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January 18, 2012

Todd Graham can’t leave it alone. Well, if I’m going to even pretend to be fair, there is no way to leave it alone. Any appearance or interview he does will bring up the issue of his departure from Pitt.

What FraudGraham can’t seem to stop doing is constantly changing the story. To try and drive up the drama of how bad things were for his family. Basically, to spin any tale he can to try and get sympathy.

When it started at his intro at Arizona State, he called it his latest “dream job” and pushed the idea that he was doing it in no small part because his in-laws are in Arizona. The kind of statement that even Arizona reporters and columnists said, “huh?”

Arizona State University just hired the first football coach in NCAA history who, if you believe him, changed jobs in order to move closer to his mother-in-law.

The spin quickly shifted to his wife really wanted the move to be closer to her family — and Fraud Graham would make the hard choice just for her. Which of course generated more outrage. Prior to the move, Penni Graham was a one-woman PR machine for her husband. Constantly tweeting about how much she and the family were loving Pittsburgh. Tweeting about Pirate and Pens games. Interacting with people on Twitter. Putting out photos of her kids dressed up for Halloween as the Pitt Panther. Building up a lot of goodwill that to some extent would be extended to FraudGraham.

This meant that his wife was a lying piece as well. Or that Fraud Graham was just using his wife as a shield for his actions.

That went no where. In no small part, because most of the media outside of Arizona that have dealt with Graham have seen the same act one too many times — as this blog post ostensibly defending Fraud Graham observes.

Pittsburgh certainly won the spin battle with Graham, and at the Rose Bowl, after chatting with a lot of writers, I learned that not many folks in the media feel much reason to consider Graham’s perspective on things.

When you use the same spiel everywhere and enough people can compare notes, it becomes harder to believe anything he says.

Well, no surprise that Fraud Graham is still talking — a lot  — in Arizona. He has to compete in state with DickRod — who has a much more rehabilitated image — and a host of media friendly Pac-12 coaches now. Mike Leach, Steve Sarkasian, Chip Kelly, Mike Riley. Hell even Lane Kiffin knows how to schmooze the media. He’s got to win people over. So now it is still family, but Fraud Graham is now asking, “won’t anyone think about the children?”

FS Arizona: You have said that going to Pitt was a mistake. Could you elaborate?

Graham:
It was not a good fit for my family. They were not happy there.

When I was at Tulsa, our president was going to retire, and that was not going to be good for me. I had three (job) opportunities, and I made the decision for football alone. It was a better job. I had three kids attending Tulsa. My daughter was a freshman cheerleader, but it was something we felt we needed to do because of what was happening at Tulsa with the president.

All three of my kids went to Pittsburgh and said, ‘I don’t want to live here, dad.’ It wasn’t because of the people. There were great people there, we worked our tail off and did some great things. I’m proud that they asked me to take over a program that had been on the front page of Sports Illustrated with the most criminalities in the country and we did some good things there, but they just didn’t like it there.

(ASU) was a deal that I did not plan. It was an opportunity of a lifetime that just came up for me. I’ve got a responsibility to my family to take care of them.

Can you picture it? The teary-eyed children hesitantly approaching their father back home, after sitting in box seats for a Penguins game earlier that day. The youngest, his lower-lip trembling as the oldest confesses their deep unhappiness.

Yes, now that his wife didn’t get him the sympathy, Fraud Graham is hiding behind his children. It’s not working.

But ASU fans can take solace in the fact that the punditry is also down on his coaching acumen after this past season. Wondering how good he really is without the right offensive coordinator. Not just his overall judgment.





This guy is a POS, plain and simple!

I think it was a blessing he left.

Comment by Jim from Dallas 01.18.12 @ 4:06 pm

When’s the last time Chryst spoke in public?

Comment by wbb 01.18.12 @ 4:12 pm

And this is why we should have gotten a guy like Chryst (I am so tempted to call him Buddy Chyrst) in the first place.

Chryst hasn’t taken time to say ‘this is my dream job’ or anything. He said it’s a ‘darn good job’. He doesn’t get all flashy and stuff. He comes in, talks to the recruits, doesn’t make promises he can’t keep and then goes about his business.

Is it too late to ask Paul Chryst to run for President?

Comment by Lou Gagliardi 01.18.12 @ 4:56 pm

Chryst seems to be doing a lot of home visits of his recruits to make sure they’re on board going into the letter of intent day. Was with Voytik and the Davis twins recently per their tweets.

