On Monday I expected this to be a slow week.

Men’s basketball got a little love in Mark Packer’s ACC Basketball power rankings.  He listed Pitt as sixth.

Grade:  B.  Pitt is knocking on the door of the top 1/3 of the conference just two years after going winless in the ACC.  That’s progress my friends.

…And Pitt football landed a commit.  It was later revealed that this commit was a 6’3″, four-star cornerback from Georgia.

Grade:  A

And… Pitt women’s BB got some love from the ACC.  Grade: A+.  This squad needed some good news.

Not bad for a Monday.  Oh but wait…

Tuesday morning started ho-hum enough.  A kicker committed.

Grade: B.  The thing about a kicker is that if you don’t have a good one, you really notice it.  But if you have a good one, you just kind of take it for granted.  This one is supposed to be pretty good, but still kinda tough to get excited about a kicker.

Then, later that day…

and this…

Cue $hitstorm.

Grade:  D.  The last thing the football program needed this week would have been a change at the top.  Yes the ‘Duz makes some questionable game day decisions, and yes his team often resembles and undisciplined rabble on the field (although by all accounts they are consummate gentleman off the field), but all that aside, the ‘Duz has managed to acquire and develop more talent then any Pitt coach since Dave Wannstedt (and I’m not just measuring by stars here), and if the team was ever primed for a breakout 2020 would be the year.  So yea, not great timing to have your head coach poached by a middling Big-10 team.

Of course we all know how it turned out on Wednesday

Grade:  A.  And not just an A for the ‘Duz sticking around when Pitt needed him to stick around most, an A for how he announced it to the world.  Like him or not, the dude has personality.  And personality goes a long way.

I think this is also worth a read:

And…approve of her work or not (and I think a lot of people do approve), Heather gets some credit here.  (I’m giving her an A.  Fight me.)

Oh and the two recruits were revealed to the world and the media got five minutes with the new S&C coach.  (Grades previously recorded above and in a previous post.  I’m just reporting the news on these three)

Later that day Pitt Men lost to Notre Dame.

Grade: D.  They were a beatable team.

The women did not fare much better against Georgia Tech

but… Women’s T&C hurlder Edita Pessima did break a school record in the 60 m.

Grade: A.  School records always get an A.

Thursday brought us a well needed respite in the news cycle.  First there was this little nugget, which I would advise absolutely no one to pay attention to.

Grade: C-.  The last thing we need is for Kenny to start reading his own press clippings in the offseason.  Does he have a shot to break out?  Yes.  Is it a better than 50% shot?  Who knows? (Probably not but I’d like to give the guy the benefit of the doubt).  Does EJ Manuel’s uninformed opinion mean anything at all?  Absolutely not.  Keep grinding Kenny.  The accolades will take care of themselves.

Also more bad news from the Women’s basketball world.

Grade:  D.  Sadly this has been a long year.

Friday arrived in style.  It started with the Wrestling team notching a victory against the Virginia Cavaliers.

Grade:  A.  Convincing ACC victories always get an A.

And it ended with Brittany Knight striking out six en-route to a 5-1 complete game victory.  Grade A.  I have no idea if CSU Bakersfield is any good, and they probably aren’t, but a win is a win and a complete game is a complete game.  Well done Brittany and team.

The momentum continued unabated on Saturday…

CB Dane Jackson earned an invite to the scouting combine

Grade:  A for Jackson.  Two F’s for the NFL for not inviting Maurice Ffrench.

Even non-English speaking Patriots fans knew this was a farce…

(translation:  “They have not invited Maurice Ffrench to the combine.  He’s going to be a day-three bargain”)

Also, this happened

Grade:  A.  School records always get an A.  Especially when you get a celebration like this one.

Oh, and this:

Grade: A.  A good win at home after Coach C gets called for a technical.  Just imagine what will happen when Pitt gets a frontcourt and some depth, and the X man figures out how to dish…

Also …another A gets awarded to this young man.

And yet another A to this less-young man

And another A to Pitt basketball fans in general.  Won’t be long before the Pete is the hottest ticket in town yet again.

By the time Sunday rolled around, there wasn’t much that could ruin the weekend.

The women are still rebuilding though…

Grade: C-.  I just don’t have the heart to go any lower.

But Wresting is still rolling.  (Football team take note, this is what you are supposed to to do lesser competition).  A+

Overall grade for the week:  It sure seems like I wrote an awful lot of A’s into this week’s post, but with Men’s Basketball losing a winnable game to the Irish, and the Women’s squad continuing their rebuild, I can’t go any higher than a B, no matter what else happened.  Still, a B ain’t bad for a week that could have easily been a D.

Hail to Pitt

Michaelangelo Monteleone

Ps – late add and an oversight on my part. Pitt Volleyball added some talent this past week. Grade: A

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.

192 thoughts on “The Week in Review 2/9/2020”

  1. Wow, lots going on, MM.

    I’d like to give an “A” to Scooter, Fran and Wolfe for their unwavering support of the men’s BB team.

    And Coach Capel gets an “A” for winning games with such a limited roster.

    The the good news for women’s BB team is that they only have six games left. 😊Any chance of another win pretty much went out the window when Aysia Bugg went out with an injured ankle a few games ago. (For the women, similar to if Trey McGowens hadn’t come back against GT when he limped off…).

    But, I have gone to some women’s games and though my eye is untrained, I do see progress. Freshman PG Harris is definitely improving as she gets more under control. And 6-4 Freshman Center Rita is getting the experience she needs to be a future force in the paint. And Freshman Wing “AB” had 17 today against ND.

    Good job, MM.

    Go Pitt.

    Liked by 4 people

    1. It’s good to have someone on the Women’s BB “Beat”. Nice reporting John!

      Like

  2. Great job Mike, in the middle of some insomnia early this morning but wanted to quickly add that the women’s volleyball team had a real nice pick up early last week. I’ll look her up later. I think she’s a jr college all-American?

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  3. Great job Maestro! And I concur with your overall letter grade. What did I learn?….Mark Packer looks nothing like what I expected, listening to him on the radio.

    Liked by 1 person

  4. I had posted this @ 1:39pm Saturday, right before the men’s BB tip-off.

    The same was said about the ND game earlier this week.

    Dane Jackson is the only Pitt Player invites to the NFL Combine. I was surprised the FL transfer LB-er wasn’t invited. Brightwell and Ffrench left out as well.

