Maybe it’s me. Maybe I didn’t care that much about the game in school because I wasn’t from the ‘Burgh so playing a local foe that wasn’t really in the same competitive sphere didn’t really matter. It’s not like the two schools fight for the same recruits. Maybe I was just drunk. I just don’t recall much reference to the annual Pitt-Duquesne match up as “The City Game.”

I mean let’s be honest. This is not exactly up there with the Philly schools going at each other every year. It can’t compare with the annual Cinci-Xavier game, that comes complete with full corporate sponsorship.

Well, the game notes are out (PDF). I’d say the most shocking thing is not that Pitt has a 41-31 series lead. It’s that Pitt has won 22 of the last 25 games. That means in 1979, Duquesne actually held a 9 game lead in the series history. It also means Pitt only evened the series up at the earliest in 1988.

The game will be Fox Sports Net at 4pm. It doesn’t appear to be on the Fox Sports Atlantic channel, so I will have to wait until Tuesday when I can finally see the 2004-05 Panthers play.

ESPN.com pro-basketball “insider” (Read as subscription only) breaks down the top players for the NBA draft. Chris Taft was the #1B college player behind Wake Forest’s Chris Paul:

The skinny: Taft, over the summer, moved into a dead heat with Paul as a favorite for the No. 1. He definitely fits the more traditional bill.

Taft has the rare combination of size, athleticism, strength and power that NBA scouts covet in a good power forward. And unlike many players who possess those abilities, Taft prefers to score with his back to the basket. His footwork is sound and he’s patient in the paint always working for a good shot.

Taft, too, has enjoyed his share of hype this summer. And he, too, has struggled a bit to live up to it. Despite his superior strength and athleticism, he’s been just an average rebounder and shot blocker this season.

However, he’s also the only American big man with the talent to justify a No. 1 selection. In other words, he could end up on top by default, the way so many big men before him have.

From what I understand, part of the reason Taft’s numbers are down, is that he isn’t playing much more than 20 minutes against the present competition, he had an infection in his left elbow, and he just hasn’t been trying too hard against the teams so far because he hasn’t needed to.

There appears to be only one at the moment. Walt Harris and Stanford. Even there, it is really unknown.

Despite published reports, USC offensive coordinator Norm Chow said Thursday that he has not heard from anyone interested in hiring him as a head coach and does not have an interview lined up for Sunday with Stanford.

The Cardinal program has already interviewed Pittsburgh coach Walt Harris, according to published reports.

Of course there are no published reports saying any such thing. The most that has been said is something like this:

Stanford made arrangements Wednesday to interview its top choice, Pittsburgh coach Walt Harris, for its vacant coaching position.

Harris might be interviewed after the Cardinal interview Norm Chow either Sunday or Monday. Former New York Giants coach Jim Fassel also is a candidate, along with former Stanford wide receiver James Lofton, currently an assistant with the San Diego Chargers.

It would be a physical/time-space continum impossibility for Stanford to have already interviewed Harris. They only fired their head coach on Monday or Tuesday. Harris is in the middle of preparations for the game tomorrow. I’m willing to ascribe a sloppy reading of stories to the writer of the story.

The Stanford job is not exactly a high paying job. The former Stanford coach, Buddy Teevens, was only getting about $400,000/year. Coach Harris is making around $600,000 and is definitely looking for a bigger bump. No question Stanford can pay the money for a coach. The question becomes, will they right away? Are they willing to?

An interesting aside comment in a piece mainly about the stupidity of Indiana University, “Pitt coach Walt Harris is going to be somebody’s fallback hire when they don’t get their top choice.” I believe that could be the most accurate statement regarding Harris and other jobs. I just have my doubts for some reason about the Stanford job and Harris. Harris may be a lot of schools second or third choice if they can’t get their pick.

P-G beat reporter Paul Zeise returns with his Q&A and weighs in about the Harris situation with Pitt.

Q: How dumb would it look if Pitt fired Walt Harris coming off a BCS berth and him winning the coach of the year award?

ZEISE: There is always more to any of these situations than just wins and losses. If it were just about wins and losses, it would look really dumb. But sometimes relationships grow sour and beyond repair. Sometimes there are more factors than what is seen. People just need to find a comfort level with the people they work with and it isn’t always possible. It is no different than in the business world – you can be good at your job and lose it, or be asked to move on for whatever reason. Some of the most successful people I know have been fired several times because they wouldn’t toe the company line or kiss up to the right people. I’m not saying that is the case in this situation, but there is more here than meets the eye. Like I’ve said all along, I think Walt Harris should be offered what he wants – an extension, a raise and even a raise for his assistant coaches. He has earned that. But I also know a case could be made that maybe it is time for both parties to move forward. I’m not going to make it because it is not my call.

If Pitt is prepared to let Harris go with only a token/PR attempt to keep him, they better be able to move quickly, better be sure of their guy, better be sure he will accept, and — most importantly — better be right.

The game to start the season, now ends it. Pitt may not “need” the win to go the BCS bowl, but is an essential game to win. Regardless of what may or may not happen with Coach Walt Harris after this season, this is still a nationally broadcast game. The program needs to keep showing that it is a rising program, and will not stumble in the face of fortune.

There, of course, is also the revenge factor.

South Florida center Alex Herron was a first-hand witness to one of the biggest upsets in Pitt history.

“The newspapers there were calling it the worst loss the school ever absorbed,” said Herron, referring to the Bulls’ 35-26 victory over Pitt at Heinz Field in 2001. “I couldn’t believe it. I knew it was a big one for us, but, man, they took a beating. They were talking about firing Coach (Walt) Harris for it. It was crazy.”

