in Pitt Football 603 Words

Notre Dame 84 – Pitt 58 Game Recap

Pitt vs Notre Dame – Basketball Summary by Dan72

Anal Swabs!

I hear China is developing a new way of testing for Covid. Anal Swabs! Perhaps that may be the only thing that could get this Pitt Basketball’s “anything but a” team to stop the freefall that has developed in this 2021 basketball season! Something has to get their attention. I know for a fact Coach Jeff Capel and staff did not teach their roster to play this low level ball.

The 5-9 Notre Dame team blew 8-4 Pitt off our home court by 26 points and it was not even that close in the difference in play between the two teams. I could write 10 pages of the defensive mistakes Pitt made but I won’t bore you.

This team has lost any confidence it had and I think Jeff Capel has in turn lost this team. Not since Bobby Knight at Indiana have I seen a coach chase a player off the bench into the locker room like what happened in the 2nd half when Xman was expelled on a technical foul. You can get over a bad game but players cannot get over when the coaches lose the team!

This season, which showed such promise, may be for all intents and purposes, over! After six minutes into the game I saw such a lack of effort I bet the coaches were thinking of benching the entire first team… and almost did!

First of all, Notre Dame shot lights out all night. I’ve seen ND do this to Pitt over and over the last 15 years. Pitt helped mightily with a lack of player’s confidence so obvious that the Refs should have called the game over at the half. I can’t blame Xman for everything, but he is by far the biggest part of the problem. That and the overall lack of D1 talent on our roster. Pitt looked like a D-2 team vs the Lakers last night.

However, something other than a lack of talent is wrong with this team. I know when I played with “gunners and ball hogs” like Xman, I would get frustrated to the point of quitting. When the other four players are killing themselves running down the court and setting picks and by the time they get set up Xman has already turned the ball over or taken a jump shot from his waist that gets slammed back down the court to start a ND fast break. As a coach I never allowed a single selfish player to run my team.

What bothers me most is that I watched film of Sibende playing point guard at Miami (yes he was the 2 guard but ended up playing point a lot) and was hopeful that he could lead Pitt this year and solve our Xman problem. He’s not even gotten a sniff from Capel. Instead Capel played a new guy off the bench named Amadasun (I think) and he stunk worse than X. N. Allegheny you say?

We can look back to the 76-75 Wake Forest loss as the beginning of opponent coaches seeing how to beat Pitt and thus it was the beginning of the end I believe. We have not a single game ahead that I have any confidence that we can win like seems to be the case with Pitt football lately and that’s a real shame. Last night’s game, like the one point NC State loss in football that started our slide of four straight losses, was the lowest point of this season so far.

H2P,

Dan72

P/S – I really miss my Scotch!!

250 thoughts on “Notre Dame 84 – Pitt 58 Game Recap”

  1. Agree totally with Dan.
    A couple of games ago I hoped we were not entering the February swoon. Reality sets in.
    As other teams begin to mold into cohesive units, we run around like chickens running from the ghost of a fox.

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  2. seems to me Capel is at THE defining moment for him with Pitt

    while I like him and he presents himself extremely well overall, the last two post game pressers(WF and ND as I missed UNC) I watched were NOT

    this season might crumble under the loss of Hugely, inability of X, attitude of Horton, and whatever else is going or not going on that we don’t see

    what I do see is a team that plays is spurts and it has been that way all year
    what I do see is a team without real #1 and solid #5 players and again no shooter even a streaky one

    while I’m not ready to jump ship by a long shot(yet), what concerns me is the recruits in the pipeline,,,, no answers anytime soon there

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  3. Dan, Amadsun is a 6′ 10″ center, Ezeakudo is the guard, I think a non scholarship guy.
    Sibande was in for a minute, he didn’t show much either, and really hasn’t when he gets in,
    although for short periods of time.

    Capel gets to see these guys in practice. As poor as X’s play has been lately he is the best option.

    Odukale has had some good minutes.

    Face it non are point guards.

    The other big problem is no muscle underneath. Brown played 3 minutes which says a lot.

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  4. Pitts Rpi is now 132

    $3 million dollar coach
    $150 million dollar home

    Yet many fans were pumping this stock. I wasn’t buying then. I was holding. But I say sell now. Completely divest

    The model now predicts 12 wins for Pitt and that’s with some juicing.

    Tex who doesn’t catch falling knives.

    Liked by 1 person

      1. Not saying he should be fired. Saying he’s not living up to his pay.

        Capel got what four years left. His buyout is probably around $10 million Washington’s.

        He’s heathers problem now.

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  5. Dan72 – thanks for stomaching the game one more time to enrich us with your color analysis.

    If I’m reading the remaining schedule correctly, Pitt plays 3 ranked teams over the next 3 games, starting with VA Tech, FL State and Louisville.

    Losing those three games takes this team to a 6 game losing streak and positions them in the 13th spot in the ACC standings, exactly where the Panthers were picked pre-season by the southern ACC media and ACC coaches.

    CMG

    Liked by 1 person

    1. And Pitt football is projected fourth in the Coastal next year yet some on here are projecting a ten win season for a career 7 win coach. I told y’all Koolaid was a bad drink

      We bash media and Vegas. But these insiders are very rational and know their stuff. Don’t make a habit of betting against them.

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  6. OT: In the Senior Bowl yesterday Hamlin got an interception, Jones got a sack and Weaver was forced to play tackle(and played it well) because of the lack of big bodies on his squad. Pitt had the most players of any ACC team at that game.

    Liked by 1 person

  7. Tex, you cannot catch falling knives whilst throwing them! LOL 🙂

    I might be wrong because everyone thinks I am, but speculation (i typed that for the proofreaders who need to know if something is a fact or speculation) is that pitt bball only has one schollie for next year to give out. Perhaps a few more if our dudes goes to the portal to join james d or Capel has the “its not working out for either of us speech”.

    Would be nice if someone would post the post game, full interview that several reference. Would love to hear that, in order to hear it completely.

    Agree with Dan and Dave C. during last thread that instead of Capel going after a player (may have been Horton, not X) and making a spectacle of yourself, your player and your university, you address that in the locker room afterwards or in practice. Suspension for player is warranted.

    On the X foul and additional technical, he did foul. Then he tried to grab the ball away from the opposing player after the whistle blew like a spoiled kid. Then he went and looked like he reached his hand between the ND players legs to do some damage….looked really weird! When the ND player hit X with his elbow around the midsection, X reacted like he got an elbow to the head. He needs to sit a few games.

    I would start Femi at the point. He plays solid “D” generally, and that’s how offense starts. I bring back Hugley after a 5 game suspension. Any charges should be misdemeanors by now. No big deal. The other two involved with car keys made it back on the court last night so that is good. X can play the 2 guard and share time with Nike and Horton.

    I am not throwing in the towel on this season or coach. I think they are young and need to learn thru error. Our revenue producing teams are currently not good. Hopefully it changes soon.

    Liked by 1 person

  8. Agree with Ziffel on both Femi and Hugley…
    Good to read Reed’s game comments too.
    Thanks Dan for the hoops articles…I’m old school too and relate to your frustrations.

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  9. For those who continue to say Capel is a GOOD Coach, where’s the evidence?

    If anyone was outed last night for a “deplorable performance,” it was Capel and his Staff.

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    1. I ask the same thing about Narduzzi and all I ever get is he beat clemson that one year and he won the Coastal division that one year. And this year I got that Narduzzi has a top 25 class coming in conveniently overlooking the lack of star quality…see percentage of class rated 5.7 and above.

      So in six years that man can claim three things. What a legacy.

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  12. Next year is the show me year. Will he have best in show.

    He needs to recruit more than one player next year. Maybe he can get lucky with some transfers.

    I see at least four players on this team that wouldn’t even make the IUP team.

    They need to move on with their life’s work.

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  13. Pittsburgh sports now has a good article about the Poweraide wrestling championships. Interesting with all the local winners none of them are going to Pitt. Thought this new coaching staff had an in for local talent.

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    1. Most powerhouse programs don’t play in non climate controlled venues that are over 70 years old with 50 fans in attendance.

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  14. It is really too bad that Capel couldn’t convince Carr to stay.

    The need for a point guard and a big man is a huge problem.

    Recruiting those positions has always been difficult for Pitt.

    If Capel can’t do it not sure who can.

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      1. Exactly. Need a guy with ties to the City and or Philly and DC areas. That corridor of talent.

        Capel couldn’t even win with Blake G

        Not giving up just yet. But I’m not seeing his coaching chops or even recruiting for that matter.

        Disappointed thus far in the $3 million dollar man.