    Many smaller & lesser schools with 2 or more invited:

    Boise St, Temple & cuse with 4 each

    Charlotte, Maryland, URI, W_F, UVA, Vandy & Utah St with 3 each

    App St, FL Atl, FL Int’l, FresnoSt, Georgia Southern, Kansas, LouTech, LouLaff, Memphis, Oregon St, SMU, Tulsa & Tulane with 2 each

    EE

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    1. Dane and Maurice were the only 2 of significance who won’t be back. Others leaving include Ulizio, Nakita-Griffith, Graggs, Watts, Johnson, Matthews and Brightwell. These last 3 were really good contributors and will likely sign as FAs, but not really NFL material.

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    1. Thanks mike for a job well done. I really enjoyed the article. It looks like Pitt on upswing in a lot of sports. We need continued success Thanks for all the time you put in for the articles I greatly appreciate them

      Liked by 1 person

  11. ESPN ACC standings show we have not beaten any AP or USA ranked team even tough we beat FSU. Is anybody working at ESPN or the ACC?

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    2. I believe ESPN uses ranking at the time the game was played. FSU was not in the polls for preseason. (They were in other receiving votes.) Wasn’t the PITT-FSU game the first game of the season for both teams?

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  12. brief comment, no idea if Ff should have gotten an invite but IMO won’t make it at that level due to hands being below average and speed only average for a small guy who will be susceptible to breaking

    hope I have it wrong but doubt it

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    1. Yeah, I kinda have the same opinion. He didn’t help himself this year, either, by thinking he was more athletic than he really was and trying to juke four guys at the line of scrimmage and losing five yards instead of gaining three.

      Liked by 2 people

  13. Just as we’re all feeling better about Pitt athletics back comes Michigan State after Narduzzi. 5 coaches including Fickel have turned them down. If I were Heather I would have a list of 3-4 Coaches to go after just in case.

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    1. Heather has my number. My list for a MPC feasibility study. Thats the deal.

      Sparty isnt getting interested coaches because of impending sanctions
      State is a dumpster fire right now…NO SMART coach wants to walk into that mess
      But Narduzzi isnt known for having brains up there (my New Years resolution prevents me from saying whats up there)

      Just hope Heather isnt foolish enough to fall into the contract extension trap by panicking

      Liked by 1 person

        1. I like the mans passion. Kindred spirit I see in him. But the ‘stadium’ really needs to be a MPC to be economically viable.

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    2. MSU right now is toxic due to impending investigations and suing. They are going to have a hard time getting someone because of this due to future problems.

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      1. ^^ Which makes this whole Dantino leaving all the more interesting. Still not 100% sure Narduzzi doesn’t pick up and bolt for East Lansing? He may get the mafia offer that he can’t refuse. Now wouldn’t that be interesting? Can’t wait for PITT’s next head football coach to arrive on campus and check out how all the Narduzzi detractors react?

        There are people that just plain do not like Narduzzi as a person.

        There are people that do not like Narduzzi as a head coach.

        There are people that just plain don’t like Heather.

        There are people that don’t like PITT.

        There are people that fall into all of the above.

        There’s lots of people.

        Liked by 1 person

  14. So, I have been thrown off WordPress and can’t get back on. Much like many of you. The problem is not Word Press ….it’s the hosting site. MM I’ll bet my lastdollar you are trying to host WordPress with GoDaddy…two of the most incompatible sites ever. This is fixable. Please fix it!!!
    Dan72

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    1. Reed still controls the hosting but he’s been meaning to hand it over to me. I’ll ask him

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  15. kind of an indictment on Narduzzi’s recruiting I would say and his staff’s usage of players and player development

    just thought I’d add some vinegar to the koolaid this morning

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    1. We haven’t LOST Dan, he’s still commenting. He just needs to sign at the end of his comments…… Big-Dan72 basketball Guru.

      BTW, I know there are problems for many but I have never had one myself and I don’t know jackschitt about Blogging or computers.

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  19. Wouldn’t be surprised if it ends up being Mike Tressel. Will be able to lean on dad and all the other coaches that dantonio has put out in his coach tree.

    A non-current P5 head coach in my opinion that would normally not get an opportunity at this stage of their career, absent the turmoil/sanctions hanging over their heads.

    Not in the burgh. Was that really a billboard in Oakland? Tex, Upitt, Reed, was that a combined effort? Classic!

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  20. Maestro – another A+ towards your GPA!

    After reading The Week That Was, I thought you were akin to ACC refereeing, only handing out a “B” for a seemingly great week.

    I added.up the grades, 4 for A, 3 for B, etc – 4.2 for A+, 1.8 for C-, and I threw out the 2 F’s (afterall, they were for the NFL GPA, not PITT). 21 grades handed out, and they averaged out to 3.438. A solid B!

    Why would I ever doubt The Maestro?? 👨‍🏫😉

    Liked by 2 people

  22. Whoever is the AD at Mich State must be a compliance person. As I understand it, only a completely incompetent AD would not have a new coach all lined up before the old coach leaves… 😊

    (Actually, I don’t see where it’s practical to have a new coach wrapped up before the position is vacant, but this is what the gurus opine whenever Pitt has a coaching change…)

    Go Pitt.

    Liked by 3 people

  23. on the New Pitt Stadium proposed site, can they lay down a fireproof tarp on the baseball and softball field for tailgating?

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  24. Listened to interview of X on PSN. I have to listen really close to understand him – he talks fast and I’m old – but he sounds like he’s maturing nicely.

    I can’t imagine getting in front of media guys like that when I was a sophomore at Pitt….but that was over 50 years ago…

    Anyway, X said it helps that they have more offensive options this season and he then named Champ, Toney and yes, even Murph as the shooters…

    (BTW, I root for Murph, but I seriously did not like the arrow-shooting bit…)

    Go Pitt.

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  25. MM, that was an excellent week in review article! Thanks for the fantastic effort!

    I’m still wondering how Tex managed to put that billboard up!

    I’d like to see a couple more players taken off the transfer portal for next season. Pitt still needs an OT and maybe a walk on FB to improve red zone scoring.

    Liked by 2 people

    1. gc…I am submitting your name for the “Laureus World Sports Award for “come-back of the year.”

      Way to go bro and that’s coming from a guy who has rehabbed total knees since we started(1974 putting them into humans on a commercial basis. You are way ahead of the pack..

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  29. You know I had IT directors for years to work with. Glad a little of it rubbed off. I’m reinstalling WordPress at a non profit with their team now. Let me know if I can be of help.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. funny that when the FBI/NCAA starts looking at your assistants, how your program falls. The current rankings doesn’t list Arizona, UNC, MSU or TCU ,,, and hopefully Kansas gets its due later this year. But the big teams will rebound …. but likely not TCU

      PSU is now ranked 13th and WVU 14th. With the ACC down, this year could have been the time when Pitt gets back in the limelight …. if only Barnes would have hired the best available.

