260 thoughts on “Pitt Basketball Open Thread – Wake Forest”

  2. No doubt Pitt should win today. But remember, it is a team full of underclassmen and is offensively-challenged …. sound familiar?

    The young Panthers should finish in the middle of the pack in a watered down ACC, but cannot take anything for granted

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      1. Please Tx don’t say Capel has ….. ……. for brains. I was going to type something in there but it’s best left for one’s imagination.

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  5. we’ll see how good of a coach Capel really is in this game and if his players are prepared and if they can adjust at half. I view this game just like the Virginia football game this season. It has a chance to set the tone. Let the ACC play begin and welcome to 2020.

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  6. I hope Pitt can stay in their Man to man D today. Wake has two good guards but Pitt actually matches up well inside. Pitt May be favored but anything can happen to this young and at times “scoring challenged “team.

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    1. Going to the zone in the First Half may have cost the game – Pitt lost a huge lead when they tried it. Were never the same after.

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  9. Pitt will be challenged in transition D today. It’s all Wake has. Pitt switching all screens on D has Wake a bit confused. Decent start.

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  12. As good as I’ve seen Pitt play this year. Who put the rockets under Murphy? Never seen him get off the floor like this!

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  15. Basketball always a game of runs, but Pitt really is a bad (at best streaky) shooting team -as we are seeing – so no lead is safe. How we deal with these fouls will be the key to the 2nd half

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  22. basketball is always a game of runs, but with how bad Pitt shoots, no lead is safe. Their inability to hit anything in the last 8 minutes completely gave the momentum back to Wake. Terrible shooting also leads to frustration and defensive mistakes/fouls as they start to play with their tails between their legs. Completely gave away 15 points of the lead to a not that good Wake team. If you aren’t able to listen, Pitt shot 1 for 9 in the last 4 minutes.

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  23. Loss of focus with this team is amazing. They get on a roll, then get in foul trouble forcing zone d. Without X and McGowens on the floor at the same time they look lost. Skippy played his best 10 min of the year, then became Skippy again. Passing up open looks and then forcing a shot must drive Capel nuts.

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  30. We had this s game won. Capel went to zone, now it’s a war. Wake a much better FT shooting team than Pitt.

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    1. Too many young guys on this team. How does X-man miss the whole rim on a 10′ floater and expect the NBA to be interested in him?

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  35. Game, set, and match. Up 16 to this. I’m starting to question fearless leader. This team makes some of the poorest decisions I’ve ever seen. Not Capels greatest moment. Hey Jeff, you’re not at Duke anymore.

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    1. They are young and stupid! Lessons learned the hard way if they are learned at all.

      Wake playing as a team going for the kill.

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  37. Just making poor decisions. Wrong guys taking shots. This game is on everyone, but Capel is not giving me a warm and fuzzy feeling. This is a game they should never lose. Stallingesque.( or however you spell it )

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  38. I really question Capel putting Pitt in a zone D for the laser half of the first half. Totally changed the pace of the game and allowed Wake back in.

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  41. This is where lack of depth kills them. They get into foul trouble and choice is to go zone or expose Johnson, and Manning would go right at him. Zone is killing them, but you need him on the floor. Not a good choice.

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  45. Wake is the more talented and experienced team. Doesn’t mean we have to lose to them! 3 empty possessions by Pitt. Bad timr

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    1. McGowans at least makes some good decisions and puts forth an effort. X-Man just wants to be a one man team. I cringe when time is running out and he has the ball. He will drive to the basket one on three…

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  53. It figures that X-Man the idiot would cost us this game. This is on Capel. That dummy should not have been in the game late.

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  54. X really is not a smart player. Great athlete but pretty low BB IQ. Another game where Capel had plenty of time and the team just won’t play smart.

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  55. I could write a book on the fundamental sins/ mistakes Pitt made today. Another game like this and I’m going to start blaming coaches.

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    1. What was up with the last 2 possesions? Capel was kneeling in front of the scorers table – acted really disinterested. Was he trying to teach a lesson? Are the kids not listening to him?

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  56. X Johnson and McGowens drive the ball well but they both need to learn how to kick the ball out to an open 3 point shooter.

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    1. X will never learn that. Selfish showboats never learn this. Can’t wait until he goes to the Japan League….we need a real PG.

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  57. Capel didn’t help either. Skippy played his best game all year, but also passed on some open shots late. This may have been the worst loss of the season. Really sad.
    I’m upset with Capel. Not what I expect from a big time coach. I hate to criticize him, but he deserves it. Just bad decisions by players and coaches. I’m upset!

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  58. Wake smashed them in the 2nd half. Really pathetic performance. Looks like maybe 6 conference wins for these guys this season.

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  59. Clearly we need to pay Coach Capel more money… 😊

    We don’t have many chances for Ws, so tough to blow one like this.

    Scooter not pleased!

    Go Pitt.

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    1. No, no, see when the coach does horrible coaching after one game, in Pitt logic, you fire them and look for the next guy up.

