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September 18, 2011

Filed under: Admin — Chas @ 2:15 pm

Here is the official press release from Pitt ACC on moving to the ACC.





An off the wall thought. The ACC is a powerhouse in baketball, however, it is also absolutely top notch in lacrosse.
Syracuse has a great lacrosse team which when added to UVA, Duke, UNC and Maryland makes the ACC
almost as strong in lacrosse as the SEC is in football. Will Pitt try to develop a lacrosse team?

Comment by isnore 09.18.11 @ 5:33 pm

no…Title IX

Comment by OntarioLett'sGoPitt 09.18.11 @ 5:34 pm

I would prefer Pitt add men’s and women’s hockey which is Title IX neutral. Robert Morris beat us to the punch on the opportunity with the Penguins.

Comment by John In South Carolina 09.18.11 @ 5:37 pm

Very happy to be getting away from the Big East. The conference is operated by poor leadership. I am also tired of watching two thirds of the Big East football conference members (the Rutgers and L-villes of the world) get man handled by inferior competition week in and week out. Yes, Pitt lost to Iowa in the 4th quarter even though for most of the game we were the better team, but I would rather build our football program back up in the ACC instead of the Big East. These hiccups will happen, and should be expected, under a brand new system. So long Big East.

Comment by Eric R 09.18.11 @ 6:44 pm

Nordy was fine until the end of the press conference, when he had to take a jab at that Lville AD.

Who cares? Nordy left on the defensive, not pretty.

Comment by steve 09.18.11 @ 6:54 pm

I agree. The opinion of the Louisville AD is meaningless, and not worthy to respond to. If anything, that was something for the ACC to address .. not that would waste their time here.

I can see the UL AD feeling bitter right now, but then when you make a classless and shallow statement like he did, there goes any public sympathy.

Comment by wbb 09.18.11 @ 7:10 pm

I miss MSG already

Comment by alcofan 09.18.11 @ 7:28 pm

alcofan: The Garden may still be a destination every third year. The ACC commissioner mentioned it in his 9:30 AM news conference. If the Big East blows up, it will be available.

Comment by John In South Carolina 09.18.11 @ 7:33 pm

Anyone read Joe Starkey’s column today? What an idiot!

Comment by Brian 09.18.11 @ 7:59 pm

@Brian

I read his article. I can agree with some of it; but the majority of it was idiotic.

Comment by Lou Gagliardi 09.18.11 @ 8:09 pm

Starkey right on re: hypocrisy:

Pitt chancellor Mark Nordenberg, meanwhile, said, “We did make it clear within the Big East, we were willing to improve the conference in any way we were asked. At the same time, we made it very clear that if other opportunities did arise, we would feel obligated to seriously assess them and look at the long-term future of the University of Pittsburgh.”

Not only is that a 400-level class of doublespeak, it is steeped in irony eight years old. In 2003, Boston College bolted the Big East for the ACC. Pittsburgh and four other schools sued BC with none other than Nordenberg explaining the decision.

“This is a case that involves broken commitments, secret dealings, breaches of fiduciary responsibility, the misappropriations of conference opportunities and predatory attempts to eliminate competition,” he said at the time.

link to espn.go.com

Comment by steve 09.18.11 @ 8:29 pm

Steve,
I don’t think it is hypocritical in the least. The landscape of college athletics has drastically changed since BC, VT and Miami originally left the Big East. Since then, however, we have seen Colorado, Utah, Texas A&M and Nebraska all defect. Additionally, there is a strong chance that either WVU or Louisville would bolt to the SEC if given the chance. Given how things have changed and the Big East administration complete incompetency, this move was completely warranted.

Comment by sweet caroline 09.18.11 @ 8:57 pm

…and Dana Oneill’s article is just ridiculous. Was Syracuse supposed to wait around for other to defect for greener (read more viable) pastures? Who cares if someone was a founding member of the conference. The reality is that the football schools were being led down a road that was neither sustainable or viable going forward by leadership that didn’t have their best interests in mind.

