Sorry, meant to post this before the game, but got distracted.

Gametime: 8pm

How to watch: ESPN

Why to watch: What have you not been paying attention?

Added bonus: NO CRAIG JAMES!!!!

I’m sure this game will do much stronger in the ratings in the Pittsburgh market than expected initially. I’m also certain, that all those who have expressed very strong opinions already will suddenly watch with an open mind. A couple links to share. Bruce Feldman of CBS Sports.com actually suggested Cristobal for the Penn State job last week.

There’s also this glowing piece about how far FIU has come in such a short time. I’ve already said that Cristobal is a guy I like a lot for the Pitt job. This piece did a lot to harden my opinion. Some have pointed out that the commitment from the school and the athletic department played a huge part. I agree.

But it also has to be conceded what kind of job Cristobal did. He came into a situation where the program was losing 30 scholarships. 30! It’s a tough enough job, but that also means you cannot miss on the kids you bring in. The margin is even smaller. They have to be really coached up, as well. To build something when that was the foundation. Well, I find it exceptionally impressive.

Gametime: 7pm

How to watch: ESPN3.com (internet only)

There are two reasons I am doing this as an open thread tonight. The first is that the game is on ESPN3.com. This means tying up the computer watching the game, and I don’t feel like doing 2 computers at once. The second is that the Beef O’Brady Bowl is at 8pm, and I will probably have that on as well (note: there will be a second open thread for the Cristo-Bowl).  Need to watch a possible future coach do his thing. So there will not be total attention to the second half.

I’ll be checking in here and on Twitter.

Never bought the possibility. Just did not see Chancellor Nordenberg signing off on Jim Tressel. The cover-up. So much plausible deniability that it is hard to deny. The undercurrent of fans, though, that somehow figured that if Tressel only got one-year show cause it was a possibility. However implausible.

That can die as the NCAA handed out its penalties on Ohio State and Jim Tressel.

You can read about the Ohio State penalties — 4 lost scholarships per year for the next 3 years, and a postseason ban for 2012-13.

For Jim Tressel, it is the end. He was hit with a 5-year Show Cause penalty.

He’s not coaching anywhere. No school is taking a chance on hiring him only to find out that the NCAA rejects him.

Don’t feel that the likely top-3 candidates for Pitt aren’t local enough? Worried that Teryl Austin lacks that real head coaching experience? Want that head coach with a fine, fine stache? Then apparently Pitt may be interviewing that guy.

A source said that 49ers defensive line coach Jim Tomsula either will interview or already has interviewed for the job as the University of Pittsburgh’s head coach.

…

Tomsula replaced the fired Mike Singletary last year for the season finale in St. Louis. Tomsula is also highly regarded by the 49ers and his players. 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh said players and coaches try to get on bus three while going to the airport. That’s the bus Tomsula always sits on, and players and coaches feed off his energy and humor.

Jim Tomsula is from West Homestead and even coached the D-line at Woodland Hills for a year. Local ties, check.

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Sorry. I can’t help myself.

So many topics. Khem Birch leaving still swirls. The next coach for football. Todd Graham leftovers. Oh, and there happens to be a basketball game tonight. And hey, the Beef O’Brady Bowl is tonight that features an FIU team coached by Mario Cristobal. No winter break around here.

There’s nothing about Birch’s departure that makes me feel good. Pitt will be fine, but you do have to worry about the kid. People really seem to like him, but not the people he has let surround him.

“Khem is a great kid,” Hurd said. “This situation is painting him as something he is not. The problem is he is being led down a road by so-called advisors. It’s going to end poorly for Khem, and that is sad for me because I care about the kid. This is not going to end well for him.”

…

“If you asked me last year at this time I would have told you Pitt was the perfect place for him,” Hurd said. “If you ask me today I would tell you Pitt is the perfect place for him. I don’t know that this was his decision. Khem is an emotional person. My experience with Khem is that sometimes he can paint himself into a corner, and he didn’t know how to get out of it. This isn’t a situation where Jamie doesn’t like the kid. He likes him.”

This echoes the comments Chris Dokish made when Birch was first rumored to be bailing.

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Man, I’m really enjoying this coaching search.  I mean it.  It is fun to read all the rumors and hear all the BS from people who act like they actually know something, someone, or some such.

The best part is reading all our commenter’s thoughts on who they like or dislike and why.  There are a lot of strong opinions on here and good justifications for those opinions.

As of this morning there seems to be only three viable candidates remaining… with a smattering of other names popping up here and there.  Let’s look at the top three guys.

We have Mario Cristobal, the head coach of FIU who seems to be the young up and comer.  We have Luke Fickell, the ex-DC who took over the reins of a scandal ridden OSU and kept anymore bad things from happening at least.  Then there is Paul Chryst, the OC from Wisconsin and Mr. Personality himself.

Here are my impressions of the Holy Trinity so far. (more…)