in Pitt Football 623 Words

College Sports ‘Haves’ and ‘Have-Nots’

Here is a good comment turned into an article. Enjoy…

In case anyone hasn’t noticed, the days of equal playing fields have long departed. There are the “have’s” and the “have not’s.” Pitt unfortunately seems to fall somewhere in the middle but leaning towards the Have Not’s.

Times have changed remarkably since the heydays of Majors-Sherrill with roster limitations; coaching salaries; and national population migrations. Pitt no longer has the rich territory that produced so many All-Americans and Hall of Fame players. The population density has diminished greatly while school budgets are stressed leaving little for best coaching and development of kids. Western PA and Pitt have experienced the decline in available recruits. We only can look to improving our reach into former ACC Southern-SEC-and neighboring Ohio and New Jersey. All of this is without the reality of what the competition is doing.

Yes, PSU, OSU, ND, Michigan, Clemson, and the entire SEC play a very different game with much larger alumni support, greater number of alumni, and healthy athletic budgets. Pitt does not have those advantages nor do they have a local populace desperate for football except for professional sports. Tough spot to be in for Pitt.

Kids are sometimes misused and sometimes suffer life long injuries from their athletic participation. Kids need money for whatever such as hamburgers, romance, and fun activities. Fortunately the NCAA is beginning to recognize that the nearly year round training for collegiate athletics deprives kids a chance to earn summer money etc. But, we’re a long way from adequately compensating kids half of whom are in sports for the future opportunities rather than their academic potential. We need to stop kidding ourselves that sports is so terrific other than for bragging rights and possibly to make the school brand more attractive to lure in higher paying better students.

Yet, did anyone notice that Pitt is trying to keep up with comparative pay. But, that money is not coming from heavy alumni donations. Counting on increased payout on conference contracts is sort of like betting on coal mining coming back. Cable and broadcast are still making money but the current trend is streaming content. At the same time the participation in football have been struggling at many communities as parents worry about safety unlike prior generations. So, recognize the reality of what is happening except in certain parts of the country and their local culture (high school and college football is next to God and Country in the SEC areas). Pitt surely is looking at these changes in their long term planning and budgeting.

Also the simple reality as I see it is that college sports are being restructured by the biggest conferences to creating a minor league of professional athletic programs. But, no real support from the NBA or NFL, just live with it until you can’t and then drop out.

I love Pitt football and basketball but reality says to me that perhaps Pitt is much better taking Carnegie Tech’s (yeah, yeah I know Carnegie Mellon) approach and focus on truly outstanding academics and research for the university’s reputation and growth. I remember being pushed to go to Princeton for pre-law and foreign affairs or Carnegie Tech for architecture, but my love of Pitt won out. It wasn’t a bad choice at all and I did make it to Harvard in graduate school after law school. Eventually you realize that all the sports in the world doesn’t do a damn thing for supporting yourself and your family or ambitions unless you are a genuine pro prospect.

I would miss football and basketball but would appreciate an even higher perception of the University of Pittsburgh academically.

114 thoughts on “College Sports ‘Haves’ and ‘Have-Nots’”

  2. Another Trib piece;

    DB Damarri Mathis elects to transfer to Harvard because Pitt’s education and degree is ‘all smoke and mirrors and the athletes graduation rates are just propaganda put out by the NCAA to make CFB look better’.

    Best quote – ‘ Look I can learn to love Harvard HC Tim Murphy just like I love Coach Narduzzi and get a better job when football is over.’ (Ed Note: that is what I think I heard, not real sure…)

    https://triblive.com/sports/his-shoulder-healed-pitt-cornerback-damarri-eager-to-start-tackling-again/

    Liked by 1 person

    2. Few if any Nitters on the BoT now. Except for those appointed by politicians. About five years ago this was raised. I’m sure certain influentials picked up on this and started talking with their money since they agreed at least in principle. Coincidence? I think not. It wasn’t just here raising a stink but on other boards and sites where these difference makers frequent. I knew pitt heard when they removed the bios of the BoT members. Pitts minions lurk on all these sites. And that’s no conspiracy. Social media is very powerful.

