Pitt Athletics Creates Mental Health Partnership with Western
Psychiatric Institute to Help The Pitt POVers

Two full-time mental health counselors are joining the team of Pitt athletics/Pitt POV in a partnership with the Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic of UPMC (WPIC). Pitt athletic director Heather Lyke said the partnership will “provide early intervention for mental health and wellness issues in POV writers, readers and commentators.”

“The program reflects Pitt’s commitment to the POV experience and ensures Pitt’s responsiveness to POVers health and well-being,” Lyke said.  “If they aren’t happy, Pitt isn’t happy!”western_psychiatric_institute_-_thomas_detre_hall_1

The program’s focal points will include awareness and stress reduction strategies and one-on-one counseling. Counselors also will address issues such as blog addiction,  rampant optimism, too much golf, alcohol imbibing and commentator rage.

“The new partnership will expand and enhance the role of behavioral health with two full-time counselors who will be housed within the athletic department and dedicated to POV readers and commentators,” said Jack Emhoff, chief of athlete services at WPIC.

“This innovative approach will radically increase education on support options, along with access and timeliness of counseling services, while increasing Reed’s stigma against commentator rage.  If I have learned one thing in my time doing this it is that when dealing with Pitt football too much optimism is as dangerous as smoking crack cocaine while driving a school bus.”

Image result for pitt dance team
Wassamatta in action

Two-time Pitt graduate and four-year Dance Team member (woo-hoo) Laurie Wassamatta, L.C.S.W., joins the program as lead clinical counselor. Since 2015 Wassamatta has been working as a member of a team of counselors who worked with aging male POVers when they were referred directly to the WPIC facility.

She has worked on POV readers’ and commentators’ psychiatric assessments and
referrals, individual therapy, as well as treatment for mood, stress and anxiety disorders. Janice Beauhoohoo, Ph.D., N.C.C., will serve as clinical counselor.  She has provided counseling and peak performance services to student-athletes at Liberty College and offered desperately needed individual and team-based services at West Virginia University  (boo!).

Image result for wvu head coach drunkWVU’s head coach Dan Hologorsen was a patient of her’s for the last five years and had this to say about Beauhoohoo:

“She really helped me a lot.  Everyone else said I absolutely had to quit drinking or I’d lose my job.  But she worked out a deal with the university’s administration so that if I quit drinking tequila in the mornings I could stay.  Boy, those POVers are getting a great asset with her in their back pocket…”

(Obviously this is a parody submitted by our great friend Hobie. Here is the real article about Pitt Athletics partnering with Western Psych…)

 

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.

136 thoughts on “A Parody…or A Necessity?”

  1. There are already folks in place if a kid has issues. Believe me. This is overkill and pc.

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  4. POV has Lastrow’s wife (psychiatrist) to fall back on in time of severe stress and mental anguish.

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  5. Maybe this alliance has something to do with the Washington State QB who committed suicide. Parents OKed autopsy that showed his brain had that disease that football players can get from too much head concussive contact. Those with that problem also have depression issues that might get overlooked as unmanly in a sport like football but can lead to suicide. We can joke about us POVers, but we have to take the players’ issues seriously. I thought I read that this new Pitt employee will focus on girl athletes, but I could be wrong. When I was a school principal, I had to be inlvoved in way too many situations where suicide was an issue, and we had to triage and provide comfort counseling groups for the surviving kids. Modern life is tough, and college football off the field is part of that life. There are different pressures on kids today than when I was growing up and when I played. Sorry for the lecture. I feel strongly on helping kids all we can. If you disagree, it is a free country.

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    1. There is help. This is overkill. I had to talk to someone at my Mom’s urging while at Pitt. Brother had bad drug issues. There is plenty of help. This screams of a pc agenda to me.

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    2. I’m sure programs like these are quite common .. and necessary. And not only for athletes … I remember reading about how many Ivy Leaguers either commit suicide or are on the brink because of the academic pressure they put on themselves.

