Anyone thinking of firing Duzz needs to consider one word "Stallings"

[Sec36R21S1]

Sorry but 6 years at $2.0M per year is not cheap. Who do you think we would have got by paying more. All the up and comers we could have looked at would have loved $2.0M per. Barnes and Gallagher just made a serious mistake.

Who here wants to shoulder an $8.0 M buyout.
Heather Lyke wants to win in all sports especially football and hoops. Her hands are tied. We are either going to suffer a few more years or his recruiters bring in some studs to reverse this.

 

[Jpripper88]

A basketball team without a point guard is much like a college football team without a QB...you will not win. There was no PG in the system last year that was going to deliver a winner. As for running guys off...maybe, but I suspect at least Cam was inclined to make the change on his own. I'm not blaming the 2017-18 season on Dixon completely...but he certainly has some of the responsibility. It appears Stallings may have a PG for the next couple of years. Whether he can bring in some others to fill the holes, will be the challenge. Look, I'm not trying to defend Stallings...but he walked into a pretty bad situation. Hail to Pitt!

Ok, so why didn't he recruit one for 2016? Not even a FR he believed in. I just gave you a fantastic example of a PG who went across the country to a similar level school with a new coach, less success, and an almost identical urban school setup and fanbase. He played almost 20 minutes a game for them last year. Lord knows we could have used that. There are plenty of other examples out there.

So what is the excuse for that?

 

[cupkafan]

Anyone who thinks it was just Barnes who "conned" Pitt basketball fans isn't thinking.

All a person would have to do is google Stalling to see how below average he was for many years at Vandy.

Pitt admin including "smiley" the Chancelor was briefed on the hire prior to giving the ok to Barnes.

Barnes didnt hire the guy in a vaccum!

The search firm would have provided Barnes and Pitt admin with extensive information on all of the candidates.

Pitt simply went "cheap" and hired Stallings. Probably in their minds things are what they are and I bet Stallings goes nowhere and runs out his six year contract regardless of results!

You wont hear a word from Lyke since the plan is the plan. And the OP is correct if Narduzzi leaves it will be more of the same a "cheap" hire who will probably have similar football results!

It appears that Pitt admin is "checking out" of wanting to be successful in D1/P5 football and basketball or a guy like Stalling wouldn't have been on the interview list!

Heard from as source inside Stallings was the third or 4th choice. After Pitt got shut down twice they panicked. They thought the Pitt hoops job was primo they were wrong. Once they got turned down cold they panicked. No con job. No case of Barnes selling out to his buddy. They missed on their pick and panicked.

 

[ameoba defense]

1983 Bruce Arians 4–7–0
1984 Bruce Arians 6–5–0
1985 Bruce Arians 4–7–0
1986 Bruce Arians 0–11–0
1987 Bruce Arians 4–7–0
1988 Bruce Arians 4–7–0

Arians was terrible at Temple. It was his predecessor, Wayne Hardin, who did a good job there. 13 years, and only 3 losing seasons.

 

[WiseAndGlorious]

Lyke already has an extensive list of candidates should she decide to fire Narduzzi:

1. Chris Creighton
2. Call Gene Smith and ask for suggestions

 

[TempleBAPittMPA]

Arians was terrible at Temple. It was his predecessor, Wayne Hardin, who did a good job there. 13 years, and only 3 losing seasons.

Arians wasn't Hardin, but he wasn't Jerry Berndt, Ron Dickerson, or Bobby Wallace (the Three Stooges who followed him) either.

 

[TD_istheman]

Lyke already has an extensive list of candidates should she decide to fire Narduzzi:

1. Chris Creighton
2. Call Gene Smith and ask for suggestions

Sad part is, bet he would get serious consideration lol

 

[DiehardPanther]

Heard from as source inside Stallings was the third or 4th choice. After Pitt got shut down twice they panicked. They thought the Pitt hoops job was primo they were wrong. Once they got turned down cold they panicked. No con job. No case of Barnes selling out to his buddy. They missed on their pick and panicked.