Hope he stays out of the public eye and the recruiting trail…

Comment by velvil 01.18.12 @ 4:56 pm

Pleeseeee enough of Toddy Graham ok.. Meanwhile , as Dave Wannstedt said before halftime at his 1st West Virginia/Pitt game “that Pitt needs to run faster” ( meaning recruit faster players.) Paul Chrysthad better start to “talk faster” and recruit some better players since he is losing Dakota Conwell and possibly Adam Panky now

Comment by RandyRandyTime 01.18.12 @ 5:05 pm

Chryst knows what he wants and his staff are proven to be great evaluators of talent. If he doesnt feel like conwell and pankey fit, then letting them go is a great move imo as long as he gets players that fit what he wants. Like i said on a previous post, you all need to stop looking at the stars by a recruits name. These coaches know what to look for in a football player so we need to sit back and watch what kind of player they get and MORE importantly how they coach them up.

Comment by Pk 01.18.12 @ 6:13 pm

In his lastest escapade, Fraud Graham was captaining a cruise ship off the coast of Italy. He ran it aground. Then leaving the crew and passengers behind, he jumped into a lifeboat and sailed away saying that it was his “dream job” to captain a lifeboat.

Comment by Houston Panther 01.18.12 @ 6:16 pm

PK – I think Panky fits wherever he wants to fit. It won’t be a matter of letting Pankey go but of not being able to hold him to PITT.

Comment by Reed 01.18.12 @ 6:17 pm

Reed, i guess so but i would really have to question the decision making of an ol slready committed to pitt leave with bostad and chryst here for a school without any staff that formerly recruited him to pitt.

Comment by Pk 01.18.12 @ 6:44 pm

So TG says he “quit” his job before he ever met with the ASU search committee? If that is true how could this statement that he made also be true:

“Nobody has ever asked me what kind of deal I got here versus what I had (at Pitt). Nobody’s asked me what kind of commitment I had there — half the commitment I have here. Who would not take that opportunity? Everything about this made sense if you sat down and looked at it for your family, for your future, for your finances. Everything. There was no comparison.”

Mr. Graham, if you never even met with the ASU search committee until after you quit your job at Pitt, how did you even know what “opportunity” was there? What were you comparing?

Mr. Graham, you are insulting the intelligence of the press and the public in general by expecting us to believe you quit your seven figure job at Pitt with no idea of your “opportunity” at ASU. This is what puts you at the top of the list of all time dirt bag coaches! You just can’t stop lying.

Comment by HbgFrank 01.18.12 @ 7:06 pm

Reed is right if we cant hold him it is are fult
but the boy would sure be dumb when you look at who is coaching are OL it is a wonder the OL men arent lineing up to get here.
come to think of it why arent they they should be.

Comment by FRANKCAN 01.18.12 @ 7:15 pm

I keep reading the OL recruits are nuts to not stay committed to Pitt because of our new line coach, but in checking the current Pro rosters, Pitt has just as many OL as Wiscy, and also 3 more players overall. Hmmm, I guess Wanny was doing something right after all.

Comment by marcus of schaumburg 01.18.12 @ 8:11 pm

Wisconsin has had 4 all american o linemen in the past 2 years. Its not just getting some to the nfl, its making the ALL good o linemen

Comment by Pk 01.18.12 @ 8:16 pm

Graham will be an assistant in the Arena league in 4 years. Divorced again and looking for his dream job. Let him go…

Comment by SFPitt 01.18.12 @ 8:26 pm

Sfpitt, grahams divorcing sweet ol’ penny?!?!? Hahaha

Comment by Pk 01.18.12 @ 8:39 pm

Oh lol nevermind. Btw, steadman bailey of wvu getting cited for shop lifting cold medicine. Id be willing to bet that something else is going on there. Cold medicine is a key ingredient in a certain white powdery substance that is currently illegal.

Comment by Pk 01.18.12 @ 8:43 pm

Seeya Fraud No more fraud

Comment by 63Team 01.18.12 @ 8:45 pm

info for you on jan 20 Wille HENRY will vist pitt he is a DT from ohio 270 pounds and on same day Sean Draper a DB from ohio will vist.

Comment by FRANKCAN 01.18.12 @ 8:52 pm

both are 3 stars

Comment by FRANKCAN 01.18.12 @ 8:53 pm

Frank, i think landing those would be huge. Draper must have a lot of interest in pitt because he originally had a visit scheduled to illinois for this weekend.

Comment by Pk 01.18.12 @ 8:58 pm

Since we’re talking about football a bit. Was checking out schedules for next year, and noticed WVU’s was blank for many games, as are the Big 12’s and Big Easts. Conference games that is. Oh, also ACC’s.