I understand WVU and Rutgers being upset, but the rest of the league can screw off, they brought this on themselves.

Comment by sweet caroline 09.18.11 @ 9:01 pm

I was one of those (few?) that completely understood and supported BC, VT, and Miami leaving the Big East. Especially VT and Miami. I felt then that a day would come when Pitt would have some difficult decisions to make regarding conference alignment – at the time I was hoping for the Big Ten. That being said, Nordy does has some egg on his face, but then that’s what lawyers do. In his defense, Pitt did work hard to try straighten out the BE; unfortunately it was beyond salvation given current leadership.

In the end, I think everyone who has a BCS football team, a decent basketball team, and something that resembles a TV market should be fine. UCONN, WVU, Rutgers will be fine. I suspect that SFU, Cincy, and L’ville will likely land on their feet as well. Anything in the interim is just posturing.

As for Pitt, there’s a time to take one for the team and there’s a time to duck and move out of the way. I support the latter in this case.

“May you live in interesting times.” 🙂

Comment by thestumper 09.18.11 @ 9:03 pm

And while I’m I’m in a posting mood, I’ll come right out and say it:

I won’t miss WVU at all.

There was a time when the rivalry was passionate, yet civilized. There was a mutual respect underlying a thin shell of animosity that made things competitive, but fun. Today, it’s different. Ugly, even, to a point where I wouldn’t even think of taking my family to Morgantown for the game. Ducking batteries, beer, and shielding my children from vulgarities isn’t my idea of a good time. I’m not sure when the line was crossed, but I have no reservations at all about walking away.

From my perspective, it’s like a relationship; there were good times, and there were bad times, but now it’s just dysfunctional and it’s time to move on. I for one don’t need someone to hate to make the game/season more interesting.

Comment by thestumper 09.18.11 @ 9:16 pm

“Louisville athletic director Tom Jurich … said during a video interview on the website of the Louisville Courier-Journal that Pitt Chancellor Mark Nordenberg has violated the trust of the rest of the conference members and called the matter “slippery.”” I think he meant “slippy”.

Comment by OhHowIHateOhioState 09.18.11 @ 9:30 pm

Just saying that platitudes need not be spoken. It’s every man for himself.

Comment by steve 09.18.11 @ 9:34 pm

People are mad at the system and taking it out on the Universities. You can’t take quotes from 7 or 8 years ago and apply it today. When the ACC raided the Big East the first time, it was smoke and mirrors. It blindsided everyone and the people involved spoke with their emotions on their sleeves.

Right now, the Big East knew that they were a prime target from both the SEC and ACC and should have and have had ample opportunity to be more proactive. Granted, I don’t know what they were doing behind the scenes but obviously Pitt and Syracuse did not view it as enough.

Pitt told the Big East in writing that they would keep their options open (in May 2010, not last week or last month or even last football and basketball season) and Pitt obviously followed through on that.

I don’t feel bad for TCU at all – their situation is the same as it was yesterday. I do feel bad for Louisville, Cincy and South Florida because they will be screwed and left out of the conference shuffle. UCONN, WVU and Rutgers will land on their feet.

the stumper, don’t let a few fans ruin your hatred of WVU. We need that rivalry – it’s nationally recognized as one of the great rivalries in college sports even when neither team deserves to be nationally recognized. Oliver Luck has done a decent job toning down the Hoopies.

It’s always been beyond civil – you’ve just gotten older and approach the games from a different perspective. Go to a Ravens game wearing black and gold and you’ll see crossing the line. Let’s just say I won’t do that again.

Comment by Tossing Thabeets 09.18.11 @ 9:37 pm

Could the men’s lacrosse team be developed along with women’s field hockey? Robert Morris started a team a few years back to grow interest in western PA. And, quite a few of the current ACC teams have strong field hockey teams.
Just a thought that would share the current facilities without extending to ice hockey and the lack of space.

