in Pitt Football 998 Words

The Week in Review 7/12/2020

At this point I should probably only be writing about one thing.  And that’s a season preview for the upcoming ACC season which will go ahead as planned.  (haha)

Yes Big 10 and the Pac 12 officially cancelled their non-conference schedules this week, which kicked off rampant speculation that the ACC would do the same.  No news yet though, but we’ll know more in a couple of weeks.

The ACC, of course, has started to clarify some of the more important things…

And if we go to conference only, well there are some openings on the schedule.  Who does Pitt get in the scenario below?  Vandy?  Tennessee a year early?  Heck, can we do with with the Big 12 and get the backyard brawl back ahead of schedule?  (of course the team-to-team math doesn’t work out with a Big-12 scenario)

At the end of the day you still have a pandemic to manage, scheduling aside.

And in this case, discretion is probably the better part of valor, as sad as it makes me to say it.

The Ivy League thinks so.

Looks like junior colleges as well.

Of course, neither Ivies nor Jucos are ruled by the almighty dollar.  Think about this for a second…

The New York Times has the most comprehensive article I could find on the subject.

Meanwhile, some ACC teams are suspected to trying to develop herd immunity

The good news is that (at least at Clemson) the student athletes seem to be a resilient bunch.

So yea, maybe we could get through the entire season with zero complications or mortality.  Maybe.  But if it happens, how many is too many?

Does Urban Meyer think about these things?

Speaking of Pandemics… I think Reed is bored.  Seriously though, check out his new blog, I think the subject matter will be much broader than Pitt football, and judging by the header image (an old-timey picture of a sailor being flogged) it should be a lot of fun too!  I’ll be posting some more details about it soon.  https://reedkohberger.com/

Okay back to Pitt, Meanwhile here are the other Pitt football things that happened this week…

I’ll start with an obligatory Pitt highlight.  But notice Taysir Mack at the end (#11).  Not just the speed, but the hustle.  That’s quality.

I’ll follow it up with a great human interest story about a great player.  Does this mean he’s Japanese?  (I’m joking)

Well at least someone has been sticking to the season preview schedule.  Pitt picked to finish 5th in the Coastal.  Yawn.  FWIW Pitt has finished fifth only once in Pat Narduzzi’s five year tenure, and that was in 2017, i.e. “the year of no quarterback”.  Look it up.

If you aren’t following Dave DiCello on Twitter, you should be.  Click on the tweet and then click on the picture to see the comet.

If you aren’t reading Chris Peak’s 3-2-1 columns on the regular you should be.  Interestingly it’s pretty tough to put together back-to-back 50 sack seasons, pandemic aside.

EJ Borghetti always a consumate Pitt Man… responding to a negative tweet about Pitt here.  Gotta love it.

Speaking of “The year of No Quarterback”.  This is what happened the following year when Pitt (improbably) won the Coastal.

If you haven’t been following recruting, Pitt DE commit Trevion Stevenson has been getting a LOT of offers.  He’s up to 41 as of today (UGA offered him just today and Florida offered him earlier this week.).  And he’s getting just as much press for his steadfast commitment to Pitt.  Gotta love that as well.

Adding this because I know you all know what I’m talking about…

Pitt O-Line getting some love.  Wish they’d say that ’bout one of our tackles.

…Sigh…

This isn’t technically Pitt related but I thought I’d throw it in there.  Does it mean that his primary receiver is just always open?  I’m thinking it’s more of just he is good at finding the #2 or #3 option open downfield.  …sigh…

Atlanta Falcon Qadree Ollison throwing some shade on UGA

Swinging things back to COVID….Paul Zeise always on top of things

If we have a basketball season…this graph suggests we are hosed

Kenny Pickett ranked #8 in the ACC behind Clemson transfer (to Duke) Chase Brice.

In recruiting news…just being in a tweet with these guys is kind of a moral victory, but you’d like to see Narduzzi close the deal.  Who was the last Gateway player to commit to Pitt?  Cam Saddler?  Shayne Hale?

Not sure where they got the data for this chart…

and there are lots of things I could close with, but I’ll close with this.  Pitt scored not one, not two, but three players of the decade in the NFL.  That’s nearly 10% of teams, out of just one school.  Now if only they’d all played at the same time…

Hail to Pitt

Michaelangelo Monteleone

181 thoughts on “The Week in Review 7/12/2020”

  1. Wow, MM, that’s quite a review. The comment about UNC players taking “tests” is brilliant. And hats off to EJ.

    This is the time of year for getting excited about fall camp, but my tank is empty for “this season.”… Going to take a break – (plus I think my brain has ODed on Texas Panther posts… 😊).

    Go Pitt.

    Liked by 4 people

  2. Maestro, I guess you broke through the writers block…dude, you were seriously backed up!

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  5. If the ACC and SEC want to play 9 games …. with 14 teams each, they don’t have to go out of conference. In fact, if the ACC to is help ND as per Swofford’s post, the 8 teams not playing the Irish can play the extra game.

    Yes, that would make 8 teams with 9 conf games and 6 with 8 …. but who cares this season? It has already been compromised.

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    1. The way things are looking if the ACC gets any games in at all … and everyone stays safe … that would be a huge win

      Liked by 2 people

  8. From Nicole Auerbach on The Athletic:

    Time is no longer on anyone’s side. The series of dominoes that have fallen so far leave the college sports system as a whole in a perilous position. As one Power 5 AD said, “It feels like we’re just postponing the inevitable.”

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    1. How can you open schools or start a season if your cases and hospitalizations are not on a sustained downward trend?

      That’s why we’re in this mess. Texas opened when the curve was flat. They needed to open after at least 14 days of decline. They opened too early, too much and ramped up too quick. It’s bad here and Florida is even worse.

      If anyone believes it’s a hoax or conspiracy, visit a Houston hospital.

