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The best part of the BBVA Compass Bowl being played is this - it officially ends the Todd Graham era - or as most people would say, the Todd Graham error -- of Pitt football and officially begins the Paul Chryst era.
The players are ready to move on, the support staff is ready to move on, the administration is ready to move on - and frankly a lot of fans are ready to move on.
Again, I don't if Paul Chryst can coach. I don't know if his teams will win. I don't know if he is the right choice for Pitt.
You just don't know until it happens but here are the two things that I do know based on the conversations I have had with Chryst and the people I have talked to about Chryst.....
1.) Paul Chryst is a much better fit at Pitt than Todd Graham was. We're simple folk in Western Pennsylvania, we value hard work, we value success, we don't like glitz, glamour and spin. We're meat and potatoes not sushi. We're blue collar, not designer sun glasses and silver footballs on the wall. Paul Chryst is a down to earth guy who just wants to coach football. He isn't abrasive, he isn't going to irritate everyone he comes into contact with his arrogance and he is going to embrace, rather than resent, the fact that Western Pennsylvania is the home of the Steelers and a place where people value hard-nosed football. It isn't about him, it will be about the players and it will be about the program. A guy like Graham - one who comes in selling all of his programs and talking big - only works if he wins and has success and even then, it wears you out, as evidenced by the fact that a lot of people at Tulsa were more than happy to see him go despite his success there. Again, I don't know if Chryst can coach, I don't know if Pitt will go 10-2 or 2-10 next year but I do know that he is already far more embraced -- based on all of the conversations I've had for the past month -- than Todd Graham ever was and that is a good start.
Now, make no mistake -- Todd Graham is a good football coach, I would expect in a few years Arizona State will be good once he gets his players (though a good argument could be made that truly great football coaches can win even if they don't have players who fit their system) and maybe his act will play in Arizona but it didn't play here and it was made even worse once the games started and the team didn't come close to living up to all the stuff he bragged about it being. That includes all the character and relationships stuff because a lot of the players never bought what he was selling.
2.) Paul Chryst understands it is about players, not a system, and as such he said his "system" is simple - figure out what your players are capable of doing and do it. I know it is not catchy, not sexy and there aren't slick slogans like, oh I don't know, "high octane", you can roll off your tongue with it but it makes sense. He is a very unassuming guy, a guy you can tell is just a football coach, who values family and values stability and continuity and frankly, I could see him hanging around for a while even if he has some success and other programs come calling. But he doesn't feel the need to talk about all that stuff, he just said you have to go out and do it every day. I think the best thing he said yesterday when we met with him before the BBVA Compass Bowl was this:
"My vision is making it fit the guys," Chryst said. "One thing that you have to be careful of is that your system has to fit the players. Football is a tough, physical game and I like that part of it, but I think you accommodate your players. You are a better coach with better players and better coaches give their players a chance to be successful. So you have to be careful trying to put a square peg in a round hole or whatever--we're not just going to say we're going to pound it type of team, we want to be balanced.
"Actually, it is not that complicated you want to score points on offense, you want to stop them on defense and have good special teams and win and however you have to do it, you do it."
That. more than anything else, should have Pitt fans excited about the future. Here is a guy who gets it, at least it sounds like he gets it. You have players for four years, maybe five, that's it. You don't have the luxury of hanging around and waiting until you get the right quarterback or the right line or the right running backs - you need to try to win every year no matter what you have.
It sounds to me like Chryst has (he said) already watched a lot of film on the players and the incoming recruits and he is getting a good feel for what will be possible this fall. He is going to then spend the next two months leading up to the spring trying to build schemes that will give the team a chance to win.
I'll say it again for the cheap seats because some people have a hard time with comprehension - I don't know if he will win or not or if he is a good coach or not but he does seem to have a good idea of what it takes to win, he comes from a great program, he values the right things and he is a good fit.