Comment by pittgirl05 09.18.11 @ 9:42 pm

Steve & Sweet Caroline,

I stopped taking Dana O’Neill’s article seriously when she said this:

“For years, Mike Tranghese opened Big East media day with remarks about the robustness of his conference. No one argued.”

No one argued. She’s like Marinatto. Tunnel-vision focused solely on basketball; not just tone-deaf to the discontent of the football schools, but completely oblivious to it. She’s a basketball writer, I get that, but then, she shouldn’t be writing this column. She had no idea any of this was going on.

Comment by Brian in BK 09.18.11 @ 9:43 pm

Speaking of hypocrisy…read this quote

“I don’t understand it,” Jack Swarbrick said as a new round of conference hopping in college athletics moved into high gear Sunday. “How do you vote as a collegiate president on something that has the potential to provide some benefit for your institution and the conference you’re affiliated with but has a very negative consequence for a host of other members of the academy, as presidents like to call it?

“I’d like to know how much of these discussions are: What’s right? What is the best thing for the larger enterprise, and how many other schools would be adversely impacted?

“I just don’t know that that’s happening.”

Wow….guess what Jack, if your school wasn’t so damn selfish and would play football in the league that all of your other sports are in (like every other school in the country), if your school didn’t think their football program was above being in a conference, if your school was a full football playing member of the Big East this wouldn’t be an issue. The Big East would’ve never been raided the first time and would be a strong league. I don’t want to see another quote from this guy about loyalty, or anything, his school can’t even fully commit to a conference.
jacka$$

Comment by OntarioLett'sGoPitt 09.18.11 @ 9:51 pm

Job insecurity maybe, but Dana does bring up one good point.

Comment by steve 09.18.11 @ 9:51 pm

Jag-off Swarbrick…

I love how every Tom, Dick and Harry has an opinion about this now. meanwhile, if their school had the opportunity to secure their future and not have to worry about finding a chair to sit on when the music stopped they would all do the same thing.

Comment by sweet caroline 09.18.11 @ 10:02 pm

Not everyone has the luxury of sitting the the peanut gallery with a fat, EXCLUSIVE TV contract and casting dispersions, Jack.

I still think ND’s time will come. I envy the fact that they will be able enter into an agreement without (football related) entanglements, but that’s just not the real world for most institutions.

Sweet nailed it, and others have echoed the same sentiment. There’s not a single program out there in a similar situation that wouldn’t do the same thing if given the opportunity. Chance favors the prepared, and fortunately Pitt was prepared to take action.

Comment by thestumper 09.18.11 @ 11:13 pm

Thabeets nailed it.

The fact that Nordenberg clearly put the BE on notice more than 16 months ago is the key fact here. That gave the BE commissioner and other members a full year to:

1) Understand exactly how the landscape of college football was changing and the factors that demanded that change, and

2) Get proactive and secure the BE future with additional schools to make it attractive enough for PITT and SYR to stay.

The blame that the BE did neither can’t be laid at the feet of PITT. Especially not when we made them understand back in May ’10 that if things didn’t change we would seriously consider any and all offers.

There is a hell of a lot of bad wine being made of sour grapes by the remaining BE schools and we don’t have to drink a drop of it.

Comment by Reed 09.19.11 @ 6:00 am

The bottom line is simple. Just like in your own job situation, as in these universities, you do whats best for you and your people involved. You think these writers would stay put at their current position if offered at more lucrative deal to work somewhere else? Or the other big east schools would not have jumped at the opportunity that Pitt and Syracuse had? Each year the difference in play in football between the big east and other top conferences was continuing to grow wider. Not only was this a great move for Pitt football to have an opportunity to get back to national prominence, but big east football was in a situation where it might not even exist in a few years. I will miss the big east, but only the “old” big east. The days of Chris Mullin and Pearl Washington. But those days have been long gone. Like our president said this was an easy decision. I, for one, am glad they made the move!