      Opening schools is a real big mistake if the virus isn’t near the bottom of the curve.

      Liked by 2 people

      1. Recent outbreaks are in border states. 5 families living together in a shack are spreading this although nobody has the nuts to say it.

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            1. TF, I think in some ways your original comment was not off base. If you look at demographic data, it’s well documented that both Blacks and Hispanics have higher rates of infection. That could be due to more crowded living conditions. It could also be due to less education and other socioeconomic factors such as working in higher risk industries like meatpacking, or simply having no choice but to work because they need the money to make rent, pay bills, etc. That, sadly, is the reality of the lower socioeconomic classes in the US, regardless of race, creed or color. And it’s not a problem we are going to solve here.

              Where you were off base is your comment about border states.

              Here are the top 20 states with the highest transmission rates.

              (#1 is the state where 1 person infects the most people, in other words the state where the population is being the least responsible about containing the spread)

              1 – MT
              2 – AK
              3 – WV
              4 – ND
              5 – IN
              6 – ID
              7 – IA
              8 – WI
              9 – HI
              10- MN
              11 – WY
              12 – OK
              13 – KY
              14 – KS
              15 – WA
              16 – LA
              17 – AR
              18 – VA
              19 – CO
              20 – IL

              Sorry, but unless there are a bunch of Canadians living five to a room up in Montana, Alaska, and North Dakota, your “border states” theory is inaccurate.

              Also here are the state by state growth curves for the top 6…in case you want to talk about “Statistics and damn lies” 😉

              Indiana is a bit flatter then I thought it would be, but the rest are hockey sticks.

              Source for Transmission rate data: https://rt.live/

              Here is the measurement used:

              “Rt is the average number of people who become infected by an infectious person. If it’s above 1.0, COVID-19 will spread quickly. If it’s below 1.0, infections will slow.”

              Liked by 2 people

            1. Those nyt maps are from April 1 with data taken before April 1. Hardly what I would call up to data information.

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          3. Funny:
            You would not make a comment about anyone else or you would get doxed and be fighting for your job,.
            N.B I liked the co0mment
            KMAN

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      2. Tex, the virus news on the media will die after Election Day …. you and the healthy young people a virtually no significant chance of dying with the Wuhan virus… and ole bastad like myself with diabetes, hypertension, obesity and a wife always ordering me to do stuff has a much higher chance of croaking from this disease- take precautions and keep living you life… wash your hands- don’t your face- it’s going to be alright….

        BigB who can’t wait to have a Ms Lisa pepperoni roll in Red5A!!!

        Liked by 2 people

        1. Stay safe my friend. Texas is a hockey stick with hospitalizations. You don’t want to come here. Governor is gonna completely shut down the state by weekend. Yes, it’s that bad. He unfortunately needs to live with his unwise initial decision and mistakes. Hopefully I’ll be back for the Domer game in October. I need to see parents so football game or not I’ll be back. Plus I’ll get to see some old Indiana County boys who like to shoot guns, hunt, fish, drink and drink, and cause trouble. I did say drink didn’t I?

          Tex a proud redneck. Btw – the mullet is gone. Too damn hot in Texas right now. I became my own barber last night after two glasses of bourbon.

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  9. Reed, saw your new blog…word from JeanieB-“Ask Reed to finish that novel! I have been waiting 4 years to read it!”

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  11. Update: The Mr Rogers statue of him sitting on a park bench remains wholly intact.

    ike who’s getting tired of baloney sandwiches and could use some of that great NC crab.

    Liked by 1 person

      1. That’s why I’m down here in the park guarding his statue. There may be some extremists out there that do not agree with his virtues. I swear he winked at me the other day while I was eating my baloney sandwich. No worries, I got Fred’s back even if I have to temporarily haul his statue back to my house for safety. 🙂

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    2. That’s why I was sure to include the word “temporarily” I’m just protecting Fred’s head if necessary, let’s just hope it doesn’t come to that. Plus it would make a great yard ornament. On the other hand, there has been no signs of a riot in Latrobe up to this point. (there’s a very good reason for that if you know what I mean) 😉 Knock on wood three times.

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    3. Coming your way next week iek…BigB will be “ comin’ ‘round the mountain.” In fact my son Ben just put a couple of crab pots off our pier baited with wahoo pieces left over from our packing …. Nothing goes to waste…..these days it’s a good idea to be able to live off the land…

      BigB who’s glad his Dad taught him to grow a garden, catch a fish and shoot straight!

      Liked by 1 person

      2. You drop off some crap in Latrobe and I’ll repay you handsomely like you are and a delivery fee as well!! It would be great to see you.

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          2. You need to come to me Ike for crap. Plenty of longhorns where I live. I make a good cow pattie.

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  12. Even if the players who tested positive didn’t require hospitalization, they can still spread the virus to coaches and older susceptible staff who support the program in some way

    And some recent studies suggest that mild cases which is what these players got provide limited immunity which means they can catch the virus again and spread it. Not enough antigens in mild cases. That’s why a vaccine is so critical.

    Like public schools when they reopen – schools open, kids get sick, virus spread to teachers, teachers get hospitalized, teachers die, schools close until fall 2021. Easy to see how this will play out.

    And not sure what point Zeise is trying to make. Yes Stanford got a $32 million check from the conference. It cut 11 programs of its 36. It’s doing this since it will have reduced revenues this Fall and higher expenses for Covid.

    Pitt has 19 programs and gets a check from the ACC of about $30 million. 80 percent is derived from tv contracts and bowls. 20 percent from basketball tv monies. Pitt is also in the same boat but with a much higher subsidy for sports. Pitt is going to have to cut more than Stanford. Simple economics.

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  13. Maestro – thanks for this. Love the recap posts. You have a wider net on Twitter than I do and I always enjoy seeing these things.

    Taysir Mack = NFL level talent. Guy makes tough catches in traffic.

