Well, looking at the bright side: many of these losses were mild (tit for tat) shockers, which means Pitt is at least in the conversation. #1 Seeds and #1 Rankings are earned, and we’ve had both. Lofty elevations that, 10 years before, even the most optomistic mustard & blue-glue sniffers wouldn’t have dreamt.

What I mean, it’s better to be in the conversation than not even in the room.

The one thing that is so apparent is that you don’t do well in the tourney without superior guard play.

We haven’t had the ones that can turn it up a notch and can pass, shoot, dribble and drive. Also they need to be shutdown defenders and make foul shots.

Wichita has em, Syracuse has em, we’ll see who has em today. Actually Louisville and Duke both have them, should be some game.

Was thinking the same thing here. Does make me think that Pitt’s ‘under-performance’ isn’t nearly as bad as it looks considering what the teams that haven’t beaten us have gone on to do.

Also. I’m no longer allowing myself to make predictions because I thought the Shockers were gonna get trampled in the first round.

We have had some that were short on just one, as it seems many of even the best collegiate PG’s can be. What I see with the elite players at their positions, is that they tend to be SOOO good in their best skill that it compensates for their weak area(s). AND when it comes to crunch time (ie. end of games or tournament time), the best players and teams exceed expectations.

Looking at Syracuse last night, it looked like a different team from the one Pitt beat and certainly not just due to Southerland. There was an attitude and confidence evident in each Syracuse player that carried them as a team. We have had that in a few players over the years including Blair, Fields, Young, and a few others. Too often Pitt has players who show that potential to wilt under pressure(Zanna and Patterson this year, and several others in past) or players who don’t wilt and do “attempt” to carry the team but just don’t quite have the talent(Woodall).

That said, I am optimistic for next year.

Anyone else feeling a bit better about things WSU moving on impressively? Not much to hold on to, but IF Woodall just had an average game rather than the horrible one. Just one or two to fall to change momentum. Nah.

We haven’t had the ones that can turn it up a notch and can pass, shoot, dribble and drive. Also they need to be shutdown defenders and make foul shots.

Wichita has em, Syracuse has em, we’ll see who has em today. Actually Louisville and Duke both have them, should be some game.

Comment by gc 03.31.13 @ 10:40 am

We have had some that were short on just one, as it seems many of even the best collegiate PG’s can be. What I see with the elite players at their positions, is that they tend to be SOOO good in their best skill that it compensates for their weak area(s). AND when it comes to crunch time (ie. end of games or tournament time), the best players and teams exceed expectations.
Looking at Syracuse last night, it looked like a different team from the one Pitt beat and certainly not just due to Southerland. There was an attitude and confidence evident in each Syracuse player that carried them as a team. We have had that in a few players over the years including Blair, Fields, Young, and a few others. Too often Pitt has players who show that potential to wilt under pressure(Zanna and Patterson this year, and several others in past) or players who don’t wilt and do “attempt” to carry the team but just don’t quite have the talent(Woodall).

That said, I am optimistic for next year.

Anyone else feeling a bit better about things WSU moving on impressively? Not much to hold on to, but IF Woodall just had an average game rather than the horrible one. Just one or two to fall to change momentum. Nah.

Double post was because I wanted to quote GC at 10:40. I really hate this rudimentary site with limitations on the box size for comments and inability to “reply” or “quote” in response to a post. How about getting an edit option? It would make me look a bit less stupid – PLEASE!

I definitely feel Pitt plays a “red carpet” role, akin to doormat status, where they’re pretty damn good, but better teams walk all over them to glory.

Pitt teams routinely over achieve……this year’s team did.
Outstanding athletes don’t always make outstanding BB
players. Jamie will keep Pitt in the hunt and one day
he will get to a FF.

So could we fans summize that the recruits Dixons recruits are not good enough to get the program to the Final Four or so on? If we had to narrow it down to one thing it appears the kids just don’t have Top Shelf Talent that would allow them to consistently compete with the teams left.

