UPDATE: The tip-off for Pitt-OSU is now 2:50. Liveblog will be pushed to 2:45.

It’s the Cowboys of Oklahoma State and Pitt. Pitt and OK State have met twice since the 2004 Sweet Sixteen game, and I’m still bitter.  Just setting up the placeholder. Everything will be ready to go by 2:30 for The game is on ESPN2 for the CarQuest Auto Care Classic.

No time at the moment to put everything together. Things that need to be done to placate the family so that the 2 hours or so of this game are given to me in some relative form of peace.

Oklahoma St. has been predicted to be middle-of-the-pack in the Big 12. They have a potential one-and-done in LeBryan Nash. They are off to a 6-2 start. Both losses came at Madison Square Garden in the NIT Tip-Off. Yes, this is the third game that OSU will have played at MSG in their first 9.

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It’s a rematch from last year’s SEC/Big East Challenge. Only the event has been rejiggered so that there are 12 games at actual home arenas rather than sterile, semi-neutral sites.

Pitt and Tennessee at 5:15 on ESPN.

Pitt has had all of two days to prepare for this game and being without Travon Woodall. Who will get the start in his place? How will the minutes be divided? So many questions. I’m sure Pitt fans will be calm, rational, not pass snap judgments, and not at all overreact to what unfolds.

Have to expect that Tennessee will look to put some extra pressure on the guards. Ashton Gibbs will probably see double teams all game. It will be up to whoever is used to run point to find the open man, and most importantly make good passes. Even before Woodall was hurt, Pitt’s passing has been less than crisp.

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It’s the final home game (but hopefully not the final game) of the season. The Big East has to love that this game is the one that gets on ESPN2 at noon today. Not only featuring two 5-6 teams trying for the Beef. But featuring the two teams that set off the insanity of finding new teams for the Big East with their announcement of heading to the ACC. Of course, the actions of Syracuse and Pitt look oddly polite and decorous compared to the temper tantrum actions of WVU trying to leave for the Big 12.

This could be a long day. Pitt basketball plays at Tennessee at 5:15 on ESPN. I’m planning a second liveblog for that game. Depending on how this one turns out, I may be blackout drunk by the end of the second liveblog.

As you know, this is a moderated chat. The liveblog is supposed to be a chance for us to gather and share thoughts on the game, hopefully share in the joy/relief of a win (I know, those have been in short supply this year). Commiserate if need be, perhaps a little venting. Not every comment gets through. Especially duplicative, trolls, overly vulgar, personal attacks, or general stupidity as defined by me. Here’s a hint. If you do nothing but post “Tino sucks” or some variation over and over again, I’m probably not going to waste time approving it. That’s why your comment isn’t showing up. I think we got it the first thousand or so times it has been said to this point.

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The latest in urban rivalries.

Or something like that.

It’s a cold night. Bit of wind to make it feel worse. Definitely thinking either a porter or a Scotch ale to enjoy with tonight’s game.

Its the 80th edition of the City Game. Pitt holds a 48-31 overall advantage. Pitt has won 29 of the last 32. The Panthers haven’t lost to the Stage Magicians since December 2000. Someday (or night) it will happen. Pitt will lose the game. Hopefully this is not that night.

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With Louisville beating USF today, it creates even more of a convoluted mess atop the Big East. Right now there are 5 teams with 2 losses. Should we beat WVU, the 2 loss team would be us, Louisville, Rutgers, and the Zach Collaros-less Cincy. Assuming Cincy loses one of it’s remaining games, it would be PITT, Louisville and Rutgers. When you form the mini-conference everyone is 1-1, and we go to the BCS Standings. Seeing as none of the 3 are close to being ranked in the top 25, I have absolutely no idea what to do.

Okay, just a reminder, this is a moderated liveblog. Not an open message board. After a certain point, I don’t waste time approving repetitive comments. Especially the same complaint over and over again. Here’s a hint. If you do nothing but post “Tino sucks” or some variation over and over again, I’m probably not going to waste time approving it. That’s why your comment isn’t showing up. I think we got it the first several dozen times it has been said by others.

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Semi-late night game. At least, as I get older it feels later. Especially for mid-week. May have to stick with some session beers tonight rather than the stronger stuff.

It’s the first basketball liveblog of the new season. I’m sure everyone will be rational, well-reasoned and not at all reactionary during the game. Zen-like, even.

Definite plus for this game. Bill Raftery with the color commentary. That is the way to kick off the first liveblog.

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I’m at the game today. Might be the last game I make this season if my work schedule continues to be a convoluted mess. That might explain why I left a wife with a sinus infection and a son that vomited in the bed last night. The other explanation is I just didn’t want to deal with that sort of thing, but that would make me seem like a selfish ass.

The lovely and talented Luke will be moderating the liveblog tonight for your pleasure. I’ll be offering livetweets throughout the game, and depending on my battery life, the nature of the game, and getting the app to work correctly — I might try to check into the liveblog at halftime.

It’s supposed to be a sunny day, leading to a crisp evening. Should be a great day for tailgating. The game is at 7pm on ESPNU.

I do not know what to expect from this game. I don’t know what the offense will do. I don’t know if the defense is going to keep playing outstanding,

I don’t know what Cinci will be like in this game. They struggled to beat USF on the road. Handled Lousiville at home — at least in the second half. They have a 6-1 record, but it’s about as impressive as Penn State’s 8-1 record. They boast quality talent at the skill positions on offense, but have struggled against decent to good defenses.