      Like

  5. Pitt will be a have not until pitt finds a way to generate revenue.

    Maybe pitt spirit catches on and alumni donations sky rocket.

    Maybe pitt starts winning and has a heisman candidate and those yellow seats go away, and when Pitt announces 65k in attendance, it’s a real number with real paid dollars

    Maybe pitt inks some great corporate sponsorships and enters into some money making contracts with apparel companies.

    Maybe pitt builds that MPC that acts as a revenue engine with multiple cash streams.

    But again, to be relevant you not only need to be in the right conference, but you need to have the revenues

    Revenues pay for the very best faciiities and buy the very best coaching staffs on the planet.

    That ACC check and ACC Network payout is about $40 million in a non covid year. Football generates 80 percent of that figure. Basketball the remaining 20 percent

    Pitt receives around $15 million each year from ticket sales and other game day monies like concessions

    Donations are $10 million

    Merchandise and licensing fees maybe another $10 million

    Transfering $10 million each year from the general fund plugs any deficit. Along with student fees.

    I do long for a day when Pitt can be in a conference based on geography with schools that share similar financials and mission statements.

    The ACC really does nothing for me.

    Like

    1. I too find little commonality with the ACC. We should be another Northwestern in the B10 rather than Rutgers or Maryland.

      Our claimed connections to the ACC is academics and basketball from the days of Big East success.

      Like

    2. We’re a much better for fit for B1G. But that boat has sailed. Wish we’d beat Maryland to the chase.

      Like

    3. “The ACC really does nothing for me.”

      Bingo. I could care less about any of the Southern schools in the the conference. The exception being UVA of course, great school around. The others — BU, Syracuse . . . .meh. An absolutely uninteresting conference to be associated with.

      Like

  6. Lots of good points.

    The points made in paragraph two, would also affect schools like Pedo State, the Ohio Fake,
    & Wisconsin. The state of Wisconsin was never a fertile recruiting hotbed, nor is it today.

    And recently Mich State made the Final 4 of Football. And we just saw Cincinnati have a heck
    of a year and gave Georgia all they could handle. Add to that UC has finished ranked in the Top 25 each of the last 3 years. Number 8 this past year.

    So this excuse that Western Pa, etc. blah blah blah…rust belt, etc., blah blah blah, population decline, blah blah blah

    While all of that might be true and probably is, it hasn’t stopped any of the above schools from being
    relevant. BECAUSE THEY ARE COMMITTED AND Pitt isn’t. It’s that simple.

    The Excuse Train for Pitt doesn’t wash. All the aforementioned schools belay that.

    Liked by 1 person

  7. This should be a wake up call for Pitt. Since Cincinnati is an urban campus school like Pitt and is in
    a rust belt city with a declining population for decades as well. And they have to compete, with Ohio
    State, like Pitt has to with Pedo State for recruits.

    Since 2007, Cincinnati has had 7 seasons with 10 or more wins. Pitt has had 1.

    Since 2007, Cincinnati has had 3 additional seasons with 9 wins. Pitt has had 1.

    What’s also remarkable is UC had never been to a bowl game EVER before 1997.

    However they’re weren’t stupid enough to tear down Nippert Stadium on campus.
    And play 2nd fiddle to the Bengals at Paul Brown Stadium.

    They also made a series of good Head Coaching hires, while Pitt floundered about.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Pitt makes bad hires. Plays too tough a ooc schedule. Like scheduling Tennessee. And can’t win bowl games against very beatable teams. Pitt has the facilities and the budget. And plenty of excuses.

      Like

      1. Tennessee stinks. Plus they’re in the middle of a new coaching hire and other problems, like players being arrested & suspended etc. It Pitt can’t beat them….it will say much.