This Pitt team was in almost every game they played and they made a lot of improvement over last year. They lost a close game Michigan by 3 after a bad call. They lost to Louisville at Louisville by 3 points, the 2nd game to Syracuse by 3 in the Big East Tournament and in overtime to Marquette. So 6 of their 9 losses were to teams who made it to he Elite 8 or Final 4. Yes the Panthers are a good team, but not a great one. Guys the glass isn’t half empty.

I’m not optmistic for next yr. Seems we only played well when Woodall played well. He’s gone

Hello, isn’t that kind of what makes a final four team a final four team?

Pitt could easily have been a final four team thenselves this year also. They just needed to beat Wichta State, Gonzaga, etc., etc..

Some can, most don’t, that’s why they call them the FINAL FOUR!!

If it was easy, everybody could do it. So if,,, when,,,, it ever happens for the Panthers, just remember to savor every single bite because it could be a very long time before such another special culinary feast is set before us.

I hope that all of the Wichta State fans are listening. GO SHOCKERS!!!

Maybe we didn’t get our “one and done” heads handed to us by such a scrub team after all?

I felt that way, when Pitt lost Lavance Fields. In addition to that, Pitt lost Sam Young and DeJuan Blair. They played that year with Ashton Gibbs playing point guard and Brad Wannamaker 2 guard. If I recall they had a terrific season and were a No. 1 seed. Let see what this new guard is like.

I knew many of you were disappointed with Adams this year because of his stats. Consider Dixon played him about 20 minutes a game until February.
When he was in his was never a part of Dixon’s offense, Woodall never gave him one assist (thank God he’s graduating/big plus going into next year).
Question: against W.S. someone who shot took so many shots and 5 or more did not hit the rim and gave the ball, not turned over, 5 times why was he even in the game in the second half.
Wright 2-3, a better defender would not have been the sixth man on the court for W.S. (Dixon’s live and die with marginal senior guards Woodall, Gibbs, Fields, Krauser {these are not gurads you build a team around].
I digress from my original point Adams.
After watching every orher center in the tournament Adams is by far the best and he has not even touched his potential lets hope Dixon uses him next year.
Against Pitt Louisville could not attack the basket as they are doing to Duke. They did easily getting around our guards but dared not challenge Adams they dished off to the big men as Adams had to cover.
I have not seen a better defensive center or offensive center if given the ball than Adams in the tournament.
Duke threw a lob pass to their center for a dunk.
Pitt never used a lob pass all year if they wnet to Adams they used the bounce pass at his ankles or the rocket pass below his waste.

GC is right. This is a guards tourney but that doesn’t mean that alone will get it done.
Like it or not, we have the reputation of an underachieving team. The only way to get over that is to stop aging AND SCHEDULING based on a fear of losing.
Play games with am attitude that nothing can hurt you and you will never walk away a loser.
That is why the tears flowing after we lost to WSU bothered me so much. Quit crying!

There are NBA execs out there salivating over Adams. I’d speculate that the Celtics see him doing what Russell did. If Dixon could get out of his own way Adams would be outlet passing 10 fast breaks per game and Robinson would be the perfect complement for that style.

If we played WS in a more comfortable arena, any BE venue or even MSG it would have been no more than a 5 point game. We don’t overcome some of the psychological aspect; we make FT in practice but choke in live combat. This stuff can be fixed, don’t know that it will.

Maybe I should pay attention to who plays in the first round because if Pitt losses to them they may go all the way.

How fitting for the Big East… 2 teams in Final Four. I am going to miss pulling for the BE every march / April. Just feels awkward going to the ACC. Will it ever feel normal ?

Of Pitt’s 9 losses, 6 were to elite eight teams. four were to final four teams.

Yes, we should beat those teams if we want to claim we’re good enough to be a final four team — and we actually did beat one of them, and played very close two of them away from home — but this should be a sign that we’re not that far off and all the claims about how inadequate Dixon’s recruiting has been are way over-stated.

Cuse versus LVille in an All Big East final! Going out with a BANG!