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  60. Ike, its worse than that. They don’t play in space well or move off. All well – and X clearly doesn’t “see” anyone but himself. Great athletes but low BB IQ. Dan is correct, this team’s fundamentals are and have been bad all year.

    Dan – you don’t have to wait a game to boame the coaches. The basics are being ignored.

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  61. —Turned out that Toney being out with an injury really hurt Pitt…

    —Their 3-point shooting won it for Wake…

    Go Pitt.

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  62. Terrible coaching by Capel. Zero reason for a 6’2″ slow bald guy to be on the floor for more than 10 minutes per game. We lost the game because Johnson CHOSE not to pass the ball to Murphy even though he was WIDE open. Just a pathetic performance all the way around.

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  63. Terrible coaching by Capel. Zero reason for a 6’2″ slow bald guy to be on the floor for more than 10 minutes per game. We lost the game because Johnson CHOSE not to pass the ball to Murphy even though he was WIDE open. Just a pathetic performance all the way around.

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  64. I thought we’d be too small to compete, but we’d be well-coached under Capel.

    This team is NOT well coached. The best players are selfish and pay no attention to fundamentals, the rest if the players don’t move well in space on O or D and make very basic mistakes all day long. They also respond badly to adversity. This is all onbthe coaches folks.

    Dan sees more than I do, nut you cannot say this is a well cosched team.

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    2. Not all – the players may not be listening to him. I got that feeling in the last few minutes. Capel was frustrated as hell.

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  65. Dixon’s teams were poor shooting also …. but they could rebound like mothers, especially on the offensive end

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  66. Game completely changed when mcgowens and x got in early foul Trouble and we had to play zone. Still should have won though except we had tragically bad offensive execution at the end. X was completely out of control.

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    1. X was a none factor.

      FT shooting is poor at best this year – I remember a better FT shooting team last year.

      What do these guys work on in practice. Are the gates locked?

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  67. Pitt will not win another ACC game this year playing this way. Capel needs to go with either McGowan or X at guard. Never again both at the same time! What a let down.

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    1. Good call, but Murphy would have to play SG and McGowan . He needs someone to pass him the ball.

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    1. They had guys step up big and we didn’t. Their bench killed us. Murphy played well but everyone else played below average.

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    2. Wake was missing their 9th and 10th players.

      Pitt was missing maybe their best defender and their highest “plus” player…

      Go Pitt.

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  69. Were there any OT prospects at the game today?

    If not, FB 2020 may be a big disappointment. The D was good this year, but Pitt needs to score to win. Our average of 20 points per game is .500 at best next season.

    Marshall will score 35 – Ohio is an away game 🧐 and ND is a loss with little to no O. We could be 1-3 in OOC games that may be the weakest in ten years.

    Enough of the bad BB for a season.

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  70. We have no quality depth yet. Their bench scored 32 and our’s 5. This team is still a slow work in progress. Capel needs Narduzzi type time to build this team. We have no real PG backup without switching McGowans over. Murphy could do it but he suffers on defense and needs the ball passed to him. I don’t like X, Murphy & McGowans all on the floor at the same time.

    This team will never be good until Capel gets a very good real PG and X man goes to the Japan League or some other garbage league where he’s headed (if he’s lucky).

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  71. Haven’t thought JC was a great game or fundamentals coach but I think he will get big time recruits because of his style and relatability with the players.
    I don’t expect much development so recruiting will be critical to his success.

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      1. This was actually a good game to watch. We lost but it was entertaining.

        I’ll be watching all season long.

        H2P

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  73. Pissed away too many chances the entire game and no doubt this might have been the best chance for a win. Pitt plays a limping Carolina team who I’m sure will play its A game since it is us.

    Trey alone with the chance for seven points late and he cannot even make a foul shot.

    No size either on this team. Justin is the one bright spot on this team along with Hamilton because without either we’d be borderline terrible. Missing Toney hurt and was worse than the two guys Wake was missing.

    The last open scholarship needs to go to a shooter. A grad transfer guy who can score to avoid seven-minute droughts.

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  75. Boy do I miss guys like James Robinson, Carl Krauser, Brandin Knight and Levance Fields on days like today. With any one of them on the roster, we win going away.

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    1. Good move Frank, my Grand Kids bring me much love and runny noses. I’m thinking of buying surgical masks for the remaining flu season and beyond.

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  77. Johnson and McGowens got big heads after last year, although they are good players. Capel designed plays for each of the shooters to begin and get them into the flow of the game and then they went rogue. They have been figured out, about time they realize that.

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  78. Someone on Pittsburgh Sports Fanatics referred to Xavier Johnson as “the Titanic of Point Guards” for his late game antics today. No statement has has ever been more true. He sunk the ship.

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  79. Just painfully rewatched the game. Wake saw a flaw in our zone that lets a 3 point shooter leak to each corner and ran the same set play against it over and over. 41 points scored against our zone.
    Capel completely outprepared and outcoached. Can’t happen again. Others will watch this film.
    Adding to the many fundamental breaches today. I counted 21 fundamental mistakes made that I taught in HS. I’ve seen 8 th grade girls rec teams play better!

