The season opener is tomorrow, and given the upset of Kentucky along with struggles by UConn (and by the way they are in another, uh, dogfight with Buffalo as I write this) and Memphis, I take nothing for granted.

Looks like Pitt might start the season a little thin at small forward with Gilbert Brown banged up.

Brown injured his right (shooting) shoulder in Sunday’s exhibition game against IUP but played through the pain. He has not practiced since.

Brown, a redshirt freshman who was plagued by illness and injuries last season, did some shooting drills yesterday. Coach Jamie Dixon was holding out hope that he would be able to practice today.

“Someone came down on his shoulder as he was lifting it up,” Dixon said yesterday. “There’s going to be some pain. I’m a little concerned that it could be around for a little bit. It could be around for a while. He’s played very well. I’m really happy with his progress, so this is a step back for him being out for a couple of days. We’ll see how he responds [today]. Since he shot today and did some running, I think he’ll be able to go live.”

Dixon declined to say specifically what type of injury Brown has, but he is holding out hope that it is not serious because of Brown’s progress the past few days.

I’d rather hold him out for another week. Brown is going to be needed this year.

Joe Lunardi puts Pitt at #35 in his early Bracketology report.

35. PITTSBURGH. Pitt’s five-year RPI average is 13.6, which is fourth-best in the country after Duke (7.0), Kansas (12.6) and Kentucky (13.4). Certainly Jamie Dixon hasn’t gotten enough credit for an amazing job with the Panthers.

Meanwhile ESPN.com/Scouts, Inc. looked at the Big East recruiting for 2008, and observes this about Pitt (INsider subs.).

Jamie Dixon and the Panthers finished last season 28-9 (12-4 Big East), though their frontline was hard hit by the graduation of Aaron Gray and Jason Kendall.

The 2007-08 team will be talented, deep and experienced. It may or may not be good enough to make the NCAA tournament. Their ability to have a good season and make the tournament will probably be based on the ability to replace Gray and Kendall and get production from their newcomers.

The Panthers have had a very good recruiting year getting three talented players: Ashton Gibbs (West Orange, N.J.), Travon Woodall (Jersey City, N.J.) and Nasir Robinson (Chester, Pa.), all who are ranked in the ESPN 150. These three will continue to give Dixon the type of players he loves to have in his program since they are all versatile, tough and can defend.

Clyde Vaughan is still trying to rebuild his reputation after a very abrupt fall from grace at UConn.

After his playing career at Pitt, Vaughan became a rising star in the coaching ranks as an assistant coach for Seth Greenberg at South Florida and then under Jim Calhoun at the University of Connecticut. But in August 2004, his career was derailed when he was arrested for patronizing a prostitute and interfering with police officers during a Hartford, Conn., prostitution sting. Vaughan resigned and has been out of coaching since.

Vaughan is currently working toward a master’s degree at Waubonsie College in Aurora, Ill., while running his All-American Basketball Academy.

His dream and long-term goal is to come back and coach in college again at Pitt. Vaughan said he had discussions with Pitt coach Jamie Dixon in April 2006 after Barry Rohrssen left Pitt to become the head coach at Manhattan. But when it came time to hire a new assistant, Dixon hired Mike Rice.

“I talked to Jamie, and he said the people who make the decisions wouldn’t go for it,” Vaughan said. “It was mostly Jeff Long. Bill [Baierl] fought to get me here.”

I’m not sure Vaughan fully gets that he did it to himself.

“Yeah, I made a mistake,” Vaughan said. “I put myself in a bad situation, and I paid for it. But everyone deserves a second chance, especially at your alma mater. I was really hurt when Pitt didn’t hire me. Other than getting married and having my son, these were the best four years of my life.

“I can get the job done here. I’m not politicking, but I can get you the All-Americans. Pitt is a hard-working town used to getting players like me, guys who overachieved. But I can get you the All-Americans. If you don’t believe me, ask Jim Calhoun or Seth Greenberg. Coach Calhoun called Pitt for me. He told them I was the best recruiter he ever had even though I was only there for two years.”