Who shut them down?

 

[DiehardPanther]

Sad part is, bet he would get serious consideration lol

Pitt’s options would be MAC level HC or D1 coordinator. That’s your list. The job is not desirable.

 

[cashisking884]

Wanna fire Narduzzi? Be careful what you wish for. Excuse me for bringing up a Temple example, but many years ago, the Owls had a decent coach in Bruce Arians (somebody you may have heard of), and the teams were reasonably competitive (not great, but Paul Palmer did place second in Heisman voting). But Temple wanted someone who could take the program to the "next level", so they sent Bruce packing. They got the "next level", all right, but not the one they bargained for. Nearly two decades of "next level".

I get your point, but just because you fire a good coach, that doesn't mean you made a bad decision. Sometimes a coach just isn't it. Even really good coaches aren't the right fit.
Bill Walsh is arguably the greatest coach of all time. But he could never do at Stanford what Harbaugh built the program into.
Maybe you make a mistake moving on from a guy. But sometimes moving on from even really good coaches, is the right move.

 

[ThatPittGuy]

Except Stallings wasn't a cheap hire. It was just a terrible hire. Gallagher doesn't care and neither did his predecessor, who gave SP a golden parachute that cost Pitt a hell of a lot of money.

Bingo. We've got administrators who have realized they can bleed this moron fanbase.

It had been ineptitude, until they realized ineptitude goes unpunished.

 

[cashisking884]

Pitt’s options would be MAC level HC or D1 coordinator. That’s your list. The job is not desirable.

The MAC is spitting out some pretty legit coaches. From Urban to Dino to Campbell. A team could do a lot worse than raiding the MAC.

 

[PITTLAW]

Ok, so why didn't he recruit one for 2016? Not even a FR he believed in. I just gave you a fantastic example of a PG who went across the country to a similar level school with a new coach, less success, and an almost identical urban school setup and fanbase. He played almost 20 minutes a game for them last year. Lord knows we could have used that. There are plenty of other examples out there.

So what is the excuse for that?

Every kid that gets recruited has a story. Whether it is payola, and AAU coach connection, family or what not...so I'm not even going to pretend to explain why any kid ends up where he does. Obviously Stallings struck out in getting a PG for last year...but it is not like the table was set at the position [or that there many to choose from at the stage Stallings was hired]. He has one now, but needs a lot more to fill out a competitive ACC roster. What will be most telling is how this present team competes, improves and plays for the entire season. I ultimately do not think Stallings is likely to get it done by year six [should he remain in the position that long]...but I am certainly hoping he does. Hail to Pitt!

 

[ThatPittGuy]

Pitt paid Jamie's buyout. Pitt paid Stallings' buyout (as he was about to be pushed out at Vandy). Pitt paid Barnes' former boss some juicy consulting fees to orchestrate the whole thing... same guy who delivered Stallings to Vandy. Then Barnes skipped town.

Pitt fans are left holding the bag and dutifully looking forward to three seasons from now when we might crack .500...

The people who say the fan base needs to step up it's financial support are the same people who pay themselves and their friends with the proceeds. When you question it, they tell you it's unreasonable to expect nice things in godawful Pittsburgh.

The level of cognitive disonnance required to show up at Heinz or the Pete in 2017 is incredible. The fact that attendance stinks indicates the average Pitt fan is probably pretty smart. Not cynical.

People think a "yinzer" is a cynical, never-satisfied, cheapskate. Wrong. A yinzer is numbskull who totes water for the folks in charge.

 

[HailtoPitt]

Pitt paid Jamie's buyout. Pitt paid Stallings' buyout (as he was about to be pushed out at Vandy). Pitt paid Barnes' former boss some juicy consulting fees to orchestrate the whole thing... same guy who delivered Stallings to Vandy. Then Barnes skipped town.

Pitt fans are left holding the bag and dutifully looking forward to three seasons from now when we might crack .500...

The people who say the fan base needs to step up it's financial support are the same people who pay themselves and their friends with the proceeds. When you question it, they tell you it's unreasonable to expect nice things in godawful Pittsburgh.