      But maybe in the long run, Capel is the best choice for Pitt to get the program back in the Top 10. So maybe everything works out for the better (and all the crap).

      Liked by 1 person

    2. I agree. By the time Dixon left the pedos, who were no where near being ranked, were out recruiting him.

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  31. I will say it for the hundredth time: The downfall of our basketball program was caused by Jamie Dixon, not Kevin Stallings. Now, Stallings was definitely the wrong guy to rebuild the program (thanks Mr. Barnes). But the program was rotting from the inside before Jamie left.

    Liked by 3 people

    1. I respectfully disagree. It was trending downward, no doubt, but still in Jamies’s last year, it won 22, made the NCAA’s and was returning 5 of its top 6 scorers

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      1. but I guess I’m agreeing with you also Wlat, since it was certainly trending downward. I guess my point that it was still respectable when Dixon left and could have easily been rescued with a decent hire

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        1. it was respectable but rotting
          Jamie couldnt beat ACC teams
          28-26 record in the ACC…very mediocre, very Narduzzi like
          52 percent winning percentage in acc (Narduzzi is at 60% which is respectable albeit playing in the weakest P-5 division with Cuse as a crossover)
          Dixon was trending down. At least Narduzzi is trending flat.
          Dixon knew he couldnt recruit the athlete to play in the ACC. He knew Pitt was closely watching any shenanigans
          TCU was desperate to win and gain respect
          Nobody was watching at TCU
          A Dixon team would get blown out in the new Big East today. Have you seen Seton Hall play?
          Slick Hair should just go back to Cali and retire

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      2. The cupboard was totally bare aside from three players. There was not a competent point guard on the entire roster. Artis was not a point guard. Rosie Nix was a Division 3 player. The reason that year 2 of the Stallings era was such a disaster was less about Stallings’ ability to coach (he was decent or better at Vandy and put several guys in the NBA) and more about having nearly zero talent on the roster. And specifically no upper class talent. Now mind you, Stallings didn’t endear himself to anyone with how he handled things, and no team should lose every conference game, ever. But even if it was his alma mater, how does a guy leave Pitt and the ACC to go to TCU? He knew that his program was on a precipitous slide that he could not stop.

        Liked by 1 person

    3. I’ll jump in and rephrase, the downfall of Pitt basketball was STARTED by Jamie Dixon, and specifically due to his inability to recruit (he’s not a recruiter, so in this case I am referring to having the correct Assistants in place to recruit). But Stallings, despite being an “OFFENSIVE GENIUS”, took this program to a level I never thought imaginable, and at light speed. The damage Jamie had done toward the end of his tenure here could’ve been reversed in a reasonably short period with a competent hire following his departure. Getting rid of Jamie at that time was simply the right thing to do, but getting rid of him without even a modest competent replacement plan still boggles the mind.

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  32. Jaime quit recruiting his last few years and as such ruined Pitt basketball at the end of his run and for his successor. His 2 best players – Young & Artis – graduated and Stallings was left with nothing. Jaime never got Artis and Young to play very hard for him. Both were lazy players who played hard on offense but not on defense. And yes Stalling was the worst possible hire to fix the problem.

    Liked by 2 people

    1. Incorrect. Here is what Stallings had in his first year: Artis, Young. Jeter, Luther, Jones and Cam Johnson (soph). But what he didn’t have was an experienced PG, so he decided to play Artis at the one position.

      There was plenty of talent but there was also a lot of internal problems from (allegedly) players who were never posed any problems before. Then after the season, Luther and Johnson immediately got out of Dodge.

      Liked by 1 person

  33. I thought a big part of Jamie’s downfall here was how he used, or more correctly didn’t use, Steven Adams. The poor guy only got to touch the ball when he got a rebound.

    Players like stats – but not how many picks you set. I think the lack of offensive involvement by Adams was used against us by opposing recruiters and Jamie never got a decent center to come to Pitt after that…

    Go Pitt.

    Liked by 2 people

  34. What really crushed Jamie was Adams leaving after one. If he played one more year, Jamie could have won the ACC in his first year. After that he couldn’t recruit a big man or point guard. Knew it was time to get out of Dodge.

    Liked by 2 people

  35. Couple things:

    As we all remember, Jamie left for his Alma Mater and for more money.

    steve gave him a break in his buyout.

    Jamie’s time had come and gone.

    PITT would have been fine if they would have hired anyone else besides Stalling’s.

    At the end of the day, PITT basketball is in way shape then it was Dixon’s last few years. It’s just going to take another year or two to put PITT back on the basketball map. So everything will eventually work out. Thanks Heather!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Jamie and Steve were best buds. He knew cornhole was just one step ahead of the sheriff. And let’s not forget that nerd ball gave cornhole a nice golden parachute.

      Ike- when Pitt places just ahead of BC and outside the top 100 in the Cup, when football sales are stagnant, when Pitt yet again finishes just ahead of Wake in donations, and Pitt raids millions from the general fund to keep sports afloat, tell me how good heather is.

      She’s been on the job long enough now to see changes in financial and revenue metrics. Being an AD is more than just hiring, scheduling and uniform colors. And btw, she’s awful at ooc scheduling.

      Liked by 1 person

    2. Not by me and EMel. We talked about his over managing on the sidelines, his inability to recruit and “slogball” for years.

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  37. I think Narduzzi is untouchable right now because the administration thinks he is, not because I think he should be.

    The Olympic sports at PITT seems to me to be as good or better than ever at PITT. Again, derelict management for the past 40 years just easy to overcome in a few short years. No excuse just a fact.

    PITT’s football OOC schedule is very manageable this year. Plus I’m fairly sure the ticket sales the past few years are as good as have been in a long time. Attendance, maybe not so much but Heather isn’t Helen Keller either.

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  38. Jaimie was by far the best BB coach Pitt ever had. Of course, that has something to do with an inglorious history. Nonetheless, for a 10 year period, Pitt was constantly a Top 10 team with two NCAA number 1 seeds.

    Furthermore, he turned down offers from the likes of ASU, USC, Oregon and even TCU (his alma mater) some years before he went there. He was loyal to a fault. His downfall was that he didn’t hire good recruiters in his last 4 or so years at Pitt. They neither brought solid prospects from within the ACC footprint or from NYC/NJ area which was his lifeblood for the first 10 years.

