Reading the hypothetical scenario you describe above made me sick. Sick because I feel that if it had transpired just as you described, Pitt no doubt would have won. Can’t call it impossible, but I do not believe Pitt would have blown a 3 point lead with Cincy on their own 40 with 15 seconds and no timeouts.
I know this all assumes Pitt doesn’t fumble the ball, and doesn’t blow the FG attempt. And I’m usually never an advocate for laying down or doing anything other than going for the throat. But I would have liked their chances better than what they were after Dion’s TD, with or without the extra point.

I think Pitt is best 8-3 team in history of College Football and I would have them favored by at least 14 to Texas.

However they did miss their chance by scoring too soon. In modern CFB the offense has such an advantage, if don’t give them the ball, the worst that would have happen would have been overtime.

Here’s my full analysis on Pitt clock management debacle.
link to kittanningpaper.com

15 seconds to get a FG is certainly not impossible, but no WAY would I rather give them 1.5 minutes to score a TD. I understand that it’s the heat of the moment, not a lot of time to think thru that, we want to get the TD, it might be moot if we don’t botch the XP, whatever. 15 seconds to get a FG with no timeouts is highly unlikely.

Cincy has 2 timeouts left when pitt scored, and would have used them. Thus, Pitt would have had a 3 pt lead with a little less than a minute to go had they made the FG …. plenty of time for Cincy to get in FG range. I believe taking the 7 point lead was appropriate.

FWIW, here is an article that pretty much sums up my feelings
link to football.nbe-network.net

Another option, given the way Cincy was moving during the 4th Q: Try an onsides kick after our TD.

Anyone know this stat: What is our record when leading at halftime vs. losing at halftime, not including games against non-BCS conf teams?

Everyone in the stands knew after Lewis scored and they looked at the clock that Pitt was in serious trouble. The the botched extra point pretty much sealed our fait. 1:30 with 2 time outs, a hot QB, the clock stopping with first downs, and a prevent defense. Everyone could just see what was about to happen and sure enough it did.

I fully expect NC to bitch slap us (even though I think we are a more talented team). I really hope I am wrong.

I don’t think it is silly at all. The whole game the game plan was to keep the ball out of Pike’s hands because they knew how much damage he can do with the ball….and they did a great job all game of doing that. At the end of the game they panic and seemed to forget about that. It’s not like they were playing Syracuse, they were playing one of the best offenses in college this year.

The clock does stop for a few seconds when Lewis ran out of bounds (while they set the ball) and then Pitt also hiked it with time still on the play clock..they could of eaten up even more time so it was even possible to run it down to zero seconds..though not going to get on Lewis for not staying in bounds..he might had been just a little tired at that point.

Bottom line, scoring the touchdown didn’t work (and gave us one of the worse losses in Pitt history)….next time let’s see them take a knee and see what happens…I bet it isn’t silly at all.

Also funny how nobody is saying it was silly for Cinn to let Pitt score (even though they said they didn’t)..everyone seems to think that was a genius move.

How about if Max Gruder intercepts the deflected pass when Cinci was at the goalline in the 2nd qtr???? He catches that and Cinci doesn’t get 3 pts????

How about if we kick off to someone without #1 on their uniform?????

How about the defense steps up and stops the Cinci offense one more time than they did????

How about Fields runs Pike’s ass over or at least makes a move on him instead of letting Pike push him out of bounds?????

I’m surprised more people aren’t talking about this – even though they didn’t literally lay down, I’m convinced Cincy allowed Dion to score. It appeared pretty easy, especially after watching replays.

Coach Ditka, A Cinn fan in the section I was in actually cheered when Pitt went for the touchdown, he knew what was going to happen.

Fletch, No argument on any of those, you could do the same for any close game for both sides..but even with all the mistakes up to that point once Baldwin converted the 3rd down on the 13 yard line with such little time left, that should of sealed the game up for Pitt.

Milo – The sad thing about this game, I’d swear there are about 50 plays that if they transpired differently, we would have won. More than any other tough loss I’ve seen in 8 years as a season ticket holder and die-hard fan.

