So this week the Post-Gazette decided to have a Pitt writer and a WVU writer take part in The Backyard Blog. It’s not a true “blog” but whatever, at least it gives us something to read. Except when I read it, I get really frustrated by the Hoopies writer, Jon Schmitz. Mr. Schmitz here believes he knows exactly how to fix the Pitt football program.

When you see a drowning man, you throw a rope. With some reluctance, I’d like to offer some CPR suggestions for the Pitt program to bring down those point spreads in the future. Not that I’d mind if Pitt stays right where it is.

His ideas and my thoughts below them:

–Lose the coach.

Next year is Wannstedt’s make-or-break year no matter what.

–Relocate.

It is clear Jon Schmitz has never been to Oakland. Where is there to plop down a football stadium? Heinz Field is empty, but win some games and the fans will come. The product on the field determines fans coming.

–Play Penn State, not Grambling.

Jon Schmitz also does not read the news, read this blog, and most likely lives under a rock. The choice to play the Pitt-Penn State rivalry rests on the shoulders of Joe Paterno. We would ask JoePa again but we’re afraid his road rage might make an appearance.

–Engage the students.

Again, win and they will come. He’s a WVU homer and tells us there are more student ticket requests than availible seats, to which I say “No crap, you’re team is on the verge of playing in the BCS title game. Too bad 75% of them hopped on the bandwagon in the last 2-3 years.”

I’m calm, I’m collected. How that office chair went through that window, I have no idea.

I haven’t been drinking to a stupor — though I thought about it — nor did I break my computer in response to the news. I have been trying to do a lot of things in the real world, so I can be clear for the trip to Morgantown. Never even got onto the computer to this point. I had left a message for one of my friends who was going to the game as well early in the afternoon. About an hour later he called me back while I was on my way to take my kid to a check-up at the doctor. That’s how I had the news broken to me that Pederson was rehired as AD. After that he broke the news to me about the Wannstedt extension.

Wow. Way to completely take the little bit of excitement and energy I had for the Backyard Brawl and crush it. Neither of us were joking when we both brought up the idea of bailing on the game completely. If not for the fact that someone else went to the effort of getting the tix in the first place, we probably would have.

This is what I said back in October after Pederson was dumped by Nebraska and there was some speculation that maybe Pitt might contact him.

Pitt and sequels just don’t work. This is not about wanting a Pitt guy/gal as the AD — I don’t particularly care. I want the best person for the job. Not someone the Chancellor already knows and may be comfortable with dealing.Pederson did a lot of good and some bad while at Pitt. He wasn’t the god/savior some make him seem for dragging the primary teams in the athletic department into the modern era, improving the facilities and finally getting a new basketball facility constructed. Nor was he the devil for changing the colors, logo and name and tearing down Pitt Stadium. For the most part he was a good athletic director who provided and acted in a way that helped Pitt. That doesn’t mean he should be brought back now that his alma mater has said “buh-bye.”

I’m sure there will be a column in the next day or two suggesting that it would be a good idea to bring back Pederson. That he would provide the energy to the athletic department and will make the hard choices, etc.

Feh. That’s just code for dealing with the only major public concern regarding the athletic department. Right now the issue is about the football program and its direction. Does the baseball program need shaken up? How about the men’s or women’s basketball? No. I don’t think so.

The athletic department could probably benefit overall from someone aggressive and with personality. It doesn’t, however, need the overhaul and makeover as before. Things have changed.

Bringing back Pederson would be taking the easy way, rather than being serious about looking for a new AD. It would also be one more sign that the athletic department is being run via proxy by Chancellor Nordenberg.

[Emphasis added.] And of course, there was the obligatory column from Ron Cook.

With the almost immediate decision that Wannstedt would get a 2-year extension, that would ostensibly take him into 2012 season. That this is happening means that we know who is really running the athletic department and that no Athletic Director hired would have had a say in the decision.

Hell, the press release announcing the re-hire of Pederson practically made it explicit the relationship.

Together they orchestrated a major revitalization of Pitt athletics that resulted in nationally ranked programs and state-of-the-art facilities. Today, that team was reformed as University of Pittsburgh Chancellor Mark A. Nordenberg announced the return of Steve Pederson as Pitt’s athletic director.

I have no animosity to Pederson, on a personal level. Don’t know the guy. I just don’t like trying to do sequels. It reeks of Pitt not seriously looking for the best candidate for Athletic Director. It’s about the guy the Chancellor likes. It means that Pitt never conducted much of a search. That the search committee got used.

I’m guessing the next news will be a new contract for DC Paul Rhoads.