        Pitt’s bowl failures are indicative of more poor coaching which includes lack of focus, lack of game planning & lack of energy.

        Like

      1. Primantis went downhill after Chubbs left and they enlarged the place.

        Or my palate got more experience, rating quality of food or Crap tastes better when inebriated.

        Like

    4. I agree. Pitt is paying decent salaries to its football and men’s basketball coaches. But that’s it. Most fans believe next season Narduzzi will produce another 7-5 or 7-6 team that will not be ranked, despite whatever optimism Paul Zeise offers up in his column. Prepare yourselves for a Stallings 2 baskeball season in 21-22. Don’t bitch about the ACC and the southern albatross. Pitt should be thanking God everyday the ACC wanted them and that at the time – back in 2011 – Pitt had enough cache to get it. Now? Please. I’m looking forward to next football and basketball season. No more hiding behind Covid. Heather Lyke will have to take ownership of yellow heaven at Heinz. And Capel? How loud can fans boo at the Pete? I’m being realistic. Pitt is what Pitt wants to be. Unfortunately, most of us have a different vision.

      Like

  8. Pitt has to want to be excellent to be excellent. That means support from the BoT and more support from fans and big boosters. Pitt just wants the benefits of being in a P5 conference. Brand benefits. And that check. Winning is just icing on the cake.

    Pitt is a better fit with non state schools with similar budgets and focus on academics instead of being part of a minor league system for the pros.

    Schools like BC, Virginia, wake, Duke, Georgia tech, Purdue, northwestern, Syracuse. Then throw in some bigger state schools like Rutgers, Maryland, Indiana, Illinois and Minnesota maybe.

    I would add temple, wvcc, and Virginia tech if I had to reach for more to make a mega conference.

    I think of pitt as more Midwest. Then northeast. South is the last thing I think. The ACC is really a southern conference, not an eastern one.

    More natural rivals and better fits with this alignment.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. True and true.

      But that’s a whole nother can of worms.

      The B1G didn’t want us due to Pedo State already being in Pitt’s TV market and the Pedo’s could have
      also quashed it, even if the B1G wanted Pitt…..along the lines of BC quashing Uconn’s entry into the ACC.

      We’ve been in the ACC now for over 5 years and we’re fortunate we got placed in the Coastal for football.

      And as far as basketball, it shouldn’t be that hard to be competitive, as Syracuse is, year in and year out.
      It only takes a couple good to very good players and the ACC isn’t what it use to be in basketball.

      Again Pitt committed over $200 million to become relevant in BigEast basketball. Or that
      extended period of being relevant would have NEVER happened.

      So it’s going to take another commitment there and lots more commitment on the football side.

      Tired of the Excuses !

      Like

    2. Southern football is where its at. Pitt best emulate the South in football and basketball. Alabama achieving success in the NCAA tournament?! No one held a gun to Pitt’s head and Nordenburg turned down the most generous offer ESPN had made to the Big East. Celebrate the South. Do what the others do. Don’t put yourself on the holy pedestal that please some English proof. Winning is formulaic and Pitt ignores it.

      Pitt had a chance to join Penn State in an all Easter Conference football league and turned it down. You reap what you so. Be proud to wear the mantle of a Southern conference.

      Liked by 1 person

      1. I’m not in the habit of praising Nordy but he would be doing a lot more to help Pitt athletics with all the money for the ACC than Gallagher is doing.

        Like

  9. Cinci is in a crappy league but they have done an excellent job.

    Pitt’s problem is $, plain and simple. Just compare donations and revenue to the elite. No comparison.

    Not the they are elite, but Indiana just paid a 10 mil buyout to one of the overrated Miller brothers. If they waited another year it was 3 mil. Donors covered it. Do you think that would happen at Pitt?

