Sadly, I’ve missed several in between. This one comes from CrossCyed.

1. We’re about halfway through the season at this point. Have you gotten a gauge on your team’s chances this year to make noise in conference play, or is the team still a total freaking mystery?

I am amazed at how many fans of so many other teams this year are completely unsure about what their team can do. And I too am one of them. I don’t think Pitt will win the Big East, but I’m not convinced that they can’t end up knocking off Louisville or WVU at this point. Those are the last two games of the season and they are home games so there is a realistic chance still. Of course, Pitt could end up as low as 6th if they don’t take care of other games in the conference. Suddenly Syracuse is looking like a much tougher game this weekend as they have improved plus it’s at the Carrier Dome where Pitt has had minimal success.

I don’t flippin’ know. I want to say they will beat ‘Cuse, Rutgers and USF, but …

2. Many of the bigger conferences such as the Big 12 and the Big 10 use a rotating schedule to determine conference games each year. What are your feelings on the current system used in your conference? Does a rotating schedule work? Has your team always caught a break?

Obviously, the Big East doesn’t have the rotating schedule issue. Arguably, though, the way the home-away BE schedule has worked for Pitt is advantageous this year. If — based on the top-25 rankings — you look at the top 3 teams in the BE: Rutgers, Louisville and WVU all come to Pitt for home games and the road games are to Cinci, ‘Cuse, USF and UConn. The only reason I hedge, is that Pitt has not played much of the conference slate yet, so they haven’t shown they will take advantage of it.

3. In an effort to get to know more about college football, both nationally and regionally, what have you done to expand your college football horizons? Have you caught yourself watching games from other conferences, or taking an interest in games that show up on ESPNU or Fox Sports?

I’m stuck in Ohio. So whether I want to or not, I have to see what the Big 11 is doing every week. The ACC has my attention thanks to the Fanhouse stuff. So I’m already trying to absorb action from 3 BCS conferences every week. That doesn’t even include the SEC stuff on CBS that I click to. The wife hates this time of year.

4. What would you change about the current exposure your team gets, either on the radio, television, print, or on the internet?

It’s not bias or anything like that. It’s seeing Pitt and the whole Big East used increasingly as programming filler for ESPN’s weekknight lineup. The Wednesday and Friday night games. Being stuck in the role previously occupied by the Mountain West before they had enough and left the WWLS.

Don’t even get me started on the continuing future of this arrangement, not to mention turning over all of the internet video rights to ESPN in the next contract as well. Insuring that the games won’t be seen that way unless you are on a broadband service that agrees to carry ESPN360, or your willing to pay the same amount for the online gameplan that you would to see it clearer and better on TV.

5. During last Saturday’s game against I-AA Northern Iowa, Iowa State trailed 21-7 at the half. The Cyclone Marching Band played a variety of songs from animated shows, including selections from South Park titled “Blame Canada” and “What Would Brian Boitano Do?” Needless to say, the Cyclones outscored the Panthers 21-6 in the second half. If you had to pick one song for your favorite team to rally to, what would it be? Because we all know what they did for the 2005 White Sox, Journey and “Don’t Stop Believing” are not to be considered.>

Hmmm. I’m pathetically out of date at this point in music. It’s just sad, really. I think if it was the band doing the song, I think “Left of the Dial” by the Replacements would be a good call (I mean it when I said I’m out of date). Really, this is one that calls for debate and discussion by those who know.