2 things…

I watched the replay of lewis’ TD about a half dozen times and am NOT convinced at all that Cincy let them score, and ..

could you imagine the criticism of Wanny had they settled for a FG and then botched the snap??

Hollywood…I’m not arguing with any of that..but like I said even after all of those plays they still had it right there at the end..all it would of taken was a little thinking.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying fire Wannstedt..he’s the best coach for Pitt…he’s a class guy and I don’t think it is possible to find a more passionate coach for Pitt football…but man I wish he would keep his head during game times.

I’m a season ticket holder, and although we lost, that was one of, if not, the most Pitt fun game I’ve been to (aside from the last 1:36). Yes, I am going through all the different scenarios in my head that could have brought Pitt a victory (including those dam officials…who were pelted with drinks on their way back in after the game)….
So, as I’m walking out of the stadium repeatedly saying ‘f–k….f–k….f–k’ I kept getting text messages from my non-Pitt buddies with the same theme. “Best college football game they had seen all year.” Friends from Va Tech, Maryland, and even my one PSU buddy….all said that made them think of the Big East in a different light.
So, I’m back at work in Baltimore now, and most of my co-workers know I am a die-hard Pitt fan. A number of them kept coming up to me saying what an awesome game that was to watch…Dion and Baldwin are beasts…etc..
Look, this loss stings like hell….but my point is that Pitt and the Big East gained much respect on Sat…I have no doubt in that.
We will beat the heck out of UNC and finish this season with 10 wins. All the Wanny haters need to go away now

as a fellow season ticket holder, i’m not going anywhere: http://www.firewanny.blogspot.com

wanny’s game planning and game management liabilities outway his love of pitt and recruiting prowess…imo.

I thought his game plan was excellent…run Lewis till he falls over and keep Pike off the field….he just forgot about it in the last 2 mins.

If Cinncy loses by 28 points to the Gators you can kiss any of that respect right out the window. Though I am predicting it will be a close game.

agreed….Cincy needs to keep it close or else we’ll hear the same s–t about Big East football (even though we constantly dis-prove the naysayers)
I think Florida can easily drop 50 on that Cincy D….but I also think Cincy can score at will, so envision a close high scoring affair. (Florida D is over-rated)

As for the Pitt – UNC game. Would have loved to see this match up last year on the hardwood…How great would it be to see Blair vs. Hansbrough…..anyway, I don’t think UNC can hang with us football-wise…Pitt wins easily

Best scenario is Pitt beats UNC by double digits and Cincy beats Florida. Then Pitt and BE gets much more respect (and rankings in final polls.

ps: Couldn’t imagine any other coach that would be better for Pitt football than Wanny. Funny how a few missed plays by PLAYERS cost us the game, but people want to rip the coaching. Gameplan was great….We won the time of possession battle, we ran all over them, and we dropped 44 points on them. Our defensive backfield couldn’t hold Pike, All-American Gilliard, and the #5 team in the nation down for 4 quarters… Did anyone expect to?
The players didn’t make plays…and if you were at the game, you KNOW that the refs gave Cinci at least 3 to 4 critical calls.
A nine win season last year…and possibility for a ten win season this year..while coming 1 minute away from a Big East championship…that is damn good…I expect Big East championships from Pitt and am confident they will be coming for years to come.
The “Fire Wanny” calls are ridiculous, and I’m sure in the minority….pretty funny actually.

Firing Wanny would be the dumbest thing Pitt could ever do. Harris lucked out with Antonio Bryant and Larry Fitzgerald because without them, Pitt wouldn’t have even sniffed 8 win seasons. Wanny has brought actual talent and depth to Pitt and if you don’t think the team has shown improvement every year, you’re crazy.

wait a minute….that would have been pitt’s best chance to win given that cincy could score on their defense with ease…..all you can ask is the coaches give you the best chance to win a game and anything over 40 seconds was an eternity for the pitt defense…..the clock is a factor in any game, how you use it can decide outcomes….what they did certainly did not work, and do you think even if we made the xtra point we would of stopped them in the OT….foolish thinking.

