So Rushel Shell is heading to UCLA. Guess he isn’t bothering with an appeal of Pitt’s transfer restrictions as the Arizona St. AD intimated last week.
That’s fine. He will go there. He can sit out the year, play next year and barring injury will likely turn pro.
He will say all the right things to the media and fans. Hopefully he will grow as much as he claims he has and will. I actually do wish him well, if for no other reason than so he can be in a position to financially take care of the two daughters he is leaving behind to go to UCLA.
The bigger question right now is the status of Deaysean Rippy.
The linebacker did not play or attend the Blue-Gold game on Friday. Rumors have swirled for several weeks about how Rippy is looking to transfer as well.
Rippy would be a redshirt freshman this year. Despite a 4-star pedigree and considered a great, late get in the 2012 recruiting class; and said all the right things when he signed.
Like Shell there were questions about his motor and desire. Something that could be supported by the fact that he did not appear to be on the imaginary two-deep this spring.
Jerry DiPaola of the Trib offers some thoughts on Rippy. How his family wanted him to go to Pitt, liked Chryst and may even still want him to stay. He sees it simply as Rippy is frustrated that he is not rising on the depth chart. Instead being passed.
That is the simplest and most reasonable answer.
Tell me what kind of businessman do you think Chryst would be? A little personality goes a long way in real life; even for doctors! Remember there is a web site called Vitals.
Shell, was the number four running back coming out of high school! For 1MM a year you can’t figure out a positive way to handle a 19 year old?
Give me a break with this so called instilling discipline shit! Seen that claim before.
All that adds up to is poor recruiting and another new coach.
I’m not a all convinced Chryst has the personal ability to handle players. This could be his weakness.
Correct me if I am wrong. I thought the rule now is two years of playing and you can go declare for the draft.
I’ve just hired you to manage my Burger King. Your first job is to get talented, but lazy 19 year olds to show up for work every day.
I’ll pay you one million dollars. But you can’t pay your employees under the table.
Sorry man, you are way off base on this one. These kids transfer from everywhere to nowhere all the time.
You want a world class babysitter for your million. I want wins.
For some unknown reason JR has expressed interest in this JUCO player from Gulf Coast CC.
Chad Frazier 6’4″ Point Guard (?????)
(don’t we have 2 PG’s now)
Anyway this kid was only rated by One service coming out of HS. And that was a 2 star.
Meanwhile….
We lost out on a 5 star from Chester PA. HS who Sean Miller gobbled up. IKR
I’m all for having players that have discipline and all that. But let’s remember the day & age we live in.
We aren’t exactly recruiting West Point & Naval Academy types.
I agree with Old Pitt Grad, the jury is still out whether PC has the communication skills necessary to deal with these kids.
The Red Flags last year, was the team’s disappearing act of ‘not showing up’ for several games. Including the very first one and the very last one.
And we won our latest National Championship in the Script with Old Gold and Royal Blue.
I don’t think we’ll see it though, Cornhole would be admitting he was wrong changing it.
And I just don’t see him admitting he was wrong !
One thought, it is a huge expense to rebrand. I like the idea of the two uniforms. That would give the athletic department a transition period to switch over to the new logo and colors.
The players love coach Chryst, not catering to star players is a must in college. This is not the pros.
All paid for through fundraising, private donors, corporate naming rights, seat licenses, other naming rights and advertising, parking fees, transit fees, merchandise sales, gate receipts, rental of space and a university backed bond taking advantage of historically low interest rates. No tuition increase or extra student fees. No asking for taxpayer dollars. No raiding of Pitt’s endowment funds.
The Pete has that connection. Its intimidating. Schools don’t want to play there. The fans are real close. The house is intimate and full of Pitt character. Pitt has a true home field advantage. It is a fun fan experience. Players get pumped. Would you be able to say those things if Pitt played at the Consol?
So why is Pitt football treated different? Because the university considers Pitt a basketball school? Because the university loves to mooch off the Rooney’s? Because the university doesn’t really care about the game day experience? Because the university is fine being mediocre?
Heinz was only meant to be a temporary home. Now the tenants have stayed too long. Pitt needs to move out of the parent’s home and be on their own. And what happens when the parents decide to move and sell the home? Better like the drive to Cranberry or Washington County. Better start planning now.
On the Shell transfer subject, we can agree to disagree. I think Shell will prove by his own future actions which one of our opinions is more accurate. If he goes on to fame and fortune through UCLA and into the NFL then Chryst probably mishandled the kid. But unless a major attitude adjustment occurs in Mr. Shell’s head, I think that his career will fizzle before it gets going. I actually hope that I’m wrong on this one for his own sake and for the best interest of his young family. Guess we’ll both see soon enough.
H2P!