Comment by Z-boy 09.19.11 @ 7:03 am

If the BE lives through this it will only do so by adding teams like Iowa St…Andy Katz said in his interview – publicly the remaining BE members will play it safe, but in private they are going to be trying to get out. Katz even said he has sources that are reporting UCONN is scrambling to try and join the ACC too. Luckily Pitt was one of the two teams who were PROACTIVE like we have all said we wanted them to be. Mark May is bashing Pitt/Cuse now because he says there is no way they can compete on the football field in the ACC and Pitt is throwing out connections and rivalry with WVU…I’m sure if it had been Cuse + WVU and the BE disbanded he would have been on the other side bchin and moaning that Pitt sat on their hands.

In all I think it was the right move for the long term. Slightly better competition, more exposure, more money, AND there is now 0 risk that Pitt will be left out in the cold when this conference realignment settles.

Comment by BCPITT 09.19.11 @ 7:03 am

A junior basketballer from Shaler, Geno Thorpe, who has a schollie offer from Pitt, brought up something that as yet to be discussed here. He said that they style of basketball in the BE differs greatly from the ACC. Thus, the question is will our style of tough physical, defense and methodical offense change out of necessity, and if so, will we be able to adapt?

Comment by wbb 09.19.11 @ 7:53 am

wbb,

I think our style of play will mesh. If they go to 16 teams with two more Big East schools one of the divisions would most likely be…

Pitt
Syracuse
UCONN
Rutgers or WVU
Va Tech
BC
MD or UVA or both
…and Miami (probably not but would be fun)

This is basically the Big East ten years ago and would remain physical. The ACC would have no choice but to toughen up not the other way around.

Comment by Tossing Thabeets 09.19.11 @ 8:38 am

Tarheels and Blue Devils at the Pete! It’s worth it!

Comment by Pittastic 09.19.11 @ 8:41 am

So what happens to our football rivalry with Notre Dame?

Comment by Marco 09.19.11 @ 8:50 am

I don’t understand Mark May’s argument about playing tougher competition week in and week out in the ACC (albeit marginally tougher). I thought everyone was always crying and whining about how weak the Big East and bashing teams like Cincy and WVU when they go up against the big boys, no? So no we move to a more competitive league and those same critics say it was a bad move because we can’t win? I watched that segment with Mark May, and I wonder if that’s actually what he thinks or if he is just playing the part…

Comment by sweet caroline 09.19.11 @ 9:00 am

Remember, Syracuse was all but gone in the last ACC raid before they became a political pawn and lost out to VA Tech. The only question worth considering this morning is how would we be feeling if we were just informed that Syracuse and, say, West Virginia were leaving for the ACC? Think about it. The Pitt blogs would be exploding with rage and angst. Better the devil you know than the one you don’t

Comment by wally 09.19.11 @ 9:06 am

Wallly, I think we’d all be angry with WVU and Cuse in that scenario, however, I think that the real rage would be directed squarely at our administration for not making a decision to put us in a good position going forward.

Comment by sweet caroline 09.19.11 @ 9:24 am

I’m usually a big fan of Mark May, but I think he needs some recto-cranial extraction on this one.

Better competition and better recruiting should be default create a better product on the field. It won’t happen overnight, but are we really that far behind:

– NC
– NC State
– VA
– MD
– Syracuse
– BC
– etc…

Granted, thats probably a better list of all around opponents than what we’ve got right now, but I don’t see a world of disparity in the ACC. Pitt has to get better regardless of where they are and they have to be able to beat teams of ANY caliber.

May isn’t dumb; FAR from it. I hope he’s just playing a role on this one.

Comment by thestumper 09.19.11 @ 9:27 am

Agree with Tossing Thabeets. Pitt’s style of play should be fine. Tough defense and highly efficient ball possession is a winning formula in any conference.