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  80. One good highlight…sorta.

    Brown actually DIDN’T put the ball on the floor when he had inside position 2 shots in a row in the first half…and he MADE them. Good 2 good high percentage looks.

    But he reverted to form in the second half. Put it on the floor and missed bunnies.

    Is the team poorly coached or are the players just not listening and learning? Time will tell the answer.

    H2P

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  82. You know TM I saw that and almost commented on it but let’s face it, that’s something you learn in Jr High basketball. We shouldn’t be bragging about it…..but maybe on this team of lunkheads….

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    1. It was just so cool to see him actually play fundamentally correct basketball just for a moment…after what, 3 years?

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  83. Just got home, that was very disappointing especially when we came out guns blazing, we couldn’t miss and they couldn’t find a basket. When they started hitting their three point shots it was game on.

    They gave us many opportunities to win in the end, but Trey’s two missed three throws and his very close miss from outside hurt, but even then it was X-Man that finished us off, twice driving wildly into the trees and throwing up some of the most awful looking shots if you can call them that.
    I know that Pitt was favored, but I’m not sure why, Wake has better big guys and made big shots when needed.

    It was one that certainly got away and Pitt got hot at the wrong time, at the start instead of the end.

    A couple observations, Pitt is not going to get the majority of foul shots against ACC teams for two reasons, first, the players are as fast and athletic as Pitt, second the ACC refs.

    We are nowhere near a mature ACC Team at this point.

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  84. missingwlat, the guards you mentioned all played in Jamie’s very restrictive system and would have probably been worthless in ACC play. One reason they never got very far in the Dance.

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    1. I respectfully and totally disagree with you Gordon. I can see what you are saying maybe with regard to Robinson. But the others were high basketball IQ guys who could shoot a little from the outside, could dish the ball, and could penetrate when needed. I know that X only a sophomore, but I would take any of those guys over him. The worst kind of player is one who chooses himself over his teammates. Listen to Capel’s post game press conference when he talks about Wake’s best player/leading scorer. When we took that player away today, he dished the ball to teammates who then buried their shots. I think our resident expert danh72 would concur with the fact that X’s Hoops IQ isn’t very high. I’ve seen it directly cost us several games.

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  85. We stink!

    That was awful to watch and like I said before, the good news is I don’t have to watch Pitt BB anymore this season.

    We know the results – bad basketball.

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    1. Your choice.

      I know the results – a young team growing and learning. Fun to watch over the whole season.

      Have a Great Winter!

      H2P

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  86. Anyone expecting to win many ACC games without almost a ZERO inside game by Pitt is living in La La land.

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  87. I was happy to get Capel. But not for the obvious reason many thought. Never really thought he was that great of a coach, but he was one heck of a recruiter. Always thought he needed a superstar to excell ( like Griffin), however, I thought he’d assemble a great staff ( which I think he did) and they would round things out. Just hasn’t worked out so far.
    Dan, I don’t think he wanted to go zone, especially for that long, but foul trouble and no bench pushed him into bad choices. That doesn’t excuse the players. Don’t think it’s lazy, just think most have never played zone in their lives, I know not in AAU programs. Zone seems simple, but to be effective it takes a lot of practice and effort. Hindsight , they probably should have used bench and stayed in man, couldn’t have been any worse.
    Let’s see what happens. I’m just getting that queasy feeling again.

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    1. The zone Pitt played is a matchup 2-3 zone. The corners are always open if the offense swings the ball the correct ways. Agree, Capel did not want to go zone and no coach thinks going zone will allow a 16-5 run and 0 offense for 7.5 minutes. But…Pitt’s guards forced his hands with loose play and atrocious fundamentals. Incredibly deflating loss!

      My solution, play Xnba man orMcG but not both at the same time. In fact I would sit X for an entire half for his selfish stupid late game play.

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      1. My head scratching moment was having Coulibaly play so many minutes. He tried but it was obvious he was confused by the speed of the game and way over his head.

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  88. Was at the game today. Problem is when you are there you cannot turn it off. They keep making the same bad decisions. Guards leave their feet with nowhere to pass the ball. Refuse to pass to open teammates, bigs need to take it to the hoop instead of putting it on the floor and some ot the worst shooting form imaginable. Fundamentals are so horrible you wonder if they still teach them.

    All you have to do is play zone, and pack the middle and game over. Murphy was hot today but don’t expect that every game. He would be a decent 6th or 7fh man at best on a fair ACC team. Only 7 more home games. They will be junky to win a couple more games at best.

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  89. For you BB fans Some comic relief… Harlem Globetrotters comin to the IUP Kovalchick Center Feb25, 2020 @ 7:00 pm…. Go Meadowlark!!!

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  90. Like it or not, even in BB, (where unlike FB you only need to find 3 good players each year), it takes time to build a team.