*** Chryst hired most of his staff but he still has four spots and presumably, looking at what he has already hired, he is going to need to hire a running backs coach, a receivers coach, a defensive line coach and a secondary coach. He'd like to have them in place in a few days but the fact that he hasn't hired them tells me maybe one or two of them may still be coaching - as in, an NFL guy whose team is in the playoffs. I'd also expect to see at least two of those hires be minority coaches as there are none on the staff yet and I have a hard time believing he will put together a staff without any diversity. It is important for a lot of reasons, if you don't understand it I can't help you, but it is just a part of the world we live in and that is a good thing. Obviously, these four positions are less critical than the coordinators and the strength coach because all four of these positions are places where guys seem to bounce around a lot land. (well, actually only three of those spots - defensive line coaches seem to hang around).
*** There is a month left (give or take) until signing day and Chryst and company have 19 commitments they need to secure - and it seems like the class is really holding together well - so that means there are roughly six scholarships left to be filled. What will be interesting to me is this - how many scholarship players are on the roster for training camp as I think there will be a few guys who either move on with their life work or transfer. Not a lot, but a few and so we will see what it looks like.
** OK, I've put it off long enough but really, is the BBVA Compass Bowl really relevant given the circumstances? I mean, what really needs to be said about it - it is over, it was a disaster, the Panthers were clearly just in disarray and they really didn't have a chance. I think Keith Patterson did his best but really the coaching staff was over matched. They just had too much going on, they were a bit distracted and let's face it -when you don't have one single coach in the press box upstairs (there were three graduate assistants and some other random support staff in the box) looking down and helping out - and they couldn't because they only had five and needed all five down on the field, it is hard to get it done.
Last year Pitt had the luxury of having a veteran like Phil Bennett, who had been a head coach, to take over when Dave Wannstedt was fired and he handled it like a grizzled veteran. Patterson was just a little over matched and mostly because he just had never been through this and also because, he was still in a state of shock from Graham leaving (again, it speaks volumes that he chose an offer at Arkansas State over a chance to join Graham at Arizona State) and also from his dad dying.
It was an awful situation for him and for his staff, the five guys who stuck around and I'm going to say this - however you feel about Todd Graham, you, as Pitt fans, should be forever grateful to Patterson, Spencer Leftwich, Paul Randolph, Randall McCray and Todd Dodge for their loyalty to Pitt, for their effort and for being class acts. All five of them are great guys, all five of them deserve nothing but kudos for taking over and trying their best to make the best of a very tough situation.
It wasn't for lack of effort - on the coaches or the players part for that matter - that Pitt played so poorly, it was just a matter of not really having the tools needed to pull things together and get organized. You could tell early in the game it was a bit of a train wreck as they had a hard time getting plays in, they had a hard time getting lined up and by the time they settled in and found a little bit of organization, it was too late as they were down 21.
Keith Patterson handled himself like a champion this week but you could tell he was fatigued, mentally, by everything that happened and it was a tough spot. I mean, he comes back from burying his father - who died unexpectedly - and almost immediately gets a phone call that Todd Graham is leaving. He then has to take over the program - while trying to settle all of his father's estate and whatnot - and try to find a job, get his family settled somewhere because he didn't want to go to Arizona State.
The kids loved him, they did play hard for him, they practiced hard and they were focused, they just didn't have it on this day and they couldn't seem to find it and a big reason was it was chaos.
** The one thing I will say about this group of seniors and upperclassmen is they have been through so much together with all of these coaching changes, the close losses, the near misses, the guys getting in trouble that they have really formed a brotherhood. It was tough talking to some of these guys, like Myles Caragein, and watching them fight back their tears talking about how it is over. Caragein said it isn't the football he will miss, it is the times with his teammates. Max Gruder said the same thing. Chas Alecxih said the same thing. Ryan Turnley said the reason he chose Pitt was that family like atmosphere in the locker room.
This is a great group of kids - and they were a great group of kids even before the self-appointed deliverer of character arrived last January - and I felt really bad for them because they deserved a better fate to end their careers.
** Speaking of great kids, I have even more respect for Lucas Nix than I did before I got the whole story about his "incident" and Lucas has always been one of my favorite guys to deal with. I'll just say this - anyone who stands up for his family the way Nix did for his brother is all right in my book. Nix was and always has been a stand-up guy about things. And it also should be repeated - Nix did nothing wrong, other than knock on the door a little too hard and cause a window pane to break. There are some other people involved in that situation who can't say the same things. Nix will now go on to begin to work out for the NFL and from what I'm told he could be as high as a second or third round draft choice.
