in Pitt Football 748 Words

How Pitt FB Looks to Others

…And why it is so hard for Pitt fans to see the same things.

Where is Pitt again Maude?

Looking at Pitt’s historical RPIs (The Rating Percentage Index, commonly known as the RPI, is a quantity used to rank sports teams based upon a team’s wins and losses and its strength of schedule) under Head Coach Pat Narduzzi over the last six years we see this:

’20-’21 #57 RPI AP #21 in-season; not ranked season’s end (127 D1 teams)

‘19-’20 #48 RPI No Ranking At All (130 D1 teams)

‘18-’19 #30 RPI AP #24 in-season; not ranked season’s end (129 D1 teams)

’17-’18 #76 RPI No Ranking At All (129 D1 teams)

’16-’17 #34 RPI AP #22 in-season; not ranked season’s end (128 D1 teams)

‘15-’16 #45 RPI AP #23 in-season; not ranked season’s end (127 D1 teams)

So, in his six years as the Pitt HC we are averaging at #48 in the D1 RPI ranking with a high of #30 and a low of #76. We have also never been ranked in the Final Top 25 at the end of the year.

Not to pour salt on the wound but in PN’s six years at the helm not only were we not ranked at season end but only one (1) season did we even get “Others Receiving Votes“. That was in the AP poll of 2016 when we got 21 ‘other’ votes – when the #25 team San Diego State had 113.

Sorry my Pitt friends – but that pretty much sucks.

For those very forgiving fans who believe a HC really shouldn’t be judged until his first recruiting classes become upperclassmen (or in his system for two years) that would be years ’18-’21 which give us an average of #48 RPI for those years and no post-season rankings.

Perhaps more importantly we have seen the Panthers come in on an average RPI of a 38th percentile out of all the D1 teams for those years.

That isn’t an average of a 38th ranking folks but an average RPI of 38th of all D1 teams.

Now – are these just numbers or do they mean something and why talk about them now? Well, it is an offseason after another disappointing 6-5, no bowl season when PN and all his minions and camp followers predicted a great (great I tell ya!) nine or 10 win season.

Oh, right – Covid! No excuse what so ever friends, because every D1 team played under the same constraints, or worse, as Pitt did last year.

The common theme of Pitt’s fans downtime conversation is always ‘do we really want this HC (who ever it is) to keep being the HC of a mediocre team and program’.

I say no. With that $4,900,000 salary he’s pulling in can we honestly point to anything he has done to make Pitt a better football team than those who came before his time here? Has he done anything so well and set the bar so high that it would be impossible for anyone following him to match?

Of course not, and let’s not kid ourselves – he has also done relatively nothing with some pretty damn good players. All the really good commits he convinced to play here were on the defensive side of the ball of course. That is because when someone mentions the word “offense” he pees his pants a little.

Forget the old saw about having to start over with a new HC and staff. Every D1 school save a double handful or so has to deal with that sooner or later and no one has died from it yet.

JUST FOR FUN: Here are some of the teams that finished higher in the AP ratings and the ‘others receiving votes” than the non-existent Pitt after our three best 8-5 seasons:

’15: Western Kentucky; San Diego State; Toledo; Appalachian State; Temple

’16: Western Michigan, Kansas State, Air Force

’19: Appalachian State; Cincinnati; Florida Atlantic; North Dakota State (!?!) and Louisiana. That isn’t LSU but ‘Louisiana’ whom I have never even heard of.

That isn’t all but only some schools I picked because I was laughing so hard I couldn’t see through the tears to list them all…

That is after our ‘good’ 8-5 seasons fellow suffers. Why do you think that is? Well, here’s a hint. These polls are really popularity contests for every spot from, I’d say, #10 and below through the others/votes. So why isn’t Pitt popular when we have better records than other teams ranked ahead of us?

Inquiring minds want to know.

So we stink, what’s it to you!!

195 thoughts on “How Pitt FB Looks to Others”

  1. 4.9 mil and not once have we been ranked at season’s end? Reed, you had me at “Hello”.

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  2. There’s a reason for the above. Narduzzi is a horrible game day coach, a terrible judge of assistants,
    overrated as a recruiter and annoying as hell to be around.
    He couldn’t be the CEO of a charity let alone a complex D1 NCAA football team! 5-7 on deck for this season!

    All that wonderfulness for $4.7 million a year.

    But..the players love him

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  3. Whipple was on the ACC Network with Packer & Durham for the first time. How can you not be impressed with such a brilliant coach, NOT! He stated that for once, this year the offense is ahead of Pitt’s defense. Narduzzi has also started sitting in on some of the offensive meetings. Wow, until this year he never was interested enough in the offense to sit in on their meetings?

    This year we are faced with a quandry! Should we hope Pitt football finally has a good year and actually gets ranked? They should start out the season no worse than 4-1 with an outside possibility of 5-0. A 9-3 season is easily in reach which should be good enough for a ranking and a decent bowl bid. If all that happens the administration will be ecstatic and probably do something incredibly stupid such as extending Narduzzi’s contract.

    The other possibility is Narduzzi’s team will do what they are known for and lose several easy games. We end up with another 6-6 or 7-5 season. This means another year of Narduzzi but maybe Whipple gets forced out or decides to “retire”.

    If we do not get option 1 this year, I would much prefer option 3 which would be a total disaster. Pitt goes 4-8 and Narduzzi gets canned. So sign me up for either at least 9-3 or a 4-8 or worse season.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. I thought that it was telling too, John when Whipple said about Narduzzi attending an offensive meeting “for the first time” this year….

      Liked by 1 person

    2. After watching what Duzz has done in his tenure here, I don’t know how anyone can reasonably pick more than 7 wins for 2021 and it’s just as likely could be 5. My optimism is at its lowest point during the Duzz era.

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  6. There aren’t too many jobs in the country that pay $4 mil…. certainly there is someone far better out there if you have the right people looking….. problem starts at the top…ole Pat help hire is “boss”… now that’s a Doozy!

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  8. Narduzzi seems like such a generic football coach, always striving for the photo op that makes it look like his players like him and he’s a pillar of the community. His banter with the ACC Network guys a few weeks ago was painful to watch. No personality, no reason to believe he can make anything better and imo came from a program that did just about everything the wrong way.

    Anyone have a reason for optimism?

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    1. Maybe the Aliens will invade and the season gets postponed.

      Probably Pitt’s luck with the easiest non-con I can remember.

      If they do invade, maybe Whipple & Nard get abducted. Get’s us out of the buyout money as well !

      Liked by 1 person

  10. At this point Narduzzi’s seat isn’t even warm, he ain’t going anywhere anytime soon.

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  13. How does the administration feel about the football program being perceived in a positive light by others? Not a whole lot. Therein lies the problem. Not Narduzzi or his coaches.

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    1. Brianna Kiesel was fun to watch at Pitt. She was recruited by Agnus Berenato and Brianna’s senior year was Coach Suzie’s first year. That’s the last time Pitt went to the NCAAs.

      She played with great energy but played smart. Being the 13th overall pick in the WNBA draft shows how talented she was. Maybe her experience overseas will be a factor in recruiting over there…

      If she can get Day Harris to play more under control (and less Bad-X-Man-like), she would be a big help…

      Go Pitt.

      Liked by 3 people

    2. I got to watch Brianna in a game at Clemson in 2014. Clemson would put two players on her as soon as she came across midcourt whether she had the ball or not. They would shadow her the whole time while over the midcourt stripe. She still scored 21 points but Pitt lost 77-67. Clemson was correct in their assessment of the rest of Pitt’s team not being able to beat them.

      Welcome back Brianna!

      Liked by 2 people

  16. That’s a good question. What do others outside the school and region think of Pitt and specifically Pitt football.

    I think people might think that Pitt has been pretty good given the quality players that Pitt has sent to the NFL over the years.