    Our old grizzled veterans (X, Trey and Toney) are true sophomores, Champagne is a true freshman, and our bigs don’t scare anybody. They will be better next season…

    PSN interviewed true-freshman Amber Brown from the women’s team. She’s been a warrior for the women’s team with several double-double games. She’s not used to losing. She said she hates to lose but considers the games this season to be lessons, not losses. The wisdom of a young Panther…

    Hard to accept, but that’s where both BB teams are at…

    Go Pitt.

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  91. Three hour drive there and three hours back gets me a first-hand view of a loss.
    Serves me right.
    And with six seconds left and NBA throws up garbage instead of calling timeout, Capel almost had a stroke. All he could to contain himself.

    And one more thing: Hey Heather, is it too much to ask to mop the floor under the seats once in a while?

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    1. I’m glad I started to watch wrestling. Basketball is garbage right now. Capel is a garbage man. Nothing against trash collectors. But Pitt basketball is trash that needs buried in a dump.

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      1. Hey Tx, not ashamed to admit it but I indeed picked up trash as a young man in between schools. Of course it was a union job which got me started in my life’s work. It was like lifting weights while getting paid a good rate with a pension and benefits. . Hustled up my broken down body though.

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        1. Nothing like good hard work. Capels players need to learn that lesson. I have a feeling they will be sprinting at the next practice. I’d actually have them pick up trash in south Oakland. I seriously would. They’d get the not so subtle message.

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  95. I believe Pitt’s next game is at UNC. The Heels are currently losing at home to GT 36-16. They lost their 2 best players to injury over the past month

    So how come I expect to see a vastly improved Tar Heel team next week?

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  96. OT – C.Heyward, son of Ironhead will graduate from MSU this Spring and have 2 years left to play. He is 6’1” 238 lbs and is a big RB who can catch the ball out of the backfield.

    On topic – Pittiful game of basketball today. Poor coaching, no point guard (that I could see) running the O and the foul shots were pathetic. The FT is the easiest part of the game and can be practiced on the players spare time. Both X and Trey were better last season.

    I’m going to take a break from Pitt BB – nothing to see. Prediction – UNC will beat Pitt by double digits with 2 starters out with injuries.

    I lost interest when Barnes and Stallings came to town and haven’t gotten the interest back to invest my time too much in the Capel experiment.

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  97. Major, you are correct…Scooter not pleased.
    Pissed, actually.
    Biggie, funny you should mention the Globetrotters…Scooter calls Xman “Meadowlark” when he gets dribble-ishous and doesn’t look up to pass the ball.
    Had a nice pregame gathering with Missing Wlat and Annie in attendance.
    Erie, I certainly hope young FeHead comes to Pitt…didnt know he has 2 years of play left.

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    1. I would reconsider renewing my season tickets if Ironhead Jr transferred into Pitt.

      I’d consider changing my handle to Iron City…

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      1. Not IronHead City EE?

        Hope Rachel is doing well.

        Rick, you won’t want to miss next season. Two reasons, you could recoup most of your money on the Notre Dame game alone. Second, PITT will win that game and many more. <<< This will get some juices flowing from the gang!

        Liked by 1 person

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  100. Good take by Kevin Gorman – “If the Panthers are going to do it together, Johnson and McGowens have to learn how to play off each other — and how to move without the ball. They are dynamic because of their ability to get to the basket and score. What dulls their effectiveness is that both are ball-dominant and don’t seem to know how to play without it.”

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  101. Just a terrible terrible Home loss to a crap (7-5) team who lost by 22 to Ped State. WF is ranked at Number 113 in BP and Number 108 at Sagarin. Northwestern(5-7) & K-State(7-6) are both in last place in their conferences, Pitt struggled with them. This team has no front court scorers, no Center and guards that are shooting at 44%, 42% & 37%. Hughley can’t get here fast enough, if he’s a no-show, next year will be a repeat of this year.

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  102. I see no improvement in McGowens, X, or Toney(they might even be worse). So is it the coaching, or that these kids peaked at 17 and they’re over matched in games against anything approaching mid-level talent. Think how bad we’d be with no Hamilton or Murphy and they were both very late pickups that most teams passed over.

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  103. Wow.

    It was a bad loss. Pitt could have won. Lot’s of blame to go around.

    But…
    Holy Overreaction Batman…it is not the end of the world!

    This is a very young team. They played well for only about 25 minutes and still almost came away with a win. The ACC is a tough league.

    I remember where I was 2 Winters ago…not watching Pitt Basketball. I’ll take this game any day over the whole freaking 17/18 season. THAT was a true piece of garbage.

    I am going to criticize the players and coaches for sure – but keeping my expectations realistic. It is early January – no need to go gonzo negative because I know this team is still a year away from being truly competitive in the league.

    I for one am going to enjoy watching the whole enchilada – good and bad – from our great new seats in the Pete!

