Everyone knows that Mike Cruz backed off his verbal and there are plenty of factors that you can sit back and say, “Okay, I can sort of see where he’s coming from.” Maybe it was that we were pretty set at the tight end position, or that we’d switch him to another position, or that his mom doesn’t want him at a city school. This was not what I was expecting to hear from him though.
“It was kind of an 80-20 thing,” Cruz said, “80 percent wanting to keep my options open and 20 percent seeing that they really don’t have a great fan base.”
What kind of idiot says that kind of thing? Having it in your mind is one thing, maybe saying that to your parents in a closed meeting is in there too, but to publicly say that? Even if he ends up recommitting here, I’ll always remember that comment.
Also, saying we “don’t have a great fan base” based on the fact that not a ton of people showed up for a scrimmage doesn’t sound very intelligent to me. That same afternoon there happened to be a Penguins playoff game that I’m sure people would have rather stayed home (out of the rain/cold) to watch. LeSean McCoy seemed to think we had a good enough fan base to commit after seeing fans at the Pete for College Gameday, but obviously Cruz wasn’t pleased enough with what he saw.
Pitt doesn’t get a big crowd at the spring game, but the crowd size at a scrimmage is hardly the best indicator of a program’s quality — on the field, or in developing a student-athlete. Besides, Pitt’s attendance is worse than it’s team, but it’s still not THAT bad. Our attendance was ranked 28th in 2003, and 45th last year. Pitt’s got to compete with Steelers and big time high school football for fans, and it’s got fewer alumni than a lot of the huge state schools.
Wright, a senior who started last season until breaking his thumb and missing the last four games, threw a 5-yard touchdown to Sam Shields as the Orange defeated the White 7-0 in front of about 7,000 in the CanesFest Spring Game.
That was one clear message in a fast-paced Trojan Huddle spring game Saturday in front of 15,000 at the Coliseum who saw Dennis and sophomore wide receiver Travon Patterson combine for five touchdowns.
Cal had 2,000 at their spring game despite a great run of recent success. Ga Tech in the huge city of Atlanta didn’t even bother to have a spring game. Even at Oklahoma, in sleepy Norman, the Sooners only pulled about 21k for their spring game.
I mean, most of the schools Jon quoted above, like Pitt, are located in major cities where there’s other shit to do.
In Tuscaloosa Alabama and State College PA (nice work on the VaTech tribute by those guys, credit where it’s due), what the hell else ARE you gonna do but attend a football scrimmage?
This kid’s a little punk ass bitch. He’ll go to one of those “bigger programs” and ride the pine. Have fun jackass!!
