I knew Pitt had a lot of players getting some off-season surgery, but I didn’t know it was this many.
[Pitt Coach Jamie] Dixon, who has three players out with surgeries and at least five others recovering from previous surgeries or nagging injuries, said the changes to NCAA rules also played a part in the decision.
“The rules have changed to where you could only have two players from one college team on each of the summer league teams,” Dixon said. “That sort of made it difficult with only so many Division I players available to have the kind of competitive league you are looking for.
“Hopefully, it is something we can revisit for next year, but, for this year, it just didn’t seem like it was going to be able to work out.”
Josh Newkirk earlier followed by James Robinson and incoming transfer, Sterling Smith, recently had off-season surgies.
The upshot is that Pitt pulled out of participating in the Pittsburgh Basketball Club Summer Pro-Am, and the loss of Pitt led to an abrupt and disappointing cancellation of the Pro-Am.
“This is really a shame for the fans and the people who came out to watch the league and loved it,” [Club President John] Giammarco said. “But the reality is, the showcase program in town is Pitt and, because of a roster shortage and injuries, they basically took their ball and ran home, and that sent this into a tailspin.
“I understand it, but, at the same time, I have a hard time with the idea that you let seven or eight players affect a whole lot of other players who wanted to play. I can tell you that the disappointment from fans and some players and the feedback I am getting is best described as toxic.”
I get that Pitt is a centerpiece of the Pro-Am, but I am mildly surprised the whole thing collapsed. It’s not like ticket sales paid for this. The Pro-Am had no problem when WVU had to pull out for a year.
The problem is that WVU pulled out earlier, and Robert Morris was limited because night classes for players over the summer conflicted with the schedule. Essentially, the Pro-Am was rather shaky this year and Pitt’s inability to participate was the final straw.
“The league had a great run. It’s a blow to the basketball community in Western Pennsylvania,” Giammarco said. “Pitt is banged up. When you lose the Pitt players, you lose a lot of support.
“You’ve got wobbly wheels without Pitt.”
I’m not privy to how it works completely, but the fallout is that the Pro-Am appears kaput for good.
Giammarco has put a lot of time, blood and effort into doing work for basketball in Western Pennsylvania — and especially the Pro-Am every year. He feels more than a little betrayed by Dixon letting him know this late that Pitt would not participate.
“Pitt has so many injuries, but this isn’t the way you do things, a few days before it starts,” Giammarco said. “I stared working on this last October, securing dates and gyms. This isn’t something I pulled together last week.”
A total of eight teams were scheduled to play at Montour High School. Giammarco, who also operates a high school summer league, said he will step down as Pro-Am director.
“I’m sure somebody else will try to do it,” Giammarco said. “We had an amazing run. It’s time for somebody else to take the baton. I’ve done all I can.”
Losing Giammarco to run the Pro-Am is a big blow. It will be tough to find someone else willing to do the work.
From the Pitt/Dixon side of things, it seems that the fact that players were recovering from injuries slower than expected forced the decision at this late a time. Considering Dixon has been a big proponent and supporter (as much as NCAA rules can allow) of the Pro-Am, I am certain he did not want to see it shut down.
In other stuff, there seems to be some sort of hold-up on graduate transfer Rafael Maia.
Dixon said he thinks they are all issues that can be worked through but as of right now he isn’t able to enroll. This would be a big blow for the Panthers as he is expected to be a serious candidate to start at center but again, there is still plenty of time to get the issues resolved.
It is reportedly academic related. Raise your hand if you thought that a transfer from Brown University would have the problems as opposed to Richmond or Coppin State. Liar.
Former Pitt center Ontario Lett was coaching in the JUCO ranks, including new Panther Rozelle Nix. It has been an open rumor that is now confirmed. Lett is joining Pitt’s staff as a graduate assistant.
Former Panthers player Ontario Lett has been hired as a Graduate Assistant coach. Lett has a great personality, he has been coaching at the junior college that produced Rozelle Nix (Pensacola State JC) and Dixon said he will work primarily with the big men. So this should provide a nice boost for the coaching staff as Lett will be a good ambassador for the program and a good mentor for the players.
Well, I didn’t think he’d be coaching up the guards.
Pitt’s schedule is usually late in coming and this year is no exception. It is known that Pitt has the game in Japan against Gonzaga to open the season. They play Davidson at MSG in the Gotham Classic. There’s the City Game with Duquesne, and Pitt hosts Purdue in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge.
Pitt is trying to secure a major conference home-and-home game. The opportunity should be there if Pitt is willing to play on the road this year. It would also make sense from the perspective of next year Pitt will be on the road for the ACC/Big Ten Challenge. This would set them up for a major conference foe at the Pete for three straight years.