    But if one digs deeper, you’ll find an abysmal bowl record in less than desirable locations and few if any top 25 rankings. So I would think underperformers might be the word outsiders use.

    And it’s visible every Saturday…those empty yellow seats. Everyone knows Pitt doesn’t have many fans and supporters. Most watching TV quickly realize it’s the Steelers stadium. It’s embarrassing and shows Pitt isn’t committed to winning and is still cheap.

    So cheap might be another word used to describe Pitt but Narduzzi is laughing all the way to the bank as he dines on steak and serves you up meatballs.

    Pitt fans should be crying in their Koolaid bottles (aka sippy cups). Because if you think Pitt is mediocre, it’s because you allow and help enable it. Stop it.

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  17. 2021 Pitt football expectation:

    Out of conference, 3 and 1

    ACC schedule, .500, 4 and 4

    Crap bowl win, 1 and 0

    8 wins 5 losses overall

    Narduzzi gets an extension thru 2028!

    Reed ’em and weep

    Liked by 1 person

    1. I’ll bet a dollar right now we don’t get both 8 wins including a bowl win.

      Gain, we lost 6 draft picks without really talented coming behind them. Our OL will suck again;111th in rushing and 79th. In total offense, throw in bad TFLs allows (107th) and sacks allowed (80th) and we see a repeat of a one-sided team.

      Liked by 2 people

    2. I can see Pitt granting Narduzzi the title of Coach for Life. Not just extending him but giving him a lifetime contract.

      They will point out his ACC record. Like the third or fourth most wins over the past 6 years. Easy to do playing in the Coastal and having Syracuse as your cross rival.

      Pitt gets bowl invites every year but what school doesn’t

      That division title and that nice participation trophy

      Grade point averages, graduation rates, community service…numbers of kittens saved.

      Clean program…we’ll just overlook that two year probation incident.

      All those nfl draft picks

      Wanting stability

      Saying they are locking him in at a bargain price given impending future inflation

      Good relationship with the administration. They see eye to eye

      Some recent survey saying Pitt players love him and three out of four fans thinking pitt football is moving in the right direction

      Some mysterious shadow booster who shall go unnamed providing a substantial gift if Narduzzi stays.

      There is Plenty of good material pitt can use to justify something like that. I just scratched the surface.

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  18. I think that this upcoming season will be really critical for Narduzzi. With the players coming back, including a 5th year Sr. QB, they should be expected to achieve at least 9 wins in his 7th year. If they don’t hit this high water mark, I think that many fans who were giving him much benefit of the doubt will begin to lose faith and the voices for replacement will be growing significantly.

    Following this year, a new QB will be needed, and it could be another 3-4 years before Pitt could challenge for 9 wins. This would mean a total stretch of 10 years or more where Pitt football averages 6-7 wins per year. Is the Pitt administration going to be satisfied with this?

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  20. What’s that caveat you’re stockbroker uses, past performance does not guarentee future results. Paint me optomistic, Picket slowly improving, more emphasis on the run game, potentially better tight end and running back play.

    The acc teams all have significant turnover as well. A mediocre .500 record in the acc schedule seems reasonable. 8 wins is a reasonable expectation.

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  21. It says something that Narduzzi’s best records were with Chryst’s recruits. His recruiting is slowly getting better, but until he gets that 5 star QB he will never crack double digit wins. I think it takes a young, upcoming dynamic OC to recruit a top flight QB. Whipple will never do it. As I said, this year could be make or break for Narduzzi.

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  22. The real tradeoff is stability with mediocrity vs. 3 years of disruption and unknown results with a new coach. I think that right now Pitt is satisfied with the stability. Ask yourself: is Pitt really capable of finding that hidden gem and hiring a new coach who is capable of doing better than Narduzzi?

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    1. They won’t know until they try. One problem is that all that athletic, and university, admin people, along with most fans and now alumni, have never experienced the glory years of Pitt football.

      When you see DW with a decades best 10 wins then 7 and 8 wins isn’t horrible.

      But put the current ”goood” 7 or 8 wins against those ’70s and ’80s seasons and it looks like crap.

      If Pitt really doesn’t care about championship FB, and I believe they don’t, then why not roll the dice and shake things up?

      How much worse is 4 or 5 wins with a new HC than 5 or 6 wins as we have seen with Narduzzi?

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    2. Could Pitt hire someone better than Duzz? Absolutely. Is Pitt capable of hiring someone better than Duzz? Absolutely not!!! I’ve said it many times before and I will keep saying it until proven otherwise…..Pitt does not know how to manage a successful football program. History proves this to be so. Pitt is afraid of success, but not afraid of being a joke apparently. $5 million, proved this to be so.

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      1. That is the conundrum. I wouldn’t trust Pitt athletics to spell Pitt after I spotted them the P and two T’s.

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  23. Yes VoR, that and the fact PITT isn’t looking for change anyways.

    I would love for PITT and Narduzzi win 10 or more games but admit I would be surprise to see that happen.

    I just don’t understand why and how PITT fans have come to expect wins? Except for the dislike of Narduzzi. It’s a personal thing.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. We expect more than 7 wins on average and some top 25 rankings. Why. Because Pitt raised the expectations when they decided to pay King Pat a ransom salary. But fans are still being held hostage to mediocrity.

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    2. Ike, the more you pay this guy, the more protected he feels and the more arrogant he gets.

      Again, I’ll be first in line to drive him back to Youngstown. Reed might have something to say about that. 🤠

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    3. Because for five million I expect more than 7 win seasons. It’s that simple.

      Students and tax payers deserve a better return.

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  24. Today’s lesson on grammar, syntax and word usage..

    A standard is a level of quality, something that is accepted as a norm and used as a basis for judgment. An expectation is a strong belief that something is going to happen in the future, or feeling that something is going to be achieved. One is fact, the other fiction.

    Expectations and standards aren’t the same.

    I believe Pitt’s athletic STANDARDS should be much higher. My EXPECTATIONS are that Pitt will remain mediocre (as the administration shudders at the thought of becoming a “football school”.)

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    1. Pitts standard is the bare minimum it takes to stay in the ACC. They expect to continue being an ACC school. Pitt fans can continue to expect crap.

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      1. See! You clearly understand the different meanings of the two words. Well done, sir.

        While I understand we POV’erts may never come to a consensus, I’d be happy to simply get to a place where we can all accurately, and perceptibly, articulate those beliefs. Bring on the constructive, honest, impassioned discourse.

        Don’t tell me I’m not an optimist or, dare I say it, a dreamer!

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  26. I don’t think Pitt wants to gamble and possibly fall back to the 6-7 records that were posted three times from 2011-14. Throw in the free transfer rule and Pitt just might fear a torn-apart roster and dark days.

    The gamble to fire Wannstedt backfired big time and finding a better coach shouldn’t have been too difficult. We know though finding good coaches is a Herculean task for the dullards in Oakland. Narduzzi has avoided the embarrassing losses like Chryst couldn’t avoid to the YSUs and Akrons of the world. I’m not sure if Pat has one of those losses on his resume that he is still the coach at Pitt.

    We know the fine line between winning and losing. Look at Foge’s last year. The close losses and how a 7-3-1 or 7-4 record instead of the 5-5-1 record definitely buys him another two years.

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    1. Narduzzi has nearly the amount of blowout losses that majors had in the 90’s. Narduzzi has a very poor record against ranked teams. He got lucky against clemson once and then beat a very overrated Miami team. He might not lose to Massachusetts this year but he will get blown out again by clemson.

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      1. Definitely will be blown out. But Pitt fans will be glad the school won’t sell its soul for football glory like Clemson. I’m sure I’ll read that afterward on here and the Lair.

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        1. Yeah, it’s weird. I don’t remember hand-wringing from Pitt fans about non-qualified players being on the field from 1976-1989.. There was quite a bit of “soul selling” in Oakland back in those days. It’s also well documented what was going into making the Pitt rosters in the 1920’s and 1930’s.