I agree w/ BgPitt, what an exciting game!!
the only 2nd guessing would be on punts and kickoffs kicking them out of bounds. the onsides kick would have been great. Bladwin reverses AWAY from the run blitzes might not hurt. but WOW what a ride!!b what a great game and thrilling season. The firewanstedt.com guy is obviously new to Pitt sports, or he would realize a Pitt fan’s heart is broken more often than a 16 year old girls! Go Pitt!! use this as a springboard to future greatness!!
Kurt

What great insightful comments from everybody! Best message board I’ve read all season. A game like that one does that to a fan base, polarized, not much middle ground here, either “fire Wanny” or rather “WTF happened here” and realizing that you had just witnessed one of the great college football games ever bbuttt we just came up short and got beat by an undefeated Champion of the BE! I’m still licking my wounds from Saturday and haven’t even reflected on the strategy of the game yet. In my opinion it just seemed like a heavyweight prize fight, hit him hard, as often as possible with you’re best punch. In reading the hosts argument AGAINST the “better clock management needed” opinion actually, he painted out a scenario that made great sense, IN HINDSIGHT. Ask anybody at the game if they were thinking “take a knee we gotta kick a field goal” Bull, we wanted to ram that ball right down their throats, and we did. And Cincy wasn’t thinking, “let them score so that we will have a chance to score the TIEING touchdown AND go to OT”. BULL#2. They we’re trying their best to stop us. Since when does a 3 & out take longer than a touchdown drive? And you don’t give up at least 6 points doing it. But in any case IF Wanny had done just that and taken the FG as explained very well by the identical person who is against such thinking!? Wanny would then be in the center of the new polarized argument that “you play to win, go for the TD you wimp” or “great clock management!”. DEPENDING on the outcome of the FG try. Does a missed hold by Janocko come up anyhow cause it was just time, and we miss the FG? Christ, if that HAD happened I would have been out for Wanny’s head MYSELF. That’s what a game like that does to you, I know I won’t forget this one for a longtime. Best to the Bearcats, Beat Florida for the BE. Wish that we would of won though, like that ending better.

Did we play on Saturday?….I blame Pitt enduced amnesia, it’s always worked well enough for me…give it a try sometime, it’s helped me through 13 years of being a Pitt Football season ticket holder.

Why couldn’t we get in field goal range with 33 seconds left at the end of the game? 3 bad passes and a sack!

that’s induced…

I wish the worst to the Bearcats, and the Big East. I hope Florida annihilates them. This is twice in the past 3 years that the league has blatantly officiated against us in favor of the preferred team in the season finale. It didn’t directly cause us to lose on Saturday, but nobody who watched that game can say it was evenly officiated. Screw the Big East. I’m done rooting for our rivals.

Let’s keep everything in perspective.

I’m actually happy to be in a position to be upset about back-to-back nine win seasons and back-to-back bowl games.

It wasn’t so long ago that we were just dreaming for a winning record …

Was I was the only one who watched the Texas-Nebraska game? They started on the 40 after a kick out of bounds and got into field goal range in two plays. Ironic, because that kick kept Cincy out of the NC game.

Cute clock games look good in hindsight, but if you don’t have the confidence to hold a touchdown lead with 1:38 left then football is not the sport for you.

As a previous poster wrote, what if Janocko dropped the FG snap as well? The chorus of “Typical Wanny” would be deafening. Let’s get off this issue. It ranks about number twelve on my list of things that cost us the game.

Wilk:
I totally agree. The issue regarding Wannstedt is simple to diagnose: He stays and we continue to hover around a 7-10 win season. He is not a great game day coach and no one, even the most diehard Wannstedt backers,can find evidence to say he is, and we will continue to be out-smarted and out-coached by the most high profile opponents we face. I cannot quite quantify how many are Wannstedt backers no matter what. If Pitt is going to be the power it was in the late 70s – and 30s for that matter – Wannstedt is not the guy to deliver. But I premise my support for change on the notion that Pederson will finally step up to the plate and come up with the dollars to pay the best coach Pitt can find. That coach won’t come at the $1.5 million Wannstedt is getting paid. Wannstedt is a Pitt guy and will always have a role here – but he is not going to deliver the 12-0 regular seasons we want. Just remember all of you who feel the need to defend him no matter how illogical your arguments are: Be satisfied with enhanced mediocrity. Pitt is 9-3 against a mid-level schedule – they beat no ranked teams. I hope those of you who continue to support Wannstedt buy up all the tickets to Heinz Field and travel to the mid-level bowl games he will earn. Some of us are wanting more achievement and much less frustration from the poor game day performances, lack of prepardness for big games, over use of some players to the total neglect of others.