It will also help to offset the talent gap with all of the McDonald’s AAs that play in the ACC, particularly at Duke and Carolina. Of course, Jamie is starting to close that gap as well.

I think this will actually benefit Pitt more than most teams. Jamie will learn and adjust his style and recruiting over time. That seems to be his M.O. It will make his teams even more competitive against all styles of play. That can only help in the one-and-done tourneys at the end of the year.

Comment by TampaT 09.19.11 @ 9:37 am

if Wake Forest won the ACC, Pitt is not going to have a problem competing for titles. Mark May is far off.

Comment by OntarioLett'sGoPitt 09.19.11 @ 9:38 am

Let’s not forget powerhouse Wake Forest.

Geno Thorpe is loaded with talent, however, if his statement is correct he needs a quick attitude adjustment. If you want to play BIG TIME college bb you have to be able to adapt to the situations that you face on your schedule.
Mr Thorpe, Mr Dixon is fully capable of guiding you on the path to winning!!

Comment by isnore 09.19.11 @ 9:43 am

Ontario I posted without seeing your Wake Forest comment. If Toddy boy can recruit and find a qb and hire a new defensive coordinator (yeah, his friend is inept) we will be fine in the ACC.

Comment by isnore 09.19.11 @ 9:45 am

isnore, the last sentence of my posting was my words, not Thorpe’s. I just thought he brought up a point worth discussing, since my observation of watching ACC games is that they call games very closely and we will definitely have to adapt.

BTW, Coach Dixon is supposed to have a press conference today. May be interesting but I would expect him to adopt the company line, so to speak.

Comment by wbb 09.19.11 @ 10:13 am

If and & buts were candy and nuts, we would all a merry Christmas. Pitt faced uncertainty in the Big East and when an opportunity presented itself, they took it. If Pitt didn’t accept the offer, UConn or another Big East team would be going to the ACC, in their place and Pitt would be in the position that the remaining Big East teams are facing. Nordy was instramental in saving the Big East 7 years ago when Boston College, Miami, and Va Tech left. If you remember Syracuse almost left back then and it took a lot of lobbying to keep them. I preferred the smaller conference set up, but the way the landscape is rapidly changing, who wants to be one of the “have nots.” I will miss Big East basketball, but I believe that Jamie Dixon will continue to be sucessfull in the ACC. In Football the ACC will be a tougher conference, but not nearly as tough as the Big Ten would have been. Don’t kid yourself, if the Big Ten had come calling we would be there. The ACC will be a better fit for the Pitt basketball program and shouldn’t hurt Dixon’s recruiting. Going to the ACC was an opportunity that couldn’t missed. Go Panthers!

Comment by Justinian 09.19.11 @ 10:16 am

Notre Dame a 6.5 point favorite against Pitt. I think it should be more…

Comment by Dan 72 09.19.11 @ 10:38 am

This is a VERY NEGATIVE prediction:
Tino starts and gets picked at least 3 times/sacked at least 3 times
Our pass defense gives up at least 4 td’s and is bone tired come the 4th quarter.
Graham has a tough running day because ND knows that Tino can’t throw and they stuff the line.

NDU 45 Pitt 10

Comment by isnore 09.19.11 @ 10:44 am

I have a feeling that Calhoun and perhaps Jamie may change the ACC more the the reverse. Plenty of “bloody noses” in the ACC, but more importantly, the ACC teams will come across as “whiners” the first time a ref misses a “contact” call by national announcers, the BE vs. ACC “style” will grow old after a season. It may turn into a “grow up and learn to play with the Big (East) Boys”, not the other way around. I hate to say it, but Calhoun is the key.

Comment by CompLit 09.19.11 @ 10:45 am

mean’t to say, the coach and fan reaction to a ref missing a “contact” call….

Comment by CompLit 09.19.11 @ 10:54 am

When is TG’s press conference? Is it today or tomorrow?

