Levance Fields and Mike Cook had their first meeting with the media since their injuries. The local media isn’t saying much about the questions and such yet — after all they have to have something to put in the paper tomorrow.

Mike Cook is indeed looking to get a medical redshirt. He doesn’t expect to find out from the NCAA until after the season.

Levance Fields is very optimistic about how quickly he is healing. He expects to be back around Valentines Day.

If Fields’ projection is true, his first game back would be Feb. 15 at Marquette.

The initial projected date of return was March 1. By moving up his timetable, Fields could play in the final seven regular-season games before the Big East tournament.

“If everything goes as planned I’ll be back before you know it,” Fields said.

That would give him time to be worked back in. To slowly get himself back into playing shape over the final 7 games.  Then carry things into the Big East Tournament.
If you missed the Ray Fittipaldo chat, there was a suggestion of a nickname for DeJuan Blair.

Blaznasty: Blair needs a nickname … “Grizzly Blair”?

Ray Fittipaldo: I saw that Dick “Hoops” Weiss from the New York Daily News wrote that in his Pitt-Georgetown game story Tuesday morning. We’ll have to see if it sticks.

I don’t know if Weiss intended it as a nickname, but I have to admit I like it. It was the final line of Weiss’ story.

“We weren’t going to lose in our house,” the grizzly Blair said.

I also like that Fittipaldo knew where it came from. It works.