The self-confidence is still not lacking, but it was such an embarrassing act that he hasn’t been hired since. Despite his self-professed recruiting acumen.

It doesn’t seem that Austin Wallace will be much of a factor this year.

Q: I hear so many things about Pitt’s freshmen, namely DeJuan Blair, Bradley Wannamaker and Gilbert Brown. Whatever happened to Austin Wallace? I hear nothing about him this season. Has he not progressed as the coaches would like?

FITTIPALDO: It does not appear Wallace will have a big role on the team this season. He played only a few minutes in the two exhibition games. Austin was a project when Pitt signed him. He was 17 when he arrived and they redshirted him last season. He just does not appear to have the skill set that the other power forwards and centers on the team have. It’s almost like he’s a tweener — not quite big enough to be a quality center and not quite athletic enough to be an effective power forward.

Hopefully he will continue to develop and in another year be ready for the rotation.

P-G Beat writer Ray Fittipaldo also had his first chat of the season.

99fcpanther: Do you think Diggs and McGhee will get minutes this sesaon as backups to Blair or is McGhee a candidate for a redshirt?

Ray Fittipaldo: Originally, the plan was to try to redshirt McGhee, but I’m not sure if they’ll be able to do that. I know it was only two exhibition games, but I thought McGhee outplayed Diggs. I think they’ll go with Diggs as Blair’s backup in hopes that he can fill that role, but if he does not play up to par, McGhee could find himself playing a role on the team this season. We’ll see how that develops over the first few weeks.

Last year, Pitt had a big luxury in being able to redshirt the freshmen. This year, that isn’t likely. It isn’t necessarily that bad a thing as it does reflect greater talent being recruited and the coaches doing more than paying lip-service to the idea that that the best players play.

Still trying to dig things out like the articles for Pitt basketball right after Media Day last week. Starting with the tradition from Coach Dixon to bring the seniors to Media Day, that has special meaning this year amongst the four seniors in tow.

Four years ago, Ramon and Benjamin, New York City natives, were the first two recruits to give Dixon verbal commitments, weeks before he coached his first game at Pitt.

Dixon has always brought his seniors to Big East media day in New York. But yesterday was the first time he brought a class of players that he recruited, signed and brought to Pitt as the head coach.

…

“It’s a reward for the seniors who have been through it,” Dixon said of bringing his seniors to this event. “They came to a program that wasn’t quite established when they arrived, and they’ve established it. They’re part of a team that’s had the best record in the conference by far over the past six years. And they’ve been a big part of that.”

The article also notes that they had a dinner with Manhattan head coach, and former top Pitt assistant Barry Rohrssen. Rohrssen will be one of many to attend the Sunday, November 4, exhibition game. Not to see Pitt have its way with IUP in a tune-up, but for the Bill Baierl Alumni game in between the men’s and women’s exhibitions.

A former basketball letterman and 1951 Pitt honors graduate, Baierl was a kind, caring, generous, highly accomplished and dedicated long-time supporter of the Pitt athletics program. As a student-athlete at Pitt, Baierl was a basketball player under legendary Pitt coach H.C. “Doc” Carlson. Following graduation, Baierl always remained close to his alma mater and became one of Pitt’s most highly respected and widely beloved graduates. Baierl was recognized as a Distinguished Alumni Fellow and was formally welcomed into the Cathedral of Learning Society, a recognition group for lifetime donors of more than $1 million to the University. He provided the lead gift for the construction of the Petersen Events Center’s 43,000-square foot Baierl Student Recreation Center and Baierl Basketball Center which houses Pitt’s lockerrooms, team meeting rooms, training and practice facilities. He passed away in April, 2007.

The game was put together by former Pitt great Charles Smith, who was very close to Baierl. Quite a list of participants.

Smith and Pitt coach Jamie Dixon are the co-hosts for the game. And they pulled out all the stops to make it a star-studded event. Among the former players expected to attend are Don Hennon, Jerome Lane, Clyde Vaughn and Curtis Aiken.

Many prominent coaches with Pitt connections are taking time out of their schedules to be there as well, including Memphis coach John Calipari, Xavier coach Sean Miller and Manhattan coach Barry Rohrssen.