** Finally let me say this - anybody who doesn't think this group of kids cared about this game wasn't in the post-game, didn't see the players respond and especially didn't see Andrew Taglianetti try and talk to the media. Taglianetti was in tears, said he and his teammates felt like they let Pitt fans, the interim coaches, the seniors and everybody else down by losing the game. He was also really emotional about the fact that he tackled Jared Williams and Williams suffered a nasty leg injury.
Here is what he said - again, this is the kind of kid that should make Pitt fans proud of the program, despite all of the shenanigans and silliness over the past few years by the adults who are in charge of putting it together:
“I read run pretty early and I had a good jump on it. It was just like any other play that I make. It is just the way I tackle. I think it was just really bad timing or really bad luck. Usually when you flip someone’s leg like that they just kind of flip up, but he must have been planting and just the force the opposite way …I knew instantly he was hurt.”
He then broke down into tears and had to regain his composure and continued.....
“I mean I’ve been through that. I’ve been through that same thing, hurt my knee and I just don’t want to see that happen to anyone. It just sucks. [I said to him] Just hang in there, buddy. There is not much I can do anymore. It’s just so hard.”
He was then asked why he was so emotional (he wasn't the only one)
“It is a culmination of emotions. To finish 6-7 is frustrating. To not win for these coaches who stuck around, to not send these seniors out with a victory, it’s all added into it. But it’s hard. It will be good, though. Football never ends. Next week we will be in there working out, starting over. I think that’s a positive thing to look forward to. There is no way in hell I want to finish 6-7 again. I think this new season starts soon.”
Again, these kids have deserved better than they've gotten and hopefully Paul Chryst comes in and is here for a long time and gets this program stable again. I'll have more later today or tomorrow as we begin to look ahead to signing day and spring football and what we might expect and what the team will likely look like in terms of personnel and whatnot
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written by petey, January 08, 2012 - 01:06 PM
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written by Garyz1954, January 08, 2012 - 01:21 PM
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written by Garyz1954, January 08, 2012 - 01:31 PM
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written by dark side, January 08, 2012 - 01:35 PM
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written by wee willie wallace, January 08, 2012 - 01:50 PM
I want Pitt to have the best staff possible--all white; or all black; or a mix. Who cares?
I don't hear you beating the diversity drum when it comes to recruiting tailbacks and WRs.
I would love to see Pitt bring back Walker as RBs coach!
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written by dwagner, January 08, 2012 - 02:03 PM
PZ is the type of beat sports writer who seems to believe without investigation the quotes from self-serving coaches like Graham as truth and reports then report them as his personal observations.
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written by TruePittFan, January 08, 2012 - 02:14 PM
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written by rkohberger, January 08, 2012 - 03:28 PM
You broke a trust to make your point - if you can't do it any other way maybe you shouldn't do it at all.
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written by rkohberger, January 08, 2012 - 03:31 PM
Good God, you've such a hard on for Myers you can't accept any other opinions at all.
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written by Patriot9, January 08, 2012 - 03:50 PM
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written by PittofDreams, January 08, 2012 - 07:31 PM
Before you write off Myers and even Sunseri... did you happen to catch Chad Voytik's performance in the Army All-American game?
I can't wait to hear what you have to say about him once he's had a chance to line up behind center!
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written by ericSS, January 08, 2012 - 07:50 PM
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written by Patriot9, January 08, 2012 - 07:56 PM
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written by highlander84, January 08, 2012 - 08:04 PM
I've been one in the camp of great coaches can take the talent given and improve upon it. System or not. There were a ton of warning signs the TG Error was not going to work out.
I watched the Badgers O and am looking forward to the Chryst Era very much. Who knows if it will ultimately work, but I can see why they made this move. TG supposedly being the first choice all along didn't make sense to me once he got here. Haywood I thought was a reach (nothing to do with diversity, just thought he had only had a single season of definitive success). I hope Pitt is a better job than that.
Completely get your point on need for diversity on the staff as well.
