That game got away from Pitt in the second half. One missed basket at at time. The 17 turnovers were painful and led to 23 points. More than anything else, though, missing shot after shot was the water torture death of this game.
Pitt was down only 1 at the half. Very much a tight game, despite the turnovers. Despite Gibbs and Woodall shooting only 5-15 (12 points). The rest of the team was scoring really efficiently when given the opportunity — 5-7 for 13 points.
Unfortunately the second half had the entire team getting in on the brick-laying. Gibbs and Woodall led by managing to top their first half by going 2-12 (0-9 in the game on 3s). The rest of the team, 5-12.
As we have seen all season with this team — regardless of whether Woodall is playing or not — if the offense goes, the defense quickly follows.
Not really sure there is much to say at this point. There is an overwhelming sense of frustration with this team. They aren’t by any stretch a great team, but they shouldn’t be this bad.
I hate seeing the careers of Gibbs and Robinson end like this. Gibbs struggling and appearing petulant. Robinson out there battling as always, but hobbling more and trying to do far more than he should. I want to remember the sweet stroke of Gibbs. Automatic from anywhere when coming off a screen. Nailing that halfcourt three to steal the victory from Providence at the buzzer.
Seeing Nas shred the Syracuse zone, game after game. Leading Pitt back against Louisville and just being the biggest player inside despite being the shortest.
There are plenty of reasons to be optimistic about next year and beyond. Plenty of reasons to simply chalk this up as one of those lost seasons that happen to the best, worst and mediocre programs.
It changes very little about having to get through this season.
Ohio State just lost an assistant to Tampa also.
Furthermore, as for coaches leaving, it’s the exact same in the business world. You work for someone once, develop a good rapport. They leave for another position, you stay behind. Eventually, they reach out to you and offer you more money to come work with their company. Same idea here.
Pitt has a head coach who will do the right thing for Pitt or he will be gone just like all the other Pitt coaches that preceded him. Let’s not get our shorts in a wad just because an assistant coach decided to move on. Look at the bright side, its better that he moves now than later…
I wish Bostad good luck in his new career opportunity in Tampa Bay. We all know he will need it. HTP!
This is all BS and you all should know it. I am arfraid that we are in for another 10 yrs. of mediocre FB. I refuse to get passionate about this anymore. I will still go to the games like I have over the past 40 years but they will not get me to buy in. Same old Pitt.
Look at WVU. They bought themselves out of the BE, will be in the Big 12 next year, make up the buy out in 1 year with enhanced revenue and have a step up in recruiting, etc. Say what you want about the school to our South but it looks like they are whipping our asses and gloating about it. On the otherhand Pitt is too cheap to buy out of the BE, to cheap to pay coaches, etc. I had it!
On to basketball. I was pleased with the way malcolm gilbert played the other day. He positions himself well on defense and doesnt rely on his length in the post. In a year or two hes going to be a very good center for pitt. Jj moore has been hot lately, so id like to see him get some more playing time. Id also like to see isaiah epps and cam wright get some pt. this is a game where pitt should push the tempo because if they allow usf to set up their defense then they wont score. Hopefully theres a good Crowd because pitt needs to impress mr. Malik zaire!!
Pitt and Syracuse are doing the right thing by staying in the Big East for one more year. Let’s look at the long-term, Pitt is way better off in the ACC than West Virginia is in the Big 12. Over the term, Pitt will benefit more financially than West Virginia.
Let’s continue to support our team and not worry about how other schools run their football programs.
HTP!
this hire of chryst was at the time to Stabilize
the program.
the word means constancy to keep from fluctuating
How has that worked for us.
As far as something going on inside the athletic department… I do think there is something awry there but Wanny and Walt were here for extended stays so it’s hard to tell what the issue maybe.
its clear that chryst felt like hiring bostad was a risk-reward deal. risk-he leaves for the nfl because bostad clkearly wanted an nfl job. reward-hes a great coach and good recruiter. as i said before, hueber will fill bostads void in terms of coaching, but because of his age he wont be near the recruiter bostad was. thats why its even more important to fill out the staff with good recruiters
and bostad was not known as a great recruiter
go back and read all the posts it was the outher coach the one who is are new OC WHO WAS KNOWN FOR THAT.
hueber fill the void but he is not as good and yes he is old will we make do yes just dont make it look better than it is.
i want every thing to be great and you do to
all i am saying is dont make it sound better than it is it is what it is but dont act like we got a great deal with the switch be real
.
and yes lets hope he hires coachs that can help us in recruting and moves out of his comfort zone this time
and yes when you hire some one for a reason
you have a right to expect him to make good on that reason.
as for bostad/hueber, i understand that hueber isnt as good as bostad. i said in terms of coaching, theyre about equal, but bostad offers more in recruiting. id rather have bostad at ol and hueber at tes but you have to play the hand youre dealt so lets hope chryst can recover
Then what did you sign a contract for two months ago for??????
Everyone just do whatever they want, it’s a free for all!!! Woo Hoo!!!!!!!
I never said Hueber was as good as Bostad. I merely said he’s clearly qualified.
If you want to have an intelligent and objective debate on issues around the program here, fine. I’ll be here when you can have that discussion without referring to me as a “kool-aid drinker” or instructing me to “take off the rose-tinted glasses” simply because I refuse to do this internet equivalent of running in circles with my arms flailing.
