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
March 29, 2009

The disgraced ex-coach of Oklahoma and Indiana has very successfully screwed Pitt this year.

As you may recall, his reign at Indiana led to recruits heading to WVU — Devin Ebanks — and Xavier — Terrell Holloway. Both were released from their letter of intent (LOI). Ebanks of course, was a big reason Pitt bowed out early in the Big East Tournament. Holloway helped give Pitt a hard time in the Sweet Sixteen.

Then there was his time that ended at Oklahoma. Scottie Reynolds had committed to Oklahoma to play for Sampson. Then Sampson fled to Indiana as the penalties at Oklahoma came down. The Sooners let Reynolds out of his LOI and he went to Villanova. I think we all know what Reynolds did to Pitt last night.

Bastard.





You forgot about his telephone calls to Dejuan, which were blatant recruiting violations and could have potentially steered him away from Pitt.

Screw that dude.

Comment by Orange Julius Page 03.29.09 @ 5:58 pm

though had scottie gone to ou, we’d be facing him possibly in the next round….

Comment by the doctor 03.29.09 @ 6:30 pm

lol i thought about that when they mentioned it during the unc-ok game

Comment by Brendan 03.29.09 @ 6:32 pm

I have checked site 10x today waiting for any news on Blair staying/leaving and Dixon fielding a phone call from Arizona. It is going to be a long couple of weeks ahead.

As for Blair staying/leaving, I think he stays. He can make one phone call to Shady McCoy who I can guarantee regrets leaving after hearing his name and second round in the same sentence.

As for Dixon, I have appreciated everything the guy has done here and would continue to support him as our basketball coach, but if he takes the job in Arizona, I think Pitt would be able to get any coach in the country. Everyone keeps throwing out Sean Miller as the next coach, and while I think it would be a great hire, I wouldn’t be suprised if Calipari fielded some phone calls from Nordy. He is as much of a Pitt guy as you can be without being an alumni.

Comment by Todd Gack 03.29.09 @ 7:50 pm

Dixon isn’t going anywhere, but even if he was, there is no way in hell they would go after Calipari. They want nothing to do with him and that’s a fact.

Comment by Mark 03.29.09 @ 8:10 pm

Haha. The scapegoat isn’t Jermaine Dixon, or the coaching, or the free throw shooting.

Nope! It’s Kelvin Sampson!! I like it!

I think Blair will go pro. All of the mock drafts I’ve seen have him as nearly a lottery pick. I’d like to see him improve his play away from the basket a little bit before he leaves, but the money’s there for him.

Remember, Aaron Gray stayed for an extra year and went from a possibly lottery pick to a late-2nd rounder.

I really doubt Jamie Dixon’s going anywhere.

However, if he did I’d just make the phone call to Sean Miller and have the press conference the next day.

Calipari’s a real good coach, but in this hypothetical situation where Jamie Dixon would leave for another program, I think Calipari might too, despite his local roots.

Miller would be like Wanny, in that he’d never leave.

Comment by Jimbo Covert's my dad 03.29.09 @ 8:12 pm

Who would you rather be today–a Pitt fan or a Louisville fan? Pitt played hard (not perfectly) against the hottest team in the country, who had to shoot almost perfect from the foul line to get a last second win–a game that Pitt definitely had a chance to win. Louisville lost against a team with less talent, and hardly competed in the second half once they fell behind. Pitt came back from 10 pts in the first half, and 4 pts with less than 2 minutes left, to end up in a heartbreaking loss with less than a second on clock. And Lavance has been so clutch–I almost thought that shot was going in!! so I am disappointed we are not in the final 4–but overall, proud of the season we had, and our effort last night.

Comment by tph60 03.29.09 @ 8:38 pm

Jimbo, with all due respect, I do not think Aaron Gray was ever a near-lottery pick.

For arguments sake (I am fueling your argument against me) Chris Taft could have been a potential lottery pick after his freshmen season. He stayed an extra year and was drafted in the 50s

Comment by Todd Gack 03.29.09 @ 9:14 pm

Chris Taft also could have been a lottery pick if he figured out how to shoot a left handed layup in that season. Or, if he showed the slightest bit of improvement. The fact is, Taft should have left because he didn’t seem to be much of a worker and didn’t improve by staying. Blair is a much better worker and its useless comparing the two. Taft wouldn’t have improved with 6 more years. Every draft workout he went to pinned him as lazy. Blair showed tremendous improvement in one year.

