Offline stuff has been dominating for the last couple of days. I have been trying to figure out the right way to phrase my feelings of Pitt going to the BBVA Compass Bowl in Birmingham after such a letdown of a season. Instead, I’ll just let someone else sum it up.
Pitt was the preseason pick to win the Big East. Dave Wannstedt should use this matchup as a teaching point: “Guys, when we mess up during the season, we get sent to Birmingham in the postseason. Let’s not mess up anymore, OK?”
That would be the message to send behind closed doors. Publicly. It is about putting a happy face on it (and paraphrasing things said by Herm Edwards).
“We are obviously excited, and it gives our kids one last chance to play as a team and get another win,” Pitt coach Dave Wannstedt said. “It’ll be a very competitive game. We look forward to a great experience on and off the field.”
For only the third time in 35 years, the Panthers are making their third straight bowl-game appearance. It’s an accomplishment, Wannstedt said, that indicates the program’s progress during his six-year tenure.
“It’s something to build on, but you’re always building,” said Wannstedt, who’s 42-31 at his alma mater. “It’s a journey.
“You’re always looking for something a little more positive than last year. This year, we’re Big East champs, and that’s a little more positive than we were a year ago, except the number of wins. We’ve built a little something year after year after year; that’s where we’re at right now.”
Say it with me people, “We can build on this!”
(Brief side note. Went searching the internet for a video or straight news story of the actual quoted moment. Sadly no luck, but while looking, found that you can still buy a autographed Dave Wannstedt NFL football from his time as the Dolphins head guy. Only $175 dollars two years after first found to still be on the market.)
Not sold on this game? Let’s let Kentucky head coach Joker Phillips sell the match-up and even Pitt (emphasis and comments added where it amuses).
We’re excited because this is our fifth straight Bowl game. There’s only 29 teams out there that can say that they’ve been to five straight Bowl games, and we’re excited to be one of those teams. And there’s 50 teams that are not in Bowl games, and there’s two teams that were in BCS (last season) that aren’t in a Bowl game this year, and like I say, we’re excited to be one of those that are in one.
Translated: there are teams that suck worse than us. Excited to be one of 29. There’s a rallying cry for greatness. I’m surprised John Calipari hasn’t pinned that one up in the Kentucky basketball team’s locker room.
We’re excited about Birmingham and being able to get down there and get in that community. It’s a community that 26 years ago, that’s where I played my last college game, so I’m excited about getting down there and being around the people of Birmingham, and the last time I was there, we painted it blue, too, so I’m excited about it.
And hopefully the people of Kentucky, the Wildcat nation will come out and support this football team. In the last five Bowl games we’ve played four National Championship teams, in my lifetime, Clemson, Florida State — Clemson twice, Florida State and now Pitt. They’ve all won National Championships in my lifetime, so I’m excited.
Um, no. You have played teams that have won national championships in the past, but not those years. Not by a longshot. Also, by my count that would be only 3 opponents that won national championships. Granted, Joker is a Kentucky grad, so math may not have been a strong suit.
Our players do remember Florida State. They don’t remember the Clemson National Championship. I’m sure they don’t remember the Pitt one because that was when my man (reporter Alan Cutler) was up in the area running around as a — he wasn’t a teenager yet, what, ’76? And also excited about playing another Big East team. Not only are we playing a Big East team, we’re playing a Big East team that tied for the championship. We’ve got an opportunity to play a champion of a conference.
Really reaching now.
They are a balanced team. They’ve got a really strong running game, two good running backs. Lewis ran for 260 yards (at Cincinnati) in the snow with a mascot throwing snowballs at him, so we’re excited about having an opportunity to play him.
Everybody loves that mascot, snowball story.
Best part of the video is the whiny girl off-camera complaining to whoever is recording this, that they should stop it. That it isn’t funny. Yes. Yes it is. Seeing that Bearcat pinned and just the big feet sticking out adds to the hilarity. For my own amusement, I got to go upstairs to check on the family, turn to my wife and say, “So your mascot was arrested…”
Really it’s been quite a year for mascots in Ohio. But it does set up an interesting contrast as my friend Lee noted:
And WTF does a mascot have to do to get arrested? The Ohio University Bobcat couldn’t get arrested in Columbus for outright assaulting Brutus Buckeye in September. But a few snowballs and pushing a security guard gets the Cincinnati Bearcat arrested? I mean, we all know that Cincinnati is a little conservative, but come on…
Back to Joker.
The quarterback, Tino Sunseri, he’s a kid that was committed to Louisville. His dad is Sal Sunseri, who was the linebacker coach at Alabama. He’s a guy that understands football. He’s thrown for over 200 yards a game. So again, balanced team.
Nothing there really, but I figure that quote will make the vein in the foreheads’ of some of the readers of this blog start to throb.
Defensively their head coach is a defensive guy, and they play great defense. They’re in the top 20 in rush defense, pass defense and total defense. Got a defensive end also that’s up for the Ted Hendricks Award. Huge challenge for us, but another opportunity we talk about every week.
Smart sales job. Mention the head coach at Pitt is all about the defense. Stress numbers indicating a top defense — and holy crap, technically true — but for god’s sake, do not say the actual name of the coach lest the Kentucky fans realize the truth.
Hate to be a be an optimist (devil’s advocate?), but this year isn’t really “We can built on this!” as much as it is “We survived it!”. Rough, unfortunate season, could have easily went 5-7, but didn’t. Now they play a SEC team at a time that might actually gain some viewers on a whim. Not terrible. And so what if its in Birmingham, Pitt fans don’t travel well anyway.