Best college football game I’ve ever attended. Sure beat that dud of Big 12 game ABC had for the night game, what a snoozefest.

Another thing, if we don’t botch the extra point, nobody’s coming up with crazy clock management scenarios.

The game simply goes to overtime and we’re either happy today, or bitching about something that happened in OT that cost us the game.

Give Wanny a break. It will only be his sixth year! It takes time to put in your own “system”. It takes time to get your type of players. Come on, do you really think it is reasonable to turn around a program in just 6 years? What do you expect, an undefeated season? A BCS bowl? It is just not possible for a coach to come into a program and do this in five years. It is just not possible. I am telling you your expectations are unrealistic. You have to give Wannstedt more time. He needs more time. It is not possible to win the big ones when a coach has only been here five years.

If you don’t believe me, look at Cincinnati. They brought in a new coach in 2006 and they haven’t done anything of note. Oh, wait a minute that can’t be right. Let me look for another example and I’ll be right back.

You got it Wally, Cinci couldnt even win Conference USA and they came in and dominated the BE. Coaching makes an enormous difference. How many top 25 recruiting classes has Cinci had?

Looks like next year we get the chance to be beat by Brian Kelly again. But next year it will be at Notre Dame. That will make us happier. They have a great history and top 10 recruiting classes.

DR Tom…guys in our section of the game including myself were screaming to run out the clock before scoring and like I posted earlier when Pitt scored so fast the Cinn fan cheered because they knew they still had a chance..once Baldwin made the catch for the 1st at the 13 the scenerio for the game changed…at that time the clock became more important than the TD..(and Cinn would at that time start thinking about getting the game to OT because you got to figure a FG is a given that close) …..Wannsdadt didn’t make the adjustment…not the only mistake of the game by Pitt of course but a pretty big one.

And it’s not like he didn’t have similar scenrio ealier this year…the UConn game was similar in that Pitt passed on a TD and had Stull take a knee on a 3rd and goal at the 1 yard line to run the clock to zero to kick a game winning FG…I don’t recall anyone on this board saying ‘go for the TD you wimp’ at that time..or ‘What a stupid move because the snap could be bobbled’ In fact it was considered great coaching at the time.

The only arguement I will agree with is that Pitt HAD to be able to run the clock to zero when they attempeted the FG..I agree there is time left on the clock when you have to attempt the FG then you should take the TD…Pitt could of ran the clock to zero with a little thinking at the end of the game.

Again I am not a Wannsdadt hater or think he should be fired..I still think the good out weighs the bad. The program is in it’s best place in decades and I think next year they’ll even be better.

I agree, Milo. The clock management could have been better as I mentioned in my previous post. That’s the coaches job to think logically and transcend the emotion of the moment. I know I would have screwed it up at the time. I feel in any case we should have gone for the TD to insure at least OT. In hindsight however, as a coach it might even have made sense to call a Pitt timeout to assess the options on the resulting 1st&10 after Baldwin’s catch. All I’m saying is it is easy to do the analysis on Monday after watching the game replay again on TV and knowing the results of the path taken. With Pitt’s luck, we end up leaving the TD out there to be had, get a stupid penalty or something like a bobbled hold again miss the FG and lose REALLY ugly in regulation or OT where Cincy has all the MO. Who knows? One thing is for sure, our defense is good enough to have stopped them on that last drive and we just didn’t, irrespective of clock management. The debate on this one could go on and on, for both teams for that matter. The Bearcats sure didn’t play flawlessly either BTW. Its history, just hope Pitt gets UNC. Losing that one will really give the Wanny haters some real substance to their complaints.

Dr Tom.I agree as well arguement could go on ..two last things on your comments…’to ensure at least OT’ running the clock down and attempting the FG also is pretty much ensuring OT…..and two our defenese wasn’t good enough to stop them..and considering they had 38 points already at that point it wasn’t really a surprise that Cinncy did come down and score.