Comment by Ontario Lett's Go Pitt 03.29.09 @ 9:26 pm

Anyone find themselves watching the Pitt-OU Womens Basketball game? I am just picturing the men running down the court. Unfortunately, this one will probably end the same was as last nights.

PS. These announcers suck. They are all over OU. I have been watching for 5 minutes and they have not said anything about PITT.

Comment by Todd Gack 03.29.09 @ 10:14 pm

PPS. The Panther must be exhausted. He went from Boston to Oklahoma City in less than 24 hours.

Comment by Todd Gack 03.29.09 @ 10:15 pm

Todd, yes. Pitt women holding their own and the announcers are in the tank for OU and the Parris sisters and father. This is waht we are reduced to until football season.

Comment by Tiger Paul 03.29.09 @ 10:18 pm

Fun fact: The pep band at the womens’ games in Seattle were in fact not Pitt students, they were Washington students, because the women left for their first round game (which was on a Saturday) on that Wednesday and none of the band members could take a week off school with less than 24 hours notice.

I have no idea whether or not those are Pitt band members in Oklahoma City, though.

Comment by JS 03.29.09 @ 11:32 pm

i don’t think blair’s stock is as high as it was after pitt beat uconn the first time this year. he’s only 6’7” so he isn’t going to be playing center in the nba. that means he’s going to have to play forward which means he’ll need to lose a few pounds and consistently hit 10-15 footers. from what i’ve seen of him this year he still needs development and one more year in college could do exactly that for him.

it’ll be interesting to hear where people are projecting him now.

Comment by kj 03.30.09 @ 12:00 am

NBA drafts for potential, not for current skill-set. Blair wants his number in the rafters. It will not go up unless he stays.

Comment by Todd Gack 03.30.09 @ 8:37 am

I cant see the upside to why Blair would stay – he isnt coming back to a senior-laden experienced team that is going to make a run at a national title.

Is staying and passing up millions of dollars worth a 20-10 season and a first or 2nd round NCAA loss next year – I wouldnt think so!

Let’s face it – this was the best Pitt hoops team we’ve seen in 3 decades, and quite possibly the best team we will see in the next 3 decades.

Comment by greg 03.30.09 @ 8:43 am

blair is gone….no doubt about it…..good for him too, he deserves it…..

Comment by schoey 03.30.09 @ 8:55 am

I would be pleasantly surprised if Blair stays.

A Kentucky sportswriter brought up Dixon’s name for the UK job but can’t see that happening. They just fired a Dixon type … young, promising coach that hasn’t yet reached a Final 4.

UK is now where Alabam fb was a couple of years ago when they hired Saban … and they will settle for nothing less than a Calipari or Izzo.

Dixon may consider a large offer from Arizona since UA would love to get him, a little lower expectations than UK, and it is closer to his family in Calif. However, my guess is that he stays … he knows and apppreciates the chancellor and AD are clearly in his corner even if Pitt wouldn’t make NCAA next year (although I do expect them to.)

Comment by w bill 03.30.09 @ 8:56 am

kj, I agree with you. I certainly can be wrong since I don’t follow the NBA, but I am not aware of many 6′-7″ centers in he league. Aaron Gray was drafted, in part, because of his height and the potential that his height brings. I don’t think that Blair is quick enough to play forward or has the shooting and dribblig skills for that position. My hope is that he is smart enough to go through the NBA evaluation program ala Krauser, Gray and Young. If the NBA scouts tells Blair that BigGuy is wrong and that he would be a 1st round draft choice, then go for it.

Comment by BigGuy 03.30.09 @ 9:17 am

Q – Who should we root for tomorrow night in NIT between Notre Dame and PSU? (answer below)

Don’t compare Gray with Blair, please!! The only comparison is that neither are really the prototype NBA player type, but that is where it ends. Blair is much more athletic; he is quicker, stronger and (despite the height difference) can outjump Gray. Also, Blair will be a power forward in NBA, and can and will make a valuable contribution to the team even if he plays less than half of the game. Gray is only a large body who many times “DNP”

A – Who cares!!!