The move to the ACC helped absorb the blow a little but I’m still mad as hell about the loss Sat. Too many plays to pinpoint the loss but Pitt wasn’t fundamental in the 2nd half at all (kickoff out of bounds, pass interference, dropped snaps, etc.)!

There are problems other than Tino (LB’s & secondary notably) but I’m curious to see how TG handles Tino this week.

Comment by JAM 05 Pitt 09.19.11 @ 10:55 am

I think Calhoun’s style is much more ACC style oriented than Dixon’s. Further, by the time, UCon gets in the league, Calhoun could be retired. UConn’s defense is more from quickness and especially shotblocking, and they rely on fast breaks and one-on-one play on offense as opposed to a methodical style we usually see from Pitt.

Comment by wbb 09.19.11 @ 11:00 am

I know that UNC and Duke play with tons of McDonald’s AA on their teams, but Jamie is changing that for Pitt recently as well. Also, how many AA have been on UCONN, Syracuse, L’Ville, and G-Town lately? Just because UNC + Duke are big names in college BB doesn’t mean they are any better than what Pitt has been accustomed to playing in the Big East.

That loss to Iowa was beyond explanation…To be up 27-3 at ANY point in a game (let alone closing in on the 4th quarter) and still lose can be described as nothing less than a complete collapse and failure.

Comment by BCPITT 09.19.11 @ 11:13 am

I am absolutely howling at some of the people talking about hypocrisy!!!

Pitt has taken hits for the team for years. They warned the BE to be proactive.

Whether you like it or not, there are going to be 4 super conferences.

In 03′, that moving for geographic reasons, financial, whatever.

This is totally different. This is fighting for your existence for being relevant in the future.

They had been warned, and warned again, but Headquarters and Marinatto did nothing.

What, we’re suppossed to go down with the ship in the name of social justice or something??? LOL

Comment by Dan 09.19.11 @ 11:28 am

I just can’t get over how bad we lay terds on national tv against BCS programs. It’s quite comical at this point. I was thinking, maybe, Graham was going to avoid laying these kind of Wanny-like non-con terds– guess I was wrong. Same old Pitt.

And Stevey boy wonders why 15+ year season ticket holders cancelled and are not returning.

We should pray that the ACC doesn’t get buyers remorse and dump us….

Comment by Pauly P 09.19.11 @ 11:28 am

Talking about the Iowa game, I still can’t get over Tino’s underthrown lob interception on the 2 yard line. I haven’t played organized football in 40 years and with a guy that open, I can still make that throw. You add that touchdown or the missed opportunity missed on the 3 yard line with the dropped snap and that’s an additional 14 points. Even with the defrensive meltdown, that’s too many points for Iowa to score.

Comment by Justinian 09.19.11 @ 11:29 am

15+ guys like me, that is.

Comment by Pauly P 09.19.11 @ 11:29 am

Also, I liked to know, what exactly has Providence, Seton Hall and St. Johns done the past 20 years to help the conference. They’ve been pretty much horrible.

Villanova and Georgetown will land on their feet.

Marquette and DePaul, what were they ever doing in the Big East to begin with?

As for Louisville, I haven’t heard or read what he said, but, apparently from what people are saying……….screw you!!!

So happy I won’t have to hear friends and relatives from PSU and other schools, say, “ya, but that’s in the Big Least!”

One final thing for some of the other schools or sports writers making snide comments. If you want to be nasty………..I can too.!!!!!!!!

efffffff uuuuuuuuuuuu, we’re in!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Comment by Dan 09.19.11 @ 11:35 am

I forgot about the out of bounds kick.
Save a scholarship for a kicker.
Every week we show that we are sinking like the Titanic. New system, yes….fundamental football has absolutely nothing to do with a new system.
Have we forgotten that Iowa is NOT a good football team? How do you blow a game against a mediocre team like Iowa, struggle with Maine and Buffalo and expect to stay alive against NDU. Kelly is going to do everything he can to run the score up!!