The goal is to make this an annual event.  Something that is so blatantly a good idea that I have nothing snarky to say about it. The only thing I will sadly note is that former coach and player Tim Grgurich is not listed in the release as expected to attend. I keep hoping he will reconnect with Pitt at some point. He could be such a resource for Pitt in teaching and helping develop players. One of the great teachers of basketball (IMO), even just to get him in for a day or two each year could be so valuable.

As for the team itself, the consistency and achievements of the program has earned it a place now as a perennial top-25 team. Even with the changes, those outside of the program expect Pitt to continue to do well regardless of the personnel and change in style.

“Will Pitt be different because they don’t have Aaron Gray?” Thompson III said. “I think history has shown that they have made adjustments. They will be fine.”

…

“We’re obviously a different group and they understand it and they push the ball,” Dixon said. “We have six guys out there who can all handle the ball and handle the ball in transition. I think that’s going to lead (to up-tempo play) more than anything. It’s just going to mean opportunities. If Gilbert or Mike comes up with a loose ball, they can take the ball in transition. We always haven’t had that.”

The change in styles and the loss of three starters didn’t lower expectations at Pitt. The Panthers last week were picked to finish fourth in the Big East pre-season coaches poll, and 20th in the nation in the USA Today/ESPN poll.

“Personally, I don’t look at them as rebuilding,” Thompson III said. “They lost some very good players, but they have very good players that are there. I don’t think it’s a case of rebuilding. I think Jamie is too good of a coach and the players they have back there are too talented.”

That is the hope. Of course, stranger things have happened. Just look at UConn.

Many of you have e-mailed me a couple articles about Aaron Gray making a big impression with the fans, coaches and possibly starting for the Bulls. Just haven’t had a chance to get to it.

Gray has endeared himself to both by being productive in the exhibitions preseason, but also humble and very self-critical.

“I know I still have a lot to work on. I hear about it every day. If he didn’t care about you, he probably wouldn’t say anything. The important thing is, I’m learning a lot.”

Not that Gray’s head had swelled from that double-double against the Mavericks.

”Maybe my stats [were] OK,” he said immediately after the game, ”but I’m making so many mistakes out there. I have a lot to learn yet, especially defensively. My rotations are so slow.”

That might help explain why Gray fouled out Tuesday — his six personals matching his six points in 16 minutes — in a victory against the Washington Wizards.

Skiles said Thursday he wasn’t surprised that Gray’s self-analysis emphasized the negatives over the positives.

”Those are the guys we like,” Skiles said. ”If not all, most of the guys in the gym are like that.

”For a young guy like him who is big and has a skill set, he’s a quick learner. You can tell that he wants to learn, so we’ll keep teaching him. He may end up being a bigger factor for us than we realize right now. Who knows?”

His production and presence on the court has Bulls Coach Scott Skiles considering Gray to be the fifth starter, forming a twin towers situation with Ben Wallace.

“We liked what happened at the beginning of the game the other night,” Skiles said. “We thought Ben Wallace and Aaron played well together. Ben is a good passer. And he found Aaron once the other night. Ben also knows our offense well.

“We have to decide, balancing both units, do we want a couple of defensive players in the starting lineup or do we want more offense. Aaron has shown—and I think he will in the regular season—that he can score. Do we want to use that to start a game? It’s something we have to think about.

…

The rookie from Pittsburgh has impressed many with his fundamentally sound play and steady development.

Despite fouling out against the Pacers, most infractions coming from poor or slow defensive rotations, he’s averaging 10.8 points, 5.8 rebounds and 3.8 fouls in 18 minutes per exhibition. He’s also shooting 61.3 percent in five games.

“The mobility issue, in my mind, is much less a factor even than it was in the summer,” Skiles said. “He’s definitely picked up how we want him to move and where we want him to move to. And because his hands are so good and he’s got a soft touch and his size, it makes up for those issues.”

Gray has become very intriguing to a lot of fans, even as some are reserving judgment and think this as much to do with lighting a fire under some other players.

