Nothing like the chaos leading up to a holiday. Kids trying to finish projects, work stuff that needs to be done before a couple days. So, just hit some links and thoughts.
Devin Street and Aaron Donald have no plans to turn pro. Uh, great. Not thinking Donald would anyways, but Street is still a possibility. I hate these questions when there are still games to play. There’s no way to give a good answer. Street probably won’t but there is still a chance.
A few articles on Dorian Johnson’s verbal to Pitt, but only one has the quote that might make me relax a little on the commitment.
“I won’t be taking any visits to any other schools,” he said.
Ahhhh.
ESPN.com ranked Johnson as the #2 OT in the 2013 class (Insider subs).
With Johnson, Pitt gets an athletic looking tackle prospect with a tall, lean frame and with some time in the Panthers weight program he should be able to pack on some needed but good mass. If pressed into action quickly, he could experience some growing pains as he develops his game, but this is a kid with very promising upside. He not only looks athletic, but displays the athleticism to be a good college tackle and that athleticism should help him to adapt and be productive if needed early on in his career which he may be. Johnson displays good flexibility as well as balance and agility. He may not be the biggest kid in terms of mass, but is an explosive and powerful kid who can deliver a pop on contact and drive defenders off the ball. He is not only capable of opening up running lanes at the line of scrimmage, but also blocks well on his feet in space and can deal with second-level defenders with similar type crushing results.
You not only like his athleticism, but also that he displays nastiness as a blocker. He looks to need a little more development in his pass pro, but he flashes the tools to develop into a strong pass blocker. He will need to continue to develop and strive for more consistency in his technique, but this is a player with the tools to develop into a very good O-Lineman at the college level.
So… Heinz Field had a Sunday night game. It has four WPIAL games scheduled for Friday. Then a noon Rutgers-Pitt game on Saturday. That should be fun. Naturally Coach Chyst is just saying, “whatever man.”
So, does Pitt keep the pattern going of back-to-back losses followed by back-to-back wins? Coach Chryst is willing to take it at this point.
”At this point right now, I’d be all for following that 2-2-2 schedule,” he said. ”We’ve got to go earn that one though.”
Hey, some expansiopocolypse stuff. I know I’ll write more later on the issue but here’s some reading material from others.
The Big East is screwed — again.
Louisville or UConn in the ACC. Who ya’ got?
Rutgers and Maryland: failing upward.
Not a lot of love from Big 10 fans on this move. Brian Cook at MGoBlog suggests that the BTN stop wasting time and go to 16 and finish off the traditions. He expands on his feelings more in a great Q&A with Spencer Hall.
Two great reads on the issues. The first from UConn perspective on why the whole expansiopocolypse sucks. This one from Maryland that lays out exactly why Maryland is and should join the Big 10 (hint, it’s all about the money).
Back when it looked like the Big XII was on its death bed, I think I read that Texas reaps something like $60M per year between the league’s TV package plus its own Longhorn Network. The ACC pays, what, $17M per year?
If Pitt’s AD proposed to leave the ACC and join the Sun Belt Conf and take a 75% pay-cut, I’d join the chorus that Stevie-P must go.
Penn State would be cool, it would resume the rivalry game. The Nits too would take a pay-cut, but at least it wouldn’t be as severe…
If Texas joined the ACC revenue per team would probably increase dramatically as a new deal with ESPN would be worked out. There would probably have to be some concessions regarding Texas’ tv network though. Also, Texas would probably want to bring along some of their little Big XII brothers with them and require ND to join full-time. There would be plenty of additional revenue for all.
Is create an ACC network… basically copy Big10..
make more money…
therefore, won’t lose teams to other conferences.
It’s all about money…
If the money were equal… many teams would not leave..
I like how the two examples of small schools competing with the big boys is TCU and Baylor. TCU is in football crazy Texas and beat up on less motivated schools in a small conference. Now they are in the Big 12 and not doing so well. And Baylor minus the RGIII years has been pretty bad. So yeah they are great examples to point to.
