SUMMARY-

WANNY MUST GO! CAVANANAUGH MUST GO!

Two years ago the defense sucked…yet 2 LB in Blades and Sessions and a CB in Revis are palying in the NFL
Last year the O-line sucked…McGlynn and Otah move on to the NFL
3 straight years of outstanding recruiting classes including 2 of past 3 PA top players in Dickerson and Bostick.. Big East freshman of the year in Shady…leads me to only one conclusion..it aain’t the horses, it’s the jockey..Wanny and Cav must go!!!

anyone listening to the post game? What does wanny have to say for himself? Was 13-9 a fluke? Where is the heart on this team? I am so disappointed in this program, you have to meet the fans halfway.

Stull has got to get the hook, throws sinkers just like Bostick, maybe 5 yards longer. Our receivers dropped balls because they were awaking from their naps.

The only hope for this team is a potent Greg Cross. Oh, and different coaches.

Well the Big East and the MAC are too tough for Pitt, maybe the Sun Belt is looking for a football only school!

I was saying all off-season long that 13-9 was a fluke, and today proved me right. Anyone want to eat a little humble pie I baked? Or would you like some deep-fried crow?

I’ll take a double helping of the crow and maybe some pie if I am not full.

Joshua,

With all due respect, how in the hell was 13-9 a fluke?

Pitt was a 28-point underdog in that game…a game played on the road against an archrival that had everything in the world to play for. Pitt COMPLETELY shut down Slaton. They COMPLETELY shut down Schmitt. They COMPLETELY shut down Noel Devine. They held White in check and did the same with Jarrett Brown – not a bad backup in his own right – when he was forced to take the reins when White got injured.

Pitt’s defense did everything they needed to do to beat WVU and the offense did just enough to secure that win. Pitt earned that victory every bit as much as they deserved this loss.

13-9 was no more a fluke than this loss to Bowling Green was a fluke. The outcomes of both games were earned and deserved.

The mark of a good coach is being able to adjust mid-game to keep the opponent guessing. The original gameplan was good- got up 14-0 but then we just kept doing the same thing for long after BGSU figured it out. I knew this would be a high-scoring game from the Falcons, their offense is geared towards it, I just can’t imagine that it took us until late in the 4th quarter to launch one deep ball to Baldwin. You have to stretch the field early to open up the running game and we never once made any attempt to throw the ball further than five yards. Say what you want about Bostick’s arm strength but I remember a few plays in the late season where he threw 20-yard rockets over the center of the field to keep drives moving.

I had high hopes for this season – and I gave Cavs and Wanny my confidence, even though I should have remembered the past few years. They have enough playmakers on offense to put a fork in a team like BG once they get a lead. The offense goes conservative when they get a lead – this is so different than any big-time college program. There is no excuse to lose to this team at home in the first game of the season. NO EXCUSE. They obviously were not prepared – players as well as the game plan – both are the fault of the coaches for not getting the team in game shape in training camp and for not game planning for a spread offense. I want Wanny to be turn this program around – he really is the perfect guy for us if he could just coach. Unfortunately, his ineptitude as a coach overshadows all of the things he is good at. I realize now what all the dolphins and bears fans said about him as a game day coach. If he had a good offensive coordinator, he may be able to be good enough as a coach, but Cavs is just lost. His Ravens offense was pathetic for years. I miss the Walt Harris style of offense – we have the WRs and TEs to open it up, and he’d be more than capable of turning one of our QBs into a stud. I’m not sure which QB on this team would have the best arm for a passing offense – the only good passing I’ve seen from our QBs was the local kid in this summer’s Big 33 game. Good thing I love too far away to have wasted money on season tickets. Seriously, the worst case scenario is to blow GAME 1 when this program needed to get excitement back at Pitt games. Throw those hopes in the trash! What a bummer – the same old stuff!

