Well, as the day already starts getting late, and not even the hint of a late day press conference. I think it is safe to say that Pitt will not be announcing the next head coach for at least another day. I do expect that Pitt will have the announcement no later than Friday? Why? Cynical timing.

They definitely want it done before Christmas. They also want to be able to do the standard press conference and then have the new coach show up at the Wagner-Pitt basketball game on Friday night on ESPNU. Speak to the fans. Maybe get a few minutes on the national broadcast. Pitt has done it before — both Graham and Wannstedt showed up at the next basketball game. It’s standard for most schools, and I think Pitt could really use it.

But all reports are that it isn’t going to be today. From FootballScoop.com (h/t Scott):

Sources tell us Mario Cristobal is meeting with Pitt officials today…and plans to meet with FIU administration after (possibly not until tomorrow). We’ll keep you posted.

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So much of this backlash (not all, but it sure gets tossed out there a lot) against the possibility of Mario Cristobal being named head coach at Pitt seems driven by the fact that reports say he is legitimately weighing the options of moving up the coaching ladder and money versus moving his family,  leaving his hometown, a job he is doing well and has solid relationships with his bosses. I’m not sure how this is considered a negative other than some of the usual provincialism that people in Pittsburgh display at time over anyone who doesn’t profess absolute love for the ‘Burgh and fully embraces it.

As has been pointed out in the comments, a lot of this seems to be driven by the fact that FraudGraham bolted. And part of the spin — the spin — was that he and his family never felt comfortable to not liking Pittsburgh. How dare they insult the ‘Burgh!

This is spin people. This is the absolute bullshit that a piece of excrement put out there to rationalize his actions. To hide behind “what’s best for his family” to chase the money. Stop buying into it. You are looking like idiots.

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Never bought the possibility. Just did not see Chancellor Nordenberg signing off on Jim Tressel. The cover-up. So much plausible deniability that it is hard to deny. The undercurrent of fans, though, that somehow figured that if Tressel only got one-year show cause it was a possibility. However implausible.

That can die as the NCAA handed out its penalties on Ohio State and Jim Tressel.

You can read about the Ohio State penalties — 4 lost scholarships per year for the next 3 years, and a postseason ban for 2012-13.

For Jim Tressel, it is the end. He was hit with a 5-year Show Cause penalty.

He’s not coaching anywhere. No school is taking a chance on hiring him only to find out that the NCAA rejects him.

Don’t feel that the likely top-3 candidates for Pitt aren’t local enough? Worried that Teryl Austin lacks that real head coaching experience? Want that head coach with a fine, fine stache? Then apparently Pitt may be interviewing that guy.

A source said that 49ers defensive line coach Jim Tomsula either will interview or already has interviewed for the job as the University of Pittsburgh’s head coach.

…

Tomsula replaced the fired Mike Singletary last year for the season finale in St. Louis. Tomsula is also highly regarded by the 49ers and his players. 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh said players and coaches try to get on bus three while going to the airport. That’s the bus Tomsula always sits on, and players and coaches feed off his energy and humor.

Jim Tomsula is from West Homestead and even coached the D-line at Woodland Hills for a year. Local ties, check.

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Man, I’m really enjoying this coaching search.  I mean it.  It is fun to read all the rumors and hear all the BS from people who act like they actually know something, someone, or some such.

The best part is reading all our commenter’s thoughts on who they like or dislike and why.  There are a lot of strong opinions on here and good justifications for those opinions.

As of this morning there seems to be only three viable candidates remaining… with a smattering of other names popping up here and there.  Let’s look at the top three guys.

We have Mario Cristobal, the head coach of FIU who seems to be the young up and comer.  We have Luke Fickell, the ex-DC who took over the reins of a scandal ridden OSU and kept anymore bad things from happening at least.  Then there is Paul Chryst, the OC from Wisconsin and Mr. Personality himself.

Here are my impressions of the Holy Trinity so far. (more…)

There was a pleasant  attack on Fraud Graham (Yes, I would like to make that one stick) from the Steelers.

The Steelers practically threw a party when they heard that Pitt coach Todd Graham quit. That goes from the top to the bottom, from those who work in the offices to the coaches and every-day workers who came into contact with Graham and his staff in the building.

They described Graham as an arrogant man who had no use for anything the Steelers might have offered, and they say he resented having to share the building and the indoor practice field at the UPMC complex with them.

Before Graham, the Panthers and the Steelers ate in the same cafeteria, although at different times. Graham came in and put an end to that. The cooks at the cafeteria still prepare the food for the Panthers, but it is then brought over to the other side of the building, where Pitt created its own cafeteria to serve Graham’s players and his wishes.