Matty Rosenberg of Only the Bulls blog sought my thoughts/scouting report on Gray when he was with Pitt. On his site, I also came across this video of Mr. Gray showing his musical stylings.

[Editor Note: For whatever reason, the embed keeps failing. Code is being stripped out after I insert it. It then screws up the rest of the blog, so I just pulled it.]
Okay.

The title suggests plenty to cover, so let’s go.

During the last year or two, Pitt fans have been a bit upset at the Big East for making our conference home schedules so uneven. One year we’ll have the loaded side with Louisville, WVU, and Rutgers. Before this season we thought that the opposite year’s BE home games would be bad — not anymore (or at least this year).

We knew South Florida was going to be good, but I don’t think anyone could have predicted them to be “Top 5 good”. Cincinnati has seemingly come out of nowhere to become a ranked team with a great coach who knows how to get his players to play well. With this rotation we also get to see UConn, who might not be amazing but a team we seem to make into a National Championship caliber squad. Add in Syracuse, a team that we should be happy to play just because it might allow us to actually see a win at home, and it’s not all that bad. Now we just need to get that non-con schedule improved just a bit (or a lot)…

Speaking of the Pitt-Cinci game on October 20, kickoff is set for noon. TV coverage will be on ESPN Regional (WTAE locally) as the Big East Game of the Week.

This week’s game against Navy allowed Chas to talk with Adam from Pitch Right. The questions deal with Pitt’s numerous injuries, Pat Bostick and the offense’s troubles, our inability to do much of anything on first down, and a prediction. Good stuff.

Some fun from hoops alum Aaron Gray: at Chicago Bulls fan night, the rookies sang to the fans. A clip of Aaron’s performance can be found on OnlyTheBulls.com. (Sorry, my computer won’t let me embed the vid in this post — blame my somewhat outdated Dell.)

While perusing the Pitt online store, I came across this.

The description:

New for this season, our alternate home Vegas Replica Football Jersey by adidas

Expect to see them on the field some time this year (hopefully not Wednesday on national TV).

Update: Left in the comments by Tony in Harrisburg…

Solid stuff right there.

No Pitt game today. The present is bleak. The future nebulous. Time to take not of past Pitt greats.

As most are aware, Curtis Martin will be honored by Pitt at the Navy game on Wednesday.

Also attending the game will be two former teammates who will be rooting for different teams that night.

Navy’s last win over Pitt came in 1985 during the senior season of tailback Napoleon McCallum, a two-time honorable mention All-American who would play in the National Football League.

Navy and Pitt were once regular opponents, playing 19 consecutive games between 1961-1979 and seven straight times from 1983-89. The Panthers hold a 20-13-3 lead in the series, which dates back to 1912.

Two of the finest players to participate in the rivalry - former Pittsburgh tailback Tony Dorsett and ex-Navy quarterback Roger Staubach - will be in attendance at Heinz Field on Wednesday. Dorsett and Staubach were longtime teammates with the Dallas Cowboys, playing in two Super Bowls together.

The article added another tidbit that made me go, “What, 1, 2, 3, 4… crap.”

However, the once-proud program has never been quite the same since head coach Jackie Sherrill left after leading Pitt to an 11-1 record and Sugar Bowl victory in 1981. Longtime assistant Serafino “Foge” Fazio took over and mediocrity soon set in. The Panthers have suffered 14 losing or non-winning seasons since and gone through six head coaches.

Urp.

It’s been nearly 48 hours since I logged on, what’d I miss?

The 5-year old gave the wife an extremely difficult time while I was in Pittsburgh. That meant spending all of Sunday doing my best to make it up to her by taking care of the kids and generally providing her with downtime. She’s already glaring at me when I mentioned next week’s game so I might be taking my daughter to her first Pitt game about a year earlier than I thought.

We had the opportunity over the last year or two to move closer to the 50-yard line in our seats because of our accumulated points in season tickets. We steadfastly refused because our present seats had us right next to the student section. A pleasant distraction and usually a good source of humor when a student was too drunk to barely stand. So, this year they moved the student section by a whole section. The band was apparently relocated to the other end to accomplish this. Frustrating.