      Nonetheless, taking everything seriously all of the time is a recipe for disaster.
      wwb

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  6. Hobie, Thanks to mostly Reed and UPitt, I need to see Laurie right away …. stat! Just what the doctor ordered

    wwb

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    1. You need to login or write wbb in the name bar before we need couples couseling for God’s sake.

      Like

  8. Thanks for exposing the ridiculous with a little humor, Hobie. This is why the FB program has become a wasteland of mediocrity. I suggest that Heather should spend more time on fund raising to bring us an OCS.

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  9. UPitt is right, there are plenty of resources already in place for mental health issues.

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  10. When do the mental health reinforcements show up to assist in dealing with the fan’s big brain issues?

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  11. That made me chuckle out loud. Heather is just touching all the bases and I don’t think it’s crazy to do so. She certainly has gain my trust which in my book is indeed earned. My favorite part of the article was Reeds picture of Wassamatta in action. There is nothing a matta with that young lady.

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  12. I wanted to say “crazy” but I forgot because I’m a PITT fan and crazy… ” ” . . . . … ike

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  16. Should be free for fans after the traveling carnival atheltics has been over 25 years less Dixon some years.

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    1. If Kelly is going to tell a recruit not to go to Ann Arbor because Detroit’s high crime rate … then Harbaugh needs to tell the recruit not to go to South Bend because of Chicago’s crime rate

      wwb

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  18. Brian Kelly is an idiot and sent a young kid up a scissor ladder in hurricane force winds to his ultimate death. Hell, if you still send your kids to pedo u then I guess Kelly doesn’t look so bad? As long as photography isn’t his or her passion.

    This is another non story and in fact a good story for Heather and she deserves a pat on the back for being on the beam for addressing a very important and talked about topic these days. She’s not robbing Peter to pay Paul. Goes to show you that we can turn any topic or attempt of good into an anti PITT rant. It’s not real fair guys.. jus saying… . .ike

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  19. Holy hell – this was a lighthearted attempt at humor and some posters found a problem with the actual subject… amazing and pretty damn sad.

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    1. this is a really good and informative article. One correction though … he has J Morrisey as a senior but he is only a redshirt soph

      wwb

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  23. Quintin Wirginis born April 10th 1996 He’s not my son so I can’t be sure of the date listed on the computer. It may be the age they used in little league if you get that drift?

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  25. The funny part of BIgB’s link to the Notre Dame negative recruiting story is just a week of so ago MSN had a slide show of the worst city in every state. Based on stats (income, poverty level, crime, etc.) South Bend was worst in state of Indiana.

    Love those type of articles. I found out the best donut shop in South Carolina was in Gaffney, Only 12 miles from where I live. Love their apple Fritters.

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  26. I may have to move my seat location to a lower level and make sure those dance girls have all the right moves?? I’ll sit with Richman, the POV authoritarian on lady’s, for his expert opinion.

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  27. Thanks Hobie – Great parody (or is it a necessity?).

    Btw, Is Ms. Beauhoohoo first syllable pronounced “Beau – as in “I would sure like to be Ms. Watsamatta’ s beaux. Or BOO as in ” I am boo hooing because I am not Ms. Wassamatta beaux.

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  29. They will have their hands full with the POV’ers. Heathers checkbook will be under duress for sure. Do they make strip clubs calls for us in need? High octane health care, about time.

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  31. Boy there are just some days I feel like this song and wonder and thanks Hobie for some help getting away.

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  33. Hobie— Most excellent job!

    On the serious side of this issue, can’t hurt for the parents of recruits to hear about the availability of counseling. I’m sure Pitt uses the availability of world-class doctors to work on football injuries as a selling point.

    Go Pitt!

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  34. As a psychology major at Pitt with almost a Masters, I offer my services to the POV blog participants. We will get at all the underlying issues which make us certifiably insane over Pitt Football. My fee..one bottle of Johnny Black per hour. Extra for Ike, UPitt and Reed!

    It may be PC, but I really like Heather’s thinking on this! I think it’s admirable. We were all complete idiots while at Pitt. Any cataloging of story’s over the past years on POV would prove that!

