181 thoughts on “Pitt vs Virginia BB Game Thread”

  3. Well, now that the lid is off on the NCAA scandal, and the great Sean Miller appears to be a crook like all of the others, including maybe Duke and NC, KS is looking like a pretty good coach to keep around. I think that Pitt will be so happy that KS wasn’t implicated that they will bring him back next year.

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    1. Vandy was on the list. Was KS the coach or the new guy? Would want to know the answer to that if I were the AD….

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    2. not so fast. Vanderbilt is listed on one of the schools implicated. It may or may not involve KS at this point

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      1. Agree wwb. It wasnt clear as I’m grammatically challenged, but i indicated above that “was KS the coach [when the problems occurred] or the new guy”

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  4. Can’t believe I am going to the Pete. Used to be such a joy. The agony is almost over, at least for this year.

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  5. O/U on points by Pitt, 37 or 38?

    Cannot wait for this end and see what kind of leader Gallagher is and how Lyke attacks hiring a new coach.

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  6. Still glad that Pitt appears to run a clean program. Winning is no fun if it takes cheating to do it. Maybe if they clean house and get rid of all of these crooked coaches around NCAA BB, things will get better. There should be a clause in every coaches contract that he/she cannot deal with shoe or uniform companies in any manner. That is what the AD is for.

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    1. miller knew he could never cheat at Pitt
      hence he never wanted the job
      plus i really dont think he liked it here
      was always angry on campus and walked around like a stick was up his bum
      now jason mathews seemed happy and cool
      night and day those two

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  10. KS needs fired regardless of whether he’s implicated at Vandy. Any implication could give Pitt cause for firing though and avoid a costly buyout. I’m hoping he’s dirty.

    Cavs 65
    Pitt 40

    Liked by 1 person

  13. 1 for 18 fg…and most of the shots aren’t even close to going in. Like I’ve said if none of these kids stay if Otis gets canned, they won’t be hard to replace.

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  16. The Pitt team is totally intimidated. They only have 1 foul for the half. Whatever happened to hitting the boards? Will they hit double digits for the half? On the scandal front, there may be a lot of teams looking for coaches soon. Could be a tight market for KS replacement…

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  23. At half Pitt has shot……
    1 for 22 from the field. Announcers think it may be worst in NCAA history.
    I would fire KS during halftime. This is beyond outrageous.

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  24. We came pretty close to have zero points at halftime ….as ive been saying all year, there are NO
    ACC quality players on the roster.

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  25. 30-7 at half
    thats a football score
    thanks Pitt for not thinking sports is relevant at a university for students, fans and alumni
    this is what you get when you make very bad hiring decisions and have incompetent leaders in charge of a multi million dollar program
    but at least we dont cheat…that makes me feel so good right now

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  26. if there are any Stallings’ apolgists left, there shouldn’t be after play for one shot down 307. Easily the most embarrassing decision since Walt’s slide play

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  27. 30-7 is a COMPLETE AND UTTER EMBARRASSMENT. If the Heather Lyke is not waiting for the coach at the locker room after the game with a pink slip, she should be fired too.

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  28. Someday Disney Pixar is going to make a sad movie about all the Pitt gear that never leaves our houses! Thank you Pitt leadership for this memorable basketball season and beyond.

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  29. We got the bags over the student’s heads. Otis the fraud WASTE. And this turd is getting $2.5 million per for this farce.

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  30. I’m glad the Zoo have bags on. Good exposure on national tv. Maybe Heather will get a few calls after this one.

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  31. This is what happens when u recruit kids that avg 3 ppg in some obscure junior college.

    I could find 10 kids better down at the Central Y in Charlotte.

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  32. New FBI report just released….. Pitt is running a reverse scheme. People actually paid Stallings and Pitt to TAKE these players.

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  35. Pitt is cheating us fans. The tickets are over-priced. The TV experience makes my head hurt. This is absolute torture. The FBI should investigate the Pitt administration for marketing a product that is harmful to ones health.

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  41. Pitt’s players all have to use one arm to push off a defender, since they’re ball handling skills are so poor.
    They could be called for this, pretty much every possession.

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    1. Emel that’s a great catch. In fact one of the analysts noted this a a couple of games ago when the defender was called for a foul. The Pitt player (I think Milligan) actually extended his arm but didn’t go above the shoulder so the ref (who wasn’t in position to make the call) called the foul on the defender. All Pitt’s guys do it though, especially WF and Stevenson.