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        1. Agree…..he talks a good game. So far…that’s about it. Something is amiss for sure.

          The Major concern is; not recruiting any true PG’s in 3 classes. With even having to know
          that X is not a PG that will lead you anywhere…except to the ACC Cellar.

          Also not being able to land (well 1) a Big man in 3 years. And that one, might be a bust.

          You can’t win much in the ACC, without a decent to good PG and a decent to good Center.

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    2. How about keeping Stallings recruit, Bryce Golden, in the fold? Not sure how that played out, but he is averaging 11 ppg at Butler this season. Not a great rebounder, but Pitt could use his 260 pounds. My guess is Capel told him to look elsewhere once he got the job. I sure hope it was Bryce’s decision.

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  16. Dan72, thanks for the great write-ups following each Pitt game. Very entertaining and I am learning a lot about the game. Kudos sir!

    Liked by 1 person

  17. Let’s talk about shooting for a minute

    ND shot 56% as a team.

    Our best guy Champ shot 40 percent and Toney shot 27 Percent

    Pitt total 32 percent.

    Plus how do you only draw 5 foul shots?

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  18. You need more than Scotch to watch Pitt play. How about crack !

    The PG set shot artist is this guy….don’t ask me how to pronounce his name.
    ONYEBUCHI EZEAKUDO

    Confused ^ him with Curtis Aiken Jr another walk-on Guard, Aiken went to N. Allegheny.

    CAN CAPEL RECRUIT A PG PLEASE !!!

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  19. Max Amadasun also played last night (who knew). Stats say he grabbed 3 rebounds…i must have missed those. Could be Pitt’s tallest player so he should be easy to spot ….right.

    One of those guys, that only get in when you’re winning by 25 or losing by 25, in the last 5 minutes
    of a game.

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  20. I’ve noticed some trying to place this collapse on the loss of Hughley.
    So at the risk of infuriating them..here goes.

    That’s a stretch. The kid was not making that kind of an impact. And the
    numbers back that up.

    15 minutes a game.
    5 points a game
    4 rebounds a game
    39% FG (terrible for a big man)
    60% FT
    0.1 % blocks per game (again horrendous for a big man)
    he has 1 blocked shot in all the games he played.

    Now he might have gotten better, but losing him, wasn’t much of an
    impact at all.

    This is just a excuse to bail out Capel.

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    1. I don’t think anyone is trying to bail out Capel, but the loss of the big man is not good, one of the better ones we have had as a freshman. When Coulibaly is your starter and Brown only gets 3 minutes it is a huge weakness. It puts that much more pressure on Champ and Toney. The man took up space better than anyone else. If he is lost for good it is another major problem down the road.
      Plus as you say he has the potential to get better, much better I would say.

      He is certainly not the only reason for the collapse, but his loss certainly contributes to it.

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        3. 5th grade was the best three years of my life, that’s for sure, but you were typing to someone else. I couldnt pass that up.

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      2. He didn’t impress me, in games where he should have dominated….sub-par talented frontcourt players on lowly teams like:

        St Francis (an 8th place of 10 in the Northeast conference)
        Drexel (7th place in the 11 team Colonial Conf)
        NIU (10th place in the 12 team MAC)
        Gardner-Webb (below .500 in the BigSouth)

        These are terrible teams in lowly conferences and he avg’d even less than 5 points and 4 rebounds
        against them.

        And what’s it to you, what name I use. And where were YOU last night ? As you like
        to ask everyone else.

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        1. Fell asleep during the game.
          He is freshman big man, not a one and done guy.
          I like to know whose comment I am reading, it gives a little background.

          Liked by 1 person

          1. He WAS a freshman big man, Gordon. And despite his modest statistics, I agree with you that he served a purpose and had future potential. However, I’ll be disappointed in Capel if Hughley ever finds himself back on the team. Unless there is some part of the story that we have not heard yet.

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    2. It is a huge loss. The team’s best big man with the best future. He scored over 10 versus Miami, correct? Sure could use him getting minutes and getting better for 2021-22.

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  21. For you locals that haven’t suffered enough next Wed Pitt v V Tech hoops will be televised on AT&T local station.
    I may just continue to listen to Billy on the radio while he lasts.

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    1. It was always an honor sitting near billy at a bar in town. I was always polite and respectful. A true celebrity and legend. Although I don’t think Billy’s a bourbon man.

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  22. I think you mis-interpreted the comments at least from me. I don’t make excuses for bad sports management. My comment was let him play. What he did was minor and he has served his sentence like the others did too (allegedly).

    Noone said Hugley means winlies. He provides a presence inside. I know that I went after Capel right away for his activity on the bench with Horton and I went after X for his inexcusable technical and antics with the reach between the legs issue. That was awful. I like Capel and believe he can recruit, but what i saw last night was someone who perhaps is cracking under the pressure to win. As coach, I would take the names of the players off the uniforms and also the social statement. Wanna change something, do something that gets you noticed….positively. Not embarrassingly. Once positive change takes place, I would consider bringing both things back. Again, who is controlling the program.

    Good coaches put players in the best position to succeed. X is in the wrong position. Switch him back to a 2 guard and let femi and any other point guard, play to their strengths. Yes, it will anger X if he has to share the spotlight with nike and horton. Too bad. Anybody check on schollies available next year. My thought was that we might only have 1. We need more to infuse talent.

    Too early to tell on Jeffress, Edmundsonbun, Hugley, Collier, Drumgoodle, etc. Let them kids play so you know. Bad practice players can be good game players and vice versa. Champ will not beat an opponent by himself.

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    1. From what I saw of Hughley, he looks very slow off his feet. Which also explains the only 1 blocked shot
      against the likes of Gardner-Webb, Drexel, NIU & St Francis. If a 6-9 guy can’t average a couple blocked shots per game against that lineup of scrub teams, something is drastically wrong.

      He also had several of his own shots blocked…again slow off his feet. So he was either overrated or
      has a very poor work habit and/or lackadaisical attitude.

      X as a 2 guard, wouldn’t work. Your 2 Guard has to be able to shoot long range and from 3.
      X’s push shot from the waist wouldn’t fly at the 2. And you’d be taking away one of his few
      positives…the ability to get to the rim. Out of control or not.
      X’s FG % is 38%, with most of the makes on twisting layups, spin shot. His shooting %
      other than those must be in the 20% range. A 2 Guard, not.

      And btw I wasn’t referring to you…i knew what you meant.

      We love our pigs in Dixie !

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      1. I thought he was recruited as a 2 and wants to be a 2…..i was really trying to find a way for femi to get more time as a point. More of a floor leader, distributor and higher bball IQ.

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        1. Yea I agree, Femi has looked pretty decent/good at times. At this time, he is also more of a slasher/driver
          than a shooter. He’s only shooting 17% from 3 and 40% overall and 38% FT, so he really needs
          to work on his shooting, in the off-season. So unless his shooting improves, it would be hard
          to justify playing him at the 2, if Capel did recruit a real PG. Again if he shooting doesn’t improve,
          he would be more of a role player off the bench, imo.

          Both X-man & McGowens were 2’s in HS, but since Capel recruited no PG’s, they both became candidates to be the PG. Since Capel came in late, he took anyone he could get, he had to
          talk both of them into re-classifying or who knows who…he would have got. Toney was also
          another re-classification I believe.

          At this time, the whole thing appears to be unraveling.

          Needs to open up more scholarships on the team. Or more of the same next year.

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          1. Femi is a 1 based on what i see. I turn the game to him and put x at 2 and see what you got. We got a bunch of potential 2’s.

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    1. John Chaney wasn’t the first black HC of a D1 school. Who started at Temple in 1982

      10 years before him,you had John Thompson at Georgetown(1972), we all know him from Big East days.
      And you also had George Raveling at Washington State, he also started in 1972.
      Both of these coaches had very long careers of 26 and 20 years as HC’s.

      There were probably some others too…those 2 are off the top of my head.

      NBA had Bill Russell as HC in 1966 thru 1969.
      Lenny Wilkins started in 1969
      KC Jones started as HC in 1972
      Al Attles started in 1969
      Elgin Baylor in 1974
      Earl Lloyd in 1971
      Willis Reed in 1977

      Things were much different than the perception being made today.

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  24. I don’t believe in names on jerseys. Only numbers.

    I like that idea.

    Capel will get my vote of confidence when he can recruit a top 50 PG.

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  27. I think after the really good start everyone is expecting way to much from these guys. They have been going up against HOF coaches with more talented players and deeper benches. I don’t know how or why fans think Capel should have a winning team in the ACC in his third year and one with Covid to boot. This is the ACC, we have been finishing at the bottom for four straight years.
    To think that somehow we would be competing at the highest level this year….
    Dan72 knows his X and O’s but his write up after the Duke game made many lose their freakin’ minds and set up the customary hoist on to the petard that this time should have been no surprise to anyone.

