Remember that Pitt basketball took a roadie to Canada? It got noticed by ESPN.com and the local papers did a story based on the press release from the school. Unfortunately, we never heard what happened on the trip. The Athletic Department never bothered to put out a press release, and without that neither local paper bothered to follow up on it. You know, pick up a phone, call Coach Dixon and ask some questions. Maybe try to look at some tape of their scrimmages. Apparently they must feel there is no interest in Pitt Basketball right now (and the athletic department seems to tacitly agree).

Thankfully Pitt is, at this time, a more prominent program, so we can at least get something from The Sporting News’ Mike DeCourcy’s notes.

Pittsburgh came away from its Labor Day trip to Toronto with no definitive answers about how to replace wings Jaron Brown and Julius Page, but the team now has a lot fewer questions. Freshmen Keith Benjamin and Ronald Ramon and JC recruit John DeGroat shot the ball well, suggesting the Panthers could be more fluid offensively than they were late last season. PG Carl Krauser is demonstrating added maturity and appears less consumed with showing how much he can do.

I have faith that this team will play defense. The idea that they will be better — more fluid — on offense is almost too good to believe.

Now, if we can just get some good news about recruiting…

They are still trying to figure out what the hell happened against Southern Miss. Check that. They know what happened. They made a lot of mistakes. The QB, Joe Dailey, made a lot of them. He has 7 INT and 6 TD. Actually, even if you flipped the numbers it still would suck. So right now, they aren’t really talking much about the Pitt game yet. No stories, as yet, about Pederson’s homecoming (though it is running 2nd on the online poll as the top storyline for the Pitt game at “HuskerExtra“) or Callahan’s connection to Harris. The only Pederson story is Callahan saying, yes they talk a lot, but he doesn’t interfere.

Monday was the Walt Harris Press Conference. You can view it here (Windows Media). The selective transcript usually is released later on Tuesday.

The other option is to see what you can find in the articles for today. Here, you have a selection of positive quotes about the Ohio game from Harris. The defense played well, Palko will get better, the receivers will improve, and the O-line didn’t get discussed in the article.

Of course, the story has to shift to Saturday’s big game against Nebraska. A team Pitt has dominated historically 15-4-3. In fact the whole thing is historic because the two teams haven’t played since 1958. But today’s Nebraska has plenty of ties to Pitt and Coach Harris. Harris and Nebraska Coach, Bill Callahan, have long time connections back to 1980. That, however, is small potatoes compared to Nebraska AD, Steve Pederson.

Pederson, of course, was also the former Pitt AD who hired Harris and is widely credited (including most of this blog) for being the key guy to revitalize/rescue Pitt athletics. Pederson and Harris were hardly on the best of terms when he left for Nebraska, but Harris is smart enough not to say anything negative.

Pederson is the story in one column and the shadow in another. Joe Starkey wonders if Pederson’s ways will really work in Nebraska, or will he flame out. As it stands, Pederson has put the target of Husker Nation’s ire square on himself. Just as he did at Pitt when he led the charge to demolish Pitt Stadium for the new basketball arena and moved football to Heinz Field. It’s a high risk/high reward approach. Starkey agrees with the conventional wisdom, that had Pederson still been at Pitt after last season, Harris wouldn’t. It’s pure speculation, but considering Pederson nearly fired Harris in 2001, not unreasonable to believe.

Ron Cook also agrees with that sentiment (and I’m be hard pressed to find someone who honestly disagrees). Of course Cook is more focused on putting Harris in an untenable position. He goes on about how Pederson would have fired Harris because Harris hasn’t met the expectations of fans (and sportswriters), and then as part of the raising the bar on Harris to keep his job ends like this.

Pittsburgh fans want more. That’s why the Panthers could do wonders for Harris and their program with a win Saturday. Nebraska looks beatable.

Like Pitt, it has issues on offense. Callahan has switched it from an option offense to a West Coast passing offense. Quarterback Joe Dailey has struggled, throwing seven interceptions in two games. He might not be a match for Pitt’s improved defense, which played well against Ohio Saturday night, although it’s probably wise not to get too excited about a strong performance against a second-tier Mid-American Conference opponent. Ask Penn State.

A win against Nebraska could mean a successful season. With games against Furman, Connecticut and Temple, Pitt could start 5-0. With the Big East so weak, it could go 8-3 with losses to Boston College, Notre Dame and West Virginia or even 9-2 if it can beat Boston College at home Oct. 16.

That should be enough for Harris to keep his job.

[Emphasis added.]

“Should be enough for Harris to keep his job.”? Unbelievable. Did Cook not see the game on Saturday night? 8 wins would be a goddamned miracle job. 9 and he’s coach of the year. I’m not trying to be down, but I am trying to be honest. There is a lot of work that is needed for this team, and one week won’t be enough. I’ll be at the game on Saturday — rooting, cheering, screaming, hoping, and believing. But I know what I saw, and I know how much more this team needs to do.

Not much in the notebooks. Right Guard, John Simonitis may still be out with an ankle injury. Walk-on wide receiver, Joe DelSardo was given a scholarship. Deserved after earning a starting position.

I’ll get to Nebraska news later today.