    H2P

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    1. WordPress won’t let me like your post. But it is well said. No doubt this was an awful loss with blame to go all around. But it is just one game and not the end of the season or the capel era. Previous good pitt teams won because they were “old”. I like to think junior or senior x won’t be so out of control at the end of a game (and yes he should stay 3-4 years).

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  104. Pete was fairly full today too. Pretty nice crowd. Quiet most of the game, but got loud in the second half when the team needed it.

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  105. I’m still trying to understand why the 3 Freshmen have not improved over last year. Shooting %, FT %, turnovers, are not better this year. There is a strange lack of discipline among all of these guys, which Dan, Missing, joeknew, Tommy and others have pointed out. Can coaching fix this? We shall see…

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  106. OT: I’m going to interject some good news for many of our POV posters this morning. The Pats with T Brady and B Belichek lose to the Titans at home in the NFL playoffs. Kind of makes my day after the dismal Pitt BB performance yesterday.

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  107. Yesterday morning, I said we would learn a lot more about the team and the fans from the game.

    And we certainly did. The fans turned out pretty well for the game. The students were not back so the Zoo was pretty week, I’d say the rest of the Pete was three quarters filled, which isn’t too bad. I’d say the fans on POV were pretty weak considering the number of comments.

    As far as the team, they came out as hot as they have been all year, making three point shots, getting some inside game, getting transition baskets, and Wake was ice cold, nothing working for them. Then Pitt cooled off, Wake started making threes, Pitt got into foul trouble, had to go zone, Pitt couldn’t make a basket, Wake got hotter. A few calls went Wake’s way and the game was on at the half.

    The second half was very even with Wake pulling ahead with a few threes and Pitt fighting back with good defense.Nobody seemed to want the game at the end, with Pitt having plenty of opportunities to finish them off. Too many shots were missed including McGowen’s awful foul shots with the game on the line, his near miss from way outside, and then the unbelievably poor decisions by X to drive into the strength of Wake’s big men. who by the way are very athletic.

    I still think this team is better overall than last year, with one exception. Last year Wilson-Frame was the unquestioned leader. This year, there really isn’t one. No one to take charge at the end of the game. X tried to be that guy yesterday had a chance to set up Murphy but missed it and tried to do it himself. The game X finished on the bench McGowen did a nice job of finishing, so maybe he will become the guy. Someone mentioned that they need to learn to work together more effectively, that would be good.

    I also think that like the Football team, fan expectations are too high considering the talent level we currently have. The back seat coaching and criticism is over the top, while some is justified, when the kids are just not good enough to execute at a high level it is not always the coaches fault. Missed three point shots, or foul shots, just like dropped passes are due to a lack of ability more than a lack of discipline.

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  108. My expectation is to be competitive and not be a embarrassment. I really dont care what the excuses are for this awful play..If Pitt just doesnt have players with the ability and never will because of (you fill in your excuse), then it has no business playing in the ACC.

    If this team or any other program is a year or two away, why should any fan pay to see this garbage product? Because you want to be part of the journey? What if that journey leads you to a dead end? In sports and business, its a win now mentality. You dont have the luxury of waiting, or using excuses, or hoping next year is better.

    My expectation was to cover the 7 point spread and win going away. Pitt should be justifiably criticized for its performance yesterday. The question becomes can Capel turn things around quickly otherwise Pitt wont even be sniffing an NIT invite which was my reasonable expectation going into this season.

    I’m really beginning to question Capels coaching and his recruiting has been lackluster so far given his recruiting prowess at Duke and high expectations coming in. Prove me wrong Capel.. I’ll hold off on a nickname until I see how this season turns out. I waited 3 years until I gave Narduzzi a nickname.

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    1. To be fair regarding Capel’s recruiting, he was dealt rebuilding a team that went 0-19 in the ACC and has never been known to put players in the NBA, so the blue chips weren’t going to give him a sniff to speed up the process.

      It’s definitely going to take some time and his 2020 class is bringing in some much-needed size to complement the pieces he has added in his first two classes.

      The problem now well documented is the two main kids, X and Trey, have taken tremendous steps back this season. It also appears at this point that the entre coaching staff cannot get through to these two kids, and their selfish play is interfering with taking that next step forward as a program.

      A grad transfer point guard is the No. 1 priority this spring.

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    2. I think Capel will recruit high-level talent to Pitt but not tomorrow, like you expect and not before you feel the need to bestow a silly nickname on him.

      Coach Capel has been down to the wire with a couple of difference-maker recruits and they decided to go elsewhere. You make it sound like this should be easy.

      I think it is easier than FB recruiting because we have, or will have, a great game atmosphere and the weather shouldn’t matter as much to BB players. Still, there are 10 or more other programs, including premier programs, going hard after every high-level recruit.

      This stuff takes time, especially given where we’re coming from…

      Go Pitt.

      Liked by 3 people

    3. and we’re off. Just last week you couldn’t wait for basketball season. You’ll never get on my nerves Tx but I can’t speak for others. Stay valid my friend.

