Just got an e-mail from the invaluable Pittsburgh Sports Report:

The University of Pittsburgh received a verbal commitment last night from Lowell Robinson, a 6’0″ 190 pound defensive back currently playing at Erie Community College in Erie County, NY. Robinson is the Panthers’ first commitment since the 2005 season started and their 18th in the 2006 class.

Robinson, originally from Mt. Vernon, NY, plays free safety in Erie’s 4-4 defensive scheme. He is also an electrifying return-man and has played outside linebacker for head coach Dennis Greene.

“He can play all over the field – he returns kicks and I’ve had him at outside linebacker at times,” Greene told Keystone Recruiting. “You can put him at wide receiver and send him out on a post route to clear things out underneath. We have him at free safety because we play a 4-4 and he really flies to the football. But he can play corner as well. He runs a legit 4.4.”

Pitt running backs coach David Walker, who is friendly with Greene and the ECC staff, recruited Robinson for Pitt. His recruitment has been picking up more and more lately, and several Big East schools have been in touch, but Pitt was the first major program to show interest. South Carolina has also shown a lot of interest lately, according to Greene. He’ll graduate from Erie Community College in May and should join the Panthers next summer.

I believe this is Pitt’s first JUCO commitment. Looks like the bye and time to go recruiting came at the right time. There isn’t a lot on Robinson. He appeared to also have interest from NC St. and Boise St.

Apparently the jury didn’t take too long.

Moments after being found guilty of murder, a former All-Ohio quarterback who starred at Buchtel High School passed on his last chance to speak before he was sentenced Tuesday in Stark County Common Pleas Court.

That didn’t sit well with the teenage victim’s parents when they got the opportunity to address the court.

“You just killed a man; you can’t say nothing?” challenged Michael Cheek, father of 17-year-old Michael Cheek, who was gunned down July 29 outside a convenience store. “I hope the judge don’t care about nothing when he sentences you.”

That’s when Steven J. Walker, 20, who had opted not to testify in his defense, broke his silence.

“I ain’t the one who killed Michael Cheek,”he said when permitted to make a statement. “I never shot Michael Cheek. I’m very sorry.”

After a two-day trial, the 12-member jury found Walker guilty of murder, with a firearm specification, as well as carrying a concealed weapon. Judge John G. Haas sentenced him immediately to 15 years to life for the murder, another three years for using a firearm and six months for the concealed weapon.

According to testimony, the shooting was gang related.

Walker, a Canton resident, was upset when Cheek and two other friends walked into the Hall of Fame Fuel Mart on Sherrick Road because they were part of a rival gang and had ventured into hostile territory. Walker, who was in the store, complained openly, and Cheek punched Walker when he wouldn’t shut up, according to testimony.

The kid killed clearly wasn’t the “innocent” initially portrayed when this happened, but that doesn’t change things.

The preseason coaches poll for the Big East looks like this:

1. Villanova
2. UConn
3. Louisville
4. Syracuse
5. WVU
6. Georgetown
7. Pitt
8. ND
9. Cinci
10. St. John’s
11. DePaul
12. Marquette
13. Providence
14. Rutgers
15. Seton Hall
16. USF

Looks to me like a little bias by the BE coaches towards the older teams, i.e., the devils they know.

I did not get a chance to watch “Cold Pizza” so I missed Jamie Dixon’s early appearance. If anyone caught it, please leave a comment with your impressions. I need to know what to expect.

As much as possible, I’ll be trying to liveblog the Big East Basketball Media Slam, via the Internet feed. We’ll see how it goes.

11:02: Adam Zucker (Syracuse) in studio. Seth Davis at MSG. Tranghese already spoke to coaches, players and media.

11:03 Coaches poll: Villanova #1, UConn #2, and Pitt #7. Taken before Curtis Sumpter went down. Didn’t have time to catch the complete list.

11:05 First team and coach they will talk to is Cinci.

11:09 Andy Kennedy is still effusive in praise and stressing Huggins’ friendship. My impression: — he doesn’t expect to get the Cinci job, so it is more important to seem loyal and good. Better for possible next head coach job or hook up with Huggins at his next destination or another top coach. Cinci picked to finish #9.