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Come ooooon maaaaaan. Pitt and Cincy were in the same league from 2007 to 2013 in my little comparison. Cincy cleaned our clock and this included the best 3 years of Pitt football (record wise)
      in the last 37 years.

      In those years, here’s how it ended.
      2012: Cincy 10-3 Pitt 6-7
      2011: Cincy 10-3 Pitt 6-7
      2010: Pitt 8-5 Cincy 4-8
      2009: Cincy 12-1 Pitt 10-3
      2008: Cincy 11-3 Pitt 9-4
      2007: Cincy 10-3 Pitt 5-7

      Even if Pitt was in the AAC….do you actually believe Pitt would dominate it ?

      Like

      1. No. Because pitt doesn’t listen to Tex and his list of coaches.

        Man was I right on Oats.

        I wasn’t into lists six years ago. Wasn’t fond of an assistant from a big ten school with a defensive background becoming head coach. I gave him two years.

        Then I coined a name for him. 🥩 🏈

        Like

        1. Oats was literally NEVER coming to Pitt, Tex. He was far and away my first choice, but please stop acting as though he was an option for hire. Just not the case.

          Like

      2. UConn also kicked Pitts butt during this time. Wanny was not a good coach. Great Pitt guy. But there’s a reason why fans in Chicago and Miami hate him to this day. Jimmie made him look good.

        Like

        1. You be wrong there laddie, Pitt finished above Uconn in the standings in every year but one from 2007 to 2013,

          And one shouldn’t be concerned with fans in Chicago or Miami unless you live there.

          Like

          1. Any time you lose to UConn is bad. And Wanny lost to UConn. I have several friends from Chicago that constantly remind me of Wanny. DFW has a huge Chicago population.

            Like

            1. You must be drinking laddie…I said ‘in the standings’. And my frame of reference was 2007 to 2013.

              So that would only entail 6 games. Pitt was 4 wins and 2 losses in those 6 games my inebriated friend.

              Also Wanny was only coach at Pitt for 6 years, so you can’t possibly go 4-5 in 6 games. Cheers !

              Like

          3. But seriously then. How could pitt ever lose two games to UConn. That’s all on coaching because the talent level was light years different.

            Like

            1. One of those L’s was a Homecoming loss….i and another Pitt person had the displeasure to watch.

              Last Homecoming fiasco for me. This was pre 2007….Palko was still QB.

              Like

            2. And I am drinking. It’s saint pattys day day. It’s a good day to get drunk. Irish or not. I’m always looking for a reason to party.

              Tex – surrounded by Mexicans, Czechs and Germans. That’s Texas. And those damn people from Chicago.

              Like

          4. Last nine games played. Pitt lost more than they won. That’s a fact. Unless the info I pulled is wrong. I don’t watch or attend UConn games. I come in for homecoming or the big ones like Notre Dame, penn state, Hoopies or clemson. I’m real. Fran knows. He thought I was just some 600 pound guy who lives in his parents basement and is a poser. I’m very Cary Grant like. Luv to meet you at the clemson game. I’ll be wearing the hat and boots. And withba bottle of balcones in my hand.

            Like

    2. Indiana basketball is a religion. And that’s the flagship school.

      Pitt is flagship for the city and most residents don’t seem to appreciate it enough. And those that run the city treat it poorly but depend on it.

      How can South Oakland continue to be a slum? How can’t city leaders find a way for a subway through Oakland.

      Start by tunneling five blocks of Forbes ave and creating a pedestrian park. I want that stretch to resemble a PG version of bourbon street with grass and small trees. Pitt beads showering down from the balconies after every win.

      Like

      1. It goes to the question of leadership. Nordenberg wanted Pittsburgh to incorporate those suburbs which make up the Pittsburgh Metropolitan Statistical area. That would make Pittsburgh around the 22nd most populated city in the country. Right now Katy, TX, a Houston suburb ranks higher than Pittsburgh in population. Yinzer thinking and petty politicians unwilling to relinquish their moment of paper glory refused to allow it to happen.