All year we heard how the Big 10 was tops and the Big East was down, maybe not. Two Big East teams cruise into the final four with stagger. Sure glad we are going with them to the ACC.

Shell taking his time, is it good or bad. I say good, at least no snap decision.

In 2009, Pitt lost by 2 pts to 3rd seed Nova, who two nights earlier beat 2nd seeded Duke by over 20 pts. Furthermore, Nova went 21 for 22 from the foul line.

In 03, Pitt lost to Marquette and D Wade by 3 pts, who two days later beat the overall 1 seed Kentucky by over 20 pts on ist way to the Final 4. Cuse won the national title, a team Pitt beat haandily at home that year and lost by just 2 at the Dome.

I have long thought that someone at Pitt sold its soul to the devil for the ’76 championship … especially since in the very next game, the opener at home vs ND, Pitt went out to a 9-0 lead when starting QB Cavanaugh was hurt with no feasible backup QB. ND went on to win that game en route to a national title. Since then, it seems that Pitt just comes up short

PantherP, great trivia question, who lost to all four final four teams?

Can’t wait for next year.

wbb, that being said, I’ll still take that 76 team.

No matter how good you are, you still have to be lucky.

But Pitt didn’t win anything by luck in 76, in fact had to use a 3rd team QB for 2 games ,,, and was dominant in the bowl game to seal the title.

Well if I recall, someone was ahead of them in the polls and was upset, otherwise they end up #2. It felt pretty lucky when it happened.

It was Michigan that was #1 in 76. They were upset by Pirdue, and the rest, as they say, is history. I still remember it like it was yesterday.

-wbb
I see your main point, but about that marquette team remember Keith Bogans got hurt in UK’s Sweet 16 game against Wisconsin. That certainly played a part in the blow out.

In any of the runs, some luck is always involved. Many of the teams have one or two game when they got lucky. Kansas could have fouled before Michigan hit the 3 pointer to go into overtime. Then they win by one poin. Just like Pitt could have fouled Barry Goheen in the 1988.

Yes, I guess Pitt being the only undefeated team in ’76 was the luck part come to think of it .. good point. Especially when you think about the fact that JoePa was undefeated in 68, 69 and 73, and none of them were national champs

Justinian…I said the same thing when they didn’t foul…in fact Burke just hit a 3 before his game tying 3 just like Goheen did against Pitt.

Dixon has said that he will never foul in that situation…but of course Miller fouls every time after seeing what happened in that game.

Charles Barkley said that there’s 2 things you want in BB…the lead and the ball.

Miller didn’t foul (at Xavier) vs Oh St in the 2nd round of 07, and the OSU player made a 22 footer sending the game into OT. OSU won and eventually maed it to the final 4.

Howland started the BB improvement and Dixon has sustained it for 10 years. I think Chryst starts the FB improvement and hopefully he sustains it.

Jackagain, It depends on how you think. If you believe that you will defend it, or if you fear you won’t. It also depends on whether you’re confident that you can safetly inbound the ball with a one point lead.

link to scores.espn.go.com

That doesn’t mean they weren’t supposed to foul…but thanks for just another example of why you do foul there.

The ball & the lead folks….the ball & the lead…

Think most of you guys are missing something.

What gets Pitt wins in the Regular season is playing with more intensity than the other team, especially on Defense.

When you get to the Dance, EVERYONE plays with intensity on Defense. Syracuse is a perfect example, they played disinterested against Pitt back in early Feb, late Jan. However when the game meant something in the quarters of the BigEast tournament, they played with intensity especially in the 1rst half when they built up a 13 pt. halftime lead. Then they coasted in the 2nd half and Pitt came back to make it appear to be a closer game. Sutherland hardly took a shot in the 2nd half.

Bottom line when other teams with better talent match Pitt’s intensity, they win. As the better talent can score points and their ratched up intensity on defense negates Pitt’s predictable motion (or motionless) offense. Wichita was about the worst matchup we could get, as they play similar to us, except they are/were better at it.