          Liked by 2 people

  27. Why dfid it take Narduzzi 7 years to have a “Hometown Throwdown” ? Why are there no high school coaches on Narduzzi’s staff?

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  28. Why did it take Narduzzi 7 years to have “Hometown Throwdown”? Why no local high school coaches on Narduzzi’s staff?

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    1. Because every local coach hates his guts. But let’s keep the man because his players love him. ❤️ 💕 💗

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      1. This is a false statement Tex. I think you should bag the word “every” and whip out the word “many”

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        1. Ok. 9 out of 10

          The Indiana coach likes him. He can provide Narduzzi with all the two stars he needs.

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  29. Judging by Reed’s comments, we are moving to an era of “what have we got to lose”? As long as there is some small element of hope that Narduzzi will improve there are still a diminishing few of us who don’t want to blow the whole thing up. But our numbers are getting smaller. I think that Heather remains in this group, however…

    Liked by 2 people

    1. Whatever looks good for heather is what heather is gonna do. She ain’t firing Narduzzi after that extension.

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  30. In my 42 years in the business world, I’ve never seen a mediocre manager/CEO become a good manager but….. I’ve seen mediocre sports managers suddenly become good/great managers if they have the right players. Let’s hope DuzzWhip has the right players this year.

    Liked by 2 people

    1. Look no further than south at Pittsburgh at WVU. RichRod was an 8-5 coach before Pat White.

      He lands Pat White and wins 10-plus games in each of the next four seasons. He leaves WVU and at two stops he is truly RichFraud. The dude was awful.

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  31. Round and round we go. Always focusing on whether our current coaches can get us to 10 wins and, if not, why not try someone new. It’s like some think that 4 or 5 wins is the absolute floor that might happen. What about 1 win or no wins? Hasn’t our recent basketball experience taught us anything? Come to the Pete with 1000 other fans and a handful of students. Maybe being competitive in almost every game in football might not seem so bad.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. What’s the difference between one win and four. Nothing. You still don’t go to a bowl. But if that puts you on a path to excellence, I’ll sign up for that all day long.

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  32. For what it’s worth I think Pitt FB will get to 9 wins this year if Pickett stays healthy for the entire season.

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  33. Remember Pitt in the past has only acted bravely and took risks when the bottom fell out.

    The hiring of Johnny Mike to resurrect the program after almost 20 years of being a doormat.

    The hiring of Johhny Majors after nearly 10 years of being a doormat.

    The hiring of Walt Harris after nearly 10 years of being a doormat.

    They only took a risk and hired Todd Graham, because they (Cornhole & Nordy) botched it so bad
    with the Wife beater, so they needed a splash hire, to make up for that ineptitude.

    So unless the bottom falls out (as it could have last year, unless for the most unlikely blowout wins
    vs VT & FSU)…..we’re stuck with Cap’t Mediocrity.

    Even if he stumbles to another 6 or 7 win season with this easy schedule which should net 9 wins minimum.

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    1. The 1985 vintage of Captain Mediocrity is outstanding. I suggest you try it out. It can be found at Bozik Liquor and Wine Spirits.

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  34. Our next best chance will be the following season, when a new QB will have to be found. And a new TE.

    So if he stumble bums to only 6 or 7 wins this year, with that easy schedule, that will warm his seat.

    And then plummets to 2 or 3 the next year, cause the non-con only has 2 Rent-a-wins.
    Heck he could even lose to Western Michigan with no decent QB.

    And then the next year if he makes it to that, the non-con only has 1 Rent-a-win as
    Notre Dame, WVCC & Cincy are all on the non-con. This could be a 1 or 2 win season.

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  35. Big picture
    Heather cannot fire Narduzzi. It would be career suicide.

    She’s on the hook for his extension and salary

    She’s buying time. Building her resume. And will be long gone in two years.

    It’s not my first rodeo. My first one I was thrown off the bull.

    I now know bull crap when I see it.

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    1. That’s probably true.

      Well if her aim is to exit…stage left. The next 6 months or so would be the optimum time.

      As Pitt soccer and volleyball probably won’t attain the recent heights again.
      Plus it’s still fresh on the resume that she was nominated for AD of the year.

      Probably would be best to bail out…before another disastrous basketball season.
      Plus if Nard somehow gets to 9 wins, that would be the apex on that front.

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      1. Agreed. One thing I give her credit for. She’s a good poker player.

        Narduzzi just got lucky hiring a good contract lawyer.

        But I’m calling heathers bluff. I’m all in.

        Tex – who plays Hold-em

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  36. Alas, the carping has started rolling.

    Yes, Pitt’s record the past six years has been disappointing except for the first year that PN was head coach. Perhaps the record might have pleased the fans if the damn Covid hadn’t caused the ACC to throw out the schedule and redo schedules plus add ND to the ACC no conference race. Please go back and look at how Pitt actually had a very good chance of having a really good year, but then take away at least two sure victories and put both Clemson and ND on the schedule. Then juggle the schedule due to Covid infractions causing less time between some games. It was a CRAP year but not PN or Lyke’s fault.

    I would like to remind people that PN never was a head coach previously so there was a learning curve. In addition to that curve, how many inroads did he have with PA high school programs? Also, I will concede that he hasn’t made some good choices in his selection of assistants, but he is learning. I find little really wrong with the staff now. Sure, people can complain about the TE coach, the OL coach, etc., but Narduzzi has seen the light and brought in some high energy African American coaches plus some younger assistants in other roles.

    I’m not happy where Pitt is, so please don’t misunderstand. But, as long as I see progress in the level of recruits; kids getting to the NFL; good character people; and a solid effort to better market the program, then I am happy.

    Please note. I would rather see football dropped entirely or downgraded to CMU level before accepting under the table nonsense and cheating.

    thanks for enduring the diatribe.

    Liked by 2 people

    1. It would be one thing if pitt was competitive in the clemson and Domer game. Everyone went through covid. A one point loss to scrub teams is still a loss. I don’t discount one point wins. Good luck finding one.

      Nobody deserves $5 million for results like this. As a student and taxpayer you should be mad. I’m neither but I’m still mad.

      Tex – waiting to drive Narduzzi out of Pittsburgh for good.

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    2. Not to sound like a jagoff but if I took six long years to learn my job, I would have been fired after the first 6 months.

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      1. Tex on point one, too late.

        You must have had a great scammer… er teacher/trainer working with you. Tell me Texafied, do you work from home?

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        1. I work wherever work takes me. The mind, the stars, the oils fields, the chicken coop in the back. My thirst for truth and knowledge is unquenchable. My curiosity is second only to the taste of bourbon…America’s spirit.

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        2. Ike, you and I should play a game of Opposite Day just like in spongebob. You can play the vinegar. I’ll play the Koolaid. I’ll say sugary sweet nothings about Narduzzi while you can spew vile filth. I’m willing to give it a try. 🤠

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      2. In the last 10 years most business’ give an employee 6
        months to become competent!
        In sales, after I hire you, you have a review every 30 days. If in three months and you’re not making progress……good bye!

        Liked by 1 person

    3. Really you can’t find anything wrong with the staff now (are you watching the games ?)

      Any staff that includes Charmin running our oft injured QB another couple miles per game to get his
      fabulous 3 yard pass plays….and another retiree in Bourbeley….is not a good staff.

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  37. So in two years both Heather and Duzzer will be gone. Problem solved! Tex will be smiling like a butcher’s dog!

    Then Riddick to the rescue. Then we get to see what coach he hires.

    I love coaching searches. We’ve had plenty of practice at Pitt, but apparently this is one activity where practice doesn’t make perfect…

    Go Pitt.