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  35. Hope this isn’t something new at the university and that they had a fleet of counselors employed for a long time. For the AD to make an announcement like this may cause a divide amongst the academics and sports teams. I recently had this exact conversation about mental health with a senior leader at a large university and she became angry that perhaps the athlete students might get preferential treatment. Assured her that mental health counseling is available to all students on an equal basis and that any dissemination of services to the wider community is helpful for the issue.

    The landscape is challenging with sports administration and academic administration. I am hopeful that our AD handled it judiciously. Pitt athletics needs the entire pitt community to support them and not feel that the athletes deserve more or anything better than the student population gets. It’s a slippery slope at times.

    Thanks for the humor and thanks for pointing out a serious side to a societal issue in higher education.

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  36. Look at the talent on the ’80 team … more than half played in the NFL, and many of them played very well in the NFL ….. and we still didn’t win the national title (but should have)

    Sadly,these days are long gone. We have only had 3 double-digit wins seasons since and 2 of those were in 81 and 82 … they now belong to the Bamas. Ohio States, Clemsons and a handful of others

    wwb

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    1. Awesome talent across the board on the Oline and Dline on that team…

      The good old days..

      Go Pitt!

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    1. yes, but the DEs were stand-up. Gremm usually was the rush end while Jackson often dropped back into coverage (as I remember it)

      wwb

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  38. Without a doubt the best personnel at Pitt ever. Both lines were incredible with future pro HOF”s and many stellar pro careers throughout the line-up. Plus our best QB of all-time, a pro HOF. A few Superbowl rings too.

    I don’t ever expect to see that much talent on a Pitt team again, but it was great to watch them play back then.

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  39. The question is: can the right coach bring in that type of talent again? If so, would Pitt be willing to bring in such a high visibility coach to run Pitt football? What is the risk to the BoT if such a coach is brought in?

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    1. I think without a doubt we could get pretty close to that again given the right HC and recruiting staff but it depends on wins, year end rankings (which means bowl wins also) and recruiting personalities.

      We need someone who can convince blue chip kids to take official visits to Pitt on a regular basis. We ain’t going to sign the high-end talent kids, the 4* and 5* players, without them seeing the campus and the university along with the football stuff – parents wouldn’t allow that.

      Back in ’07 DW had 9 4* kids visit and signed 6 of them. And that was coming off three losing seasons.

      Last year we had only 1 4* visit and signed him. Huge difference there.

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Weren’t Saddler and Hale two of those four stars? Hale was decent as a senior, but those two definitely were not four-star players.

        Pitt isn’t getting close to that talent. It is certainly possible to reach the talent of Gottfried’s 1989 team if the BoT allows it.

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      2. Reed, this may be the most insane thing you ever written. Pitt can never ever get back to those days …. I guess now maybe I can understand your reasoning over the past few years — you suffer from delusions of grandeur.

        Now I’m not sure it is me or you that needs the counseling

        wwb

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  40. Not many 3 stars in that group, although Hugh Green was an unknown. They were recruiting Rooster Jones, when they found him. No Rivals or Scout back then.

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  42. One important part missing from that roster chart. The assistant coaches names. From the mid 70’s to early 80’s it’s a who’s who list

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  44. Right, ike. It was a great group of assistant coaches. Could the right coach bring in assistants like that who can both coach and recruit? It takes a big name coach who is almost guaranteed success to bring these quality guys in. New or young coaches are too risky for an out of work, seasoned assistant to take a chance on if they want to become a head coach again. I agree with Reed that Pitt could get there again if they aren’t afraid to hire a high visibility coach who may make some waves.

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  45. 1980 Pitt probably best all time. The lose to FSU was a disaster. Team when to sleep in that game.

    Today’s college football is about money and we are not in that money class..

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  47. I was amazed back then how poor attendance was. The talent on those teams should have filled the stadium for every game, but that was not the case. I think that was a big reason for not staying all in for football. Just couldn’t generate the dollars needed to compete. It always goes back to fan support and demand for the event, and that was with an OCS. If there had been sufficient demand, the stadium never would have been torn down. It all starts and ends with luke warm fan support. Pitt was all in for a very short period of time and the fans did not respond in a big time manner.