Bigger schools can compete much better in the Olympic sports because they have a lot more money. And catch up to PSU in academics? Pitt and PSU are on the same level a couple spots in flawed ranking in U.S. News doesn’t really matter. It’s not like rankings are BCS polls.
Finally, you say things like “And Texas loves Pitt. Don’t ask me why but they do.” If you can’t see the appeal of Pitt then you might as well give up.
You should really save yourself the angst and pick a new university to root for.
Yep… ACC should have taken Rutgers and UConn… they were begging for a bailout…
That would have made 16 teams and they still could have added Notre Dame as “non-exclusive” and 5 games a year.
Rutgers is a better choice than Louisville.. my opinion… why, the NYmetro loves ACC basketball in addition to Big East..
Anybody know or have a link to an article which outlines what the various conferences pay to colleges??
ACC
Big10
Big12
SEC
Pac12
Northwestern vs. a football power like Alabama or a basketball power like Kentucky you are a doofus!!
If Pitt got into the Ivy League then, how would you like Ivy League football?
Comments?
the goal should be to get on this list. It combines academics with athletics. Pitt’s Director’s Cup standings have tremendous opportunity for improvement. That’s putting it nicely.
In academic rankings, Pitt’s anywhere between 40 and 70 depending on the methodology used and none is perfect. I still don’t think we’ve caught up with Penn State on the undergrad side based on the various rankings that I see, but we are closer than we were 20 years ago and thats a good thing.
In my passionate opinion, Pitt needs to aim higher and become more balanced across all sports and academic programs. Tha’s why new leadership is needed. These are new times and require new ideas and a bold vision.
and there is nothing I would rather see than a return to national prominance in football.
But, Pitt lost focus over the last 15 years and has not devoted the money and resources to the football program. Some of that is caused by the AD’s alienation of boosters. Some is caused by Pitt’s lack of on the field success.
I am hopeful that a new Chancellor will focus more attention on the overall athletic side of the university with particular attention to football. As leader of the university, you have to be comfortable about talking sports and understanding the importance of balance between academics and athletics.
However, one good thing about the athletic department is that they are not operating in the red.
I’m just a believer that you have to raise and spend money using it wisely to generate success. I don’t believe that one can be cheap when it comes to football and have that result in consistent success on the field. Pitt needs to shell out the bucks for better assistant coaches and a recruiting budget that allows them to go back into Florida.
If Pitt isn’t serious in becoming competitive in sports, we might as well apply for admission into the Ivy League or go the Division 1 AA route.
If you were at an IVY, simplistically, I think you could break it down into 3 categories.
1. Don’t care about sports at all.
2. Go to the football games to tail gate and schmooze with other Ivy’s, and maybe you know someone on the team, so, you go, but it’s more an event than a game.
3. You are actually a college football fan.
In this case, you would cheer for your Ivy team, but whoever your main team is that you cheer for (from the town you came from, from where your parents went, from what helmet you liked as a child), would probably be the one that really mattered football-wise.
No, you wouldn’t press your Ivy team to become great, it just happens to be there, and you’ll root for them, but no big deal.
If you grew up being a Nebraska fan, and went to Columbia, your heart would be with Nebraska. If Nebraska was on at 1:00 on the tube, you would not be attending the Columbia game. (Again, pre req, that you are a college football fan. I’m sure many Ivy students could care less about sports.)
Which brings me to Pitt. Great school, love my degree, why I went, and happy to see our academic side growing. No doubts about these statements.
However, I am also a sports fan.
If you come out and tell me, “we’re here to win championships”, call me ad nauseum for donations, including to my office at work about a month ago, send mail and emails soliciting donations, threaten to move my basketball seats if I don’t donate to a higher donation level……….
then you need to produce!!!
If we’re just an academic institution, with sports as a side note, that’s fine, but, just come out and say it, so we all know where we stand!!!
If you’re telling me we’re playing big boy sports, then, people will want you to produce a good product, especially when you’re soliciting for more money often.
If sports aren’t a big deal, just come out and say so. That way, we can just cheer the boys on and root for Dear Old Alma Mater if we want, without any expectations.