    Liked by 1 person

  38. RIP one of my faves Mobley. He, Vonteego and Wanamaker… loved those guys.

    You know, when I first went to college (Pitt) in the Fall of 1990, I was a die-hard Redskins fan. I stopped watching games during that time. I started caring about classes, grades, and especially the opposite sex, which I had only a small amount of experience with before.

    When I graduated, I didn’t recognize anyone on the team anymore, maybe except Darrell Green. And then I started questioning, why do I like this team? Why do I put so much of my heart into this team. And then I realized, I didn’t have to anymore. I cheered for D Green until he retired and then I didn’t care anymore.

    Why am I saying all of this? Take a look at our basketball roster. I don’t recognize most. For me, I like to to get to know more about players and then cheer for them.

    Now, take a look at football. The two things that could keep me attached are an ocs and a coach that engages alumni. Lock the gates…lock my wallet.

    Just a usually optimistic fan that is losing the desire to care.

    Liked by 2 people

    1. Pitt tunes fans like you out like am radio. I still care because pandora left something more than just hope in the box. You need to dig deep to find it but it’s there.

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    2. You’re right man……the players come and go, over the years and decades. As do the coaches, although Pitt sometimes takes that to extremes with it’s idiocracy.

      What’s not supposed to change is the on campus place where you play, where all these players played and coaches coaches. Where National Championships were won….and yes lost too. Where many
      of the games greats played. Yes the spirit of Jock & Pop too.

      But it ties all the decades of players & coaches together, all the decades of alumni together. Win or lose, you always have the memories….of Once Upon a Time in Oakland up on Cardiac Hill.

      The bureaucratic buffoons that run Pitt…don’t have a clue.

      And if they do…..then that’s even worse. For it means…..they just don’t give a damn.

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  39. And epic choke job caused by a head coach not leading. Heather failed to mention that. I’ve come to expect it after four long years. Heck, just one more bullet on her resume and she’s gone. I’ll be a reference if needed.

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      1. No Fire his boss. You think heather will have a coming to Jesus meeting with him? Bell can be redeemed.

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    2. The “last four in” teams went 2-2 with Michigan getting hammered by NC State and Alabama losing.

      UCSB crushed OK State and UNC squeaked by UCLA 5-4.

      Pitt was home vacuuming the carpet at Cost Field.

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      1. Correction – Alabama was hammered by NC State.

        Michigan was hammered by UConn (ikr)

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  41. Reed,
    Narduzzi must really hate you after reading this. But it’s good medicine.

    The thing is few if any people know me. Yes Fran but he’s probably forgotten. Narduzzi thinks I wear a ten gallon hat and cowboy boots. But Ike knows I’m an Indiana county boy. I dress Appalachian.

    Def Leppard t shirt, cig dangling from my mouth, jean jacket, blue jeans, converse sneaks and a Milwaukee’s best in my left hand.

    Like

  42. I remember Tex…haha.
    Looking forward to seeing you again.
    You’re different in person…in a good way.

    Liked by 1 person

  43. BTW, There will be another POV golf tournament this year in August. Plans are being finalized as we speak (or comment). Rick (Erie Express) and Fran (lastrowofsection4) will be the leads.

    All previous golf days have been great successes as will this one also. Stay tuned for details…

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    1. Cannot wait. Had a knee procedure and will be ready by July. Thanks to Reed, Rick and Fran for pulling it together.

      Let me know if I can help.

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  45. She was born in Sweden but lived in Canada. It would be like me being born in PA but living in Texas and calling myself Tex instead of Penn. 🤠

    Like

  46. Because Duzz is like the 40th highest paid coach so we get 40th like rankings … same with Capel although he hasn’t sniffed top 40 yet. You pay for what you get. The Pitt administration does not want Pitt as a national brand for athletics. It’s that simple. Historically, when Pitt is all in, they’re a top 10 team. Pitt made a decision in the 80’s and thought the cost of success was too steep so they de-emphasized athletics and never went back. It is what it is. I can still root for Pitt and have fun doing so but I also live in a reality where Pitt is not committed to taking the steps necessary to be elite … and, yes, Tex that also means top 25. Pitt does not pay Duzz top 25 money so we don’t get top 25 results. Now, is it weird that we haven’t had some luck and occasionally blipped? Yes, Pitt’s level of mediocrity is a sight to behold … Sometimes, you’d think we’d get lucky and make an appearance … but I guess we used all that luck with the Jamie Dixon Panthers.

    Like

  47. I would just like to have someone from the media ask a very simple question.

    When will Narduzzi (the second highest paid coach in the ACC now) have a top 25 final ranking to match that top 25 salary?

    I’d also follow up and ask if Pitts salaries for coordinators and assistants are an issue at attracting and retaining and assembling a quality coaching staff.

    I would already know that Pitts coordinators are paid half what most ACC schools pay.

    Like

    1. He’s not the 2nd highest. The numbers Pitt finally does release are all the extra benefits and bonuses hit … which these salaries do not include. Add in their escalators and bonuses, etc. and their salaries will grow at a similar pace. Have to compare apples to apples … which is hard because Pitt cannot disclose salaries until tax records but then we’re seeing final payouts vs. base salaries.

      https://businessofcollegesports.com/coaches/college-football-coaching-salaries-atlantic-coast-conference/

      Like

      1. So are you saying Narduzzi is underpaid at nearly $5 million? I think we can all agree that he is grossly overpaid for results on the field.

        His rpi is 48
        His pay is most surely in the top 30-40 now. I’d venture to say after all the hidden accounting that he’s top 25 with ease.

        Yet no top 25 finishes
        Pitts coordinators make less than the bama special teams coach

        Why? Because there is no money left to pay for quality coordinators and assistants after pat lines his fleece pockets.

        Why is pitt investing so heavily in one man when it’s a team sport. Pitt needs the money to assemble a quality staff. Instead pitt gets adversely selected because they pay below market. We get washed up old guys and kids.

        Like

    2. You’re building a case with this, Tex. But can you cite sources and verify assistant coaches salaries? If so, I may become a believer.

      Like

  48. I continue to use UVA as a model for what a good Athletics Dept and its programs should be for a highly ranked public university. A top university should strive to have all of its endeavors achieve good things, or else why do them? There will be down years, of course, but there should be good years to look forward to, as well.

    Some will claim that Pitt doesn’t have the public interest or the fund rising capability to achieve success, and some will also claim that athletics is not the main mission of the university, so why bother or care. But there are many studies that refute this attitude, including the recognition that successful sports teams will increase the number of student applications, and therefore improve the selection results.

    But overcoming the fear that sports will somehow “dirty” the university if cheating occurs is a major hurdle that must be overcome. And I somewhat agree that I would shy away from a university if it was on probation, which suggests to me that they are rules breakers and not the best example of an honorable institution.

    Like

    1. I don’t think major cheating impacts applications at all. If anything, they should increase because cheating means you are winning.

      Unless you are pitt and cheat in both football and basketball so small, still get caught and now are on two years probation. Despite having a compliance person in charge.

      Cheat big or go home. Everyone loves a winner. Most people don’t care if you cheat to win these days. The NCAA sure doesn’t care.

      And Pitt has always cheated. You think Dorsett and Marino didn’t get cars, cash and care.

      Like

    2. UVA, Wisconsin, stanford, Texas, Michigan, Florida

      All excellent academically. All top ten directors cup

      I don’t recall major cheating at those schools

      Those schools do it because they are committed to both

      But those schools have separate athletic mission statements. Athletics doesn’t report to a BoT infiltrated by the enemy and having no understanding of sports. Boosters are involved. Academics doesn’t fear athletics and actively sabatogue athletics success

      Like

    3. We basically are UVA … similar football and basketball success … UVA did get that ring but Dixon had us a national program. They do invest more in other programs but the ACC valued them more than old Big East and Pitt is slowly catching up. Volleyball, wrestling, baseball, soccer are all competitive now.