        Other than making UPMC rich beyond comprehension and not insisting they stop funding athletic complexes for other schools and, instead, fund the MPC Tex writes about, what is Gallagher doing all day long?

        Like

    3. We may not have to wait that long. Next season will be Capel’s last. And he may not make it until March,.

      Like

  10. Who bought out my inflated fat contract, which btw should have never been tendered……after 2 miserable years ?

    Like

    1. I’m waiting for saint Arnold’s day. He’s the patron saint of brewers.

      My Irish tree died out when they all became priests and nuns. Scottish is the closet I got.

      Like

          1. And ask him if he also does…..slugs & sloths ! A 3 pest Discount price ! haha

            Like

  12. In some respects, losing Brown to the transfer portal may be the worst message of all. With the others, there were plausible explanations available to justify bailing out on the team and coach. But Brown was committed to Pitt for 4 years, and by all indications was a model player and person. He was loyal to Capel, and if anyone would stick with him, I thought he would.

    Like

    2. Funny, cause if anyone left…other than Drumghoul…i was hoping it would be Brown.
      Other than blocking a few shots here and there against mostly the rent-a-win part of the schedule,
      he never got any better. Although it was nice he had his best game on Senior night….hmmm.

      Now that could be Capel’s fault, cause McGowens and X never got any better either from their
      freshmen years. Nor did the aforementioned Drumghoul.

      But Toney and Champ did.

      So a mixed bag……which will need further data input to make a determination.

      Liked by 1 person

    3. But would he ever see more than 10 minutes of play in any ACC game if Capel had other options? A Division II option might be his ticket to play more.

      Liked by 1 person

  13. Right. i wasn’t referring to his basketball contributions, which were modest at best, but rather his loyalty to the program.

    Like

    1. One can be overly ‘loyal’….when one is not wanted by anyone else.

      Sort of like a marriage. lol

      Liked by 1 person

  14. I don’t think that applies here. He was serviceable as a back up, and could have easily stayed. Perhaps the atmosphere was just too toxic for him.

    Like

  15. I like the settled down version of Tex, hope your realizing that you are just a passenger in this life and not always the messenger. Just like my family and when I love something, it’s always unconditionally. I worry about the things I can control and with PITT and the likes of Heather, that’s not very much. As I’m finding out these days, it’s also the new story of my life. Like PITT, I’ll let the flow take me where the river wants to go, why? Cause I don’t have any control over PITT and or my life, because I’m just a Passenger.

    https://www.udiscovermusic.com/news/iggy-pop-passenger-video

    Liked by 5 people

  17. I hear Twyman impressed at Pro Day, at least with his lifting. Lifted 225 pounds 40 times! Aaron Donald “only did” 35 reps…

    Also heard Paris ran a 4.7 in the 40. Doesn’t sound right… Must have been tight.

    Go Pitt.

    Liked by 1 person

  19. Paris ran a 4.9 (with ATTITUDE) according to all knowing Dokish… 28” vertical …WOW!!!! Question for Paris… where are Calgary and Saskatoon located???

    Like

  22. Can’t figure out the slow time for Ford. He played faster at Pitt. Maybe we are seeing him slip down the draft priority list. Maybe a free agent signing.

    Like

  23. Maybe it’s the pandemic, but this site doesn’t seem to have “it” whatever “it” is. I guess I would like to see greater interest in high lighting PITT’s success in the minor sports we’re competing in now . BB is over and Capel really is over too. Doesn’t anybody have “real” info of what is going on at our school?

    Like

    1. Heather went back into her bunker underneath the Cathedral.

      And Atom Counter is playing with his Newton’s Cradle balls.

      Like

  24. ^^ If I felt like reading nonsensical BS like the above, I would call one of my grand-kids and have a talk. It would have to be my latest one (Auggie) who’s only two years old. My other six are too smart to post kiddie land crap like that on a football message.