    He also felt very much betrayed by Pedersen. Do not forget that the BE used him to lure TCU to join the BE Conferenced … TES THIS ACTUALLY HAPPENED ,,,, only to find out a few months later that Pitt was leaving the BE

    Liked by 2 people

    1. The ACC called and steve picked up the phone. That’s all he did. The BoT told him what to say. If Jamie was used, so be it. Pitt brass was trying to save the big east and preferably get out of it. Nothing wrong with that.

      Cornhole allowed Jamie to do whatever he wanted. Gave him the easiest ooc in the country to pad those win totals and rarely played away from the Pete in the first 15 games. Jamie often had 15 wins before conference play even started. And then always underperformed come tourney time.

      But you are right. Dixon was lazy and left recruiting to his assistants who were even lazier and couldn’t sell recruits. But it’s tough when you play slogball. When you focus on defense first with brutish players. The ACC was not a good fit for Dixon’s style and he knew it.

      He won’t be long at TCU either. Word is he’s gone after this year and going back to Cali. He won’t be missed in Fort Worth.

      Liked by 1 person

  39. Doc Carlson was PITT’s best head coach.

    “Henry Clifford “Doc” Carlson (July 4, 1894 – November 1, 1964) was an American basketball coach and football player. He is a Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame inductee as the men’s college basketball coach of his alma mater, the University of Pittsburgh, from 1922 to 1953. At Pitt he compiled a record of 367–247 record (.595). His 1927–28 team finished the season with a 21–0 record[1] and was retroactively named the national champion by the Helms Athletic Foundation and the Premo-Porretta Power Poll; Carlson’s Panthers would receive retroactive recognition as the Helms national champion for the 1929–30 season as well.[2][3] Carlson also led Pitt to the Final Four in 1941. As a student at the university, Carlson was also a First Team All-American end on Pitt’s football team under coach “Pop” Warner. Carlson also lettered in basketball and baseball.”

    Liked by 1 person

  40. Interesting interview of Trey McGowens on PSN. Mentioned how the negativity of the know-it-alls (my words, not his) on social media have affected him and X…

    Toward the end of this interview might be the first time I’ve seen him smile! Go Trey!

    Go Pitt.

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    1. Maybe he shouldn’t be reading social media then? There’s always good and bad. He deserves the bad right now given his play. Sounds like he needs coddled and a diaper.

      He’s damn lucky he has a coach like Capel and not Bobby knight.

      Liked by 3 people

      1. He’s also lucky he doesn’t have a coach like Tex! (But that never would have happened — instant transfer portal… 😊)

        Really good advice though about not reading the stuff, and it’s what Trey said they are doing. 👍

        But come on — do you really expect today’s college players to not be curious about what “fans” are saying about them on social media?

        (And when Trey limped off to the dressing room just before the half last game, did you not think that Pitt’s season was pretty much over if he can’t come back? I did…)

        Go Pitt.

        Liked by 1 person

  41. Just a word of caution on those thinking that perhaps the OOC schedule is a cakewalk. Miami won their section of the MAC, Marshall away is never, ever an easy place to play, and ND is, well, ND. There is a reason that no national guys think Pitt will be a top 25 team or better than 3rd or 4th in the Coastal. I may disagree with that assessment, but what do I know.

    Liked by 2 people

  42. On the football OOC scheduling, For 2020, HL only scheduled Miami (Ohio). ND scheduling was done when they entered the ACC on a part time basis. At that time the agreement ran from year of start until 2037. Most years it is a rotating 5 game series but for years 2022 & 2024 (4 games) and 2023 & 2025 (6 games). Marshal & Richmond were by prior AD’s.

    For later years, Heather is responsible for all 4 FCS teams scheduled. Of the 5 G5 games scheduled, UMass (2021), Western Michigan 2021(H) & 2022(A) were HL’S. Cincinnati in 2023 & 2024 were Barnes doing.

    Barnes is responsible for the two game series with Tennessee (2021 – 2022). Heather is responsible for the 4 game series ( 2022- 2025) with WVU. She also is responsible for the two game series with Wisconsin (2026-27).

    I don’t think she has done bad with football OOC. You could say Pitt is punching up with Wisconsin but I Lyke it.

    Liked by 3 people

    1. She has control. You can always back out of these arrangements. Particularly if given plenty of advance. Financial penalties could have been waived. You are making excuses for her.

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      1. Now why would Tennessee, WVU, Wisconsin or Cincinnati or any other team waive any financial penalties? It’s free money to them. You are reaching for anything that makes HL look bad.

        Liked by 2 people

        1. Isn’t that obvious Richard. That has always been my greatest point of contention. Sometimes it’s easy to see straight through to an agenda.

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        2. The financial penalty is not significant anyway. You really think a school like Tennessee or Wisconsin really cares if Pitt drops them?

          Pitt will bring few if any fans. Moreover, their fans could care less about playing Pitt. They view Pitt as an easy win and they don’t have to pay for it.

          A loss to those schools will hurt recruiting, hurt national rankings and does nothing for Pitt. Pitt might see an extra 5k fans at home for those teams.

          I’d rather pay a school like Mass $500k for a rent a win.

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          1. Well they must have cared because they DID schedule Pitt.

            Unless you can show me any contract where the penalties are “not significant”, it is my opinion that the penalty is a minimum $2M or $4M for both series. For someone who complains about being $10 million in the whole to say $4M is ok to get from the general fund is ludicrous.

            BTW – $500k is FCS money. UMass in 2019 signed single game contacts for $1.9M with Georgia(2024) & Texas A&M (2022) for $1.7M. Pitt probably got them for $850k.

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            1. Pitt paid no more than $500k. It was in the papers.

              I doubt the penalty for dropping Tennessee or Wisconsin is great if given several years notice. They will make the same on Pitt as they do with Toledo.

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              1. Wrong – Neither the Tribune, Cardiac Hill. Pittsburgh Sports Now in their articles mentioned a $ amount. Wasn’t in FBSchedules who always publish $ amounts when available. Give me the link to an article.

                I think you re thinking about Youngstown State where the announcements all had $450k.

                Pitt doesn’t release financial data. Youngstown State amount came from YSU not Pitt.

                Liked by 2 people

    2. psu, Notre Dame and now WVU are real season ticket sellers. I really do not think PITT has any better options. What are we doing here? Complaining about a tough OOC schedule all the while bitching about no fans in the stands? It’s like when PITT finished 8-5 and out one side of their mouth it was the schedules fault and out the other side it was Narduzzi sucks. It boggles my mind.

      Yes John, I thought Trey was hurt bad, that would not have been good.

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      1. Well it’s both Ike. And it’s straight out the mouth.