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  43. Listen to these announcers lying about Stallings. Truth is only 5 winning seasons in SEC conference games in 15 years.

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    2. Didn’t see the telecast. Did they do the “cupboard was bare” narrative? Interesting that the national guys really jumped on this the last week or so.

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  46. Why if the hell do anouncers keep saying how good of a basketball coach stallings is. Perimeter passes and chucking up threes…..2 years now. No progress. No in game coaching. He’s terrible

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    1. You’re supposed to disregard,,,,,what your lying eyes are seeing. And just blindly believe what these liars spew out their compromised mouths.

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  48. Otis was at a perfect place for him….Vanderbilt….who has, not a super rabid fanbase, at a school that
    is primarily interested in Academics. What happened is their fan base got a little taste of ‘it could be better’ with James Frankin and their football team going to a few bowl games and not being the perennial doormat of the SEC.

    So that started demanding more of the basketball program as well. And of course Otis couldn’t deliver and once the fan base had been awoken, they demanded Otis be gone.

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  49. There is no quit in these kids….limited talent but they are trying. How about if we give them some credit for at least giving it their all for PITT instead of constant negativity. H2P

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        1. Don’t think you can be ‘over the top’ in anything regarding the futility of this basketball program. And this particular article would have about 1 comment(yours) if us realists didn’t post.

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  50. Looks like Sean MIller….could be the ‘fall guy’ perhaps for all the blue bloods.

    He might be the sacrificial lamb, the way this is shaping up. In order for the whole thing not to collapse,
    these organizations are willing to sacrifice one of their own.

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  51. ROC, yes, KS is one of the major problems, the other is that these kids are really pretty bad. Not just ACC bad, but bad. Everyone tries, but they just can’t play. A new coach coming in would not renew at least 6 of the scholarships, maybe more.

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    1. I understand that but these kids are proudly wearing our school uniform. It’s not their fault that they are over their head. HCKS offered and they accepted. It is what it is. Can we at least give them some credit these are just kids playing their heart out for their school. Where is our spirit? Maybe it’s just me!

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  52. I was a Pitt student at the same time as Sean Miller. He was widely regarded as a arrogant a$$. I knew his girlfriend, and even she didn’t like him.

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    2. i would see sean on campus and he was in a few of my classes. yes – arrogant prick with stick up butt. I liked jason mathews.

      most of the football guys were awful (definition of the worst kind of jock but thats who Gottfried recruited) except for Swervin. He lived on my dorm floor. Great guy.

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    3. MissingWlat— that’s a great line —“ I knew his girl friend and even she didn’t like him.” LOL!

      Thank goodness the end of this B.B. season is in sight!

      Go Pitt

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  53. Pitt actually had 1 more possession than Virginia in this game.

    Pitt 56
    UVa 55

    And lose by 30. That takes talent.

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  54. The 37 points were the third-fewest in a game since the 1954-55 season. The Panthers’ 11 made field goals were tied for the second-fewest in a game in program history and their field goal percentage (23.9) was the eighth-worst in a game in program history.

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  55. 1-22.I have a lot of difficulty wrapping my head around that one. 1-22!! That’s amazing. Honestly, Even with this team I wouldn’t have thought it possible.

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  56. Entering the game, Virginia was allowing just 89 points per 100 possessions against conference opponents while Pitt was averaging only 87.7 points per 100 possessions in those same games, meaning playing the Panthers could give ANY ACC team the statistical profile of the nation’s top defense

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  57. So what would happen when they actually had to play the sport’s most suffocating unit?

    The game’s early minutes provided an almost immediate answer.

    The Panthers were held scoreless for the first 4:27, a time in which their opponent took an 8-0 lead, and didn’t get its first made field goal until 10:01 had already elapsed.

    By the time the halftime horn blared, and players and coaches jogged to the locker room to a chorus of boos, Pitt had made just one of its 22 shots (4.5 percent), the worst field-goal percentage in a half in program history and had just 7 points, the third-fewest in a half in program history. **The 7 points were also the fewest in a half for a team at any level of college basketball this season **

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    1. This bares repeating

      **The 7 points were also the fewest in a half for a team at any level of college basketball this season **

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  58. Is that true we only had one FG in the first half…?

    I may have to wait until tomorrow to turn my negativity around.

    Seriously that shows a lack of concentration which equals a lack of trying in my book. Just because you run up and down the court doesn’t mean you’re trying… when you’re really trying you’re a hundred percent mentally in the game at all times and it doesn’t appear to be the case.