The schedules will be coming out soon, but they are all still in a pickle.

Apparently Pitt and Syracuse are resigned to the fact of playing the following year.

WVU and Big East still fighting.

Found some quotes, saying WVU is going, and they’ll deal with the lawsuits later!!! ha ha

Here’s a link.

link to newsok.com

Comment by Dan 01.18.12 @ 9:00 pm

WVU goes only if a judge let’s them go by denying BE’s request for an injunction and just because WVU decides to ignore BE. I’d like Pitt to be in ACC next year but I prefer the way Pitt is approaching this.

Comment by Velvil 01.18.12 @ 9:06 pm

I predict Fraud Graham will be a bust at ASU. No Gus Malzahn or Chad Morris, calling the plays. SP should have never taken Graham without Morris last year. Actually should have passed period, but he was utterly desperate AFTER the BABY Daddy affair.

And people do crazy things when they’re desperate.
Look at the Captain of that Italian Cruise liner.
The sucker abandoned ship, before 95% of the passengers were even told to abandon ship.

And I hope we just tell WVCC to shove it. Them and their nitwit hillbilly lowlife scum fanbase.

(did I miss any other adjectives to describe those vermin) haha 🙂

Comment by Emel 01.18.12 @ 9:34 pm

pk i think i know why they did not let are HC chryst recruit at wisconsin every time he talks to a committ they deside to start visiting outher schools cory jones will vist outhers now and he was a solid pitt committ what the hell is the new coach telling them,
i mean they are ours then we talk to them and they want to leave what is up with that.

Comment by FRANKCAN 01.18.12 @ 9:37 pm

Criminalities? I did not know that had a plural. Must have come to him during prayer. I guess if you keep moving from school to school, you don’t have time to have many “criminalities” on your team.

Comment by PO'd Panther 01.18.12 @ 9:43 pm

Frank, corey jones doesnt fit a pro sustem in the least. He is a slot reciever. Pitt will have 4 slot recievers next year on a team that wont spread it out too much. Dont think of it as pitt losing good players, think of it as pitt losing players that dont fit what they want which opens up spots for players they do want. Obviously what you said of chryst isnt true. Pitf just got a commit from the most productive defensive player in woody hills history, jp holtz is a HUGE pitt lean, he got jj denman to take a visit who eill make a decision next week, and he got two promising prospects in henry and draper visiting this weekend. This class is unusual but in a good way. Only 1 player has decommitted and just because some are looking elsewhere( which any of us would prob do in the same situation) doesnt mean theyre decommitting

Comment by Pk 01.18.12 @ 9:56 pm

pk let deal with facts so far he has got one to committ. and while i like the kid he has no stars this class held togther but sence he has talked to them 3 have said they want to go on vists
and one has left for AZ and jones is fast you cant teach speed.

you may be right but right now the facts say outher wise there is a old saying a bird in your hand is better than two in the bush.

Comment by FRANKCAN 01.18.12 @ 10:08 pm

Conwell had everybody telling him not to got to pitt and his dad played with dick rod thats not on chryst, the david twins took visits to arizona and stayed, plus all of the commits that chryst have really tried to keep like voytik, shell, bisnowaty, davis twins have all stayed loyal and never waivered. The ones that are looking elsewhere have barely heard from chryst so that tells me a few things 1) chryst CAN get the guys he wants to stay at pitt 2) chryst knows that the others dont fit and he knows he can better use those scholarships. He knows good players just like rudolph so i think they deserve the benefit of the doubt and shouldnt be judged negativrly AT ALL for this class unless like 6 or 7 kids decommit and he doesnt replace them.

Comment by Pk 01.18.12 @ 10:17 pm

we shall see youg man we shall see lets hope you are right but i am a little worryed maybe for nothing but we shall see.
but as of right now one commit and one loss and 3 on the fence.

Comment by FRANKCAN 01.18.12 @ 10:38 pm

when did Holtz commit?

Comment by markp 01.18.12 @ 10:42 pm

markp holtz did not commit read pk post agein he did not say he commited he just said he was leaning to us but i dont think that is right just becuse he vists us means nothing.

Comment by FRANKCAN 01.18.12 @ 11:01 pm

My guess is Chryst is honest with the recruits – tells them they will have an opportunity to compete for a position. Somebody like Fraud Graham tells them they are his dream recruit, somebody he has been looking for all his life. Tells them they will not only start, but practically have a lock on AA if not the Heisman, followed by All Pro and Hall of Fame. Some fall for it.

Comment by 66Goat 01.18.12 @ 11:37 pm

@Velvil, point taken, I understand about the injunction.