Comment by w bill 03.30.09 @ 9:37 am

w bill, the good thing about our Blair-Gray discussion: one of our opinions will be validated in a year or two or three.

Regards

Comment by BigGuy 03.30.09 @ 9:42 am

I root for anyone who plays Penn State Correctional U. Wake up the echoes!

Comment by Dan 72 03.30.09 @ 9:49 am

I see a lot of comments saying that Blair will leave because we won’t be as good next year (which is probably a good assumption)…but how about if he comes back and stays until his senior year? In 2009/10, we only lose Jermaine Dixon. The following season though, in 2010/11, both Blair and Gil would become that “senior leadership”, Taylor and Zanna have a year of experience under their belt, and who knows what might develop with Gibbs, Woodall, and Robinson in that time.

…Plus, that gives him PLENTY of time to develop his mid-range game for the NBA.

Maybe I’m dreamin — and I wouldn’t be surprised if he leaves — but I think the potential is there if he decides to stay for another possible deep run in the not-so-distant future.

Comment by Smack 03.30.09 @ 10:20 am

@Greg, While this is certainly the best Pitt team we’ve seen in 3 decades and I still think the best team in the country, I don’t agree that its possible we won’t see a better team in the next 3 decades.
Anything is possible I suppose. Next year we’ll be taking a step back in all likelihood, but maybe not if Blair stays. Losing Sam and Levance hurts for sure, those two are almost irreplaceable, but we have the most talented class of the Dixon era coming in next season. We made some big strides this season, number one ranking, number one seed and elite eight. The program is in good hands and I have no doubt that we’ll be competitive the next few years. I also think we’ll be in a position to go to the Final Four sooner rather than later. Time will tell.

Hail to Pitt.

Comment by TJ 03.30.09 @ 10:23 am

Look how far PITT got. Blair was the only highly recruited player in the starting 5. Fields, Dixon, Young, and Biggs were all second tier recruits if that.

Our team next year consists of some highly ranked players.

Guards: Wannamaker, Woodall, Dixon, Gibbs,
SF: Brown, Patterson, Robinson
PF: Taylor, Miller
C: Blair

While I dream of Blair and Taylor playing together down low, other teams have nightmares.

Comment by Todd Gack 03.30.09 @ 10:50 am

Next year should be a rebuilding year with some quality basketball. 2 years from now I seriously see Pitt making a similar run. Perhaps not as high of expectations, but they will be tough

Comment by Joey T 03.30.09 @ 10:51 am

Another thanks to Chas for the effort on this board during basketball season; it definitely enhances my enjoyment of the campaign.

Saturday night was a great sporting event to have attended. Those last minutes were incredibly electric. I’m really glad that Pitt finally played a strong game, because the efforts, taken as a team, against ETSU, OSU and Xavier were pretty lousy and it would have been even more frustrating to go out without having seen the team really show up.

I felt like they showed up on Sat and got beat by another really good team. It happens, and it’s painful.

A few impressions from the two Boston contests:

* Pitt fan support was questionable. Didn’t see sportswear on the streets, empty seats in the fan section and even the “Pitt” bar, Johnnie’s, was lame. I expected Pitt to have the second best attendance there, after Nova, but it was more like Nova and three equal last places.

* Blair finally got the ball a few times on Sat night and went 9 for 9. Does this tell Jamie Dixon that maybe he should bench people (Fields, for one) who won’t enter the ball to the post? Just wondering.

* Feel like Sam Young keeps helping his NBA draft status. He’s Dixon’s best development story and I see no reason why he can’t keep improving. Thanks to him for putting the time in to become the player he is today.

* Jermaine Dixon never should have had the ball in that situation against the half-court trap. You could just see how uncomfortable he looked. Anybody who thinks having him handle it a lot next year is an option needs to re-think that opinion and Jamie Dixon needs to put his players in positions to take advantage of what they do well, not what they stink at. He used Biggs very intelligently all year long against presses and Biggs couldn’t get on the court in this tournament. What gives?

