Something that just happened. The way too early 2007 top-25 predictions have already begun trickling out. Luke Winn at SI.com only does a top-10 but then lists a slew of “on the fringe,” including Pitt (at about #25). Andy Katz has his for ESPN.com and puts Pitt at #20:
Why: The Panthers are losing their big man in Aaron Gray and his sidekick Levon Kendall, but when is the last time the Panthers really slid under Jamie Dixon? How about never. The Panthers will still be in the thick of the Big East race and a top-20 team throughout the season with the core of their guards returning and incoming freshman center DeJuan Blair to fill the role.
This is a new thing. Pitt will have lost 3 starters. The face and focal point of the team is departing (arguably the second straight year of that with Krauser and now Gray) along with the team’s best perimeter defender in Graves.
Despite that. Despite a lot of unknowns about next year — will Sam Young’s knees be better? Who will be at center? Which freshmen (redshirt and actual) will crack the starting line-up and the rotation? Gilbert Brown? DeJuan Blair? And that’s just a superficial scratching the surface of the issues.
Despite all of that, the team has earned a reputation as one that does not slip very far. The expectations are, that this team will put in the right players and they will continue to still be a nationally ranked team.
Next year will be a very different team and I don’t exactly know what to expect. It could be more of a struggle then expected (just look at UConn), it could be a bubble-team season, or even better. Pitt, though, has earned a benefit of the doubt.
On the other hand, I’m worried about the rebounding and post defense, with Gray and Kendall gone. What those guys gave the team there will not be easy to replace.
Two industry sources said the West Virginia job is Huggins’ if he wants it.
Huggins, 53, was born in Morgantown and played at West Virginia. He was also a graduate assistant at the school.
The story, Linked above, was posted just 17 hours ago and Gorman’s article indicates that Huggins will meet with KSU officials before the day’s end. Very interesting development and I should think that in the event Huggins goes ‘home’, then Beasley will be ours to lose (IMO). Really, if you were Michael Beasley, would continue to follow Huggins merry-go-round only to wind up a Mountaineer? Or would you opt out of your KSU commitment to join a Panther team that plays in one of the hottest venues, under stable leadership?
Q: How many KSU recruits will consider following their coach to Morgantown, and what kind of impact do you think this would have on Huggins’ ability to recruit kids to Morgantown in the very near future?
I think he’ll make the honorable decision in the end: He’ll count his blessings and postpone going “home†for now, at least. IMO I don’t think he’s forgotten that he’s mortal and owes his loyalty to KSU for their trust in his sobriety and faith in his ability to coach and recruit. capacity to captain theprogram with sobriety his recruits and and th
Here’s the link for those interested: link to cbs.sportsline.com
That was pretty cool, huh? Nice job editing, Neil
Bob Huggins Leaves Kansas State for West Virginia
Posted Apr 5th 2007 3:11PM by Michael David Smith
link to nfl-police-blotter.aolsportsblog.com
We have to go after this kid as hard as possible, he is unbelievable!
Also MB was/is tight with Cox.
This Huggins hire scares me, though. If that school wasn’t in West Virginia, it’d be poised to be the next Florida.
That said, this near hysteria over Huggins is laughable. 5 years or more ago, it would have been formidable. I think he’s a drunken parody of himself now. And in an environment of total adoration and lawlessness like Morgantown, he may just kill himself from over-indulgence.