TonyinHouston…I find it hard to agree with your assessment…There are plenty of times Wanny was a great game-day coach. Both WVU games before this year come to mind. How bout the UCONN comeback this year?…The South Florida spanking this year? The Navy games last year and this year…Navy took the Big Ten champs OSU to the wire this year. Pitt manhandled Navy this year. How are 9 and 10 win seasons mediocre?? I just don’t get it. I want a program that is going to be in position to go undefeated and to the BCS every year….These past two years, Wanny has done that. We outplayed and outcoached NC State…but their QB just made plays on our PLAYERS. Both WVU and Cinci games came down to the wire. We happened to be on the losing end of them. Remember when we used to get blown out all the time back in the day…THAT was coaching and recruiting issues. Now, we are always Top 20 recruiting and our teams are always in position to win, and do most of the time!

Just for the record, there is a huge difference between hating a person and hating the manner in which they execute some or all of their job responsibilities. I don’t think I have observed a “Wanny hater” on this board since I have been following the Blather. I have observed many, myself included, who are despondent over the brain farts he experiences at the most inopportune of times. Hence, there are many who get emotional over his inability to perform his job on Saturdays. Nobody disputes his love for the university, his passion for Pittsburgh as a city, his outstanding interpersonal skills which have lead to improved recruiting classes, and his ability to teach the players how to be better human beings. Not only are these admirable traits, they are characteristics to aspire to. Some may argue this trumps winning and it is all we should expect as fans. I think most of us are torn because we do, indeed, applaud all of this.

On the other side of the coin is reality. How many people are willing to contribute to the Panther Club, buy season tickets and travel on Christmas day to a city with no beaches to watch a team with so much talent and potential be outcoached when it matters? You may not like reality, but just because you don’t like it doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist. Therein lies the challenge.

Everybody wants to go to heaven but nobody wants to die to get there. If some are ok with a half empty Heinz Field on Saturdays and a mediocre bowl everly year or so, well, go for it. On the other hand, it is hard to be critical of the folks who fantasize to be a relevant football program again, especially when the solution is as obvious as the elephant in the corner of the room.

ps- every fan wants a 12-0 season…It just doesn’t happen that often. So if mediocre means anything less than 12-0, then no coach will satisfy you.
State Penn has had only two undefeated seasons in 25 years!
Bob Stoops and Okla Sooners…Only one! They had 2 losses last year, 3 losses in 2007, 3 losses in 2006, etc…(oh and they lost to a non-BCS Boise St in their bowl) Stoops was outcoached!!! Get rid of him!
Florida Gators …haven’t gone undefeated..they have always had games each year where Urban was “outcoached”

Isn’t it funny how Belichek was a horrible game-day coach when he was in Cleveland, but he is a genius in New England. You gotta have the PLAYERS, and Wanny is in the process of building that.

wally…I am in agreement with you for the most part. My problem is people throw around the “outcoached” word with Wanny all the time, but with little relevance. I think he puts our players in great position to win every game. Now Cavanaugh was horrible. I was one of the many who was calling for Cavs to be ousted, because he certainly was being outcoached each Saturday.

As for the bowls…that is simply a Big East affiliation problem. Not a Pitt problem. PSU is the #3 in the Big Ten and they get Tennessee on New Years…Pitt is #3 in Big East and well…..

Here is my thought on Wanny. His lack of coaching ability does not make up for his “great” recruiting classes. Everyone keeps saying give him time. Look at what Cincy and Alabama have done in quick time with the right coaches. Alabama is in a supremely tough conference where recruiting is cut-throat. Cincy has always been a crap program. Yet somehow both of those programs have much more successful then Pitt’s. How can these coaches get superior talent AND be very successful?

Wanny may be a great guy, Pitt Alum, whatever. Until people realize that the only way Pitt will be nationally in the top 10 consistently is to get a coach that can coach and recruit. I thought he was a “defensive genius”; it sure didnt look like it Saturday. Also, who do you put the blame on to CONTINUE TO KICKOFF TO GILLIARD? Surely our kickers knew better. How about running time off the play clock before snapping the ball – a 5th yr senior should know better, and a former NFL head coach that does the whole ball possession thing should DRILL that idea into the Qbs head.

