Very grateful that my father and brother-in-law keep stocked bars with some truly excellent bourbons and scotch. Though, I’m pretty sure I’d be drinking any rotgut when Saturday night went to hell.
I don’t know what to say. I was keeping my expectations low, simply because looking at the landscape of college basketball and the coaches out there. I just didn’t see any homerun hires. Solid ones? Sure. Medium risk, high reward? Even that. But this? Never saw it coming.
As usual Pitt kept a tight lid on things until the very end. And oh, what an end.
Kevin Stallings will have a short leash. Let’s set that out now. Fans will give him a chance because the alternative is wishing failure for your own school and team. And while there are a few people that are that vindictive, spiteful and wanting to be right more than anything else; I don’t think most fans are that way.
And he even has a chance to have a good first year. It’s still a solid nucleus of talent. Damon Wilson had his development stalled by injury and NCAA eligibility questions over the summer, but he is still in line to be a starter at PG. It’s the question of what comes next.
At the same time, he vastly underachieved with this team. A team that many pegged as a darkhorse Final Four team, barely squeaked into the tournament and quickly bowed out. A team that has talent, but never looked that good for any consistent stretch.
AD Steve Barnes. The honeymoon is officially over. I can’t say his fate his fully tied to Stallings, but it is intertwined. With this move, trust and blind faith is not going to be present. If Stallings doesn’t even match later years Dixon, it will get ugly fast.
Even worse than simply the hiring of Stallings may be the perception of how this was a full-on crony move.
The search firm Pitt hired to assist in the search was Collegiate Sports Associates (CSA). The founder and president of CSA is Todd Turner. Turner was also the former AD at Vanderbilt (1996-2003) and hired Kevin Stallings at Vandy. Turner then went to Washington (2004-2008). While AD at Washington, he hired Scott Barnes as Deputy AD.
There has always been a very crony-buddy situation with search firms and administrators. Often some sort of relationship is there between the particular search firm and the AD who hires them. Sometimes it is because the search firm that helped place the present AD at that school. College basketball writers Jeff Goodman (ESPN) and Gary Parrish (CBS Sports) have written about these situations for years. Nothing gets changed because the system is inherently self-serving up to and including the university presidents.
But this was so blatant. And the move raised so many eyebrows. A move that could be considered dripping contemptuousness towards the fanbase. Where the dots were so visibly obvious and connected immediately.
To hire a coach who by all accounts was on the verge of being fired at the former school. Who had exhausted not only fan/alumni patience, but administrative patience. To fall ass-backwards to Pitt and a six-year contract? When you hired the search firm that essentially hired you in a big spot?
To say that the move was met with skepticism, is not merely an understatement. It’s not even true. This move was met with such hostility and anger. Not even because there was an overinflated belief in the desirability of the job. It’s that the move makes no sense.
This tweet sums it up:
Kevin Stallings is a good coach. #Vanderbilt has a nice program. #PittBasketball made a bad choice.
If the feeling that Jamie Dixon was on the downward slide, then a coach that has made the NCAA Tournament once in the last 4 years (last four in) is what?
You can make the claim that he ticked off a lot of boxes for Barnes:
- Experienced coach
- Power conference head coach
- Schedules a tougher non-con
- Tempo was faster than Jamie Dixon’s team
- We’ll give him an edge on recruiting
Yet, it was still a bad move. The upside is not at all obvious or believable. Even the biggest haters of Dixon cannot honestly say that this was a move that speaks of improvement.
Unsurprisingly, Pitt’s present recruiting class is in question. Justice Kithcart has reopened his recruitment. As has Corey Manigault.
Kithcart may still recommit. Vandy also recruited him and they were in his top-five, so there is a chance. BUT Kithcart had a great senior year. His stock rose significantly and he is now the best PG recruit on the market. He’s going to have a lot of big offers late.
I look forward to the introductory press conference because there are so, so many questions. I’m not sure any answer will be satisfying for the fans from Barnes or Stallings.
The news just keep getting better everyday with Pitt basketball.
Maybe we can get some more eligibility for Alonzo Ododo and bring Tyrone Haughton back.
Since 2010, we have had 5 major hirings at Pitt and the best of the lot by far was not by the AD but by the Pitt Admin. Go figure!
This is kind of like the seven fumble first half, a new Pitt record in futility, the Beat Goes On.
They got HCPN to put out a damage control statement trying to prop up Stallings…
I have no such sympathy for Barnes. He looked right into the Pitt faithful and blew us all the middle finger. Complete BS on everything he said out loud. Where is the famous “list’ he had in his back pocket? He might have a freaking grocery list for his dinner that night – but that’s about it.
This is not going to end well. Recruits are leaving, honeymoon is over, and you have some real pissed off Pitt clientele. I’m guessing Stallings has one year – this up coming year – to make it to the Sweet 16. I’m sure we will all sit around and watch out of pure curiosity to see what happens. After that – Barnes will turn into Pederson 2.0 in the eyes of the fans.
Good luck Stallings, you’re going to need it.
Congrats. Losers.
I am thinking the Miller’s aren’t the only coaches that turned down invites.
I’d rather have Stallings than taking a shot at lower level gambles like Howland and Willard were.
Sure John, blame the fans for the incompetence at the top. This is like the Browns picking Johnny Football, a 5 % chance of success.
All coaching changes especially in basketball cause recruits to rethink their commitment.
