OnlyBucs

Says what we've said here.  No revelations.  Is what is.  TCU doubled Dixon's salary and it is his alma mater.  Previous AD held the door for him.  Dixon left for several reasons. 



They could've remained in the Big East, and he still would've left.  He wasn't shy about shaking Pitt down for more money, and he is an alumnus.  They finally said, "OK.  Go."



Only problem was- didn't get anyone better.



1. Money.  Lots of it.



2.  Barnes.  The two didn't get along.  (Barnes should've left him alone.)



3.  Program was already plateau-ing, regardless of conference.



4. Easy escape to alma mater.



5.  ACC



6.  Opportunity to do what Howland did for Pitt- build TCU's program.



The point of the article had to do with reasons why the program has fallen.  It mentions that Pitt's an urban school. 



I think it's poorly researched.  I count seven, not one such school.



Miami's a larger city than Pittsburgh is.  Atlanta's a larger city.  Raleigh is a city.  Boston's a city.  Tallahassee's a city. So is Louisville.



What's Pitt's excuse?

58797158737B1C0 wrote: Check out this article in today's Trib about Capel and Pitt Basketball.



Reasons Pitt Basketball Falls to the Bottom of the ACC
I would imagine Possum, that the Trib should just have Weenie

write their Articles

Any of us could have.



Pitt and many other major league cities face the same issue.  It's going to get worse with NIL.



Miami, Atlanta, Boston, and Pittsburgh are  major league cities.



Even when Pitt was briefly #1, Jamie Dixon knows that he's hind boob behind Mike Tomlin, Clint Hurdle, and whomever the Penguins coach was.  Professional sports rule.



High school recruits know it, too.



Collegiate sports tend to rule in smaller places, like State College, PA, Tuscaloosa, AL, Chapel Hill, NC. 



In those places, the college coaches are kings.  Players are princes and princesses.



It was hard enough to win then.  It will be even harder now.



If we compare Pitt with the cities that have professional sports, it isn't as bad as overall.



The Big East had a fair number of urban schools ((Philadelphia, NYC, Boston, Pgh, DC, etc.) We were one of the best of them. Now, we have more of those other schools, and it's a different ballgame in more ways than one.

I get a kick out of this.



First (years ago) The Yinz try to sell me on how "great" a coach Dixon was. 



I'm not the biggest fan of him because of his less-than-expected tournament record.  The guy cost me money.



Even I respect Jamie Dixon enough to think that he's not such a wuss that he was scared about playing against ACC schools.  Great coaches aren't concerned about playing any team. 



AAMOF, coaches WANT to play good competition.  They want to beat them.



Cappel's not afraid of playing ACC schools. 





Dixon might not have been fond of changing conferences, but I highly doubt that it was any major reason why he bailed Pitt.  I listed plenty of reasons that likely had more to do with it.  He didn't have a good relationship with his athletic director.  His alma mater approached him with a better opportunity.  I don't blame him for leaving.



Dixon might not be great, but he's also not a wuss, either. But, if someone thinks that he was afraid of playing ACC schools, then maybe he is.



It's five years, FCOL.

6856535B4850505B7B5E495A0D3F0 wrote: I take back all those mean, nasty things I used to write about The Great J.D.  He woulda had us within 29, anyway.
Panthers finish regular season with a 78-54 loss to Notre Dame.

ACC Tournament play begins Thurs. vs. BC= Theyshould probably stay home and save the money :'(
Like I said, They should have stayed home. Pitt finishes the season with a dismal performance in a 66-46 loss to Boston College in the ACC Tourney. Pitt finishes the season 11-21 as the fans were chanting "we want Jamie"

They'd better be patient, but I'm not sure that major improvement will EVER come.  Some will, but I wonder if major will.



NIL changes the landscape over those years.



Even back then- in a city that has three major league professional sports, collegiate players are in the back of a crowded bus if the pro teams are doing well.



Go to a place where there aren't pro teams (Chapel Hiill, Louisville, South Carolina, etc.) and that NIL means a lot more to the top recruits.  Coaches, too. 



I still think that we don't need to expect to be the top of the heap.  Once we get past maybe Duke and North Carolina, I don't see any reason that we can't be as good or better than most of the rest.  Third place in the ACC is pretty darned good, in my opinion.

In my opinion, good article in the triblive.com today re tough decisions re the MBB program.



I'm not sure what the answer is, but I'll go with keeping Capel. My reasons are based on-



1. This isn't the first time I've written this. I maintain that the dumpster fire that Capel was willing to take on is even more difficult to put out than the little spark that Cherington accepted. His four years isn't enough to get things going. The slide began to show seven years ago, and it only got worse with Stallings.



2. Looking at Capel's record previous to coming to The Zoo proves that he can do the job. I made the mistake of under-estimating Narduzzi. I don't want to make the same mistake with Capel.



I don't expect the football squad to win the ACC championship every season. I don't expect the basketball team to win it even once. But, I can see them finishing third if they go about things the right way.



Who knows if they will?



Unless Lyke is able to convince Coach K to reverse his retirement decision and come to The Burgh, I don't know of many available coaches who'd do that much better.

5D687F7F744D7F7F74737F1A0 wrote: In my opinion, good article in the triblive.com today re tough decisions re the MBB program.



I'm not sure what the answer is, but I'll go with keeping Capel.  My reasons are based on-



1.  This isn't the first time I've written this.  I maintain that the dumpster fire that Capel was willing to take on is even more difficult to put out than the little spark that Cherington accepted.  His four years isn't enough to get things going.  The slide began to show seven years ago, and it only got worse with Stallings. 



2.  Looking at Capel's record previous to coming to The Zoo proves that he can do the job.  I made the mistake of under-estimating Narduzzi.  I don't want to make the same mistake with Capel.



I don't expect the football squad to win the ACC championship every season.  I don't expect the basketball team to win it even once.  But, I can see them finishing third if they go about things the right way.



Who knows if they will?



Unless Lyke is able to convince Coach K to reverse his retirement decision and come to The Burgh, I don't know of many available coaches who'd do that much better.
One thing in his favor is that because he was given an extension, if he is fired, he is owed15-17 million. That added to the 9 million Stallings received.

477265656E5765656E6965000 wrote: In my opinion, good article in the triblive.com today re tough decisions re the MBB program.



I'm not sure what the answer is, but I'll go with keeping Capel.  My reasons are based on

1.  This isn't the first time I've written this.  I maintain that the dumpster fire that Capel was willing to take on is even more difficult to put out than the little spark that Cherington accepted.  His four years isn't enough to get things going.  The slide began to show seven years ago, and it only got worse with Stallings. 



2.  Looking at Capel's record previous to coming to The Zoo proves that he can do the job.  I made the mistake of under-estimating Narduzzi.  I don't want to make the same mistake with Capel.



I don't expect the football squad to win the ACC championship every season.  I don't expect the basketball team to win it even once.  But, I can see them finishing third if they go about things the right way.



Who knows if they will?



Unless Lyke is able to convince Coach K to reverse his retirement decision and come to The Burgh, I don't know of many available coaches who'd do that much better.
Jamie Dixon"s TCU Horn Frogs, down 18 at halftime in the Big 12 Tournament, come roaring back to defeat Texas 65-60. This is TCU's 20th win of the season. They now advance to the semi-finals of the Tourney

How's Howland's MSU doing? Ancient Chinese History.