Sorry, if you are looking for 8 win seasons, then I guess you are happy. Some of us supporters and Alum have greater expectations. Where is the national championship in 3 years we were promised? Looks like Saban is doing just fine with that goal – how about you Dave?

Somebody give me a name of a coach who Pitt can honestly get that would better than Wannsdadt? Not like they grow on trees and not like Pitt could land a Saban.

I don’t think anyone is comfortable with 8 win seasons (for the record, we have 9 with the potential for 10…not happened since Marino days…are you saying that is not progress?)

Oh…and Alabama got SMOKED by a non-BCS team in Utah last year in their bowl game. Saban was simply outcoached by a no-name.
Cincy lost their bowl game to Va Tech last year…

Again…this season was not mediocre by any means… 11 points away from being undefeated at 12-0. Progress has been so obvious…I don’t get it.
I was one who thought if we kept Harris, we would be mdeiocre winning 7 or 8 games (although he has my gratitude for picking this Pitt program up from the ashes). But with Wanny, we are going to be very successful, not mediocre.

And the debates continue. I have a coach in mind to answer Milo’s question, its Cignetti. I think he is doing a way better job than Coach Cav ever did with the offense. A flee flicker for the TD to Baldwin, priceless, never would have seen that with Cavannah. But then again, why didn’t HE put the brakes on and do some bleeding of the clock at the end of that drive? Hes the O coordinator? Also in reply to Milo, you go for the throat on that last drive, manage the clock better yes but put it in the endzone if you can. If the defense can’t stop Pike for a TD for 90 seconds, then a FG is a potential with ANY TIME LEFT ON THE CLOCK! However, in my opinion our defense IS good enough to stop the final drive, but we didn’t. Would have been better to do all out blitzes and leave the remaining secondary out on their islands, throwing caution to the wind. Who knows?

Thank you, milo bloom for demonstrating one of my points: There isn’t going to be a coach with name recognition for the money Pitt currently wants to pay. There could be an up-and-coming coach like Brian Kelley was when Cincy hired him but to find him would require a great effort on the part of the Pitt administration. I don’t see that effort happening. Steve Pederson is happy with eight or nine wins. Steve seems to be primarily interested in selling tickets even if he has to use linked-single game ticket packages as well as reduced prices to do so. I often read about the attendance at Pitt Stadium during the 1976-1982 seasons. Without the PR efforts to sell tickets that are frequent now days, the Panthers had crowds of over 60,000 for the Penn State game in ’81 and the Notre Dame game in ’82. Imagine how easy it would be for Pitt to sell out Heinz Field – which, by the way, almost happened in 2003- with a team and coach that excel at a level higher than Wannstedt has done. Remember, he is in year five. I want to put my Wannstedt doubts away and almost did this season until I watched the Pitt-WVU game and heard Wannstedt say he didn’t have his team ready to play. He is the special teams coach and that unit is the worst on the team. The diehard Wannstedt backers have thrown logic to the wind. The diehard Pitt backers want more.

Agree with you Tony, some excellent points. However, reality will set in next year, in my opinion in those “ticket sales” you mentioned. There has been a crescendo type feeling about Pitt for the last few years and many folks banked on this being Wanny’s break out year. And, sadly, it would have been had Pitt won last Saturday. That loss, coupled with the West Virginia loss (which could be further magnified be a Tire Bowl loss) will have let the air out of the balloon and my sense is this will manifest itself in ticket sales next year. And don’t forget next year the stakes are much higher for ticket sales because there are only 6 games including New Hampshire and Floriday International (can you say “r u kidding me”?). I mean, there is nothing to build on from this year, it is a year of damage control mode. And the economy will also play a big role because it will get worse before it gets better. This will, in turn, start to impact recruiting.