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  48. gc you know like I do that a college football fan-base is cultivated over time. This is the big thing that PITT has not been consistent in. There has been lost generations of students at times over the past 60 years or so. The proof for that argument is the stagnate fan base that just hasn’t grown over the years.

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  49. Thanks for the commitment list wwb and that’s interesting for sure. One kid from the WPIAL and he may have been the best player of all the four stars. It kind of speaks to the theory of PITT needing four star players. Not much production from that group aside from Jacobson and McCoy who wan’t ever going to come to PITT until he broke his ankle.

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  50. POV Address

    Two score and two years ago, our predecessors brought forth at the University of Pittsburgh, a football team, conceived to win and dedicated to the proposition of being number one.

    Now we are engaged in a great debate, questioning whether this University’s football teams, once so conceived and once so dedicated can reemerge.

    The POV is a great battlefield of this debate. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.

    But whether pessimist, optimist or realist, we here at the POV should highly resolve that this University, shall have a new birth of football excellence, and that a football team once so conceived and so dedicated, shall not perish from the ACC.

    Hobie – With a tip of the hat to A. Lincoln – Sorry, folks. Couldn’t help myself.

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    1. Hobie- nice, but perhaps you should stay away from theaters for a while… 🙂

      Go Pitt!

      Like

  52. wbb…

    Yet just in ’16 we set a scoring record at Pitt…better than both the Dorsett and Marion offenses.

    I didn’t say we’d get back to that total talent at all… I said ‘pretty close’ and I mean it. It all depends on getting the right recruits and if they aren’t in the WPIAL, which apparently they aren’t, then go elsewhere.

    PN just spent a lot of resources down in FL to get those 15+ kids here on official visits but out of 20 visitors all were 3* or 2* kids except for two 4*s…That’s 10% and crappy.

    Pitt offered 23 4* recruits from FL alone and got just one (1!) kid to come on an official visit…and that is just FL alone. That’s a bad track record.

    Get someone who has the personality and can relate better than our current HC and we can get those kids who have better chances to turn into stars. But after watching PN over the last two years I’m starting to think he’s targeting 3* kids for our max recruiting efforts as it is almost like he’s afraid to get turned down by the better blue chip kids.

    But we just had a slew of All-Americans and All-ACC kids recruited by and committed to Paul Chryst, so it can be done.

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    1. That scoring record got an assist from the defense by allowing the opposition to score so quickly that they got many more opportunities. No Joke

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      2. I agree gc but the offense gets an assist with PITT’s lousy defense by them scoring so quickly and putting the D back on the field so fast. I know this comment will draw a lot of ire but there were many reasons the Steelers defense was so good in the 70’s and one was ball control.

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        1. Just remember – PC and staff recruited both the offense and defense on that 16 team. Great teams have both defensive and offensive talent. Sometimes maybe one side is a bit better than the other side, but the disparity here was extreme.

          In 2013, Pitt got 27 recruits and 18 were offensive not counting 3-star DE James Conner. 11 4-stars signed to Pitt under PC, 10 were offensive players … and the one defensive player (Rippy) never made it to campus.

          wwb

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  53. Give it up Reed as you will be posting the same comments about Narduzzi and recruiting for the next 5 years. So just relax and accept the fact that Narduzzi is going to be around here for a long haul for better or worse.

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  54. Hey Dan, you are probably going to owe me a bottle of Johnny Black next year when a few of last years PITT BB roster are still playing P-5 ball next year. How bout I trade that in for an hour on the couch? ..and not the directors couch either. 🙂 My post psychiatrist doesn’t take medicare and left me in a lurch.. I know you’ll prescribe electric shock treatments but that is out of the question.