The level of cognitive disonnance required to show up at Heinz or the Pete in 2017 is incredible. The fact that attendance stinks indicates the average Pitt fan is probably pretty smart. Not cynical.

People think a "yinzer" is a cynical, never-satisfied, cheapskate. Wrong. A yinzer is numbskull who totes water for the folks in charge.

Perfect explanation.

 

[PittPanthers90]

Let me give you a one word reply as to WHY it would be OK to fire HCPN (and right now I am NOT on the fire HCPN bandwagon)

But if we were to fire HCPN ....

And I honestly mean this in a GOOD way ....

Wannstedt

 

[Jpripper88]

Every kid that gets recruited has a story. Whether it is payola, and AAU coach connection, family or what not...so I'm not even going to pretend to explain why any kid ends up where he does. Obviously Stallings struck out in getting a PG for last year...but it is not like the table was set at the position [or that there many to choose from at the stage Stallings was hired]. He has one now, but needs a lot more to fill out a competitive ACC roster. What will be most telling is how this present team competes, improves and plays for the entire season. I ultimately do not think Stallings is likely to get it done by year six [should he remain in the position that long]...but I am certainly hoping he does. Hail to Pitt!

He struck out on getting anything except guys Dixon had already gotten. He just resigned them and kicked them off 12 months later.

Stallings did nothing, despite having been a sitting HC.

 

[TD_istheman]

Pitt paid Jamie's buyout. Pitt paid Stallings' buyout (as he was about to be pushed out at Vandy). Pitt paid Barnes' former boss some juicy consulting fees to orchestrate the whole thing... same guy who delivered Stallings to Vandy. Then Barnes skipped town.

Pitt fans are left holding the bag and dutifully looking forward to three seasons from now when we might crack .500...

The people who say the fan base needs to step up it's financial support are the same people who pay themselves and their friends with the proceeds. When you question it, they tell you it's unreasonable to expect nice things in godawful Pittsburgh.

The level of cognitive disonnance required to show up at Heinz or the Pete in 2017 is incredible. The fact that attendance stinks indicates the average Pitt fan is probably pretty smart. Not cynical.

People think a "yinzer" is a cynical, never-satisfied, cheapskate. Wrong. A yinzer is numbskull who totes water for the folks in charge.

Post of the year!

 

[pittbb80]

Gallagher’s tenure is reminding me a lot of J Dennis O’Connor who was the last clown to drive pitt Athletics into the ground.

Gallagher’s tenure thus far has been. Barnes stallings and Lyke

Anyone who likes the odds of upgrading Duzz with the clowns running the show in Oakland are beyond delusional

I get frustrated and concerned with some of the things duzz does but there is still ample reason to be optimistic about the FB program under his guidance.

I shutter to think what might happen with the joke Dennis er a Pat hired to run. The athletic department if she were charged with hiring a replacement. My guess is she’d hire another Cronie from EMU

 

[drp1tt]

Pitt just lost to freaking Montana. The fact that Stallings still has a job and likely will have a job going into next year tells you how committed this admin is to winning.

Be careful what you wish for Pitt fans.

I like to think of Saban, Meyers and others, but hey that is me.

 

[Pav9870]

He struck out on getting anything except guys Dixon had already gotten. He just resigned them and kicked them off 12 months later.

Stallings did nothing, despite having been a sitting HC.

Great posts, Syracuse was another school that landed a quality grad transfer pg one month after the Pitt coaching change. With the other four players that point guard could have made a giant change in fortunes last year. I can't understand why 2 of the last 3 fb and bb coaches put recruiting on hold after getting hired by Pitt.

 

[Slick Manager of Champs]

Great posts, Syracuse was another school that landed a quality grad transfer pg one month after the Pitt coaching change. With the other four players that point guard could have made a giant change in fortunes last year. I can't understand why 2 of the last 3 fb and bb coaches put recruiting on hold after getting hired by Pitt.

heck Nick Smith from North Hills would have given better effort than we see now.