Some things will never change.

I hope that song is stuck in your head for the rest of the day. It just popped unbidden into my skull when I was reading this article about PAC-10 Media Day and the new coaches — Tyrone Willingham and Walt Harris. Well, it was mainly about Willingham but this was so typical.

By contrast, Harris spent little time glad-handing. As he waited to be called into a suite for broadcast interviews, Harris sat alone, engrossed in the Los Angeles Times.

“It’s very exciting to be back in this conference,” said Harris, who coached linebackers at California from 1974-77.

Excitement is not an emotion typically associated with Harris, who came to Stanford after eight seasons at Pittsburgh. Both he and Willingham are known for being reserved – some might say guarded – in public settings. But Willingham made an effort to connect Tuesday, flashing his dry wit several times for reporters.

This isn’t to bash Harris, it’s just a reminder to myself as much as anyone about one of Harris’ major shortcomings — his absolute inability/unwillingness to publicly engage the media and the fans. It drove me nuts to watch or listen to one of his press conferences.

The combination of him and basketball coach Jamie Dixon the last couple seasons may have given Pitt the worst 1-2 combo of coaches with no ability to connect with the fans and media at a press conference or interview.