You know, you reach a tipping point in media coverage where things are either justified or they end up looking to be so far out of proportion with reality. I think we are starting to reach that point with Larry Fitzgerald and the game this weekend.

The Game Notes from Pitt (35 pgs, PDF) are chock full of Fitzgerald material (not too surprising considering the national attention and his Heisman hopes) including a full page of quotes from analysts and columnists praising his talent.

The Heisman hype continues for him.

Then there’s yet another flowery column in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette to declaring the total class of Fitzgerald the person. I’m just glad he’s on my team, otherwise I’d hate him.

Everyone’s getting into the act including Peter King, NFL columnist for Sports Illustrated, with this from his November 3, “Monday Morning Quarterback Column” — under “10 things I think I think” portion

[ 6. I think these are my non-football thoughts of the week:]

e. Pitt wideout Larry Fitzgerald sure looks like the genuine item. Twenty college games, 129 catches, 2,l79 yards, 28 touchdowns … most of the time, with a kitchen sink draped on his shoulders. Coverage, I mean. I’m not much on college football, but the kid is a great player and, apparently, one of the real sportsmen in the college game. I like the way he hands the ball to the ref after every touchdown.

So, is Fitzgerald a marked man against VT. Randy King of the Roanoke Times sure makes it seem that way.

Simple truth is, though, Fitzgerald’s mug shot might as well be posted on bulletin boards in Blacksburg post offices this week, say Tech’s defensive backs. Talk about a wanted man.

Eric Green sure wants the guy. So does Vinnie Fuller. Dittos for Jimmy Williams.
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That’s OK. The Hokies’ trio of bounty hunters want him. They’ll see him at 7:45 p.m. Saturday when No.5 Tech (7-1, 3-1) meets No.25 Pittsburgh (6-2, 3-0) at Heinz Field. It remains to be seen if they can catch the guy whom many call the best player in the country.

While DeAngelo Hall, Tech’s No.1 cornerback, sits the first 30 minutes of the Big East biggie – because a half-game suspension levied by the league for his part in a fight in the Hokies’ 31-7 rout of Miami last Saturday – Green and Fuller, with help from Williams, will be in charge of stalking Fitzgerald.

Hopefully none of this is really coming from the VT players to almost imply dirty, viscous actions against Fitzgerald. The coverage may have a harder time now. The Big East officials know that Fitzgerald is a leading Heisman candidate, and they may be calling more pass interference calls if the VT players try to get physical. Or in an attempt to bend over backwards so as not to appear to show favoritism, they may let a lot of it go. A bit wishy-washy of me, but I don’t have the answer here.

Now, I’m not saying I think he should be suspended. I never saw the play, but it wouldn’t be the worst thing for Pitt if he was suspended for the Saturday game. Miami seems to think so.

University of Miami coach Larry Coker says that a “malicious” hit by Virginia Tech center Jake Grove injured Hurricanes defensive tackle Santonio Thomas during Saturday’s game.
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Thomas’ injury occurred with five minutes to play in the Hokies’ 31-7 victory. On a video provided by UM officials for reporters, Grove can be seen diving at Thomas’ knees moments after Virginia Tech tailback Kevin Jones was tackled nearly 10 yards away.

Grove’s hit drew an immediate reaction from UM safety Sean Taylor, who forearmed the Virginia Tech center in the head. Taylor drew a personal-foul penalty. Grove was not penalized.

Coker said he sent the tape of Grove’s hit to the Big East office and also telephoned two conference officials — Nick Carparelli Jr., associate commissioner for football, and John Soffey, director of football officiating — to complain.

Coker compared Grove’s actions to the attempted choke by Ohio State linebacker Robert Reynolds of Wisconsin quarterback Jim Sorgi during a pileup in their Big Ten game Oct. 11.

VT coach Frank Beamer seemed to concede that on tape the hit didn’t look good, but he felt better about it after talking the matter over with Grove. Glad that’s cleared up.