Turned on the TV today to see the final eight minutes of the most pathetic, lackluster, gutless, and heartless football I’ve ever seen. Bring Skip Holtz to Pitt: his Pirates played with “pride, intensity, and enthusiasm” (a Johny Majors quote) and won a huge game against VaTech. What’s lacking at Pitt isn’t the talent (or maybe, who knows), it’s the obvious lack of discipline, heart and desire. Seriously, you bring Skip Holtz to Pitt, you’ll see a change.

SKIP HOLTZ TO PITT

i think I had some bad food around lunch time….I might have PITT poisoning. I Paternoed in the toilet and Wannstashed in the sink at the same time……

Cavanaugh MUST BE FIRED. It has to happen- there is no excuse for this bullshit. Enough is enough.

Sorry….my wife just told me I should not post when I am drunk and depressed.

I thought the defense was supposed to be good?

Stull was unimpressive.

Cavanaugh was terrible. No efforts to stretch the defense at all.

No excuse for those turnovers.

Poor on all accounts.

When does the PITT Basketball schedule come out?

Remember pre 13-9? The 3 stooges? Cav the S. Side drunken has-been? DW the great ruinator of both the Bears and Miami? Cav the unimaginative goof of the Ravens? Well it is still the same guys only now they are even a few more years behind the current college game. It is a travesty that these idiots are robbing Pitt blind.

Interesting note at the bottom of the game recap:

crap…submitted too early
“McCoy didn’t seem to like the conservative play-calling, which came after Pitt punted from the Bowling Green 35 and 34 early in the game.

“It would have been nice to get a touchdown but, you know, we follow the leader (Wannstedt),” McCoy said.”

Sorry for the rant, Dave and the staff really suck, they cannot coach and NO MORE EXCUSES, NO MORE TIME IS NEEDED.

Walt was a much better coach with less talent, fire the asshole now!!!!!!!!!!!

It hurts….no early deep ball to keep their D from putting 8 in the box….no apparent check-offs on the line by Stull…no Cross to start second half to mix it up….punting twice on 4 and 5 from their 35….and yet, I care about these “kids” and bleed for them. They deserve better!

Hail to PITT!
-al-

Buffalo 21 – Pitt 19…..

Damn

SKIP HOLTZ SKIP HOLTZ SKIP HOLTZ

around 200 comments and you have trouble disagreeing with any of them. Not even September and that old feeling is back already. I don’t see them firing Wannstedt no matter what because he is such a great ambassador. He just can’t coach a winning football team. Pitt is in a mess. When do you admit he has to go? My guess is he lasts this year and goes in the tank again next year and resigns to let the university off the hook.

By the way, did anybody else have a hard time getting into the game? Took like 45 minutes, almost missed kickoff. No way to energize fans to come back next week

Dan72, after the shellacking BARFalo (well, should I be using that? Or should that be reserved only for the NFL team?) gave to UTEP, you may be too generous to Pitt on your prediction. BARFalo by 10. Turner Gill is a true up-and-comer.

Just released new Pitt football/ Heinz Field marketing slogan: “Abandon hope All ye who enter Here”.I like it.

Steve, unfortunately you may be right about the “ambassador” part. I ran into Coach Dixon at the SubConnection at the Pete, and he saw that I had purchased my tix. I said I was ambivalent because of my disdain for Wannstedt, but he said he’s a nice guy and a true ambassador. Yeah, it’s gonna be hard trying to convince people Wanny has to go. It took a while for the pitchfork crowd to grow in Miami and Chicago, but it did happen. That time may be coming now to Pitt.

Dead, if you want to get it right, do the original Italian from Dante: “Lasciate ogne speranza, voi ch’intrate”

All- I know it’s aweful to lose the first game of the season but it’s not nearly the end. Yes, all the hype had everyone expecting us to just drill Bowling Green but let’s not deny the fact that this MAC team is very talented and has a proved record.

