... I'm sure all of this will happen.
** September 24 - The Panthers and Coach Dixon suffer the worse single day in the history of Pitt Basketball from a recruiting standpoint, when Cassius Winston chooses Stanford, Charlie Moore chooses California, Maliek White chooses Providence, Miles Powell chooses George Mason, Kevin Marfo chooses Georgia Tech, Xavier Simpson chooses Cleveland State, Tervell Beck chooses Kent St. and Lamar Stevens chooses Penn State.
** September 25 - A closer examination of Twitter and tweets with the hashtags #noeyecontactdixon and #wewanttoplayhightempo, reveals that all eight potential recruits coordinated their commitment day to demonstrate their disrespect for one particular College Basketball Coach.
** September 28 - Pitt Athletic Director Scott Barnes holds a press conference proclaiming "a new era of accountability." He announces that he has required Dixon to fire assistants Brandin Knight and Smoke Williamson, Director of Basketball Operations Brian Regan, Director of Video Jason Richards, Grad Assistant Ontario Lett, and Secretary Beth Schodel. He adds that he has also mandated that Assistant Bill Barton be retained because of his ability to help recruits get eligible.
** September 29 - The NCAA declares Pitt freshman recruit Damon Wilson ineligible for the coming season.
** September 30 - Panther Head Coach Jamie Dixon tweets -“I will never use Twitter again.”
** October 1 - Scott Barnes meets with Jamie Dixon to emphasize that the use of Twitter is paramount to the success of the Panther Hoops program. He explains to him that “wins and losses” will no longer be used as part of his annual performance evaluation, but use of social media will be. He also tells Dixon that he has restructured his contract and that Dixon will no longer receive his base salary. Instead, Dixon will only to be paid on each occurrence of his “closing” on a recruit. His payment will include a “Rivals Recruit Star Multiplier” as an incentive.
** October 5 - Although he hasn’t used the “Pat signal “ to announce a new recruit since August 10, and despite the Panthers’ 42-6 loss at Virginia Tech to run their record to 0-4, AD Barnes announces a 5-year extension for Football Coach Pat Narduzzi. Barnes sites Narduzzi’s excellent use of Twitter as the primary basis for the extension.
** October 29 - 5 star Rivals recruit Mustapha Heron de-commits from Auburn and announces that after becoming connected with Panther Head Coach Jamie Dixon on LinkedIN, he will play basketball at Pitt. On Facebook, Heron’s father posted the following: “Mustafa had been connected via LinkedIN to Bill Barton for some time. However, connecting with Dixon on LinkedIN today really changed our mind. What really impressed us was the recommendation on Dixon’s LinkenIN page from his former boss, Steve Pederson, explaining how Dixon always made good eye contact in staff meetings.”
** October 30 - Jamie Dixon gets his first paycheck from Pitt in a month after receiving the commitment of Heron. Dixon gets $1,000,000, comprised of $200,000 for the commitment times 5 rivals stars.
** November 1 - Maverick Rowan’s Dad, Ron, attends the Steelers-Bengals game at Heinz Field and sees #PittwantsMav on the Equitable Gas (formerly Alcoa) sign on Mt. Washington. Later that night on Pintrest, Rowan’s Dad announces that he told his son Maverick to transfer from NC State and go to the Panthers.
** November 2 - Dixon receives $800,000 from the University of Pittsburgh, comprised of $200,000 for Maverick’s commitment times 4 for each of Maverick Rowan’s stars.
** November 3 - Ron Rowan accepts a job as a Sales Rep at Equitable Gas. Two days later, the NCAA releases a statement saying they are sure there had to be some sort of recruiting violation, but cannot issue sanctions since they have no idea what it could be. The NCAA also announces that they have awarded Joe Paterno another 91 wins to give him “an even 500.”
** November 13 - The unranked Panthers defeat #11 Gonzaga 89-87 in Okinawa. Pitt's fifth year seniors Rafeal Maia (33 points), and Sterling Smith (24 points on 8-24 shooting from three) lead the way. After the game, Dixon commends Alozno Nelson-Ododa for playing 10 minutes, scoring 0 points , grabbing 1 rebound and a block. Says Dixon: “Odada’s minutes were huge. He stepped up and ensured Mike didn’t have to play the five. This was the key to the game since Young isn’t a true five.” Gonzaga’s Kyle Wiltjer was held to 2 points and remarked: “Our whole team just seemed really tired after the plane trip to Japan. And we just couldn’t keep up with the Panthers’ up tempo attack.”