As far as Chryst not being able to ‘handle’ a superstar 19 yr old. Is he supposed to coddle these young know-it-alls who have been lauded and handed EVERYTHING so far in life without putting in much effort? Should PC have separate rules, such as handing out starting jobs based on recruiting stars?? Football is the ultimate TEAM game. 11 players need to be on the same page every single play. The players need to work hard as a group every day in practice.
Just as in life, there are people that just don’t get it. No amount of coersion, persuasion or discipline will change their minds.
A quote from the Captian in Cool Hand Luke is apt in these cases: ‘What we’ve got here is failure to communicate. Some men you just can’t reach.’
high out of high school.
but he is now one of the top guards in the jc ranks
if not the best.
he is 6 foot 4 and can play SG as well as point
and right now it is not like we have a lot to
pick from.
In all of those venues Pitt’s colors are listed as Blue and Old Gold. Being in the printing business, I looked at many a swatch book and “Old Gold” taken any way, is not even close to the mustard color or baby poop gold we have seen.
Who makes these frick’n decisions?
RIP Pat. It was fun listening to you even if you did lean toward the Cowboys.
You are still better than anyone at the Masters.
You were the Tom Bender of your day!
Dr. Tom peace be with you. As you say, we shall see.
SF Pitt, in my mid 30’s I was a regional sales mgr. for a large plastic’s corp. six ladies and six salesmen reported to me. Frankly, I didn’t feel I didn’t a good job at it. Had blinders on; was too results oriented not enough people oriented.
Fortunately, I saw am opportunity to start my own business and made a career for the next for 30 years on my own.
If I had stayed at the big corp., I probably would have not gone any further or worse. Being a real leader takes talent, and some additional learned skills as we pass through life.
I always admire the guys that can really lead, and with discipline! That’s the real talent, making it seem like you are doing it without rules and having fun.
JJ and Emel, I am all for discipline. It’s just the way it is done I have issues with. As Emel has stated, “times have “changed.” (By the way Emel, I’m not against the “Cornhole” statements. I’ve been tempted to use the term “Cornsucker”. No, doesn’t fit my personality.)
TX Panther, I like how you think. I wish it could happen. Saw some Satellite pictures of Pitt’s Campus recently. Some nice additions; a lot better looking than NYU. Oakland could use some of your suggestions. Land cost are quit a bit cheaper than NYC. It would be a positive attraction for talented people to the area. PLUS WE DO NEED OUR OWN FOOTBALL STADIUM!
I WANT TO MAKE IT CLEAR, I MEANT TO SAY, I DID NOT DO A GOOD JOB AS A MANAGER. IN FACT, I SUCKED!
How is this any different from a successful OC whose offenses were tailored to the HCs he had worked for philosophies. Also whom has become manager of his own football team and is in the process of implementing his overall philosophies just as you had to and learning on the job so to speak…
Chryst is in the same situation you were when starting your company. The difference between you two is your style compared to Chryst’s…
Effective leaders are persuasive about instilling such a quality throughout their organization’s membership. The problem’s become evident when individuals within the organization decide that such a concept doesn’t apply to them or fail to demonstrate such in their own actions. Then it is time for the leaders of the organization to demonstrate their own commitment to that discipline concept by sticking to their guns in requiring “slackers” to ante up or get the hell out!
I respect Chryst for, apparently, taking that stand and not acquiting Shell from the same obligations that he was asking the rest of his players to adhere to. It is easy to “talk the talk” but a lot harder to “walk the walk”, especially when it envolves losing your premier player that you were expecting to build your team’s running game around. IMO, I feel Shell knew the cards he was holding and thought that he held a strong enough hand to call Coach’s bluff. Oops, miscalculation, now we’ll see if Shell learned anything from that life experience and turns it around at UCLA.
In any case, for those left behind, they saw Coach Chryst in action and should understand that this guy is genuine in his values and commitment. In that sense, Shell might just have provided a very important lesson to be applied going forward in the future development of this team. So even in his future abscence, Shell my still be contributing to this Pitt program in a way.
I am going to see five lacrosse games and two soccer games between now and Sunday evening! Both grandson’s and one granddaughter have got it going on the balance of this week.
Also I think this idea that Chryst has ‘no personality’ is taking on a life of its own without fact… watch the interviews and what him with his players. I disagree… particularly when the reports from high school to college to recruits to players is very positive on this guy…
Even keel does not equal no personality.
” the difference between Chryst and my situation is if Chtyst screws up he is still paid 1mm for, at least,the next four years. If I screwed up in my own business,(and God knows, I wasn’t perfect) I WOULDN’T MAKE MONEY!”
What you say is correct in respect to your situation and kudos to you for not only taking the risk, but also working your tail off, making it a successful and long term company.
In HCPC’s situation the risk was all on Pitt. He or any other HC hire would be foolhardy to not take the money the contract provides even if the results do not meet the schools perceived expectations.
In all honesty the real similarity between you and HCPC is taking a step up from managing to being the owner. Yours on a personal business level and Pitts on a university contractual one which will either be extended or nixed…
