Feel like I have neglected most of the pre-season and exhibition portion of Pitt basketball. Lots of  questions. Lots of curiosity. Lots of reasons for optimism. But no one really seems to be sure of the answers.

You can see it in all the preseason polls and predictions. There’s talk of Pitt being sleeper potential. Lots of polls putting them just outside the top-25, but definitely in the NCAA Tournament.

The headliner is Steven Adams in the middle as one of the best freshmen nationally and potential NBA lottery pick. Given his personality and sense of humor, he figures to continue being a popular figure for the national media.

Time for some links and thoughts:

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A few topics from the game on Saturday that were probably debated with some heat.

I’ll start with the officiating since that is one of the more cut-and-dry things. I had no idea how bad the officiating was while at the game. Notre Dame still does not have a jumbotron so there are no replays. From our seats we had no angle on the phantom pass interference call on K’Wuan Williams. And we certainly couldn’t see that Notre Dame put two guys out there with the same uniform number.

The first inkling that the pass interference came on the drive back to Cleveland. We stopped for a coffee fix, as the drive back following a loss is always so very, very long. Some older Notre Dame fans saw us on the way out and after saying it was a good game, actually apologized for the call. Of course since we didn’t realize how bad the call was when it happened, and we were so mentally fried, Pauly P. and I really had no idea what they were talking about at that moment. We just acknowledged it, got back in the car and kept going.

Pauly P.: “What pass interference call?”

Me: “I — I have no idea. Maybe we will see it in the highlights later.”

And oh, god did I. Now that I’ve seen it. Ugh. A case where the official decided that something had to have happened even if he couldn’t see it.

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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…

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For some reason, it won’t let me log onto the moderator account for Chas’ cbox, and I can’t figure out how to embed it in the post. So, if you could just click here, it should show up in another window.

Sorry for the inconvenience.

It’s been 11 years since I last went to South Bend, Indiana. No kids. Not yet married. Able to engage in general abuse of my body and mind with less consequences later.

Guess it is time for a return trip to that dismal state. Taking a trip with Pauly P who was foolish nice enough to invite me to join him on the drive.

I’ll be tweeting during the day (probably).

Game time is 3:30 Eastern. It airs on NBC.

Luke has volunteered to test his sanity by running a liveblog today.

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Leaving in just a few minutes for South Bend.

Quick links.

Rumors are that the charges against Street, Graham and Pitts will be dropped, but no confirmation.

Are Domer bloggers worried about this game? Not really.

P-G’s Sam Werner talks Pitt to the Irish Network NBC.

Rivals.com ND guy talks ND to Werner.

Notre Dame’s MLB is good.

Dejan Kovacevic sees this as an early opportunity for this to be Chryst’s 13-9.

Brother, can you spare a linebacker? Joe Trebitz gets his first start.

Come on Arthur Doakes. Don’t forget your roots, you’re a Cedar (yeep).

Take some inspiration from Derrick Burns.

UPDATE: Pitt has issued a statement on the players situation, it is below the fold.

Really not much that can say about the assault charges that are filed against Devin Street, Ray Graham and Lafayette Pitts. I won’t outright call them a load of bull, but let’s just say there doesn’t seem to be much meat to the charges.

Pittsburgh police wrote in a criminal complaint that they were working an overtime detail early on Oct. 21 when they tried to disperse a crowd from the intersection of Oakland Avenue and Bates Street and three people remained in the roadway.

One those people, Karl Olsheski, told police he had just been assaulted. He refused medical treatment and said he did not want to file a report, he just wanted officers to stop the man who had punched him, according to the criminal complaint.

In an interview with police, Mr. Olsheski said he was walking in Oakland with two women when Mr. Graham stopped him, said, “What’s up?” and uttered a racial slur. Mr. Olsheski said that he replied “nothing” and tried to leave but Mr. Graham, Mr. Street and Mr. Pitts surrounded him and then Mr. Street slugged him on the left side of the head, according to the criminal complaint.

The players are being mailed their summons to appear. It is simple assault and conspiracy. The stories do not make clear how the three were identified or whether they were detained at the incident. They were not and will not be arrested in connection to the charges. They haven’t even received notice that they are being charged, since the summons are being mailed to them.

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I’m hoping Pitt is practicing hard. That they are gearing up for the game. That the coaches are pushing the “nobody believes in us” angle. Every little button, motivating tactic. Whatever. Pitt will need it to pull an upset. I’ve grudgingly watched this Notre Dame team play outstanding defense, especially up front. And do just enough on offense in games so that they can grind teams down. This is a very good team. Not a fraud outfit like Charlie Weis run teams.

Notre Dame is at home. Brian Kelly can be a jerk, but he is a really good football coach. He is getting all that highly-ranked talent to do more than have people make excuses for why they haven’t met expectations.

Notre Dame is the team positioned to jam itself into the national championship discussion if it keeps winning. At worst, a BCS Bowl. They are the 17 point favorite in the game.

Pitt is the team that lost to 1-A Youngstown State. Pitt is the program that has been in flux, at best. Absolute chaos at other points over the last two years. Lost recruiting classes. Shifting styles of play.

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Good morning. Here is video of Tyler Palko in 2004 (via @PantherLair).

Palko 2004 post-ND

I can’t believe I’ve been misquoting it all these years.

As Palko said later, “”It’s easier for Notre Dame fans to be mad at me for saying the F word. They should be mad at me for throwing five touchdown passes.”