DVR delay for me. I’ll be glad when this particular work project finishes next week.
Been swamped this week so no time to get things set up for a live blog for Luke.
I should mention that Luke has agreed to become a regular on Pitt Blather for operating liveblogs going forward.
The game is at 7pm on ESPN2.
Luke is determined to do this. So let’s get this thing up at the last minute.
Nothing too coordinated here. A few of us will be starting off at 5pm at Rattle N’ Hum on 33rd between 5th & Madison. They have more beers on draft than there are floors in the Cathedral of Learning.
The pass phrase is “Tonight is a Gilbert night”.
-SilverPanther
It’s actually been a few years since Pitt truly asserted any domination in MSG. It sure wasn’t last year losing to Indiana and then ND in the opening round of the Big East Tournament. The way the 2K Sports Classic benefiting Coaches vs. Cancer is set, Pitt is one of the two veteran teams facing young/rebuilding teams.
“Pittsburgh is ranked where they are for a reason,” Maryland coach Gary Williams said. “They have great guards, you can start right there. Great leadership from seasoned guards is a pretty good combination most people don’t have. In college basketball veteran guards make a difference, like we had last year.”
After four years of turning to Vasquez for every big shot, pass or defensive assignment, the Terrapins (3-0) are trying to find an identity. They set a tournament record with 105 points in a 29-point win over Seattle in the opener, then survived a scare when freshman Pe’Shon Howard’s jumper with 4.6 seconds left gave them a 75-74 win over Charleston.
“I’m seeing some good things out of our young players,” Williams said. “We do have some veterans from last year, guys who have been there before. We need to get a rotation and a game like Pittsburgh gets you ready for the season.”
College of Charleston has been one of those good/dangerous mid-majors, so don’t read too much into Maryland needing a near-buzzer-beater to win. Afterall, Maryland has already learned that one of their freshmen guards has the stones to take and make that last shot.
Well, it is obvious that there are lots of questions, doubts, frustrations, etc. about the future of this Pitt program under Coach Wannstedt (Zeise’s chat tomorrow should be a hoot). Those aren’t going away. But, after a while I have to turn to the next game.
USF is the next opponent, in case you had forgotten. You will be forgiven if the only player from the team you know about is QB B.J. Daniels. He seems to get most of the attention. He’s been playing great the last few weeks — and making a lot fewer mistakes. Only 1 INT in the last 3 wins while tossing 9 in the 3 losses.
After this many years following Coach Wannstedt at Pitt, I probably am not the only one to know what he says in most situations. From last week:
The thing that probably has me most pissed is that Wannstedt will not devote any introspection as to why his teams have blown every national appearance, Why his teams play so poorly with extra preparation. Instead, it will be because of the turnovers that Pitt lost. Nothing else.
Monday presser:
When you look back on it and give up a touchdown on the kickoff, which in my mind is like a turnover, then have two other turnovers — an interception and a fumble — it’s very difficult to overcome that and beat anybody. It’s my job, our job as coaches, to keep working with the kids to correct those mistakes, and I know we’re capable of doing it. Leading up to that game we played three games in a row where we were focused and, for the most part, protected the football. So we know we’re capable of doing it. We just have to get back to coaching them up and having an emphasis on what wins games. We must fix the mistakes that need to be corrected.
Actually, he missed an interception. Sunseri threw two. And even a ‘Cuse beat writer makes fun of Wannstedt and the mantra of turnovers being the reason.
Looks like we are all still working through a fair amount of angst, frustration, disappointment, and plenty of other feelings. I really don’t have a good answer right now.
Anson of Cardiac Hill lists five reasons why Coach Wannstedt won’t be fired. Smizik plays the “are you really sure that the next guy would be better” fear. I really don’t think — even if in a worst case scenario Pitt loses all three remaining games — Wannstedt loses his job, so this is all just a bit speculative.
No seriously.
It’s coming.
Okay, time to blast a cupcake.
The game is on ESPN FullCourt package. Also on SNY, MASN and FoxSports Pittsburgh.
Let’s have some fun. Nitpick. Dream. Hope. Nothing has been crushed yet.
Four hours of sleep, a lot of coffee, back at work. Yeah, I’m still feeling very bitter. Actually I think the bitterness is keeping me more awake than the coffee.
As was pointed out in the comments previously, Pitt looked like the overall superior team in size, strength and talent. Check that. Pitt looked like the team with the superior players. UConn was the superior team. They were better coached. Better prepared. Just better last night.
After Pitt had gone up 21-13 with 13 seconds left in the 3d quarter, I wrote the following in the notes I was taking on the game:
This where superior size, talent, and conditioning come in to play against UConn — again. UConn played better than Pitt for a while, but Pitt has simply worn them down.
