effort and money into it.

    I just think it might be better handled by someone who lives up in the Pittsburgh area so if they got a press pass he can actually go to all the practices and meetings and everything and all the interviews which I can’t do.”
    +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

    Not to put pressure on you Reed but that is simply not true. In fact it’s totally false. I have made new and good friends on the POV but it just wouldn’t be the same without you. I know you have other more important things in your life so It’s understandable but don’t try and fool me the POV would be the same or even still a viable option for me any longer.

    You need another recharge to think about all things. I ask you to remember the Reed who started this blog……. BTW, I saw this all coming from the beginning. You were going top speed. I also knew when the POV would grow the problems with the posters would surely grow as well. Roll with the punches my friend and talk to the family. Plus, PLEASE settle down you’re supposed to be in your golden years.

    Finally, don’t take things so serious on the POV, I’ll do that part for you.. You’re a great man Reed. Please relax and enjoy the ride… . . .iek

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  29. Reed: I think he’s playing DiNucci because he (DiNucci) has been under center for two wins in a row. Playing Pickett for a few series in the game prior to those two wins did not go very well. I think this is a mistake. A big one. DiNucci has not truly been responsible for either of the wins. He’s mostly protected the ball, but otherwise has not done much in the passing game. Duzz is afraid to pull the trigger on this, although I imagine that Watson has some say in the decision also. If we beat UNC and DiNucci plays OK, he will remain the starter. Drives me nuts, but he’s following the Coaching 101 playbook.

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  31. Only thing injured on Boyd is being beaten out by a FA and Marvin calling him out. Healthy Scratch like usual

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  33. As far as RB’s go the guy from San Diego State should win it. Twice the amount of yards of Barkley. 1, 602 yards to 864.

    Rashaad Penny also leads the Nation in Total Yards.

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  34. Barkley is a beast and plays behind a terrible oline. He will be a great pro rb. My boy, I think he is talented but not my boy.

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  35. Okay, there are osu qb’s in the nfl, just as receivers. Braxton Miller and our own T Pryor. Cardale was ion there too and he didn’t wanna play school. Mike McGloin is Savages backup, but not for long. Look for him to get the nod shortly.He was obrien’s boy at the Dairy College.

    Nard is being fooled by the victories where a pitt qb was only needed to manage the game, not win it. Pitt wins those game with max brownes shoulder in its current state at qb. Pat Bostick coulda won those two games. Same for the NC game. This is precisely why Pickett should have been playing. Watched a lot of true freshman and true sophomore qb’s play this weekend. One may have been in iowa. Experience is so critical. Regardless, play Pickett and everyone else who has burned a redshirt.

    Kids need film against competition going at 100% effort. That is how you get better, or you move on with your life’s work. Last comment on last thread. Several mentioned going out there and getting a new OC this year. Think about it. The reason they are available is because they weren’t successful in their last job. Good grief!!

    Am really hoping that our AD struck a deal with espn NOT to discuss free ticket giveaways in exchange for a chance to create a good environment for tv viewing. An AD with clout can do that very easily. Hopefully she is reading this!

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    1. McGloin was just signed this week since Watson was hurt. He wasn’t even activated for today’s game. The backup is former UNC QB TJ Yates.

      And like I said there is only 1 Ohio Fake QB in the NFL playing QB. They suck since all they get is 5 star kids to play QB there. Much like the Creepsters who get 4 or 5 star. Neither disgusting place can develop squat, except enlarging their cults of zombies.

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  36. ^^ Good post Huff. but thank goodness it wasn’t Max playing the past two games. That would have been a real waste.

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    1. Sucker Bet Wbb. Feels like it. NC is atrocious. I like Pitt. They have no chance against the U and VT as Fuente will outcoach Harry arms

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  38. After the games played through Saturday 11/4, 50 teams are bowl eligible with 6 or more wins. There is a total of 78 bowl slots (39 bowls) available for 128 FBS teams. (There are 130 FBS teams but Ole’ Miss has a self administered bowl ban & Coastal Caroline is not eligible due to 1’st year transition to FBS from FCS.) There is also a total of 13 teams with 8 or more losses.

    Unless PITT wins two of their last three games to become bowl eligible at 6-6, there is still a chance at a bowl game with a 5-7 record with a high enough NCAA derived APR. PITT could be as low as #43. This assumes that there is not 78 teams with 6+ wins.

    Of the 50 bowl eligible teams, 15 are ranked higher then PITT in APR. Another 3 (UTEP, Rice & Coastal Carolina) have a higher APR but already have 8 losses.