If you’re telling me it’s important, and want my money, time, and to invest my heart in the program, then we should be allowed to expect a winning program.
Ivy League football, while not on the level of the FBS programs, still matters to its students and alumni and not just for the tailgating.
Win or lose, I’ll ALWAYS root for Pitt in ALL sports. But, rooting for dear old alma mater is so much less frustrating when your school is a consistent winner.
Yes, I would imagine quite a few do, as do fans at Division II, III and NAIA schools.
I would also expect, that those fans, are hoping their schools are doing everything they can to win the conference championship and national championships if available.
I have a nephew who plays hockey for Robert Morris, and he is as dedicated and given as much time as any other athlete.
Again, that was a beat em’ to the punch before someone told me, “you have your priorities all wrong”!!! LOL
I understand it’s a school first quite well!!!
If you say we want to compete in some sports, then COMPETE!!
Sounds just like an athletic version of the Bank Bailouts. lol
Somebody forgot to tell NC State they had a better basketball program than PITT, as some on here suggested. That #6 pre-season sure didn’t last long.
(with both being ranked back to back in the Top 10)
We can now beat Michigan tonight !
Let’s Go Pitt !
When I watch a college football, I’m not really calculating if this team or that team is making $15 Mil/year on TV, $5 Mil/Year or $30 Mil/year.
Case in point I’d rather watch a Boise State/ Fresno State game than Indiana/Minnesota ?
How about you ?
(only time this person posts btw)
When Twitter done blowed up real good, Weaver clarified his initial statement (which suggested the SEC might “potentially” have some interest in Tech, not the other way around, by the way):
“We’re not in discussions with anyone. We’ve always wanted to be in the Atlantic Coast Conference. We’re there and we’re pleased to be there.
There’s nothing happening in regard to Virginia Tech going anywhere. I don’t know how to say it any clearer than that…
Maybe I’m thinking of someone else.
Besides, Jim Calhoun is retired now….UConn’s FB stadium is small….
1963 and an MA from The University of Pennsylvania 1965.
I am proud of both of my degrees. My Penn degree was well worth the effort because it gave me entry in to the world of broadcasting and a 37 year career in radio advertising..”Fight on Pennsylvania”!!
Pitt is my #1 school in terms of donations and by a wide margin sports interest. I bleed Blue and Gold. I, however, get charged up and emotional when I read the comments of alums like Tx Panther who place sports on such a high plane. The purpose of a University is to educate its students…not to win sporting events. Obviously if winning at sports can be achieved while maintaining and growing academic prestige ….CONGRATULATIONS.
Pitt has a proud athletic history which unfotunately has been in decline in the past decade..Smiling Steve should be fired, however, I will never accept placing academics and sports at the same priority level…NEVER!
I am curious as to whether any of the posters on this board have attended an IVY League College. I am 99% positive that you will understand where my thoughts originate.
PITT and PENN PROUD!!!
So yes I want my degree from Pitt to now be worth something and tied to football success. My degree 20 years ago paid off but how the hell is it working for me today if I change jobs.
Stew on that Ivy leager.
I don’t think you are a doofus… your post never stated you wanted to forego academics for athletics..You want a commitment to both, like the stanfords, michs. even the psu’s.. I’m a doofus because I would have been beaming with pride and screaming to the world I was a pitt alum if we had beat ND..not the fact that we are a top 5 research school..I’m sorry.
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Now, it is true that I played intramural hockey at an Ivy but not very well.
The difference is level of athletic scholarship support versus other aid.
I recently donated to the Pitt Crew team because I admire what they do with no athletic department support.
Pitt athletics is behind the times. That can change but not as long as it treats it supporters like enemies.
Steve1, is it you by chance???
Those schools are huge and have the larges alumni base in the US and with retirees living across the US, the fan base is wider than the footprint of the schools.
if some of you were talking about people saying why didn’t we go to the Big Ten instead of the ACC, then yes, you are correct.
No offense to Pitt, but we didn’t add another tv market, we were never in their sights.
So, my apologies if that is what you were countering.