Goodman: 8 Pitt players transferring

[tcf15]

He would run off every player he didn't see a future for and try to re-recruit anyone with a pulse. I understand what your thought process was but I very much disagree. Having 4 players on a team is never a benefit, especially if your name is not John Calipari and the date is mid-March.

Aside from the money and conference prestige, I'm trying to think how Pitt is going to pitch this job to Hurley. You've got three guys returning from team coming off an 0-18 season in conference play. The conference is a nice sell, but Pitt will never be one of the best teams in the ACC, so you undertake this huge rebuilding effort just to crack the top 8 in the ACC? Dixon got Pitt to 5th place in the ACC in 2014 and was still fired. Such unrealistic expectations.

 

[the Q]

Aside from the money and conference prestige, I'm trying to think how Pitt is going to pitch this job to Hurley. You've got three guys returning from team coming off an 0-18 season in conference play. The conference is a nice sell, but Pitt will never be one of the best teams in the ACC, so you undertake this huge rebuilding effort just to crack the top 8 in the ACC? Dixon got Pitt to 5th place in the ACC in 2014 and was still fired. Such unrealistic expectations.

I thought Dixon just left and wasn't fired.

 

[crazyUCfan23]

I thought Dixon just left and wasn't fired.

I think there were rumblings he was going to be fired, then he left.

 

[jibsey]

OK, for those who can’t see why Pitt could be a better job, don’t they play Duke, Carolina, Virginia and a bunch of schools better than we play? What about tv exposure? We play ECU and Tulane, Tulsa. Our glamour game is Cincy!

 

[tcf15]

I thought Dixon just left and wasn't fired.

Correct, but he might as well have been fired - Pitt lowered his buyout, essentially letting him walk.

 

[Hey Adrien!]

Terrell Brown is from Rhode Island and was recruited by Hurley and URI.

6-10 240 freshman with the following averages in his last 22 games: 5.5 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 2.0 bpg, 21.6 minutes/game? Good player to develop!

 

[tcf15]

OK, for those who can’t see why Pitt could be a better job, don’t they play Duke, Carolina, Virginia and a bunch of schools better than we play? What about tv exposure? We play ECU and Tulane, Tulsa. Our glamour game is Cincy!

Yes, it's often best to compare the best programs in one conference with the worst programs in another.

 

[BaZZnBOAT]

OK, for those who can’t see why Pitt could be a better job, don’t they play Duke, Carolina, Virginia and a bunch of schools better than we play? What about tv exposure? We play ECU and Tulane, Tulsa. Our glamour game is Cincy!

How many players play at schools so they can play other schools? I never understood this argument.

 

[Fishy]

Pitt will likely keep some of those eight players.

They’re a group that just went 0-19 in the ACC. There isn’t going to be a long line of schools waiting on most of them. Even now, Pitt is the best offer for most of ‘em.

Pitt was bad because the players were bad.

 

[Walker11]

Aside from the money and conference prestige, I'm trying to think how Pitt is going to pitch this job to Hurley. You've got three guys returning from team coming off an 0-18 season in conference play. The conference is a nice sell, but Pitt will never be one of the best teams in the ACC, so you undertake this huge rebuilding effort just to crack the top 8 in the ACC? Dixon got Pitt to 5th place in the ACC in 2014 and was still fired. Such unrealistic expectations.

The job seems impossible. I am trying to consider what a stellar coaching job would yield in year 3. Something like .500 overall and slightly below .500 in conference? Woof. The AD needs to be invested in the coach for the long haul. It could be 4/5 years before they have a good product again.

 

[Platt81]

A lot of people are quick to make the assumption that the players the coach is working with is the cause for failure. The pieces UConn has could be good, if there was a competent coach.

This comparison is a stretch, but I’m going to throw it out there nonetheless. Kolbe Cathedral in Bridgeport was a juggernaut of a program for years before coach Pfohl left and our beloved Chris Smith took over. The program went into the pits and went something like 5-37 in the last three seasons.

This year, Pfohl returned as coach and took the same kids that won one game last year and has them in the state championship game this year. Four of the starters were the same as last year and one freshman starts. Again I’m not saying this is a perfect comparison, but the fact is the same kids played the same teams as last year and with a good coach vastly improved. There’s no reason with a good coach like Hurley the boys at UConn couldn’t do the same.