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  55. Here’s one for you Dan72 and it’s only meant as a joke on my part. Lou, not so much

    All your two-bit psychiatrists are giving you electro shock
    They say, they let you live at home, with mom and dad
    Instead of mental hospital
    But every time you tried to read a book
    You couldn’t get to page 17
    ‘Cause you forgot, where you were
    So you couldn’t even read
    Don’t you know, they’re gonna kill your sons
    Don’t you know, they’re gonna kill, kill your sons
    They’re gonna kill, kill your sons
    Until they run run run run run run run run away

    Mom informed me on the phone
    She didn’t know what to do about dad
    Took an axe and broke the table
    Aren’t you glad you’re married
    And sister, she got married on the island
    And her husband takes the train
    He’s big and he’s fat and he doesn’t even have a brain
    They’re gonna kill your sons
    Don’t you know, they’re gonna kill, kill your sons
    Don’t you know, they’re gonna kill, kill your sons
    Until they run away

    Creedmore treated me very good
    But Paine Whitney was even better
    And when I flipped on PHC
    I was so sad I didn’t even get a letter
    All of the drugs, that we took, it really was lots of fun
    But when they shoot you up with thorizene on crystal smoke
    You choke like a son of a gun
    Don’t you know, they’re gonna kill your sons
    Don’t you know, they’re gonna kill, kill your sons
    They’re gonna kill, kill your sons
    Until they run run run run run run run run away

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    1. Paris Johnson committing to OSU just months after Narduzzi gives his father a job is a clear indication that SOP is alive and well. This development would be really astonishing if it weren’t so expected.

      Like

  60. but good try by Duzz..seriously, why not get a little “ political with recruiting? Dad and son together on the team… son wants to do his own thing I guess…

    The longer I work and manage people -they seem to make less and less sense to me in terms of loyalty, commitment, work ethic……….. probably symptoms of an aging male

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  65. The fact that Paris Johnson Jr committed to OSU should surprise no one here …. and only proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that this is not the Pitt of the late 70s.

    There is no national appeal for Pitt at all …. that ship has sailed a long time ago. And the chances of getting a blue chip that is not local is minimal.

    And before Reed reminds you of Wanny’s 2007 class, let me remind you that even after Wanny started winning, he still lost Mark Dieffenbach and Tom Ricketts Jr to PSU … 2 local 4-stars. Dieffenbach is the son of the Pitt tennis coach and Rickets Sr played FB at Pitt.

    The exposure that teams like PSU and OSU is overwhelming. They are constantly playing on prime time before packed houses. And it certainly didn’t help that Johnson is from Cincy, just a few hours from Columbus.

    wwb

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  66. One more thing …. yes, hiring Johnson Sr was an attempt to lure his son …. no doubt. But still realize that Johnson Sr was very qualified for the position he was hired to.

    wwb

    Like

  67. I wonder if Pitt is using its NFL players as well as it should to help with recruiting. Wouldn’t a call from Dan Marino help recruit a kid? Does Narduzzi have a decent relationship with Pitt grads like Ditka?

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  68. Maybe things change with that commitment. Let’s give it awhile and don’t crush the dad or the kid. Perceptions can change.

    This was another lose, lose situation for Narduzzi. If the kid committed to pitt, everone would have said Narduzzi manipulated the situation by hiring the dad first and would call it dirty, unethical, etc. Personally, I thought it was a good idea.

    If he committed elsewhere, Narduzzi would continue to be viewed as a coach that couldn’t land a big fish. Candidly, the kid wouldn’t have come to Pitt for a visit if his dad wasn’t here already. Speaking of his dad, did the kids announcement mention his dad? He clearly mentioned his mom in what I saw on PSN.

    To me, Pitt doesn’t provide a great gameday atmosphere for 5 out of 6 home games each year. There are no traditions, except for fanta, We are not even sure what our colors are. Empty, yellow seats unfortunately are looking like more of a tradition than a “team walk”, a battle of the bands,etc. One thing noone talks about is that when these kids come for a visit that doesn’t include a game, a lot of their time is spent at the facilities that are NOT on campus and at the Steeler Stadium. Kids at these other places are ALWAYS on the colleges campus from the minute they arrive until they leave. Recruits can get a feel for how they fit in on a campus during every step of their visit, versus being shuttled around town.

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  69. Our team of the late 70’s and early eighties happened because we won a National Championship. That is why all those great players came.

