Sorry about the sporadic posting. Lots of little things in the real world, including hitting the road tomorrow and more travel plans for next week. There are days when being a one-man global content provider can be a bit tricky.

You know, as bad as Pitt had been in the 90s, at least the local papers knew enough to send someone to cover the Media Days.  Cinci gets to a bowl, has their team selected by the media for 5th in the Big East this season (Pitt, 6th), has season ticket sales actually getting a noticeable bump, and they still can’t  get the local media to care to even spare the cash to send a beat writer to the event. — really pissing off new coach Brian Kelly.
Hell, the Altoona Daily Mirror actually sent a reporter to do a piece on Derek Kinder and Pitt along with a more general Big East overview.
Discussion with Pitt is muted, unless you consider getting tips on how to eat lobster from Dave Wannstedt vital news. This bit is worth chewing over (sorry).

When asked how many freshman players would be contributors for the Panthers this season, Wannstedt replied, “Seven guys will play for us right away.”

Hmm. Maybe McCoy, Jacobson,  DeCicco, Hargrove, Caragein, Jones… and who else?

It’s been a rumor all summer that Elijah Fields — for all his talent and potential — may never see the field. The Sophomore Safety has been suspended at times (and is likely still suspended) and has struggled with maturity, academics and “other.” As the Big East Media Days are in full swing, Coach Dave Wannstedt is still not talking.

“He’s got to finish out his summer,” Wannstedt said, “but he’s doing everything he’s supposed to on and off the field.”

Fields could go down as a relatively obscure “what might have been.” He could be overwhelmingly forgotten in a couple years except for a few who remember what he could do in high school and what was expected at college.

Otherwise, right now, I’m just hoping Mike Phillips is truly and actually all the way back from his horrific ankle injury of a couple years ago.

“I’ve gone through a lot of hard work with Buddy, and I’m ready to go for camp,” Phillips said. “I think I can be a leader on this team and an inspiration for my work on the field, but also off it through my work ethic. I’ve worked very hard to overcome the serious injury I had a couple years ago.

“So, I’m all the way back now. And I’m ready to contribute to the team in every area. When I first broke my ankle, I tried to motivate from the sideline, but that wasn’t the same thing. And I wasn’t 100 percent until now, and I think I can really help the team in leadership and on the field.”

Depth will still be a major concern without Fields. Yet another spot where there is a real and steep drop-off on talent.

Recapping, a taped telecast I didn’t watch. Excited yet? Nah, I’m just making note of Derek Kinder’s trip to the ESPY’s.

Kinder and former Panthers defensive back Darrelle Revis were nominated for the “best play” in sports last year for their part in Revis’ 73-yard punt return for a touchdown against West Virginia in the 11th game. Revis made the return, but Kinder threw a block that opened a hole for Revis — a devastating hit that leveled two Mountaineers players.

Kinder and Revis didn’t win the ESPY — the award went to Boise State for the “Statue of Liberty” play that scored the winning 2-point conversion against Oklahoma in the Fiesta Bowl — but that didn’t put a damper on a trip that was exciting and eye-opening for Kinder.

“That was just a little taste of that Hollywood and professional athlete lifestyle,” said Kinder, who is on the Biletnikoff Award watch list. “Just getting that taste, I can tell you it was everything it was cracked up to be. That was so much fun, just being out there, being around all of those stars and celebrities — it really was a great experience.

“It is a motivation for me because that’s where I want to be next year — an NFL player, but I have a lot of hard work ahead of me.”

Now, maybe it’s the wonkish part of me, but who paid for the trip and does the NCAA look too closely at these things? Probably not. More of a wink and a nudge perhaps. Or yet another unfathomable rule in the NCAA that lets the school pay for it in some way. You can’t really convince me the whole Boise St. team individually had the  money for a trip and hotel stay for the event.

Really, why was Mike Tyson even allowed within 100 feet of this event? Or was he just paid to pose for pictures. The former athlete freak show portion.