** December 1 -The #25 Panthers defeat the #15 Purdue Boilermakers at the Pete by the score of 99-96 to go to 6-0. James Robinson scores 41 points on repeated penetration into the lane, despite not hitting a single shot from three. Sheldon Jeter scores 38 after only scoring one point in 7 minutes the game prior. After the game, Dixon is asked about Mike Young and Jamel Artis combining for only 5 points and 2 rebounds and he replies “we know Mike and Jamel are a true four and true three respectively, so it will come. But right now, they both need to focus on defense.”
** December 2 - Josh Newkirk’s Dad posts a video on YouTube of Dixon staring straight at his son Josh while he talks to him during a recruiting visit. He adds the following comments to the video: “Dixon always made good eye contact with Josh. I just wish we would have known Dixon would play at this tempo where Josh could have been more successful.”
** December 7 - Josh’s Dad calls Coach Dixon to learn if Josh can return to the Panthers. Dixon takes the call (after hanging up with Maverick Rowan’s Dad) but explains to Josh’s Dad that he can’t take Josh back because "that damn Barnes won’t pay me for transfers, except Mav Rowan of course."
** December 8 - Despite a 2-10 record, the Panther football team accepts a bid to the December 11 MDU Resources Bowl in Bismark North Dakota, one of 37 new bowls added during the course of the College Football season. Scott Barnes gives Pat Narduzzi a $150,000 bonus for making the bowl announcement on Twitter.
** December 11 – The Football team loses 14-33 to 5-7 Middle Tennessee in the MDU Bowl. The same day, Pat Narduzzi gains 100,000 new followers on Twitter and passes over 150,000 when he tweets: “A new commit is coming soon!" This is Narduzzi's last tweet in 2015.
** January 2 - With a 107-101 defeat of Maryland Eastern Shore, the Panthers run their record to 13-0. Despite having the highest scoring team and highest tempo team in College Basketball, the Panthers only move to #24 in the polls. Following the game, Dixon remarks: “I wanted to play a better OOC schedule and I know that would be the difference for us being in the top 10 right now, but Scott Barnes wouldn’t let me. But screw it. What the hell do I care? I only get paid for the recruits I bring in anyway.”
Part two to come ...
** September 24 - The Panthers and Coach Dixon suffer the worse single day in the history of Pitt Basketball from a recruiting standpoint, when Cassius Winston chooses Stanford, Charlie Moore chooses California, Maliek White chooses Providence, Miles Powell chooses George Mason, Kevin Marfo chooses Georgia Tech, Xavier Simpson chooses Cleveland State, Tervell Beck chooses Kent St. and Lamar Stevens chooses Penn State.
** September 25 - A closer examination of Twitter and tweets with the hashtags #noeyecontactdixon and #wewanttoplayhightempo, reveals that all eight potential recruits coordinated their commitment day to demonstrate their disrespect for one particular College Basketball Coach.
** September 28 - Pitt Athletic Director Scott Barnes holds a press conference proclaiming "a new era of accountability." He announces that he has required Dixon to fire assistants Brandin Knight and Smoke Williamson, Director of Basketball Operations Brian Regan, Director of Video Jason Richards, Grad Assistant Ontario Lett, and Secretary Beth Schodel. He adds that he has also mandated that Assistant Bill Barton be retained because of his ability to help recruits get eligible.
** September 29 - The NCAA declares Pitt freshman recruit Damon Wilson ineligible for the coming season.
** September 30 - Panther Head Coach Jamie Dixon tweets -“I will never use Twitter again.”
** October 1 - Scott Barnes meets with Jamie Dixon to emphasize that the use of Twitter is paramount to the success of the Panther Hoops program. He explains to him that “wins and losses” will no longer be used as part of his annual performance evaluation, but use of social media will be. He also tells Dixon that he has restructured his contract and that Dixon will no longer receive his base salary. Instead, Dixon will only to be paid on each occurrence of his “closing” on a recruit. His payment will include a “Rivals Recruit Star Multiplier” as an incentive.
** October 5 - Although he hasn’t used the “Pat signal “ to announce a new recruit since August 10, and despite the Panthers’ 42-6 loss at Virginia Tech to run their record to 0-4, AD Barnes announces a 5-year extension for Football Coach Pat Narduzzi. Barnes sites Narduzzi’s excellent use of Twitter as the primary basis for the extension.