*I loved the fact that Gibbs wasn’t scared to take those shots. When he entered the game late, he went around to all the upperclassmen and Blair and got in their faces to fire them up, which also took some nuts. Like that attitude.

* Levance Fields had a great career at Pitt, including some exciting game winners and overall very solid PG play. That being said, it bothers me that no one’s willing to recognize that he wasn’t able to be the third player Pitt needed this year to get to Detroit. Much of his game regressed this year, including his shot selection, his FG percentage and even his free-throw shooting. He had a strong assist year because he finally played with guys who could score a bit, and I think that covered up the fact that he often shot in the 30 to 40 percent range and often didn’t get the rock to the right guys at the right time. With Levance’s national reputation and the hype he gets from the national pundits, you would have expected him to have been head and shoulders above the rest of the guards on the floor on Thurs and Sat nights. Not the case. He was just another in the crowd of good players.

* Sad to think about Blair leaving. It feels like Young and Fields have had their time, but that Blair is just getting started. He would, most likely, be the most recognizable college basketball player on the national stage if he comes back, assuming that Lawson and Griffin are gone.

Pitt had a really good season. It’s hard to shake the perception that they just weren’t ever going to be that great away from the Pete because the supporting cast (Fields, Wanamaker, Brown, Biggs) just weren’t ready for that. One road win against UConn does not a season make.

Comment by hugh green 03.30.09 @ 11:00 am

Let’s be realistic. If Blair comes back, Pitt will probably be ranked 4th or 5th in the Big East preseason. Without Blair, they will be ranked 8th or 9th.

Comment by Mark 03.30.09 @ 11:09 am

I’m getting tired of reading about us having a rebuilding year next year. This is Pitt. Fourth winningest program in college basketball since 2001. Say it with me…

We don’t rebuild, we reload.

Comment by maz. 03.30.09 @ 11:25 am

Hugh green – thanks for bringing up something that’s been bothering me. Not to nitpick Levance, but everyone is criticizing Jermaine Dixon for the late turnover. You’re right – he should not have been in that situation. Levance pass to him put him right into the trap.

Although, I think the main reason Pitt lost is because Nova played Blair away from the basket and we didn’t box anyone out (same as the time they beat us in January). Too many offensive rebounds for Nova won them the game.

Comment by KeyboardKev 03.30.09 @ 11:29 am

Thank you Maz. If Blair comes back, we’ll be ranked in the top ten pre-season. And near the top of the BE with him.

Comment by TJ 03.30.09 @ 11:35 am

When a game is that close it is always going to come down to who gets the big “breaks”. How many times did a ‘Nova player shoot a brick off the front or back of the rim and have the ball come right back out to them one of their teammates way out in the post. We had great position for a “normal” rebound, but not the long fluky ones. And that traveling call on Blair at the end was so BS. He took those two steps because he got PUSHED ref! No excuse for Sam, though. That guy walks more than anyone and he even got away with a few during the game. My heart aches for them but, you have to admit, it at least was a helluva game to watch. And, as Jay Wright said pregame, if it’s not us, I hope it’s Pitt. So, if it’s not Pitt, I hope it’s ‘Nova. But maybe that it just because I’m a Catholic boy…..

Comment by Bobby 03.30.09 @ 12:37 pm

gilbert brown needs to be ‘the man’ next year. dixon should sit him down and say ‘if you want to be a millionaire, get a look from the NBA, work as hard as sam young’. he should be in gym every day, working on his 3 pt jumper, mid-range, post moves, ball-handling. same athletic ability…hopefully the work ethic is there too.

Comment by Scott 03.30.09 @ 12:50 pm

I’m also not in the camp that next year is strictly a rebuilding year. If Blair goes pro, they will definitely be lacking an inside presence and an experienced PG, but they will be a very athletic team with a number of players who now have some very solid experience under their belts.

I would not be surprised to see Pitt make the sweet 16 again next year, again, even without Blair. There will likely be some growing pains, particularly early in the season, some bad losses. But I think the talent is there for a good team next year and possibly an exceptional team two years down the road.