Instead of embracing the advantages that an association with the Steelers might bring, Graham rejected them, even if there was little he could do about the shared facilities. That really came down to just sharing the indoor practice field and the parking lots because everything else is separate, including weight rooms, outdoor practice fields, locker rooms, etc. It’s one building, but it’s really two, like a big duplex.

I admit, I don’t understand the resentment. Other than the fact that just about every college football headcoach has at least a touch of “little dictator” in him and hates the idea of not controlling everything.

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Sorry, kind of had to take a “if you go near the computer I will kill you” day on orders from the wife. Something about the way I have ignored everyone and everything since Wednesday. Has it really only been since Wednesday around noon when all this craziness started? Seems so much longer.

Anyways, by all accounts Mario Cristobal is anywhere from the leading candidate to a done deal (h/t to Scott and several others) — but for the bowl game.

We have learned that Pitt offered the job to Mario Cristobal last night. Cristobal, we are told, asked that they pause the discussions until after FIU’s bowl game (Tuesday night). Class move.

Yes, see how well that worked out for John L. Smith and Louisville when the ESPN crawl announced he was leaving for Michigan St. during the Cards bowl game.

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I feel bad for a fair amount of Arizona State fans. They are in a tough spot. It seems more than a few are less than enamored with the hiring of Todd Graham and how Graham bolted Pitt. But here’s the thing. ASU is their school. It’s their team. They can’t really root for Graham to fail. They want their team to win. Graham is the guy that is now in charge of making it happen. He’s their guy. Now they have to talk themselves into it. And the majority will.

They will swallow the spin that Graham really does want to be in Arizona. That he is a good person who loves his family, players and god. That it is his “dream job.” Just as Rice and Tulsa were. That it really was just a timing conflict that had him not face the players. Or that he was stopped by Pitt from meeting with them. That the Graham’s really were never truly happy in Pittsburgh.

Graham wouldn’t go into details but said his family had a terrible time in Pittsburgh. And maybe Graham’s personality and high-octane salesmanship will make him the perfect solution for the complex competitive landscape in Tempe.

Details can be difficult when you are making shit up. Or in the alternative, lying — both Todd and Penni Graham — the entire time. Your choice, which way to go.

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I’ll get to some media stuff in a bit. Right now I’m waiting for some new tires to be put on my car. Yeah, on top of Graham bolting yesterday, in-laws came for a visit through the end of the week and I got a flat. Yesterday was just so much fun.

So while I’m killing time, I might as well list the coaches I would be pleased to see Pitt hire and the ones that there is no way in hell they will touch.

It isn’t detailed. I just haven’t had a chance to go deep into guys yet.

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Oh, what a day.

It has been hard to keep up. Exactly a week too late for this crap to start going down. Too much stuff coming to a head, and now this again? Okay, let me apologize in advance for the expected lack of coherence. It has just been too chaotic and too insane today.

I am a natural cynic. Just the way I have always been. Not sure how or why. I just am. Being lucky enough to have had a few years writing at the now defunct AOL FanHouse gave me the opportunity to observe many turns on the college coaching carousel. Everything from Dana Altman taking the Arkansas job and then running back to Creighton. Lane Kiffin napalming Tennessee. Yet, this one even blew me away.

Yet the Tennessee-Kiffin-USC situation is probably the closest parallel. You had a brash coach. One who critics would say was much more style over substance. Makes radical change to the program. Lots of people affected.  And for the most part the fans went with it because it may be a time to shake things up a bit more. A guy who struggled in the first year as the players transition to a new style. But at the same time, there’s hope because of the recruiting class that is coming.

Then the abrupt bailing — taking almost all of the new staff he brought in with him to leave a crater. Yet, somehow, as much as the “Fall of Saigon” chaos that ensued when Kiffikins bailed. He had the balls to speak to the players directly to tell them he was leaving, and to at least pay false lipservice to the media.

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I’m stunned. Truly.

It’s not that I buy into worship of a coach. I also don’t expect blind loyalty or to expect Pitt to be everyone’s dream job. I just never expected that Graham would bolt after only 1 season. Let alone having him take off after a 6-6 season.

Class all the way:

Pitt’s players were informed in a statement from Graham that was sent via text by assistant athletic director/football operations Blair Philbrick.

“I have resigned my position at Pitt in the best interest of my family to pursue the head coaching position at Arizona State,” Graham said. “Coaching there has always been a dream of ours and we have family there. The timing of the circumstances have prohibited from telling you this directly. I now am on my way to Tempe to continue those discussions. God Bless. Coach Graham.”

According to Paul Zeise’s tweet, when the DickRod assistants bolted, Graham called them “mercenaries.”

Right now, they are looking a lot better than Todd Graham.

I’m just hoping he gets June Jones’d at the last minute.

Feel free to vent. I’ll be drinking in a corner.