Then Moore broke off a 95-yard kickoff return for a TD. A total momentum changer. The sort of thing (like Cinci last year) that rejuvenated the UConn side. They still had hope. They played like it, and Pitt went back on their heels.
Another wasted night.
Will try and get some sleep. Will try to compartmentalize that this does not mean it is all downhill from here and that Pitt will blow at least two of its final three games. I’ll try. Honest.
Ugh.
Special teams did their worst tonight. Like Cinci last year. Just when it seemed Pitt had the game in hand, they blew the kickoff and renewed the other team’s spark. That 95 yard kickoff return changed it all for UConn. Free points when they weren’t getting anything in the second half and Pitt seemed to be taking total control.
Then Graham with the fumble on the kickoff to give UConn a short field and 7 more points. 14 points from special teams for UConn.
Mark May was so ticked at the half regarding Pitt’s defense against UConn. He had a point. Stick eight in the box and take your chances with the UConn passing game. Not that it mattered late. Pitt’s defense couldn’t do anything against Todman. He wanted a yard or more, he and the UConn O-line got what they needed.
Sunseri and Hutchins are so similar. They are good with the short to medium stuff, but ask Hutchins for a long FG or Sunseri to throw deep and it is likely to be anyone’s guess where it will go. Hutchins sure picked a bad night to suck with punting as well.
The thing that probably has me most pissed is that Wannstedt will not devote any introspection as to why his teams have blown every national appearance, Why his teams play so poorly with extra preparation. Instead, it will be because of the turnovers that Pitt lost. Nothing else.
I’m stuck working so I’m doing the DVR delay thing.
Luke is handling the liveblog. Sorry about the late toss for this, but there were some communication difficulties. Gametime is around 7:30.
Moderated chat as always. Hopefully everyone knows the drill by now.
It hasn’t been a good place for Pitt, in an admittedly small sample size. Thursday nights, also not a good night for Pitt.
Pitt has won only two of its past 11 games on ESPN’s Thursday Night football dating to 1998.
So, yeah, that’s out there. Those factors alone are making it feel like a Scotch night when I watch this thing on DVR-delay tonight.
Pitt is trying not to feel the pressure by sticking with the “we gotta take it one game at a time” mantra/cliche.
Not sure what to write regarding an easy blowout over UIC that I didn’t watch and don’t really have the spare time to watch replayed on ESPN3.com. Plus the football game tonight is the bigger deal Let’s hit the links a little for some things on the table, the early signing period for b-ball started yesterday and then I can move to the football stuff.
This was the first of a couple cupcakes for Pitt. The next will be on Saturday at 4pm vs. North Florida. The game will be on Fox Sports Pittsburgh so I may do a liveblog.
The game is on ESPN3.com (assuming your internet provider offers it) starting at 7:00.
If you get Comcast and live in the region, you can watch the game on tape delay on Panther TV (Channel 188 or 210) at 9:30.
It’s okay to root for Paul Carter to have a good game for UIC (but not too good).
The pace should be different than the URI game.
Still, there are some things worth watching.
One of the things to watch is the pace of the game. Last season Bo Ryan’s Wisconsin teams played at a ridiculously slow pace, with an adjusted tempo of 60.2 possessions per game. [UIC Coach Howard] Moore isn’t Ryan, he’s his own man, but the Flames are definitely going to slow things down. On the other hand, Pittsburgh ran with Rhode Island in its last game, which was 75 possessions.
So, we can see if Pitt speeds them up or is content to play slower.
I haven’t forgotten. I’m not trying to give the short shrift to the Thursday night game. Just that actual games take priority and Pitt basketball played on Monday (and will again tonight). Besides, I’m trying not to think too much about Pitt under Coach Wannstedt coming off of extra time to prepare.
As I said in the Pitt blog discussion today, I am worried about this game — and all the remaining ones. Pitt could still find a way to blow these game. Frankly this is as big a game for Pitt as the Backyard Brawl from a media exposure standpoint. Three national games, three losses, negative respect. Deserved or not. You look at UCF getting ranked this week after winning Friday night on ESPN. They may be 7-2 but they dropped both non-con games of any significance (NC State and K-State). Otherwise, it has been just them rolling easy non-cons and C-USA. Winning on the national TV stage is significant.
I know the polls shouldn’t matter but at this time of year they do. The coaches and whatever that legends thing is make up a significant chunk of BCS rankings. For the Big East and Pitt, they need to win and look good doing it.
That was Coach Dixon’s mantra after the game last night. During his post-game interview with Andy Katz on ESPN-U, he repeated that several times. That and pointing out how difficult an opening game this was, and that no one else was playing this hard of an opener. A less than subtle reminder to poll voters that a close win in the opener was a against a really good team.
He’s right on both counts, but let’s focus on the journey in front of Pitt. A sloppy, uneven game should not have been unexpected by Pitt.
Powered by WordPress © PittBlather.com