Comment by Carmen 03.30.09 @ 1:17 pm

More than anything, Gilbert Brown needs to be consistent. He has the physical tools (is a great athlete). Yeah, he needs to work on his shooting – but the biggest thing I think is his mental state.

Comment by Joey D 03.30.09 @ 1:39 pm

I’m all for optimism, but some of you are just blind. There were three excellent players on the team and if Blair leaves they will all be gone. Some of you are fooling yourselves if you don’t think Pitt is going to take a significant step back next year. You can’t win big without stars and Brown and Wanamaker are not going to be stars. That’s obvious.

Comment by Mark 03.30.09 @ 3:01 pm

Who here thought Sam Young was going to be a star after his sophomore season? Or Aaron Gray? You never know.

Obviously losing Young and Fields is going to be tough on us. Those guys were two of the best in the country. But this team will always be competitive because of the style they play.

Comment by TJ 03.30.09 @ 3:06 pm

Blair was named First team AP All American today. First Pitt player since 1958. Sam Young Third team. Blair was third in the overall voting.

Hail to Pitt and the Grizzly Blair

Comment by Tiger Paul 03.30.09 @ 4:07 pm

Losing Blair would hurt, but Taylor is a stud. My only concern about able freshmen is the toll of a full season, especially on the tail end of BE season. A front court with Taylor/Blair would be formidable. If Blair leaves it’s opportunity and not like he’s leaving a sinking ship.

Keep in mind that Pitt’s front five strength meant younger guys were blocked. Robinson, Miller (on the redshirt), Woodall, plus newcomers Taylor, Richardson and Zanna. Who knows if Dixon finds JuCo talent? An outstanding senior class departs, but there should be some fierce battles for PT and a lot of incentive for younger players trying to establish themselves at this level.

If the last decade has shown us anything it’s that Dixon knows what he’s doing. Relax.

Comment by Ghost of Horn Man 03.30.09 @ 4:15 pm

News flash- sooner or later Pitt will have a down year. Every program does. Dixon isn’t a miracle worker.

As for Young, he was a top 50 player. A lot of people thought he was going to be as good as he was. Nobody on this team next year will be a top 50 prospect.

D-E-L-U-S-I-O-N-A-L

Comment by Mark 03.30.09 @ 4:25 pm

Gilbert Brown can become a very solid player, but folks should give up now on him becoming a Sam Young type. Brown will be 22 before next season starts and the development curve would have already been visible by this time if he was headed toward stardom. Young, on the other hand, was a cut above right from the start — he averaged almost 8 a game as a freshman while getting all his points on hustle plays around the hoop, using his athleticism to grab a ton of rebounds and getting everything from his own talent, not from plays or isolations. It was already obvious that he was a singular, unique talent. What we didn’t know yet was that he’d be able to develop the other parts of his game the way he has.

Brown is more talented athletically than most, but he’s not on the Young plane. Let’s just let him become what he can be — a solid swingman who can get out on the break, play strong defense and make some open jumpers and shoot a very good percentage from the charity stripe. He’s not going to turn into an all-american, but he can help Pitt win a bunch of games.

Comment by hugh green 03.30.09 @ 4:35 pm

I think Pitt runs more next year. Maybe even a lot more. Gil can run, Wanamaker can run, Travon and Nasir can run…could be fun.

Comment by maz. 03.30.09 @ 4:44 pm

Thanks, Chas. Great work this hectic tournament season.

Comment by Gary 03.30.09 @ 5:01 pm

Actually, according to scout.com, Sam Young was not quite a top 50 player out of high school. His rank was closer to 70, a few places behind Levance Fields, and about the same as Brad Wanamaker and Nasir Robinson (albeit, a couple years earlier). Young’s reputation out of prep school was that he could not shoot at all, but would work hard on the boards and score a lot of garbage points because of his athleticism and work. My memory is that the only other top school that offered him was Georgetown, but I’m old and my memory is not always so good…

The first top 50 player that Dixon signed was DeJuan Blair. Dante Taylor is the second.

