masthead.jpg

switchconcepts.com, U3dpdGNo-a25, DIRECT rubiconproject.com, 14766, RESELLER pubmatic.com, 30666, RESELLER, 5d62403b186f2ace appnexus.com, 1117, RESELLER thetradedesk.com, switchconcepts, RESELLER taboola.com, switchconceptopenrtb, RESELLER bidswitch.com, switchconcepts, RESELLER contextweb.com, 560031, RESELLER amazon-adsystem.com, 3160, RESELLER crimtan.com, switch, RESELLER quantcast.com, switchconcepts , RESELLER rhythmone.com, 1934627955, RESELLER ssphwy.com, switchconcepts, RESELLER emxdgt.com, 59, RESELLER appnexus.com, 1356, RESELLER sovrn.com, 96786, RESELLER, fafdf38b16bf6b2b indexexchange.com, 180008, RESELLER nativeads.com, 52853, RESELLER theagency.com, 1058, RESELLER google.com, pub-3515913239267445, DIRECT, f08c47fec0942fa0
July 2, 2008

Whoop! Whoop! Whoop! Actual news that matters.

The Big East announced the conference match-ups in basketball for the upcoming season. Not the dates mind you, just who plays who, where and how many times.

Pitt’s Home-and-Home opponents: WVU, UConn and DePaul

BE Home games: Cinci, Marquette, ND, St. John’s, USF, Syracuse

BE Road games: Georgetown, Louisville, VIllanova, Seton Hall, Rutgers, Providence

I can’t say the schedule is unfair. Obviously 3 very tough road games with G-town, L-ville and ‘Nova. But home with Marquette, ND, ‘Cuse and Cinci (who I think will actually be better than people think).

Just a few quick thoughts.

The eyeball test, suggests that the hardest home-and-home for an upper-half of the Big East squad goes to Notre Dame with UConn, Louisville and St. John’s. UConn has Pitt, ND and Seton Hall. WVU has Louisville, Pitt and USF. Louisville gets ND, WVU and USF.

The easiest for upper-8 teams might be ‘Nova with Marquette, Providence and ‘Cuse. Marquette gets off pretty lightly with G-town, DePaul and ‘Nova.

Cinci looks to be the biggest schedule beneficiary. Home-and-homes with G-town, Providence and St. John’s. The home slate has L-ville, UConn, ND and WVU. With Pitt, ‘Nova and Marquette on the road.





I’ll take the home and home games. Depaul will be terrible and we should split with the other two. It stinks that we have to play Louisville, Rutgers and Nova on the road. Rutgers will be a lot better than people think and the RAC is a tough place to play. I expect us to lose that game. If the Nova game is off-campus, then I like our chances. However, the on-campus facility is a very difficult place to play. Seton Hall and Providence should be gimmes. If we can go 9-0 or 8-1 at home, then we need to finish 5-4 or 4-5 on the road to win the league. Definitely achievable.

Comment by Omar 07.02.08 @ 4:17 pm

I think the RAC’s reputation as a difficult place to play isn’t justified. They lost 10 games there last year and 9 the year before that. They may be better this year, but expecting a team that lost 20 games last year to beat what should be a Top 5 team might be going a little too far. If they lose, fine, but marking that one as a game on the schedule that you expect to lose is a little much.

Comment by Matt O 07.03.08 @ 8:31 am

We lost to them last year at home. They have a great recruiting class. We usually have nailbiters at the RAC (see the last several years). The team was very young last year and should be better with experience. I’m telling you Rutgers will be better than people think next year. Mark it.

Comment by Omar 07.03.08 @ 10:00 am

I was at the game at the Pete last year – it was a fluke. We lost, but we really shouldn’t have. It was the one game last year where you were sort of scratching your head in disbelief afterwards.

Again, I don’t doubt Rutgers will be better but expecting to lose to them is a stretch.

Comment by Matt O 07.03.08 @ 10:11 am

I’ll agree with you the game last year was hard to believe. It seems like Pitt just stopped playing. That effing game probably cost Pitt the sweet 16. If we didn’t lose that game we probably would have been a 3 seed instead of a 4 and would have avoided a good Michigan State team in the second round.

I also agree marking Pitt down for an L is a stretch, but we will lose a game that is unexpected. I say the probability is higher that it is that game.

Comment by Omar 07.03.08 @ 11:47 am

That’s an interesting thought – we could well have been a 3 seed had we not lost that game. That loss probably hurt our RPI quite a bit. It could have had a significant impact on what happened in the tournament.

An unexpected loss is, unfortunately, bound to happen in a league as tough as the Big East. The big games take so much focus and effort that getting caught off guard by an inferior team is almost certain.

Comment by Matt O 07.03.08 @ 12:29 pm

I imagine Pitt will lose one of the four versus Rutgers, Seton Hall, Providence and Depaul. My bet is Rutgers. You?

Comment by Omar 07.03.08 @ 1:07 pm

Off the topic, but I’m doubting that anyone’s still eyeballing Chas’ June 30 post (Players and Playing Time). So I’m leaving comment here for further follow-up and clarification.