    Liked by 6 people

  25. Peak wondered if Brown transferred to attend a grad school that has a Masters degree program that Pitt doesn’t offer…sounds like a stretch but who knows.

    Like

  26. Uncle Iek, enjoy Auggie.
    I wouldn’t mind talking to him myself. I bet he’s a cool kid. 😎

    Like

  27. Per Dokish tweet –

    “Capel confirmed on the radio yesterday what I’ve been saying for a long time. He was only concentrating on center for the ‘21 class because he didn’t have a lot of openings. That’s why nobody was in class. Now that there’s a lot of openings, he’s recruiting much more.”

    The heat is on – zero HS connections for a 1, 2, 3 or 4 position players except the transfer portal. Desperate times for Pitt BB.

    Like

    1. Capel is a big BS-er. No coach ever thinks he will have just one scholarship to give. Someone will leave, always, the more you keep adding players. Plus, coaches push kids out.

      Like

      1. Agree…..he’s a bs’er. And you never stop recruiting, what he means is he’s been ‘shut out’ so far in his
        recruiting attempts.

        He’s a black Fraud Graham. Until he proves he’s not.

        Like

  28. …and some folks were worried Capel would be such a success he would leave in a few years for a bigger gig. He’ll be heading back to an assistants job under Coach K. He’d have to pull a miracle recruiting class out of his arse to win next year. Not happening.

    Like

  29. Which coach is fired first, PN or JC?

    PN will get his usual 6 or 7 wins next year.

    Capel’s team will be the same as this past year.

    Like

    2. Easy. Capel, two reasons. Filling the six current openings is going to be a Herculean task, and there is no evidence that Capel or his Gang of Four misfits are capable of pulling that off. And if by some miracle they do get six transfers in for next year, blending them all together into an actual team doubles or triples the difficulty. All signs point to next year being an absolute disaster. Anyone thinking about season tickets, save your money.

      Like

      1. Takes time for chemistry to develop. Need to learn new coach and new plays. Need to acclimate to a new school and setting. Tough for any young kid.

        Transfers will just make sure the bottom doesn’t fall out.

        Like

        1. Kind of what VT, wvcc and Houston did this year.

          It can be done, but you need good coaching.

          Like

  30. The more relevant question is…..which head coach will chief blue blouse extend next when not deserving? For all those that profess unwavering support of her, it is she who extended Capel and Nardstop. You know, the two biggest sports for revenue generation. Talk all you want about our kickball team.

    If you want to know what is happening with Pitt sports, watch Sportscenter each night. You will see all you need to see. There were comments that her plan was to work on the non-revenue sports because football and basketball were stable due to extensions and other crap. Who believes Pitt is stable? The only thing stable is the coaching staffs who are overpaid and awful.

    I liked the Capel hiring but am starting to turn because of comments like the above wherein he only stated he was looking for a big. That’s bunk. Many kids enter the portal because they were recruited over. Not the case here with either club. Above average coaches recruit and close better players than what they currently have on their rosters. They have a desire to get better. Not here. We recruit from the portal because we have to in order to field a team. What are the assistants doing every flippin day. Season has been over for quite awhile.

    The Pitt football and basketball coach are reflections of their boss, drama! I expect that from an AD with compliance trained personnel. Compliance is based on drama. Compliance folks tattletale on everybody that minimally breaks or bends policies and rules. What would you expect! It’s like the compliance guru’s on here that complain to Mike and Reed if one word is too cross for their liking…….

    Liked by 1 person

    1. That’s damn funny yet true.

      Pitt fans preach stability but what good is stable mediocrity?

      What good is changing out your offensive coordinator every two years. That’s stability?

      Heather owns both those coaches with the Narduzzi extension and the Capel hire.

      Here’s a thought. Heather will leave Pitt for another job before she has to make that decision. Past is prologue.