 

[the Q]

A lot of people are quick to make the assumption that the players the coach is working with is the cause for failure. The pieces UConn has could be good, if there was a competent coach.

This comparison is a stretch, but I’m going to throw it out there nonetheless. Kolbe Cathedral in Bridgeport was a juggernaut of a program for years before coach Pfohl left and our beloved Chris Smith took over. The program went into the pits and went something like 5-37 in the last three seasons.

This year, Pfohl returned as coach and took the same kids that won one game last year and has them in the state championship game this year. Four of the starters were the same as last year and one freshman starts. Again I’m not saying this is a perfect comparison, but the fact is the same kids played the same teams as last year and with a good coach vastly improved. There’s no reason with a good coach like Hurley the boys at UConn couldn’t do the same.

god, Kolbe was unstoppable when I was in HS.

 

[FartMan69]

Assuming salary is in the same ballpark how would Pitt be a better choice? Even without having to start from scratch they are basically the little sisters of the poor to Tobacco Road and Virgina in the ACC. If a rebuild is what Hurley wants than UConn offers a much clearer road.

 

[storrsroars]

How many of those Pitt guys would you want to keep anyway?

Probably only 3: Carr (will be soph), Luther (would be grad xfer) and Wilson-Frame (will be soph and also a Hartford kid).

 

[tzznandrew]

Assuming salary is in the same ballpark how would Pitt be a better choice? Even without having to start from scratch they are basically the little sisters of the poor to Tobacco Road and Virgina in the ACC. If a rebuild is what Hurley wants than UConn offers a much clearer road.

Again, there's an implicit (and wrong) assumption that every P5 job is better than any non-P5.

There are jobs better than UConn. I'd say, given the conference, maybe about 10. UConn offers tradition, a talented area to recruit from, a fan base that's among the best when the team is good, and (as we'll see) P5 money.

You win here, you own the state and you own the league. You'll get just as much national exposure as anyone outside of Duke/UK/KU/UNC.

 

[FartMan69]

Again, there's an implicit (and wrong) assumption that every P5 job is better than any non-P5.

There are jobs better than UConn. I'd say, given the conference, maybe about 10. UConn offers tradition, a talented area to recruit from, a fan base that's among the best when the team is good, and (as we'll see) P5 money.

You win here, you own the state and you own the league. You'll get just as much national exposure as anyone outside of Duke/UK/KU/UNC.

Agreed the brand and salary can overcome being outside of the P6

 

[Austin316]

Happy Stone Cold Steve Austin Day, btw.

Thanks @UCDaveD

Happy 3:16 day boneyarders.

 

[zls44]

Again, there's an implicit (and wrong) assumption that every P5 job is better than any non-P5.

Louder for the people in the back!

 

[buddy]

That was kind of my point.

I just wanted to expand on it a little bit, not to be redundant. No offense intended.

 

[buddy]

UConn has a much better history of success and support for it's teams. And turning around a team in the AAC, that won a national championship just four years ago, would be a realistic goal.

The ACC is owned by Duke and UNC. The only advantage to coaching in the ACC, outside of money, apparently, is it's much easier to make the tournament as a crappy team. The thrill is often short lived, with a quick and embarrasing loss.

The selling point I keep hearing is the ACC offers greater exposure to a national audience. That's not a good thing if you suck.

I understand history. But history is in the past. We are in the here and now. I hope that things turn around, and quickly if possible. I also agree that having national TV exposure as a bad team in any sport is not so great. However, our dear UConn has been on national TV much more than some other P5 schools this past season,( I don't remember Pitt being on CBS nationally this year, and despite the actions of ESPN anti UConn, UConn has actually had tremendous exposure on ESPN this year and the impression that was left on the national audience
was I'm sure, not so great.
Also, remember, the ACC may be owned by Duke and UNC, but it the other schools that kept us out.

 

[buddy]

Fine, I'll mock you.
Who on earth named you Buddy? Have they no decency?

That now is funny!

 

[intlzncster]

Louder for the people in the back!

Northwestern is a better job than UCONN.