    Dave CiCello tweet – folks, you have to not only click on the tweet above, but then click on the phot in the tweet to see the whol;e shot, including the comet. At least, I had to. He takes outstanding pictures of the Pittsburgh area.

    EJ – love his positivity. He’s a great representative of the university.

    Liked by 2 people

    1. I’d take EJ and a good staff over Heather and hers in a Texas minute at a gentleman’s club.

      Tex

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  14. ike, I hope you slapped some hot mustard on that baloney sandwich, and washed it down with some Arnold Palmer iced tea!

    This whole football COVID-19 scheduling issue has me totally annoyed. Everyone thinks they must be politically correct and cancel games just to show they are taking COVID seriously. Why must they cancel non-conference games and leave those weaker conferences hanging? If Pitt and Miami (Ohio) decide they want to play, why don’t they? If fewer games is safer then political correctness will inevitably lead to no games being played at all.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. This has nothing to do with political correctness. It has everything to do based on economics and everyone’s health.

      These non con games don’t mean anything for the division race. They don’t count. Boo who that these schools aren’t collecting a huge check or don’t have the chance to pull off an upset on the national stage.

      Pitt gains nothing by playing Miami Ohio. Nothing.

      No way colleges are starting around Labor Day since many areas will still be hot with the virus. You open when the curve is NOT near bottom, you’ll have a recipe for death. When coaches and teachers begin to die, it’s game over.

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      1. the one thing to gain this year is an opportunity to win 10 games for only the 2nd time since ’82. But still no guarantee

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  15. BTW Michaelangelo, very impressed with your effort put forward with this article. Great job! ….. and thank You..

    ike who looks for the good not the bad in life!

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  16. Ike – thanks for guarding Fred. Keep up the good work.

    I will send some rocky mountain oysters (the original sack lunch) to replace the baloney sandwiches.

    Liked by 1 person

  17. Washington Redskins changing their name. I offer up the new name. The Washington RedHeads. Just exchange Alfred E Neuman for the Indian on the helmet.

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  18. Patriot league cancelling all fall sports. The mini domino’s with little to no TV money cave in first. What Power 5 league will cancel their fall sports first?

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  19. Penguins 1st day of training camp today but 9 players voluntarily sat out due to secondary exposure. They were exposed to a person who was exposed.

    Fact is that CoronaVirus is climbing in 2/3 of the US … (or maybe it isn’t fact). What I do know is that I am much less certain of a football season than I was just 3 weeks ago

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  22. Derick Davis puts PITT in his final top 7. How gratuitous is that? Sorry the young man feels like he should include PITT even though PITT is not in any serious consideration. I truly hope he goes somewhere that he can be happy and plays the ball that he loves.

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  23. John McGonigal@jmcgonigal9·
    2h
    Pitt will honor all scholarships for any athletes who elect not to play in 2020-21 due to concerns caused by COVID-19, according to a team spokesperson.

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  24. Heard this today. The redskins could rename the team the redskin potatoes. I would add that they should retire the cheer ”go skins” and replace it with “go spuds!” Just reread my comment. Apparently just thinking about covid19 is impacting my brain. H2P Soccer Gramps

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  25. Prayers for rkb for sure!

    And now a deep philosophical question to ponder….

    If the Joe Paterno statue was still on display in Happy Valley, would it have gotten defaced???

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    1. I would like to think it would have gotten hosed down since the filth and stench of paternos coverup and denial was criminal deserving a special seat in Hell at Satan’s table for pedophile protectors.

      Tex always telling it as I see it

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    2. Yes Mark, the paterno statue would have been defaced. Some idiot wearing blue and white would have snuck up in the middle of the night and add a halo on the top of poopy pants head.

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        1. Well he just bought a mls team. Money that could have paid for a MPC. He’s no better than Cuban. Cuban is all hat, no cattle.

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      2. Excellent scholarships for sports and entertainment majors… I could hear myself as a little kid saying” daddy I want to get into sports and entertainment when I grow up to be a man – will you give me money to go to school?“ I can hear my dad’s response and cannot post it as it is against our POV rules!

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    2. Wwb- This appears to be a bing search that includes a collection of David Tepper stories. Any one in particular stand out?

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  30. It’s interesting how little say the actual players have regarding the cancellation of the sport they dedicated their lives to. Tex, they should play the OOC schedule because the players like playing football and want to play. Any athlete will tell you they put up with the off season work because they live for the games. If players are willing to isolate and then quarantine if they test positive, then the colleges should play the games with whoever is healthy and wants to play.

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    1. It comes down to logistics and readiness. No region will be ready come Labor Day. So this buys schools another month. And it’s wise to limit travel. A shortened season is best. I’m just glad the domers were part of the ooc. I don’t think the players care too much about foregoing Miami Ohio and Marshall. But I get what you’re saying. They need to be reminded their health and more importantly their teachers and coaches health is more important.

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      1. VoR, Tex, I think you’re missing the main reason for P5 schools canceling the OOC. Yes, the less games, the less chance of spreading the virus. BUT OF COURSE, the main reason for canceling the OOC is strictly FINANCIAL.

        Auburn was going to pay UMass $1.9M for their OOC sacrifice this September. Yes, it seems a lot (and it is) … but if they get only 80k attendance (capacity is 87+), it very quite profitable. A conservative estimate is the average ticket price for an AU is $50 (likely much more.) But even at the price with 80k attendance, the gate is $4M. And off course, with no fans, there is no gate.

        Now the payout above was the largest for this season according to ESPNU, but you get the drift. P5 schools with good attendance make large profits from the gate. Sadly, the sacrificial OOC teams depend on these games even more than the P5 schools. That $1.9M was going to be nearly 20% of its FB budget (approx $10M) …. again, per ESPNU.