    I watched KS’s presser after the last game and he was totally defeated to the point he couldn’t put full sentences together to answer the questions that were posed to him.

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    1. Exactly Reed…..and just jacking up 3’s is really the least one can do on the court. You have to work and take extra effort to work the ball inside…….instead of just chucking it up from 30 feet.

      And they don’t work at all in rebounding the ball. Worst rebounding team in Division 1 of 351 teams.

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  60. If Pitt finds this as acceptable, Pitt should be given the death penalty. If Pitt believes next year will get substantially better, Pitt should be committed to a mental hospital. If Pitt does not fire KS after this season, it will lose millions, destroy any equity left in the brand, and show us all it has no business being in collegiate sports at the highest level. Heather – this is all on YOU! Easy decision if you ask me but who is your coach in hand. Suggestion – Danny Hurley.

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    1. I’d rather they be like what the University of Chicago did, just drop the sport in it’s entirety, than be the laughing stock of college basketball. Which is what we are.

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  62. Justin Bieber could do a better job, wonder if he has any eligibility left. Maybe player coach. This most likely sealed Stallings fate, if it wasn’t already a done deal. One thing the powers that be hate is being a laughing stock. You can lose a lot, just don’t embarrass the school. Well lads, that ship has sailed.

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  64. I can’t tell how bad the players are because the coaching is flat out terrible.

    They basically just pass around the perimeter till time runs out and someone jacks up a three and they all turn around and run the other way. It would be comical if it weren’t so effin sad. No one runs the baseline. It is like the Keystone Cops offense.

    I do think a few of the kids could be decent ACC players in a few years with good coaching and a couple guys that can really play. There certainly are no future stars in this bunch.

    The coach obviously doesn’t know how to coach defense, that was a given when he came here.

    Maybe the worst rebounding team in the history of college basketball. No one shows any desire, least of all the coach.

    By the way, Gallagher and Lyke were sitting together having a great conversation like everything is right with the world. All smiles.

    I left at halftime.

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    1. Again GC. My Pitt hat is off to you for witnessing this travesty in person. I do not think there is anACC player among this group anywhere. Maybe Brown in 2 years.

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  65. Pitt needs to write an apology to the ACC. The ACC picked Pitt and Syracuse for their basketball. I’m sure the ACC has cause for kicking Pitt out if Pitt does nothing to turn things around. I’m being serious.

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    1. BigEast kicked out Temple football for it’s futility. Anything is possible. Plus all the other Pitt sports sans Girl’s volleyball are also at the bottom of the standings in those sports

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  67. Can’t wait for the uproar when the next coach is hired.

    We have a chancellor who meddled in Dixon’s business, nudged him out then failed to meddle in Barnes’ search after it was gaining steam with how bad it reeked with the buddy search firm. So Gallagher is a Physics wiz, good for him.

    He stinks when it comes to athletics. I wonder who reaches out to Lyke but wants X, Y and Z to coach at Pitt and Patrick says “no” to that coach. He hates the empty seats, but won’t meet a coach’s demands I bet.

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  68. Had not Bennett backed off on Pitt’s players I doubt we would have scored 20 points for the game.

    They gave them a little more space in the 2nd half to launch 3’s. Which is something UVA typically does not do. Give ANY space on the perimeter

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  70. A few basketball thoughts:

    This brand new NCAA BB scandal sure has thrown a monkey wrench into any coaching change contemplation’s across the country and that includes PITT as well.

    Really not liking Stallings style or not any style of coaching. Doesn’t seem to be much coaching there at all? Again, is it being so undermanned or coaching or both. perhaps both I guess?

    Disagree with PITT not having any D-1 ACC caliber type hoop players.

    Carr: He should turn out to be an above average point guard in the conference. Young point guards need legitimate scores and finishers with experince, which PITT doesn’t have at this moment.

    Stewert: Above average shooter who is very weak and needs to hit the weights. Would thrive on a good team with veteran players around him.

    Brown, One of PITT’s more talented freshman centers in a very long while. So weak and need more basketball acumen. << Lock this kid in the weight room 23 hours a day.

    S Stevenson: He looks raw but he isn’t. He can dribble and shoot but he’s not playing on a team with a defined offense and strategy. << SS can become a very good guy for rebounds if given half a chance.