    Guess what? Capel is more frustrated than us and he showed it. I think that is a good thing. He wants to win.

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    1. Very nice Gordon always one to carry the shoes for Capel. Capel has a big problem. It’s year three. In year 3 Howland was winning over twenty games and Buzz was one season away from an Elite 8. Capel has a pattern. His teams collapse mid season and stay that way to the end. Three straight years. No excuses. No excuses for losing to St. Francis. That loss hangs around his neck like a dead weight.

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  28. Dan72, I too appreciate your write-ups. You always bring at least one thing I haven’t thought of.

    As far as schollies for next year …. Brown and Sibande are seniors. Of course, we may also see some transfers …. Drumgoole, X, and Amadesun may be candidates. Then of course, we don’t know if Champ goes pro or the status of Hugley. I’m not saying all of them leave … but any combo is possible IMO

    There is nobody committed for next year … but I expect Capel to be monitoring the transfer portal and JUCos very closely

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      1. I thought the bball players were in line for an extra covid year also, but the talk of that died down. I was thinking ust Brown because Sibande was going to sit this year but because of the new rule to be eligible, I’m just not sure. Good point.

        And yes, I agree with you and wwb that others will need to have the conversation with Capel, but it is hard to figure out if the dudes aren’t playing in games.

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        1. Everyone gets a free pass in a covid year. And they shouldn’t.

          Tex who didn’t get a free pass and ain’t askin for one.

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    2. Are JuCos producing kids these days? I ask because I never really her about them or a school who loads up on them like some once did. Hopefully all the freshmen stick around and most others but that is wishful thinking.

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      2. Recently, Jared Wilson-Frame was a JUCO and Capel’s best 3 point shooter to date. Inherited him btw.

        I think Chukwuka was a JUCO transfer a couple years back. He’s at Pepperdine now avg’g 8 & 5.

        Sheldon Jeter, on trial for murder.. was another JUCO transfer, not that long ago.
        Rozelle Nix was also a JUCO transfer, as was another Center…Joseph Uchebo.

        So since we joined the ACC, we’ve had some JUCO’s. Some helped…some rode the pines.

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        1. WHOA! The Sheldon Jeter arrested for murder is not the Shelden Jeter who played at Pitt.

          https://www.crimeonline.com/2020/05/17/suspect-in-unsolved-killing-of-teacher-rachel-deltondo-charged-with-murder-report/#:~:text=A%20suspect%20in%20the%20fatal%20shooting%20of%20a,his%20relationship%20to%20the%20suspect%20is%20not%20known.

          an excerpt from this story …. In 2016, when Jeter was only 17 …… The Shelden Jeter who played for Pitt is now 26

          Plus their first names are spelled differently

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          2. Oh good….it’s not our Shelden. The other Jeter shows up on a Google search of Pitt’s one too.
            Very confusing. Plus there’s another murder of a guy in Aliquippa besides the teacher lady.
            And that Jeter played basketball too !

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      3. Tarkanian made a great living in the juco lane, but i think enrollments are a lot easier now across the board to come in as true freshman. Prop 48 and Prop 16 times back in those days led to more juco routes. I think if you are D1 capable player, you can get in to most D1 schools academically.

        Liked by 1 person

  29. Wow, these first two paragraphs sound very familiar…

    “Things that we talked about, that we worked on in practice and tried to do to prepare for this game,” Capel said, “we came out and did nothing, as far as execution-wise on the defensive end.”

    What happened to the Pitt defense that is still in the top half of the ACC in points allowed?

    “I don’t know,” Capel said. “We have to figure it out and we have to fix it. They were able to get whatever they wanted, middle, baseline, transition.”

    Article:

    https://triblive.com/sports/notre-dame-rolls-over-pitt-84-58/?utm_source=second-street&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Triblive+-+Daily+Sports+Email

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  32. Thank you all for your kind comments. It is a labor of love and I try to bring some humor to a serious situation….which is now Pitt Basketball. In my playing and coaching life I’ve had the highest of highs and the lowest of lows. But….I’ve rarely seen an inexplicable horrible performance like vs ND. There is an explanation but I just don’t know what it is. Capel’s comment in the article above is damning. We taught em how to handle ND and practiced it over and over and the team didn’t do any of it! This is not the same team I saw beat Duke! Obviously there is a large chasm between coach(s) and team. I’ll say it again, Xman is the point guard, QB and team leader. When he goes off on his own, it affects everyone. This whole team didn’t collapse en masse with no reason.

    I have only once criticized Capel and that was post St Francis. But he is the head coach and 50% of the blame belongs on his shoulders. I cringe thinking what VA Tech will do to this leaderless and dispirited team. H2P

    Liked by 3 people

    1. And VA Tech’s HC is in year two with one ACC loss, ranked in the top 15, soon to be top 10. He has one player left on the team that was coached by Buzz.

      In other words, his ability to coach has translated into wins.

      It is year 3 for coach Capel and we’ve seen more losses than wins to this point, but this year was looking different than the other two until now. Not much evidence to show the slide won’t continue.

      I’ll be sure not to plan my schedule around Pitt BB anytime soon.

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  33. Could be that certain players were promised some Benjamins and someone failed to deliver the bag.

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    1. If Pitt had a “bag man” for hoops and this was the best talent we could buy i would be seriously disappointed.

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  34. Does anyone recall X man being touted as potential one and done at the start of his Pitt career? Might be that failure to measure up to those unreal expectations is the root of his erratic play today. Or is he just not buying in to the style of play that Capel demands? And how much does that attitude contaminate the roster?

    I remember reading an interview with Brandin Knight where he said that he initially resisted Howland’s style of play. But he eventually bought in and was glad that he did. That buy-in was key to the success of the Howland teams. Otherwise, it may have looked very much like what we are seeing this season.

    Unrealized expectations lead to frustration. Frustration breeds attitude. Attitude is poison. Capel has his hands full. I hope he’s up to the challenge.

    Liked by 1 person

  35. X is not a point guard period. A very good PG should be leading the team in assists with an ability to drive with the ball and be a good outside shooter. In other a very valuable piece of the team and one that must be accounted for at all times. The X man doesn’t fit that description and is playing PG for any lack of an alternative. Femi would be much better at the PG position BUT at 38% on FT’s he’s really a very poor option. As an opposing coach I’d use my much unused bench backups to foul him as much as possible.

    Liked by 2 people

  36. Rumor has it that Capel JR is very disliked by the players and many of the parents as well. As a result many including some of our better players may be in the transfer portal come seasons end. And if true we know he ain’t going anywhere if Capel SR is still in charge.

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    1. that is surprising and is very similar to how some here characterized problems with HCPN from rumors on the Southside

      I don’t see it looking at all true with Narduzzi

      but, HCPN also never had post game pressers where he looked anywhere similar to Capel’s and never had the kind of display like Horton with a player,,,, he did have individual players doing undisciplined things on the field just like X

      but again, nearly everyone is way down on X, I think he is a very athletic kid being placed in the #1 role but just does not fit there and frankly JC has no other great or even good ‘yet’ options, Femi developing FT ability could get him there,,,,, if he doesn’t hate JC and leave the program

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  37. Pitt would have been better off losing X and keeping McGowans. X needs his playing time cut. Give the ball to Horton or Odukale, they can’t be worse.

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  38. Number of wins are limited when you don’ t have point guard and big man. You just can’t score enough points when your defense fails. The last three games Pitt had no answer for teams with very hot hands and solid inside play. Hot three point shooting opens up much more space to cover on the court, it also limits the opportunity for transition baskets. It has frustrated the players to a complete implosion of team effort.

    It is gut check time and not looking promising with very tough games ahead.

    A future that looked pretty bright a few weeks ago is now very questionable.

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  39. X’s best skill is being able to dribble past just about any defender. He should be an assist machine.

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    1. When he doesn’t lose control and get into no man’s land. Unfortunately he hasn’t improved much in three years.

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  41. I agree that the problem is recruiting, and if it doesn’t improve the Capel era will end.
    Could do without the final rascist comment though.

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      1. Yes. You’re aware of social and racial injustice.

        But I think pitt fans need woke up to the crap show that is now pitt basketball and the stench of mediocrity behind those locked gates on the south side.

        And there is a ring leader for this show who dresses the part in yellow when not hiding in the basement

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  43. a few thoughts …

    — once again, we are getting to a point where all of the issues are being laid on one player. Yes, he is culpable, but then again, Toney hasn’t exactly tore it up in recent games. And the same can be said for a few others.