At the game, Carl Krauser.

Krauser was very cool about people who started coming up to him and ask to take a picture with him. It’s always a good thing when alum, who don’t live in the ‘Burgh any longer will still come by when getting a chance (not too sure about the track suit, but that’s just me). That’s also a good reflection on the athletic department to make sure they keep connecting with the past players.

Eventually he had to leave his seat when people essentially started began lining up to pose with him, like some Vegas greeter. Still, he kept smiling and was gracious and engaging to all comers, even as he started inching up the aisle. I know he polarizes people to this day with his game and play at Pitt. As a person and alum, he is what you want from Pitt players.

Lots of high school recruits and their families at the game. Apparently they had seats somewhere near us, but much lower. Saw a steady stream of kids (and some parents) with name tags going up and down the aisle past us. Some names were familiar — Lucas Nix, Zeke DeCicco and Chris Hayden-Martin. Others included James Harvey, Jim Sabia, Nick Sizemore, and a few others.

Finally, there’s a new Pitt blog out there called The Cat Basket. I don’t know if these are the students, or if it’s just a coincidence. I’m assuming a connection. Not too sure I agree with their take on the video intro. And definitely not the whole need for AC/DC.

More to come in a bit about the actual game and media

Adam Zagoria blogs a bit about Dan Jennings from New York. A class of 2009 or 2010 recruit at the power forward/center spot. He’s had a very good summer with his AAU team, the New York Gauchos.

Jennings has an application in at Oak Hill Academy (Va.) and could end up there this season, according to Book Richardson, the former Gauchos director. After that, depending upon his academic situation, Jennings could prep for a year before being a high-major D-1 player.

“He could be a Top 50 player because he works so hard and he’s a sponge,” Richardson said. “He’s a freak of nature. He’s big, he’s strong, he’s quick and very agile. He would probably spend a year at Oak Hill and then a year of prep if he’s not academically eligible.”

If he does go to play for Steve Smith at Oak Hill, folks can watch him on ESPN2 against St. Benedict’s on Dec. 13 in a game that will take place in Lexington, Ky.

In terms of Jennings’ college situation, the young man said he had received offers from Rutgers, Seton Hall, St. John’s, Pitt, Xavier, Memphis, South Florida and that Arizona had showed interest.

“I like Arizona a lot,” he said. “I also like Memphis and Pittsburgh.”

…

Jennings said he is tight with Theodore, the Seton Hall recruit, and with Pitt-bound guard Travon Woodall of Paterson and St. Anthony. Both have talked to Jennings about coming to their schools to form a strong guard/big man tandem.

Jennings has essentially ruled out Seton Hall, Rutgers and St. John’s at this time. Saying he doesn’t want to be that close to home. If you just go by the schools interested in him, obviously he has a lot of potential.

Looking to some alum, Aaron Gray has been working out with the Chicago Bulls conditioning and strength coaches since the summer league ended.

“Working with the staff here is a great opportunity,” said Gray, a 7-footer who spent four years at the University of Pittsburgh. “The work I put in this summer is going to be one of the keys to me being on the court.”

Given that he was a second round draft pick, there are no guarantees for Gray. The majority of players taken after the first round do not end up in the NBA; rather they either play in the NBA’s Development League or go overseas. And that’s exactly what is motivating Gray this summer.

“It’s great because I’m kind of the underdog again,” he said. “I’ve kind of played that role my whole life and had some good success at Pitt. Now I’m here, back at the bottom of the totem pole, where I’ve been before. I’ve worked my way up to the top before and hopefully I’ll have the opportunity to do the same here.”

Meanwhile, Levon Kendall played a bit in the summer league for the Utah Jazz. He will be heading to Greece to play professionally. Right now, he is playing on the Canadian national team. His hometown paper in Vancouver is giving him one of the biggest slurp jobs I’ve ever read.

It had to be a little frustrating for Vancouver’s Levon Kendall on Wednesday playing for Canada against Argentina.

The performance of the starters was so pathetic the game was virtually over by the time the big Kits grad got off coach Leo Rautins’ bench to put in his typical 18 to 20 minutes in a very effective role for a team trying to qualify for the Beijing Olympics.