    If my calculations are correct, there are still 66 teams with 3, 4,or 5 wins with 3 games to play.

    Another complication are teams like Ga. Tech & Florida among others that will only play 11 games this year due to the hurricanes in TX & FL.

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      1. Whatever APR is ( and I won’t even bother to look it up now) it’s an utter joke and fraud if 1 win Rice and ZERO win UTEP are rated higher than Pitt. Clown running it must be a pedophile or a toothless hillbilly.

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  39. You guys crack me up. Nard will play the QB with the best chance to win that day, period. Right now it is Nooch who has a very limited upside. Right now he is not turning over the ball and that is it as far as Nard is thinking. Reed he is not falling in love with the Nooch. . Come VT and Miami he will begin the move to Pickett if he is as advertised, he was a 3 star not a 5 star correct? He was offered by Temple? . This is Bradshaw/Hanratty all over in a shortened period. When was the last time we had a QB controversy at PItt? Caavanaugh/Trocano. It has been too damn long. Screw graduate transfers.

    The Miami nurse was charged to protect the pissed off security guard, boy did he pop her -that’s gonna leave a mark.. Was she toasted or what? , Without the cell phone she would just think she had a helluva hangover, Why anyone would throw such a punch with cell phones everywhere is beyond me.

    Reed first it is your insight, energy and personality that drives the POV. Do not sell yourself and contributions short. i was President and newspaper editor of a 200 group historical society so I know you are full of it as to anyone can do it. I didn’t have to work half as hard as you but after 12 years I was burnt out. That said live your life as it makes you happiest, just don’t sell yourself shor as to your contributions here.t!!!
    As to Majors 2 the football program was literally bankrupt. The only thing Majors ever said after was ‘i wish I had gotten a commitment to financial support up front’ For UPitt who calls for an ACC background AD – you mean like Oval James, Majors’ second AD?
    HAIL TO PITT.

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    1. I never said a ACC AD. Just not a moron who is qualified works for me. Not a compliance softball anaylyst.

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    2. She smacked him in the face.

      Wasn’t much of a smack but if you hit a cop ever, or a security guard at a place like a major college football game, you’re gonna receive some pain and rightfully so. Being blacked out drunk isn’t an excuse either. People like her shouldn’t have their behavior rationalized or coddled in any way.

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  41. If 5-7 and they accept a bowl they need fired. Heather and her posse would soin that as a positive. Probably give away hoagies and dinocat stickers

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  43. Mark, if PITT doesn’t a except the bowl invite with 5 wins they should be fired. You are Bass Ackwards. I’m not sure you know college football stuff very well?

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    1. It’s an embarrassment Ike I don’t want to hear about extra practices or any of that garbage there’s unwritten rules and pussies except bowl games if they only won five games a year

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  44. i would accept a bowl invite. we all know our crap smells but we need a bowl win even if its the toilet bowl in detroit. beggers cant be choosers and i have no shame smelling like butt if a girl invites me to dance.

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  45. What’s with the cries to fire everyone all of time when the problem with PITT is the huge amount of coaching turnover the past so many years.

    Question. Beside Upitt who knows exactly what these coaches can do?

    Good Lord, fire the AD after 3 months? This isn’t coherent thinking. It’s more lyke hating all things PITT.

    The walls are getting painted…. let’s wait until the paint dries… ike << not iek 🙂

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  46. Hey back in the heyday of ’79 to ’83 Pitt had a new OC every year too !

    Our cheapness goes way back. It’s ingrained in the Pitt culture.

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  47. Heck it even goes way back to Jock Sutherland. Who the cheap mofo’s wouldn’t promise a $40 Rose Bowl stipend for each Pitt player to have a little spending money in Pasadena.

    Sutherland passed on the Rose Bowl invite, (Pitt is the ONLY team ever to refuse a Rose Bowl invite) and out his disgust of pitt’s cheapness, Jock passed on Pitt too !

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  48. RKB @ 6:39 tonight. Excellent comment.

    To think Narduzzi wouldn’t play the player he feels gives him the best chance to win is a little off to me.

    Pitt-cocks. Thank you for the great info… man are you on the beam stat man! You’e really great at that sort of thing. I can tell you play around the internet a good bit and you are a great PITT football fan.. Thanks again. .. . ike

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  49. Emel, yes I read all those stories and the turmoil that it included. Seems like PITT wants to make rocket science out of a sport?