What is wrong with Pitt basketball fans?! good lord, guys.
Let me hear who Pitt should have hired. Don’t bitch like a little school girl about a problem without giving a solution.
…and be realistic. I heard on here for years how the Millers are the greatest and Pitt should hire them. Well, that f-ing worked out didn’t it?
No one on here knows who turned Pitt down. We will never know. So don’t make comments like you have inside scoop.
UALR’s Coach.
Wojo, Hurley,
Any Assistants espcially the one that left Dixon and is doing well. Not Barry but the orher one.
Some of these fans are like Trump supporters “We need to make America/Pitt great again!! Despite that the country/program is still (even with some issues) in pretty much better shape than it has ever been in its entire history!”.
Pitt is out in force trying to spin this.
Upitt…I knew you would list names, LOL.
I would have been more pissed if they hired an assistant.
I don’t like the hire but honestly, I don’t see Pitt doing much better after they got publicly turned down by two hometown guys.
I also didn’t see the USC guy or Drew wanting to come here. Pitt isn’t at the same level it was when it was winning BE championships.
Will Barnes acknowledge 99.5 % of anyone fans or media hate this hire?
Will he say 4 people told us no?
This was all about unloading Dixon’s salary and paying this guy 2m. Gallagher loves this 5-8M savings. Pitt Basketball
To use Herman’s analogy is off the house and 75 yards in the woods by the Sulphar Creek.
With all due respect John and Rocket you remind me of today’s college students who cry foul at any opinion that is not their own – it traumatizes and scares them. Pitt fans have a right to complain, it is guaranteed by the First Amendment which gives all a right to express their own opinions. I have posted repeatedly that the Miller family would spurn Pitt but that doesn’t mean I have to be satisfied with the pick or the back door maneuverings via Mr. Todd Turner et al. I respectfully suggest you go to your “safe zone” if that’s what you young ones call it and curl into a fetal position. Point fingers at those you disagree with if that makes you happy, I can take it. That is Free Speech.
I hope KS does well but it’s my right to bitch. Hail to Pitt.
ps Your conclusion that those on Twitter calling for the team to leave is a huge leap in logic, especially as I have seen concern here but no such calls. Get a grip my fellow Pitt friends.
LET’S GO PITT. Good luck KS and Pitt BB, even though the facts surrounding this hire are questionable.
Talk to you guys later. Let us know who wins the AD Catch phrases bet. I’m .19 seconds.
This will
Be said. When the opportunity presentated itself to get a coach on Kevin Stallings level we moved quick. This really is a win-win! Then talk of his NBA talent that aberages leas than 1.3 points a game.
When we are a laughingstock in the National and local media, something is dramatically wrong. When have you ever seen this before?
This is not a select few that are always hyperbolic, this is Zeise and Tossing Thabeets who are almost always supportive and level headed.
Sure there is over the top reaction, and venom, but taking this lying down just means you have given up and don’t care.
Dixon was paid very well.
Really a good time to bring that up… Not!
They are tying to BULLSHIT us that his is great hire. Sorry I’m not buying.
I hear people bitch all day at work but when asked on how improve what they don’t like they are clueless and have zero ideas.
People bitch to hear themselves.
I agree that no coaching hire would have been perfect and without criticism. But the vast majority find little redeeming value in this hire. This was the low risk low reward hire. The play it safe hire, that has backfired into a PR nightmare.
I am absolutely certain that Barnes and Gallagher wish they could have a redo. They have to be shocked by the reaction and regret the decision. This is not how anyone would want to introduce their next coach. The face of the program, and a top representative of the University.
So don’t say that we are overreacting to this dramatically bad situation. They are in a PR damage control situation of their own making.
So Barnes F-ed himself there.
Pitt basically hired Jamie Dixon’s coaching twin. Obviously, not his identical twin.
Pitt is going to run and gun. The running rebel’s of the ACC.
Stallings (aka Dollar Bill) will be the ACC coach of the year.
Pitt makes the Elite 8
Young and Artis are NBA picks
Barnes is the grand marshal of the St. Patty Day parade.
It’s all good!
These are telling words from a Trib-Review article:
“Stallings was rumored to be on the hot seat and a candidate to be fired by the Vanderbilt administration as recently as a few days ago.
Fans and even national media reacted harshly on Twitter when Stallings’ name surfaced late Saturday as a possible candidate.
Sporting News columnist Mike DeCourcy called the move “ludicrous.””
What was Barney thinking when he went down this road?
It’s live on the FAN 93.7 Pittsburgh
They have to do something to help this guy win right away…
#4? To Stallings ” you said you want to get to a final 4… Last
Time I looked, you could have gotten there at Vandy.. What’s the deal??”
Coach S now stuttering and bumbling. Seems totally shocked by the tone and questions.
~ notrocketscience – the attempted spin from the douche bag barne’s camp probably weirdo son Nate
Both of you get the F’ out of here, this is a complete disaster
Basketball coach’s contract while stumbling through quick fix but questionable character football coaches. I’m not thrilled with Coach Stallings but his character is unquestionable. As a longtime Pitt fan I’m going to hold my judgement for what he does from now on. Keeping the recruits as well as Coach Knight would go a long way.
For now I’m Pissed. H2P
The Fans, Knight, and Players get screwed.
Hopefully, MY guess is in 2 years they run this guy out of town and bring in a real coach as they
enter the market each season.