        Liked by 1 person

        1. and of course, this is why schools like Pitt have a much lower budget …. not only are B1G and SEC schools getting big $$$ from ESPN, etc, many of them make $$$ from their attendance as well as concessions, etc

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          1. The games where there is no reciprocation or home and home are the paid games. I think Pitt had one this coming season. Payout around one million. So I get the financials. And Pitt isn’t hurt nearly as much without fans in the seats. Their ACC check comprises over a third of their revenues. At big state schools and the elites, they are far more dependent on game day revenues. Fsu’s conference check is more like only 20 percent of their budget. You’ll always see them play 7 home games like the Nitters. They need fans in the stands.

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  34. This is one nasty virus. But many euro nations have it contained. The US is still not following Europe’s lead.

    It ceases to become a hoax when someone you know is stricken with it and requires hospitalization. At some point we need more than just thoughts and prayers.

    We need a united country to fight this virus but I’m afraid the well is already too poisoned.

    Tex wearing a mask and staying away from young people

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  35. Man, I hope Russ makes it so he can continue to tell me how wrong I am about so many things.
    He is a good man and a true Pitt Fan. However, I will continue to”scream” about Covid in hopes to get people to take it seriously, and no Big B it will not disappear in November like a miracle.

    rkb
    May 26, 2020 at 8:39 pm
    Ike: it does not surprise me that Gordon likes closing streets for breezy sidewalk cafes, bike lanes etc. His political views are as clear as the nose on my face. Let me fill milenials social and economic justice warriors and others of like mindset on two things 1) These issues are political and have no place on here like Gordon’s obsessive screaming about the corona virus though at least this article opens that up and 2) several years ago the Mayor did a survey of usage of bike lanes. He shut it down after 45 minutes as only 3 bicyclists used the whole lane they shut down for people like Gordon on Forbes Avenue while bumper to bumper traffic existed in the vehicle lanes tying traffic for blocks and blocks making people late for work, court etc but Gordon felt good as his ilk no what is best for all of us. For some reason when I was in town last week not one of the rent a bikes was being used.. Gordon clearly doesn’t have to go downtown. Get a grip Gordon, this is not Europe (thank god) or authoritarian China where they love bikes and closed narrow streets, And what this has to do with open or not is beyond my pea sized brain.
    As to the thought expressed once on this site that seniors like myself should not be able to attend games I would note this would be Unconstitutional Age Discrimination. The SCOTUS recently ruled that “Hey Boomer” was evidence of age discrimination. I am 65 YOA, had flu and penmonia simultaneously last year during a 5 day trial, 6 months later I had esophaglatitus (spelling? I don’t have the iek spelling app yet), it is a serious bacterial infection of the esophagus leading to a week in the hospital, and now cancer. I have bought and paid for my tickets. The choice of whether to attend or not is mine. I will pay attention to policies in place at the stadium, whether they are enforced and my then present condition relative to my immune system versus the risk which includes my health, the weather on the date of the game, the opponent etc. I can weigh those and decide whether to attend. I can then give away or sell MY tickets. I will not be ruled by the nervous nellies who wish to dictate all our decisions. I personally believe between our governor and his directors and the Pitt admin they lean strongly to no fans at this point.. Aside- Governor Wolfe you stated that fans would not attend Steeler games unless they (you) felt safe ie and that would not be until there was a vaccination. The 1917-18 Spanish flu never had a vaccine and life went back to the way it was. Bring on the football, we are adults and can decide based on the factors as partialy listed above.

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    1. He lived by the sword and may very well die from it. It’s a choice he made. I choose to respect science and do my small part even if my freedoms are restricted. I do wish him a strong recovery and no long term health complications. He was not my biggest fan either but then again my fans are locked up in my mind anyway.

      Tex who says listen to the WHO and CDC

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  36. Russ posted that it was the Judge who didn’t require masks in her courtroom.
    It is the people who think they are smarter than the health care professionals
    that have made the US response to the virus the most ineffective in the world,
    besides Brazil.

    Liked by 1 person

  37. Based on these figures, there are only 22 coaches who make more than Narduzzi. Article has him at $3 million but Pitt disclosed $4 million. I don’t think pitt has placed in the top 25 since Wanny. And Wanny did it for just over $1 million. Time to start cutting his salary given performance and covid. How can you have meatballs make five times more than atom counter. Pitts priorities are screwed. Shows me they don’t even follow their own mission statement. Pitt needs to value education far more and show it with the money.

    https://www.boydsbets.com/highest-paid-college-football-coaches/

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    1. c’mon … this guide is obviously way off since it undercuts Duzz salary by $1M. And once again, Brian Kelly at only $2.1M …. REALLY? I posted an article that listed his salary at $5M … which certainly seems more realistic.

      I’m pretty darn sure that Gallagher, Heather, Duzz and agent have much more accurate data about the going rates than anything we read about

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    2. IMO, these Div 1 coaches all make tooooo much money…..if we could only take it back to college FB and let the NFL do the “minor league thing”- well, I can always go to Army or Navy games to watch student athletes compete and in this politically charged/social upheaval climate that might not be a bad idea…

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  38. I had a minor run-in with Russ years ago but deep down he’s a good man. Now is the time to say a prayer for Russ and think good thoughts. He’s had many health issues lately as I have and sure didn’t need this. Hang in there buddy, lots of people pulling for you…….. ike

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    1. I’ll stay positive for 7 days. Nobody deserves the covid. But sometimes you reap what you sow. My empathy only extends so far.

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  40. It ain’t the masks. READ the CDC website, not what the talking heads say in snippets. Go to the site and read. Facial coverings “MAY” help mitigate and “COULD” help. If you actually read the research attached to the CDC sites, the medical research is not supportive of masks. “MAY” is not science. May = meteorology. It may rain. It may not. Take an umbrella. Please stop reading into words to support theories and politics. Masks do not stop the spread. They don’t. If they did, you wouldn’t see the spread now. Most everyone has been requiring masks for weeks, yet the numbers increase. Step back from the hype and read.