    K Davis: One of my favorites. Long reach and a good defensive player already. Reminds me of a your Jaron brown. Another player that will be very valuable as a jr/sr on an older team.

    Chukwuku: Hustles and gives it his all, maybe his all is not good enough? ….. YET…. Another kid that needs to get a lot stronger. Will help the team down the road in a year or two.

    JWF: Where’s the beef with this kid? It’s mostly on his shoulders without much help. Hopefully he’s here for one more year as PITT will need him. Hopefully with Luther, Ellison, Golson and maybe Stone to help him.

    Finally Ullegomah: He’s as good as McGhee and Morningstar as freshman. He can become a nice role player or could blossom. << That is my stretch right there.

    A change in coaching may be the best thing to do and any which way that unfolds I’m ok with. but another wholesale change in players is not the way to go here..

    Football thoughts:

    Charlie Partridge named asst head coach. I feel Narduzzi stepped up on this one and outfoxed some of the bloggers with this one. Lot’s of despair when CP was named a finalist for the Bama D-Line job. Looks like Pat was able to eat his cake and have it too.

    Spring practiced begins in about 2 or 3 weeks. More questions then answers again this year for sure.

    Lot’s of eggs in the KP duty basket, here’s hoping that Town brings more to the Burgh than Max did.

    I really never got the angst over bringing in walk-on’s. I call it filling out the roster. Same as free agents in the NFL. BTW, anyone remember Donnie Shell?

    “Shell retired as the NFL strong safety career leader in interceptions with 51. He started eleven straight years for the Steelers and was selected to the Steelers All-Time Team, the College Football Hall of Fame, and to the NFL Silver Anniversary Super Bowl Team.”
    ++++++++++++++++++

    a free agent and this was when the NFL had 16 rds or so.

    Narduzzi much like one of my favorite coaches Dave “the Stache” rearranged his coaching staff after year 3 and I like his changes as much as Dave’s.

    Hopefully this will be a up year for PITT and I will be be watching Pat closely with more of a critical eye on the entire coaching staff but I again have to say, PITT is one year away from being a great contributor in the ACC.

    Remember, No man is an island. ike

    H2P!

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    1. We need the Donnie She’ll mentality on defense. Clean hits, of course, but Donnie once was quoted as saying to one of his teammates:

      “If you’re not gonna hit him, get out of the way so I can hit him!”

      Go Pitt.

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    2. I think Stevenson, Carr, Stewart, Brown and Davis each have significant limitations that would make them bench players on most ACC teams. The biggest limitation that I see is that other than Davis they are really poor defensively and it hasn’t improved since game 1

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  71. All I can say is: I’m glad you’re not evaluating basketball talent for us. None of these current kids on the roster are ACC players you can win with. Now they are ACC players for finishing last with.
    I will admit that.

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  72. Can’t wait for Stallings to be fired and all the bitching starts all over again. << again, not of fan of Kevin’s.

    Emel, time will tell. I’m also glad you aren’t in charge of anything PITT athletics if that means anything? Grownups calling grownups names? << Not the style I’m looking for.

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  73. The only thing worse than watching Pitt BB is reading Ike’s comments trying to put a positive spin on this shit show! Oh, the inhumanity!!

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  74. on the bright side …

    UConn WBB just went on a 43-0 run vs SMU

    Greg Polanca went 3 for 4 today

    only 2 games left …. final league game and ACC tourney

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  75. So, looks like Coach Duzz is dedicating the 10th Coach to the safeties. I say – alleluia!

    For the Duzz defense to work, the safeties have to really be on top of their game. They have difficult reads to make and one false step leads to an opponent running free down the field. We’ve seen this way too many times…

    I’m hopeful that the combo of new DC Bates and the new safeties coach can fix this problem – and get our safeties finally making some plays on the ball.

    Go Pitt.

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  76. It will all be over soon.
    So who would be on your list of coaches?
    I really like Dan Hurley the current coach of Rhode Island.

    And I like Charlie being promoted to assistant head coach.

    So things might be looking up. Its good to have hope.

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    1. There isn’t a big name coach in the country right now that’s going to ride in on a white horse and save this program. Here’s a potential hire that hasn’t coached at the college level but he has name recognition, he’s converted an average small high school team into a national powerhouse, and he won’t accept losing. Maybe more important for Pitt right now, he’ll come relatively cheap! Maybe we should give him a shot. If one of his teams only scores 7 points in a half, I guarantee there will be 5 different guys on the floor after halftime.

      http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2760350-mike-bibby-coach-on-the-rise-former-nbaer-now-helms-a-prep-powerhouse?utm_source=cnn.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=editorial

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    2. When Dixon was let go, Dan Hurley didn’t even return the phone call from Pitt. Wasn’t interested then, will not be interested now.

