Semi-late night game. At least, as I get older it feels later. Especially for mid-week. May have to stick with some session beers tonight rather than the stronger stuff.

It’s the first basketball liveblog of the new season. I’m sure everyone will be rational, well-reasoned and not at all reactionary during the game. Zen-like, even.

Definite plus for this game. Bill Raftery with the color commentary. That is the way to kick off the first liveblog.

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A week off from football before Thanksgiving and the Backyard Brawl. The win definitely helps with a sense of overall calm. It’s been a rough season to date. The transition on the offense has been painful at times. The injuries have also been, well, painful. I’m reasonably certain almost the entire Pitt fanbase has watched Sunseri drop back this year and uttered, “1… 2… 3… Throw the damn ball!”

Yet, a good win on the road helps. Even if it was aided by a video game or what not.

“I said on Tuesday we have guys that miss class because they want to stay (up) all night and play that video game, whatever it was,” Strong said Monday at his weekly news conference. “I didn’t even know what it was, but it’s such a big deal.”

Gamers can participate online and play at the same time or on teams. “Modern Warfare 3” has a storyline that makes the player part of a special forces operation in search of a terrorist.

Strong said he knew it had engulfed the team by hearing players talk about the video game, most simply refer to as “MW3,” and seeing their posts about it on Twitter.

Sophomore strong safety Hakeem Smith was so excited he posted this tweet the night it was released: “Call of Duty at midnight!!!! #Gamerwithapassion.”

Receiver Damian Copeland tweeted at Smith: “Boi You Know U A Gamer When U have To Tape Your Fingers Up Before You Play The Game” — that was in reference to “Modern Warfare 3,” not actually taking the field to play football.

Kicker Chris Philpott posted “On that dutayyy with @G_Scruggs (defensive end Greg Scruggs) scruggy,” that prompted a retweet from quarterback Will Stein that he was “jealous.”

While he was at it, Strong also blamed the midnight release of the final Harry Potter movie on DVD on Friday as playing a role. What happens if the Cards lose to UConn this weekend? Will the opening of the final Twilight movie be cited?

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First, there will be a liveblog of the Long Beach State-Pitt game tonight. The game is at 9pm, on ESPNU

Second, there is no shortage of concern that Long Beach State is capable of the upset. They have a dangerous, slashing, scoring point guard in Casper Ware, Jr. The LBSU squad is a veteran mid-major group. The kind of team that always causes problems for major programs — whether in the non-con or the NCAA Tournament.

LBSU has scheduled to be battle-tested, high RPI and Pitt is the first stop on a non-con torture fest. UNC, Louisville, Xavier and Kansas are also on the list of teams they will play on the road. Their head coach Don Monson, is the college basketball version of Dan Hawkins — only less weird.

Hawkins was the guy to help get Boise State national attention before eventually being lured by the money to Colorado where he had to clean up after a program in shambles ethically and on-the-field. Succeeding only in the off-the-field clean-up Hawkins was fired after last year. Meanwhile, Boise rose to greater heights under the assistant who took over and has stayed. Now Chris Petersen is widely considered the true genius behind the Boise success.

Monson coached Gonzaga to the NCAA Tournament. Got the program noticed, but eventually was lured to Minnesota where a scandal had wrecked their program. Monson cleaned up the off-the-court issues, but didn’t win. Eventually losing his job. Meanwhile, his assistant Mark Few took over and has succeeded and stayed in Spokane, Washington.

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