      Liked by 1 person

  109. It is hard to believe with all the athletic ability that you cannot teach these guys how to shoot a bb.

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  111. No way anyone puts an ACC team together in two years, except UNC, Duke or Louisville, because they can recruit multiple top 50 players. Take Wake Forest for example, a much better BBall history than Pitt a Hall of Fame Player as a coach. Still struggling. How long did it take for VA to get good? And they have Ralph Sampson in their DNA.

    Capel came in late and was lucky to get the guys he did, but they were and still are raw talent. This year’s class was just OK, but no where near even average ACC players yet.

    The cupboard was bare when Capel got here, it is going to take time and more high profile guys to put together a team.

    IMHO, only X has taken a step backwards this year, McGowen’s game is better all around.

    Overall defense is much better this year. Inside strength is slightly better. Shooting unfortunately although slightly better is hit or miss.

    Even though the team overall is better and the ACC is down, it may not result in many victories because there is so far to go from the bottom.

    I do think we will see more competitive games, but if you were expecting more than a very few ACC wins you are most likely to be disappointed.

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    1. Capel needs to sit down X and never have him in the game with a minute or less to go unless we are comfortably ahead because he can shoot FT’s. Can’t have him with the ball down 2. He refuses to look for an open teammate. Every team we play knows exactly what dumb thing he’s going to do.

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  112. All fans of all sports are impatient, PITT fans are no different, this PITT BB team is still very young and youth reared it’s ugly head yesterday. Still, those last two shot by McGowens and Johnson were ridiculous. Plus the missing of the foul shots at the end of the game, gezz, when it rains it pours. I’m not the basketball fan I use to be and certainly not some of you passionate people but I’ll give this team a little more time to find each other.

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  113. My game thoughts pretty much mirror Gordon’s from 7:47 AM above. When Pitt was on a roll in the first half I leaned in to my wife and said “Don’t expect this to last”. To my untrained eye our Panthers look so much more talented than what we had during the Stallings era, and for that I am grateful. I had a direct side view of Pitt’s foul shooting in the second half and it looked like Trey McGowens arms were tightening up and he didn’t get full extension/follow through on his foul shots. As such he probably wasn’t the best option to take the last shot to try to extend the game.
    Finally, it was nice to run into Eric (missingWlat) before the game, and see our resident celebrity, Annie’s daughter, with the Wake Forrest team.

    Liked by 1 person

      2. I like black licorice .. bought a big bag a Bass Pro Shop on the way home… now that I know it’s healthy I’ll have a couple of pieces for breakfast.

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        1. Great idea B, then pop in a stick of Blackjack chewing gum on your way to work and you’ll be good to go.

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  119. I know the cupboard was bare but it would be nice having Marcus Carr running the point. Tearing it up at Minnesota

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    1. Agree Carr is a sophomore but possibly mature beyond his years.

      Pitt is a young team with little leadership, They will be up and down all season, winning a few we expect them to lose and losing a few we expect them to win.

      This team is inconsistent, they will surprise and disappoint all season.

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  121. You mean the kid that would never play P-5 basketball after two years? Seriously though, Carr was a defensive liability back then. But… He was young too.

    If both Johnson or McGowens kicks the ball out to the open player on the wing.. PITT beats Wake.

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  122. My prediction for the survey results are…… 65% to 35% and not in Narduzzi’s favor. The squeaky hinge gets the grease again.

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      1. I don’t know Dan. Blogs are for the fans to read and participate although some choose not to. It’s we commenters that are very opinionated whether you think that or not. I sure know I am. There is not a doubt in my mind that I can tell you how………. about 35 of you voted. How is that possible? << Leaving out the fact that I am crazy.

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  123. Here’s an honest and funny quote from Ryan Murphy.

    “I look like a frat boy. I have a combover. I’m about 6-foot-2. So I feel like every night I go out there, I’ve got to prove everyone wrong.”

    Way to go Skippy!

    Liked by 2 people

  124. Ike has it about right on the survey results, I think. But he deserves more time given the difficulties with recruiting at Pitt. Previously I said that Narduzzi needs a 10 year run to raise the level of wins to a consistent 9-10 wins, and I still think that is about right. But there must be steady improvement through the QB transition after Pickett

    Liked by 1 person

  125. Former Panther Brian O’Neill moving on in the playoffs with the Vikings win.

    Good for him — looks like he’s an excellent NFL OT.

    Go Pitt.

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  127. I don’t see Trey or X playing selfish or trying to enhance their NBA standing. I think they are being aggressive and doing what they can to win the game. It won’t always work and they will be second guessed every time it doesn’t. I thought Mike Young and Jamel Artis tried to improve their pro status with selfish play under Stallings. I don’t see that with X and Trey.

    As for kicking the ball out at the end of the game, I suspect that there would be just as much criticism if whoever they passed the ball to clanged a 3 point attempt off the rim. We’d hear, “What were they doing? We didn’t need a three at that point. With the driving skills of our guards, you drive to the basket and either make the layup or draw the foul. That’s basketball 101!” Such is life.