      Like

      1. The overall quality of Virginia’s academics and athletics are vastly superior to Pitt. They are the private ivy that Pitt longed to be.

        But Virginia does value sports far more than Pitt. And every year they are one of the top ACC schools in the Cup. Wasn’t their men’s lacrosse team on tv last weekend in the NC game?

        Pitt dreaming about becoming Virginia is just a dream. Will never happen.

        If Pitt is top 60 in academics, no reason why overall sports can’t be top 60 unlike the year prior to covid when Pitt sports ranked 138.

        Pitt just doesn’t care about sports. They do care about staying a member of the ACC. So they will pay lip service to things and spruce things up every once in a while.

        They may point to victory Heights but nobody smart is forking over coin to build a 3500 seat arena. My local high school gym is bigger than that.

        Like

        1. Your next to the last paragraph is spot on.

          Lip service and some paint and varnish on a broken down rotten foundation Front Porch.

          Like

        2. That’s what I’ve been trying to tell everyone … Pitt does not care about sports.

          Like

      2. If we were similar to UVA at one time….we aren’t any more.

        Pitt has had no basketball success since Dixon’s last year. And that wasn’t even much success
        as we didn’t end the season ranked and were a #10 seed and a quick out in the Dance.

        The year before that didn’t make the Tourney

        Pitt hasn’t finished ranked in the Top 20 in hoops since 2012-2013 season.
        So we’re going on almost 10 years…..a decade.

        At the same time of our decline and total demise….UVA shot to the top.
        Basically with Dixon’s style of play as UVA usually leads the country in slowest tempo stats.

        So they are us….in that regard. And Pitt well……

        Pitt is now Wake Forest.

        Like

      1. Narduzzi is overpaid and pitt can not afford him. Doesn’t change those facts. Not opinions at this point.

        We’ve had six long years of a dismal track record. And we know Pitts top line revenues. Saban doesn’t come close to making what Narduzzi makes as a percentage of revenues.

        Like

  50. I would like to recommend strongly that Pitt fans read:

    Golden Panthers Pitt’s ten-Year Affair With Football Prominence by Sam Sciullo Jr.

    This book might give you a greater appreciation as well as insight into what is and has been happening at Pitt. I promise you will find it very interesting.

    Like

    1. When Sherrill took the team on a boat excursion in New Orleand and got a call from an administrator after asking why $400 were spent on sandwiches for the team, it’s not a shock Pitt has been mediocre ever since.

      That’s the best chapter in the book. Sherrill also gave Posvar a list of demands that went ignored. Jackie also wanted to be co-AD with Cas as AD and of course Wesley went in another direction. Sherrill had no choice but to leave, and Pitt’s leaders wanted him to leave!

      Has there ever been a chancellor who rose a program from the dead only to kill it not once, but twice? Kudos, Posvar.

      Like

      1. Even though it was over 40 years earlier…..Pitt administrators pulled the same trick on another
        JS. Jock had to plea for each player to have $20 in spending money during Rose Bowl week.

        I think he took the money out of his own pocket and then said ‘sayonara’ (goodbye forever)
        to Pitt.

        Which is exactly what Pitt wanted him to do.

        Like

        1. Jock and Jackie got tired of playing that game.

          Narduzzi is fine with it because he’s hogging all the coin. He won’t make waves. Heather bought his silence.

          Like

      2. And Pitt replaced him with Oval Jaynes. Goodness my Texas gracious. The BoT is truly the root of this evil. Didn’t help that half the BoT during those days had some kind of Nitter connection. Seriously, would the university of Michigan ever allow a Buckeye to sit on their board?

        Like

  51. Bob Heddleston who was the Executive Director for over a decade was charged with embezzlement. It fell apart after he was forced out. Now the university has these small time booster clubs under strict university controls, rules and regs. So there is now oversight and supervision of the books but they arent effective money raising arms.

    Pitt really needs a new and improved Golden Panthers that truly does buy influence

    I mean if nordenberg can give his buddy Steve a golden parachute on his way out and if heather can extend the contracts of all these bad coaches, and if pitt can hire guys like fraud and Stallings, and if Pitt can’t fundraise more than 4 percent of the total cost for victory Heights, don’t you think a booster club with better accounting oversight would be a good thing for Pitt athletics.

    Pay someone a full time salary to run it. Heck create a board for it. No Nitters allowed.

    Like

  52. Another Central Catholic football player off to ND. We need Lastrow to pay a visit to his Alma Mater and get these players straightened out… 😊

    The player is a three-star defensive tackle (whose brother goes to ND), so I think we’ll be okay on this one…

    Go Pitt.

    Like

    1. Didn’t work out too well for this CC kid who went off to ND. Pitt should try to sign him.

      2017 — 4-Star David Adams (Central Catholic, Pittsburgh Pa.) Inside Linebacker
      7th best player in PA.

      Adams never saw the field for the Irish and was medically disqualified in 2018. This past February he put his name in the transfer portal to try and comeback as a player somewhere else, but has yet to announce any decision.

      Liked by 1 person

  53. This is just football revenues. Pitts figures make sense. The Hoopies do not. I think they forgot to add the big 12 check of $40 million. Football should get 80 percent of it.

    https://www.pennlive.com/pennstatefootball/2020/03/which-are-richest-and-poorest-college-football-programs-new-revenue-figures-for-all-65-power-five-schools.html

    Proves that pitt is revenue poor and can’t afford king Pat. You want Pitts two most successful programs, soccer and volleyball, to have budget constraints for staffing, recruiting, equipment and travel?

    So why is Narduzzi making 13 cents on every dollar and saban only makes a dime?

    Like

    1. That’s from a couple years ago when Pitt went 7-7, yet still somehow won the Coastal.

      So we had some extra revenue from that I would expect, as well as a bigger bowl payout,
      since the Sun Bowl..,..isn’t the usual trash bowl we get.

      A normal year, we would be lower than #53.

      Like

    1. Four years ago

      Seriously pitt is adversely selecting themselves because they pay well below the going rate for quality assistant coaches.

      Yet they pay real good coin to a head coach who has earned zero of it. The man gets paid $700k for every win. So he makes more off one win than Bates does all freakin year. That’s wrong.

      You don’t think assistants know that. It’s very demotivating.

      Like

        1. Which is why you need a Head Coach Offense and a Head Coach Defense. Pay them each 2 million. Hire someone like Wanny or Walt (or Louis Riddick 😊) for half a million to be the Coaching Coordinator, and tie-breaker when you need one.

          Walt could also serve as QB Coach; Wanny could also serve fish sammiches…

          You get a top-notch offensive coordinator and a top-notch defensive coordinator and save some money. What more could you want?

          Go Pitt.

          Liked by 1 person

            1. So many bars in da Burgh….had good fish sammiches. I forgot the name of the one of Butler street.
              It had a huge one served on a 12 inch hoagie roll. Even then the fish hung out over the edges by a couple inches on each end.

              Grant Street Inn in Milvale had a good one too If I remember correctly.

              Like

          2. People may laugh and dismiss but Riddick is the chosen one. He will be Pitts Moses.

            Tex the Prophet

            Like

            1. Louis Riddick was the keynote speaker at a Pitt Kickoff Luncheon a few years ago. You could tell his love and passion for Pitt from his remarks…

              Go Pitt.

              Like

  55. Michigan baseball lost to Central Michigan 8-2 to be eliminated from their regional.

    Alabama is tied 1-1 in the 7th with Rider, who is located in New Jersey.

    Central Connecticut is beating LSU 5-2 in the 3rd.

    Where is Pitt? Oh yeah, cleaning out their lockers.

    Like

    1. I’m a big fan of a fall baseball schedule for northern teams. The coaches and directors of every northern and Midwest school should gang up and force it down their conferences throats. As AD I’d be building a coalition and bringing this up at every public speaking engagement.