I wasn't aware htat Patterson took spot at Arkansas State. I think the TG Error is going to have a definitive impact on his career. The whole thing did not leave him in good repute within his fraternity (which really speaks for itself when you think about it).
Oh well good luck to the Coach Chryst and his program. Hope to see a program that does Pitt justice.
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written by Pensin7, January 08, 2012 - 10:52 PM
First, when he says the staff needs to be diverse, but doesn't go into detail he's not saying to hire minorities for the sake of hiring minorities.
He's trying to say that these kids come from many different ethnic backgrounds and it is good to have coaches that relate to that. They aren't adults yet, and it may help their development whether you like that or not.
Also, Graham is a good coach when he gets his players, however, he is not as good of a coach as a guy who can win with ANYONE'S players. That's what he meant.
Paul, keep doing what you're doing dude. I don't always agree with you, but I think you do a better job than most.
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written by BigJohn, January 09, 2012 - 01:37 AM
It is important for a lot of reasons, if you don't understand it I can't help you, but it is just a part of the world we live in and that is a good thing.
B.S. So, if as an example, the best available defensive line coach happens to be a white guy, he shouldn't be hired so that a black guy can be hired.
Tell me, would you accept that if you or your son happened to be the white guy? Didn't think so.
Some people misunderstand Paul.
First, when he says the staff needs to be diverse, but doesn't go into detail he's not saying to hire minorities for the sake of hiring minorities.
He's trying to say that these kids come from many different ethnic backgrounds and it is good to have coaches that relate to that. They aren't adults yet, and it may help their development whether you like that or not.
If Zeise doesn't go into detail, then how do you know that's what he's saying?
And why can't a man relate to a 20 year-old, just because he comes from a different neighborhood, or has a different skin color? Can I, as a white man, say that about my black boss? "I don't want him because he doesn't understand what it was like trying to grow up in my neighborhood." Wonder how far the liberals in charge would let that go.
You liberals are hypocrites. Always have been.
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written by RC, January 09, 2012 - 06:24 AM
Hail to Pitt!
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written by rochestermark, January 09, 2012 - 06:36 AM
A couple of guys like Tags (good Central Catholic Boy like me!) probably were into the game and into the last few games but others absolutely just plain quit.
One observation: how many times on saturday (and in a few other regular season games) did Tino get sacked and not one Offensive Lineman came over to help him up or "throw off" a defender from the pile? He got sacked 7 times so my answer is 7.
This is just a microcosm of a set of observations that I had all year that over half the team was just not into it this year and with all the turmoil and such especially for these juniors and seniors, i cant say that I blame them.
But, guys did quit.
Here's looking to starting a new season and era with Chryst and company.
Hail to Pitt!
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written by PittFan, January 09, 2012 - 07:16 AM
Those five coaches who remained are to be commended for their loyalty (even if they are paid) to their kids. They should have a good idea of what their supposed mentors are really like now and how they may have harmed their futures.
As for the Pitt players, from the best to the worst, thank you for the sacrifice of your time, body and effort to play the game. Every player was recruited for a totally different system and had to endure a 180 degree change this season. That doesn't always work and hopefully the future will not have such disappointment.
Looking forward to LOI, Spring Training and the start of next season.
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written by p_zeise, January 09, 2012 - 09:38 AM
You can kill Pitt for a lot of reasons this season, you can kill them for a lot of bad performances this season, you can kill them for a lot of things that went wrong this season - but burying them after this is sort of like piling on and really not exactly fair. I think my record of calling this team and coaching staff out when things go wrong speaks for itself and for anyone to even hint that I am a homer who is "manipulated by coaches" is moronic and made by someone who clearly isn't paying attention to both what I write and what goes on the field.
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written by p_zeise, January 09, 2012 - 09:42 AM
Secondly, how did Todd Graham manage to get Rice to a bowl game and then win ten or more games in three of four years at Tulsa? He obviously can coach his system well when he has the right players. That makes him a GOOD coach not a GREAT coach - a GREAT coach can win with any athletes and find a system that fits their talents.