** October 29 - 5 star Rivals recruit Mustapha Heron de-commits from Auburn and announces that after becoming connected with Panther Head Coach Jamie Dixon on LinkedIN, he will play basketball at Pitt. On Facebook, Heron’s father posted the following: “Mustafa had been connected via LinkedIN to Bill Barton for some time. However, connecting with Dixon on LinkedIN today really changed our mind. What really impressed us was the recommendation on Dixon’s LinkenIN page from his former boss, Steve Pederson, explaining how Dixon always made good eye contact in staff meetings.”
** October 30 - Jamie Dixon gets his first paycheck from Pitt in a month after receiving the commitment of Heron. Dixon gets $1,000,000, comprised of $200,000 for the commitment times 5 rivals stars.
** November 1 - Maverick Rowan’s Dad, Ron, attends the Steelers-Bengals game at Heinz Field and sees #PittwantsMav on the Equitable Gas (formerly Alcoa) sign on Mt. Washington. Later that night on Pintrest, Rowan’s Dad announces that he told his son Maverick to transfer from NC State and go to the Panthers.
** November 2 - Dixon receives $800,000 from the University of Pittsburgh, comprised of $200,000 for Maverick’s commitment times 4 for each of Maverick Rowan’s stars.
** November 3 - Ron Rowan accepts a job as a Sales Rep at Equitable Gas. Two days later, the NCAA releases a statement saying they are sure there had to be some sort of recruiting violation, but cannot issue sanctions since they have no idea what it could be. The NCAA also announces that they have awarded Joe Paterno another 91 wins to give him “an even 500.”
** November 13 - The unranked Panthers defeat #11 Gonzaga 89-87 in Okinawa. Pitt's fifth year seniors Rafeal Maia (33 points), and Sterling Smith (24 points on 8-24 shooting from three) lead the way. After the game, Dixon commends Alozno Nelson-Ododa for playing 10 minutes, scoring 0 points , grabbing 1 rebound and a block. Says Dixon: “Odada’s minutes were huge. He stepped up and ensured Mike didn’t have to play the five. This was the key to the game since Young isn’t a true five.” Gonzaga’s Kyle Wiltjer was held to 2 points and remarked: “Our whole team just seemed really tired after the plane trip to Japan. And we just couldn’t keep up with the Panthers’ up tempo attack.”
** December 1 -The #25 Panthers defeat the #15 Purdue Boilermakers at the Pete by the score of 99-96 to go to 6-0. James Robinson scores 41 points on repeated penetration into the lane, despite not hitting a single shot from three. Sheldon Jeter scores 38 after only scoring one point in 7 minutes the game prior. After the game, Dixon is asked about Mike Young and Jamel Artis combining for only 5 points and 2 rebounds and he replies “we know Mike and Jamel are a true four and true three respectively, so it will come. But right now, they both need to focus on defense.”
** December 2 - Josh Newkirk’s Dad posts a video on YouTube of Dixon staring straight at his son Josh while he talks to him during a recruiting visit. He adds the following comments to the video: “Dixon always made good eye contact with Josh. I just wish we would have known Dixon would play at this tempo where Josh could have been more successful.”
** December 7 - Josh’s Dad calls Coach Dixon to learn if Josh can return to the Panthers. Dixon takes the call (after hanging up with Maverick Rowan’s Dad) but explains to Josh’s Dad that he can’t take Josh back because "that damn Barnes won’t pay me for transfers, except Mav Rowan of course."
** December 8 - Despite a 2-10 record, the Panther football team accepts a bid to the December 11 MDU Resources Bowl in Bismark North Dakota, one of 37 new bowls added during the course of the College Football season. Scott Barnes gives Pat Narduzzi a $150,000 bonus for making the bowl announcement on Twitter.
** December 11 – The Football team loses 14-33 to 5-7 Middle Tennessee in the MDU Bowl. The same day, Pat Narduzzi gains 100,000 new followers on Twitter and passes over 150,000 when he tweets: “A new commit is coming soon!" This is Narduzzi's last tweet in 2015.
** January 2 - With a 107-101 defeat of Maryland Eastern Shore, the Panthers run their record to 13-0. Despite having the highest scoring team and highest tempo team in College Basketball, the Panthers only move to #24 in the polls. Following the game, Dixon remarks: “I wanted to play a better OOC schedule and I know that would be the difference for us being in the top 10 right now, but Scott Barnes wouldn’t let me. But screw it. What the hell do I care? I only get paid for the recruits I bring in anyway.”
Part two to come ...
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