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  77. Barvo, players have to be put into situations they can strive in. Unfortunately there were no such positions like that this year with PITT and their players. You can teach an athletic player to play defense under a specific scheme but you can never teach a young man to be athletic. I think each player I mentioned above do have a certain skill set but they are not ready to stand alone and be judge without surrounding players that are not all in the same skill boat as they are.

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  78. How ironic and sad was this game. About 5-6 years ago, Pitt started to try to recruit “like the ACC”, at the same time Virginia tried to recruit “like the Big East”. And look where each team is today.

    I have always suspected that Dixon would have gone back to his winning “slogball” formula in another year or so. But you never know.

    Personally, I LOVED slogball. It was PITT. We won our way. We stuck it to people.

    Hats off the VA for what they have done.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Slogball never got Dixon past the Elite 8 and few if any teams win championships with it. VA may prove me wrong. But champions have great guard play. Look at all the past champions. They have shooters and guys with great TO to assist ratios.

      But I’d take Slogball today over what KS is dishing out.
      These kids have some talent but they are poorly coached and utilized.
      Are they ACC caliber? Possibly in a few years. But it doesnt make them elite.
      And Pitt needs 1-2 elites each year to succeed in the ACC.

      Dont get me wrong – solid D and rebounding are good things, but you recruit to shoot.

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    2. Good Points DD. Funny that people decried slogball and wanted a coach that would let em play. Well we got one. We should have learned last year from what happened when he let those seniors play.

      Pitt will never get the players Duke, UNC, and Louisville get year after year so they need a guy with a system who can coach kids up over 4 or 5 years. A guy that stresses rebounding, defense, mental and physical toughness.

      VA built a program patterned after ours, ironic.

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  79. Ike, best constructive comments i’ve heard. I agree with most of your evaluations. Chukwuku is baffling. He is coordinated & 6-9 but has no offensive moves or shots other than the 3 pointers he ill advisedly throws up. How does Stallings not ban him from shooting those & teach him some moves inside & around the basket? Some of these kids would fit in well with some older more dominant teammates. Brown made some progess this year with moves around the hoop, but not Chukwuku. Next year adding Golden, Ellison & Luther will help, but still needs to land Stone or the 7 foot Argentinian.

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  80. The program stinks and after two years there i little to show for that salary. Me I have been in the camp of one more year and save the 6 million. But this is so bad that Pitt simply can’t go any further with this coach and program in free fall. So negotiate the buyout om the premise he has not come close to what was he was hired to do. If he balks, F him. Offer 5 million and tie it up in court for as many years a Pitt lawyers can. Put this to nonsense to bed and hire Hurley if he is the best guy. Keep in mind Pitt got millions on the Dixon buyout so the net maybe 5 to 7 million anyway. I fire him for cause as he never came close to being a P5 coach in any capacity and in fact damaged Pitt athletics so bad I would sue him over that. ,

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  81. I grew up in RI and most of my H.S. friends went to URI. They cant say enough about Hurley. We could only hope…

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    1. Hurley turned down Dixon in 2010 since he knew head coaching offers were coming his way. He beat Pitt when coaching Wagner. His RI team had success in Pittsburgh and commented his ‘love’ for the City. I’m thinking Pittsburgh reminds him a little of Jersey. Tough, gritty, and hard working.

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  82. Pittsburgh Panthers
    15th ACC D-I | 8-22
    Field Goal %
    319th
    41.4 FG%
    3-point %
    269th
    33.2 3P%
    Points Scored
    321st
    1828 Pts
    Total Rebounds
    334th
    31.5 RPG
    These results are cause for dismissal.

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  83. Incarnate Word got off the winless in conference games schneid today beating Texas A&M CC 69-62

    So that leaves Pitt, San Jose State & Chicago State as the only 3 Division 1 schools winless in conference.

    Pitt is quite possibly the worst team in all of college basketball. Certainly the worst Power 5 team.

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  84. Pitt’s terrible basketball program could also and more than likely is having an effect on the football recruiting.

    Most football kids also follow basketball, some even played it in HS. And they do no want to be associated
    with a school, with the worst Power 5 basketball school in America.