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written by p_zeise, January 09, 2012 - 09:43 AM
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written by p_zeise, January 09, 2012 - 09:46 AM
Mark Myers needs to decide if Mark Myers really wants to be a Division I quarterback. It isn't for everyone, it is hard work and some guys get here and find out it isn't easy.
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written by p_zeise, January 09, 2012 - 09:51 AM
Really - is that what I said - get an unqualified coach who is black and put him in place?
You mean to tell me in this whole big country you can't find a few qualified minority assistants? You can't find one or two guys who are more qualified than all of these white guy assistants?
Or are you Bill Foster from Falling Down, convinced all the immigrants and minorities are taking the jobs away from white guys and that all of them are unqualified and affirmative action hires?
There are very good coaches who could add some diversity to this staff and if you don't think, given the diverse nature of student-athletes, particularly in football, that having a few minority assistants is a good thing, than maybe you just aren't that bright.
And if you think I am a liberal, then you just haven't been paying attention because that ain't even close.
If you want to keep beating this drum - that the minority coaches who are hired will be unqualified and taking away from a more qualified white assistant - than I'm sure we will all get the picture pretty quick about what is driving your agenda.
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written by Joe D, January 09, 2012 - 09:55 AM
I saw this train wreck of a season coming since the maine game... spring and summer training was lots of hot air!!
Just admit it paul... you are just promoting what EJBorghetti wants you to promote... you just cut and paste his press releases.
the trib has far better coverage and articles.
just look at what you wrote all season regarding Graham... all the way to the end on the q&a of whether graham was smart or arrogant... then he leaves and you rip him a new one...
you are either clueless or on the take by Pitt..
the only pittsburgh media person ripping graham the entire season was pompeani.
you were sucking up to todd and penni...
please don't get me started...
that chapter has ended... now go to effing work and start writing something orginal or with depth without input from EJ!!!
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written by joebull, January 09, 2012 - 09:56 AM
The best posts you've ever made....that's what I like to see!!!!!
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written by p_zeise, January 09, 2012 - 09:56 AM
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written by joebull, January 09, 2012 - 10:08 AM
And no, I'm not kissing anyone's butt, but the same old drivel becomes tiring after awhile. Especially, when people have no common sense and have no clue what happens behind closed doors.
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written by Garyz1954, January 09, 2012 - 10:35 AM
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written by Garyz1954, January 09, 2012 - 10:40 AM
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written by Imma Man! Im 40!, January 09, 2012 - 10:48 AM
Because if Tino plays again this year, unless he by some miracle experiences a Senior-Stull type revival, then his mere presence on the field will cost Pitt million$ in lost ticket revenue, bowl revenue, etc.
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written by Imma Man! Im 40!, January 09, 2012 - 11:10 AM
Paul, FWIW, this lily-white guy knows you're dead-on right in your suggestion that at least two (if not more) of the remaining assistants better be men of color.
It's not pity, it's not affirmative action, it's simply the right thing to do -- plus it's smart. Look around, many (most?) of the players on the roster are minorities. So it would be a severe handicap to recruiting if all our coaches are white.
In short, having a diverse staff may or may not be any advantage. But NOT having one would be a severe DIS-advantage.
I know Chryst isn't a recruiting expert. I just hope he realizes that (one presumes he does...).
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written by Patriot9, January 09, 2012 - 11:24 AM
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written by frankarms, January 09, 2012 - 11:42 AM
By doing so, you are shedding a bad light on Pitt football again.
In Pittsburgh we have the most negative(towards Pitt) sportswriters. Sick and tired of it, if you don't like it, move somewhere else.
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written by Joe D, January 09, 2012 - 11:42 AM
Look at Dulac and Bouchette on the Steelers...
Dulac just gave out game grades... he graded Tomlin an "F"... you never saw Zeise hand out an "F" for Graham...
don't get me started on Zeise's coverage of Pitt this season...
Trib does a much better job than PG expect PG does a better job with Steelers and HS sports.
