Ray Fittipaldo’s weekly Q&A is up.
Q: What is the status of coach Dixon’s contract and what are the administration’s intentions regarding a long-term extension?
Fittipaldo: Dixon signed a five-year contract in April of 2003 for $550,000 per year. He was given a one-year extension and bumped up in salary after guiding Pitt to a 31-5 record and a Sweet 16 appearance in his first season. So he has three years remaining on his contract after this season.
However, contracts don’t mean anything in this business and Pitt is going to have to ante up if it wants to keep Dixon as its head coach after the season. Dixon’s 67-15 record as head coach and the surprising start to this season means he will have many suitors once the season ends. Pitt has made many strides over the past seven seasons with its basketball program, but it is still a football school and doesn’t always understand the financial commitment is takes to maintain a top-level basketball program. While most other schools in the Big East fly charter from city to city, Pitt still flies commercially most of the time.
The other thing the scares coaches away from Pitt is the lack of a recruiting base. The talent is better now than it has been in some time, but coaches must go to New York City or other major cities to find players.
Pitt has a great arena and the fan support is getting better, but the financial commitment from the university and recruiting are two reasons Dixon might leave. Pitt must do two things if it wants to keep Dixon: It will have to raise his salary and fix the problems in the basketball budget.
I have a feeling there are several people asking WTF right now. It’s the insane nature of the beast. Right now his contract runs until 2009, so you have to expect more years to be added.
I find the flying information very interesting. Especially considering the amount of traveling a basketball team has to do, along with classes.
It is likely that Dixon will get a nice bump in salary at this rate, and I have no doubt that there will be some interest. I also think that the Pitt administration would step up on the money. The tough thing is balancing how proactive to be.
They were willing to spend for Prosser, but seemed tardy in making the big offer to Howland ahead of UCLA’s overtures — which everyone knew was coming. And yes, he probably still would have gone to UCLA anyways, but I’m just saying they seemed to wait to make their offer until UCLA rather than try to really lock him up.
Now from this week’s ESPN.com chats (all Insider subs.). Not as many Pitt questions on the chat this week.
Chris (Philly): How deep can Pitt go in the NCAA Touurney?
Rece Davis: Look, I’m not picking them to go to the final 4…probably past tournaments haunting me…but really…what’s missing. They’ve got size inside. They play hard. They’ve got a great glue guy (Kendall)…they’ve got an explosive scorer (Krauser)…they’ve got guys to keep that scorer from dominating the ball (Fields/Ramon)…hard to find reasons to pick against them…yet, I’m not diving in just yet to the final 4 talk. Definite sweet 16/elite 8 type club.
Fran Fraschilla had a bunch of questions, though.
Kurt Gies Holland , PA: How far do you think the University of Pittsburgh will go in the NCAA tourney? and is Carl Krauser and Aaron Gray one of the top PG and C’s in the league?
Kurty G Holland , PA: What is your projection on Pitt’s record by the end of the year? do you think they have what it takes to beat Uconn @ Uconn?
Fran Fraschilla: Now, Pitt is definitely the real day, by that I mean, they are comfortably in the Top 10. Krauser’s season has mirrored Daniel Gibson’s in that, by not having the ball in his hands all the time, eh doesn’t have to worry about splitting his duties between running the team and scoring. The emergence of the Panthers young PGs has taken heat off of him. Aaron Gray is certainly among the most improved players in the country and with his size, he has become a legitimate NBA prospect. I like Sam Young’s athleticism and poise for a freshman, as well.
Fran Fraschilla: Kudos to Coach Dixon for maintaining Pittsburgh’s level of play … HOWEVER, I think that UConn is a timebomb waiting to explode in a positive way. They have the deepest team in the country with at least four first round draft picks, on it. Jim Calhoun — like Bill Belichick — always seems to have his team playing it’s best at the end of the season. Can Pitt win? Yes. But 7/10 times this year, UConn is the better team.
…
Paul (Chicago): Fran, what do you see in Marquette’s future? They have a home and home with Pitt, a road game with ‘Nova, a road game with Louisville, AND the Big East tournament. Do you see them dancing with 6 or 7 other Big East teams, or will they be left to the Not Invited Tournament?Fran Fraschilla: The DePaul game on Wednesday is critical, Paul. It’s a home game that the Golden Eagles SHOULD win. The road in the Big East will always be difficult, so, home games with St J’s, Pitt, GTown and Providence are must wins. Getting Wesley Matthews back in a couple of weeks should strengthen their backcourt depth. Dominique James is close to wrapping up Big East Rookie of the Year — watch out for Cuse’s Eric Devendorf — and Novak continues to be unconscious. So far, this team has exceeded people expectations. It has been a great coaching job by Tom Crean.
And finally, Andy Katz didn’t actually get a Pitt question.
IV (Morgantown): Hey Andy, first off thank you for giving us the recognition that a lot of media members don’t want to give our team and our state. I’m sure you probably catch a lot of grief for it. Anyway, your thoughts on what might happen in the BE standings once conference play really gets rolling?
Andy Katz: If the Mountaineers can win at Pitt then they’ve got a great shot to win the Big East. They play, as you know, Connecticut only once — at home.
And just when I was starting to think Pitt fans could be a little sensitive to perceived media slights — along come the Hoopies to raise the bar.