      Bama and NC should not have gotten in. Michigan deserves it. They have an AD that knows how to play the game.

      Like

      1. Michigan’s Rpi was pathetically low (90 or so). They got in, cause they were in the Finals of the CWS, in the last CWS.

        Like

  56. The NCAA owes the big ten. And Michigan’s ad let them know that. The committee wanted balance and representation. And yes anything that could excuse the injustice of them being selected over Pitt. Even bad Pitt would beat them. Good pitt would crush them. However Good luck finding good pitt. Went on an OBX vacation prior to the Louisville series cancellation.

    Pitt looks stupid for even being considered to host a regional. But I bet that still marks a bullet on heathers resume. Sparty approves and is looking for a compliance savior. It’s a cesspool up there.

    Like

  57. Fish Friday, you might be thinking of Nied’s Hotel fish sammy in Lawrenceville.
    Jimmy Nied closed the place last year.

    Like

  58. What do you think are the first questions Riddick would ask if Pitt were to offer him the AD job? Of course it would be “are you prepared to fund athletics sufficiently to support winning programs”? “Are you prepared to provide first rate facilities and do what’s necessary to win”? What would the answer be?

    Like

    1. Pitt has the football and basketball facilities. The Pete is perfect. Heinz can be tarped and the carrick kids can draw something in the the end zones besides those silly diagonal lines.

      Pitt obviously has the money but it’s just not spread around. And if they are a few million short to pay for young and innovative coordinators, I’m sure the new Golden Panthers club can raise the funds needed.

      Lou’s number one question is: will you leave me alone?

      The correct answer is ‘yes’

      Like

  60. Riddick being Pitt AD is a dream that will never happen. Not because Pitt wouldn’t want him, because he is above any AD job. He wouldn’t take the Alabama job. He is an NFL guy or national media guy. That’s where the money is at.

    I thought Tressel was the only guy for the job, lol.

    Like

  61. A better subject to discuss is who will be the next head coach after another PN 6-7 win year. 😜

    Like

  62. I have been one who has been more patient than most on here with narduzzi. I think last year was his worst year as there is no reason he wasn’t 8-3 which would have been the best Pitt season since the Stache given the shortened season and ony one cupcake ooc win. But the losses to ncstate and bc and blowouts were unforgivable.
    He definitely needs to have a good season this year. I would like to see nine wins and I think it’s doable. But I just see us blowing one or two head scratcher‘s.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. But to follow up on this… after seeing the hires we have made after the stache and Jamie Dixon, I have zero faith we would do any better with a new coach. At least with narduzzi we can count on 7-8 wins and maybe a chance at more. It definitely could get a lot worse and probably would with a new coach. I made the mistake of thinking we needed to move on from the stache. That was a big mistake

      Like

      1. You can count on 5-8 wins. That’s his range. He’s had six years to get past 8. He’s a career 7 win coach with a poor bowl record and record against ranked teams. He just hasn’t lost to a scrub team…yet.

        A new coach could do better. Could do worse

        But if you have a solid candidate recruiting and hiring process, that should not worry you. Heck any coach on my list would do better than Narduzzi.

        There is a risk but with risk comes return. Ten win seasons, nice bowls, top 15 rankings

        Narduzzi has everything he needs to succeed but can’t get over the 8 win hump. Just like Walt who didn’t have the money and resources. Walt was asked to leave. They found Wanny…someone who did get Pitt over the hump.

        But no I don’t trust heather with the hire. But it doesn’t mean Pitt should ride it out with Narduzzi.

        Like

        1. He has averaged 7.2 wins per season in his full seasons (minus COVID shortened year). And with smarter scheduling with more rent a wins his average would be 8. So he has proven he can average 7-8 wins. This is an improvement from his two predecessors but won’t keep fan base happy.

          Like

          1. Giving him a extra win per year is generous. He’s bound to lose to a scrub team. He’s not Saban.

            And Walt and Wanny worked for peanuts and didn’t have the budget for recruiting and staff. What those guys did was remarkable given who they had as a boss and Pitts utter cheapness.

            Like

  63. But if he’s as bad as many on here think, I really wonder why guys like Charlie Partridge haven’t jumped ship.

    Like

  64. Charlie and Bates are Pitts two best football coaches. Too bad their talents are wasted under Pat.

    Now Lou has stated that he wants to come back to Pitt and help in some way. Yes he’s a national figure now but he could be THE man in Pittsburgh.

    Pitt will need someone to help navigate them in the new football conference environment. Lou could get Pitt an invite into this elite league.

    Like

  66. Which P5 CFB HC has 56 wins – 19 losses (74.7%); SRS 13.88 and SOS 4.56 with a 5-1 bowl record over the last six years?

    Yes, the guys Pitt fans call Potato Pauly.

    How has Narduzzi done?

    42 wins – 34 losses (55.3%); SRS 3.91 and SOS 2.88 and 1-3 in bowls.

    Final AP Top 25 finishes?

    PC; four of six years: 7th, 9th, 11th and 21st
    PN; Nil, none, zip

    (SOS
    Strength of Schedule; a rating of strength of schedule. The rating is denominated in points above/below average, where zero is average. Non-major opponents are included as a single team in the ratings.

    SRS
    Simple Rating System; a rating that takes into account average point differential and strength of schedule. The rating is denominated in points above/below average, where zero is average.)

    Like

      2. Paul has several real trophies in his case unlike that Coastal participation trophy that every school has won.

        Paul is a loaded potatoe with sour cream, cheddar, chives and bacon bits. I mean that as a compliment.

        Like

    2. People were overly harsh onchryst just like narduzzi. He would have continually improved at Pitt. But the fact that a career 18-21 coach got poached from Pitt proves why overpaying coaches is necessary at Pitt.

      Liked by 3 people

      1. He wasn’t poached. It was all part of a master plan. Barry recommended Paul to pitt. Three years of on the job training and Barry called him back. Barry is a genius.

        Paul helped stabilize Pitt. Left a solid program for Narduzzi to muck up.

        Like

        1. Does muck up mean that he has won far more games in spite of playing a tougher schedule than chryst? Tex ur bias is so strong it ignores facts. I liked chryst but he was average at Pitt in spite of having the gift recruiting against sanctioned penn state.

          Liked by 1 person

  67. Narduzzi hitched his wagon to Whipple. Whipple should have been fired after last year.

    You’ll hear all about the improved run game, then conference play will come and Whipple will revert to having his OL on their heels. I hope I am wrong and the O is really good but based on Whipple’s history I don’t see offensive improvement.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Whipple is going to run the offense he wants to until he gets fired. He is making more as an OC than he will on Social Security.

      It makes sense, but then again it doesn’t when you have a fan base that wants to win football games. We have one of those fan bases, don’t we?

      Whip it good!

      Like

      1. I’ve always said pitt fans are among the most loyal. For pitt to still have fans after what the administration did is frankly remarkable.

        Like

        1. We all love a good dark comedy. And a very long ongoing dark Soap Opera of Pitt major sports.

          Self-abuse, gluttons for punishment, suspension of disbelief, cognitive dissonance also come to mind.

          Like

  68. The fact that Narduzzi had two 8 win seasons with Chryst’s players tells me Chryst knew exactly what he was doing, and he would have hit 10 wins at Pitt. He knew college football has become an offensive game, and the OL is the critical part.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. I would have still complained how he dressed. 🤠

      But yes, paul understood modern day football. Begins on the O line not D line.

      I still think he would have needed someone strong as a DC. Good recruiter.

      Paul was good for one bad loss a year. Would have called him couch potatoe or potato head or ‘O’ bucket. But I would be drinking less vinegar.

      Like

    2. Chryst’s defenses were awful and he couldn’t recruit a QB to save his life.

      If Narduzzi didn’t acquire Peterman he wouldn’t be coaching at Pitt because Voytik wasn’t good enough to win games in 2015 and ’16. His start would have been awful then a losing record in 2017 seals his fate.