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written by joebull, January 09, 2012 - 11:53 AM
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written by Patriot9, January 09, 2012 - 12:20 PM
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written by ud1978, January 09, 2012 - 12:52 PM
Ignore the stupidity on this blog, there are plenty of us who appreciate (even when we disagree) with your take on the program. I know that some of the comments are idiotic based entirely upon what is obvious to anyone who even pretends they follow NCAA football. Namely there is not one single coaching staff of a major, successful college team which has a staff of all black or all white coaches. The reason is so obvious that its even ridiculous for it to be raised as a debatable presumption. There are plenty of really talented and capable black and white coaches out there to be able to develop a diverse coaching staff, the only important thing is that they are capable teachers.
As for the game, its my view that although there wre plenty of Pitt players who played hard and tried their very best, I question whether that goes for all of the players on the OL however. Greg Gaskins made the kid playing opposite him look like the greatest DL in the history of college football. Its clear that I'm not a Tino fan, but I have to admit it would have been impossible for any QB, or frankly any offense, to be successful with OL performance like that.
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written by mark, January 09, 2012 - 01:05 PM
Take a lesson from Bob Smizek and his blog a real jounalist and professional.
Please Paul, promise me that you will never take any lessons from Bob. Bob just searches for articles that will generate controversy and then posts critical comments in order to “stir the pot”, thus generating even more traffic on his blog. Doesn’t seem that difficult to me. I wonder if he gets a bonus for receiving a certain number of posts per week.
I for one, appreciate the work Paul does in order to keep us informed of everything related to Pitt football throughout the season. Keep up the good work Paul.
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written by Joe D, January 09, 2012 - 01:08 PM
and Paul Ziese is aware...
I've taken my complaints up asking for Zeise's removal... heck, I even .cc Zeise..
It speaks poorly of PG when the Trib is taking PG to task in sports... heck, even the better writers are moving to the Trib...
Perhaps Micco should go!!
Zeise's job is to report the news...
when he starts adding opinion (EJ's opinion) then it becomes an editorial.
Smizik has done a much better job at coverage of the PSU stuff than anyone at PG including Mussleman... and he is independent of PG just running a blog!!!
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written by joebull, January 09, 2012 - 01:18 PM
all you seem to do anymore is want to get people fired. (HS coaches, any writer, etc.) You need to chi-lax a little, my friend, or you're going need to get on the same blood pressure meds I'm on. LOL
Smizik just adds links to articles that he's read and then sometimes gives an editorial and will block you if you don't agree with him. I've seen him do it.
I'm not defending Zeise or beating him up, but dammit if the constant negativity on this blog tends to wear on me. I've been through the process of perhaps being fired (from coaching cause of parents' kids lack of playing time). But leave all the damn negativity and personal attacks alone.
Give your opinion of what you'd like to see about the team, what you think is good, what you think is bad, etc. instead of personally attacking and calling names and the like.
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written by ktc1970, January 09, 2012 - 02:20 PM
I was moved by your post. I really feel for the players, and it just shows you that college athletics isn't just about the bottom line. These young men have reason to be proud, and will do well in life. All the small-minded, neg posters could learn something from their example.
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written by Newman, January 09, 2012 - 02:33 PM
Stay strong. And sorry about my wife stalking you around Idlewild with her camera, she's a big fan too.
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written by PittofDreams, January 09, 2012 - 03:09 PM
All this back and forth and not one comment suppressed through a "Minus Vote."
Now, this is a Blog!
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written by PittofDreams, January 09, 2012 - 03:12 PM
Paul, you are to be complimented for coming out swinging.
You should do it more often.
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written by johnharding, January 09, 2012 - 05:17 PM
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written by jlawrence, January 09, 2012 - 05:20 PM
written by Joe D, January 09, 2012 - 02:08 PM
Actually Joebull,
and Paul Ziese is aware...
I've taken my complaints up asking for Zeise's removal... heck, I even .cc Zeise..
Boy, I bet that has him shaking in his boots. Micco too.
written by dwagner, January 08, 2012 - 03:03 PM
Amen GaryZ but in my opinion PZ is easly manipulated by the coaches, especially those who manipulate him.
...as opposed to those who don't manipulate him?