      It would be a resume killer if she had to force either of those two to resign.

      And we speak of improving the secondary sports but soccer is the only one that has really improved significantly. Heather didnt hire Coach Jay.

      Other sports like swimming and softball have slipped. And basketball isn’t looking too good right now is it now?

      I’ll reserve judgement on baseball…it could be fools gold since sportswriters who cover ACC baseball picked Pitt to finish near the ACC bottom.

      I’d say it’s Same Old Pitt.

      Like

    2. We are stable. We’re horrible in basketball and mired in mediocrity in football.

      And less and less people are caring about either. That is very stable.

      And some people on this blog have no sense of humor. And with Pitt’s main sports you need all the
      humor can you find,

      Like

    3. Capel will be gone next season. And it’s a shame Pitt’s two PC hires are both failures. Heather lost me with the Fanta grape soda fiasco and her begging tough as nails Sandry Barbour to renew Penn State series and her complete disappearance for months. Capel only know how to lose past mid-January. He and his band of brothers are a joke.

      Like

  33. Simple exercise I just did. Where do pitt programscrank in the ACC based on records.

    Football was 7 out of 15
    Men’s soccer was 3 of 12
    Women’s soccer was 11 of 14
    Volleyball was 5 of 15
    Both men’s and women’s basketball was 12 of 15
    Wrestling was 5 of 6
    Softball was 10 of 13
    Baseball is in a three way tie for 2 of 14

    No info exists for swimming but both men’s and women’s swimming teams finished 11 of 14 in the ACC championships I believe.

    Don’t know if track had their championships yet. I think that’s in May.

    So you be the judge on what heather promised.

    Like

    1. Now put it in context. Go back to 2013 when Pitt joined the ACC, Put in AD’s & coaches for each year.

      Single point in time stats are worthless without a base to compare,

      Back to house cleaning. Still raining.

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Football hasn’t improved since joining

        Basketball has gotten worse

        The only sports that matter

        Soccer has improved. Barnes hire

        Volleyball was always good. Reached new heights under fisher. Have slipped this year. Barnes hire

        Women’s soccer slowly improving

        Wrestling slipped this year. Many good teams in ACC

        Softball was one pitch away from a regional just a few years ago. Now they stink

        Swimming got blown out of the water this year. Pitt won championships in the big east

        Baseball might be an illusion this year. They were picked as a bottom team this year. Always been a mediocre team with some flash years.

        Don’t really see what heather promised five years ago. We should have hardware in the trophy cases by now.

        Like

        1. Now you are in opinion mode. Can’t argue with opinion. My opinion is they are stable or on the uptick except basketball.

          Like

          1. I feel for you brother…..A Pitt fan and a Gamecocks fan. Although the Cocks did make it to the
            Final 4 the other year.

            Football wise they’ve been worse than Pitt the last 7 of 8 years, And haven’t done much in hoops
            since the big run in 2016-17. 6-15 this year.

            So you got a mighty strong stomach.

            Like

            1. Thank you for your sympathies. Supposedly, the AD was to meet with the basketball HC yesterday to discuss his future. There is grumbling on his performance since the final 4 team.

              By reading and commenting on the Blather & now the POV, I have come to the conclusion that the problem with Gamecock football and sports programs at U of SC is two fold.

              1 – No on campus stadium.
              2 – The AD had no experience at all before becoming the AD. He was the baseball coach. A very successful baseball coach but a baseball coach just the same.

              On the bright side – the women’s equestrian team was #2 in the country the last I heard.

              Like

          2. No I’m in facts mode. Pitt based on ACC rankings across all sports lies at the bottom of the second tier of three. How is that opinion.

            Football 🏈 is indeed mediocre

            Basketball is a dumpster fire again and stinks

            You need to go back to 64-69 to see a worse mess

            You need to go back to majors and back to the future to see more blow out losses by pitt football.