    Liked by 2 people

    1. Farmer and I can agree to a certain degree but PITT’s opponents have figured these two young-ins out and are likely not to foul at the end of the game. Some of their drives to the hoop are a lot like a Christopher Columbus boat journey. They think they know where they are going but they don’t know what they are going to do when they get there.

      Liked by 2 people

  128. We need a true point guard…TM and XJ are both 2’s. A true point guard will always kick the ball out to an open shooter when they drive and draw the attention of multiple defenders. Both TM and XJ are programmed to take the winning shot. It’s not a bad thing, they are just out of position.

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  129. Here I thought Pryst was a linebacker but he’s listed as a safety. He still is a tackling machine though. Once committed to psu and from Hermitage Pa. Perfect fit to replace Damar if he doesn’t get his year back. Which will be BS if he doesn’t.

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    1. ike — From what I’ve seen, Stanford lists Pryts as 6-1 and 225, and as an “inside linebacker”…

      Go Pitt.

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      1. interesting John, when I looked at the portal for 2020, he’s listed at 6’1″ 200 lbs as a safety. I did think he was an inside lber though?

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        1. I’m those measurements and I’m no D1 linebacker or safety. Let’s not get infatuated with some undersized kid with Pittsburgh connections. He’d make a good hockey player though. If he can skate. 🙂

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            1. If he can be a Jerry O, I’m for it. Jerry had the thickest neck I ever saw. I used to see him at CJs in my day.

              And Jerry was a tackling machine.

              Liked by 1 person

              2. Jerry O was indeed a tackling machine and such a pleasure to watch. Consistently beat the RB to the “hole” and then made a textbook tackle.

                Wish Jerry O could give tackling lessons to the Panthers… All Panthers, especially Paris Ford, should have to watch video of Jerry O in action…

                Go Pitt.

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  130. Pitt is looking at WR Donald Stewart from Stanford who entered the transfer portal recently. He is 6’ 3.5” 200 lbs and from NJ – I believe he played with Brightwell in HS and Pitt recruited him hard back then.

    Eligible for one year immediately.

    Liked by 1 person

  131. Yes I know. But Jerry was a ‘cool’ kid. Older than me but he was on campus in my day.

    Guess who was the prick during my time. He’s not football.

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      2. Well the goose and Burt grossman were A-holes but the non football player was Sean miller.

        The guys I thought were the cool cats were swervin curvin Richards and Jason Mathews. Swervin lived down from me in the dorms. Jason took Econ classes with me.

        Liked by 1 person

        1. LOLOLOL. Sean Miller was a total jackwagon. I knew his girlfriend, who apparently disliked him so much that she and I got drunk together one night and…. You hit the nail on the head with this one TX.

          Liked by 1 person

          1. Breaking news! Wlat is the reason why Sean never considered coaching at Pitt. See the entire story on Panther Tonight at 7 pm

            Liked by 1 person

    1. Just pointing out who Duzz is pursuing.

      I agree MLB and 2 OT’s is where my efforts as the HC would be right now.

      I pointed that out many days ago.

      Liked by 1 person

      1. And a new OL coach — one who can coach and recruit, neither of which Borbeley is capable of doing.

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  134. BC wr Kobay Wright entered thectransget portal and PSR reporting Pitt is following him on Twitter. I guess we recruited him out of high school.

    Liked by 1 person

  136. Correct – both Stewart and Kobay were heavily recruited by Pitt at WR.

    I guess they both can catch?

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    1. Interesting, EE.

      Seems like a ton of WRs in the portal.

      With Coach Whipple providing the opportunity for “stats galore,” my guess is we should have little trouble attracting decent WRs, TEs and QBs…

      Go Pitt.

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    2. He would have to compete at PSU..better chance for playing time at PITT where we have a need..the smart guy chooses PITT (it happens all the time- kidding)

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      1. We took the 8 wins..wasn’t prettyand I wonder how we did it when we were out-scored by our opponents and could not even convincingly defeat any opponent on the schedule…but I remain committed- I will not enter the “Fan Transfer Portal” because of people like you!

        Liked by 1 person

          1. you misinterpreted my Apollo-ese- I stay with my Panthers because of great people like you and the POVerts ,therefore, I will not be entering the Fan Transfer Portal .

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      1. This could be true scus but an unbiased reporter doesn’t seem to be so down on the program as the PITT fans are. That’s all I was trying to point out.

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        1. Same reporter gave the eastern michigan lykes a solid B: “it was disappointing to not come through late, but this was an also-ran MAC team that came this close to pulling off a win over a Power Five program”.

          I have penned this for years. Pay your people C money and give them C resources and you get C results. Those turn into the expectations. Noone pays out F money and gets A results. When you have something special, you pay for C and get B or A results. Then, you have a choice or someone else will come along and pay the A money, and poof….the coach is gone.

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          1. No disagreement Huff the Third, the difference being and depending on how you look at it, the good guys won the game. Close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades.