    Otis is doing harm not only to the bball program but the football program.

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  85. Dont you think Pitt, SJS, and Chi State should have a tournament of their own? I want to know who is the worst…though I think Emel is spot on.

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  86. Gallagher and Heather-the-Presenter were at the game yuking it up? Maybe he was showing her his new slide rule.
    I think the UConn gals can beat us. Bet their second teamers could beat us.
    Seven points in one half? Chucking the rock toward the hoop right after the inbounds pass could have yielded better results.

    Liked by 1 person

  87. I’m sorry, but if you think these kids just need seasoning your crazy. Ike, your right, you can’t teach athleticism, and these kids just don’t have it. Please tell me who amount them has elite quickness? Even above average quickness. Or ACC level quickness. None! That’s not cruel, just plain fact. No name calling, but calling them out. You can’t teach it or coach it. Like height, you either have it or not.
    Whenever the new coach comes in 6 of these guys will be gone. They will go to a lower level of ball where they may have more success. You do. Realize he brought in the equivalent of 4 recruiting classes!! The remaining 6 May develop, but they are really undersized and slow, They can be role players, and maybe 2 decent starters, but the rest, well, not so much. The bad habits they developed will take at least a year to break, and you don’t have the luxury of redshirts, although, in hindsight you could have redshirted 3 of them and not been any worse.
    1-22,1-22,1-22. If that performance hasn’t convinced people, I have no words.

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  88. You raise good points JoeK but I’ll counter with what would anyone expect with a team that PITT put on the floor today against the number 1 team in the country that excels in their defensive schemes? This considering suspect coaching as well. It’s all relative at this point.

    This PITT basketball team is really terrible and there is no way around that. I’ll tell you this…. I was a much better hoop player when I turned 22 over being 18 or 19 years old. Point is, anyone here think they became a worse athlete between 18 and 23 years old growing up?

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  89. I can not blame the kids for signing onto a D1 acc school, even if they weren’t fast enough nor strong enough. I don’t blame stallings for signing a golden gifted retirement contract.

    I do blame stallings for losing any integrity he had and quitting on the team and university in the hopes of getting bought-out, as it appears he has done for some time now.

    In my opinion, the biggest blame goes to the board, who signed off on the hiring of coach stallings, as well as his insane contract. I feel as though I would lose all respect for the board if at least one of them doesn’t come forward and apologize to the university and all of its alumni and fans.
    At the end of the day, this basketball situation is on them, and an apology should be respectfully forthcoming.

    Liked by 1 person

  90. Iek,
    Good to see you, friend, commenting and sharing your thoughts and opinions!!!
    This is what should make us
    Povites a family – we can all share our thoughts and opinions no matter how + or – they may be. And it’s ALL of our responsibility to respect each other no matter how much we may disagree at the time. After all:
    WE ARE…..POVITES!
    Football season is coming! Amen!

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  91. Tony Bennett will come out and say the pitt program is in good hands with stallings in charge. Hearing this, Lyke will extend the coach for two more years. OOops, sorry. Just woke up as i had a nightmare. If stallings is still employed when you all wake up, Lyke should be fired.

    Gallagher is a laughing stock too. A great leader, leads. He should have walked into the coaches office and let him go. We are not even mediocre in any sport. We are mediocre academically. Top 80-100.

    I will go on record as saying I would rather have my name mentioned in a fbi investigation, than watch this sorry excuse for an athletic department or chancellor. Unless of course we are both.

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  92. Ike, Good morning! If you are saying they will get better in 3 yrs I agree. If your saying they will be good enough, nope! Not happening. We may have different expectations for the team. Close your eyes and see 3 yrs hence. Do you see these kids leading us to an ACC title? Or an NCAA berth, because that is what I expect from Pitt Basketball.
    Anyhow, I’m off for a week of golf at Kiawah. Brother in laws bucket trip. Staying with my best friend and his wife for part of the time. They are rabid Pitt fans, deep in the heart of ACC country. I’ll have my Pitt gear, but I’ll be ready for all the “ Bless your hearts”.

    Liked by 1 person

  93. apparently the only source for non-fake news anymore:

    Darren Rovell@darrenrovell

    No one could have predicted that the US would win curling gold, right? Actually, the Simpsons did in a February 14, 2010 episode. They beat Sweden, who the US happened to beat to win gold today
    The Simpsons has now predicted the US curling gold over Sweden, President Trump, Disney buying parts of Fox & the FIFA scandal

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  95. JoeKnew – enjoy the golf, weather and wear your Pitt garb proudly. This BB program is embarrassing & disgusting, but not even close to the level of disgust that went on at state college under JoePA’s watch.