Just what he’s doing there instead of starting is another matter, but presumably Rautins knows his personnel better than it appeared against the Argie,s who won 85-70.

…

That’s unlikely now. But this surely can’t diminish Kendall’s performance. The former Pittsburgh Panther has been outstanding for Canada, particularly in Monday’s second-round victory over Uruguay.

The 23-year-old is set to begin his pro career in Greece with Panionios and the way his development is going it wouldn’t be terribly surprising to see him get some NBA time before he ends his tremendous basketball career.

“I signed a two-year deal and it has an out after one if I get an NBA offer,” said Kendall, almost certainly being scouted closely by NBA teams at this competition given his rate of improvement, particularly at the offensive end. “I played with the Utah Jazz team in the summer league and did pretty well so hopefully they’ll be watching.”

Kendall took a lot of abuse at times for always getting the national commentators gushing about his intangibles at Pitt while fans just wanted something more tangible.

Have to admit, I didn’t have a chance to watch the Saints exhibition game last night. Read through everyone’s comments later so, I almost feel like I did see it. Despite a statistically mixed bag and harsh self-criticism from Tyler Palko –

“Tyler did a pretty decent job for his first time out there with a significant amount of snaps,” New Orleans coach Sean Payton said. “His first interception was my fault. I thought he hung in there.

“He needs to learn how to protect the football better. In his first night, there are some things he did OK and other things he needs to work on. Those reps for him will be valuable to learn from the tape.”

Palko finished with 172 yards and a touchdown on a 17-of-25 slate. He showed his grit with a team-high 47 yards rushing on four carries. He also threw two interceptions, including one in the endzone.

“When you don’t come out with the win, it’s hard to feel good about it,” the rookie out of Pitt said. “I’d probably give myself a C-minus or D. We didn’t win and that’s not a good thing.

“There were some things I was not happy with. When you turn the ball over twice and you don’t win, it hurts.”

– Palko seemed to have won some people and has support from within the organization.

“I thought Tyler did a fine job,” said Brees. “Every young quarterback is going to make mistakes. What I liked is the way Tyler responded. He keeps on improving, and he’s going to get better.”

Palko finished 15-of-27 for 172 yards and was sacked twice. Still, he had mobility and escape instincts to finish with 47 yards, turning losses into positive yardage.

The kid who threw for 66 touchdowns at Pitt, second only to NFL Hall of Famer Dan Marino, suggests he’s a work in progress. But with Brees and Payton in his corner, he appears to have a better than decent shot to hang around and do some good if opportunity calls.

In the NFL, you never know when that opportunity might arrive. Obviously, the number one prayer offered by all Saints fans is directed toward the continued health, and well being, of No. 9.

In the case of Tyler Palko, living in a climate of a savvy coach and quarterback, the rookie could not be in a better position.

And he knows it.

That was one of the reasons Palko signed with New Orleans. Palko being kept by the Saints was echoed by one of the Saints beat writers.

Tyler Palko is going to be the No. 3 quarterback. This is just a prediction. Nothing official. But the rookie from Pitt is a favorite of Coach Sean Payton so he would have had to play really poorly to blow his opportunity. On the contrary, though, Palko played well. He led the Saints to two scoring drives, including a picture-perfect 2-yard touchdown pass to Robert Meachem on a fade route. All in all, Payton had to be pleased with his effort. Payton won’t like the interception he threw in the end zone but he had to love the way the rookie competeted and led the offense. Those are the kind of things Payton wants to see out of his young signal caller. As Drew Brees said last night, he was benched three times as a young quarterback for throwing interceptions. Decision-making will come in time.

Some weren’t as impressed and don’t think much of Palko’s game.

Free-agent quarterback Tyler Palko took over for Brees in the second quarter, and while his name rhymes with the immortal Shane Falco of “The Replacements” fame, the kid doesn’t have much of an NFL future.

(See strength, arm.)

