Brandin Knight

[MarshallGoldberg]

I have to give you credit for an honest accounting of your intentions. Your devotion to Stallings, while impressive in its relentlessness, is incomprehensible to me.

It is one of the more bizarre yet sincere opinions held on this board at least.

One thing I think Gary is ignoring, beyond the financial stuff he doesn't want to take into account, is general trajectory.

4-32 in conference, with a downward trajectory under Stallings was a unique disaster. If he even won a couple of games, he may have stayed after year two. But going from the NCAA tournament (9-9 in conference) under Dixon to 4-14 to 0-18 was a pretty incredible three year decline.

I have been frustrated and disappointed with Pitt last year especially, but the trajectory is at least on paper upwards under Capel: from the 0 win season to 3-15 to 6-14 to 6-10 in conference. Every year, an improved winning percentage, if only small increments.

That said, next year if there is a decline -- entirely possible -- the seat gets a lot warmer for both the financial reasons of moving closer to the end of the contract and because they can't miss the tournament forever and expect to have any fans.

 

[King Of All Message Boards]

Someone asked me a serious question. I responded to that person.

I attempted to give that person a polite, honest and responsive reply.

It seems others want to weigh in? So be it.

Though, as is often the case, their responses are not on the topic, but irrelevant personal attacks.

Sometimes I just call em like I see em. I think it’s hilarious you put so much effort into turning people against Capel. And I’d say the same to anyone. Anyone here thinking they could do that likely thinks a little too much of themselves.

I’m certain that people can be open minded and say yea I never considered that. But to think you’re gonna lead a mass turning is quite amusing.

 

[Fsgolfdr]

Not to belabor the point, but..

My ”support” of Stallings had nothing to do with his performance, It had everything to do with the way he was treated and the effect that treatment had both on his personal life and his work product.

it is apples and oranges. do you see the distinction?

I/We have gone over this ground many times. This has turned into something other than me answering your question.

Sorry I responded to your questions. My mistake.

Least we forget it was KS who denied Jeter transferring to Pitt a bush move if there ever was one .

I hated JDs departure , but was intrigued with the prospect of a new HC . JDs recruiting was hitting rock bottom , but I about shit myself when they hired KS .

criticizing him for not finding a pg and allowing Artis to be pg when no one really knows how hard they tried to find one is questionable.

Pitt played a great game against ND in early Jan and I was psyched thinking that maybe the hire might just work out ...boy I was wrong .

There was no reason for such a horrible collapse with the talent he had in yr one , but when Thompson de committed and Cam bailed any hopes that KS was in any the right guy disappeared .

With the roster he had in yr 2 there wasn’t one coach in the country that could’ve won a game in the ACC .

Defending his players at Louisville was heavily criticized, but I was proud he stood up for his guys .

Thinking that KS got a raw deal when fired is wrong , Pitt screwing him on his buyout by turning the program into the NCAAs was disgraceful and shows that winning isn’t on their agenda.

KS treatment has nothing to do with the treatment JC is getting . JC is the kind of man the university wants representing them , now he just needs to find a way to make the program successful enough to justify his continuing employment. They will give enough time no matter how much you complain .

 

[DT_PITT]

Let me make this as simple as possible.

if the initial press conference was the usual press conference, If Stallings wife had joined him in Pittsburgh, if people had taken a wait and see attitude and Stallings produced what he did...

I would have been the first to saw Pitt made a mistake in hiring a burned out, retread.

Because what happened, did happen, we will never know if he was a burned out retread or alienated, angry and disgruntled/disinterested.

On paper, the moment he was hired, as a guy who was about to be fired at Vandy at 56 years old, he looked like a a shakey hire who was more likely the wrong guy at the wrong time. If a press conference was enough to defeat him, he was REALLY the wrong guy at the wrong time. And if his wife not joining him led to his difficulties (which Pitt had nothing to do with), then he was COMPLETELY the wrong guy at the wrong time.

Then, he came here and in his first few months, and talked about how hard it was to recruit at Vandy with academic restrictions, then proceeded to miss and miss on all of his targets at Pitt, before finally getting decent recruits in Carr and Wilson Frame.

Every thing that happened to Stallings was on Stallings. Not complaints at a press conference.

 

[gary2]

On paper, the moment he was hired, as a guy who was about to be fired at Vandy at 56 years old, he looked like a a shakey hire who was more likely the wrong guy at the wrong time. If a press conference was enough to defeat him, he was REALLY the wrong guy at the wrong time. And if his wife not joining him led to his difficulties (which Pitt had nothing to do with), then he was COMPLETELY the wrong guy at the wrong time.

Then, he came here and in his first few months, and talked about how hard it was to recruit at Vandy with academic restrictions, then proceeded to miss and miss on all of his targets at Pitt, before finally getting decent recruits in Carr and Wilson Frame.

Every thing that happened to Stallings was on Stallings. Not complaints at a press conference.

Did you want to understand my thinking or argue with my thinking?

 

[DT_PITT]

Did you want to understand my thinking or argue with my thinking?

I understand what you are trying to say even though it doesn't seem to make any sense to me. Let's just say I don't agree with it. But that's fine. I'll let it go because I wasn't trying to argue but share ideas, but that's not what you want to do here.

 

[NTOP]

What none of us know a lot about was the tension that existed between KS and his new AD . From what I recall he was not well liked by university officials making a change much easier .

Jeff Capel walked into a shit hole and he’s having a hard time climbing out . I’m not convinced that any coach Pitt can hire will do much better .

Pitt is a very tough sell , they’re losing and not willing to do what it takes to get game changing players .

If Gary wants JC out he needs to write a very large check and then an even larger check to get anyone to take what looks like a dead end coaching job .