Comment by isnore 09.19.11 @ 11:36 am

ha ha, I just read the Louisville AD’s comments.

Minor, sour grapes is all. Enjoy Conference USA again!!! LOL!!

Or staying in the BE, wonder how Pitino will feel about coaching in a Mid-Major BE???

Wow, Pitt fans never get to laugh. Amen Nordy!!

Comment by Dan 09.19.11 @ 11:46 am

actually, except for out-of-bound kick, I thought Harper kicked pretty well. His FGs pretty much split the uprights and with plenty of leg

Comment by wbb 09.19.11 @ 11:47 am

Interesting, because of the backlash from BE members…apparently quite of few of them tried applying to the ACC as well. Sounds like a lot of sour grapes:

link to orlandosentinel.com

Comment by OntarioLett'sGoPitt 09.19.11 @ 11:51 am

A week ago everyone was saying how Iowa would bury Pitt. So Pitt blew this one but it wasn’t the blow out many of you predicted. One play here or there and Pitt wins but Tino is Tino.

Also go to a game at Clemson, FSU or VT and see what college football is about.

Comment by JP 09.19.11 @ 11:58 am

Todd Graham presser starting on The Fan right now

Comment by wbb 09.19.11 @ 12:02 pm

Also, I’m sure someone brought this up, but the move makes me more glad we have Todd Graham. His recruiting in the South should be much easier now that Pitt will be playing games down there each year and get more southern exposure.

Comment by OntarioLett'sGoPitt 09.19.11 @ 12:03 pm

did you see FIU beat UCF … the same UCF that crushed BC the week before.

Do not scoff at FIU …. only 10 years, and already won the Sun Belt and competitive with teams like Texas A&M and beating Louisville

Comment by wbb 09.19.11 @ 12:06 pm

Well if Tino starts.. and we get beat soundly by ND… i think it becomes the Trey Show.

With Trey back there,, I have hope to win the Big east.. not likely, but at least he can scramble.

Did you see Tino try to avoid pressure ? Wow..that kid needs some game time presence.

Comment by Snala The Panther 09.19.11 @ 12:29 pm

I live in the south now.

My Pitt Panthers coming to me more often?? Yes please.

Duke and Carolina in hoops?? Yes please.

FSU and VaTech in pigskin?? Yes please.

Stability for our athletic Dept?? Yes please.

The only school I really feel bad for is TCU, they worked hard to build up their program and they deserve better.

As for USF, Louisville, and Cincy, they should be thankful that schools like Pitt and ‘cuse let them in the Big East 8 years ago and gave them an athletic identity and fan following.

USF sports were INVISIBLE in Tampa until they joined the BE and won a couple of games.

Comment by Jimbo Covert's My Dad 09.19.11 @ 12:34 pm

Graham’s Presser

Loss to Iowa
– too many turnovers, primary goal is to start winning the TO battle
– 4th quarter collapse due to too many missed assignments, confusion and critical errors on defense.
– Not worried about conditioning – said defense has themselves to blame for staying out on the field so long.
– also said that it’s important to maintain tempo on offense which is why he didn’t slow down the pace on offense after taking the big lead.

ND

– big challenge in stopping one of the best offense and the best WR (Floyd) in NCAA

Move to ACC

– great to solidify future of the FB program
– should help recruiting in FL and Georgia
– stressed the academics part of moving to ACC. Said his decision to work at Rice, Tulsa and Pitt were in part due to academics (notice that he omitted WVU … also would have to believe that $2m also helped)

One more observation: TG talked slower almost like a normal person. Also didnpt mention ‘high octane’ or ‘pedal to the medal’ once. Almost wish Pitt would lose more often (not really.)

Comment by wbb 09.19.11 @ 12:41 pm

Jamie Dixon was supposed to have a conference at 11 prior to Graham’s – any comments? Us folks outside of the steel city get news late.