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      2. scus – not sure I agree. Now, I will agree that POVerts, the Red 5A crew, FB donors & the core season ticketholders who actually attend most games do, but not sure what the fanbase at large has done to deserve more. Its been fickle at best.

        Liked by 2 people

        1. True JoeL, what exactly is it that a “pitt fan” deserves when all they do is sit in their lazy boy, click on the tv and start yelling, the coach stinks?

          Liked by 1 person

          1. We all deserve better, alumni, students, and even causal fans. How much you care or donate doesn’t make you more deserving.

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  141. Pgh native and former Pitt GA, Mike McCarthy has just been hired as Cowboys HC. Look for Alex Van Pelt to be OC and Luke Getsy and/or Curt Cignetti to be hired on his staff … all worked for him at Green Bay

    Maybe Teryl Austin as DC but wouldn’t be surprised if it is Marvin Lewis… All locals

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      1. ^^If you are Tx you are asking a question you already know the answer to. If you’re not Tx he will take this question. For the past forty years I’ve wondered myself….. That is why? 😉

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        1. Wasn’t me. But Pitt hasn’t found their Moses to deliver them. Think of the awful AD’s that have led the sports department. Think of the awful chancellors who had no conception of a front porch. I’m afraid that Pitt will be lost in the 🌵 🐫 forever.

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          1. You got it Tx, so why blame the current coaching staff for years of ineptitude that came before them? Before you say it money can’t buy you love and or you can’t hurry love. It’s going to take a minute….. … or two.

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            1. Because a good coach like Baylor’s and Minnesota are the Moses that Pitt needs.

              I can live without an AD. Kind of like that today. I mean what other P5?school pays their AD $400k.

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  143. Portals should address one position and maybe 2 at the most if you have a lot of turnover. Portal tells you that the coaches don’t have a recruiting plan / balance of players AND, they are not recruiting the best talent to begin with.

    Graduate transfers along the OL typically don’t work out. If the kid was good enough to turn pro and had tape supporting it, they don’t transfer. They go pro! The LSU QB had no tape to turn pro and lost out in the qb battle, so for him it was a great move. For LSU, they knew they didn’t have anything to lose by bringing in a 4 star qb that lost the job to a 5 star. Pitt is relying on too many transfers and making promises of playing time to each which causes a perception problem with those that have stayed in the program.

    Query: It seems like we have been told that Pitt has asked the NCAA for an extra year for Hamlin for at least two years now. What’s the delay? AD needs to get answers so they can plan!! Make A Plan!!

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    1. OSU had a transfer QB and a grad transfer OL …. both made all B10 and were on All-American lists. Of course, Pitt would never get these types but any transfer that can improve the team is welcome.

      Liked by 1 person

  144. well, looks like Frank Cignetti won’t be hired by McCarthy. Just read he will be Hafley’s new OC at BC. They were on Pitt staff 2009-10.

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    1. Maybe Hafley hires Wanny as Assistant Head Coach to recruit PA, Florida, n’at…

      😊

      Go Pitt.

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  145. Pitt WR Cameron O’Neil enters the transfer portal it’s being reported. With Pitt freshman Wayne jumping ahead of him and multiple freshman high star WR’s coming in I guess the writing was on the wall for O’Neil. Also with Erie and others reporting that Narduzzi is still looking at additional WR transfers certainly would give any of our roster WR’s something to think about if playing football is still in their dreams.

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  146. ^^ Hate to see that, thought he would have been a good one. I’m sure he was encouraged at this point.

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  147. This PITT class is looking better and better:

    “247 Sports announced some changes to their player ratings and moved both wide receiver Jaylon Barden and linebacker Bangally Kamara up to 4-star recruits.

    With this news, Pitt’s Class of 2020 now has five 4-star recruits on it: Barden, Kamara, wide receiver Aydin Henningham, safety Jahvante Royal and wide receiver Jordan Addison.”

    Liked by 1 person

      1. I didn’t forget about Hayes. That was a quote. So Dayon makes 6 four stars for this class. Now what are we going to bitch about?

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  148. for all of you advocating for Narduzzi’s firing next year, on display tonight in The Lending Bowl (yes, there is a another bowl) will be the next hot property in Billy Napier, HC of the Louisiana Lafayette Rajin Cajuns. He will be next year what Mike Norvell was this year who is now HC of FSU.

    Now whether Pitt would go after him or he wants to come north (he is southerner) remains to be seen.

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    1. The answer to the question – Name the two coaches in 2018 that won their divisions but finished the season with 7- 7 records?

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  149. Got an email from Pitt trying to sell BB tickets. Said only 8 home games remaining. Yikes — time is flyin’.

    Next up — Spring Ball for the Fightin’ Pitt-Narduzzi-Panthers!

    Bet Fran already has tailgate plans for the Spring Game…😊

    Go Pitt.

    Liked by 1 person

  150. Hey John, got the same email, time is a flying. That’s ok by me, bring on next football season already. My biggest hope is that PITT has zero kids make a dumb off season mental mistake or get hurt riding their bike.

    Liked by 1 person

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