    — X deserves blame no doubt …. but he reminds me of Paris Ford who lets his emotions take over when things go bad. It’s definitely not because he doesn’t want to or cares about winning; if anything, it’s because it consumes him.

    — about the Jeter discussion above. The Facebook account of the accused Sheldon Jeter lists him as a member of the Aliquippa Quips FB team at the same time that Shelden Jeter was a senior at Pitt. Having followed New Castle sports since the mid 60s which has always played schools like Beaver Falls, Aliquippa, Hopewell, Blackhawk, etc thru the years, I can tell you the Jeter name has been a common name throughout Beaver Valley sports, and long before brothers Lance, Shelden and Donovan who played at Beaver Falls over the past decade.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. A point guard, like a QB gets the blame or the ata boys when the offense works or fails, when the team wins or loses. They do have a lot to do with it, but not all. No doubt X is trying to overcompensate for the lack of defense, these past three games. Probably just the opposite of what he needs to do.

      I agree that Toney has been less than effective and even Champ, although the numbers look good has not had good second halves the last two games.

      I don’t see Femi of Sibande doing any better. Sibande was 1-7 in the last game.

      The losses have definitely been a team effort.

      Like

      1. agree but I do see Femi as the PG next year. He seems to be much more in control for a natural frosh. It wouldn’t surprise me to seem him at 1, and if X stays, he would play the 2 position

        Like

        1. I do agree that Femi has more potential since he is a freshman, but he really needs to tighten up his dribble and learn to make foul shots. He does have a better all-around game, and plays with his head up.

          Unfortunately if Capel doesn’t bring in a couple guys that can contribute right away, I see a repeat of this year, and much worse if Champ decides to go.

          Like

    1. Do you honestly trust Narduzzi to get it right? He can’t even pick out the same color socks for his feet.

      Like

    2. “Before I get into the crucial decision ahead for Narduzzi, I want to clear up one thing that’s been floating around over the weekend on message boards and Twitter. Pitt isn’t at fault for losing Beatty. Despite what some fans are suggesting, even if Beatty held the title of offensive coordinator, he would’ve accepted the opportunity to coach in the NFL.”

      I agree with what the article says after the above …. it is a crucial hire to find another good recruiter to replace Beatty. Pitt hired Beatty as soon as he became available, a no-brainer. Hopefully they could find someone who is young and energetic that younger players can relate to.

      As soon as Beatty accepted the Chargers’ job, Dokish began floating the name of this guy
      https://hawaiiathletics.com/sports/football/roster/coaches/brennan-marion/2316

      I don’t always agree with Dokish but face it, he is tuned in to college sports more than anyone here. (It’s kind if his full time job)

      This guy is a WR Coach and has quickly progressed thru the ranks. As a 1st time HC in his mid 20s … he did this:
      — Led Waynesboro Area High School to a share of the league title in his lone season as head coach, a year after they went 0-10.
      — His no-huddle spread offense produced more than 500 yards of offense and 36.6 points per game.

      He is a Greensburg native and it wouldn’t be unreasonable that he could be the OC in waiting — a position that he held at both William & Mary and Howard.

      But best of all …. if Pitt can get him (and certainly NO guarantee) …. they will be taking him from Fraud Graham. (of course, it is Hawaii however)

      Like

        1. I am not on twitter .. I just read his twitter account to get info on Pitt sports (such as the above). I take all of his opinions with a grain of salt .. trust me

          Like

      2. @wwb – not flinging corn here, but it makes sense look at how the sports employment game is played. It’s a fraternity and a sorority (added to get rid of chauvinist pig comments :)). Other than Stallings, every coach, AD or anyone else associated with sport ALWAYS seems to leave for their dream job. That keeps doors open and the leaving party in high esteem.

        Again, speculation or fact. Point is, you will never know the fact because Beatty and Harley before him and the hundreds before him (except stallings) all left for their dream jobs and nobody was looking and yadda yadda yadda. Kind of like the Pitt AD and Coach making a million dollar offer for canada to stay, which was too late. You do these things beforehand instead of being cheap. You understand what the market looked like for Beatty and some of the astute folks on here suggested a co-oc position be offered to him to prevent a need to leave.

        Of course Beatty is going to say it wouldn’t have changed his mind? Why? Because he would then be saying Narduzzi hosed him, which doesnt comport with how the game is played. Now, if Nard would have promoted him to the highest position and then he left, it all becomes more believable. Noone can answer the actual question and noone can. Everything else is either athletic coaches politics (no burn bridges).

        Same with athletes that leave and go to twitter just to praise the place they ust left. I have read not one twitter announcement where a player transfers and writes that the coaching was awful, the coach was ignorant and whatever. They all are schooled on how to play the game. This is no different to me.

        Can I get some agreement that noone will ever know? I am not saying I know either. Just a different perspective on things.

        Like

        1. Once again ….. Arnold Ziffel is a pig, and has IMO made chauvinistic remarks here. So therefore …….

          Like

          1. It’s just a reciprocal viewpoint to somebody else’s truth that I provide, so I understand your angst and the resort to name calling. When you figure out what those chauvanistic remarks are, I would like to see them.

            Because what I say doesn’t always align with what you type doesn’t make you any more right, or me any more wrong. When you can’t respect a point of view different than your own, you have america! What a country!

            I might actually agree with what you or others state, but if we all said the same thing, there would be no entertainment value, nor different way of seeing things, and no growth. That’s why I like you so much wwb. You make the site fun because you make statements and leave an opportunity for a counterpoint which is awesome.

            If we were all forced to abide by the kool-aid rules what fun would that be? We would still be at 40 years wandering around aimlessly but blaming global warming for why we can’t recruit, or some other excuse. Actually, global warming would probably help those that feel the bad weather hinders our inability to recruit players from Florida and Georgia. Does anyone look at when most games are played and when most practices occur? Asking for a friend.

            Like

  47. I’m glad it’s the wrong Jeter.

    We all know what Capel needs. A true point guard and a center. But can he find them. Maybe as transfers.

    I told y’all I didn’t like the nepotism. Was his bro a two for one deal. Capel needs better assistants. A coach like slice could as a consultant and pull some kids from the city. I’d offer slice a thousand Benjamin’s to come back.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Capel may be using arizona example to sell the AD on his brother. For those keeping score, that is speculation, but smart on his end. He will say that he needs to be able to trust his assistants above everything else, because you don’t want a rogue assistant out there delivering schollie offers with brown bags and talking on phones where fbi folks are listening.

      My sense is that once his brother can get credit for landing a top 50 point guard, Tex will help him get a head coaching offer and be gone. Kind of like Archie and Sean.

      Like

  49. For the record I like Coach Capel…next year is important for me to see improvement on many levels.
    Erie is correct…looking at entertainment options outside Pitt sports.
    It’s sad when I enjoy splitting wood more that watching hoops on tv.

    Liked by 3 people

    1. Capel is a “smooth talker” and in that respect he’s got it all over Narduzzi. But he’s a poor bench coach and in that respect he’s got nothing over Narduzzi. Both leave a good deal to be desired on how they handle their game day coaching.

      Like

  50. speaking of Paris Ford …. both he and Twyman have been invited to the NFL Combine in early March

    Also, Wednesday is the 2nd LOI signing day, which of course, is pretty meaningless these days. Chris Peak points out that 234 of the top Rivals 250 are already signed.

    Like

    1. Buffalo rivals Pittsburgh. Lived there for 8 years. Those fans are nuts.

      Dallas has a huge following as well. Merchandizing is phenomenal. They would dominate steeler nation if they ever started winning again. But cowboy fans are fickle and have sold their tickets to steeler fans the last two times they played in the Death Star.

      I see plenty of steeler fans here in dfw. Most used to live in Pittsburgh. The disphoria.

      Like

  52. based on 21 key factors. Here’s how Pittsburgh fared in some of them:

    1st: Number of NFL championship wins.
    1st: NFL fan engagement.
    4th: NFL stadium capacity.
    7th: Performance level of NFL team.
    22nd: Average ticket price for an NFL game.
    25th: NFL attendance.

    Well for the pitt Panthers, pitt has zero championships in over 40 years.

    Pitt has little fan engagement but sites like this and pantherlair help. The university does very little to support, engage and communicate. Doesn’t help when your AD is in hiding.

    Pitt sits at the bottom for attendance as a percentage of capacity. And this despite lying about attendance figures. Heinz is too big for Pitt. And it’s the steelers stadium anyway. Pitt is a renter.