If you can’t recruit better skilled offensive players, Coach better learn some gimmick defenses or hire an asst. who can !

meant to also include, in the 2nd line, “especially on Defense and Offensive Rebounding”

Tend to agree EMel. Program has been stellar for so long, don’t understand why we don’t have those superior kids, esp at guard.We now have the most coveted big man in the game, he should be surrounded by guards like Siva or Walker. Not every talent is like a Wall, a one and done that takes a pay cut to go pro. In the tourney, if our intensity has nowhere to go then the formula for winning is deeper talent, not a wider bench and utilizing your once in a decade budding star correctly. Adams hedging on defense at top of key, so he’s out of position is wrong use of your big man.

I think “stellar” is a little strong. When I summarize this team, it usually consists of “very good”, “in conference”, and “regular season”. I’m still not convinced that Dixon is able to develop offensive talent, let alone recruit it. He’ll have plenty of time to learn given his new contract – hopefully he improves. His tendency towards stubbornness is also a concern, but I don’t think that’s going to change.

Unlike some others, I’m OK with the extension. I know there were those that wanted his head but I always believed that the only way he goes is if HE wants to go… and he didn’t want to go. The only thing that really irks me is that once again that douche bag of an AD we have once again proves his utter lack of understanding in all things business AND sports. You know JD isn’t leaving unless he wants to, and if he does, there’s NOTHING you can do to keep him. But… instead of at least using the opportunity to send a message that petering out at the end of the season is somewhat less than desirable, you offer him a fat extension before the ink on the Shocker debacle recap is even dry. Exactly what kind of message does that send? “We’re desperate, suck all you want…”? Anyone who has ever spent any time in business knows that making your Q1, Q2, and Q3 numbers but failing to hit Q4 and the end of year number doesn’t earn you a bonus. You’re lucky to keep your job. Like or not, college basketball is business – we could at least try to keep that side of the house in order.

Look, I’m glad Dixon stayed, but like everyone else, he needs to prove himself beyond what he has already accomplished to warrant a huge extension. If our only goal is to not suck in conference and simply GET to the dance every other year and lose early, we can probably do that for less than $2 million a year.

Pittisit,
Are you kidding me about Adams being better than the other centers you saw in the tournament?

You weren’t watching Dieng control the lane and swat shots or McGary (a freshman, I think) run the floor? You weren’t watching Plumlee help his guards handle L-ville’s press?

I think he’ll get the ball plenty more next year and we should all be plenty happy if he turns out to be as good as any of the above-mentioned players.

stumper, you kind of lost me there. You are ok with the extension, but we paid too much? We can get a coach for less than 2 mil that would maintain our competitiveness in arguably the toughest conference?

There was enough written that said Jamie did consider the USC offer justifying a vote of confidence from the administration. 2 mil is hardly outrageous in the current market.

There are plenty of guys desirous of a new coach on this site, but I don’t recall any of them saying we could get one on the cheap. Other than those that thought Miller would give a home town discount. Yeah right.

And by the way, there are plenty of examples of CEO’s (which is what Jamie is) getting major bonuses when their companies are going down in flames. So cut it out with the salesmen analogies.

Sorry, I must have awoken on the wrong side of the bed.

link to espn.go.com

Hugh Green, absolutely right. Just by the eye test, the talent level of the elite eight was far superior to ours. Yes we could still beat any of them on a given day. But to make a run against them would be unlikely if not impossible.

The talent level allows them to up the intensity of their game.

It’s like watching the Stanley Cup playoffs vs the regular season, there is a substantial difference in level of play, which has to be sustained. Our guys are capable of that level in small bursts but not over time.

I notice the difference between Dieng and Adams when we played. Dieng is probably a lottery pick right now. Adams will get there.

I agree with Emel. I have long had the theory that we more overachieve during the regular season than we underachieve in the post season.

