Dan Patrick did a radio interview with Coach Jamie Dixon (this should be the direct link to the mp3). Nothing about the coaching carousel. Just about the final game of the year — which Dixon said he still is not over.

The second guessing was a big thing in the Q&As the prior couple of days both with the final play and what happened to the rest of the players beyond Fields, Young and Blair.

Speaking of second guessing a guy from the Providence Journal questioned whether Coach Dixon was too amped up and it made his players too tense.

From the opening minute, intensity seemed to run off Pitt coach Jamie Dixon like sweat off the players. He was all but bouncing up and down before the game started, and every time out he would come into the huddle, his face clenched, the emotion everywhere. It never stopped, 40 minutes of frenzy, with Dixon yelling, the assistants yelling, everyone yelling, non-stop emotion. Marines running up San Juan Hill couldn’t be any more intense.

He spends the next several paragraphs conceding that all of this could mean nothing. That it may simply be the way Coach Dixon is, and that there is plenty of evidence suggesting that there is no one right way to be as a coach. Then, basically he admits he doesn’t believe it.

But I can’t help but think Pitt could have been even more successful if it had all been turned down a notch.

Er. No. Sorry not buying it. The same coach that was in charge so the team got a #1 seed. Advanced to the Elite 8. And then to say, maybe the coach should have eased back. A team that accomplished a boatload of firsts.

The main questions seem to be about the immediate future. That will be a topic that will continually come up all off-season I image. Briefly, it will be tough for Pitt to be in the top-25 to start the season. Pitt will be there in the upper 9 teams of the Big East, but next season is definitely a rebuilding/reloading season.

You just do not lose the number of senior starters and a key reserve and likely an All-American sophomore, without losing some ground. How much ground is the question.

Quick answer: NO.

The departure of Calipari fromo Memphis, raises a host of questions about his recruits (and something of a potential feeding frenzy for those that don’t follow him to Kentucky). For Pitt, the speculation seems to be about a JUCO big man, Will Coleman. Pitt had previously pursued Coleman.

First, all of the Memphis recruits have an addendum to their LOIs that allow them out if Calipari isn’t there. So, Coleman has choices.

The question, though, is whether Pitt should pursue Coleman? And if not Coleman, there is this other kid in Florida — Kyryl Natyazkho.

The reason, of course, is that DeJuan Blair is likely going pro. That would free-up one more scholarship. And of course there is this looming gaping hole at the 5 spot.

My feeling is that Pitt really should not bother with Natyazkho and I’m not that interested in Coleman. Part of it is that a JUCO is always unpredictable in how they translate to NCAA. That makes it a riskier gamble.

As for the larger picture, Pitt has plenty of guys coming in that are centers or can play the spot. They may not have the height, but Talib Zanna and J.J. Richardson are PF-Cs. And even Dwight Miller, who is redshirting.

Then there is this. Pitt only has one scholarship for 2010. Only Jermaine Dixon will be a senior. This, after coming off an Elite 8 run and a season in the top-5. That one scholarship is going to PG Isiah Epps. I think it would be best to hold any extra scholarships that open up for Pitt for 2010 and someone else.

Reports are now flying that Arizona will be making a coaching announcement in the next couple of days.

The school has narrowed down their choices and talked to four candidates, sources have told Sports 620 KTAR’s Mark Asher.

A deal is believed to be agreed upon in principle but nothing has been signed.

The names are Gonzaga’s Mark Few, Louisville’s Rick Pitino, Oklahoma’s Jeff Capel, and USC’s Tim Floyd.

The only reason I mention this is because a lot of signs are starting to point to Mark Few.

Coach Jamie Dixon has not been mentioned as a serious candidate for a while, beyond speculative wishlists. This (unsurprisingly) suggests the Chris Dokish report to be accurate, and that Dixon and/or his intermediaries had previously rejected efforts from the Arizona intermediaries.

That doesn’t end the coaching carousel. Forget Memphis. That is not a Dixon place. If the Tigers somehow got Tim Floyd from USC (which I highly doubt), that whole LA thing would begin again. Not to mention, USC has the money.

Georgia is still out there and has to be getting desperate. Couple that with a lot of money, and they have to be watched.

The Arizona thing, though, looks to be done for Pitt and Dixon.

Yes, I know Dante Taylor won the skills competition at the McDonald’s All-American competition. He’s understandibly proud.

Tonight the POWERADE Jam Fest was great because I won the skills challenge! It felt amazing to take the title because I was representing my family, friends and hometown on national television. It was also a great event to participate in because this was the first year in Jam Fest history that they had the skills challenge. I told everyone, including my teammates, from the beginning that I was going to win the skills challenge and they didn’t believe me. They acted all surprised because a “big guy” isn’t usually expected to win. I showed them all tonight!

He also swam with the dolphins at the Miami Seaquarium, and “worked” at  a McDonalds. Not to mention a trip to a Ronald McDonald House.

The game itself is tonight at 8 pm on ESPN. The rebroadcast of the Jam Fest is in the hour before hand.

Next Thursday will be the Capital Classic All-Star game, held at American U. Pitt signees Talib Zanna and Lamar Patterson are on the rosters for that one. This one has plenty of other Big East commits.