For whatever they are worth. Luke Winn doesn’t seem to know what to do or where to put Pitt from week to week. This week, they are down to #13.
The ESPN.com power 16 puts Pitt at the top of the 3 seeds. And apparently enough people have harassed the people at ESPN.com regarding the Pitt logo.
Can’t ding the Panthers too hard as everyone loses at Marquette these days. To all the e-mailers — I have good (non-Geico) news: Check out the spiffy “new” Pitt logo on your clubhouse page.
Nicely done.
Naturally in ESPN individual experts picks, as I’ve seen others note in the comments, Pitt is in or about the top-10 for most, except for Doug Gottlieb who completely excludes Pitt. I’m willing to believe he goofed and meant to put them at #11. He somehow put Oklahoma there, and that just makes no sense, and no one else even has them listed. An Oklahoma team that could barely eke past Iowa St. and Texas Tech.
Bob Snyder in a Big East column lists his all-conference team and other awards in advance.
Player of the year:Rudy Gay, Connecticut. Rutgers’ Quincy Douby will win the scoring crown, is seventh nationally, but the graceful Gay at times too unselfish is the league’s best athlete and most impressive physical talent.
All-conference:Hilton Armstrong, Connecticut; Josh Boone, Connecticut; Douby, Rutgers; Randy Foye, Villanova; Mike Gansey, West Virginia; Aaron Gray, Pittsburgh; Gerry McNamara, Syracuse; Steve Novak, Marquette; Kevin Pittsnogle, West Virginia; Chris Quinn, Notre Dame; Allan Ray, Villanova; Marcus Williams, Connecticut. Too many? You cut a guy or two.
Rookie of the year:Dominic James, Marquette. There’s no shortage of yearling talent in the Big East barn, our town’s Eric Devendorf among them. But James makes the Golden Eagles go.
Most improved player: Gray, Pittsburgh.
Coach of the year:To be decided in these few remaining games. Marquette’s Tom Crean? His Golden Eagles, among five newcomers from Conference USA, were picked 12th. They debuted beating UConn, should take 20 regular-season victories and a winning league mark to Madison Square Garden, then hear their name Selection Sunday. Veteran Big East coaches might not vote for a new guy on their block. Seton Hall’s Louie Orr? Pirates picked next to last. Need to avoid sliding off the bubble. Jay Wright? Sure, ‘Nova was picked first, but the ‘Cats never played a minute with preseason all-leaguer Curtis Sumpter.
You know, if Marquette gets 4th or 5th in the conference, I think Crean would be fine as Coach of the Year. If Orr wins, then it is a move by the other BE coaches to close ranks and try and protect one of their own — practically daring Seton Hall to fire Orr.