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    1. yea that’s right … my bad. I do remember now that APR is the is the deciding factor when it comes to picking bowl teams on the bubble.

      But I’m alarmed that Pitt is that high on the list …. as I remember 975 is a good score

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  52. So Tx_ you’re telling me that your glass is half empty….. at the best? Good luck brother Mike.

    Gotta tell you though. Believing and losing is disappointing

    Not believing and winning is shameful. It’s a mighty fine line my PITT friend.

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  53. what classes are louisville players taking
    basket weaving, life skills, sex education, ganja 101
    seriously this is not a level playing field
    louisville is a step below wvcc
    at least wvcc has courses in rifle 101, how to rape sheep, sex with yur cousin, and how to floss when toothless

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  54. Ike – Thanks for the shout out. Fills some time looking up the info & tracking. This was my third update.

    Don’t know why we would decline a bowl bid at 5-7. If it was ok for SEC 5-7 Mississippi State to accept a bowl bid to St. Petersburg, Fl. it ok with me. The second 5-7 team was North Texas to play in the Heart of Dallas bow in Dallas at the old Cotton Bowl (the one at the Texas Fairgrounds where I saw PITT – SMU play in the early 80’s.

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  55. iek – its a glass half empty and not full the way I see it. But I’ll take my glass filled with beer than the Fantas that Pitt passes out.

    Heart goes out to victims of the church massacre in Texas. WTF is going on in this world.

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  57. PITT should never turn a bowl bid down as in their present state of football.

    Right you are Mike. Prayers to all down your way. wtf is going on?

    If you can’t take away the guns then take away the bullets…. !! ike iek kie,

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  58. I agree with ike, UPitt and others that Pickett needs to play, especially since the redshirt is gone.

    I think we see him for a couple of series against UNC. We have only the slimmest chance of beating VT or Miami, so I hope Coach Duzz sees this and gives our hope for the future the chance to get started.

    Would be crappy to wait until the last game and throw Pickett in against that Miami defense…

    Go Pitt.

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  59. Hey Richard, that’s all fine and good on paper but is that really the stead fast policy of the NCAA. I think not. Different rules for different schools.

    UNC get’s a tab on the wrist for cheating their asses off and psu? I won’t get started.

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  60. Hey, as far as the NCAA sanctimoniousness bullschitt goes, it proves that cheating is the new religion in college sports.

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  62. The NFL is interesting to study over the past 4-5 years. Most all the teams that draft a number 1 QB pick are making them play early instead of sitting them (See Wentz, Prescott, Kizer, Mariotta, Winston, Trubisky, Watson, etc). They do it because the coaches and General Managers want to know if their QB has it or doesn’t. They don’t sit around and give them a few years to grow into that position. You either have it or you don’t.

    Narduzzi should learn from the professionals. Play the Freshman. That allows you to know whether they have it or they don’t. Whether you need to go to option B or not. Recruit more QB’s or not. Show some the door or not. This is not a hard decision, but it is a decision. Many coaches are afraid to make decisions and as such, make wrong ones (which is a decision).

    RKB makes the right point in that Nard will play those that he thinks give him the best chance to win. The last two games however, he could have played either in my opinion and ended with the same result. Pitt as a team was just better than Virginny and Duke. The same will happen with UNC. Not the same with VT or Miami. Our true frosh QB could have had a significant amount of playing time before those games had Narduzzi planned ahead. First strategic mistake in my book for the year.

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  63. Huff – very profound comments with you NFL comparison on QB’s. Duzz and Watson need to get Kenny in for a few series vs UNC. If DiNooch has two consecutive 2 and outs then automatically prepare for Kenny to enter the game. It will change “the same old” in a game Pitt can not afford to lose for many reasons.

    If Kenny struggles, at least DiNooch gets a fire lit and sees the action from the sidelines, and Maybe gets the O going.

    Duzz and Watson need to see what they have at QB for next year to see if another grad transfer is needed.

    Pitt needs to score 3 times per half on Thursday and the D must limit UNC to one score per half.

    Here’s hoping 18 – 14 is enough…

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  65. Can anyone NOT see DiNooch struggling on 2 consecutive series. Probably would have happened in the RIce game had he been in.

    I have no reason to believe KP is the second coming of Christ like the rest of you here…just haven’t seen enough, and what I’ve seen has been OK but it seems there is a lot of guess work and wishful thinking(I do that too).

