There really is no great rush for Pitt and Coach Jamie Dixon to hire a new assistant this moment. Other than just getting him settled in the area and integrating him into Pitt’s system and letting him get to know the players, athletic department folks and other coaches.

Recruiting wise, it makes no difference in the latest dead period.

So, apparently Providence assistant Pat Skerry is taking his time.

Skerry is credited with doing the heavy lifting on a host of current Friar players. That list would include star sophomore guard Vincent Council, redshirt freshman forward Kadeem Batts and several members of the incoming freshman class including Boston’s Gerard Coleman, who is regarded as a national top 100 recruit.

Skerry has also helped Davis carry out one of his most important goals in bringing talented, younger area players to campus and PC games. Davis has said that he wants to build strong relationships with elite local players and top New England juniors Ricky Ledo, Khem Birch, Andre Drummond and Nerlins Noel have all been on campus. One of the top rising seniors in New England, point guard Naadir Tharpe of Worcester, has verbally committed to sign with PC this fall. Skerry has been the point man with Tharpe’s recruitment.

About the only reason to really want a decision made is so there is something else to talk about besides expansion speculation (spoiler alert: new post on that coming soon).

UPDATE (4:05): According to a tweet by FoxSports.com’s Jeff Goodman, Skerry has taken the offer and is Pitt’s new assistant coach.

UPDATE (4:50): Both the Post-Gazette and Tribune-Review have short bits also saying Skerry has been hired. Pitt is expected to issue a press release later this evening.

Obviously nothing truly new to report. But as I monitor it all, share I must.

Paul Tagliabue continues to confound and say things that have to be clarified or nuanced out later. Amazing how not being the Commish of the NFL for a few years have ruined his speaking skills.

After the Big East Commissioner has made big talk about how the Big East, kind of maybe might look into the details of thinking about their own network. You know, in 2013 after the Big East media deal with ESPN ends.

(more…)

No embeddable video, but here’s a link to the story on Coach Jamie Dixon’s program with the Pitt basketball players to help middle-school kids. Mentoring and giving them a better understanding about the basics in just being a better person.

No snark this time. Cool program.