So many things to discuss, dissect, be optimistic, be fearful, be doubtful and otherwise post about from Saturday. I couldn’t even go near the computer yesterday. Still too raw. Too many emotions after that game.
So I waited. I didn’t even watch my recording of College GameDay Final until this morning.
And then there is Tino Sunseri.
“We missed a field goal. That’s why we lost the game,” Pitt quarterback Tino Sunseri said. “It came down to a special teams play, we didn’t make the play. Give credit to Notre Dame for being able to finish it off.”
Maybe he wasn’t simply throwing Kevin Harper under the bus. But it is unlikely. Especially when it was clear that everyone else thought that.
After talking with a university spokesman, Sunseri addressed the media again.
“A team has to be able to make the play. A team has to be able to finish a game off. A team has to work together to win a game,” he said. “It’s not one individual’s fault. It’s a team game. It’s a team loss today.”
Uhh…
William Shatner SNL skit Get A Life 1986-12-20 by efly2020
I’m picturing a Phil Hartman-William Shatner exchange (5:15 mark) Between Sunseri and E.J. Borghetti after Tino said that.
Ultimately it doesn’t matter what Sunseri “meant” by that. He is absolutely the last person on the Pitt squad that should ever — EVER — even appear to be pissing on another player or coach.
This is the kid that has been the receptacle of blame for every Pitt loss in the last two-plus years. Some rightfully, some unfairly. He had a coach all of last year put all the blame on him. His teammates, though, have publicly had his back the entire time.
And he can’t do the same for his own teammates?
This is just more evidence that even three years later that nothing has changed between the ears.
For all the improvements this year. For being so, so much better and more consistent than he was the first two years. For finally appearing to get it. At that moment to reveal character. To fail to at least show comprehension of the moment. Tino Sunseri reverted back to type.
I am not in favor of burning a red shirt to replace Tino. Let Tino finish the season and move on.
Playing Trey at this point may not get Pitt the 2 wins needed to get a bowl. Chryst will probably just wait until spring to get a new QB.
I doubt seriously that Tino’s comment about the missed field goal was intended to throw Harper under the bus. It was a quick, ill-advised reaction to a very disappointing ending to what would have been a major upset. The team, coaches, and yes, Tino himself all know what they could have done better, even just a tad, to bring home a Panther win, but it was not to be. They also know that you win as a team, and on this Saturday in particular, you lose as a team. Opportunities were there in every quarter of the game, but it was not to be. Frustrating for sure, even for the 3-year starter who has had the whole community on his back throughout his career.
We see it with the Steelers when they do poorly, with the Penguins when they fail in the playoffs, and most noticably with the Pirates. Pittsburghers like to zone in on one guy and make him the one responsible for team failure. Write down the names of the most critical Sunseri bashers, haters without a doubt, and await the 2013 season and beyond to find their next target. The coach? Quarterback? AD? Someone, some one guy, probably a young man between the age of 18 and 22 who will disappoint them to the extent that they will demonstrate their meanness in print when things go sour.
Losing to Notre Dame last Saturday was not the end of the world. Unless you are blinded by hatred, there is no doubt that you saw continued improvement in this Panther team. As a Pitt fan I’m a believer that the team and the program is headed in the right direction.
Comment by dish 11.06.12 @ 12:33 am
LMAO. yes and the last 3 years have certainly been hell, as this team with a real D-1 QB would have had lots more W’s. Off the top of my head, 4 last year, where we lost 4 games by a TOTAL of 12 points and at least 2 this year, YSU of course and Syracuse of course. Would have won the Utah loss in OT as well had Bostick been the QB, imo.
So we would have been at least 9-4 in 2010 and 10-2 in 2011 and we would NOT have been playing in that sh*t bowl game in Birmingham.
HTP !
Comment by pittisit37 11.06.12 @ 1:55 am
hey pittisit37. The “Sir” thing is from my sarcastic sense of humor. As apparently Sir Tino was knighted by someone at PITT and that this knighting of him meant nobody but him was apparently allowed to play QB at PITT while he was there. And as you know, the title of Sir goes along with being knighted, so therefore Sir Tino it is.
Veritas et Virtus !
Comment by Upittbaseball 11.06.12 @ 1:04 pm
Good points Upitt. There is no logical reason with 5 losses now and 1-3 in the BigEast NOT to play someone else, ANYONE ELSE. The only reason is what I’ve been talking about for 3 seasons now.
A return trip to bumf*ck, alabama or where-ever for a 4rth rate bowl game, yes the BBVA Gyrocompass thing is a 4rth rate bowl as is the Pinstripe thing, that probably won’t even exist after Syracuse moves with us to the ACC. And who in the hell wants to watch us get beat by some C-USA team again with Sir Tino at the helm. I barely watched that garbage last year.
PC is pinning our hopes in 2013 ENTIRELY on a young man who will have not stepped onto the playing field in a real game for 3 years. Now, while I hope Savage plays lights out, it’s totally foolhardy by the HC, NOT to have one of his underclassmen ready WITH SOME GAME EXPERIENCE AND MAYBE A FEW WINS UNDER HIS BELT for next year!
For our big move and inaugural season in our new conference, the ACC.
You all (or some of you) say, well let’s wait to next year and so forth as PC is in his 1rst year. OK, well let’s PLAN for NEXT YEAR as WELL !!
GRP !
Penguin — when athletes play well, they get overly praised…and the opposite when they don’t …fighting human nature on that one I’m afraid. But you’re apparently missing what most people have easily picked up on these past long long long three years — its Tino’s attitude and character that grate on so many of us.
If he was just a regular kid who wasn’t very good, people wouldn’t display the vitriol they have — but he’s not, he’s clearly a d@uchebag. Plus he has benefitted from nepotism/favortism like no other athlete I can remember…these are the things that infuriate people, not that he’s average talent-wise. By the way, I never put Stull down character wise, and never thought he didn’t try, but its a real shame if people booed him at games…he deserved much better.