    The best kids are always going to go where they have a chance to play in a big bowl game and a reasonable shot at a National Championship.

    Pitt had no more a shot at this kid than any other elite guy. Chyrst’s nephew was never going to come nor was Cam Heyward. The loyalty of former alum just doesn’t exist. Face it, Pitt is a middle of the road ACC team right now. Most projections are lower. Pitt hasn’t won 10 since Wanny.

    Narduzzi has to prove he can win 9 or 10 with the three stars before the fours get interested.

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  70. Also, comparisons with Wanny are unfair. Wanny won a National Championship and Superbowl rings with Jimmy Johnson and was a Pro head coach for two teams, plus he was a Pitt alumni who blocked for Tony Dorsett.

    He had a lot more to sell than a journeyman defensive coach, who had some recent success at MSU, but is in his first head coaching job, and is not a young up and comer.

    Wanny had years of success recruiting and coaching college and pro players, so to say that Narduzzi can do it because Wanny did is fallacy.

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  71. Agree with gc on most of that for sure. Chryst’s nephew went for the big time and is now transferring or already has transferred. Similar to Jurkevec. He won’t be happy if ND lands a 5 star qb in this class.

    The other tradition I forgot to mention was WINNING! Go 8-4 at a minimum each year and develop a winning tradition. 8-4 teams can sell a bigger time recruit on his ability to get the team over the hump. Then go 9-3 once or twice and all of a sudden a big 4 star or 5 star can get you in the playoff discussion if they matriculate becuase you can sell them on “we are so close at 9-3”. “Your commitment can get us to a 10-2 at the least”. It becomes sellable, even believable, but you need a plan. A 4-0 ooc schedule helps the vision immensely.

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  72. I think the Johnson’s are separated as the young Paris did not live with daddy. There is nothing to see here. The kid is a big-time 5* talent and PITT is a 3* school.

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    1. Paris Johnson Jr.@ParisJohnsonJr
      I’m Staying Home!! #GoBucks #Committed

      10:46 PM – Jun 28, 2018 · Columbus, OH

      Like

  73. Thanks to all for a healthy dose of reality…gotta keep PITT FB in proper perspective.

    “Wishin and hopin”…no Dusty Springfield video_ I promise,

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  74. Wishin’ and hopin’ and thinkin’ and prayin’
    Plannin’ and dreamin’ each night of four stars
    That will drive you into the bars

    So if you’re lookin’ to find four stars who strive
    All you gotta do is
    Show them 10 wins, not five

    Sorry, I couldn’t help myself. – Hobie

    Like

    1. yet Wanny couldn’t even get Dieffenbach or Rickketts after a 10 win season. One double digit win season in the past 35 years!

      The ship has long sailed … and please don’t shoot the messenger

      ww

      Like

  77. Maybe Narduzzi thought the kids dad was a good coach and hired him on that merit? Hmmm.

    With the nepotism rules in place, even though my understanding of the rule is that this wouldn’t be considered nepotism to the NCAA, Pitt was never an option for the kid.

    My point is that we don’t know, so why speculate. I know it’s a blog and blogs speculate but getting upset over a 2020 recruit is absurd.

    Like

    1. Exactly! The guy is an Assistant Player Personnel Director with pro and college experience in various capacities and worked with PN before. I think he is more than qualified for his position.

      Like

  78. BigB, do have an appointment set up with Dan72? He may be able to fix that french horn sound emitting from your cranium.

    Like

  79. Like most shrinks, I’ve been out golfing. Great day of golf with Erie and Jay 91 yesterday. Huge thanks to Erie for hosting us at his club in Lancaster. 94 degrees. Shoulder is about 80% but I’m just thrilled to be hitting it again.

    What is that line from Stripes spoken by Bill Murray….”we all have one thing in common, we were all stupid enough to become rabid Pitt Football fans!?” ( with a BOT and administration who could care less)

    Liked by 3 people

  80. Becoming a Pitt Football fan is like marrying a girl who says she hates sex and then complaining you’re not getting enough sex in your marriage!