      Imagine Chryst’s slow, poorly coached defenses versus all those quarterbacks Pitt faced in 2016. PSU would have hung 63 on Pitt in 2016 with Paulie’s offense scoring 35, but so what? Chryst might not have reached five wins in 2015 and 16.’

      Chryst should have went 8-4 in each of his three seasons at Pitt, but I don’t blame him for not getting there. He coached at a school that runs athletics poorly.

      Like

  69. Still expecting 8 and 5 this year.

    Pitt had 2 thousand yard rushers and some said you can’t win without a passing game.

    Bring in Whipple and pass, pass, pass instead of running the ball, bring back the run game.

    SOP

    H2P

    Like

  70. Reed – Where did you get the RPI data in this article? You are a NCAA stats user but the NCAA doesn’t publish a RPI for football.
    Major problems with the use of RPI as an indicator for those it does publish. For example, who was the #1 in RPI on selection Sunday in men’s soccer? It was American University. Small school but it is not out of the realm of possibility to have a great soccer. I wouldn’t expect them to have a seed but would expect them to be a team that did not play in a playoff game to advance. As a playoff selection, they won & promptly loss to a seeded team. Still finished #7 in NCAA RPI. Pitt finished #3.

    Since there was no link provided for football RPI, I want hunting for one. The first one on the list provided, had Alabama #1, Ohio State #2, and two MAC conference schools as #3 & #4. My faith in the use of RPI as an indicator is now shattered.

    While I am ranting, the last beef is with the calculation of your 38% percentile. I see how you calculated it (48/128) = (a rounded up) .38 x 100 = 38 percentile. My understanding of percentile is the higher you are, the higher your percentile. The way you calculated it, #1 Alabama in my above statement on 2021college RPI would be in the .8 percentile.

    The rest of your stats where NCAA correct. Your interpretation of those stats is an opinion. I don’t argue with opinions.

    If I wrote an article like this, I would go back to Wanny’s start & include fraud’s, Chyrst’s and Narduzzi years to see if any improvement. And just for kicks, I would do the ACC teams for a comparison. But I would need your link to RPI so we are on the same page. Then you would need to print it.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. BTW, I am back in town after a hectic week. Went to Columbia on Tuesday to watch grandson’s play in the first of a best of 3 HS championship series. They won 10-0 in a 6 innings on a mercy rule shortened game. Drove home for an mid-afternoon doctor appointment. I was talked into going to James Island across from Charleston for the second game. So on Thursday, I drove back to Columbia and then on to Charleston.

      They won the 2’nd game (10-0 mercy shortened 6 inning game) & celebration was on. Met team at HS and on to a pool/hot tub pizza party (and beer, wine. alcohol for the adults). Finally talked son(in-law)/daughter to take me back to there place at 4:30am.

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Whoa Richard, congrats on the baseball championship and partying like it’s 1969 all over again!

        Like

        1. Thanks Ike. I was just there for support and to cheer on the team. Really, really glad I was talked in to making the trip.

          I didn’t mention it, but the tailgate at the home game on Tuesday was quite an eye opener. I was expecting a gathering of some of parents in the school parking lot. Maybe a gas grill with hot dogs or sausage, chips & pop and iced tea. But NOOO.

          It seems one of the parents discovered that the right field fence was right on the property line. There was a non tarp section extending about 15 feet from the foul pole, allowing one to watch the game. The land behind the fence was state owned. Guess who spent that game drinking, smoking & eating along with about 40 others. Probably another100 people stopped by and gabbed and ate before going into the game. After the game was over, the men manning the charcoal grill put on Tenderloin for the team and coaches and remaining tailgaters. I made the right decision in going home with grandson/granddaughter.

          Love Red Lot tailgating but that high school tailgate topped it. Last impressions are the best until it is not.

          Liked by 1 person

  71. I see some comparisons between Capt Mediocrity and Potato Paulie are being made.

    The MAJOR difference are the universities involved.

    Wisconsin is committed to winning, while Pitt is not.

    Wisconsin is also committed to winning in basketball, while Pitt was, but isn’t anymore.

    You can see how everything developed at Wisconsin in the 1990’s. And as far as football,
    how everything was left to rot at Pitt.

    First they hired Barry Alvarez as HC for football in 1990. Wisconsin hadn’t been relevant
    in B1G football for 30 years. But things were a changing, the money involved was growing
    significantly starting in the 1990’s and Wisconsin wanted a piece of that Action.
    Wisconsin administrators could see the future. The future of huge football revenues.
    More Top Level Bowls with B1G ties meant the B1G needed more than just Ohio State,
    Michigan and Pedo State to fill them Wisconsin wanted to be one of those teams in
    those Top Level Bowls with big paydays.

    Within a couple years Alvarez had the Badgers in the Rose Bowl of 1993, almost exactly 30 years
    after their last Rose Bowl appearance of 1962. Eleven of the next 13 years under Barry they were in Good
    Bowl games including 2 more Rose Bowls

    And to ensure the continued excellence of their football program, they wisely made Barry the AD, and
    he handpicked his successor, Brett Bielema, his DC. Which resulted in 3 more Rose Bowls
    in the next 7 years. And he also knew that eventually Paul Chryst would be his HC at some time.
    But he didn’t want to make him HC immediately after Bielema, since it was a tough act to follow,
    3 straight Rose Bowls. So he sent him off to Pitt, for him to get his Head coaching ‘legs’, so to speak.
    And brought in a temp coach(Gary Anderson) until Paulie and Wisconsin was ready.

    Pitt could have followed the same model with Wannstedt, as it’s proven ultra successful at Wisconsin.

    Not only in football, but in basketball as well. Since 1993, Wisconsin has been to the NCAA’s, 23 of 28 years.
    Which includes three (3) Final 4’s. four (4) Elite 8’s and ten (10) Sweet 16’s.

    PRIOR TO 1993, WISCONSIN HAD NEVER BEEN TO THE NCAA’S IN THE MODERN AGE.

    Their commitment to winning that all started in 1990’s, is in stark contrast to a University that
    had all the advantages, of a storied football program that had won 9 National Championships.
    A Tale of 2 Programs indeed.

    All the clucks had to do, was mimic Wisconsin’s model and the clucks couldn’t even do that.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Pitt does not know how to manage a P5 football program, or. bAsketball program for that matter. Pitt is clueless while at the same time thinking they’re the smartest guys in the room.

      Like

  72. What struck me about Paul C. while he was here (other than him saying “you know” at least once in every sentence), was how laidback he was about recruiting. He never tried “to persuade” a recruit. His philosophy was to show him what Pitt has to offer, then if he comes to Pitt, he comes to Pitt.

    Only time I remember PC showing any real excitement for a recruit was Tyler Boyd. I figured TB must be the real deal when PC was positively giggly talking about TB on signing day…

    Go Pitt.

    Like

      1. Yes sir. Alvarez masterminded all of that. Remember Paulie was their OC when Bielema was the HC.
        Paulie was a Badger backup QB when he played there.

        He was a Wisconsin man all the way around. Pitt was just used and Pitt admins didn’t mind being used.

        It saved them the work of finding a HC. Even though they knew when they hired Paulie, he was a short term temp.

        Like

    1. Guess you meant….isn’t a Top 30 program.

      Nardo’s two highest rated teams with RPi by far were his first 2. With inherited players, that had a good offense.

      Proving again, that in today’s NCAAF…..offense wins. It also sells more tickets, most people like
      seeing lots of points scored, exciting big plays, etc.

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  74. But you had no objection or concerns with RPI or even suggested FPI as a different alternative to RPI, You & others just jumped on Reed’s article with unbridled joy as another nail in HCPN coffin.

