In case you missed it, Donald Trump endorsed necromancy, Lynn Swann is the AD of USC, and Tubby Smith is going to Memphis after Pastner went to GT. All boggle the mind in different ways.
In the realm of sanity, the coaching staff for Kevin Stallings looks pretty damn good with the final hire.
University of Pittsburgh head coach Kevin Stallings announced the addition of Kevin Sutton to his staff Wednesday afternoon. Sutton joins Tom Richardson and Jeremy Ballard as an assistant coach for the Panthers after spending the previous three seasons at Georgetown.
“I got to know Kevin in 2007-08 when we were recruiting one of his players out of Montverde Academy,” said Stallings. “He has a wealth of experience and is an excellent teacher and mentor. Kevin is well connected in the recruiting world particularly at the prep school level and within the ACC footprint. When you ask people in the profession about Kevin the feedback is extremely positive and flattering. I am very excited to have him on our staff.”
Sutton, a coaching veteran with 27 years of experience, joined the Georgetown staff in 2013. He helped the Hoyas to a 55-44 record with a pair of postseason appearances. In his second year with the program, Sutton saw the Hoyas go 22-11 overall and reach the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
Sutton arrived at Georgetown following two seasons as an assistant coach under Mike Lonergan at George Washington. He also had a pair of two-year stints as an assistant coach at both James Madison and Old Dominion.
In addition to his collegiate coaching experience, Sutton coached at five nationally-ranked high school programs – Flint Hill Prep, Harker Prep, St. John’s Prospect Hall, Montrose Christian and Montverde Academy – amassing a 489-102 record and winning two national championships. In 1998, he was the associate head coach on the USA Today Super 25 National Championship team and in 2007, he was the head coach of the Montverde Academy Hoops.com National Championship team. He also coached Montrose Christian and Montverde to second place finishes in national championship tournaments.
Sutton has also been selected as a coach for USA Basketball on three different occasions.
Given where he was an assistant and the prep schools he coached, Sutton will be a strong presence for Pitt in the Baltimore-DC area.
College basketball writers who follow the recruiting aspect closely liked this hire a lot.
Hiring away from Georgetown is a nice plus. Sutton was a candidate for the James Madison head coaching position this year. He’s still active in the Nike skills camps. Generally seems like a basketball junkie. Respected for both dogged recruiting and coaching skills.
The budget for hiring assistants was definitely opened up a bit more. A focus definitely on the entire East Coast. On paper, the right moves appear to be happening. Reality is still a question mark.
And unlike JD who had two coaches from the northeast and his top recruiter from Detroit, Stallings’ top 2 recruiters have much experience and connections in the ACC footprint … especially Sutton.
This better result in better recruits and quickly … we will have 4 or 5 openings for the 2017 class.
Got to like what Stallings is doing so far.
Wbb – I agree, nice job with 3 of the hires. I was really hoping for 2 young coaches who could at least be a candidate as a future coach, and we only got one of them, possibly. Anyway, good hires.
Trump trying to get a cheer for PSU in Pittsburgh was classic Donald. He got a half-cheer at least, gotta change that.
Reed – Right, bb school again, we’re all in! I like it 🙂
H2P
They then feel like they have to counter jab.
For instance, I might feel it necessary to say something like……
“as bad as they are, none of them are in the same league as King of All Wacko Nut Jobs
Bernie Sanders”
But, I won’t say that. So IMHO, and certainly not telling anyone what to say or write, but in my humble opinion, I’ve always found this blog a getaway from that crap,
I believe we shouldn’t mention politics, so I like to suggest that we cease and desist talking about politics on this blog, in,
3…….2……1…..NOW
Santorum has an MBA from Pitt.
On a side note:
If Hillary beats Bernie in the primaries, then Bernie and Santorum have very similar careers.
I just thought it was funny that on a day where Pittsburgh had multiple political mavens in the area Richardson took a pic with a guy that most regard as, at best, a nonentity, and at worst…well look up “santorum” on Urban Dictionary.
Again, I laughed myself.
I just know how politics goes, one comment leads to another and they tend to perpetuate themselves, then you have people sniping at each other.
Again, with all sincerity, that’s just my opinion.
Yes he won a national championship with Pitino’s players but he still had a .760 win percentage at KU.
Yes, he is not a great coach … but numerous public failures is not accurate either. He was pretty successful at Georgia, UK and Minnesota
I would be very surprised if PittLiveWire does not have at least the highlights.
If he donates a decent amount to the school…they should all be getting their picture with him. Then run to the next donor and the next, etc.
Admittedly it may just be my human nature of finding something new, interesting, different, new way of playing, new recruiting areas, but I’m looking forward to the season.
Oona Ekstrom — sounds like she could be a future Bond girl.
Maybe she has a 7-foot brother the men’s team could talk to..
Go Pitt.
Except for Kentucky, he improved every program he coaches at including Minnesota when he took over a team that had a 3-13 B1G record. He neevr had less than 20 wins at UM … funny you forgot to mention that
She does sound like a Bond girl. Do we have a pic?
H2P
p.s. I think that you meant to type “older” men, jrnpitt.
Actually, I was in fact using that comment to show how things escalate when P are brought up.
Some may say, BS, however my track record of never talking or commenting on politics should be enough to let me slide on that one.
Afterall, things hadn’t even been close to being evened up.
I have no problem and I, myself do, talk about old movies, old music, old times at Pitt, what makes the Blather so much fun, that when things are slow we start talking about those things.
I love that.
I just don’t like any P talk. I get (we all get) bombarded with it day in and day out, hour by hour, tv, internet, radio………constantly
never ending.
It’s certainly my own opinion, I’m not telling anyone to say, but watching the Blather over the years, I believe the consensus of most of us, is we don’t want to see it on here.
My point above, is all it takes is one snarky comment, then people think they have to even it up, then the next thing you know……….
So, I will take my own advice now, and be done.
link to pittsburghpanthers.com
With the 3 incoming freshmen, looks like the women’s team may have 14 scholarship players next season (assuming Brittany Gordon and Bubbles both move on). That would be the most players I’ve seen them have on scholarship. The limit for the women’s teams is 15.
Go Pitt.
However, you can’t just ignore Trump endorsing Paterno. LOL
Hillary has already been chosen just like Obama before her and the Bush’s from the Bush Crime Family.
“If voting made any difference they wouldn’t let us do it.” ? Mark Twain
They love those Diebold machines…
That’s why they’re all after Trump….he’s an outsider, not controlled by big money.