        The ooc is too difficult. And a Tennessee or Wisconsin won’t sell out Heinz.

        I have no problem with domers and Hoopies. They are rivals. They will pack the house due to their fans. Not ours.

        And Narduzzi does suck lemons. An lighter ooc could help him win but he could also find new ways to lose as well. So a lighter ooc would probably backfire with him.

        You’re right Ike. Heather is a genius.

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    3. Pitt is paying $1.3 to play Mass

      FSU pays 1.5
      Auburn pays 1.9

      so yes the 450k was probably YSU since Pitt doesnt disclose jack when it comes to numbers

      just google umass football and pitt…boston rag provided the numbers after speaking with their ad and getting them to disclose

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  43. I agree JoeK but here is the thing….. They are MAC teams. Now, I know the MAC puts out some really good football teams at times but PITT has to play someone. I think PITT football SHOULD be at a point in Narduzzi’s tenure and not worry about MAC schools on the schedule but the question is….. . . Are they?

    Time for PITT to show up as a legitimate P-5 football team, the time has come!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Heck no… saying she’s hot is possibly borderline sexist in the current environment or in most of our day “ the ultimate compliment.”

      Like

  46. All right, I have a Big Mouth but they are just little beads of poison. I truly accept all points of views here on the POV. It’s just sometimes when I don’t understand the angle, I ask questions or state my opinion. Apologies to all.

    Like

  47. Ike, if you ever want to be guest DJ at a tailgate let me know. Just download what you want and I’ll blast it out!
    One game a few years ago Scooter played a medley of theme songs from western TV shows. Haha.
    Almost had a riot..

    Liked by 3 people

  48. There is no reason Pitt should ever, ever play a home and home with a MAC team, ever! Thats the thing, we barely scraped by our last MAC opponent. Never play a directional team or a MAC team on the road. Or get into a land war in Asia.

    Liked by 1 person

  49. once again, I have no issue with a hard OOC … as long as people take it into account when evaluating seasons.

    For example, just last week,, I read a story which I believe was in the Detroit Free Press when discussing potential Dantonio’s replacements …. and it referred to Narduzzi’s 36-29 record as good but nothing special for an ACC team … probably thinking that Pitt has played an OOC like and average B1G or ACC team, or that he has the 3rd best record in ACC (20-12) since he began

    Liked by 2 people

  50. Steve Adams played much of his one season at Pitt with an injured hand…JD coached us to No. 1 seeds in the NCAA’s, BE Regular Season and BE Tournament championships (when the BE really was the BIG EAST and the best conference in college BB).

    Like

  51. Asking kids today not to pay attention to social media is like when parents told kids not to listen to rock and roll. Time Marches on. The criticism of X and Trey is over the top, they are by far and away the most physically gifted guards we have ever had. They do things our former guards couldn’t do in their dreams.
    Of course they have class, but they also have less of a supporting cast.

    In two years, they and Coach have brought Pitt back from absolute Oblivion.

    But back seat coaches know better.

    Liked by 3 people

      1. And I guess the truth on social media hurts their feelings and shatters their confidence. I guess he wants to be treated like a baby. Would a pacifier help?

        Like

    2. Gordon: I always appreciate your perspective, but saying that X and McGowens are the “far and away the most physically gifted” guards we’ve ever had, is way over the top. They are talented players to be sure. But what exactly do either of them do exceptionally well that Carl Krauser, Brandin Knight, Levance Fields, Sean Miller, Jason Matthews….. (the list is a lot longer), couldn’t do. They are both poor shooters. They both DO NOT look to involve their teammates or make their teammates better. They turn the ball over more than they should, regardless of the fact that they are sophomores. They take a lot of poor shots when driving the basket. They do play excellent defense most of the time. But all of the Howland/Dixon era guards did that. Athleticism on the basketball court is totally overrated if is not accompanied by Basketball IQ. Give me 5 basketball players and I’ll beat your 5 athletes every day of the week and twice on Sunday.

      Liked by 2 people

      1. None of those guys could drive to the hoop as well or as fast as either guy. None had the upside potential of either. They are not point guards like the guys you mentioned. They may not become as valuable to team wins as the guys you mentioned, but are not surrounded by the talent that the others had so far.

        Let’s see what happens when the big guys come next year.

        As a Pitt Fan I get tired of the incessant bashing of our guys. If you think it is easy to play ACC teams as freshman and sophomores without strong upper class men it is not.

        I also did not say they were the best guards just the most athletic. They have two more years to become the best. I would rather root for them to do it than gripe and moan about their faults.

        All the guys you mentioned had their faults as well.

        Liked by 2 people

          1. And Krauser was way better at driving the basket than either of them. Go to the highlight tape. Honestly, both were better at it last year, before teams realized that they had to do something to defend it. Now, half the time either one of them drives the basket, they throw up an off balance shot and miss.

            Liked by 1 person

  52. In fairness to Trey and I’ll throw in X as well, this should be their true freshmen year. My behavior back when I was their age is laughable to me. It’s a wonder I’ve made it this far in life. Of course I didn’t have anything close to their abilities and success in high school or I probably wouldn’t have. So yes, I excuse them, sort of. It still would be in their best interest to avoid social media. The last sentence brought to you be Antonio Brown.

    Liked by 1 person

  53. Tex, I don’t get the nastiness and hostility towards X and McGowen. They are college kids in their early 20s who should really be college Freshmen. The way you are slandering these kids is inappropriate and beneath even you.

    Liked by 3 people

  54. Criticize the administration, BoT, AD and coaches all you want. They are adults getting paid to do a job. But players are college kids who are not paid professionals. And so this diaper stuff is demeaning and is not appropriate from a supporter of Pitt athletics.

    Liked by 9 people

    1. if a kid is hurt by what he reads on social media, that is his problem and not someones who posted it. Its called free speech and as long as its not hate speech, its protected by our Constitution.

      i call any kid a baby if he’s not mentally tough enough to take it. if it hurts a kid so much, stop reading social media or just ignore the ‘bad’ that you read.

      i have never personally attacked any player but yes you might as well put a diaper on any kid that has his confidence shattered and goes crying back to coach because he reads something negative.

      You’re a public figure representing a university and getting a free ride. You knew this when you signed. You would get scrutiny and praise. Works both ways

      Free koolaid speech for all then. Might as well make this country the Soviet Union then. Might as well just hand over Pitt to the Nitters. Might as well just let players run the show.

      Seriously some of you people.

      Like

      1. Hate speech has no legal definition in the US. It is protected by the first amendment, also. You should have learned this in a junior high civics class.