Pitt wants to be know for academic achievements not for bb or Fb wins , there’s no reason it can’t be both , but I don’t think those who can make a difference care to go down that road .

So,,,,should Heather give Jeff a longer leash because she hired him and he's a good guy? Or because she gave him an extension that seems to have been premature? No one is perfect, but strong leaders admit their well-intentioned mistakes........and fix them.
No more excuses, please.

 

[DT_PITT]

So,,,,should Heather give Jeff a longer leash because she hired him and he's a good guy? Or because she gave him an extension that seems to have been premature? No one is perfect, but strong leaders admit their well-intentioned mistakes........and fix them.
No more excuses, please.

The only excuse I will offer is that financially, a change is not in the cards, at least for a year. So, I'm willing to see what happens even if I'm not optimistic.

We have a chance to be OK next year if by some stroke of luck Justin returns and we can get a big in the category of Reid. Without those things, we are in deep doo-doo.

 

[H2PisIT]

Is there a team message board on this planet that discusses former coaches more than this one?

 

[NTOP]

The only excuse I will offer is that financially, a change is not in the cards, at least for a year. So, I'm willing to see what happens even if I'm not optimistic.

We have a chance to be OK next year if by some stroke of luck Justin returns and we can get a big in the category of Reid. Without those things, we are in deep doo-doo.

I hope Jeff can put it together. The frosh and 2 transfers seem like reserve-level guys, which are needed. But only Champ, Nike & Femi are reliable starters. And we may have only Femi & Nike. Really sad.

 

[DT_PITT]

Is there a team message board on this planet that discusses former coaches more than this one?

Former AND potential new ones.

But to answer your question, over the last five years, probably not. But between 2002 and 2011, I'd guess that we discussed former and potential new coaches LESS on the Panther Lair than any other message board on the planet.

What's happening now is what is to be expected when your basketball team's record in conference is 19-71 over the past five seasons. In fact, knowing this record, allow me to suggest that I'm pretty darn pleased there are still enough fans here on this board to discuss anything.

 

[NTOP]

Former AND potential new ones.

But to answer your question, over the last five years, probably not. But between 2002 and 2011, I'd guess that we discussed former and potential new coaches LESS on the Panther Lair than any other message board on the planet.

What's happening now is what is to be expected when your basketball team's record in conference is 19-71 over the past five seasons. In fact, knowing this record, allow me to suggest that I'm pretty darn pleased there are still enough fans here on this board to discuss anything.

Masochists, all of us. This like FB from 1990-96.

 

[DT_PITT]

I hope Jeff can put it together. The frosh and 2 transfers seem like reserve-level guys, which are needed. But only Champ, Nike & Femi are reliable starters. And we may have only Femi & Nike. Really sad.

Hoping that William makes a big leap forward is not necessarily a pipe dream either.

 

[H2PisIT]

Hoping that William makes a big leap forward is not necessarily a pipe dream either.

I feel this way about Collier as well to a slightly lesser degree.

 

[NTOP]

Hoping that William makes a big leap forward is not necessarily a pipe dream either.

He needs to have some attitude. Too cautious.

 

[joeydavid]

So as noted
6 months before game 1 you’ve determined the season a loss

That's always his assessment. 🙄

 

[joeydavid]

How many P5 schools that aren't undergoing a coaching change have 5 players, including three starters, one a three year starter and team leader, transfer at the end of one season?

It's one thing to have the role players like Drumgoole and T. Brown transfer, that happens everywhere all the time. But to have key starters like an X and Toney transfer? Or the guy who started the whole season at center for you? That's not good.

I see you ignored the question. Here's the answer, a whole lot of teams are in the same basic situation. But go on keep lamenting how this is a Pitt only reality and somehow Pitt should be immune to the current college basketball landscape.

 

[Joe the Panther Fan]

Did you want to understand my thinking or argue with my thinking?

Gary in a nutshell. Essentially, "I should be able to post my opinion on a message board and no one should ever question it."

He doesn't want discussion or disagreement or arguement. He wants validation. From an internet message board. And then can't understand why he doesn't get it when he continually sticks up for a guy who stole money from Pitt for two years, and only stopped stealing money from Pitt when they gave him a bag full of cash to go away. All because someone was mean to him at a press conference.

 

[King Of All Message Boards]

Gary in a nutshell. Essentially, "I should be able to post my opinion on a message board and no one should ever question it."

He doesn't want discussion or disagreement or arguement. He wants validation. From an internet message board. And then can't understand why he doesn't get it when he continually sticks up for a guy who stole money from Pitt for two years, and only stopped stealing money from Pitt when they gave him a bag full of cash to go away. All because someone was mean to him at a press conference.

 

[thebadby2]

Not to belabor the point, but..

My ”support” of Stallings had nothing to do with his performance, It had everything to do with the way he was treated and the effect that treatment had both on his personal life and his work product.

it is apples and oranges. do you see the distinction?

I/We have gone over this ground many times. This has turned into something other than me answering your question.

Sorry I responded to your questions. My mistake.

 

[SoufOaklin4Life]

You are advocating a hypothetical coaching change, which is actually a more extreme position than I hold. Capel is going to get Year 5 no matter what. I'll even go on record that he would come back if he finished 0-20.

You wouldn't even consider firing him next spring if there were as much improvement as you claim there is.

Nothing extreme in a hypothetical conversation

 

[Fsgolfdr]

So,,,,should Heather give Jeff a longer leash because she hired him and he's a good guy? Or because she gave him an extension that seems to have been premature? No one is perfect, but strong leaders admit their well-intentioned mistakes........and fix them.
No more excuses, please.

Write the checks and change the importance of winning is the only way out and I don’t foresee Pitt doing either .