    A good hire by Lyke and Pitt BB can be good again in a few years. It’s about good, solid relationships and a system that is well thought out, planned for and recruited to.

    eepitt85 (formally Erie Express)

    H2P!

    Liked by 1 person

  96. Morning Joe, Do I think that the kids on PITTs hoop team alone will jell enough together to be ACC contenders by their senior years? Probably not. I meant to say that a few of the players are good enough to play and be a factor on a decent ACC contender. I’m hoping that there will be different and better pieces added to this current group as is. That said, I don’t think this is a bad group or class to startup a team. …. but you’re right, PITT needs some sort of superstar thrown in there every one or two years or so.

    … and btw Joe, that’s a slick move you pulled off there going on a golf trip to SC by way of your brother in laws bucket list trip while conserving your own bucket list. Sort of like Sean Miller’s contract. 🙂 …. again, having your cake and eating it to. Have fun JoeK

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  97. Hey Erie Express, great to see you circumvented wordpress as an undercover-man. Hold your ears on this cloudy Sunday morning….

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  98. Do any of you have confidence that Pitt can hire a coach that can fix this quickly? Or at all.

    There is no way Pitt hires a Hurley, a Crean, etc. You are dreaming if you think that will happen.

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    1. To me the answer is two fold:

      -1. Firing KS for “cause” and hiring an assistant outside the FBI 20 is a possibility –

      -2. Keeping Stallings and plugging our noses for 2 more years seems to be the course Pitt will take.

      So the short answer to your question is no way Pitt finds a quick fix, unless they catch lightning in a bottle.

      Liked by 1 person

  99. No way do I have any confidence in PITT hiring a trouble shooting head BB coach but again, Heather really hasn’t been tested in the hiring department yet. The wrestling coach hire looks to be a good one though? I have always maintained that continuity is usually ones best bet but this is an entirely different problem with the basketball program. Stallings doesn’t look to be the right man and is despised to a point that I don’t think there is any recovering to be expected. Personally I don’t see any decent amount of coaching going on there as well.

    To your point, there is so much money in switching out coaches for PITT I don’t know what to expect but I do know that firing head coaches in season is frowned upon universally. Head coaches very rarely get fired while the season is still in progress. For the record here, I’m all for a coaching change after this season and no, I don’t expect many to be happy with who is the next BB hire. << That’s always been a part of my thought process. Who ya gonna get and is it worth it? ike

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  101. As I wrote a few days ago, the Pitt BB job is a lot less attractive now than it was two years ago. I’m not sure a guy like Hurley would consider it right now … and especially when there may be more attractive jobs opening up. Heck, apparently Ollie is on his way out …. Conceivably Hurley wouldn’t even have to change residences for that opening. And he is a NJ guy so my guess is that he would love to stay in that general area.

    I would hope that Pitt has the feelers out to gauge what kind of interest there is, but the response may not be what we would hope,

    Even though I hope I’m wrong .. I am embracing myself for the possibility of Stallings staying

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    1. It’s more attractive now. The new coach will replace the guy about to go 0-18 in conference play.

      Replacing Dixon was when it less attractive.

      Liked by 2 people

      1. Totally agree with this^^^^.
        And now Pitt is possibly playing on a more level field due to the FBI “officiating” going on everywhere(except where it should 😉 ).

        i.e. following successful DIxon years much more difficult than following failure Stallings

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        1. Last week someone posted a challenge to list ten coaches we thought Pitt could draw to replace KS. Here is my list after sorting through the FBI mess –

          -1. Eric Musselman – Nevada (ranked in top 15 and probably too much of a reach for Pitt with all of the openings that might happen post-FBI 20)
          -2. Mark Schmitt – St. Bonaventure (ranked just outside the top 25)
          -3. Johnny Dawkins – UCF (former Duke G)
          -4. Nate Oats – Buffalo (if you can win in Buffalo, you can win at Pitt)
          -5. Leon Rice – Boise State
          -6. John Becker – Vermont
          -7. Chris Jans – New Mexico State
          -8. Steve Wojo… – Marquette (former Duke PG)
          -9. T.J. Otzelberger – South Dakota State
          -10. Earl Grant – College of Charleston (recruiting in ACC country already)

          Ten up and comers in my book.