    What I do believe is that a marginal QB benefits from game experience, IF he isn’t shattered by it. Pitt’s o-line was not able to avoid that for the most part with Browne(big assist from his immobility) and only has done so with any consistency in the last few games with Dinucci. That said, I do agree KP should get a few series Thursday night, no matter what the score. It should be part of the game plan and not a surprise to the team and especially Dinucci as it was vs. NCSt. My reasoning is not just to prepare for next year or because I think KP is Pitt’s future(maybe he is) or really anything other than because I can’t see Dinucci not getting hammered enough in the VT and especially the Miami game that KP won’t be forced in.

    So get KP some series, maybe a half and have it in the game plan, you’ve had time with the way the schedule worked out this past week as their games aren’t vastly different that you can’t “game plan” offensively exactly the same for BD as KP.

    If I wasn’t working Thursday, I’d be there for the game. Be cool to hear if my voice echos in Heinz. Hope they offer hot chocolate rather than Fanta aaaand if the rumor of hoagie and stickers is true, well maybe I’m calling off and making the long drive. ;))

    H2P!!!

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  67. So the latest rumor is Pickett will transfer.. Sounds like there is little faith in a head coach that came to PITT and won more games his first two years than any coach has since the early eighties.

    Sounds like panic Pittsburgh……………..

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  68. T-vax
    Part of the hype around Kenny Pickett is from credential access point people watching him in the practices and scrimmages that the general public don’t see. He has poise and a really tight arm, good throws and a lot of jump on the ball. He really looks like he belongs behind center.

    Whether that translates to on the field success… that we’ll see. But I think the expectations that we have for Picket are reasonable. I don’t think he’s going to be a star as in Dan Marino type star but I think he’s going to be a solid good quarterback for us and better than what we had in Sunseri or Stull.

    That’s my thoughts.

    As to narduzzi playing players because he wants them in there as opposed to whether he thinks they’re ‘the best’… don’t bet against that. Narduzzi is human and he has his likes and dislikes and has his foibles. And I know that he plays favorites and that’s not a very well-kept secret out of the Southside.

    But every single head coach does this. I think it’s the myth and the romance of the sport that makes fans think that there isn’t favoritism based from the top down and of course there is. It could be that the coach just likes one player more than the other; likes his personality, likes his attitude whatever. Another kid gets in trouble; has a bad attitude… he’s may well be a better talent but he might not play… that’s just the way it goes.

    And that is not just the HC either. You have to take in account the two coordinators have their own attitudes about players and about personnel decisions.

    It could well be the Watson is calling the QB playing time shots.

    Liked by 1 person

  70. Since attendance is always a concern on here,I found this article from Panther’s Prey from 2014. Some of the info is dated but their main point still holds true : Pittsburgh has the smallest metro population of any area that has three major professional sports teams.

    One thing they didn’t cover is looking at average household income. Pittsburgh ranks 153rd in highest-income metropolitan statistical areas in the United States.That’s behind places such as: Jackson, MS, Macon, GA and Montgomery, AL. One interesting item is that Tampa, FL ranks 156th, is similar in population to Pittsburgh, has multiple pro sports teams and happens to have a major university playing in a pro stadium. Guess what? Their fans are complaining about attendance issues.

    Pitt will always have issues with attendance unless they can string together A LOT of 8-9+ win seasons. Even then I would not realistically expect Pitt to draw more than 45-50k on a continual basis. I would like to believe that we can achieve a level of success that would sell out Heinz continually but that is not being very pragmatic. I do not believe an OCS will fix anything. It will just shift the issue (and blame/whining) elsewhere. I realize that many folks yearn for an OCS. Ask yourselves this – Do you miss the stadium, the physical building or the memories of an simpler time in your life with your dad or special uncle/relative with whom you shared the games? My memories of Pitt Stadium are one of a cold, empty concrete bowl. IMO, an OCS would add some excitement for a couple years then we would be right back in the same spot. (Aside: I don’t trust the BOT to successfully execute on building an OCS!) I’d rather the team use the money that would be spent on funding an OCS to pay coaches and build the program. To each his own.

    Link to Panther’s Prey
    http://panthersprey.blogspot.com/2014/03/the-myth-of-pitt-football-attendance.html

    Link to one of many FSU articles on attendance:
    https://www.thedailystampede.com/2017/9/25/16349354/everyone-is-responsible-for-the-attendance-problem-usf-has-19-days-to-fix-it

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  71. No no no Fran, I didn’t say that….. It was sarcasm by what others were saying. One mentioned he wasn’t happy and another one said he would probably transfer blah blah blah you know that sort of stuff.