Roxelle Nix has worked his ass off to get in shape and on Twitter he seems pumped to be here. But Pensacola CC is a big difference from the ACC. Not sure what kind of contribution can be expected from him?
I hope Dixon can right this ship. New AD Barnes has a basketball backround and no allegiance to Jamie. We shall see…
Sam Werner ? @SWernerPG
That came from a wide-ranging 40-minute interview just completed with Barnes. I’ll tweet out some other notes as I transcribe. #Pitt
Sam Werner ? @SWernerPG
Barnes said #PennState is “a priority” while #WVU is “an important factor” when it comes to future #Pitt schedules.
Sam Werner ? @SWernerPG
#Pitt AD Scott Barnes also says he has “started conversations” with #WVU AD Shane Lyons about resuming Backyard Brawl.
Sam Werner ? @SWernerPG
New #Pitt AD Scott Barnes says #PennState AD Sandy Barbour was his first call upon taking the job to ensure future of football series.
Barnes on ‘Sweet Caroline’: “That’s a pretty good tradition. We just need to keep those students there after they sing it.” #Pitt
Sam Werner ? @SWernerPG
#Pitt AD Scott Barnes on school’s fan engagement: “I don’t think we’ve listened to them as well as we need to.”
Sam Werner ? @SWernerPG
Barnes says #Pitt has already received over 350 applications for “Panther Fan Experience Committee.” Application went live yesterday.
failure to recruit HS players & develop them as was JD MOA in past has doomed them.
circling the drain….
This was before the injuries.
Still more, where are we?
Jamie has jumped the shark, we need someone that can recruit top talent.
Holy flip, Pat-man…
link to usatoday.com
Maurice Ffrench.
Yes, two F’s!!
Speedy wide out from Jersey, no eye-opener other teams offering or anything. Rutgers and Maryland offered maybe??
Lots of “interest” from Mich St, Miami, Auburn among others, but they had not offered yet.
Hey, get a foot back in Jersey.
Although, as Bowling Green, totally unconfirmed, I’m just going off some guy on Twitter.
Pitt needs to find a way to keep the elite WP players at home – others do it in lesser conferences. Hamlin, Wheeler, Hudsom, Pugh and Sanders. Mix in a 4 star WR from OH, DE Gilbert from NC, DL Polite and McCrary from FL.
Need two more to complete a fine class.
Thinking it may be WR Ruben Flowers out of Lima, Ohio
Dixon has trouble recruiting and his players are beginning to be a mixed bag as far as progressing or regressing. Dixon needs to go and Cornhole isn’t around to protect him anymore. Dixon reached his ceiling years ago. I don’t see the upside.
That would give HCPN 3 four stars, 13 three stars and 1 two star – nice first class.
Dreaming while I wait for the much anticipated 2015 season to start.
HTP!
#412Crew
Athlete from New Jersey. No stars on 247 and Rivals. Had offers from Villanova, Army, Buffalo, and Pitt.
Franklin>Nard Dog
Nard Dog>Franklin
Pat Narduzzi ?@CoachDuzzPittFB · 6m6 minutes ago ? Pennsylvania, USA
PITT IS IT! #H2P Double Play!
Pat Narduzzi ?@CoachDuzzPittFB · 5h5 hours ago ? Pittsburgh, PA
PITT IS IT! #H2P
maybe it’s French and Flowers or maybe Mathews?
Hot damn, things are gettin’ serious for the Nard Dog and the Panthers.
One site had him 50/50 between Wisky and Ohio State.
ND, Michigan were recruiting, but had not offered. A bunch of other teams offered and or recruiting him.
This is a big time recruit!!
Screw me and eff me too.
I thought the Tweet I saw was official Pitt, just some guy with “Hail to Pitt” in his handle.
Maybe it will still end up being Flowers, but what I took for “official” is just some guy.
My apologies. Damn me and damn these old eyes!!
Sorry.
PITT IS IT! #H2P Double Play!
Flowers looks like an extremely good pickup.
Always like 6’4″ WR’s that can run.
H2P !
VeV !
Of course the Pitt Script was named one of CFB’s best historical uniforms by NFL. com link to bit.ly #H2P
nattering nabobs of negativism re: Pitt hoops you guys
are pathetic.
Plus the new recruit stutters. (I can make that joke – I had a terrible stuttering problem when I was a kid)
Flowers has some pretty non-descript offers as a 4* recruit. As much as we all hate to actually say this out loud but when PITT is the kids best offer it just seems shaky. What we all HOPE is that soon if a kid gets a PITT offer it will be as valued as we look at some other big time football school’s are.