The comparisons to Bouchette/Dulac are ill-conceived. The NFL has well-structured media access rules that make it impossible for a team or a head coach to ban reporters, even those they don't like. Its those rules that put the glare in Cowher's Press conferences back in the day...he didn't like the questiosn, but knew he had to deal with them. Not so with CFB coaches.
On the flip side, there are few regulations on an NCAA coach. Anyone notice how Graham tightened his grip on access upon his arrival, including limitations on observations of practice.
Go out and see how many post-game "grade" columns you can find on CFB teams. After you do that, read them and see if the criticism lives up to the std of vitriol that some of you expect from Paul.
The point, being, Paul is obviously playing the hand that's been dealt to him and the rest of the CFB media...some of you guys don't like it because he won't call someone out the way you want him to? Gimme a break.
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written by Jimbo Slice, January 09, 2012 - 06:16 PM
Like others have said - go somewhere else if you don't like the reporting. Your not the Pitt beat writer police.
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written by PittofDreams, January 09, 2012 - 06:45 PM
Borghetti is the one I understand to be in charge with "The Experience" at Pitt games at Heinz.
Nothing original is about sums it up!
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written by Panther Pride, January 09, 2012 - 07:14 PM
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written by a guest, January 09, 2012 - 07:55 PM
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written by rkohberger, January 10, 2012 - 04:18 AM
Secondly, he write the Red Shirt Diaries Blog which is his venue, through the auspices of the Post-Gazette, to expound in more detail and to interject his observations and his opinions.
In case you've been living in a box for the last 20 years this is why blogs exist.
Disagree if you must, and it seems as though you must because I can remember one post of yours that is anything like complimentary, but try to understand that some have more access to information on this subject and have valid opinions.
Lastly, what is it with you always wanting people to be fired? Sorry, but that to me is a real sign of living vicariously through the internet.
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written by Joe D, January 10, 2012 - 08:24 AM
You know Tino Sunseri has problems when incoming recruits tweet about him!!!
Tweet by Sto-Rox Geter...
WildBoy_H2P_23 Marzett Geter
Jordan Jefferson is the New Tino from Pitt
Retweeted by @mikevukkdka
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written by Joe D, January 10, 2012 - 08:27 AM
If a Journalism prof had to grade Zeise in his coverage of Pitt and his articles...
Zeise would have gotten a D-.
Zeise has to go... it sad when the Trib has 1 person covering more than Zeise and has more Pitt articles and more depth and originality!!
Don't need a beat reporter that only cuts and pastes EJ Borghetti press releases.
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written by Joe D, January 10, 2012 - 08:29 AM
Have you read the articles by the Trib during the season... how bout since Graham left.
PG and Zeise coverage was ridiculously poor...
Grade: F
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written by Joe D, January 10, 2012 - 08:30 AM
why is it the Trib writes all these articles, etc... yet PG and Zeise doesn't...
it has nothing to do with access...
it has to do with lazy lazy lazy... both Micco and Zeise have to go!
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written by Patriot9, January 10, 2012 - 10:57 AM
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written by Joe D, January 10, 2012 - 11:34 AM
if you knew better... you would know more and more money is going to newspapers from their websites due to advertising etc.... big bucks. They make ZERO money from suscribers!!!
Yes I'm from out of town... as are many many Pitt alum!!
Look at Smizik... he is not a PG employee...
he gets paid based from advertisers on his site baased upon visits, hits, etc.
Visitors to his site are his customers!!
Do you ever hear him say... if you don't like it... don't come to his blog... if he did, he wouldn't have as many visitors, etc... which means less money.
Zeise needs to up his game... or move onto something else in life!!!
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written by Joe D, January 10, 2012 - 11:35 AM
when I was young... i delivered the PG and Press!
These days, fewer newspaper delivery as most get their news online!
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written by Rocco, January 10, 2012 - 01:28 PM
As to those very few of you who are holding up Smizik as the epitome of professionalism...surely you jest. His MO has become to delete or censor any post with which he disagrees, but doesn't have the intelligence to craft a reasoned and rational response. He has also resorted to childish name-calling and, to show just how truly unprofessional he is, he totally misrepresents the posts that he deleted in attempt to justify his childish behavior. If you think that's somebody who represents true journalism and professionalism, I'm guessing that you're a regular subscriber to the Star.