In any case, since the game wasn’t locally televised in Pittsburgh!!!!…, I was hoping to gain some insight / constructive feedback about our players from those of you who actually watched the game.

it is the end of wanny’s tenure, pederson won’t let him continue to embarrass us. i think the coaching staff needs to get younger in a hurry. there was no energy on the sidelines and no energy on the field. bg’s players and coaches were constantly huddling during every time out, our guys were laughing and joking and didn’t give a shi#. do all of our receivers have just one arm or did it just seem that way. howling 10 yards a touch only touched 7 times, oderric turner had least 3 drops, and this is the guy keeping baldwin on the bench?? that fg attempt at the end of the game was the equivalent of the uconn hook slide. why didnt we try for the endzone one more time before half? 18 sec on clock and a time out. terrible clock mgt. deer in the head lights wanny needs to be promoted to jonny majiors old spot, and we need a coach with some fire.

what was johnny majors old spot? just curious i did not know about that… it sounds like a good idea though

Bowling Green upsets Pitt
Saturday, August 30, 2008
By Paul Zeise, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

The beginning of the end of the Dave Wannstedt era at Pitt may have taken place this afternoon at Heinz Field as Mid-American Conference opponent Bowling Green upset No. 25 Pitt, 27-17, before a crowd of 45,063.

Pitt (0-1) led 14-0 early but the Falcons scored two unanswered touchdowns to tie the game. The Panthers then took a 17-14 lead as time expired in the first half on a 36-yard field goal by Conor Lee.

But the Falcons drove 59 yards on nine plays and scored on an 8-yard run by Anthony Turner midway through the third quarter to take a 20-17 lead (Greg Romeus blocked the extra point attempt) and that is how the quarter ended.

The Falcons (1-0) then put the game away midway through the fourth quarter with an 11-yard touchdown run by Tyler Sheehan.

Wannstedt is in his fourth season and has yet to produce a winning season and now has an overall record of 16-20 — 13-20 versus Division I-A competition — and he is under pressure to produce a winning season and get to a bowl game this year.

let’s not deny the fact that this MAC team is very talented and has a proved record….by MoE

ok, let’s not deny the fact that a top 25 team NEVER loses to a LESS TALENTED team……

quit making excuses and call a spade a spade!

We were all bamboozled. Someone tell me where they say “Crosses package” or “wildcate package” or a trick play or FUCKING ANYTHING. HOW ABOUT THE FORWARD PASS. IS THAT IN THE FUCKING PLAY BOOK?

We had them fooled for sure at the beginning of the game…they actually believed all that shit in the news papers that we were going to “stretch” the defense. It took them a total of 2 drives to realize we wouldn’t throw the ball more than 10 yds. They put 8 or 9 in the box, blitzed up the middle all day, knowing we’d run right into it. And run into it we did. Over and over and over again.

That was the most pathetic display of offensive coaching i’ve ever seen. Congrats Cav, enjoy the last 11 games of your career. You have only one more chance at redemption, and that is if you get your fucking head out of your ass THIS WEEK. YOU MUST WIN 10 OF THE NEXT 11 OR YOUR ASS IS GONE.

Why they couldn’t call ONE play off of any page but the first of the playbook is beyond me. Bowling green threw the playbook at us, and they embarassed us. I’ve defended this coaching staff, i really thought they finally got it. I was wrong.

What a fucking joke.

“where they say” = “where they saw”

And i wont even get into player shit, like why Oderick Turner stll has a uniform or is allowed into the stadium. This is on the coaches head too. Unreal. I just can’t fucking believe this.

I just tried to shoot myself in the head, but the gun misfired…. just like Billy Stull.

Stuart I predicted a BGSU win and then I predicted you would jump off the Ft. Pitt Bridge after the game, well 1 out of 2 is not that bad.

Wait until next week when no one goes to the game……. yellow seats galore………..

We are looking at a 2-9 season, Wanny could not coach a pee wee team.

On a positive note: oh wait, nevermind.

I was at the game sitting near the bench. I was stunned by the lack of emotion by the team. They were sitting around like it was pre-season. Not really how you would expect a team with the moto “prove it” to be acting while getting an ass kicking by Bowling Green on your home turf.

