I know, football practices start in a couple days. But I have to do this one first, because it’s been turning over in my head for a while and then there was  great piece in The Athletic yesterday that put a bit of a bow on it.

Over last summer and fall, there were some pieces about the rebuild for Pitt under Jeff Capel. The stressed point was that the wins probably weren’t going to be there. The key was to see improvement.

With all of the potential difficulties this team may encounter, fans may wonder exactly what they should want from Capel’s first season as coach.

The answer is relatively simple. Pitt fans should just expect growth and improvement. They should root for a team that is tough, competitive and getting better each week, crafting the foundation of a culture that will pay off down the road.

I thought that was about right — even if changing/creating/crafting a “culture” is kind of a stock thing when a new coach takes over — for expectations. Maybe a few more wins in ACC play was presumed, but the season was about what could be expected.

(more…)

For the three of you still checking this site, no I didn’t shut it down.

Just forgot to pay the bill.

Spring and into summer tends to be very busy offline for me. It’s part of why what content I do still produce is down to practically zero by the time basketball season ends.

Well, I completely forgot/ignored that my hosting service came due at the end of May. I pay yearly because it’s a little cheaper then monthly, and I really dislike monthly subscriptions.

The account got suspended around the same time I was for all practical purposes, completely off the computer. When realization finally came, it’s when things went a little stranger.

I paid the bill but the lights didn’t get restored right away. Okay, fine. Wait a day or so. Still nothing. Check my account. It says the amount owed is zero. Look around the settings to see if there is something else that needs to be done. Nothing.

Finally. Head bowed. Drink at my side. I engage the customer service chat session.

After several go rounds, it is revealed that somehow my payment was applied as a pre-payment for next year. That I still owed for this year. Huh?

It all seemed completely absurd. I mean, I’m paying for a year of hosting — essentially in advance — and they put it towards the next year?

Naturally, that was above my chat-bot’s paygrade. So it had to be escalated and after another day. They turned the lights back on.

Now that the summer is in the final month. The kids have to head back to school. The oldest is applying to college for next year — yes, she is putting in her application to Pitt (no pressure, I swear)

Time to dust things off and start getting the words typed.