    Of the 15 research articles on cdc, at least 10 conclude that masks don’t prevent the spread. READ all of the research. It’s typically boring and you often need a thesaurus. Russ did the right things according to the best science.

RKB is my boyeee! He is a fighter and my thoughts and prayers are with him daily. He is at higher risk for sure due to comorbitities, but he knew the risks whether he wore a mask or didn’t. I don’t wear one and travel alot. I interact alot with exposed people daily. I have multiple letters from the department of health indicating i have been exposed. My brother got it and he wore a mask religiously, even driving (which is even more hysterical). He now laughs and says how stupid he has been. He didn’t read with independence.

You ever watch all the people touching and adjusting their masks? The fingers easily transfer the c19 to a mask because of the moisture in the cloth. Ever sweat in a mask? The aerosol droplets attach to moist areas.

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/diy-cloth-face-coverings.html

Ike – i like you posting music. My point was that if everybody drank the koolaid, we would all say the same thing and just listen to music. Pitt sports excellence and covid – where group bullying mentality rules if you think differently.

I may get c19 and die. I am ready for that spiritually, but I won’t let the media tell me what they think and take that as gospel, because it isnt. I read research on my own (not just US based).This man made mutation is weakening as it fights to get back to its original strain, hence, less mortality…unless you have a comprised immune system. I continue to take a break. Only here to support my boyeeee rkb as he battles.

$4M for Narduzzi. 2nd highest paid in the ACC. Mediocre results. Pitt sports and Pirates baseball pulling the wool over people in pittsburgh for 40 years. That is you reap what you sow.

    Tex i may have read your note or interpreted it incorrectly but you can’t blame anyone for getting c19 or not. When you back it up with evidence that people who wear masks are immune from getting it, let me know. I 100% know that would be inaccurate.Next, it will be his fault for getting cancer. Society concludes first and then tries to find evidence to support the conclusion. It happened with CDC and WHO. That is why they changed their website information.

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      1. Exactly. Masks aren’t perfect. In fact the common mask is only 60 percent effective if used properly. But they do help.

        What doesn’t help is people huddled stagnantly closely together indoors for hours without masks. You and I will have to disagree on this one Huff.

        I’ll continue wearing one and I feel it’s a very small price of my freedom being restricted. It’s my moral obligation. Those that don’t wear them are approached by me and I get in their face. But here in Texas everyone has to wear one now. Can’t get into a business without one.

        You want to know how to open safely and effectively, look at Europe. Don’t look to Texas. We are a complete mess like Florida. You know those states that believed it as a hoax, part of some deep state conspiracy, thought they were smarter than the health experts.

        And many on here continue to buy into the garbage fed your way. I have no sympathies for you. You have no right to infect me. You infectors and ignoramuses deserve my wrath.

        Texas is finally beginning to understand that masks and social distancing are prudent but not perfect practices to control the spread. Two months too late though. This republic is screwed. Visit a Houston hospital. Don’t rely on the media. Don’t trust your politicians. See with your own eyes. I have.

        Again I have no sympathies for anyone who catches the covid and denied the guidelines and evolving science.

        No football or school until a effective and widely administered vaccine. Otherwise you’re a friend of the reaper. You open schools, prepare for Armageddon. It just can’t be done until the virus level has bottomed. It will never bottom in the States. We are a country divided.

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    2. Right Huff the Third, masks alone won’t do the trick. Masks combined with social distancing and most importantly common sense is our friends now. About the music video’s, I’m just jerking you around a bit. It’s what I do and no bullying here. I’ll defend everything you post and think but reserve the right to disagree in the most pleasant way I can depending on how strongly I feel about the subject. God didn’t give me a governor on my brain, mouth and/or in this case fingers. I am who I am…..

      Good Luck Russ! Get Well Get Well Get Well!

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  41. masks? Again I have to look at the 2 big cities in PA. Philly has had substantial more cases than Pgh until 2 weeks ago or so. Now Pgh has outcased Philly. Both had many protests. Pgh bars opened up a month ago. Philly bars have yet to open since early March.

    In Cranberry where I live, positive cases have risen from 36 to 90 in the past 3 weeks. Parking lots at the Sports Grille and North Park Lounge, etc were filled. In Mars where I golf and see many uncovered people in the bars still …. it has gone up from 9 to 34. The reason …. the green phase happened for the past month and bars/patrons not adhering to guidelines. (yes I’m sure other businesses have contributed …. but the young people who are making up the large % of new cases packed the bars without masks)

    Liked by 1 person

  42. I understand the Penguins, you know the real birds, the ones down at the zoo, are holding a protest and won’t come out of their habitat as the Sphenisciformes family feels like they are being exploited. You don’t want to mess with the Sphenisciformes family. I guess they are all up in flippers and want a name change by the Pittsburgh Penguins!

    Like

  43. I read where police broke up over 160 parties in Miami over the holiday weekend. One was as big as 250 people, mostly young people jammed together without masks. Fast forward to now and you can see why there is a surge of cases in Florida at this point. In some places, kids are having COVID parties where they intentionally mix with known positive cases. Young people cannot be controlled, and there is a price to pay in the form of many new cases, additional deaths and less important things like cancelled sports.

    Like

    1. Again, everyone under 30 needs to be shipped to Antarctica. Covid would bottom out after two months. They can go study penguins until allowed back.

      Tex who’s not kidding.

      Liked by 2 people

  44. Question: Isn’t the moniker “Fighting Irish” a derogatory racial slur? mmmm? But the Irish wear it as a badge of honor. I hope we all realize the bombs and strife that have haunted that region for years. But calling yourself a brave of chief is slanderous somehow. This country is F’ed up.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iek, for the die-hard Redskin fan(and there are soooo many… they’re Fedex’d up…. Hail to the Redskins, Blackhawkz, Fighting Sioux, Seminoles/Criminoles, Braves, Orangemen ( now who new that was a racial slur towards the natives)Tedman Chewing Tobago and the Indians….. it’s hard to play Cowboys and Indians with only one team… after all we were the kids who played with toy guns( no orange barrel tip required)

      Russ( rkb) praying for you brother- you are Pittsburgh tuff… get well soon..