An article of Rivals has this headline “Buckeyes turn up the heat on Flowers”.
However the reality of the situation is this…
“Things are still in the early stages in his recruitment by Ohio State with no offer immediately on the horizon, but with coaches checking in on Flowers at school and then requesting to see him again in camp, things can heat up here very quickly.”
All that the OSU staff did was visit his school and offer a camp, that means virtually nothing.
“Big Time” recruits get solid scholarship offers from schools like ND, OSU, Michigan, etc… who really want the player WAY before this point in the recruiting game. That’s just a fact.
We need receivers, so OK, but please find more big guys and linebackers.
would end up.
I didn’t even get that right. They say it’s
50/50 between Michigan State and Ohio State.
I did mention that those other schools were recruiting but had not offered, which means they are covering their ass, in case their main target falls through.
Yes, we need to beat some of these teams out for recruiting to really take off, but I do like the fact that a lot of big schools are interested in him and aware of him.
I still think it would be a big get for us, at least at this time in the beginning of HCPN and staffs tenure.
Now that I’m awake, I really don’t see anywhere linking him to Pitt.
Another site says he’s going to Kentucky!!
LOL
I’m not looking at Twitter late at night ever again!!! At least until I get glasses which should have been 5 years ago!!! LOL
I don’t know where that guy with “Hail to Pitt” in his handle pulled that from.
field logo’s for now on!!! LOL
The only time to pay attention to 247 predictions is right before someone plans to announce, and there are national writers involved.
It’s
There are noticable holes in the 2015 squad but guys like Artis, Young and Jones are not scrubs. Five new players, even if some are transfers (which apparently equates to “worthless” here), will change the chemistry of the team dramatically. Might be “too little, too late” for some of you but Wilson could be a stud.
I’m a Dixon loyalist, but I do agree he’s on a short leash for the next couple years. However I don’t doubt his coaching ability. Recruiting needs a boost, a big one, but as much as that’s on Jamie it’s also on Barnes to pay and keep a good assistant. It sucks that Rowan and Heron decommitted, but at one point they were coming here, so this idea that Jamie can never, ever, ever get a four or five star is just stupid hyperbole.
I also think yinz lose the frame of reference of how sickeningly good we were for a decade plus. Our wins and stats seriously make no sense in context to the program’s history. On the real, we overachieved and now things are normalizing a bit, but that doesn’t mean it’s all downhill until Dixon leaves.
And after losing to the worst team in the ACC, that being VT and then another bad one in Wake Forest, they didn’t deserve to be in the tourney regardless.
As far as the transfers, the best one of the lot, is not eligible as I post this. One of the other ones, Smith, needs surgery.
What is kind of alarming, is besides signing on, less than stellar transfers, now we’ve had 2 years in a row, where even the transfers signing on, are coming to Pitt…..injured.
And the point about Rowan & Heron is irrelevant, as who cares if they were committed at one time. Bottom line is, they aren’t coming. And lots of folks were really pointing to those two, as the hope for Dixon to reverse the obvious decline in the program. (which btw, some folks still won’t admit to)
And hopefully Wilson will be given lots of PT, instead of languishing on the bench behind a senior transfer and a senior below average PG.
down the stretch. I think there are too many problems to be fixed anytime soon.
Dokish retweeted:
Jeremy Tepper: “Any concerns about Brown transfer Rafael Maia not being able to enroll are no more, as Maia arrived at Pitt a week ago and is eligible.”
So that puts AD Barnes in a tough spot. He doesn’t have a ton of leverage with Jamie. If I’m him, I try to develop a trust relationship with Jamie. Try to find some common ground on goals and a vision for the program.
Back in the late 2000’s Pitt had a “brand”. The recruiting area’s, the assistant coaches, the league they played in, the style of play and type of players they wanted (and got) all seemed to fit.
That all changed a few years ago, for a lot of reasons (success, loss of Slice, move from the big east to ACC, a foray into one and done, and a couple recruiting misses).
Pitt needs to establish a brand again. They need to be able to identify, recruit and develop players that fit that brand. They need to establish a geographical base and feeder system for talent.
If I’m Barnes and I believe Jamie has the vision and the plan, I give him a ton of resources ($$$$) to hire top notch assistants, a big recruiting budget for “consultants” and whatever else he needs. But if I don’t think he has the vision or the ability to execute it, I give the money to football and let him die on the vine until the buyout becomes affordable and then I bring in my own guy.
I personally don’t think Jamie is the guy to lead the rebuild – rebrand. He doesn’t have the communication skills and the salesmanship needed. We’re probably looking at mediocrity for three, four, five more years.
If Maia can’t make it. I believe the St John’s center has re-declared his intent to transfer