    Reed, I get the coach playing the one kid ahead of another because of likes and dislikes but only to a certain degree. Narduzzi is not in a position to play favorites at the cost of losing games. What I mean is, the margin must be so small it’s negligible to determine which player is the best one to start so the older player get’s the nod.

    Don’t forget there is the OC and who would not stand by and let the head coach play a kid who’s not the best option? I don’t believe that would happen.

    Pickett may need more reps and more time. Remember, he wasn’t running with the first two teams since January.

    Playing favorites even for a semi insider as yourself may seem obvious but deep inside the PITT locker room there could be honest to goodness legitimate reasons for this behavior. Trying to pick Narduzzi brain is like trying to rob Ft Knox. It ain’t happening brother………….

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  72. Yeti, PITT ticket prices are on scale as to the Pittsburgh economy goes imo, there are cheap in fact they are giving them away this week.

    OCS, just what it says. It’s about hanging out on campus and walking to the game even if it’s straight up hill. The biggest problem PITT is having and it’s going to get worse as us older PITT fans start dying off are the students today and moving forward aren’t getting that Saturday afternoon game-day feeling that we all enjoyed.

    This won’t translate over to their next life like it did for many of us. In other words the students will mostly be 4 and done with PITT football. << That’s the biggest problem playing downtown instead of on campus.. ( no tradition)

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  73. There are a handful of reasons for players becoming coaches’ favorites — the main one is that they are real good players

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  74. Coach Duzz mentioned that when Pickett did play, the defense blitzed every down. Might have been an exaggeration, but makes sense with a true frosh QB.

    So I suspect Pickett has been getting a crash course over the last couple weeks in countering the blitz… And I’m hoping the coaches think he’s now at a point where they can give him some snaps…

    Go Pitt.

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  75. Anybody think the PSU/Pitt game would be soooo different if it were to be this week? Anticipation and hype to really have a chance to kick them while they are stumbling. Just a random thought popped in my head. I swear I could be happy with 1 win per year for Pitt if it were “the right game”.

    I know, kind of sad…but think attendance would be no issue Thursday either.

    @Lastrow, what kind of hoagies? Iek mentioned some place close on the North Side. Might just have to look into coverage for the office for the afternoon. Haha.

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  77. My 2 cents in this matter of playing favorites … is that Narduzzi seems to prefer experience over talent (or more accurately, potential talent).

    How else do you explain the use the continued use of Briggs, Jones-Smith, Motley, etc? I’m not saying he is right or wrong here, but I will say that he certainly is not the only coach who does so.

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  79. Nobody says an OCS will increase attendance or wins. Now Cornhole said that Heinz would but thats another matter. What an on campus venue does is to draw fans, alumni and visitors to campus. Thats an important connection missing today. Why is that important? Because things on campus best lead to association with campus. If the association is positive that can result in increased school spirit, pride, memories, etc. All of which has been shown to directly correlate with donations. Why do you think Pitt has the lowest percentage of donations among ACC schools. Part of it is a lack of things being done on campus. Things done on campus whether its sports or academics does create a culture geared to supporting alma mater. If things done on campus are fun, memorable in positive ways, an experience you cant get elsewhere, you will be more inclined to donate to see these things continue for you and other generations.

    Liked by 2 people

    1. again, I do not share the pride that Pitt alums do … but when you visit a campus like University Park, or smaller school like Duke … or even Grove City …. it has the feel of a campus. In Oakland, you have to wait for the light to change nearly every time you cross a street. That isn’t fun to me.

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  80. Let’s just say you’re the OC Watson… You watch practice everyday and know each player like a book by now. You know, how they practice, how they keep up their studies, their attitude towards all thing PITT football, their hustle and their knowledge of the position that they play.

    So if you have two players that are fairly equal in ability but one with even less upside potential but a better attitude who do you play?

    Now if the one with the bad attitude is obviously the much much better player then who you going to play? Point being, every starter is better than the backup in almost every case I can think of in one way or the other.

    This is not a night and day thing folks. Pickett isn’t blowing the minds of the coaches away or else he would be at least playing a lot more.. Dinucci must be the better option and I believe that whole heartily.

    That said, give Pickett a couple of scripted series and get his feet under him when the game is still in doubt…. iek ike whatever….

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  81. ^^ Right you are Mike…. College life is more about atmosphere than anything else. …… and it stays with you forever.