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Okay, it’s a likely damp, cool October night. Both teams below .500. Everyone is distracted by conference realignment. Or is it perhaps that we’d rather watch that spectacle than look too closely at the struggles of our own team?

UConn has a mess of an O-line. They have trouble protecting the QB. It all seems very familiar.

We will see how much UConn can or will blitz Pitt’s O-line. Haven’t heard anything in the hours leading to game time regarding Lucas Nix’s status. I’m assuming he will miss his third straight game. Hopefully here will be some better protection, and maybe even some average QB play. That or just give the ball to Ray Graham — a lot.

Hopefully Todd Thomas can return to the linebacker rotation.

In absurdity news, the Student Affairs Council (or something not affiliated with the athletic department) is distributing towels to wave during the game. Not blue. Not yellow. Lime Green. Yes, lime green. Apparently this is about depression awareness, and they are characterizing the green as a combination of Pitt colors. Yes, jokes about depression and Pitt football kind of write themselves. And I get a bit depressed just writing about this.

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Well I’m battling the cold my kids had last weekend. I’m going to Big East Media Day in NYC, which means leaving my wife and kids during the week. So as a trade-off, I had to give up going to this game.

I can’t say I’ve seen any Utah games this year. I don’t really know what to expect from this one. Like the team, I know I was more than a little overconfident going into last week’s game. Sure that even if Pitt struggled a little more than they did against USF, they could still take that Rutgers team. That factored in to taking the loss so hard. Actually assuming a win.

The game is on ESPNU at noon.

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With an offense that looks so much and nothing like what we have watched the prior couple of years, Rutgers has that similar taste only blander. A little flat, but tolerable if you don’t think too much about it.

Game time and liveblog at 3:30 on ESPNU. Pam Ward and Dan Hawkins will be raping our ears with the call. Not sure what kind of turnout Rutgers will have on Yom Kippur, or how enthusiastic they will be. But at least the Scarlet Knight fans will have that excuse at the ready if the attendance sucks.

Sunset is at 6:57. It’s not like I have an alarm clock next to an iced-down Southern Tier Unearthly at the ready or anything.

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I will be following with radio, twitter, hook and crook. One of my closest friends and fellow season ticket-holder is getting married today.

I know what happened. He figured this was going to be a 3:30 game. A meeting between a couple BCS teams. A better than average non-con match-up. Surely it would get some love. Evenly matched teams. A better thing to see than UNC-UVA or Washington-Neb or some of the other 3:30 games. It would be perfect. Bring in all his friends for the wedding. Get it done early and get some of the reception stuff out of the way and then we could all just be together and watch the game later in the afternoon. He didn’t count on Pitt and Iowa both being low in the expectations, and relegated to a noon start. Especially in a Central Time Zone.

Needless to say, if the ceremony doesn’t conclude by noon, I will be looking like a Secret Service reject with an earbud in place to listen to the game.

Not to worry about this liveblog. It is covered.

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My back is doing better, but it is still a little balky. Since I have to attend a wedding next week in Pittsburgh, I made a late decision to spend this weekend giving it a little rest so this doesn’t drag out any further. I feel guilty about it, but this is what happens when you start to get old.

On the bright side, I get to do the first liveblog of the new season. A little tricky with the game on ESPN3.com, but I’m going to make it work. I have the laptop to do the liveblog. The big screen will have a regular game on it, and the basement computer has been networked and is ready to stream the game.

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Butler. America’s college basketball sweetheart. Whatever. It’s game to advance to the second weekend. No jumping ahead. Fill in the cliche. One game at a time. One half at a time. One 4 minute section of the game at a time.

Not much to say other wise. As is every game at this time of the year. It’s a big one. The biggest until the next one.

Hopefully, everyone understands the rules at this point. Moderated chat. Comments controlled for repetition, idiocy, trolls, because I don’t like you, and complete whim — bwah-ha-ha. Yeah, I’ve been drinking, why do you ask?

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The brackets get announced tomorrow at 6pm. I’ll be tweeting and trying to digest all the information. You can treat this post as an open thread on the remaining conference championship games and for the bracket announcements.

At 7pm there will be a livechat on the brackets and seedings that I’ll be moderating. Scheduled to join the fun are bloggers from VUHoops.com (Villanova), Eers to You (WVU), Johnny Jungle (St. John’s), Cracked Sidewalks (Marquette) and FriarBlog (Providence). There might be a couple others as well.

It’s going to be a little different from game liveblogs. It’s going to start out as a panel discussion with other Big East bloggers. Getting other perspectives and thoughts. There will be some questions and comments, but it will be a bit tighter on controls over what gets through.

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It’s been a while since I’ve been to a basketball game. Even longer since I made it to a season finale. I’m excited. Big thanks to Jeff in CPa. for the invite. The liveblog today will be in the always capable hands of Luke. I’ll be tweeting in from the game. Win and the Big East title is Pitt’s without any sharing (though, I admit that I still want ND to lose to UConn in the earlier game — just to play it safe).

Pitt players have been saying they wish to avoid the slow start in games. Still working on that. Same with free throws. Some of that may have to do with seeing zones thrown at them recently. It has caught them off-guard even though they said they expect it.

The one thing I noticed during the first half of the USF game was not simply Pitt missing shots. It was the poor rebounding. The Bulls are actually good at rebounding. It’s one of their few strengths, but Pitt was just poor — especially on the offensive glass. Pitt only had 5 offensive rebounds despite the volume of missed shots.

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