Comment by markp 09.19.11 @ 12:45 pm

Yes, suprisingly, I’ve moved on from Iowa.

I never said anything on here, but, I was fearful it was going to be 65-10 Iowa, back to Majors II.

They proved they can play. Some adjustments are definitely needed. Not sugar coating anything, horrible defeat, horrible 4th quarter.

I have no problem with being a bit Critical of Coach Graham’s game day management, or where he should do this, or that. That’s good, solid BS’ing about the game.

I have my own. Gotta be someway to kill some clock. Why is Tino still in there, etc. etc.

However, this business of “Graham sucks”, “what a mistake”, “his offense sucks”, from a few people on here, and, on the radio, is, quite frankly, a bit childish and sophmoric.

I will keep posting this, as long as I keep reading that kind of crap…………

Every coach gets a few years. NFL, NHL, MLB, college football and hoops, and just about any other sport you can name.

Certainly anyones right to post what they want, but, I will keep posting my reply!!! LOL

Hey, I may join some of you, in a few years, if we are stinking the joint out, but, after 3 games, nah, not yet.

Hail to the ACC and Pitt!!

Comment by Dan 09.19.11 @ 12:47 pm

The honeymoon is over for Graham, and he knows it. You can’t lose in epic fashion on the road and expect to not lose equity with the fanbase. Sadly, the worst thing he could have done was build that lead and look like a D1 school for 3.5 quarters.

As we have said for nearly five years now, you have to have a QB and LBs to win in football. We do not have either. You can find speedy guys to catch ande run, you can find tough guys in the trenches to block and trackle, you can run gimmicky, trickeration, stat filled schemes, but if you want to WIN…you need a QB and LBs to make plays.

Comment by Pauly P 09.19.11 @ 12:47 pm

markp, The Fan had one quote from Dixon. He said that they never relied on just one area for recruiting, and have recruited from a few areas thru the years. (an obvious response to a question concerning recruiting the NYC/NJ area)

Comment by wbb 09.19.11 @ 12:51 pm

@thestumper: “I won’t miss WVU at all.”

Right on, good riddance. I’ve had too many otherwise wonderful Saturdays ruined by morons from the Mountain State.

Hope the ACC isn’t dumb enough to accept them or this whole thing will be a lot less sweet for me.

Comment by backacrosstheriver 09.19.11 @ 1:08 pm

I’m just pleased as punch to hear that Jim Delany of the Big Ten is happy with 12 teams. It’s good that Nordy jumped on the opportunity to join the ACC. The Big Ten is so busy kissing up to Notre Dame, that by the time they move they’ll end up with an Iowa State. The big market teams that they spent so much time talking about will all be gone.

Comment by Justinian 09.19.11 @ 1:29 pm

Regarding Pitt recruiting in the south those days are over. In the seventies and eighties we successfully recruited some great players from Georgia, Flordia, Mississippi but segragation was still prominent in the south. U. of Flordia was a push over and in the Sugar Bowls we walked all over Georgia. Since the nineties theses kids are staying close to home. Does anyone know if Myers is hurt? When all of you get Anderson you will see that Tino will look like the second coming of Dan Marino. Everyone keeps complaining that if we could throw deep we could open up the running game and stretch the field vertically as well as horizontally. Myers may be the only QB who can do that. At 6’4″ and 230 lbs. he could also be hard to bring down – example Ben for the Steelers.

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happy belated birthday’s!Mine was the 25th., I have 2 sister’s, also celebrate 27th. all 3 years apart. First shared since 1970, this week for 3 days! Snow play, singing, dancing,rockband, skating in yard, reminiscing… laughing…3 generations together!After 15 years “surprised” by a bro’, late december born… we all
laugh…our parents were “twitterpated” alike spring in Bambi.
There should be a law: no work- birthday’s only play!

Comment by Philadelphia limousine 10.17.11 @ 10:37 pm

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