11:15 Providence preview/interview. Doesn’t look good for this season. Tim Welsh and Don McGrath (with hair). Welsh really slicked back the hair to show just how much it is thinning. Providence picked 13th in BE. That seems about right.

11:20 Pitt coming up.

11:24 Graphic showing incoming players includes Trevor Ferguson?? Dixon and Aaron Gray. Krauser didn’t come, because of classes — English class. Instead Gray and Levon Kendall at media day.

Talked about Krauser first, about nearly going. Dixon almost seems relaxed, still in cliches and coach speak, but a little easier mood.

3-guard will be used, but there are big guys and others who may surprise — Hudson, Biggs and Young.

Aaron Gray: “a great opportunity,” just want to help team. On the new players, he just ducks it and says they are all good and ready to help.

11:28 Pitt ad followed. Hmm. CSTV has a lot of PSA and ads for themselves. Not making a lot of ad sales at this time.

11:30 Marquette. Davis made fun of the mascot flap.

11:35 Georgetown. All 5 starters return. JTIII and Brandon Bowman.

Most of the interviews are kind of bland, unless it’s your team. UConn is next.

11:43 Jim Calhoun and Rudy Gay. AJ Price and Marcus Williams issues will probably be resolved next week. Definitely won’t be playing in the first semester, though.

Why does the BE Basketball PSA still have the old logo?

11:50 Villanova. Jay Wright with Randy Foye. Sumpter ACL injury first issue. Wright thinks there’s a 40% chance he might come back this year. Jason Fraser looks like he will play this year, despite 2 knee surgeries over summer.

12:00 St. John’s. All 5 starters return including Daryl Hill. Norm Roberts and Hill. Hill wearing a sweater vest with a tie underneath? Wow. Not exactly looking street. St. John’s has Anthony Mason, Jr. — bloodlines. St. John’s has a new practice facility — gym, lockers, lounge for players and coaches offices.

At this rate, for each team they should have about 20 minutes left at the end to talk about the Big East overall. Probably see the Tranghese comments.

12:06 USF. Go Bulls! Zucker appears to be openly mocking the Bulls as he sends it back to Davis. Picked for #16. Coach Robert McCullum and Solomon Jones.

12:11 DePaul. Jerry Wainwright, new coach hired from Richmond, and Marlon Brumfield. Wainwright looks like some “that guy” actor, but I can’t say who. Brumfield is incredibly uncomfortable sitting there and keeps giving short, mumbled answers that are flustering Seth Davis for some reason.

12:18 Seton Hall. Louis Orr and Kelly Whitney. 3 years ago the coach of the year, now on the hot seat and likely gone after this season. If you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything. Let’s move on.

12:23 Rutgers. Speaking of coaches in NJ trying to keep their jobs. Coach Gary Waters and Marquis Webb.

A step forward if they can just make the BE Tournament

12:31 ND. Mike Brey and Chris Quinn. Davis makes Duke references — shut the f**k up — have to make those ties don’t you, Seth? Davis is totally slurping Brey and ND newcomers. I love how they describe what ND did on the graphic — 1st round NIT. Translation: they lost to Holy Cross at home to complete the bad season.

12:36 WVU. John Beilein and Kevin Pittsnogle. High expectations are a concern. Beilein almost sounds like he’d settle for being middle of the BE pack. Pittsnogle said NBA wants to see more of him on the inside. Beilein happy about a veteran team to run the offense he has.

12:42 Syracuse. Jim Boeheim and Gerry McNamara. Brings up the Vermont game, but Boeheim deflects. Usual poor-mouthing concerns about what the new kids will bring and how soon. McNamara looks like he’s going to swallow the mic. McNamara showed up wearing a sweat suit. Keep talking about Scranton population traveling to Syracuse.

12:48 Louisville ends the team interviews. Rick Pitino and Taquan Dean. Early injuries, but Pitino downplays it — gives the freshmen a chance to really learn. Dean moving on without Garcia taking the pressure off of him. Pitino is effusive in praise for Dean — especially in how hard he works in practice and his defense.