I never said things are all sunshine and rainbows. In fact, I’ve stated several times over that I’m not exactly thrilled with some of these developments. I’m not a fan of Pederson at all; to be honest, I thought he should’ve been shown the door after the Haywood debacle and then definitely after the whole fiasco with Graham. But I don’t get to make that decision.
But it’s effing February, for crying out loud. The 2012 season is more than six months away. I’ve gone out of my way in every single one of my posts on the topic to justify my point and give rationale reasons why there may be no need to worry to any real extent over this. I’ve read Dokish’s site and while he raises some good points, what he says is not gospel either. I follow Peak, Zeise and a number of others media types close to the Pitt program on Twitter. I try to formulate my opinions on things based on a sum of all things that they are all saying.
I’m willing to give Chryst a chance, just as I was willing to give Todd Graham a chance, Mike Haywood a chance, Dave Wannstedt a chance and Walt Harris a chance. If the fan base by and large was willing to give each of them took over was to allow for three years to establish their system and get recruiting classes into and through the program, that’s what they get from me.
I’m sorry I don’t flail around and take to the nearest bridge every time something with this program goes awry (as things tend to do from time to time in, oh, every other program across the country). I want Pitt to do well, but I’m also mindful of the fact that it’s a process and that things take time to develop, that things are influenced by a number of factors and that transitions are not smooth. I also believe that Chryst is the best chance this program has given itself to restore the overall stability that it had under MOST of the Wannstedt era. I also believe that Chryst is the coach who can take this team beyond that, because he comes from a program whose track record spoke for itself.
If that makes me a “kool-aid drinker”, so be it.
my point and may be i am not clear is to say things are great better than before is bull shit
i want the HC to do well also but there are some people who seam blind to things just becuse he is are coach i know he needs time i dont want to fire him i like him but were there is smoke there is fire.
i see some things that make me worry.
i think what i am trying to say is let us not bury are heads in the sand just becuse he is are coach most of us did that with TG how did that work out for us.
same but i am not wringing my hands or flailing
around.
just pointing out that there blind trust is not good pointing out that dockish and outhers are seeing things that could be trouble for us for PITT
and last time all most all said it is ok TG knows what he is doeing
I am glad you dont think hueber is as good as bostad that is part of what i was trying to say to many were saying it is ok no big deal we have hueber i just want them to get real it was a big loss.
will we go on yes will we do well most likley yes
but are things 100 percent ok not yet.
just dont want people to drink the koolaid like they did last time with TG DO YOU UNDERSTAND.
Bostad brought one guy to Pitt, if he even was involved with that. The kid who was going to walk-on at Wisky. Gabe something or other.
I never did like this Schiano a-hole at Rutgers.
May he be a flop in Tampa Bay. Unbelievable a schmoe like him even got a NFL head coaching gig.
Rutgers never won the BigEast and never went to anything higher than a 3rd tier bowl game.
And this gets you an NFL head coaching job. LMAO
No wonder the people in Tampa are going, wtf .
This fan base has endured, will endure and will continue to endure whatever dark nightmares Smiley and company have in store for us.
For we are Pitt alum and we can endure anything they can dish out. (like we haven’t already) haha
V E V !
This fan base has endured, will endure and will continue to endure whatever dark nightmares Smiley and company have in store for us.
For we are Pitt alum and we can endure anything they can dish out. (like we haven’t already) haha
V E V !
P.S. Had to change name, it wouldn’t let me post two in a row. WTF
frank, i still dont think we should, as you say, hold chrysts “feet to the fire” because of his predecessors. look at it this way, if you have one girlfriend who leaves you at the drop of a hat for some other guy, are you going to treat your next girlfriend like garbage? id hope not. all im saying is, judging by the resumes that all on the staff but inoke have, theres reason to believe that they will have success at pitt. will he be successful? i dont know. will he bolt for another job? i doubt it, but i dont know that either. all im saying is that i dont think its as much blind faith as expecting their previous success to continue.
Please, only one cupcake, even if it has to be an away game. FSU has opening. Mizzou looking for two, but there schedule is filled when we have openings.
Hopefully these guys are all in talks with each other to see what can get done, or rearranged.
TA&M–Booked
Thanks for the response, and my apologies if my rants yesterday came off as too strong.
I don’t blame you or anyone else at all if you’re skeptical of Chryst…not after what this fanbase has been through since the 2010 season. The team underachieved that year, Wanny’s dismissal was butchered, the Haywood embarrasment happened, then came the whole disaster with Graham. We haven’t had much to be optimistic about since August of 2010.
That said, I do think PK makes a couple of good points above.
Graham is probably much more the exception than the rule. Even by the relatively low standards that exist with college coaches in terms of honoring contracts, Graham managed to lower the bar. When good national writers (Pat Forde, Steward Mandel) claim that Graham’s departure made Lane Kiffin’s exit from Tennessee look clean by comparison, that’s saying something. I’m hoping we’re not unlucky enough to have it happen again with Chryst; he doesn’t strike me as that type of person.
In terms of anticipated success, I tend to fall in line with what PK said as well. I’m cautiously optimistic based on their previous track records. Contrary to Haywood and Graham, Chryst has been involved at a high level with a program has sustained success at a much better level of overall competition. I’m encouraged by that.
We’ll wait and see what happens. I think in the long run, we’ll all be happy with the results.
BTW WVU and Pitt should play in BB and in football.
Too good a rivalry to let die or be tainted by idiot fans from both sides.
Besides who the hell am I going to torment when I go to work? Not many UT grads in Pgh and Penn State is afraid to play WVU.