            Like

            1. If it was so simple to come up with facts you presented , why are you ignoring my suggestions to do the job right for the time frame I suggested.

              You came back with opinion. As I said you can’t argue with opinion.

              Like

      2. Exactly Richard but common sense like that never stops some from trying to bash their agenda into our brains repeatedly. It’s either that or changing their point completely like Narduzzi’s recruiting and Heather making strides with the Director cup points. All of a sudden Narduzzi’z recruiting ain’t so bad sending all the players into the NFL and btw, if you have to constantly criticize anothers choice of color for their attire….. You ain’t got nothing and are weak!

        Liked by 1 person

        1. Ike – I agree on the changing agendas. Personally, I like bright and cheerful colors not just on women but on myself. I feel better and more chipper in my daily life. I was ecstatic when Pitt changed from navy blue.

          Liked by 2 people

        2. Ike, heather is making no strides. Soccer was not because of her. It was all 💯 percent Barnes. That’s the only change in her inglorified five years at the helm.

          Swimming has gotten worse

          Basketball worse

          Football still mediocre

          Wrestling and volleyball have always been solid.

          Softball worse.

          Like

  34. I did find cross country. ACC is sending six men and five women’s teams to the NCAA championships coming up.

    Pitt wasn’t one of them

    I’m thinking SOP just doesn’t want to go away

    Like

  35. Like you said Tex, football and men’s basketball are all that matters. I like seeing the others succeed but I have never even attended or watched a game on TV for the other sports.

    I’d watch men’s lacrosse if Pitt had it. Started following it when my son played and still watch occasional college games or stop by to watch RMU play. Great sport.

    I’ll be half watching Pitt football this year, can’t take Whipple’s offense and the fact he wasn’t fired.

    Like

    1. I really enjoy lacrosse but never played. But reminds me of hockey and soccer. Two sports I’ve played.

      Like

  36. Nobody you meet anywhere or in a sports pub is going to discussing Women’s or Men’s box kite flying.

    If you stink in basketball and lose 50-2 in football on national TV. They will notice that however.

    Like

  38. I just caught up with this post and thread. My what negativism. It almost sounds like PITT is the Little Sisters of the Poor in the ACC. Somehow I don’t think so. First of all, we pay very competitive salaries which is how we’ve been able to attract some good talent, at least on paper. Who did not like Capel when he was hired? Another example is the $250m Victory Heights. The Athletic department is in the process of starting the project and has completed several steps. Fundraising in progress with several major gifts in place already despite the pandemic. Any serious look at PITT’s overall facilities in comparison to others in the ACC says we’re not at the bottom by any stretch. I seen some of them.

    Fundraising has been completely revamped with almost a new staff and new approaches. For instance, the new Script Society, where you make a 5 yr commitment between $50k and $1m+. Their goal for 2021 I think was 100 members which is almost met already, including at least 6 over $1m. They seem to be off to a great start there.

    My perception is PITT lost a generation givers by inept management. They’ve tried to right that now and time will tell whether they’ve been effective. It’s too early to make judgments. On field performance is still a problem especially with football and bball. That may require some future changes but we don’t want to get back to the coaching carousel we were on. That was a disaster.

    Finally to members the this forum. Cheer up it’s not all bad.

    Like

    1. Are you comparing Pitt to wake? Because I’ve seen the ACC venues. And 90 percent best Pitt’s. Nobody else plays in 70 year old facilities.

      Like

      1. How old is the Carrier Dump ? And BC has to have some oldies too !

        Can’t believe we’re wasting $250 mil on non-revenue sports, that money could be used to
        help fund a OCS MPS that would GENERATE revenue and be the home to some of the
        non-revenue sports.

        Place the wasting of the space for non-revenue alone is absurd.

        Like

        1. The carrier dome is undergoing some massive renovations. But it still probably will be a dump. They really needed to implode it and rebuild.

          Like

Comments are closed.