Comment by Pantherman13 03.30.09 @ 5:03 pm

Remember, Taylor is the first McDonald’s All-American to set foot on campus since Brian Shorter/Curtis Martin…I think.

Comment by TJ 03.30.09 @ 6:25 pm

maz, I agree with you totally especially if Blair leaves ….. Pitt will certainly be more of an uptempo team. We’ve already seen hints this year, plus from what I have seen of the returning players (except McGhee) and incoming freshmen, all are capable at playing at a quicker tempo.

Comment by w bill 03.30.09 @ 6:48 pm

If Blair stays Pitt will be better next season than they were this year. Taylor picks up the points lost with Young’s departure, Brown takes over at small forward providing more points than Biggs provided,Diggs replaces Fields adding more scoring but not the ball handler, and Dixon/Wannamaker share the other guard position. Miller plays the combo center/forward off the bench. McGhee is not a factor.

Comment by Marty 03.30.09 @ 6:51 pm

I’m not sure there is any way they will be better than they were this year, even if Blair stays. A challenge to overcome is going to be having a true ball-handler in the back-court. Woodall is inexperienced and unproven, I think Gibbs may be able to handle it, but he’s more of a two. We potentially have a dominant front court, however, with Blair and Taylor. Will be interesting to see how it plays out.

Comment by TJ 03.30.09 @ 7:04 pm

Folks also have to stop assuming that because Taylor was a McD’s player, he’s going to step in for Blair and keep Pitt a power on the inside right away. It just won’t happen that way.

He’ll be a freshman and adjusting to the frontcourt play in the Big East will take a while. He’ll get thrown around for a year and then we hope he’ll become a force.

You have to remember that Blair was a unique force on the boards. Maybe Taylor has more upside with scoring and an all-around game, but Pitt might not have another dominant rebounder like Gray became or Blair was for years. The rebounding that Gray did on the defensive end and Blair does on both ends was pretty special and isn’t likely to be matched for a while.

It is probably a good idea for JD to consider a more uptempo approach, given the mix of size and skills he’ll have. Don’t know if he has the requisite flexibility to do that; it would certainly require changing the paint-by-numbers plan he’s used thus far.

Comment by hugh green 03.30.09 @ 7:23 pm

I know it was a stupid skills competition, but it was fun to watch Taylor competing and win this competition. He looked like he moves pretty well and has decent touch. If Blair did stay and play with Taylor it could be one hell of a front court. Absolutely menacing.

Comment by Ontario Lett's Go Pitt 03.30.09 @ 8:12 pm

To address a comment from waaay at the top.

I’m pretty sure that Aaron Gray was in the same position that Blair is now, mock-draft position wise. He was a solid 1st rounder, who some people had on the cusp of being a lottery pick, which is where I see Blair now.

But coming back really hurt his draft stock, nobody can deny that. I’m happy he’s kind of caught on with Chicago as a bench player now because I was worried about the guy.

It seems like since about 2003 or so (after Knight, Lett, Zavackas, etc left) we’ve never had the possibility of having this great of a turnover amongst our top players.

Krauser oversaw the transition from Troutman and Taft to Gray and Young, and they oversaw the transition from Krauser to Fields, and he oversaw the transition from Gray to Blair.

Comment by Jimbo Covert's my dad 03.30.09 @ 8:41 pm

I meant Kendall, not Young up there.

Comment by Jimbo Covert's my dad 03.30.09 @ 8:49 pm

That is certainly true Jimbo Covert’s my dad.

Comment by TJ 03.31.09 @ 8:41 am

@Mark

“D-E-L-U-S-I-O-N-A-L”

BULLSHIT. Are we talking about a preseasaon top five or a competitive Big East team here. Some people thought losing Aaron Gray was the end of Pitt competitiveness. Or Chevy Troutman before him. Sometimes these guys look good in the system. Young and Fields may be a step above the other departed talent, but others will buy into the system, work hard, and progress. Whether this team reaches a #1 ranking, gains a #1 seed, or makes a title run next year . . . maybe not. Pitt will still be a team no one will want on their schedule. The sky is not falling

Comment by Ghost of Horn Man 03.31.09 @ 12:13 pm

Powered by WordPress © PittBlather.com

Site Meter