While I try to shake the idea of Playboy planning a “Girls of Olive Garden” pictorial out of my head — strategically placed bread sticks — a couple recruiting kudos for the 2008 class.

Nasir Robinson was named to the Second Team EA Sports All-American squad. Granted, the 1st team had 20 members and there are 30 players listed for the second team. Still that puts the Pitt commit in a top-50 class. I mean, if you care about these things.
Meanwhile, one of the gems of Pitt’s football recruiting class continues to make noise about walking on to the basketball team while at the State Farm Roundball Classic.

One of those players who definitely showed he belonged to be considered among the best around was Aliquippa’s Jonathan Baldwin, who captured MVP honors for the winners, scoring 27 points, including five 3-pointers.

“This was my last high school game so I wanted it to be a good one,” said Baldwin, who earlier in the day had set a record at the Center Trojan Track Classic as part of the 400 relay team. “Everyone wants to win and we’re all hard-nosed about it.

“I wanted to show everyone I could shoot three-pointers. I’m thinking about walking on at Pitt to play basketball, too, so I wanted to work on my threes.”

Baldwin is already committed to playing wide receiver at Pitt, but based on what the fans saw at Geneva College’s Metheny Fieldhouse, it’s hard to say his basketball career should be over.

With him and Mike Shanahan, it looks like there will be some real competition for the walk-on spots this year.

Pitt assistant coach, Tom Herrion decided the Marist job wasn’t the gig he wanted. He pulled out of consideration.

“I informed Tim Murray earlier today that I was withdrawing my name as a candidate for the vacant position,” Herrion said in an e-mail to the Poughkeepsie Journal on Monday night. “I enjoyed the opportunity to meet some excellent people at Marist and I appreciate their interest and wish them the best. I am sure they will find an excellent candidate.”

Marist apparently targeted 4 assistants and St. Benedict’s Prep Coach Danny Hurley for the possibly hiring. It now looks like Memphis assistant Chuck Martin is the only guy who still has his name in the pot.
For the first time in a couple years, Pitt won’t have to replace an assistant (so far).

Last night was the night to get the taxes done. Anyone know if you can just not pay the taxes owed and let the IRS simply take the money from that “economic stimulus” check? Just asking. So, I missed the always startling news of player discipline issues.

Pitt defensive back Sherod Murdock has been suspended indefinitely for disciplinary reasons. Athletic department spokesperson E.J. Borghetti said the school has no further comment on the incident, which led to his suspension.

Murdock is a 6-foot, 170-pound redshirt freshman from Tampa, Fla. He is competing for one of the reserve safety spots.

Never like to read any player getting in some trouble. The vague reason just furthers message board/comment speculation. Of course, cynicism says this isn’t particularly problematic since Murdock would only be a back-up most likely. Plus, the suspension will only cost him the Blue-Gold Spring game. Most likely he’ll be back for training camp in August.

This is more troubling.

Pitt starting left tackle Jason Pinkston is being investigated for his role in an altercation on campus over the weekend.

It’s a relatively specific issue: on-campus “altercation” (reading as: fight). Considering Pinkston has been out of spring drills as he recovers from his shoulder injury, this is not the way to help the rehab.

UPDATE: Per the Pitt News, this bit.

Pitt defensive back Sherod Murdock was involved in an incident at Sutherland Hall Saturday night, Pitt Vice Chancellor for Public Affairs Robert Hill confirmed.

Murdock was then suspended indefinitely from the football team yesterday for disciplinary reasons.

Pitt police responded to Sutherland at about 11 p.m. Saturday for “a disturbed, potentially violent person,” their log reported.

Hill said that Murdock’s suspension was connected to the incident, but added, “I had not said [this person and Murdock] were one in the same person.”

Um, and he didn’t say that he wasn’t. Sutherland Hall holds about 739 students and they were in lock down with this matter.

The police log said Pittsburgh medics transported the person to the hospital.

A UPMC Presbyterian operator confirmed Murdock had been in the hospital over the weekend and had been discharged. The operator would not give patient details other than name confirmation, including when the patient came to the hospital or when he was discharged.

Hill said one other member of the football team was involved in the incident, although his status on the team is not in question. The action, Hill said, is no longer under review.

Still, nebulous, but not good. No wonder EDSBS is looking to give Pitt some big points in the Fulmer Cup when this finally gets hashed out.