    Pitts performance is a annual record of 7-5. Only one bowl win in six years. Only one piece of hardware…division title

    Average ticket price? Very good value for season tickets. You could get walk up tickets for free at most games. The best sports entertainment value in town. But Pitt isn’t a must see game. It’s a game you attend on a Saturday if it’s nice outside, you have nothing on your to do list and the Steelers aren’t home the next day.

    The Steelers have a world wide following and a brand that used to stand for winning championships, hard nose defense and power running game.

    Pitt has a small and apathetic fanbase. It’s brand symbolizes mediocrity. And the football teams identity is undisciplined play with a strong d line.

    The Steelers have cultivated new supporters over time. Winning helps. Passing down your passion to the young ones helps. Merchandising is fantastic. Fan clubs and bars are everywhere. You are part of a nation. You have an identity.

    Pitt could learn from the Steelers. Starts by winning.

    Like

    1. more of Pitt (bad) karma. The Majors-Dorsett era began at Pitt right when the Steelers became Super.

      I can remember growing up in the 60s when the Steelers were mostly the NFL laughingstock . In fact, they were in the NFL for 40 years before they ever made the playoffs … 1972 (one year before Majors)

      Like

  53. The 1947 Pittsburgh Steelers coached by Jock Sutherland finished 1st in the NFL East Division at 8-4 and
    made the Playoffs.

    One of the only 2 seasons Jock coached the Steelers.

    Like

  54. OK… I had to look up “woke” as it is used now.

    It is very disconcerting to me that a subject like that is being discussed on here with any sort of negativity attached to it.

    I can’t control how POV commenters think but I certainly can control what is written on here. This blog is a sports blog and always will be and with that it will remain a welcoming place for all people regardless of the differences among us. That isn’t the POV being ‘woke’ – it is the POV being what it has always intended to be.

    The comments above are inappropriate and outside the rules we all agree to – so they will be deleted.

    Liked by 1 person

  55. I like to use ‘the sleeper has awakened’. It’s a Dune reference. Pitt sports needs to wake up. But they need a messiah like AD first.

    Like

  56. Re: Dokish.

    When he does his predictions of possible replacements for coaching and staff jobs in Pitt FB & BB he is almost always wrong.

    A couple of years ago I looked at those articles where he predicts and didn’t find any of Pitt’s hires on the lists. I may be missing something but I don’t even read those any longer.

    Liked by 2 people

    1. Hey, I certainly get most people’s disdain for Dokish…he is a bit full of himself. But I read him along with many other folk.

      Have looked at his lists in the past and while he was wrong in many/most cases…. the ones he has put forward have generally seemed good and well-reasoned. That Pitt has not picked in line with his lists may say more about Pitt than it does Dokish.

      Like

  57. I’m at Walmart. My favorite hangout. Just noticed a guy dressed in suckeye garb. I’ve lived down here for 21 years and can count literally on one hand the number of times I’ve seen someone with Pitt gear. And I’m not a hermit only going out in my area. I travel DFW extensively. I see plenty of Nitters unfortunately.

    Sadly today I’m in my longhorn cap and face mask. Received plenty of comments on that mask. Good comments. Thanks Mom.

    I do have a Pitt hat and mask. I wear those on game days. I don’t hide that I’m a pitt fan even though our football and basketball teams stink.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Here in MD I see tons of Steeler gear and a decent amount of Pitt gear.

      When I ask people wearing Steeler stuff if they are from PGH they almost always say no – but they just love the Steelers.

      When I ask the same, or did you go to school at Pitt, to those with Pitt gear they almost always say no, their kid(s) go there.

      Like

      1. It’s a mish mash of reasons for the five people I met with pitt gear. Typically some family connection. I did meet one grad however. There is a pitt club in Dallas. But that’s Dallas and 40 miles from me. I don’t consider dallesites true Texans anyway. Tarrant County is Texas. Fort Worth where billy the kid shot people and took to bed whores.

        Like

  58. OT:

    Since September, Penn State has had 12 players enter the portal. There was an LB Dixon that looked promising.

    Tennessee has had 17 players enter. That equates to nearly a full recruiting class. We may have caught a huge break there.

    West Virginny has 8 so far.

    Pitt remains at 2 (P Brown and M Smith, although I thought he was a medical case). We will probably see a plethora of portal activity after spring ball across the landscape, but those numbers caught my eye. Do we know if there are any schollies available/left for this period? We have a few porta potty coaches, but who is our portal coach?

    Like

    1. I think Pitt has a couple of additional walk ons that have entered the portal. Only Smith was on scholarship.

      Like

    2. Seriously Huff. You think these players are gonna make a Hill of New England beans with Narduzzi at the helm? They would be wastin their talents. I wouldn’t recommend Pitt football to any kid. Now Texas has a new coach. I can see many in Austin. I’m wearing burnt orange today. Curious. What schools are your kids thinking? They good enough to get a scholie in hockey? It won’t be at Pitt. 🤠

      Tex whose nerd son is on scholie at UT

      Like

      1. Yeah, agree in principle, but I thought the best chance for a portal pickup was on the defensive side of the ball with the PSU lb’er. Candidly, I did think that the LB Johnson last year had a chance to go pro. Who knows. Maybe he catches on with somebody. I liked his athleticism. He was a football player.

        There are big numbers in the portal and I hadn’t paid much attention to it lately. I also believe that the portal is best used for filling a gap (for inuries, early nfl declarations), not filling multiple gaps like our TE searches. Multiple gaps means recruiting and class balancing problems.

        Thanks for asking about my kids Tex. One will most likely play D1 if he stays on track with his ranking. The other will not, although it is still early for him although the same age. Kids don’t go from high school directly to college for the most part for hockey. Most play two to three years of junior hockey and then are recruited for college. Will keep you posted.

        He is coming to play in a showcase at the Stars facility near Legacy/Plano (?) in a couple weeks. Showcases were moved this year from Minnesota to Texas due to C19. Wife is bringing him. If i can make it, I will be there but it looks like a bad work week.

        Like

        1. Best of luck to your sons. My son is big on brains and not brawn. I’m the athlete in the family but I’m too old now. I did play hockey intramural and street hockey. I got my butt kicked by guys in buffalo. Made me work harder but I picked up the game too late. My daughter might just be the sports person. I call her the next Freddy fu. You’ll see her on the field of a big time program in two years.

          Like

        2. Huff: Kylan Johnson is on the Dolphins practice squad and has been all season. He had to have an emergency appendectomy and missed several weeks. But the Dolphins like him a lot, and signed him to a reserves/futures contract at the end of the season.

          Wlat, who is a big fan of Kylan Johnson (known to those close to him as KC).

          Liked by 1 person

          1. Thanks Missing. There are some players that you watch and you know they have the skill. There are other players that don’t have that same skill set but go as far or further because they play with passion. In my mind, he had very good skills but better passion and was a baller. Don’t know anything about him other than that. Passed the eye test immediately.

            We need more of those….but for more years…..like recruit them out of high school type years Nard. He filled a spot which unfortunately was taken over by the person he beat out in the first place which tells me there is a regression…..unless the time backing up was used to get alot better. I think I am talking about Pine on this.

            Like

    3. must admit I’m puzzled why any of the Pitt QBs have not entered the portal. I’m not implying that other big schools would be interested but Yellen or Davis may well see some PT at James Madison, South Alabama … or Elon.

      Having said that, If they are intent on eventually becoming the Pitt starter .. more power to them

      Like

      1. Because they suck and other schools realize that. It’s not rocket science. Even though we have a poser going by that name.

        Like

        1. Can’t agree with you on this one Reed. He played all 14 games his Sophomore year. He missed one game (against Delaware) in 2019. He had ankle surgery in 2020 and missed I believe 2 starts. With how hard he plays, only missing 3 games in 3 years is pretty impressive to me.

          Liked by 2 people

  59. I’m practicing shots on my court n the back yard and I honestly think I’m a better shooter than X. Seriously. And I’ve only had one shot today. It’s my day off. I still have chores. But it’s 60 plus and sunny. I need to have some fun.

    Like

      1. I’m hitting 3’s at a better clip. I don’t care about vertical. I’m not stupid. Why drive and get my shot blocked or lose control. I’d challenge X to a game on my court in Texas any day. I’d whoop his butt. And I play dirty. That dude got nothin on me.

        Like

      2. I’m hitting 3’s at a better clip. I don’t care about vertical. I’m not stupid. Why drive and get my shot blocked or lose control. I’d challenge X to a game on my court in Texas any day. I’d whoop his butt. And I play dirty. That dude got nothin on me.