South Florida went on to an 8–3 record that season and the criticism of Pitt waned. But Herron understands that it had to have left a mark.

“I know for a fact that they’re going to want to make us pay for that one,” Herron said. “They’re a BCS team and they’re 7-3. We’re 4-6 and just trying to end on a good note. I think it’s going to be an interesting game.”

He’s right on all counts. USF is going to be up for the game, and Pitt should have something to prove. And as for back in 2001, Pitt, with the help of trying to implement a spread offense too quickly, absolutely spun out for 4 more games.

The game also had a lasting impact on Pittsburgh, which did not play again for 19 days. The humbling loss started a five-game losing streak.

ESPN’s Lee Corso covered Pittsburgh’s next game against Miami and later told the Times that USF “had taken the life out of them.” Coach Walt Harris said the USF loss was one that lingered.

So, USF is fully aware that Pitt feels it owes them. Add in the fact that USF is coming into the Big East next season, and Pitt sure doesn’t want to look like USF’s *ahem* (there’s really no other way to put this) bitch.

The amazing thing, is how quickly Pitt has improved (at least on the offense) from the beginning of the season. At the beginning of the season, the line couldn’t stop any pressure, Palko was aiming his passes, and the receivers weren’t coming back or fighting for the balls. All of that has changed. And if Murphy can keep running like he did against WVU, then this is a totally different team.

I’m not as sold on the defense. Progress there has been limited. They seem to be scheming better against the run, okay, they are stacking against the run and leaving the corners to go one-on-one, which has burned them.

A heck of a piece regarding Tim Murphy.

Earlier in the week was mention of USF WR Johnny Peyton — who originally committed to the Panthers — now it seems freshman CB Darrelle Revis has been sending mocking e-mails to his former high school teammate and another guy who changed his mind about Pitt. Andrew Johnson has only seemed limited action at Miami.

It seems that won’t change.

“We just need to be on the court more and more and practice more and more,” Troutman said. “Guys are going to get better the more we’re on the court. They’re picking up some of the stuff they really didn’t know about, how to trail someone off a screen, how to guard a shooter and a non-shooter, stuff like that.”

First-year players John DeGroat, Ronald Ramon and Keith Benjamin are still learning Pitt’s system. Players such as Antonio Graves and Yuri Demetris are playing extended minutes for the first time in their careers.
…
The question about the defense this season lies in how Dixon will replace Julius Page and Jaron Brown, two of the best defenders in recent school history, who shut down the perimeter for opposing teams the past four years. When Pitt plays stiffer competition, will the shutdown defender be Krauser? Or Graves? Or Benjamin?

That answer likely won’t be known until the Big East schedule begins next month.

Troutman is still a defense first guy on the team. He seems to genuinely enjoy fighting down low for the ball and using his frame to keep the other side’s interior players away from easy baskets. His defense and high percentage shooting is part of why he is probably my favorite player on this Pitt team.

Of course, Troutman is not a particularly tall man by NBA standards to play inside, so he is really attracting attention from NFL scouts.

NFL scouts have taken notice of Troutman’s chiseled, 6-foot-7, 240-pound body, his more-than-adequate speed, his 86-inch wingspan and his soft hands.

Tight end, anyone?

“I’ve talked about it a lot, and I know I could play (in the NFL),” Troutman said Thursday. “People have approached me, too. Some people from the Atlanta Falcons, the (New York) Jets and some dudes from (the Arizona Cardinals). They said they could turn me into a football player if basketball doesn’t work out.”

By that, Troutman meant that scouts have indicated to him that he is an NFL prospect. Perhaps, he could follow in the footsteps of 6-4, 260-pound San Diego Chargers tight end Antonio Gates, who played only basketball at Kent State and now is an NFL star.

Indianapolis Colts tight end Marcus Pollard preceded Gates’ path to the NFL as a basketball player with no collegiate football experience.

Ex-Pitt basketball star Sam Clancy followed the same path and had a long and productive NFL career.

Not that the NBA scouts are completely ignoring one of the best interior defenders in college basketball. He appears to already have his ticket punched for an invite to the “Portsmouth (Va.) Invitational, which essentially is an NBA tryout camp and begins the Wednesday after the Final Four.”

Saturday is the annual City Game between Pitt and Duquesne.

A very short Pitt B-Ball Q&A with the P-G beat reporter (I’m guessing not a lot of questions with all of the focus on the Pitt football team. Someone asked about McCarroll. The response was almost like a follow-up to the articles about McCarroll‘s lack of playing time right now.

FITTIPALDO: McCarroll isn’t seeing the minutes he did last season because of several circumstances. Coach Jamie Dixon likes the combination of Yuri Demetris and John DeGroat at the swing position, which leaves McCarroll in pretty much the same role he had last season – Chevon Troutman’s backup. It’s tough to crack the lineup when Troutman is playing so well. The other factor is the competition. Dixon is playing a lot of players during this early-season run against lightweight teams from lightweight conferences. He knows what McCarroll can do for him, and I think he’s just trying to get a feel for what he has in other less experienced players. McCarroll played too well too often last season for him not to play a more prominent role on the team this season. In time, I believe McCarroll will emerge and make some bigger contributions.

A good point. I was attributing a lot of it to McCarroll not playing enough defense, which I still think is part of it. But the fact that he is much more of a known quantity to Dixon, so it may not be as essential early in the season to get him minutes.