While we are not void of talent, many teams have more than we do.

wbb, that make 3 of us. I feel the same way. Jamie Dixon has done a tremendous job with the talent he has. No one attacks Syracuse’s zone better and more effectively than Pitt does. However, there comes a point where you need a Kemba Walker to win it all. In recent years Pitt only had a couple of years where they had a legitimate shot and they came within a couple of seconds of moving on.

About having that quick terrific guard, we had one…..Brandon Knight, but that was a long time ago.

I thought the only elite 8 team with significantly more talent than Pitt was Michigan. Louisville, Florida next – more guard quickness and Louisville is a very experienced and mature team. Syracuse has more talent but not significantly so, same with Duke. And I don’t think Wichita or Marquette or Ohio St. (outside of Thomas) overall talent any better than Pitt.

I do agree with Emel’s intensity angle, and wonder if Pitt plays so intensely during the regular season that they can’t sustain it come post-season.

I also think that even more important than who they schedule, Pitt needs to get on the road more outside of the eastern time zone in non-con. We all knew they were doomed playing in SLC. Just not enough experience with cross country travel. I see they are going to Maui in 2014, that’s great. It’s about time.

We have had very good talent, but we rarely have had the elite talent. Blair possibly the only one, unless you go back to Charles Smith and Billy Knight. The guys that can routinely take over a game.

It was surprising that all the final four teams won their last game with relative ease, although Wichita had to fight to finish it off. We never have the talent level to do that, part of it is style of play, but you have to be really good to separate at that level.

Duke is a strong team, Louisville dominated.

Boeheim is as loose as I have ever seen him, it’s like he is playing with house money. We have never had a guard like Carter-Williams, or a forward as smooth as Fair.

It would be great to have a Big East Final.

Knight was the best passer I have seen but I seem to remember that his weakness was that he could not drive to the hoop.

Every one of the Final Four teams have one guard that can drive and score, most have two.

GC, yes a Big East final would be nice. It wasn’t that long ago that the Big Ten people were talking about a Big Ten Final Four. Heck, Michigan extremely fortunate to get by Kansas. They were a floor foul away from hitting the 3, that got them into overtime.

good post and comments, helped me learn a lot. I am much more a football guy than BB. Pitt needs something to ‘breakthrough’ to the next level, perhaps moving to the ACC and having this group one more year will do it.

For Dixon and Pitt now the challenge is making something happen in the post season. (was that 4 out of 5 years not a single win in the Big East tournament?… that just wears on everyone no matter what they say.)

HP

We have rarely has guys that can create their own shot. Really important at tournament time. Sam Young comes to mind.

On that 76 football team “selling it’s soul to the devil” and cursing the next 40 some years of Pitt sports…..Let’s not forget the Syracuse game at Pitt Stadium where they were beating the living daylights out of Pitt and were about to go ahead on the scoreboard in the 4th Quarter. Cuse decided to go for it on 4th and 2 around the Pitt 24 yd line and easily made it but the officials misplaced the chains and called it short. Paul Bertha was the lead official and he went down in Pitt lore.It kept Pitt #2. That, and the upset by Purdue of Michigan during the time we were at a game at Pitt Stadium (I will never forget the stadium announcer hesitating as he called the score after Michigan 28 and Purdue…………..)

Then starting against ND the following year having a second team QB “Wade something” who dropped at least 5 snaps from center handing the game to ND! Maybe we are cursed. Anyone know a wichdoctor who can lift it??

sorry for the typo

Syracuse scored 51 and 55 pts respectively the last few days. Obviously, it’s their defense that is stymying. It seems that many people still think that shooting over top of it is the key, but they need to watch Pitt films to see how to attack it.

Of course, if Mich shoots like they did yesterday, they may be able to beat that zone with 3s … but that is certainly not a given.

I think Brandon Knight was Pitt’s best point guard ever. Don’t get me wrong I loved Lavance Fields and Shawn Miller, but Knight was the best.

I’ll chip in to send someone to Haiti, how about Petey.

This is the best Syracuse D I have seen in a while. Their weakness has always been the foul line, but it seems like they close much quicker on that now.