        Like

        1. my money would be on X

          and a ton of it,,,,, 2 ton

          can I thank you now? or do I really need to wait to be paid? money from a baby couldn’t be easier 🙂

          Like

            1. well, Ashton Gibbs is from NJ, probably didn’t move to Texas anywhere near when you did

              Joey David? wait, did they have a 3 point shot way back then???
              Ronald Ramon?
              Ryan Murphy?
              Jared Wilson-Frame?
              Ryan Luther?
              Lamar Patterson?
              Gilbert Brown?
              maybe Sam Young,,,, are you good at poetry, no guess not

              wait, I know, you are Sean Miller,,,, you want to come back home with your illegal bag money stuff 🙂

              Like

        2. X has a reach under move so watch yourself……..

          Tex, would you go back to the patented ground hook shot? I would have said sky hook, but with no vertical, grounded that.

          Someone asked about the minimal number of foul shots, which was an astute observation. I thought about it because it generally means that your team was the less aggressive team offensively. Not going to the rack, hard. Looking at Dan for concurrence. What I noticed in the last two games about X is that when he has been driving to the rack, somewhat out of control, he is fading away at the end, which by the meaning of fading away, doesn’t draw contact. Just an odd observation from the peanut gallery.

          Liked by 1 person

          2. I did know Sean miller. I did not like him. I liked hot rod brookin and Jason Mathews. Good dudes. Miller can go rot in a prison.

            Like

            1. Tex: I was at Pitt in the Miller years. I agree with you 100 percent. Miller was a known jackass around campus. His own girlfriend didn’t like him.

              Wlat, who messed around with Miller’s girlfriend after meeting her at a South Oakland party in 1989.

              Like

  60. Addressing the Beatty comments. NFL is the dream gig. No recruiting, an actual off season, no way he turns it down. Like going minor league baseball to MLB.

    Like

  61. I don’t shoot from the hip and miss 80 percent of the time. X is my version of Tina Sackseri. He’s bad in a bad way. If I was coach he’d be benched permanently. But I’m a bad man for sayin that. Don’t care rocket scientist. Really. Don’t care.

    Like

      1. Tells me that stats are meaningless. Tino the pitt quarterback who never technically generated a fourth quarter comeback nor was ever helped up after a sack by his linemen. I hope the sunseri line ended with him at Pitt. I have utter disdain for any pitt grad who trashes pitt like he did. I trash out of love. He’s a P that ends in K.

        Liked by 1 person

  63. I are ultimately right no rocket. After five shots of Texas bourbon my percentage has sunk to 20 percent. Mea culpa.

    Like

      1. Best of luck to your sons. My son is big on brains and not brawn. I’m the athlete in the family but I’m too old now. I did play hockey intramural and street hockey. I got my butt kicked by guys in buffalo. Made me work harder but I picked up the game too late. My daughter might just be the sports person. I call her the next Freddy fu. You’ll see her on the field of a big time program in two years.

        Liked by 1 person

      2. My age eventually caught up to me today. The first bourbon gives one some bravado. The fifth just makes you drunk.

        Like

  64. I thought you were going to call him a PABST player, because it would make sense in your beer league circles.

    X needs to go to the 2 guard if he wants to continue to play out of control. At first sign of selfishness or out of control, boom, 2 guard. His court awareness to me is also not what it needs to be for a point. Femi does have court awareness from what I see in his limited sample set.

    Like

    1. Agreed. I heard Stroh’s is also making a comeback amongst the younger crowd.

      Huff, whose kids have all the energy to shovel the lake, but limited capacities to shovel the driveway…

      Like

  66. Back to basketball, the current situation looks pretty bleak. How does a good player like Toney just turn it off? Something is going on in the locker room that we are unaware of. X Man is an example of a player we can’t live with or love without. They were so high after the Duke game. What happened? The lack of perimeter defense is really troubling.

    Like

  68. Great article by Craig Meier in the late PG today putting a statistical edge on Pitt’s B-ball implosion.
    One stat stands out…..when Pitt was winning, they played at a much faster pace. Top 10 in the NCAA. Last 3 games.. Now..much slower. That’s all about athleticism! Where has it gone? I rewatched ND looking for clues. One thing I see on offense is that pass after pass, each player is not threatening the basket and thus the defense doesn’t have to move. Its the same pass to the closest guy every time. It’s like if they deviate from the assigned spot in the motion offense, they’re afraid they’ll be benched.

    Last but not least, that 3 man weave at the top of the key does nothing but waste time. Neither player looks to a shot fake, neither picks for the other, they just pass to each other and the defense just stands there and watches. Then the shot clock goes off.

    Liked by 2 people

    1. Dan, please don’t tell me that the Pitt kids have fallen for the practice drill where you need to pass the ball 7 times before shooting shenannigans! LOL. I hated when the coach made us do that, but I can see that happening with the athletic X running the show. I always complained to the coach when we did that because it never worked out like that in the game! Double lol.

      What you are describing is similar to a power play where the offense just passes it around the 2-2 defensive scheme. Goals are mainly scored from in close, not around the bubble of defenders. Dan is spot on. You have to threaten the cylinder or be a threat to attack the cylinder at all times, unless you are up by three and there is less than 10 seconds left! This is why I typed earlier that a lack of aggressiveness on offense leads to less free throw shooting.

      Like

    1. Reed:

      I will try to get something together for you. I have a busy week at the office and have to move my daughter back to Pitt on Thursday. So I can’t promise.

      Like

  70. I might just write something on Pitts brand and identity. After draining threes and after multiple shots of bourbon, I fell into a deep sleep. Just like that guy from the Catskills. But I actually woke up hours and not years later. I’m three days out since I’ve got work and farm duties until then. Longhorns sure don’t like milked.

    Like

  71. Perhaps I can post a little something about the Pitt worry-worts languishing over HCJC’s possible return to Dooook.
    My how the time flies.

    Like

  72. I tried milking those longhorns but they wanted no part of that. So I got busy writing instead. Check your email Reed. Subject line is the front porch.

    Like

  73. Steelers new OL coach…

    ADRIAN KLEMM

    UCLA assistant penalized by NCAA for violating ethical conduct rules
    UCLA associated head coach Adrian Klemm violated ethical conduct rules and has been penalized with a $5,000 fine and two-year show cause order, the NCAA announced.

    Apparently he ignored concussion protocols and instructed players to hit each other in the head. He was involved in a 12 million dollar law suit.

    Does the Steeler organization hire him and Tom Bradly 30 years ago?

    Like

    1. …and he was convicted of assault while playing for NE.

      Property destruction and punching the windshield of another motorist in a road-rage incident. He didn’t like how the other motorist was driving.

      I know this happens all over the NFL. The Steelers used to hold a higher standard or at least pretend they did.

      Bugs me when college coaches violate rules like he did at UCLA, the school and players suffer and they move on to the pros like nothing happened. Pete Caroll is the poster child.

      Like

      1. Don’t worry dude, you’re being racially insensitive. According to some, their actions are our systematic racism. In the 21st century’s version of Planet Bizarro.

        We might have to put you into a Re-Education camp run by the insane.

        Like

        1. It was just a comment on a new coach and changing times.

          There is the loss of the holy trinity of traditionalism across a lot of the globe. Pride in family, God and country are disappearing. My philosophy on the decline of morality in millennials and the Z generation. LOL.
          Of course I grew up with those three so all else is wrong. 🤣. I am sure my parents thought the same thing about my generation.

          Like

          1. Your comment on parents thoughts of your generation is so true. 49 or so years ago, I walked into the kitchen where my mother & grandmother was discussing the undoing of society because of those long hair hippies. At that time, I had hair down to the middle of my back & an a unkempt beard. As I left the kitchen, my grandmother looked at me and said – but that doesn’t include you. Your a good boy.

            Since then, I put little credence of entire generations gone bad.

            Like

      2. Mike Tomlin is a joke.

        A lot of coaches could have won as much or more than he has with a franchise QB and strong management. His hiring of assistants continues to boggle the mind.

        Like

      3. in fairness to Carroll, he won big at USC and as a Pitt fan I’d gladly take that run and live with NCAA violations. What did the Trojans in was hiring Kiffin, who was terrible fit there.

        I’d take three years probation at Pitt to field the explosive offense USC had in 2005. Pitt would find a way to stay at seven wins even with a loss of some scholarships.

        Like

        1. Bottom line – Pitt needs to cheat.

          Now granted USC hasn’t been the same since but I want pitt to be relevant for just one year before I die.

          I really don’t care if they cheat to do it. Everybody does.