        Liked by 1 person

        1. great then. the more hateful the better
          we truly do live in a free country
          but i’m even ok with putting bounds on hate speech
          its just like you cant yell fire in a movie theater
          and i didnt take civics as a HS junior but do have a degree in Poly Sci from Pitt…that explains my ignorance

          Like

      2. Take it easy Tx, you’re asking for the right to speak your mind, which I’m very in favor of. On the same note, your detractors are also speaking their mind. We are dogs chasing our tails.

        Like

  55. There is no benefit in playing a difficult OOC schedule. Our AD now has games scheduled against the football hotbed of recruiting in WV, Wisconsin and Tennessee. That’s brilliant. FAU or FIU would be 2 schools that make sense to help the rostered florida kids families see them play. We get miami at their place every other year, so we should have fiu or fau in the opposite year so that means at least one game in florida each year.

    Same with Georgia. I would add in Georgia State to the schedule for years where the GT game is in Pgh. That gets the families to see 2 games per year, one in person. Schedule easier ooc games in areas that you recruit. This isn’t rocket science there AD.

    I see no advantage to letting west virginny high school buy over 1/2 the tickets to heinz to make it another home game for the hoopies. Sure, ticket sales go up for the program, but they’re not ticket sales to Pitt people. Add in ND ticket sales and the smoke and mirrors continue. Market your team, not sell to the other team with a traveling fan base. Its embarrassing that ND and wv high, out attend us at our venue.

    Girls vball coach has been at pitt since 2013, but keep giving credit to the AD for the success. She had ZERO to do with that. Old AD trick. Fire as many coaches as you can in year 2-3 of your administration. Tell chancellor that you need to give each coach 5 years to build their team. In reality, you are selling the chancellor that you can’t be judged until…..the coaches build their team.

    Our AD completes year three in 30 days and begins year 4…..year 4.

    Tex – i am not offended at anything you type.

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      1. I agree MM but … In 2013 when Pitt joined the ACC, Pitt got a spike in attendance partly due to I believe to the 1st year in the ACC and the other because ND was on the schedule. I was living in Cleveland area then and had a 3-game pass (1st of handful of years).

        Anyway, in the opener vs FSU, I sat next to a couple of guys with ND shirts. They told me that they purchased season tickets just to watch the ND game but decided to attend the FSU game since it didn’t conflict with them watching ND. They lived in the North Hills.

        Then, sure enough …. later that season, it seemed that almost the entire section (upper deck, visitor’s side) was full of Irish fans. I’m not saying that the stadium had more ND fans …. but throughout the years, every home ND, WVU and PSU game that I have attended had a significant amount of opposing fans. You sure would not see the opposite in their stadiums … not even close

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      2. MM – I went to the Pitt-WVU basketball game earlier this season. A huge turnout by the Hoopies and they made their presence known. The loudest chant in the building was “Eat Sh** Pitt”. Classless as expected by them, but thought it was demeaning to be “alpha-maled” by the visting team. If that happened at my alma mater, I’d be making sure games like that weren’t scheduled.

        Like

    2. Be careful with FAU and FIU as they both have two players each invited to the NFL combine. Pitt with one. 🧐

      Georgia State is probably a safe OOC game, but Georgia Southern also has two players invited to the NFL combine.

      It’s sad to even type the above…Sarcasm aside.

      There are a lot of Pitt fans hyping up the 2020 FB season – not hearing anything from the Pitt marketing department – my season tickets haven’t been renewed yet – holding out for an OT or two from the portal. Time is running out.

      SOP?

      EE

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  56. VoR – Right on, man.

    Tex – Did you even freaking listen to the interview? Do you have any context to what he said? It was an honest answer and he immediately said that Capel told him and X to get off social media and ignore the noise.

    He’s a kid learning and he has a coach teaching. It’s part of the maturity process.

    What the hell with the pot shots at a young man who answered a bunch of questions honestly. And later in the interview he talks about how the winning culture is making the fans, particularly the zoo, stronger.

    Man, do I hate the hot takes sometimes. No class with those remarks. Actually listen to what is said and have context before trashing a young man.

    Liked by 7 people

    1. dude, i dont trash any players personally

      but i will call out anyone who blames social media for shattering his confidence and being butt hurt

      dont read social media if you dont like the negative

      these are men not boys right

      posters can be mean and its their right as protected free speech

      prove your detractors wrong then

      all these athletes are public figures getting a free ride and now getting paid to entertain. a 18 year old is a man in my book. he needs to handle it like a man instead of being a baby

      just go back and cry to your coach

      maybe Heather will ban free speech and only allow koolaid at parties

      you’d be invited Tossing

      Like

      1. Dude. You obviously didn’t even hear the interview and just read the outtake but still felt the need to comment. He didn’t sound or look but hurt at all or complain. Just simply answered a question and shortly afterwards praised the fans.

        Like

  57. the Detroit Free Press and other outlets are reporting that MSU is hiring Colorado HC Mel Tucker. Tucker has an impressive assistant coach resume but only one year as a college HC (5-7). He was interim HC with Jacksonville (NFL) in 2011 … 2-3.

    Liked by 1 person

      3. This search is beginning to remind me of Pitt trying to get Dixon’s replacement. “Thanks, but no thanks…was the general answer, and we all know how that turned out.
        People need to be reminded of that and of the great job Heather did in landing Capel. Her 1st choice thankfully took the UConn job, but she had an even better 2nd choice and he bought the pitch.

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  58. Mark Dantonio appears to be the mini JoePa. Dantonio won 67% of his games at MSU, had 6 double-digit win years there (13 years), and as recent as 2015, made the Final 4. But right now, all people know is that MSU struggled the past 2 years and will likely undergo NCAA investigation.

    Of course, MSU loyalists will deny their HC did anything wrong (cue the Centre County inbreds) but I do not envy the Spartan fans at this moment

    Like

  59. Teams like psu, ND and wvu buy season tickets not single games. PITT should be getting good enough to beat those teams anyways. Oh, they did beat psu at home 4 years ago and almost best ND at southbend a couple years ago. But I do get your point Huff the Third. Playing teams like Tennessee Oklahoma State and Wisconsin makes No sense.