          Heather – if you are home recovering from that blow-out at The Pete and reading Pitt blogs, make note of these names. In all cases, the Pitt HC position should be considered a step up.

          Now if 20 big time programs clean house because of the FBI investigation, then this list will evaporate quickly. I’m thinking “UNC nothin” will come out of this white as snow – wouldn’t it be something if Cam Johnson received a kick-back to transfer to the Tarholes?

          H2P!

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            1. BTW, Steve Hawkins of WMU (whence Heather came from) has been there 15 years and won 8 western Mac Titles and 2 MAC Tourney titles. Not bad but hoping for someone more successful

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  103. Hurley makes $1M per year. He would jump on the chance to coach in the ACC and make $2.5M
    It would be so easy to follow KS, a man despised and failure
    He would turn Pitt around pretty quickly and I think he would stay quite some time

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  104. Really impressed with the number of VA Fans at the game yesterday.

    Our fans don’t show up at home when we beat up on a lesser team.

    They came all the way to Pittsburgh to watch a blow-out.

    I think ACC fans are finding out how much fun it is to spend a weekend in the Burgh.

    Maybe they’ll vote to have the ACC tourny at Pittsburgh Paints Arena some day.

    Good thing it is not there this year.

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  105. We have 2 games left, at ND and one game at ACC tourney in Brooklyn where we probably play either CUSE or ND. Brooklyn nice in late winter.

    Rest in peace not far away.

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    1. Rest in a piece of …. is more Lyke it.

      Pitt’s current rankings –

      Points per game = 348 out of 351
      Rebounds per game = 338 out of 351

      Offensive rebounds per game ~ 352 out of 351 ( ok, I’m exaggerating this last one )

      A football thread would be nice right about now. Even if it is just title FB – 20 days until Spring practice – open discussion about anything but BB.

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  106. I say Ricky Town may give KP a run for the QB starting job…. although Kenny has a year and a half under Watson already.

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  107. I am not so sure that there will be a whole lot of head coach openings from the FBI thing. We are in a political climate where getting away with doing something less than legal, moral, or whatever, seems acceptable if you really want to do nothing about it. Wait it out, time dulls the outrage. Hell, do any of you really think if PSU had not sexually abused children, but instead just paid a few players, that ANYONE in the PSU universe would seriously think of firing JoePa? No way. Looks at NC…how many years have they weathered the fake classes thing?

    There will be far, far fewer vacancies than we think, IMO.

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    1. DD – I think AZ cuts ties with Sean Miller and a few others may fall. But you are probably correct – Duke, UNC nothin, Witchita State, Michigan State and a few others will look the other way and defend their coaches.

      The FB will suffer if KS remains at Pitt due to the financial leakage.

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    2. And yet some here are questioning the football hire of the POTENTIAL recruit’s father who is qualified and being hired completely LEGALLY. THAT is absurd.

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  108. Fact: if Pitt doesn’t send Stallings packin, then Heather-the-Presenter will be the only one in attendance at the Pete next year…unless Gallagher stops by to show off a new pocket-protector and Texas Instruments calculator.
    Not only would we be the laughing stock of the collegiate world, but we would be shoveling money into the dumpster fire.
    Further, any attempt to assuage this mess by the BOT has to be met with decreased revenue, not only in all sports, but in donations as a whole.

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  109. One thing really irritates me is the fact that Lyke and Gallagher are yucking it up at an empty Pete while the dumpster fire is happening right in front of them.

    Pisses me off royally if that is even slightly accurate characterization of how they acted.

    Hard to HTP when Pitt looks like that^^^

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  111. I do not disagree Justin as I did say that Stallings should be let go. There is a thing called timing along with the ability to understand what is best in a particular situation. Any rule that is made to never be bent is a foolish rule to begin with. … by ike….

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  112. Otis is costing the Pitt basketball program more than $10 million per year.

    If it costs the full amount of the buyout (and it won’t) to rid ourselves of him, we break even next year.

    If we don’t Pitt is out another $10 million plus. For what, another last or next to last place finish in the ACC.

    At this point it would be totally absurd to keep this over the hill, never was….. incompetent coach.

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  113. If this was a younger coach, had a high ceiling, players were developing, had some good recruits coming in, was a good fit, then no discussion. But Pitt basketball has no hope. All the bad is out and hope is missing.

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