How have Cavanaugh and Dw gone so far in coaching? Their play calling or lack there of and game day prep is terrible. The offensive game plan was horrible. The only thing this team proved is they think they are much better than they are. maybe a solid ass kicking by BG will knock some reality back into this team.

Yes, the play calling was far, far too conservative. They got the lead and played not to lose. Plus, Howling was running well today and didn’t see the field late.

Yes, the defense got lit up a little in the 2nd and 3rd quarters but adjusted well when the game was on the line in the 4th (actually a good game from Austin Ransom)

What lost the game? Mainly, a -3 turnover ratio. Also, not focusing on the little things – Turner had 2 more costly drops, including one on a long bomb; Aaron Smith dropped one in his hands wide open late with the game on the line; Shady fubmling; McGhee fumbling. And terrible, TERRIBLE special teams – poor punting, poor kickoff catching by Andre Wright, and poor punt fielding by Aaron Berry. He waved off a fair catch and let one drop for an 85-yard net punt.

Shake it off. Maybe it will light a fire like the South Florida and BC losses did a few years ago to Walt. We can still win the conference, and at least Rodriguez lost.

It’s almost like, even with talented players, the losing culture itself seems to keep certain teams from winning.

Wanny may have brought in great recruits, but he’s also created this culture of losing that he obviously isn’t able to shake.

For example, sports teams that have developed this losing “stigma” seem to always give up or not come through in the clutch when it matters most. At 17-20 that game was still VERY winnable, and we had good drives going, but we found ways to fuck it up.

That’s just the sign of a team with a losing culture. We don’t know HOW to win yet.

Wanny, and I think he’s a great guy, great recruiter, and a great ambassador for Pitt, is NOT the guy that can teach these kids to win and erase that losing culture hanging over our heads.

The talent is there, we have a million dollar check, and a guy that doesn’t know where to find a bank to cash it at in charge of things.

Wannstedt coaches the special teams personally…

Can anyone explain what they were trying to do on offense after BGSU made some adjustments in the 2nd quarter? I know Stull is inexperienced but a few more passes down field instead of sideways might have opened things up for the backs…..oh who am I kidding… there is no point in trying to analyze what happened…lets just get on with the hoops season. At least Pitt was ranked during the season.

How many times do we need to watch this team play not to lose? You play the game to win. I would rather see a good coach who can get average players to overachieve instead of a great recruiter who can’t coach his way out of a box! Look at what Paul Johnson did at Navy!!

We’re talking about the MAC… The West Virginia game was a one time anomaly for Wanny.

Where is the accountability? Accountability comes with wins and losses — not on the ranking of your recruiting class.

Pitt fans deserve better!!

Took the wife to dinner…cleaned up the beer cans and empty scotch bottles in the house…said goodby to frat brothers and fellow Pitt fans and just re read all the comments.

Still, I am as angry as I have ever been at Pitt football…when the Ravens fans down here wanted to lynch Cav, I just thought it was because they had NO talent on O and he was being conservative.
Today, I watched utter idiocy as he sent Shady into the middle of the line time after time against a stacked front and a spy on him?
That is insane!

I can forgive a loss, BGU is a decent in fact good MAC team, but we never tried to win this game. What does Wanny and Cav think this is …tidely winks? No emotion, utter confusion on the sidelines (a trait of DW teams..see Bears and Fins). You throw your best O and best D out there. Britis is an awful punter and the special teams coached personally by DW were abysmal…anyone suprised?
tackling and lack of emotion on Pitt is on the coaches. Did you see the BG sideline?? Hi fives, huddles, d, o, special teams meeting as they came off the field…then check Pitt’s? Milling around, picking their asses, no communication etc. Never changes with Wanny… how can you let the tight (and back) block and flair time and time again with no coverage at all…wide F in open!

Ok you all know the above rant…THERE WAS NO NEED TO LOSE THIS GAME! Hopefully church in the AM will finally give me some peace…..really really pissed over this one.! Not that we lost…but how we lost…

I’d go to church too Dan, but the last four years of Pitt football have begun to cause me to deny the existence of God.