      BigB… “Every minute of Every Day Matters.”

      Liked by 1 person

    2. The Irish are a people. Just like the fighting Scots. Nothing wrong.

      Redskins obviously wrong. Just like black skins or white skins. Redmen also bad hence St. John’s changing years ago.

      Seminoles. Honors a tribe. FSU also got permission from the nation and I think pay them for use of the name

      Nobody is called Indians anymore. I guess because too many people think of them as savages and on the losing side of the battles with the army and ‘cowboys’.

      Orangemen was changed because there are also orange women that play sports at cuse.

      Best always to use an animal as a name or mascot

      But sometimes it gets ridiculous by the fringe of society. Will there be backlash on the Steelers since steel companies make steel used for guns and guns and bad people don’t mix. Or will the pirates be targeted because pirates of lore liked to plunder and rape and held people captive. Hopefully the penguins are safe but I’ve seen penguins in blackface so you never know.

      Liked by 1 person

  45. Masks are not 100% effective, neither are condoms but they do reduce the spread. They are just one tool in the toolbox. By themselves they aren’t enough to stop this thing.

    Unfortunately the only thing that really works is a stay at home order. That is why New York is in much better shape now than they were in April. Unfortunately in Texas and Florida we are going to learn what happens when you don’t lock down. They prefer the Brazilian model.

    Unfortunately too many Americans are lazy and impatient and want immediate results. Not a good thing when dealing with a pandemic. Some are just stupid and think it is a hoax. Hard to believe at this point.

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  48. Gordon, I didn’t realize that condoms were effective against the coronavirus! 🙂 But I guess some of these pin headed millennials could fit their heads inside one. The dimwitted, mush brained young people today might as well wear the face masks on their “male organs” to at least get some use out of them!

    Like

  49. You all ever see someone wearing a mask while driving with no one else in the car?

    That’s like laying in bed alone with a condom on.

    Liked by 5 people

    2. It’s like wearing a tie and suit jacket on a ride on the turnpike from Philly to Pittsburgh.

      Like

    1. Covid is like a stranger, respect it or it may kill you. These aren’t profound words but the truth. Knock it of and put a mask on and keep your distance. It’s a real thing..

      Like

  52. Americans had to be forced to wear seatbelts by penalty of law. You still see signs reinforcing it.
    Are they 100% effective? Do they sometimes cause injury?

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  53. Florida Dept of Health noticing discrepancies in reporting of positive cases in Orlando area…98% reported turns out to be 9.4% confirmed. Be careful with data. Dont assume it’s always correct.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. It’s always got to pass the sniff test. 98% positive is so far out of whack vs everything else

      Like

    1. It’s tough to social distance and have enough Ppe and sanitation. All this will cost money. I can’t see how schools can be safe if capacity is more than 30 percent. Hallways, locker rooms, bathrooms. Impossible not to brush someone.

      Although science evolves and data changes, the elementary kids don’t seem to catch and spread. But once you hit puberty, it’s a different story. High schools would be a breeding ground.

      Not sure how teachers can teach in class and teach online. Are we doubling their pay?

      No federal monies are being channeled to schools to ensure safety. This has disaster written all over it.

      This experiment will end 4 weeks after it begins with outbreaks and deaths

      Tex

      Like

  55. I say pay teachers in proportion to what they work…get those kids in school !!! That includes my grandbabies…You need a break from Texas-get back to the pine wood of Indiana Co….you sound like you are in full panic mode…

    Like

    1. Pine wood and maples. I have a fondness for blue spruce as a Christmas tree. We’ve got oaks and mesquite here. I actually have a pecan tree in my yard

      In Texas they are offering in class or online. But not both. And if online, no band or sports or clubs which I think is plain wrong. There lies the mistake. I figure over 70 percent will opt for in class. You can’t social distance at that capacity. Teachers are stressed enough as is with having to teach both in class and online, with gun violence and now covid. Every teacher deserves hazard pay. That’s double time.

      That money needs to come from the federal government. The localities and states are all tapped out.

      This will end badly. Teacher unions won’t put up with this. There will be strikes and walkouts and death threats to school board members. Teachers will get sick and die. School completely shuts down until fall 2021.

      Quality of education will be cheapened and less effective to some degree. But what’s the alternative.

      Tex who misses stream fishing, small game hunting and rhubarb.

      Like

  56. There are about a dozen or so countries that have already opened their schools. Based on science and their.results, the actual risk involved should be assessed.
    Sorry, I sound like yoda.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. They open when they are near the bottom of the curve. And basically they are following cdc guidelines. We’ll see if they can stay open as well come the second wave and flu season.

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  57. Stay at home orders would eliminate the need for condoms, true. The population would decrease dramatically in every state…..except WV.

    I don’t think the virus is a hoax. It is real. The problem is that the science doesn’t support what people are being told to do to eliminate it. Query: Will you put a vaccine in your body when they tell you that there is no idea what the 5 year implications/side effects are to your body? HPV vaccine comes to mind as docs told us it prevents cervical cancer, but also MAY make you sterile, etc…..Many docs forgot to tell people up front of after effects, other than say “if it was my son or daughter, I would get it. Would you make that decision for your kid when they are 11? I don’t like to play God, except on here.

    Again, post articles all you want making claims….or, read the actual studies. MAY, is not science.

    I’ll go one step further.The size of the actual virus is smaller than the micro holes in cloth masks, so penetration still occurs at worst. At best, the virus attaches to your mask and when you touch it with your hands, you become the transfer agent to yourself and to others. That is science. The community agrees on the size of the composition.