    Never suggested or stated that Pitt was a top 30 program. But as you always state or infer, you are an objective person who is well read an knowledgeable about college football and everything related to Pitt. As a knowledge person, you should be aware that RPI or FPI basically boils down to a ranking of a team against their opponents/opponents opponents. Since only 12/13 games are played by the vast majority of FBS teams in a normal non-covid year. And since most FBS teams (exclude the 7 current independents) play either 8 or 9 conference games, RPI/FPI is basically a ranking of conference teams.

    As a conference ranking, I can accept with. As a means to drive more of those nails IMO, I can not.

    I see no harm in using RPI to compare coaches including Wanny, fraud, Chryst and Narduzzi. That way we can compare and make a more objective opinion if HCPN is actually making progress or not. I just need the site Reed used so we are on the same page and Reed can make editorial comments of my article.

    Liked by 3 people

    1. Ok. Let’s keep it real simple then. Narduzzi is paid over three times what Wanny made. Wanny won ten games. Wanny got the team ranked.

      Narduzzi hasn’t won more than 8. He’s never had a ranked season.

      Fans remember special seasons. Wanny gave us 13-9. He’s hands down the winner here.

      There has been no progression under Narduzzi.

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  75. You need to check your facts. Per Pitt’s tax returns, Wanny made $1.8M in his last year. 3 times that is $5.4 million. Narduzzi, per Pitt’s last tax report, made $4.817M. Explain your math.

    The rest is opinion.

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  76. A bit of memory going back to complaints about prior Pitt football coaches:

    Walt Harris – yes, he did well with mid level talented QB’s but his agent helped screw up his relationship with Pitt’s administration. It wasn’t as though Walt was kicking down doors in recruiting and winning.
    Dave Wannstedt – definitely loved Pitt and could relate well with PA HS coaches. The problem was that Dave recruited a lot of kids who simply got into trouble and arrested. Pitt did not like that image and various media outlets published stories about how uncontrolled Pitt was. Yes, yes, we hear about DW’s good seasons but there were some awful embarrassing losses as well. Pitt fans even relished getting onto the elevator at Heinz Field with DW’s wife in the car and lambasting DW to be fired. So, it wasn’t all peaches and cream with DW’s days at Pitt. Half the fans hated his performance. By the way, DW and Danny Marino did not get along at all when at the Dolphins.
    Heyward…..Ten minutes of insanity as Pitt attempted to put a highly disciplined strict coach to replace the chaos of characters under DW.
    Todd Graham … originally wasn’t interested in Pitt despite being a nationally hot prospect for a major head coaching position after Tulsa. Money talked and he brought in his horde of former WV coaches and talked a mile a minute about pushing the pedal to the metal. Pitt went overboard selling Graham to Pittsburgh with billboards, bus boards etc. Unfortunately, he didn’t have a team that was used to trying to run plays every ten seconds and the experiment failed plus Graham was frustrated by the lack of follow through by the Pitt administration. He didn’t leave on a high nottye.
    Paul Chryst – a good if boring type of guy who was a good person and likable by his squad. Not excitable but very good at slowly rebuilding Pitt’s OL, offensive talent but weak on defense. It wasn’t a surprise to anyone that he would be likely to return to Wisconsin if they called. He never trashed Pitt and left many with good feelings about him.
    Pitt again surprised some people by getting the former #1 Assistant in the country, a defensive genius at Michigan State. Also there were ties to Pitt via Youngstown being Narduzzi’s home town. He seemed like a solid football guy who could turn around Pitt’s defense quickly and give Pittsburghers what they love…rock tough defense. It has taken him a bit to get used to being the head guy and hiring the right people. No question that he has strengthened quite a few of his coaching positions. Pitt did pay him better than the press realized and frankly his assistants salaries increased tremendously as well. Forget the silly stuff about people saying they know what the assistants are paid. Reed knows that I have a very good insight into the figures. PN’s problem is NOT with local area coaches as he and his assistants have worked hard on developing good relationships. His problem is that the backyard is now the poaching ground of OSU, Michigan, PSU, VA, Clemson, Alabama, LSU etc. rather than just Pitt, PSU, WVU and Rutgers.

    Like it or not, PN has been excellent in determining young recruits of character. He could have landed some four and five star recruits but backed off due to other issues. Pitt has made it clear that they want a successful football program but they are not willing to have bad headlines and crimes with the sport. Consider Narduzzi’s road a long winding road upward with some slips now and then. No, he is not going to shock the nation with ten five star recruits who then go on to win the ACC and be top 5 in the nation. He is building a program for sustainability.

    Clearly I have no idea of what the silly stuff is about Heather Lyke. She was hand picked and so far seen as doing an excellent job. She gets involved without being over the various coaches shoulders. She knows what is happening. She is well liked by the ACC and the Pitt administration. She is NOT on a two year window. She could be at Pitt for twenty years if she wants.

    Honestly, I wish many of you would think more and show less vitrol towards decent people who are trying to a job under difficult circumstances. Don’t ever think that athletics will pull weight over Pitt’s academic concerns because it won’t. Pitt will disband sports before becoming another PSU, OSU etc.

    Liked by 2 people

    2. All true OLB ….but he has proven over and over he’s incompetent as a head coach! And a horrible PR persona.

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    3. Please name all these players who got into trouble under Wannstedt? I always read that and ask for all the names and incidents and it goes unanswered. That SI article was nothing but BS. I’m amazed how people thought it was a legit piece of journalism. It was trash.

      If so many bad kids were recruited then why did so many stick with Pitt during three different head coaches? Another question no one has answered. Those kids were done a disservice in their lone college football career. You think Nordy cared about that? Way more good kids were recruited than bad ones.

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      1. It was a hit piece. Pitt wanted to justify and cover their firing of Wanny. Pitt wanted ammo to go back to a save the kittens model.

        Pitts ivory tower nerds hated guys like Jackie, mike and Wanny.

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    1. Funny but I don’t see PN as the epitome of mediocrity. What I recall is the disaster left after Graham walked away and Chryst trying to stabilize a spinning program. Under Paul Chryst Pitt would have become stronger eventually but not overnight. When Chryst left, again Pitt needed to make sure the program was not going to fall back and they did with a solid coach who is trying to provide a long term stability.

      You can forget the “Glory Days” for Pitt although they, like Cincinnati, might have a few years of good national success. Pitt would be happy with results similar to what Cincinnati has achieved under their current coaches but are not putting all of their eggs into that basket.

      So, in a long about way of answering you, YES, I am content with a solid program that improves yearly in recruiting and hopefully results. I don’t want to see embarrassing moments of being wholly inept but I will be happy with eight wins or better.

      My perspective is that there are a lot of complainers and people without inside contacts who envision something which Pitt is not and will not be. If Pitt tomorrow said, the hell with athletics and we’ll put the money into creating a merger with CMU and a mega academic powerhouse in Pittsburgh, that would be sensational. I care more about the quality of my degrees in my nearly eighty years than I do for thumping my chest over which place in the ACC. I say this with a Pitt degree, law degree, and graduate school at Harvard.

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      1. Pitt sure can be a better program than an rpi in the 50’s and only one top 25 ranking per decade on average. That’s not asking for much. Pitt is fastly approaching Rutgers status. But Rutgers is turning things around and is on an upward trajectory. At one point our schools paths will meet and cross and pitt will then become the new Rutgers.

        Aren’t those blowout losses on national tv embarrassing for you?

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    2. And because of that and the actions of administrators and leaderships lack of vision, pitt will lose out on millions. Those millions could provide more programs and scholarship opportunities. With Pitt not getting an invite to a super league, there will be program cuts. The ACC check will become half its size.

      I’m in a way fine if pitt does go to the semi pro model. Pay all players a minimum salary. They represent the school. School uses the extra money from TV to help support the true scholar athletes and can launch new sports like lacrosse and hockey.

      But Pitt would never get invited. And Pitt would refuse the invite if extended anyway.

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