          You don’t think pitt cheated with Majors. What did Tony get? JoePa is still pooped off to this day

          Like

      4. The standard is a different standard with the Steelers today. Frankly, the Rooney share of ownership is bringing this organization down. The minority share owners know their stuff. It’s time for the Rooney’s to move on and go back to horse racing.

        Pitt on the other hand needs to come up with a standard. And it’s not competing for national championships. It should be winning the Coastal. Yet three schools are picked to finish ahead of them despite a 5th year QB.

        There. Two paragraphs and I’m safe.

        Like

    1. It would go under moderation. You’d see that. I need to be careful of naughty and salty words.

      When I type more than two paragraphs, I always copy what I’ve written and begin typing where I left off in word. I then copy and paste back into here. Sometimes I don’t know how much I’ll write but when it gets wordy, it’s copy and paste.

      Any post longer than six paragraphs, I’ll send directly to reeds email. He can then post as a blog topic. I recently did that.

      You’ll see it come Friday.

      Like

  75. Long post advice: before hitting Post Comment, copy the post to your clipboard / pages doc / word doc in case your post disappears.

    Like

  76. Assistants make a coach look good. Talent makes a coach look good

    Pitt doesn’t have enough of both

    The Steelers have no excuse. They can pay for anyone. Yet they go out and get this guy and Bradley from two years ago who is now fired.

    Tomlin and Narduzzi are peas in a pod. I planted my peas five days ago.

    Like

  77. Steelers are waiting to identify someone better than Tomlin and then they will make the move. For that reason, they are smart. That said, this is the second year of the wait and the window is closing on the current talent. Who would you go after as a professional coach? I took a knee for Steeler football and the NFL so I just don’t follow like I used to do. Pitt can learn from this as I do no t watch football, therefore my kids don’t watch. There could be a lost generation ahead with respect to maintaining a strong fanbase. That said, the quickest growing fan of the nfl is women. That is why the NFL has come down so hard on suspensions?player conduct for any infractions wherein women are involved. Good on them for that but it was only done to sell tickets and grow the sport.

    At the end of the day, the commissioner, player’s and coaches are more reluctant to upset the apple cart because they both know that they are making sums of money they never dreamed of, even in their craziest dreams. Some have the same agents and believe me the Agents want them all getting along. Players win, coaches win, teams win by making money. The ones who don’t win are the fans who expect the best effort from Management, Coaches and Players.

    The Pirates….. fooling Pittsburgh fans for 40 years. Pitt football is right behind them.

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    1. I’d say Pitt was in the lead….for fooling Pgh fans for 40 years.

      The Pirates did have a nice little division run from 1990-1992.
      And then again from 2013 to 2015.

      Both runs lasted 3 years.

      Pitt has had zilch in approx. 40 years.
      So Pitt fans win the Fool Award.

      Like

    2. Good question. Not sure who I would go after. But one common thread in our HC selections since Dan Rooney got involved was plucking coordinators from coaches who had well-developed coaching trees.

      Shula, Schottenheimer and Dungy had demonstrated an ability to identify and hire quality coaches. Schottenheimer and Dungy – like chuck Noll – are branches off of the Shula tree – which of corse is a branch off the Paul Brown tree.

      Tomlin does not really have a well-developed tree…LeBeau, Butler and Arians were carryovers from Cowhers staff. (Take a look at that 2004 staff in Wikiepedia)

      Once those carryover guys moved on, he failed to hire the same caliber of replacements IMO. His only really good coaching hire from outside the organization was Munchak

      I’ve not looked at who are today’s coaching arborists – Belichek is one. But I’d look at the current coaches who are hiring and developing coaches and try and start a new branch.

      Like

  78. Saw on the Lair Tennessee pulled the scholarship on a 4 star tight end.
    Anyone know any details?

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    1. First it looks like the Tenn new coach wasn’t sold on him. And probably more importantly they were concerned he would not be eligible for play in 2021. Not sure why he wouldn’t be eligible but maybe its because of an injury or a grades question.

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    1. Yes I saw. Longhorn turnovers and poor at the charity stripe did them in

      Both teams have very good guards. Three guards each

      Pitt doesn’t have one

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  80. Watching Duquesne crush Dayton in their new digs. Pitt would have a ton of trouble playing the Dukes now. Dukes Sr Big man better than anyone who in the post for Pitt.

    I grew up a Dukes fan. My mom was Asst to the president at Duquesne. I got to meet legendary Red Manning. Dread Pitt playing VA Tech tomorrow.

    Like

    1. Got you beat dan…..Got some coaching from Red Manning. Went to several of his week long
      Pine Hill Basketball Camps at Robert Morris in the summer.

      And what you say is probably why Capel ducked the Dukes. Especially when all these postponed
      and canceled games opened up even more opportunities to not only play DU but RMU.

      Ryan Murphy also getting less minutes at DU than he did a Pitt.

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      1. I’m in awe Norm….we never had a tv that worked so my early teenage tears were glued to my little white transistor radio listening to the Dukes and Pittsburgh Hornets. I was ecstatic when the Penguins were formed and never missed a game. They lost as much as Pitt Football. I didn’t even know Pitt had a basketball team until I started there in 1968. Grew up playing basketball daily with Mickey Martin, the best athlete I ever knew until I played pickup vs Billy Knight at Trees!

        Liked by 1 person

  81. Also watching Duquesne game. They would beat the Panthers. They move the ball better and have a nice post person.Better shooters. Ryan Murphy not yet in the game. Remember when the Dukes were the best in the city. Remember the Nelson brothers.

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    1. The Dukes were one of the better programs in the country in the 1950’s, pretty much ranked in the Top 10 every year under Dudey Moore They weren’t quite as good in the 1960’s under Red Manning, but they were still very good.

      Played against some of their guys like Billy Zopf and Mickey Davis and Jarrett Durham in some summer pickup games. That was probably their best team under Red.
      They were older than me, so I pretty much got my butt kicked but it served me getting better.

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      1. After the Duke game some were ready to take on Xavior and now we don’t want any part of Duquesne. 🙂

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      2. The talent in Western Penn. from 1951-74 was pretty incredible. The ’51 class featured Maurice Stokes and Jack Twyman and in 1974 I know consisted of Brad Davis, Mel Bennett and Pat Cummings. Pitt took another player over Stokes as its first African-American player. The kid Pitt took was gone after a year.

        Pitt really could have a rich tradition of basketball had it took the sport just a little more serious. I know Carlson, Timmons and Ridl hated to recruit, so that’s a bad start right there.

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  82. My dad went to Duquesne so I was a fan until I went to Pitt in ’68.
    Many great memories of the City Game and bragging rights among friends.

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  83. Duquesne in late 60s, early 70s…. Bill Zopf and Micky Davis (who were cousins), Jarrett Durham, the Nelson twins, Gary Major and Moe Barr (who I think was the mayor’s son or nephew). All locals and the team was ranked. I remember one of those years, they lost by 1 or 2 points to UNC in the NCAAs which was led by Charlie Scott (future Celtic star)

    Micky Davis was older brother of Brad Davis (long time NBA star). Micky was a starter for the NBA championship runner-up Milwaukee Bucks which featured K Jabbar and an aging Oscar Robertson (circa 1974).

    Red Manning’s Dukes pretty much ruled the city from the 50s to early 70s until Buzz Ridl’s Panthers slightly surpassed them …. at least that is how I remembered it

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  84. Moe Barr was a senior when I was a soph in High School at Penn Hills. It was right before they made the dunk illegal in HS. He was the best I had seen at the time. He also won the State Championship in Volleyball.
    Only played one year as a Pro. Owned a Beer distributor in Penn Hills for a number of years.

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  85. OK POVers Pitt is getting only 3 points tonight from the Vegas folks. On the surface taking VT and giving just 3 points would seem like the smart bet after Pitt’s recent less than stellar play. So what does Vegas know?

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    1. I would have expected the line to be higher. Vegas always knows something. Maybe Pitt gets the car thief back tonight.

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  86. And yet Pitt is responsible for killing the City game. Capel specifically. And his boss is ok with that.

    Just another black mark on the AD

    The Dukes were a joke in my day. I think we always played them at the Civic Arena. All the big games were played there. And it sucked because you had to take a bus. And then the student section was behind the basket and far corners. Way too far away from the court. I don’t think Pitt ever won a big game there. Maybe just once out of ten tries.

    I would often get extra tickets and sell them to probably guys like you in my day for $20-$30 each depending on the matchup. Made some good beer money off basketball tickets in those days.