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  82. Pitt has a great campus for an urban school. But that is part of the tradition problem. At schools where they are isolated everything to be done on Thursday, Friday or Saturday night is on campus and very rarely do they go off campus for anything.

    But at Pitt you have the whole city to enjoy… you have Lawrenceville now with all the arts and culture, you have downtown, you have Shadyside and you have all the other places they can go inside the city which is just a hop and a skip from the campus.

    Not a large percentage of students still live in Oakland in the actual dorms or close apartments there but there also awful lot of off-campus housing for students to rent. I grew up on Wightman Street and it is creeping the whole way up Beeler St. and on up Wilkins Ave now and even into deeper into Squirrel Hill where there are the older houses are being sold, bought and turned into apartments for students.

    Kind of depressing for me to go back and see that actually.

    That’s why you don’t see students and alumni tied into the actual campus as much as they do the university itself maybe. I think we have to define the word campus anyway when it comes to Pitt because it’s not all of Oakland and it’s not all of Shadyside it it has to be clearly defined to the buildings were Pitt actually has students or academic footprints.

    But the old brick & mortar buildings Pitt has aquired are truly outstanding and will keep that part of the campus defined as traditional.

    As I wrote in an earlier comment Pitt would love to be as close to an Ivy League school is possible and that campus is going to stay academic for that reason… that’s the way it is is going to be for the students and University and UPMC and it’s not going to be for an on-campus stadium or athletics – they are hidden up on top of the hill and that’s how Pitt wants it.

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    1. an outside opinion … you talk of Ivy League — even when you’re on the Columbia campus (northwest Manhattan) or at Harvard (Cambridge) …. you know you’re on a campus. Having worked in Oakland, I never had the feel of a college campus … except maybe when you are on the athletic fields across from Fitzgerald Fieldhouse. Everywhere else, it seems to be interspersed with public or private business buildings, restaurants or hospitals.

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    2. Back in my party days I used to like to go to Shady Side and all the dorm parties in the housing behind Craig St. Exciting times. The bars in Oakland too like Zelda’s… There was a real Pitt U. buzz back then. This was in the early ’70’s though.

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  83. actually, Cleveland State Univ, located in eastern downtown is somewhat reminiscent of Pitt. Playhouse Square, theatres and associated businsesses restaurants, are located in the middle of campu

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  84. addressed to our new distinguished POV guest, “Mr Anonymous”. Please speak your mind but would it be at all possible that you could give us your insight on PITT football and not so much your critique on how you feel other people should post.

    That’s a little pompous to me and there I did the same thing I accuse you of….. ironic huh? << How dumb do I sound. Get it?

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  85. Hey Ike, I got a query for you. I notice that you often respond to people who are not on the thread. Are you getting comments on Facespace or Chatsnap? Sometimes i get lost trying to figure things out. Like the Annie comment the other night. Had no clue where that came from and couldn’t even find a comment from Annie, anywhere.

    I have been crunching OCS theories for a long time on here and glad to see TxP saying the same thing, because it is true. Great athletics = increased applications. Increased applications strengthens the pool of students. The best students make more money when they leave. Athletics is not the front or back porch like our poor AD’s have tried to sell. A strong athletic program is a Foundation for future giving as it ties each student back to the university. It just does. Even though she mainly worked in compliance, Heather knows the importance of tying the student experience to athletics, because she witnessed it. Not because she executed it! Harvard, Yale, they all have OCS, but we are somehow smarter…NOT!

    Their huge endowments will be shrinking soon because of taxation issues. Should be great to watch how the lobbyists work this.

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  86. Pitt campus has always been within 2-3 blocks of the Cathedral. The Cathedral is Pitt’s focal point, its identity. A stadium at many schools is theirs. Many a school’s perception is first made by sports particularly its football or basketball programs. A nice front porch can attract better caliber students so Gallagher is correct in this idea but the execution is lacking thus far. And having a nice front porch without some nice couches (flame retardant) and a keg of beer doesnt solve the problem either.

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  87. Huff, not exactly sure what you mean but I think it may be the reply function? I don’t like to use it as it throws your comment back up into the article of who you may be replying to and it just gets buried if more than 5 posts happen right after the comment. Are you more confused right now?

    I normally will reply to a response but copying it and pasting it down but sometimes I just assume the comment will make sense to the poster I’m replying too.

    I’ll write a short book on it as I know I muffed that answer up. 🙂

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  88. I am sure there is a way to have a reply pull down the original post for reference, even abbreviate it if excessively lengthy. That and the “edit post” option coming soon……..not!😎

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