Hugh Green I will give you Deing at this point but Adams will be better than he next year. Actually it is a toss up this year look at the stats beloww head to head. As for the Duke cenetr he is slow footed an not neraly the athelete Adams is he well never see the pros except perhaps sitting on the pine like most Duke players(except Grant Hill)
Do you think Bumblrbee could beat two guards to the basket on the dribble after a stealat half court and get the lay up-he is not quick enough or skilled enough to beat a center off the dribble let alone two guards as Adams did.
As for the outlet on the press your referring to the basketball knowledle of coach K to Dixon. I have always argued to bring Adams up as an outlet to beat the zone. You did not watch all the Pitt games were Adams when Dixon had a momentary lapse of reason and used Adams as an outlet and dribbled across half-court rather than his usual attack against the press give it to Woodall and have him dribble to the sidelined and get trippled teamed. Another weakness in your argument for the Duke ceneter is that he was Louisville’s game plan, he was to slow to stop penetration and the guards attacked hime the entire game. Louisville could not do this against Pitt when Adams was in that’s why at home they could only beat us by 3 points.

Deing destroyed the the club footed kid from Duke . You obviously have have a short memory or one of those convinnced that Adams underachieved and that without him Pitt would have been back in the NCAA’s with Taylor at center (you are delusional/Adams was worth 10 points on defense in blocks and altered shots)

As for Deing being so much better than Adams despite the difference in experience and the teams they play for check the head-on-head stats before Adams began to settle down.
In January at when Adams was still learning the game here are his statistics against Deing. least Total 3-point Rebounds
## Player p fgm-fga fgm-fga ftm-fta off-def tot pf tp a to blk stl min

13 ADAMS, Steven c 4-5 0-0 0-4 5-2 7 1 8 0 0 1 2 29

## Player p fgm-fga fgm-fga ftm-fta off-def tot pf tp a to blk stl min

10 DIENG, Gorgui c 5-7 0-0 4-6 4-8 12 2 14 4 3 5 0 39
Adams playing 10 minutes less went 4-5 from field 8 points and 7 rebounds to Deing 14 pts and 12 rebounds, mostly against Taylor.
Seing will play in the pro’s but his limited offensive game since he cannot put the ball on the floor or beat a man off the dribble will also bback him a backup in the NBA.
If both went NBA this year Adams would be a lottery pick Deing/2nd round.
Bumblee is slow footed and clumsy and weak underneath. He may play in NBA – I’d compare him more to Arron Gray than to Adams.
Adams has only played one year of basketball and he did not play for Louisville or his statistics would have been much higher.
Comparing Adams to other center you have to consider that his played on an inferior team with only one other quality player, Robinson. Further in Dixon’s scheme he was the 5 option in the offense. If that does not change next year it’s one and out in the NCAA’s.

Dan, Matt Cavanaugh drove the Panthers down the field on the first Pitt possession and got injured, when threw the touchdown pass. The backup quarterback that came in was Adams, and I believe we had 13 or 14 fumbled snaps. In defense of the kid he didn’t get any snaps in practice. Pitt’s defense played an inspired game. Nose guard Dave logan and Hugh Green were amazing. Pitt kept turning the ball over and the defence would stop Notre Dame. Pitt held on to the lead despite all the turnovers until losing to Notre Dame in the 4th quarter.

Cardiac Hill’s April Fools joke is pretty damn funny … link to cardiachill.com

Wayne Adams, I name I should never forget. I still cannot get over a star HS QB not being able to take a snap from center! Thanks Justinian!

Also remember a great Alabama team in 76 who killed Georgia (our Sugar Bowl foe) during the season but instead of being ranked #1, Notre Dame magically jumped over them after beating the #1 team. That eventually set up Michigan #1 and Pitt #2. Ah the memories.

As I have gone back and watched both Sugar Bowl victories 76,79, I am stunned by how deep Pitt was at every position.