However, no one is going to physically stop the team from doing what it wants.

Some people in the administration have stated that they would rather just go, get sued by the Big East, and pay them in a couple of years. They will have new Big 12 tv money to cover it.

I realize they will probably have to stay, I’m just saying, there is a corner that is saying, “screw it, we’re going”, send us a bill.

Comment by Dan 01.18.12 @ 11:59 pm

p.s. I have no inside info or anything. Just reading the b.s. on the net everyone else is.

I find it interesting, especially with the parties that be, not making any schedules yet.

I think they are going to mediation soon.

Anyone wants to google this stuff, just go to google and type in WVU vs. Big East, a myriad of articles will pop up.

Hey, I know a lot of people are bored with it, I understand that, I just find conference re-alignment interesting how it breaks down.

Comment by Dan 01.19.12 @ 12:05 am

Dan you got it they will leave and say to hell with it

Comment by FRANKCAN 01.19.12 @ 12:08 am

66goat you have to do some of that or nobody will sign up if you are 100 percent honest no one is comeing sif you say you are going to be a back up and play in your forth year the kid will say see you later.
if you are a coach you have to have some used car sales men in you or fall flat on your face

Comment by FRANKCAN 01.19.12 @ 12:15 am

I’m with Frankcan in that I’m getting a bit nervous about recruiting also. But then I look at who we already have committed for this class and feel a bit better. This situation isn’t like 2011 at all where Graham had to start from scratch.

Sometime the better players with a lot of good offers wait until the last week before LOI day to commit. I can’t fault any kid for looking around though, it’s too big a decision not to.

Speaking of the Costa Concordia, I inspected that ship for safety/environmental compliance as it was being built back in 2005 in Italy- that was when I was a Senior Marine Inspector with the Coast Guard. It was a truly beautiful ship.

Hate to say this but the Italian and Greek crews have a history of looking out for themselves before the passengers in an emergency.

What I wonder is how the watertight compartmentalization was breached The watertight doors must have been left open – they can closed all of them at one time from the bridge.

Of course, the Officers who could authorize that were the first off the vessel.

Comment by Reed 01.19.12 @ 6:39 am

Forgot to say this before I went off on the sinking tangent…

Frank – Chryst and Co. are out doing a ton of recruiting. They are targeting a lot of players that weren’t on our radar screen before Graham left. The pay sites of the two recruiting sites have articles on this.

I think we’ll certainly see some more commits before LOI day, they just may not be the players we have been hoping for all year.

Comment by Reed 01.19.12 @ 6:43 am

Penn state offered chad voytik. If he leaves pitt, THEN i will be VERY worried.

Comment by Pk 01.19.12 @ 7:00 am

@ pk Any confirmation of this? I’d be shocked if the new regime would go after Voytik after he has reaffirmed his verbal on several occasions, and open themselves up to the ridicule of being turned down in favor of Pitt.

Comment by ECH 01.19.12 @ 7:28 am

Thats what it says on scout. Just thay they offered nothing else

Comment by Pk 01.19.12 @ 7:35 am

Reed, the captain of the vessel accidentally fell backwards into a rescue boat.

Next week — he will say that his wife and kids hated living on the boat so he had to rush them to safety … after a prayer session, of course.

Comment by wbb 01.19.12 @ 8:01 am

Penn State has handed down a scholarship offer to Pitt quarterback recruit Chad Voytik according to Scout.com’s Bob Lichtenfels.

Voytik, a Cleveland, Tenn. native, committed to former Pitt coach Todd Graham back in July and has remained a Panthers pledge through the transition to new head coach Paul Chryst, and Lichtenfels reports that the No. 4 rated quarterback according to Rivals.com and U.S. Army All-American remains committed to Pitt, even in light of the Penn State offer.

From SB Nation

Comment by winedogs 01.19.12 @ 8:30 am

Can we please focus on the here and now instead of the old crap of yesterday already. I’m done with and well over the Graham defection. Let’s not hang on to the topic like a stalker examining every post on our old girlfriend’s Facebook account after she has already dumped us.

What I want information on is what the hell is Chryst doing to fill out his coaching staff and how is he bringing home his first recruiting class? That information is lost out there in the news world right now.

Isn’t anybody else who is concerned with the Pitt football fortunes worried about this lack of positive info besides me?

Comment by Dr. Tom 01.19.12 @ 8:37 am

Comment by Steelfan 01.19.12 @ 8:57 am

[…] failed in national media with claims that he took the Arizona State job for to be closer to his wife’s family. Then shifting to saying his kids were not happy in […]


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