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    1. Pitt did just barely beat Penn State at home but lost the other 3 games and one by a blow out at home. Pitt is not in Penn States league or Notre Dames

      Pitt will never be good enough to take a series from those schools under this administration and this coach

      thats opinion and true unless it actually happens and i’m pretty confident it never will

      now if a scholar athlete read what i posted, he might have his feelings hurt. he might go crying back to coach

      i doubt that heather and narduzzi care what i and others say and write. they have me and others placed on ignore

      i suggest players do the same or if they chose to read the ‘bad’ or the truth, they better be able to handle it and not complain otherwise diapers are in order

      Like

      1. Tx on ignore???? I can’t believe anyone would do that. You’re like Howard Stern of the Bloggers. Some tune in to read what you’re saying and some just tune you out. I’m sure many think of me the EXACT same way, except the opposite. If you get what I mean? 🙂

        Like

        1. i find that the truth is often in the middle and the best solutions to problems as well
          i can be a shock jock at times but other than silly nick names, i dont make things up and back things up with facts and evidence
          my perspective on things is ‘right’ since I’m a member of the Vinegar Party. While others are ‘left’ and members of the Koolaid Party.
          We might just need a third party. 🙂

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          1. We are sliding down the slippery slope here. 😁

            As long as all parties are affiliated with Pitt Athletics all good

            All hate speech must be directed at Pitt opponents or grossly underperforming Pitt athletes / coaches / administrators (such as Hackett / Bozik, etc)

            Thank you

            Like

  60. ^^ Should have added ….. Koolaid drinker. I’ve been accused of censoring others, being a Narduzzi lover and on and on. You and I just keep plugging on. So be it. Remember, you can’t keep a good man down.

    Like

  61. French made a huge impact on Pitt Football. Hoping he makes it in the Pros. Did see that a lot of former Pitt guys and WPA guys are playing in the XFL. Kylan Johnson is another guy that will get a shot. Made our defense better this year.

    Like

    1. Kylan (KC to those close to him) Johnson refers to my sister as his Pittsburgh Mom (Actually, due to a proper Southern upbringing, refers to her as Miss Rachelle). So I’m kept in the loop on his goings on. He is working out hard and daily with an agency based in Tampa, Florida. The guy is determined to make it to the league. He takes nutrition, fitness, lifting, etc., very seriously. Hope he makes it.

      Liked by 1 person

  62. The MSU coach search raises the issue of kids signing the LOI and then things fall apart. And, yes, I realize that the kids know that when they sign. But, come on. Do you think that Dantonio was telling them that he was planning to retire/resign? So, they get sucked in and now MSU can’t get anyone to take the job. I think that there should be some sort of “release clause” in the LOI—at least for the kids who just signed and have not even started in the program.

    pmdH2P

    Liked by 1 person

    1. the ‘kid’s parents should band up and hire a law firm to sue the NCAA and the school
      thats the solution
      the ncaa will not change unless legally required
      a savy lawyer can make the case that it limits ones freedom from an economic standpoint
      no jury in America will side with the ncaa

      Liked by 1 person

      1. IMO the MSU admin should step up and tell all the signees that they will be granted a release … but have to meet the new HC first. If after the meeting, they want a release, it should be granted. After all, what’s the use of having players who don’t want to be there

        Liked by 2 people

  63. and now a word from our POV resident, alleged, Kool-aid drinker. Mel Tucker ended up taking the MSU position after he was approached again after turning down their original offer. Do any of you think that MSU didn’t make overtures to Pat Narduzzi? I have no inside info here other than Heather and Narduzzi agreed he should sleep on it. What the heck does that mean and what was there to sleep on?

    Of course MSU is loaded with bad baggage at the moment so it isn’t a shocker Narduzzi said, no thanks and I’m sure that’s what most detractors want to believe. I’ll stick with my gut feeling here and continue to beieve Narduzzi actually likes it at PITT and doesn’t view it as a stepping stone job. Now if Notre Dame would happen to come calling?? Who knows?

    For now, I give Pat a nice slap on the back as he quelled rumors and set PITT fans minds at ease. Well at least some of us are happy. Can’t tell you how many times I’ve read that the team coming back next year may have influenced Narduzzi’s decision? << I don’t find that all that funny?

    Liked by 4 people

  64. Tex, I’m glad my kids didn’t play their sport with you as a fan. You are a athlete parent’s worst nightmare. These are KIDS! I’m sorry, until they are 21 they are kids. Heck, their brain doesn’t finish developing g until they are 25 or 26. Grow up and quit criticizing them. You don’t know what kind of pressures they are under outside of their sport- family issues, health, whatever. Just let it go.

    Liked by 7 people

    1. Some kids may be sensitive to criticism. Yes I agree. But they should know they are public figures getting paid to entertain. And that subjects them to scrutiny. They are adults. They are not kids anymore regardless of brain development. There is a reason why you can drive at 16 and die for your country at 18. You and I will just have to respectfully disagree.

      Like

  65. As far as the student athletes signing a LOI with MSU, they can petition the NCAA for immediate transfer without losing a year of eligibility and it will be granted as that is a condition for immediate transfer under the interpretation of the guidelines. The problem for those kids is that most will not have a landing spot because classes are already full at other institutions. Hence, the reason most just stay. If they do not ask the NCAA for a release without penalty now, they will have another opportunity after the first year with the new coach. The argument is that they tried to honor their commitment and stick it out with the new coach, but it just can’t work. Those kids will be granted permission after the season without penalty.

    The interesting issue coming to a newspaper near you soon is that the NCAA is strongly considering a “One Transfer” rule, without any sitting out period, regardless of personal situation. This is long overdue. One of the problems that is at issue is when are coaches allowed to pursue such athletes and how they can stop the 15 best freshman from different teams to get together and transfer all at once to the same program. Interesting stuff.

    Annie – I appreciate you and typically dig your comments but disagree on the last one, which is okay. It doesn’t make you bad or me bad, we just disagree to an extent. I am fine with the comments about athletes, especially when it comes to social media. The athlete students have training on social media from the time they matriculate to campus through the time they leave. Check with athletics. This education has improved vastly from 10 years ago. Athletes are schooled to know that everything they say and do comes under more scrutiny. That doesn’t mean theirs is a higher standard or a personal responsibility to be better, it just means that they are schooled on how life works for them being an athlete student and what they say and type never leaves them….ever. Just like us, but nobody cares about what we type….generally!

    Blogs and social media give everyone a voice. My particular piece of advice to athlete students that I deal with is to always consider the source of the comment. If the person making a comment has “earned” status with you, then their words should be considered differently than those that are random haters/lovers, etc. If a person has achieved “standing” in your life, listen to them. If they haven’t, well, you are wasting your time. You can’t change people, so get over it. It’s all about standing and that is how I counsel them. This last paragraph is not sent directly to Annie or anyone particularly. I was just on a roll, like right after saying, did we give up when the germans bombed pearl harbor (typically reserved for when we are losing badly to another team).

