Sorry about this being last minute. Late day and my turn to pick up my daughter from practice — which naturally ran even later.
The game is on WatchESPN/ACC Network Extra at 7pm.
Hopefully the struggles of the first game were just opening game nerves and working out some kinks. I’m trying to maintain optimism in the first week.
And this is yet another reason why I don’t gamble.
I think the last time I was as dead certain of a Pitt loss that wasn’t was the 13-9 game. If we want to go cliche, then “That’s why they play the game.”
It was a day when Pitt went on the national stage — this was a national ABC telecast, not regional — and made a statement.
When James Conner reminded everyone that he is a hell of a running back, and a lot more than just an inspiring story.
3:30 pm, ESPN.
This won’t be the normal open thread intro.
I haven’t had a lot (anything) to say this week about the game today. Mainly due to the fact that I don’t know what to say.
Not in a this team sucks, it always has sucked and always will suck kind of downer. It’s that Pitt right now has a glaring weakness that has not gotten better. That Clemson will completely exploit that weakness. That Clemson is a top team in the country with better players almost across the board to boot. I can’t envision a scenario that leads to a Pitt win.
Season opens tonight. It’s a game courtesy of the 2K Classic against Eastern Michigan. EMU is coached by a Jim Boeheim disciple, so plenty of 2-3 zone defense looks. Not to worry, though, because if there is one thing Pitt has had little problem with is the Syracuse zone and– Oh. Yeah. That was the other guy.
Okay, well, it’s Eastern Michigan. The… I was going to say Emus simply because it matches, but it is apparently the Eagles. A directional Michigan school in the MAC. How much risk can there be?
Oh. Picked for 1st or 2d in the MAC West division in various preseason pubs. Experience in the backcourt. A MAC Freshman of the year and 1st team All-MAC center.
Rough day yesterday. Bad news with Crisshawn Clark being announced out for the entire season.
The Pitt sophomore will miss the 2016-17 season with a torn MCL and torn meniscus in his left knee, the same knee in which he suffered an injury that forced him to miss all of last season at the junior college level. First-year Panthers coach Kevin Stallings said Tuesday it’s not known yet whether Clark also suffered a complete tear of his ACL.
“I’m really, really devastated for him because he had worked so hard to get back,” Stallings said. “Any time you see something like that happen, you hate it.”
The injury occurred Monday at Pitt’s practice on a non-contact play. He will undergo surgery at a yet-to-be-determined date to repair ligament and meniscus damage.
In the immediate aftermath of the setback, there’s no set timetable for Clark’s return and any larger impact the injury has on his future his uncertain.
“We’ll see what this means for him going forward,” Stallings said. “It certainly ends his season. What impact it has on his future, we’ll figure that out in due time. I’m disappointed for the team, but really disappointed for Crisshawn.”
The JUCO transfer was expected to be in the rotation at guard. He had a very good outside shot and would have fit well in Coach Stallings offense.
Sorry about the lack of open thread and Sunday posting. Last minute work stuff pulled me away all morning Saturday. By the time I got home, it was after 2pm. My wife was nice enough to DVR the game for me, which I had failed to do. Otherwise I would have missed out on having a glimmer of hope, before it was extinguished.
I can’t say I was expecting a win, but I wasn’t expecting that second half either.
To be fair, he did address it, but declared the topic dead to him going forward.
There was a laughable attempt to link Pitt coach Pat Narduzzi to the vacant Purdue job early in the week. It wasn’t by the media. Their only reference to Purdue was that reportedly the powers that be at Purdue were looking to go big on the hire and willing to make a financial commitment.
Basically, boilerplate stuff from the Boilermakers.
Good history with Miami is not something that can be recalled vividly. Since 1984, Pitt is 2-17 against the Hurricanes. With many, many blowouts. 11 of the losses by 20 points or more.
Miami has been in something of a talespin since their last-minute loss to FSU. Losing four straight. Mark Richt is having Al Golden-level success in his first season. On the flip side, you could say they are a lot like Pitt. Beating the teams they should beat, and losing to the better teams (and Notre Dame). Their losses are to VT, UNC, FSU and ND.
Pitt Head Coach Pat Narduzzi got a bit animated on the sidelines during the VT-Pitt game last Thursday. Seemed that the frustration with the secondary and that as a defensive-minded coach, calls for pass interference were going against only the defense, were really starting to bother him.
I didn’t really care about that part. Jim Harbaugh stalks the sideline like a maniac and goes bug-eyed on an official at the drop of a hat. You can see maniacal moments from coaches from the pros down to Pop Warner. When you are winning — Harbaugh — it’s the passion that is part of the key to your success. When you aren’t — Pelini — it’s being unable to control your emotions.
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