    That is why calling out others is wrong and shameful in my opinion. It’s the bully mentality. Ask my brother. He wore his mask religiously, even driving by himself. He got the covid. Fortunately, he had no comorbitities and is now fine. He was a shut-in except to go grocery shopping. He is 64 and fully retired. He now won’t wear it because he said he did all the right things everyday and still got it. I reminded him that the SCIENCE still isnt sure if he can get it again. He now believes they have no clue. I responded that this whole thing is like entering the library on your second role of the dice and proclaiming it was colonel Mustard, in the library with the candlestick. It very well MAY be colonel mustard, but the chances of getting it right, out of the gate are just minimal. It’s evolving, so let’s see where we end up instead of making wild predictions of who is right and who is wrong. The science may be changing on whether you can catch the covid from surfaces. Well, is that true or false? Cmon docs, put your money where your mouth is? How can you be definitive one week and the next week say, ummm, maybe?

    Problem with blogs is that everyone just wants to be right instead of sticking to facts (narduzzi is the greatest, super recruiter, yadda yadda, heather is awesome, yadda yadda). Both of those points are spot on, if you ask heather and narduzzi. They’ll tell you how great they are and heather will pay narduzzi accordingly). I digress.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Huff,
      I listen to scientists and health experts. They all seem to be in agreement that although masks aren’t perfect, they do help.

      I’m sure much depends on the mask material, effective use, etc

      I’ll continue wearing one but won’t fall into the trap of feeling too secure

      And I won’t be first in line to get a vaccine. Most likely what gets initially distributed won’t be properly safety vetted, won’t be all that effective and could actually do more harm than good. I don’t trust any American company producing it because they are solely focused on profit and will bow to political pressure and intimidation.

      Sometimes I wish this was all a bad dream. But it is a living nightmare far worse than 13-9 for the Hoopies.

      Like

      1. Well said, Tex. Echoes my thoughts.

        Listen to the mmedical experts – infectious disease doctors, immunologists and virologists. Ignore the media reporting and the politiicans.

        I absolutely hate wearing a mask. Sat in a Catholic funeral mass yesterday with one on and between that and an overdose of the incense I thought I was going to lose my mind. Two hours at a funeral home the night before. It sucks. But I do it because Im trying to follow advice from people who know more than me about it.

        Huff – you must have experience crafting legislative spending bills – placing that Pitt hyperbole at the end is the essense of pork barrel.

        Like

  58. You’re last paragraph Huff the Third is where I have a problem… I have never said or read where anyone on the POV have proclaimed that Heather or Narduzzi are doing “Great” Many say that they are doing better than other detractors that don’t like them say. There is a BIG difference here. As far as I know…………. no one has crowned their asses but are sick and tired of the constant bombardment without warrant. There are no facts of failure concerning Heather and HCPN. Stick to the facts.

    Like

    1. Ike – I mention the facts

      Narduzzis mediocre record
      Bad bowl record
      Poor recruiting based on stars and sending players to pros
      Saragin and rpi rankings
      Stupid probation

      I also see the good side with clean program, grad rates, gpa’s and saving kittens

      Heather has a real bad score card. No change in gifting rates. Scaled back and misprioritized Victory Heights. Track still without a track. Poor financials and continued budget deficits. No growth in new fans. Poor ticket sales and decline in season ticket holders. Yellow seat issue. Fantas. Lying about attendance. No feasibility study. No transparency. Last in directors cup. Getting owned by Stallings in the buyout. Probation under her watch. Bad ooc scheduling.

      I can go on. She gets an F

      Narduzzi at least passes my class because he studies hard but he’s not naturally gifted.

      Like

      1. 75% of what you just wrote there Tex is not true and and the other 25% is fudged.

        Want me to tell how wrong you are?

        She doesn’t save kittens
        She has no control of the color of the seats
        How is she mismanaging something she implemented?
        Finical mismanagement?
        Fantas? that’s an old and silly thought to linger so long on.
        Heather didn’t invent poor ticket sales. You don’t go to games yourself
        Stallings was not her baby, she got rid of him.
        Transparency… that’s not her call.

        etc etc etc……

        Like

        1. Kittens is a play on touting community service projects since on field performance is so bad. It’s a distraction

          She can get fans more interested in attending games. She can tarp those hideous yellow seats. Advertising, PR are functions under her control.

          Pitt is one of the most highly subsidized P5 programs out there. It borrows from the academic general fund every year to stay afloat and balance the books. Pitt has a revenue program and spends like a drunken sailor looking for cheap whiskey and a whore.

          National media mocked pitt for free sodas. It hurt Pitts brand irreparably. Mocked for sleeping fans.

          Heather controls the marketing and it’s her department responsible for season ticket holders

          Heather paid nearly all the buyout money Stallings had coming. She needed better lawyers

          Transparency is her call. She’s disingenuous at best during those town hall meetings. Everything is scripted with a canned bs answer.

          Like

          1. Tex, I think your opinion is a-skewed when it comes to Heather but on the other hand my opinion is a-skewed when it comes to your opinion on Heather and we can go on and on and on all day back and forth. Your data is not backed up by facts, it’s all your opinions and prejudice. My fact is this. You didn’t like her before her first day on the job. Same as some others. She ain’t your gal like Narduzzi ain’t your guy. Time to get over it and become a Longhorn fan. Probability is that ( knowing you) they will frustrate you every bit as much as PITT football has. Hook em Horns.

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  59. Huff, even when a successful vaccine is developed, MAY is still the operative word. No vaccine / flue shot is 100% guaranteed.