    Liked by 2 people

    1. I have to ask Huff and beforehand I have to say, I appreciate your comment. My question is and I’m dead serious, is there some kind of hidden meaning behind your Germans bombing Pearl Harbor. Because it’s flying right over my head.

      Like

    2. Huff III

      Thanks for the info about the “escape” clause. I do vaguely recall reading about it before—but, had forgotten. I appreciate the time you took to explain how it works and how it doesn’t work.

      pmdH2P

      Like

    3. Well articulated, Huff. As usual, I would add as well.

      Im OK with other perspectives, but I also think its fine for all of the readers to “self police” one another.
      Some folks just sling crap and its their right t do so.
      But the rest of us can call them on it if we choose.
      That free speech door swings both ways.

      Liked by 5 people

      1. ^^ That’s the truth JoeL. As long as it doesn’t get too personal I’m down with all conversations. Whether it’s me or anyone else, redundancy can bring out some ire in others. I can take criticism and great words of wisdom. “The free speech door swings both ways”

        Liked by 1 person

  66. Krauser couldn’t hold either X or McGowans jock driving to the basket. He had one move… put the ball on your hip and bull forward.

    X and Trey are the best two driving guards Pitt’s ever had. Period. They are far from perfect in other areas.

    Like

    2. danh72: I agree with you on just about everything when it comes to Pitt Basketball. I could not disagree more about your assessment of our two “point guards” If I had a nickel for every time this year one of them drove to the basket and heaved up an off balance prayer, I’d be as wealthy as Dr. Tom. When they have a wide open lane and are one on one with a defender of their own size, they are terrific. But typically a guy who is strong to the basket also has tremendous ball skills. Neither of these guys do. And furthermore, part of the skill of driving to the basket is kicking it outside (or inside) when the defense or movement of your teammates dictates it. X and Trey are bad at that too.

      Liked by 2 people

  67. Huff, my problem with social media is that the poster can hide behind anonymity, and most likely would never say these things to a kid”s face ( or adult whoever). I think that is one of the big reasons for so much hostility these days- nasty tweets, hater comments on blogs, etc. I respect your opinion, and yes, the kids shouldn’t care about things written by people who mean nothing to them, but I still can’t help but think those comments stay in the back of their minds. H2P.

    Liked by 3 people

  68. One more thing, after seeing some of the players at the LOI event and posing for pictures with them, it will be hard for me to yell at them for screwing up on the field. They are now real people to me, not just some picture on the jumbotron.

    Liked by 5 people

  71. I hope these kids know that the vast majority of us fans really admire the years of training, practicing, learning that they have put themselves through to be able to compete on the level that they do. We also appreciate the effort they put out day after day, maybe to hopefully achieve the next level some day, but mainly to give us entertaining and exciting sporting events to enjoy and remember.

    I don’t expect perfection or anything even close to it. The closest to perfection I’ve seen in the last 10 years or so was Zion. And there ain’t many Zions.

    Maybe it’s my untrained eye but I don’t see opposing players doing much better than ours. They have big nights, average nights, below average nights, mental mistakes, inadvertently step out of bounds, miss free throws in the clutch. Seems to me those things happen on both sides. That’s what makes sporting events so unpredictable and exciting.

    I like winning as much as the next fan. But they are games. And I feel fairly confident that these players have already achieved more athletically than most if not all of those posting here. Just my guess. But I also know that every fan base of every team has those who feel the need to criticize their players. I just don’t know why.

    Liked by 7 people

    1. All these scholar athletes are getting paid to perform. Scholarships are contingent year by year. Getting a free ride plus making money on their likeness now does come with responsibility and scrutiny.

      They should not be treated as kids but as adults. Their monetary compensation is more than the average American makes in a year. Just keeping things real.

      College sports is a multi billion dollar business. A business. Let that sink in. These men are part of it. Let’s not lose site of it.

      Liked by 1 person

  72. I can remember the Germans Bombing Pearl Harbor speech being played on the PNC Park scoreboard when the Pirates were behind going into the bottom of the 9th , It was played quite a lot

    Liked by 1 person

    1. LOL, funny stuff…..and yes, it was played way to many times for the largest continual scam in pittsburgh sports, the pirates.

      There is a lot of legislation and litigation currently involving the ncaa and individual institutions that may turn college sports upside down in the next few years. Trying to stay ahead of the game is getting more difficult for administrators. Just another reason why the coaches, player’s, AD’s and administrators are on a money grab now. Crazy!

      Ike – 🙂 also funny. You knew something was awry…..it usually is somewhere in my comments.

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  73. Just so I understand … who is it that is more in need of diapers?

    The kid who makes mistakes on the field of play, gets upset at what he reads on social media, and complains to his coach? Or the grown fan who actually cries on social media about poor performances on the field of play?

    I always thought the reason for holding practices was because none of the players or coaches had yet become experts at their trade. Ergo, mistakes are to be expected, and used as lessons from which to make improvement – i.e. growth. Kinda like actual grown-up life in general.

    But then, I favor the kool-aid, so what could I know?

    Liked by 8 people

  74. So, while we were at the LOI event, they announced that Pat Bostick wasn’t there because his wife was in labor with their second child.

    Here’s what Pat tweeted:

    “Our family was blessed to welcome Rhys Anthony Bostick to the world on Feb. 6, 2020 at 1:36 am. Although he barely missed signing day, his fax finally came in and we couldn’t be more thrilled.
    @Pitt_FB class of 2042!”

    Congrats to Pat and his wife!

    (And Pat, please make sure this kid is out of diapers by the spring game… 😊)

    Go Pitt.

    Like

  76. So I’m wondering who in the world is Mel Tucker, the new Mich State Coach?

    Reading a little, it sounds like an odd hire. He was 5-7 last season at Colorado (Heather would be pummeled…).

    But reading a bit more, Mel has quite a resume. Sounds like a decent hire — and as a bonus, he’s a black man, which I think can be a plus for recruiting…

    Go Pitt.

    Liked by 1 person

  77. Pitt’s Center for Vaccine Research is one of the select ‘elite research facilities’ to receive the coronavirus strain from the CDC for development of a vaccine. Heather is amazing!

    Like

  78. Ike, for the umpteenth time, show me one, a singular legit publication or individual who does a national mag who ranks next years Pitt team in the top 25 or any better than 3 or 4 in the Coastal. Half a team doesn’t cut it. It’s silly to think next years team had a great influence on his decision. More likely the problems at MSU and the baggage they have. His leaving wouldn’t phase me one way or the other. And by the way, I said a long time ago that I thought next years team could be really good, and ?I sincerely hope they prove the pundits wrong.

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