12:56 Mike Tranghese interview with Seth Davis.

Tranghese admits that the football schools were going to leave, but the presidents “changed their minds.”

Regarding the 12 team BE Tournament and leaving out 4, will be revisited in a couple years; but unlikely to change.

TV contracts run for 2 more years — which will dictate the schedules and missing some teams. That will likely change given the schools all want to play everyone.

Seth Davis slurps Tranghese by saying he thinks he’s the best commish in the NCAA as he kicks it back to Zucker.

1:00 Final thoughts from Davis. Davis picks UConn for BE.

From the start of the season, there has been no question who is the leader of the Pitt defense — H.B. Blades. Blades is the team’s and the Big East’s leading tackler without it being close, as Coach Wannstedt expects and wants from his middle linebacker. Even before the move to Middle Linebacker there wasn’t much doubt, as Blades can’t stop talking during a game. Today he gets a puff piece on his still improving play in the middle.

Blades said the improvement has been a product of a lot of things, but no defense can be strong if the middle linebacker isn’t playing at a high level.

“That’s the thing about being the middle linebacker that I love,” Blades said. “You are expected to be the leader. You are expected to perform every week, every play and the guys look up to you. I think early there were some things I was trying to figure out but I’m very comfortable now in what I am trying to do and I feel like I can be an even more effective leader because of it.”

Blades was a first-team All-Big East performer last season and seems likely to repeat the honor this season. He leads the Big East in tackles per game (11) and total tackles (88). He has 25 more total tackles than Rutgers safety Courtney Greene, who is second with 63.
…
“Individual stats don’t really mean much to me or any of us,” Blades said. “We all want to win and that means making the plays to win. I know as a leader I’m expected to make plays, but so are the other 10 guys on the field. And one reason we’ve played so well recently is we have had 11 guys playing as one and everybody is stepping up and making plays.”

Blades said the team has regained its swagger and with it comes the ability to talk trash and celebrate big plays and big hits together.

“I always talk trash but that’s just a part of my game and who I am,” Blades said. “It is all in good fun though. Part of it is trying to get into the other guy’s head, but mostly it is just an outlet to have fun. And football is a lot more fun when you are winning and having success. Sometimes people forget the fun part of it. We’re having fun again and that’s a good thing.”

On the other side of the ball, Charles Spencer and Mike McGlynn are the primary focus of a piece on the much-maligned (and not totally undeservedly so) offensive line. They did do a very good job against Syracuse. Actually allowing only 1 sack in the game early.

“I think I did a pretty good job,” Spencer said. “Those are some real good d-ends. I don’t take anything from them, but I thought I did a pretty good job against them.”

Pitt amassed 177 rushing yards against Syracuse. Tailback LaRod Stephens-Howling had 101 yards, the second time this season the Panthers had a runner reach the century mark.

With time to sit in the pocket, Palko completed 18-of-28 passes for 201 yards and one touchdown. He also followed his blockers for two short TD runs in the second half.

Palko was pleased with the job his linemen did.

“Those guys have been looked down upon,” Palko said. “It’s been, ‘offensive line this’ and ‘offensive line that.’ They don’t like being talked about like that.

“The last two weeks, everyone’s been saying how the (opposing) defensive ends were so fast and how are we going to protect. I think those guys had a little bit of a chip on their shoulder, and that’s good. That’s the way it should be.”

McGlynn and Spencer picked the right time — the heart of the Big East schedule — to pick up their play. They will face another challenge in their next game. Louisville defensive end Elvis Dumervil leads the league with 19 sacks and 21 1/2 tackles for loss.

Spencer, a fifth-year senior, also is helping solidify Pitt’s line of the future. He is a tutor for left guard C.J. Davis, a true freshman.

The last 3 games will be the toughest for Pitt’s O-line and the offense. UConn and WVU are 1 and 2 in the Big East in Total Defense. Louisville is 5th, but leads the conference in sacks with 31, as they prefer a lot of blitzing.