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  87. The Pitt-FSU game scheduled for Saturday has already been cancelled. Tonight’s Syracuse-Louisville game is cancelled due to Covid issues at the Ville. Pitt plays Ville a week from today, so if we’re lucky, that will also be cancelled

    One other thing … the Cuse-Ville game that was cancelled tonight was scheduled for ACCN at 7, same time as Pitt-VT. So don’t be surprised if ACCN televises this game, knocking it of local TV (not sure if I would be happy or sad)

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    1. Let’s just hope the region sees a good pitt performance and pitt doesn’t wear uniforms that look like something borrowed from coal miners daughter.

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  89. Big mistake canceling the City Game tradition. Both Capel and ADHL own that. Heather should have vetoed it if it was Capel’s idea.

    Its such an arrogant Nit-like move. Reinistitute it asap and all will be forgiven. Kind of.

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    1. thought all 3 came out as mature and focused …. even though the new coach looks like he should be in the lab working on the virus as opposed to being on the field working on the LBs

      Like

  91. Also – Pre-Game Thread will post for the Pitt – VT game that starts at 7:00 pm. Game thread will post at 5:30 pm. I sense a bounce back win with Champs getting 25+ points and 11 rebounds.

    Maybe

    Liked by 2 people

  92. Capel must have seen the X Man play in high school, and would have seen that horrendous shot. I wonder, did he think he could fix that shot once he had him in practice? Dan, as a coach, is it possible to change a player’s mechanics that much? Could Capel really have thought he could make X Man a legitimate outside threat?

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    1. The answer is very complicated. Many high school coaches no longert teach fundamentals or proper shooting technique. College coaches almost never do unless the player asks. That’s especially true if the player has a street agent or posse who states “if you want my boy X to play at Pitt , you can’t touch his playing style.” Coaches have to make a deal with the devil. That’s especially true with Capel trying to turn around a disaster. I would have made X and Terrill Brown an offer they couldn’t refuse and tie it to their playing time

      Like

  93. From personal experience, old habits are tough to break. Your best athletes learn the proper techniques at a very early age. There are proper mechanics in everything. That’s not to say that some odd ball things don’t work. See maholmes throwing style for example. But the very best learn at a very early age and are often coached by the best. The proper techniques are drilled in at every practice. After roughly 10,000 practices (hours) you achieve a mastery. I’m not making that figure up. It’s a scientific number found across multiple disciples. I know both from an academic and athletic perspective.

    So my short answer is no. It’s too late to change his shot.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. I just realized that X man reminds me of a different athlete in a completely different sport, Jim Furyk. Muscle memory can be a good thing or a bad thing. Golfers are very mechanical now so I enjoy a Furyk look every once in awhile. On second thought, if we are going with golf analogies, maybe his shot looks more like Charles Barkley’s. His shot served him well to get him to Pitt, but against players that are taller and play just as quick on some teams, it is problematic.

      Also, I remember back in the day, the Dukes would come out for warmups and do their Harlem Globetrotter routines individually and dish to players practicing their layups. Always enjoyable to watch because their kids had fun.

      I may have run with a few of the folks mentioned above. Mickey Martin for one was a staple at the South Park courts and also USC. Phenomenal athlete and never saw a shot he didn’t like. Went to his left really well, right Dan? He also had very good hops and solid build.

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      1. Reason he went left so well was that he broke his right wrist at age 13 maybe and I watched as he overdeveloped his left hand. At first he was a bit awkward and I could at least hang with him but after a few weeks in a cast, he could easily kick my buttons on one.

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    1. He had to have been. I think the easiest thing right now is to find one via transfer. The teams I see today that excel all have three very good guards. It’s not a big man game anymore. But then again these guards aren’t short either.

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    2. there is no doubt Capel was desperate for a PG. Remember, both X and McGowan were only 17 when they started at Pitt …. as the previous guards had transferred out. The most disappointing thing to me is that he hasn’t matured much …. he still tries to force shots and commits many silly fouls

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      1. X & McGowans seemed to have both peaked at age 17 or 18.

        Was watching Nebraska play the other day and McGowan’s numbers are almost identical
        to what they were at Pitt. 11 ppg 41% FG, 4 rpg although his outside shooting the 3 is a little
        better, but his FT shooting went down to 65% and he was always over 72% at Pitt.

        One thing I will say about Dixon, he was a very good developer of players for the most part.

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  95. Raise the BB rim to 11 feet starting in elementary school. Bring the real BB game back. Stop the duckanitis now and make the 3 point play a two point play.

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    1. I like the three points. But I also like 4-5 points for 27-30 foot shots.

      I do tend to agree that ten feet seems a bit low these days. I’m fine with raising by six inches. That’s big late in the game when your legs are tired.

      Tex who used to dunk on 8 foot rims. Seriously your wrists take a beating.

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  96. Like I mentioned above….Dudey Moore’s Duquesne teams were the best teams Duquesne ever had.

    And most all of those teams played in the NiT, as that was the preeminent post-season Tournament of the
    era, The NCCA tournament didn’t overshadow the NiT until the UCLA run in the 1960’s,
    Which is why Madison Square Garden was always called ‘The Mecca of College Basketball’.

    Duquesne won the 1955 NiT

    Dudey Moore’s winning % at Duquesne was an incredible 73%
    Red Manning’s was good also at 64%

    Meanwhile over at Pitt, Bob Timmons who’s career took in both Moore’s & Mannings
    coaching tenures, was 48%. Timmons last 4 years at Pitt were all less than 30% winning.
    There was some sort of a player uprising on the team where many of them walked.

    To put Dudey Moore’s 73% winning % into perspective. Jamie Dixon’s was almost
    identical, but Duquesne didn’t play 12 or more rent-a-wins** per year.

    John Wooden’s winning % at UCLA was 81 %
    Bobby Knight at Indiana was 73%
    Adolph Rupp at Kentucky was 82%
    Lou Carnesecca at St John’s was 73%
    Jim Boeheim at Syracuse was 73% ** (see Dixon)
    Ray Meyer at DePaul was 67%
    Dean Smith at UNC was 78%
    Mike Krzyzewski at Duke also 78%
    Roy Williams at UNC is 75% & at Kansas 81%
    John Chaney at Temple was 67%
    Harry Litwack at Temple was 66%
    Nolan Richardson at Arkansas was 70%
    Al McGuire at Marquette was 79%

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    1. Dixon may have played rent-a-wins in the pre-season but that certainly wasn’t the case in the league games he coached while at Pitt

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      1. Correct. And I don’t fault him for playing a poor ooc. Got the team prepared. Built their confidence. Got the players rested for tough conference play. Padded the wins. But let’s also keep in mind Dixon’s failures come tourney time. I believe a more hardened team with familiarity with playing non big east ball would have been more successful. So a knife does cut both ways. I’m judging in hindsight.

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      2. May ? Dixon basically copied Boeheim’s strategy of playing gads of rent-a-wins in the
        pre-season and 95% of those were Home games. Syracuse rarely left the State of New York
        until January. lol

        And yes you certainly can’t say the BigEast wasn’t tough.

        But padding the win column is padding regardless.

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        1. So what if you pad? People just remember the wins. Pitt football should have employed padding starting in the 1940s.Instead, it took on a ton more Ls, which leads to people dumping on your program.

          Pitt fans then turn around and throw Salk, academic integrity, producing doctors, lawyers and whatever else in peoples’ faces. Weak and useless since it has nothing to do with sports.

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      3. Pitt played a 16- game BE schedule from 03-04 thru 06-07, then it turned into an 18 game league schedule thru both BE and ACC while Dixon was here. Thus the pre-season accounted for much less than the league schedule, league tourney and post-season … in which his teams played in the NCAAs for 11 out of 13 seasons he coached here

        Right now, I would take those seasons back in a New York minute

        Liked by 1 person

  97. I’m hungry for some turkey tonight. I like my Hokie stuffed with mashed potatoes and greens on the side. A fine finger lakes Riesling would be by recommendation. From the Cayuga wine trail.

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      1. The Hill Country has some decent reds. But I sure do miss the finger Lakes and Upstate New York.

        I’d retire there if it wasn’t for the winters. You can’t beat late summer/early Fall in that place of the country during wine harvest.

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        1. ive been up the Finger Lakes a few times … nice country …. but have never been there in the winter

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    2. You’ll be sick after tonight realizing VTech has a real coach it poached from Wofford and Pitt has an overhyped ex-Duke player on its sidelines, going nowhere fast.

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      1. Ouch, just 2.5 hours to tip off and we’re reminded again how much of an underachiever our HC has been.

        He has recently beaten coach K and Boeheim twice this season. Last year he knocked off Roy Williams.

        The hokie HC in his 2nd years is primed to get knocked out of his perch high up in his 7-1 ACC tree.

        EE’s round about way to create a positive to offset a negative.

        Liked by 2 people

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