Well, he probably does exist, he just hates Pitt for some reason.

Well said jimbo. I can’t believe how pathetic things have become.

Jimbo,

God is an alum of the MBA program at WVU. He couldn’t get into Katz.

“Can anyone explain what they were trying to do on offense after BGSU made some adjustments in the 2nd quarter? I know Stull is inexperienced but a few more passes down field instead of sideways might have opened things up for the backs…..oh who am I kidding… there is no point in trying to analyze what happened…lets just get on with the hoops season. At least Pitt was ranked during the season.”

Yes. Exactly. This is what every kindergardner in the nation realized today…except for Coach Cav and Wannstedt.

We were out coached. We stayed on page one of the playbook, the other team adjusted to it and shut us down. We never turned the page.

They threw THE ENTIRE playbook at us. They didn’t “hold back” on any packages/plays for THE NEXT GAME. They wanted to WIN THIS GAME. Cav and Wannstedt did not. They wanted to stay on page one and “out execute” the other team. Lame ass.

Our D wasn’t that bad – they’d get a new scheme ran at them, give up a TD, then adjust and force a 3 and out….then BG would adjust, same thing again. They had a hard job, but did their best to adapt.

Our offense just sat with their head up their ass after BG adjusted after 2 drives. All coaching (and some poor playing by a select few).

poor execution can be helped with good coaching….poor coaching can be helped with good execution. Poor execution and poor coaching = another terrible season under Wanny without a bowl game. Just one or two long passes in the first half would have likely made a world of difference

Sometimes fans tend to make things seem a lot simpler than they really are but today watching that game, everyone in Heinz Field but the coaching staff knew that the same bad play calls weren’t working. That is ridiculous.

as a season ticket holder for the last 6 season and proud financial contributor to the university I must say “enough is enough”. Time for a change.

Wanny has consistently played too conservative….has never adapted to the college game….he and Cavs strategy is to play for the lead….and then “protect” the lead by field position, defense, and ball control ? This may work for the Steelers….with a consistent solid ”
D” but Pitt’s defense isn’t that consistent or even that good….you need to keep attacking on offense….no lead is safe…and turnovers are a given…especially on this Pitt team….Cav’s lack of imagination, mistrust of players abilities, and ever tightening sphincter as the game progresses dooms Pitt to repeating this scenario every week…..also throughout the Walt and Wannstadt era….the utter inability of Pitts D to ever handle the spread offense is baffling….they have only played one good game against the spread….ever….WVU last year….and poof….the magic is gone…

If Pitt repeats the conservative O and baffled D next game versus Buffalo….cash it in…..”its over man….it’s over”

It takes two to tango. 1, the AD and 2, the coach. Part of the bad equation here not mentioned is Steve Petersen. Well, all I can say is I am so happy you guys were nice enough to take him back. You really cannot understand the joy across our entire state the day he was fired. I truly hope he doesn’t do to your program what he did to NU before the boosters pulled the money plug and he was sent packing. A few notes back says something about fans making it seem easier than it is. Well, it IS pretty easy. You will have your current coach until you get rid of Petersen. Just take a little history lesson from us. There are 5 or 6 years there to create a lifetime of nightmares. Hope you guys finish out good.

Darin, Nordy personally handpicked Wannstedt. Thus, only two ways Wanny will be fired: boosters stop donating money, or Nordy hands in his letter of resignation. I think it’s time for Nordy to realize he f**ked up big-time by hiring a coach who was not quite fired for 3 months.

Not sure what’s a bigger disaster, Gustav or fuckin Cav… What a shitty weekend.

cav

Not saying I know much about Pitt football. Just wanted to say that you guys will have to discharge Petersen to have a hope and when he smiles and talks, watch the f@#k out. He is a snake. Sounds like you have this Nordy to worry about too. Hope they get it figured out soon before you are where we were left at. Go Huskers and go Pitt!!