Nothing we can do about it as the reality is you are correct in that the administration is going to support Wanny. It will be painful to watch. I hope I am wrong.

i dont think next yrs ticket sales will drop much at all, pitt has Miami and WV at home plus i would think they would be a preseason top 20 team with dion and baldwin being the image of the team. I am happy with 9-3, although i did not picture being 9-3 with 2 losses back to back. But if we can win this bowl game and get to 10 wins…2010 can be a great yr. Plus we have a nice away game at utah. its a pretty good non con schedule.

Dr Tom….who hired Cignetti? Good coaching move there…He does look like he’ll be a good replacement once Wannsadt decides to step down but no way do you push Wannsadt out for him. Also Pitt hasn’t blitzed all year and you want to try that on the last drive of last regular season..how much practice on blitzs do think Pitt had up to that point..probably zero. Plus I agree with you (and had already wrote so) if Pitt couldn’t run the clock to zero and kick the FG then you have to go for the TD…they could of ran it to zero though.

TonyinHouston..Paul Zeise wrote on attendence now compared to 80’s..attendence now is greater..even when Pitt was best team in the country they didn’t come close to selling out Pitt Stadiun every game…I remember many games during those times when the end zones were empty during that time period…sure they sold out the big games but a lot of empty seats as well: link to post-gazette.com

TonyinHouston.I missed your point when I first read your post…yes I agree if Pitt had a team like the 80’s they would esaily sell out Heinz Field for almost every game.

Milo, I think Wannstedt himself had the most influence on bringing in Cignetti.

Tony…as a diehard Pitt backer I always want more. And I believe Wanny has and will continue to deliver. You speak about attendance…We just had a sold out non-WVU Big East game. Tell me the last time that happened?! Excitement has come back to this program and will continue.
Alot of your points are assumptions and not facts…and you are certainly entitled to your opinion, but I, and many others view the direction of the program very differently.

“Steve Pederson is happy with eight or nine wins” – your opinion, not reality. If that were the case, Cavs would still be here. Steve wants a BE and NC championship and truly believes Wanny can deliver on it. Can you really argue when we were just 11 points from being undefeated??

“Steve seems to be primarily interested in selling tickets even if he has to use linked-single game ticket packages as well as reduced prices to do so.” – That is part of his job…selling tix..not sure of your point here.

I still don’t understand the arguement for replacing Wanny?!? Please explain as I am a die-hard Pitt fan, and was one before Wanny was here, so I am always open to rational arguements.

want to add a few more points re: Wanny.

Regarding coaching: What were our biggest question marks entering the season…QB and RB.
If you are going to blame the coach on certain aspects of the program, then you have to give credit to the coach (not his co-ordinators by your thinkning) for the positives. Who turned the below-average Bill Stull into one of the most efficient QBs in the nation…a true freshman RB with Heisman-like, Dorsett-like numbers…. a dominant O-line that destroyed top ranked run defenses all year, a D-line that lead the nation in sacks (without blitzing!)…

so….with all the negativity after this game. I want to inject some positive-ness into the mix. I copied this off another poster on another site, but agree with it 100%:

Pitt has a lot going for them, think about next year (if we win vs UNC):

– Top 15 ranking at end of season
– Two great sophmore RB’s coming back.
– Great OC has with a year under his belt
– Two QBs who will know FCJ’s system well, and hopefully improve QB play. (hey, look what Cig did to Stully)
– Stud WR in baldwin
– Mason will have year under his belt at LB.
– The student section is more animated and involved in games than anytime we can remember
– Big game atmosphere is amazing at Heinz Field.
– Two nationally televised games at Heinze Field, and Pitt showed up for both. While I am still depressed about the loss to Cinci, nationally people were impressed with Pitt’s performance in both these games.
– Hopefully both DE’s come back.
– BE will have 3 teams in top 25 if not top 15 if WVU wins bowl.
– Three big time games in our OOC (Utah, Miami, ND), a score to settle with WVU and Cinci, and a BE title to claim.

I feel like Bluto in Animal House after the bros were expelled….

“Over? Did you say “over”? Nothing is over until we decide it is! Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor? Hell no!…..And it ain’t over now. ‘Cause when the goin’ gets tough…..the tough get goin’! Who’s with me?
Let’s go!…..Brian Kelly, he’s a dead man… Cinci, dead!….WVU, dead!