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written by jethro, January 10, 2012 - 03:22 PM
On the subject of "childish name-calling", it would have been nice to see Zeise defend himself a bit more maturely and intelligently than we saw in yesterday's comments. Some of his "greatest" hits:
"what a small-minded person you must be."
"you are even more clueless" (used at least twice)
"moronic" (used multiple times)
"Are you that dumb?"
Not exactly treating your customers (and readers of the paper or the paper's website are his customers) with respect.
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written by Garyz1954, January 10, 2012 - 06:05 PM
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written by Garyz1954, January 10, 2012 - 06:13 PM
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written by ud1978, January 10, 2012 - 09:16 PM
I am totally in agreement that dissenting or posting alternative opionions is what this should be about, but as is apparent from the "minuses" on JoeD's posts and "pluses" on those commending PZ, the people have spoken.
JoeD, your opinions on this topic are widely thought to be foolish at best.
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written by pmdhailtopitt, January 11, 2012 - 08:32 AM
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written by dark side, January 11, 2012 - 09:16 PM
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written by PittofDreams, January 12, 2012 - 06:08 AM
Paul,
You come out swinging against your detractors and what do you do?
Go into hibernation.
I mistakenly thought the passion you showed in going to your own defense was going to show up in changes to the way you approach this Blog.
My bad.
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written by joebull, January 12, 2012 - 09:18 AM
Eddie Faulkner, who has spent the last six seasons coaching running backs at Ball State and served as the Cardinals' offensive coordinator for the past two years, joins Northern Illinois' offensive coaching staff as running backs coach.
Faulkner has coached the running backs at Ball State since 2005 and has been the Cardinals' offensive coordinator for the last two seasons. Under his direction, tailback MiQuale Lewis set the Ball State single season rushing record during the Cardinals' undefeated Mid-American Conference regular season campaign in 2008.
Ball State was ranked for nine straight weeks that season and achieved a ranking of as high as No. 12 in the Bowl Championship Series (BCS) standings. The previous year, the BSU backfield tallied nearly 2,000 rushing yards despite losing Lewis in the fifth game of the season. Ball State played in bowl games following both the 2007 and 2008 seasons.
After beginning his coaching career at Anderson University in 2002 as running backs coach and junior varsity offensive coordinator, Faulkner, a native of Muncie, spent the 2003 and 2004 seasons on the Ball State coaching staff as a graduate assistant coach.
He was a four-year letterwinner at tailback for the University of Wisconsin and helped the Badgers to two Big Ten Championships and five bowl games during his playing career. After graduating from UW, he was a free agent signee of the National Football League's Pittsburgh Steelers in 2001 and played professionally with the Edmonton Eskimos of the Canadian Football League.
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written by Garyz1954, January 12, 2012 - 09:22 AM
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written by pmdhailtopitt, January 12, 2012 - 09:58 AM
yes I do think that Paul will report on how things are going with recruiting. as I recall, he has other assignments in addition to covering Pitt football. it seems like we expect a lot from a free Post-Gazette website and a free blogsite within it. if you want more, pay for a subscription to Pantherlair.
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written by jlawrence, January 12, 2012 - 02:35 PM
written by pmdhailtopitt, January 12, 2012 - 10:58 AM
...it seems like we expect a lot from a free Post-Gazette website and a free blogsite within it. if you want more, pay for a subscription to Pantherlair.
BINGO!!!!!
Or better yet, start your own Pitt FB blogspot and see if your own views will attract any posters. But hey, don't quit your day jobs in the meantime... its a tough economy.
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written by jethro, January 12, 2012 - 06:14 PM
"it seems like we expect a lot from a free Post-Gazette website and a free blogsite within it."
You are talking about the blog of the beat reporter for a major metropolitan newspaper--the paper of record in Pittsburgh. This is Zeise's job, not his hobby. It is not (or at least should not be) comparable to Joe PittFan blogging from his den.
I do expect more. But maybe you are right. By now, I guess I need to lower my expectations or I will continue to be disappointed.
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written by Garyz1954, January 13, 2012 - 07:49 AM
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