    “The problem with the world is that the intelligent people are full of doubts while the stupid ones are full of confidence” — Charles Bukowski

    Liked by 1 person

  61. Haven’t heard anything on Russ, Biggie.

    Is JeanieB coming down round the mountain with you? Angie is going to our oldest grand-daughters birthday party but may be home. Hope you can stop by but if not, I understand, that’s a grueling drive. It would take me three days to drive to North Carolina. 🙂

    Like

  62. Tex May be getting his wish on geographical realignment…if only temporarily

    Like

    1. Great idea these geographical pods. They should continue this when covid is contained. Geography is key. Drivable distances. Historical rivals.

      Now if the ACC can just get Maryland back and invite wvcc. Screw Rutgers.

      Like

    2. Mike – Going to have to rewrite the preseason preview for Marshall. Their starting QB for the last two years has entered the transfer portal. Since his backup entered the portal a few months ago, Marshal will now be lead by a R-Fr with no stats to his name.

      Sorry for breaking into the Covid discussion..

      Like

      1. Well considering the ACC is probably going to cut the non-con you may want to hold off on that

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      2. Ha..ha Richard….nothing like friend sittin’ at the bars talk’n covid and drink’n beer!!!

        Like

    3. Hey that was my prediction for Pitt’s group of 5 (if they include V Tech instead of Louisville)!

      Like

  63. Texas is fine… Where I live and go everything seems normal. Not everyone wearing masks and no one yelling at them for not. Houston may be different but not around here.

    Tex is another story. I go to 4-5 places a day and nothing is out of ordinary although you see a lot of people wearing masks mostly.

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    1. I see far more mask wearing. You can’t get into most businesses without one. And I will get in your face if you don’t have one. I have no problem giving someone a knuckle sandwich. Our governor failed and is now paying for his mistakes with increased hospitalizations and deaths. Opening too soon and ramping up too fast and not mandating masks is the result.

      Tex who doesn’t need a bar to drink

      Like

      2. Just heard on the news CDC dude Robert Redfield thinks northerners going south over Memorial week-end could be a big factor in the Mid- June out- break of new Wuhan virus cases across Dixie….still not seeing any evidence of an apocalypse in my travels… will be heading to Penna. next week pandemic or no pandemic..

        BigB who says “Open our schools””

        Like

        1. It’s one thing to say “Open our schools” — it is an entirely different thing to say that AND say how you are going to do it safely, and pay for, it. The first part by itself is just posturing.

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          1. Pete… schools have to open… the science supports it…. must take care of people/ kids in the high risk group… that’s a small number of people in the school system…can’t believe the fear

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  64. Virginia cancels fall HS football…might play in winter or spring. Or not at all…

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  65. Tex, ike is clearly right about your unreasonable criticism of Narduzzi and Heather. Have things been perfect? Obviously not. But many on this site, including myself, have felt that Narduzzi needs a ten year run to lay a solid foundation for the future, and based on the early accolades Pitt is getting for this year, he seems to be on track. Likewise, Capel is on track.

    Heather, must operate under constraints we know nothing about, including a severe financial situation brought about by the coronavirus. Fundraising, her most important duty, is likely a lagging function based on having winning basketball and football programs. And at the same time she is probably fighting behind the scenes to keep the BoT from eliminating some of the minor sports programs. The entire school year is in a state of flux, and sports are not the top priority for most colleges right now. You should give them some slack.

    Liked by 2 people

    1. Ten years. Man you are far too generous. I can tell you after a long five years that Narduzzi is a 9 win ceiling coach. But he’s a good fit for the mission statement and mediocrity.

      And heather needs to cut sports. If you’re running a multi million dollar deficit every year prior to covid, what does it look like now. She needs to go with 12 programs and then find creative ways to generate revenue. Her fundraising and ticket sales acumen have been significant failures. I didn’t expect much from a compliance person however.

      Like

    2. The only thing I’ll supply is the rope. They get no sympathy from me. A $4 million dollar coach and he wants to be treated with kids gloves and a fluffy cat.

      A compliance director whose so good at legal and compliance that she got taken to the cleaners with the KS buyout and had two probations happen under her watch.

      Like

  67. Breaking ….

    — No football for UPJ as PSAC has cancelled all fall sports

    — No tuition hike for Pitt students this year despite the FB coach’s elaborate salary

    — UPMC is looking for at least 750 adults to take part in trials for Moderna vaccine. People with weak immune systems need not apply

    Like

    1. This guy is a diagnostic radiologist with no expertise in epidemiology or infectious diseases.
      The fact that young people don’t die doesn’t mean they don’t infect people that do.
      His opinion is not shared by Public Health experts.

      Liked by 1 person

  71. For being the generation after the greatest generation some of you guys are pretty soft. Come on Bernie – Toughen them up.

    Like

  73. Billie, Bernie toughened me up on our trip to his digs in the Outer Banks…drinking as soon as the sun came up, eschewing our sea sickness medications… “eat a damn pickle on the way and a frozen snickers when we get out in the ocean,you guys are too soft”
    …and we had a BLAST.

    Liked by 1 person

    2. …pickles, snickers and a couple dozen Busch Lights.

      Folks – at the risk of ruining a biz op for Bernie, he makes a breakfast concoction…

      a splash of Orange-pineapple juice
      a gollup of cocoanut rum
      a wee bit o’ banana liquer
      a healthy splash of seltzer to thin out the syrupy ingredients.

      Like

        1. Louis has the charm, character, personality and football cred to lead a fundraising campaign for an MPC. He’s very passionate and full of energy. I’m writing a personal recommendation to Michigan State for Heather. The sooner she skips town for Sparty, the sooner we’ll have our Pitt man. And yes he’d be another PC pick but he has football cache and football pays the bills.

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  77. College Football News just rated all 130 FBS schools and has the Panthers pre-season rated #18. Their explanation is: “The Panthers are going to be the absolute real deal. The defensive line will be among the statistical best in the nation, and the offensive front will be a massive plus. Start with the infrastructure, and everything else is good, too.”

    https://collegefootballnews.com/2020/07/college-football-rankings-2020-cfn-previews-130-teams/5

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