The writer of that comment (Larry Holder of the Sun Herald) provides a neat little lesson in information and quote manipulation. From the Sean Payton quotes (take a look at the top of the post for the full quote) earlier it seems that he was reasonably happy with with Palko’s performance in the bigger picture. Now, how did Holder treat it in his notes on the game?

Saints coach Sean Payton said Palko did a “decent job.”

“He’s got to learn to protect the football better,” Payton said. “He did OK. Those reps are valuable and he will learn from them.”

It’s not at all uncommon. It’s just something to watch. Always much easier in two or more paper towns.

Glad I got that TE’s post off when I did, because the house lost power for almost 24 hours. Plenty of townships are in a state of emergency because of the rain/wind/other natural disasters. I was going to go over to McKnight Road until I saw on KDKA that it was covered in a foot or two of water — ugh. Hopefully all of you readers out there in the Pittsburgh area are doing well after an ugly day.

Another place that knows a little too much about rain and wind damage is the City of New Orleans, Tyler Palko’s new home. Palko, who turned 24 yesterday, is going to have an opportunity to take some big steps towards the Saints’ third-string QB job. Once Drew Brees plays the first quarter, Palko will be next in line to play against the Buffalo Bills’ defense tonight.

He’s going to get a lot more playing time than he did against the Steelers on Sunday — it’s expected that he’ll play deep into the second half.

“I just want to know what I have with a player, and the only way I can do that is play him,” Payton said. “I’m anxious to see his development, his progressions, his ball security, how he handles his decision-making and seeing if we can move the ball while he’s in there.”

He knows what he has to work with in order to impress the coaches.

“It’s exciting, but your window of opportunity is very small,” Palko said. “So you have got to make the most of it when you get your chances. . . . Here (at camp), you’re kind of like an afterthought. You have to continue to have the mentality of getting reps and stealing reps — watching Drew and Jamie, really taking from that.”

On Sunday, Palko was 4-for-8 for 53 yards, with no touchdowns and one interception. He also almost got teammate Robert Meachem killed while leading him over the middle with a pass.

I don’t have an excuse. Posting, even in speculation, about why Pat Bostick went home was just wrong, regardless of my intent.

Of course, that isn’t really good enough. I owe an explanation of how I got to that point.

When I saw the articles and the statement from Coach Wannstedt about Pat Bostick leaving for a while, I focused on the last sentence:

“No timetable has been set for his return. we are leaving that judgment to Pat and intend to do everything we can to be supportive of him and his family.”

I took that to mean it was a legitimate family/personal issue.

I was also curious as to what it was. I went to the Lancaster newspaper to see if there was anything happening and saw the article. Being from the Lebanon area (about 15 miles away), I know Lititz does not have a particularly large population and a simple white pages search yielded a single “Bostick.” The two things mean nothing. It did make me wonder and worry some more.

Worry enough, that I went to the message boards to see if there was anything else out there. I started reading the worry and speculation that Bostick was leaving the program for whatever reason. Oh, woe unto Pitt. Why do these things keep happening to “us?” And I got pissed.

Pissed that other Pitt fans were flying off the handle and apparently ready to turn on the kid without another thought. Pissed at an overreaction. Pissed because I thought I knew better.

The smart thing would have been to just walk away from the keyboard for a while. Cool down. Do something else.

Instead I stupidly added my own speculation. I did it because in that space of time, I presumed myself to be some sort of superior fan. I made one of the biggest mistake a fan can do — see himself as some sort of representative of the team and/or “true fans.” Some sort of protector of the interests of the team and players. That’s when fans do the stupid crap that gives fandom a bad name. It’s not being biased that gets fans in trouble. It’s when the fans think they are part of the team or representing them directly.

I knew shortly after I posted it, that I shouldn’t have. I knew better, and I still screwed up. Regardless of my intent, I was wrong. I’m not going to delete or edit out what I wrote. Scrubbing a post doesn’t change it, and I have to own my mistake. All I’m going to do is add a link to this post.

I’m sorry. I’m sorry to Pat Bostick and Bostick family for publishing my own speculation about what is a private and personal issue. I’m sorry to Pitt and Pitt Athletic Department for pretending to be some sort of rep. And I’m sorry to everyone who reads this for crossing the line.