Well Pitt is heading to Birmingham and the big discussion point is Dave Wannstedt. Wait. Is this 2011 or 2010?

Now let’s get this out of the way. I like Dave Wannstedt. I know he cares deeply about Pitt. I know he desperately wanted this to work. He wanted to win and win big at his alma mater. In his home turf. He wanted to be coaching Pitt for a good 10 to 15 more years. It hurt him terribly to be fired by Pitt. Especially since he never saw it coming.

I also know he cares deeply about the players that he recruited on this Pitt team. Not Jerry Sandusky or Bernie Fine deeply, but he cared.

There comes a point, though, where he has to either stop talking or be nice. What he did yesterday was more pointed, but similar to the stuff he has been doing since leaving Pittsburgh to coach linebackers for the Buffalo Bills. I’ve tried to avoid it because it should be in the past, and I had hoped that someone would tell him that he is making himself look bad. Clearly that isn’t happening.

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After two liveblogs, a 12 hour binge of college football and basketball, and a minor case of alcohol poisoning. I had to take Sunday away from the computer and TV. Something about family time. That always ends well. Add in the fact that my phone choked on an operating system update — sending it into perpetual reboot — and I am feeling quite deaf and blind for the next couple of days until the replacement arrives.

Well, Pitt is heading back to Birmingham for the BBVA Bowl and will face SMU. Present (soon enough to be past) Big East versus future. I noted yesterday that the one advantage for Pitt of getting sent to Birmingham for a bowl: no one expects any fanbase to travel for a bowl in Birmingham. Factor in that Pitt played in it last year, and it should be quite the local crowd. More good news, Pitt basketball doesn’t have a game the same day this year.

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All peaceful on the football front this week. I like to think that it is a purposeful calm. Devote all healing energies to Lucas Nix. Put Tino Sunseri in a zen (or semi-hypnotic) state where he can breathe and re-establish that mind-body connection so he doesn’t forget all the things he is supposed to do — set the feet; get rid of the ball before the count of 3; and never, ever attempt a pass longer than 15 yards. Meanwhile, Greg Gaskins is looking in a mirror repeating the following over and over, “I’m a good offensive lineman. I’m good enough for the Big East. I really can pass block. And goshdarnit, Tino likes seeing me on the line.”

Aaron Donald gets a puff piece as he has emerged as a force on the D-line. Now leading the team in tackles for loss, sacks and QB hurries.

Randolph, like Graham, said Donald still needs to work on his technique and fundamentals but, along with his natural ability, his work ethic and his intensity almost ensure that he is going to be successful against any offensive line.

“Aaron has done about everything I’ve asked him to do,” Randolph said. “We wanted him to work on his fundamentals and as you can see now with his production. His fundamentals have gotten better and it shows up on game day. His work ethic and his mindset and his natural ability — he just makes plays.

“When I look for guys to recruit in the future, I’m looking for guys like Aaron Donald with that first step, that explosiveness and, on top of that, the violence in him is what I really like,” Randolph said.

“He enjoys playing the game and, to me, he is kind of a throwback. He is an old-school guy, but his first step, his attitude and temperament — those things are what make him such an explosive player.”

Donald was humble/media savvy enough to deflect a lot of credit to his teammates on the D-line.

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(I’m sure Chas will have something to say on this matter also but I wanted to get this up while events are unfolding.)

The news that broke in the middle of Pennsylvania this week should have shocked no one.  The child abuse issues with Jerry Sandusky had been reported as early as 1998, with subsequent reporting on the convening of a PA State Grand Jury almost two years ago.

We pretty much all knew that some sort of charges would be leveled. What was surprising was the extent and boldness of Sandusky’s crimes and the blatant misdirection and covering of facts by the Penn State athletic department, campus police chain of command and the university’s administration, up to and including President Spanier.

For those of us who have been living under a rock for the past week here is a reference page from the Pgh Post-Gazette that has links to articles covering this story.

For those of you who have the stomach for it here is a copy of the aforementioned Grand Jury Report.  I really mean it about the warning – what you will read in there can literally make you sick to your stomach.  Not just the physical actions conducted by Sandusky, but the decision making by everyone involved with this at PSU.

From a janitor who witnessed Sandusky in action, to Mike McQueary, who saw the most heinous of crimes against humanity play out in a locker room shower, through Coach Paterno, Tim Curley the AD, Gary Schultz who is a university Vice-President and oversaw the campus police and on to the University’s President, there was a turning of a blind eye to what is the most basic responsibility of an adult… the protection of our children.

Not one person either stopped the crime being committed or reported the incidents to the local civic authorities.  That is unbelievable, truly unbelievable, for the rest of America to understand.

Their moral compasses pointed directly to Penn State University and never once wavered.  (more…)