H.G. I retract some of my statements about Plumele not seeing the entire game, I just looked at the stats and he played well.
Yet he is a senior and he is not nearly as atheletic as Adams and does not have the NBA potetnial because of his lack of quickness.
Make a good backup center in the NBA or starter on a team desperately in need of center. However too slow as Louisville showed his inability to defend the basket time and time again.
Adams at this point is a better defender than Plumbee.

Great April Fool joke at Pederson’s expense. Ah, if only it were real. Anyone remember Pitt publishing the “News Pitt” April 1, 1969 with Pitt stealing 3 top recruits from ND + their top asst coach?

Dan, That 77 Pitt team was a terrific football team. They just weren’t very lucky, losing your starting senior quarterback after the first series. Dan Devine was the Notre Dame coach that year and they went on to win the National Championship. The Panther defence man-handled them. You just can’t fumble the ball 14 times and win the game.

I don’t think the problem is so much that we “under achieve” in the tournament. The problem is that we play the exact same way we play the whole season. We need that one player that wants to be on that stage, that wants the ball in their hands with the game on the line, that actually “ups” their game for the tournament. Carter-Williams is great payer, Smith and Siva are great players, Burke has been awesome all year; but these players, and WSU entire team, have played lights-out basketball in this tournament. Like so many above have posted, I looked at players in this weekend’s game and thought several times “We don’t have a single player on our roster that plays this well under the big lights of the NCAA tournament”. We don’t need a team full of them, just one guy that wants to own the tournament and the moment and we will get over that hump. Maybe Robinson or Adams can be that guy next season.

I think Michigan is a bad matchup for Syracuse. They are just as athletic, have shooters, and Beilein knows that zone.

If you want an example of a way to get to the Final 4 without one-and-done NBA talent, look at Loiusville. Of course they are a fast and talented college team, but they are also an experienced team, the core of which has been together 3 years now and it shows. Dieng will probably get drafted, but he may be the only one.

This seems interesting:

link to tracking.si.com

My final tourney notes. First, I take no solace in being the answer to the “name the only team to lose to…”. I’m tired of being known for odd things (88 coaches in ten days, etc).
Next, I am laughing at Tom Ice Crean at IU. anyone who actually watched them (excludes Fittipaldi at PG) knew they were shot. But his cutting the nets after a senior night home loss to OSU followed by his imbecile behavior toward the U of M assistant sealed that crude dudes fate. He will win games, but the guy is a loser and a USDA grade A creep!
Happy for Belein. He gave WVU the only shred of class it gas known in the last 30 years.
Wares broken leg is indescribable.
If Jim B at Syracuse coached at UNC, he would be viewed as the greatest coach of his era. He is the greatest coach of his era. But he won’t get that credit.
Howland is still looking for work. Hmmmm. I think it means he wants to take a year off and stay on the left coast.
Agnes is gone. I despise CYANIDE STEVE, but this was handled properly. She is a class act: done in by some circumstances in recruiting I truly never understood. Someone knows. Regardless, she didn’t deserve a public flogging and firing her the second the team got back from it’s last loss would have amounted to that.
Anyone Cyanide Steve hires will look good at first because we have gone winless in conference for two years, but the guy hasn’t had a good hire in mire than 10 years. Look for a middling choice instead of the brass ring. Susie down the street is the brass ring.
I like the winner of the Syracuse, Michigan game to cut the nets when all is said and done. BUT BEWARE. Tom Creep Crean may cut ’em down anyway.
He does those sort of things!

Right on pittisit. Here’s a bold prediction, 10 years from now, when he’s anchoring a championship NBA defense and triggering 20 points a game on fast breaks like Russell and Cousy Adams will be far and away the greatest Pitt player; and all those other centers referenced will be forgotten.

Love the reading of body language. The owner operator of the greatest tennis school ever was an expert at reading body language. He watched the parents of candidates seeking admission into his program when the kids were hitting. If the dads crouched, putting painful pressure on their knees he figured the kid might get uptight also, especially on the 2 or 3 critical points.