I just need to get these out of my browser tabs. Things I wanted to get to but haven’t.

Altoona paper looking at recruiting for Pitt, Penn State and St. Francis?

One is on top and wants to stay there, one longs for its own identity and one merely wants to prove it belongs. They are:

The national power: the Pitt Panthers

The one hoping to someday become a national power: the Penn State Nittany Lions; and

The small program that’s just trying to make a dent on the national scene: the St. Francis Red Flash

The three programs are as different as night and day, but they share one thing in common. They all must rely on a recruiting strategy that can lure the kind of players they need to achieve their goal.

…

‘‘It doesn’t seem any different from when we weren’t very good nine years ago,’’ Dixon said of Pitt’s recruiting strategy. ‘‘You’ve got to get the best kids you can get.’’

The big difference is now that the Panthers have enjoyed continued success, they’re in the running for more upper-tier recruits.

‘‘There’s a number of good players out there,’’ Dixon said. ‘‘You’ve got to understand that, I believe, and if you don’t get one, you’ve got to get another one. You’ve got to have backups, [and] you’ve got to have a long list of guys.’’

Aside from winners, that list for Pitt includes players with one other major characteristic. The Panthers have built their success on toughness and seek players who aren’t afraid to mix it up against other brutes in the Big East.

Interesting point. Get the best kids you can. As you keep improving and raising the team’s profile the players you can seriously go after improve. Fits with Dixon’s approach of very carefully building Pitt Basketball, and minimizing risks.
I usually don’t bother any longer with Penn State commentary since it isn’t worth the effort. Doubly so with basketball, but I don’t buy into the whole location kills them for recruiting meme that is always pushed.

It’s not the location, it’s the competition. It’s one thing for Penn State football to recruit in the Eastern part of the state, New Jersey, New York and Maryland for football. A lot less competition locally for players. In basketball, however, it’s a different situation. There’s a lot more programs competing for the Philly and NJ kids. Add in that for basketball, PSU’s Big 11 affiliation works against them. They have to contend with Big East and ACC powers that have the bigger lure and exposure in the region. Finally, as much as football can sell itself by getting a recruit to take a visit on gameday; it isn’t quite the same in basketball. Heck, if Texas A&M, Gonzaga and even Nebraska is making progress can do it, the issue has to do with the program, school and athletic department’s commitment and effort.

Gary Parrish at Sportsline ranks the Big East and puts Pitt 5th behind Louisville, G-town, Marquette and — surprise — Villanova. The ‘Nova pick is something he admits is a bit of a wild card.

The good: Jamie Dixon has a solid core of returning players featuring Levance Fields, Sam Young, Mike Cook and Ronald Ramon. Add freshman DeJuan Blair to the mix, and the Panthers seem set to be just as steady as ever.

The bad: Blair is a supreme talent, but his inexperience showed in the Panthers’ first exhibition. A Division II center scored 23 points against Blair and fellow newcomer Cassin Diggs, and that’s an indication that plugging the hole left by Aaron Gray might not be simple.

The bottom line: Gray is just one of three important players missing, but there’s no reason to think Pitt will slip much. Why? Because the Panthers just don’t slip much.

Common theme. Seems to be why the AP Poll has Pitt starting at #22.

Leftover from Big East Media Day — Coaches bitching about last year’s snubs for the NCAA Tournament and the new 18 game schedule.

Pittsburgh’s Jamie Dixon and Marquette’s Tom Crean wondered if it’s smart to play 18 league games when conferences such as the Southeastern, Big 12 and ACC play only 16.

“When it was presented to us, we were much more apt to see it as us following what other power conferences were going to do,” Crean said.

Pitino said he thinks the concerns will recede this season because the Big East is “the deepest I’ve seen it in some time.” He predicted a large number of NCAA bids come March.

Um. Yes. Three major conferences play “only” 16 games. That means the other 3 — The Big East, Pac-10 and Big 11 — play 18. Not sure  I’m seeing the problem.

But, he added, “If we go through another Syracuse debacle, then changes have to occur. If (the selection committee) leaves one or two out, we probably have the wrong formula.”

He suggested switching to a divisional format or going back to 16 league games as possible solutions.

The Big East couldn’t be healthier in revenue and exposure. League teams will play on national TV more times than ever and more than any other conference this season.

“The TV money and all the other things that come with it overcome Coach Boeheim losing sleep,” Dixon said.

Damn. Coach Dixon letting some cold humor slip through.  Nice.