    Like

  84. Huff III – in reference to your last post above:

    You just listed what Narduzzi did in his first two years and his 2017 recruiting class pretty much was blah as hell – and his ’18 class was worse.

    This is why I keep saying that if Narduzzi had any balls and took risks he would have fired Conklin after the first four games of the ’16 season when we had just given up 40 ppg against our first three P5 opponents. We were scoring 39 ppg over that same three games and stood at 2-2 at that point.

    With even a bump in defensive improvement I think we win both the VT game (36-39 loss) and possibly the NW bowl game where we gave up 31 points to an offense that was 73rd overall and 91st in rushing…and where we allowed them to rush for 100 yards over their season average.

    So instead of looking at that 9 or 10 win season we stumbled to 8-5 and a bowl loss.

    Knowing hindsight is 20-20 is one thing; knowing your HC refuses to take risks is a whole other deal.

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  86. Reed @12:36,
    Your observation is spot on Commander. Being afraid of being any kind of risk taker has hurt our coach and his team’s success.
    Reed + 1
    PM4

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  87. I do not disagree Pittman4, but all things being equal, Narduzzi became a head coach for the first time just 3 years ago. You hire a first time head football coach, I think it’s reasonable to expect growing pains. Now if PITT plans on continuing firing head football coaches don’t expect different results. and a btw here. I would totally bet Reed a root beer or anyone else that if Narduzzi only wins 4 games this year he still ain’t going anywhere. Clicking your heels and wishing on a falling star is not helping at all. Mark those words.

    Like

  88. ^^ …………and I should have added. The critsism’s of Narduzzi are more than fair and just. Remember, I’m the real realist around here 🙂

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  89. Iek..you are the ‘Happy realist.” there is also “Grumpy realist, definitely Doc realist, several Bashful realists who read but never post…need someone to take ownership of Sleepy, Dopey and Sneezy….Hi..Ho..Hi ..Ho

    Liked by 1 person

  91. Why or why not are recruits picking or not picking Pitt? Does getting to the NFL count a lot?

    I just read an article by 24/7 Wall Street that reviewed NFL reference books to rank the top 30 college football schools regarding their turning out of successful pro football players. Pitt ranked 18th with 325 NFL players, 121 who made the Pro Bowl, and 9 who made the Hall of Fame, the three main categories for ranking. Auburn was 20th, Michigan State 19th, Texas A & M 17th, and Florida State 16th. Miami was 5th, Penn State 4th, Ohio State 3rd, Southern Cal 2nd, and Notre Dame first, with over 500 NFL players from that school, almost double the closest college team. Powers like Texas and Alabama and Georgia were in the next 5 below. Southern teams predominated in the rankings.

    Can Pitt really compete successfully in recruiting with these big time teams if getting to the NFL is on the minds of especially the 4 and 5 star recruits? Hope might spring eternal, but harsh reality too often rules. What do you guys think?

    Like

  92. Justin A,
    Thought provoking question!
    One of the things I always brag about my panthers (along with 9 national championships) is how many great players have gone to Pitt! Also, 9 HOFers is more than I remember.
    So why doesn’t it get us more 4&5* recruits? My guess is the “it factor”- we don’t have one!!!
    We have the slogan : Pitt is It
    But we have lost our “it”!
    Hopefully we will be able to find our “it” again and it’s not lost forever.
    PM4

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  93. Speaking of risk taking — what about those fake punts/kicks that The Panthers have pulled off under Coach Duzz. The one at Syracuse was the difference in that game.

    Took Wanny, who had coached so long, a couple years at Pitt before he stopped punting when we had a 4th and short at the opponents 35 yard line.
    And I’m a Wanny fan, but that drove me crazy – along with not being able to recruit a QB…

    Go Pitt.

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  95. Pitt also sells the opportunity to play early. There is a strong correlation between being drafted and playing early. Early playing time means time to develop techniques that are valuable at the NFL level. A useful comparison is Tyler Boyd with Robert Foster. Most people felt that Foster had more talent coming out of high school, but Boyd played early is earning an NFL paycheck.

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