Game will probably suck though, and at 2 I’ll be switching over to Dixon’s squad who could still be undefeated by Jan 8th.
Nothing was further from the truth in PITT’s case this season. Our problems were all of our own doing save injuries and even those were, or should have been, easily handled. One, Romeus ‘s absence was covered more that adequately by Lindsay and two, who knows what Mason would have actually done if healthy. It wasn’t like he was a sure lock success before his knee blew out.
So, if you insist we are survivors, it’s more like we survived a suicide attempt.
Kind of like their coach.
Shit I might not even snap out of my hangover that morning for long enough to watch on TV…
Anyone have any ideas/connections on getting cheap tickets though. I can’t believe how much they are on ebay and stubhub and the like for a game where the stadium will be 70% full at best.
I want to go, but I ain’t spending a lot on these Panthers…
Any insight would be appreciated. PittATL@yahoo.com
Phil Bennett has to be gone right? The program will really miss the accomplished winner with his 18-52 record.
Aaron: Don’t know if you’re wanting to sit near the 50 or not, but there are plenty of tickets in the sections reserved for the Pitt fans (10 yd line to endzone corners on each end). You can get them through the Pitt ticket office where they pick your seats, or directly from link to bbvacompassbowl.com where you can pick your own seats. Sideline is $50 and endzone is $35 per ticket. That’s relatively cheap pricing for bowl game tickets.
If I’m going to travel that far for this game, I want good seats.
Another words, BLJT (Be like Jamie’s Teams)
Until then, no more money for Slippery Steve.
I used to be upset about the noon starts, but the further away from primetime this team (coach) gets, the better.
Kentucky will get off to a quick 10/14 pt lead and I’ll be left fending said corner tv from people wanting to play bumper pool and watch college bball.
This is now my life as a Pitt football fan.
-no designated fan bar
-no interest from anyone else in the room but me
-buying overpriced drinks and too much food just to keep the poor waitress stuck with me happy
-defending the Pitt game from television vultures (if I had a dime for every GD time I caused a scene because someone or a room was complaining that ‘this game was boring’ and I went down with the ship, I’d be rich!!!)
rinse, cycle, repeat…
Paul P – Fantastic post on the other thread! To you, my hat is off. If there was a post of the year award, you would certainly have my vote.
HTscriptP
I doubt he will go, but it appears that Dave is not necessarily as “safe” as we would believe…
“Wannstedt’s future on the line at Pitt”
…Early season losses and the loss to Connecticut, along with a string of players getting arrested and too many no shows at Heinz Field, put Wannstedt squarely on the hot seat. But the loss to West Virginia – putting a BCS bowl out of reach – may have been, according to one source, the final straw.
DaveD
Wanny will be asked to make coaching changes and given an ultimatum.
DaveD
On the Fan today about 20 minutes ago Ziese said he thinks Wanny is toast.
DaveD
Dear Mr Pederson,
I am a legacy Pitt man! My dad attended Pitt back in the 50’s, my brother has his Bachelor’s and Master’s from Pitt, and I have a Bachelor’s and two Master’s degrees from Pitt. My father, my brother and I used to attend Pitt games together every year.
My father has since passed away and I have moved across the country, but I still follow Pitt athletics every week. I buy ESPN games and set my work schedule in order to be home in time to watch my alma mater.
I buy Pitt merchandise and support Pitt in any way possible.
I am about to become a one sport Pitt follower and it’s not football.
You can’t expect us to continue to support a less than mediocre product that is being produced by Mr. Wannstedt.
I realize there are many things tied to a coach, and I am sure that there are some tremendous things that Mr. Wannstedt has done for the program that us day to day fans don’t see.
But in the end you have to produce visible results on and off the field. There have been way too many examples of both on and off field examples of this coach losing his team.
Can you honestly say with a straight face that Coach Wannstedt has developed this team? Have they markedly improved since game 1?
The problem with the coach is very simple…his style of play is predicated on eliminating mistakes. He does not play to win he plays not to lose. Humans are flawed by nature, ergo you will never eliminate mistakes completely.
Given a 12 game season, you will ultimately lose by playing this style.
Trust me on this, many of us diehard fans are fed up to the point that your season ticket base is going to hemorrhage next year. If you think it’s just grumbling you are seriously deluding yourself.
I really hope you are listening, I hope your decision making on this topic isn’t myopic, only looking at the short term dollars you have locked into Mr. Wannstedt. That would be pennywise and pound foolish.
I hope it isn’t hubris, that you can’t admit to a mistake. We expect more from you sir. You have the opportunity to turn this program around and that starts today.
I hope you make your decision in the best interest of our program.
Regards,
Aaron – what is the Pitt hotel?
From Ziese’s blog:
link to blogs.sites.post-gazette.com
DaveD
It’s official, let the hunt begin.
That was a low blow, and extremely uncalled for.
Obviously your a uneducated idiot yourself Chas. You don’t know jack about the University of Kentucky and it’s excellent academic programs. If i could draw you a picture of what Joker meant, i would. That way you might understand. He meant 4 teams being that we played Florida State one year, Clemson 2 separate years and now Pitt. That equals 4 different teams. Now true that is 3 programs but he said “teams” not “programs”. Get you facts right before your type on your keyboard and sound like a idiot again. I hope Pitt plays football better than they can read or this will be a easy win.
GO BIG BLUE!!!!