In ref to: McCoy’s eligibility to leave for the draft after his second year as a Panther. & In response to: —–> Stoosh, from what I understand McCoy spent 1 year at an academy/prep school before coming to Pitt… a player can leave for the draft only if they are 3 years removed from highschool. Comment by Ryan M. 07.01.08 @ 10:44 am —–> Yes, he can definitely leave. There is no question about it. Comment by Stuart 07.01.08 @ 5:09 pm —–> Earlier this recruiting season a prospective PITT RB recruit was quoted as saying the PITT football staff were talking with him about taking McCoy’s place after McCoy leaves between the 2008-09 seasons. Comment by Reed 07.02.08 @ 4:46 am —–>

Okay, point taken guys. But last I checked, McCoy went to Milford, yes? Therefore, unless I’m missing something and McCoy went to an academy/school that doubled as a “Junior College,” it doesn’t appear that “McCoy will have the same justification.”

To my knowledge, McCoy didn’t come in as JUCO. But Fitz did. And as I remember it, “the clause that Fitzgerald used to leave Pitt early after just two years…” was afforded to him based on his year spent at Valley Forge Military Academy which is, in fact, a Junior College. Therefore, I’m disinclined to believe that the Fitzgerald situation/comparison applies in this case.

If anyone knows better — if my facts aren’t straight, that is — let me know. I’m still a bit confused on all this.

Comment by Neil 07.03.08 @ 1:13 pm

The NFL and NFLPA Collective Bargaining Agreement states that a player can enter the draft:

“no earlier than three years after either his graduation from high school or graduation of the class with which he entered high school, whichever is earlier.”

That’s not good news. It looks like it will be his choice at the end of the season to make.

I don’t know if this rule is new or what, because if not, I don’t see how there was such a debate over Fitzgerald. The plain language of the rule says that any player can go three years after graduation of the class he ENTERED high school with. The prep school/when he graduated stuff is therefore irrelevant- unfortunately.

Comment by Dan35 07.03.08 @ 2:05 pm

Thats the rule, here is the practical applicaion: when you’re a freshman in HS, you can go to the NFL in 7 years. Doesn’t matter where you spend those 7 years. 4 HS, 1 prep, 2 college – 4 HS, 3 college – 7 HS if you’re real dumb. Its based when everyone else graduated from HS in your class, not when you did.

They changed the rule because of Fitzy. Its not the same rule that was in place then. They realized how dumb it was.

So, as said before in that other post, he can absolutely leave after this year.

Comment by Stuart 07.03.08 @ 3:04 pm

And about Rutgers: normally i’d say you could be right, but after what happened last year, Fields sitting on the bench in disbelief watching that mess, they’ll be out for blood and won’t overlook them. I’d say we’re more likely to lose one of those other 3 games. I just can’t guess which. All seem about even to me.

Comment by Stuart 07.03.08 @ 3:06 pm

I agree that the plain language of the rule is to be interpreted towards eligibility after this season.

Best case scenario for Shady is that he has a big year for us and gets an advisory opinion from the NCAA in much the same way that they gave Larry the blessing to be draft eligible.

I would hate to see him become the next Mike Williams, the USC receiver who unsuccessfully challenged the rule, but lost his eligibility for signing with an agent.

Comment by johnny 07.03.08 @ 3:54 pm

Speaking of RU, they just nabbed their 19th fb recruit, Abdul Smith of Perkiomen. He had Pitt and Maryland on his list as well.

Comment by steve 07.03.08 @ 4:08 pm

Dan35; Stuart:

Helpful, good to know — clears it up some (the ambiguity) with the McCoy situation.

Interesting stuff there, Stuart: “They changed the rule because of Fitzy. Its not the same rule that was in place then. They realized how dumb it was.”

Really? I’ll take your word on it; you’re generally pretty reliable with citing & furnishing sources.. just don’t recall the rule change over the matter. Thanks for reply

Comment by Neil 07.03.08 @ 6:18 pm

Here, from Clarett’s lawsuit:

“13. In 1993, the NFL Management Committee and the NFPLA negotiated a Collective Bargaining Agreement (“CBA”), which has been extended three times and will not expire until the 2007 season.

14. The NFL bylaws include a rule prohibiting any player who has not completed three college seasons, or is not three years removed from high school graduation, from joining the NFL (“the Rule”).

15. The CBA, which comprises 292 pages, 61 articles, appendices from A through N, and 357 sections, does not contain the Rule.

16. The Rule is not the product of bona fide arm’s length negotiation between the NFL and the NFLPA.”

Get that? It wasn’t in the collective bargaining agreement back in 04, it was a NFL bylaw which said “3 years after graduation.”

Now, in 2006, quoting from the collective bargaining agreement:

“(b) No player shall be permitted to apply for special eligibility for selection in the Draft, or otherwise be eligible for the Draft, until three NFL regular seasons have begun and ended following either his graduation from high school or graduation of the class with which he entered high school, whichever is earlier.”

I was told that they bargained for this exact wording because of Fitzgeralds situation. See how it changed from “3 years after graduation” to “3 years after the class they were in graduated, whether they did or not.”

Is this put to rest once and for all?

Comment by Stuart 07.04.08 @ 5:55 am

seemingly so. info appreciated

Comment by Neil 07.07.08 @ 6:37 am

As a student, I’m pleased with this schedule. Hopefully we will get a primetime Saturday College Gameday game with either UConn or WVU, or ‘Cuse?

Either way it looks like there will be a lot of good home games.

Comment by Tony 07.12.08 @ 2:47 pm

Powered by WordPress © PittBlather.com

Site Meter