Craig Meyer from the PG with a very telling and depressing stat

[PittPoker]

He just wrote in the PG that Jeff Capel in his last 2 seasons at Oklahoma and 2 seasons at Pitt in February and March, his record is 8-36.

Yeah um, that is pitiful and I'm sorry but the more I think about this I am really wondering if Capel can turn this program around. Fortunately or unfortunately, Lyke is committed to him for years so it's all on him. His track record though is showing otherwise.

 

[PittGuy00]

Yet people are constantly worried that he'll go to Duke when K retires.

 

[Sec36R21S1]

Does Craig Meyer have anything better to do than search for meaningless stats. Just shows to what lengths they go to be negative to Pitt.

 

[PittPoker]

Does Craig Meyer have anything better to do than search for meaningless stats. Just shows to what lengths they go to be negative to Pitt.

He's the Pitt beat writer for basketball. I don't think his goal is to be negative towards Pitt.

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

I remember his team collapsing in his last year at OU but I thought they had a bunch of injuries.

I hate to say this but could Capel be a Gottfried/Keatts/Romar??? Bad part is he doesn't have the type of talent they get.

 

[PittPoker]

I remember his team collapsing in his last year at OU but I thought they had a bunch of injuries.

I hate to say this but could Capel be a Gottfried/Keatts/Romar??? Bad part is he doesn't have the type of talent they get.

I think when Capel was hired we were all pretty excited because we were definitely moving on from the Stallings regime. After 2 seasons though some are starting to maybe realize this might not have been the best replacement. But we shall see.

 

[pittchagg]

I remember his team collapsing in his last year at OU but I thought they had a bunch of injuries.

I hate to say this but could Capel be a Gottfried/Keatts/Romar??? Bad part is he doesn't have the type of talent they get.

Kevin Keatts has a 68% winning percentage and is on pace to make his fourth NCAA tournament in six seasons. I'll be very pleased if Capel makes the NCAA in 2/3 of his seasons and wins 20 games a year.

 

[PittFamily2]

He's the Pitt beat writer for basketball. I don't think his goal is to be negative towards Pitt.

You're right!
You're hearing the PITT basketball Echo Chamber that repeats itself over and over again if anyone is negative about the program.
I believe some people are forced to face reality like a beat writer!

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

Keatts won in the CAA just like Capel and the CAA was much better when Capel was in it. And that was mostly because they had really good players. Keatts inherited a ton of talent at NC St. Capel did not.

 

[Fsgolfdr]

So let’s fire JC we’ll let SMF and Pittpoker come up with the buyout money ! Now who you gonna get ? Who’d want to come here that would excite the masses and have 4 & 5 star guys banging the doors down ? Pitts best chance for success is the guy whose coaching them right now . The best coaches still need the best talent to win , was Bill Belichick a bad coach during his yrs in Clvd , was Chuck Noll a terrible coach when the Steelers won 1 game his first season ? Let him get a roster with talent and experience and then evaluate him . John Wooden wouldn’t win with this roster .

 

[lilspainishflea]

Does Craig Meyer have anything better to do than search for meaningless stats. Just shows to what lengths they go to be negative to Pitt.

I think Craig Meyer is not only a Pitt beat writer, but he actively roots for Pitt. He's normally pretty fair, and IMO, actually quite optimistic. It's our own fault we've lost every game for a month. What else is he supposed to talk about?

 

[HailToPitt1985]

I think Craig Meyer is not only a Pitt beat writer, but he actively roots for Pitt. He's normally pretty fair, and IMO, actually quite optimistic. It's our own fault we've lost every game for a month. What else is he supposed to talk about?

When I do get a chance to read Craig Meyer, he always seems to be very informative and very objective. His articles are also well written, which is something that many writers for the P-G can't say. Cook, for example, can be illiterate at times and not make any sense. That can't be said for Meyer. He is always coherent and actually writes in English.

If thin-skinned, snowflake Pitt fans can't handle his objectivity, don't read his articles.

 

[DT_PITT]

I think Craig Meyer is not only a Pitt beat writer, but he actively roots for Pitt. He's normally pretty fair, and IMO, actually quite optimistic. It's our own fault we've lost every game for a month. What else is he supposed to talk about?

I’ve talked to him more than a couple of times. He’s a really good guy with no agenda at all and he does like Pitt for sure.

 

[gary2]

I’ve talked to him more than a couple of times. He’s a really good guy with no agenda at all and he does like Pitt for sure.

Me too - Agree

 

[PittPoker]

So let’s fire JC we’ll let SMF and Pittpoker come up with the buyout money ! Now who you gonna get ? Who’d want to come here that would excite the masses and have 4 & 5 star guys banging the doors down ? Pitts best chance for success is the guy whose coaching them right now . The best coaches still need the best talent to win , was Bill Belichick a bad coach during his yrs in Clvd , was Chuck Noll a terrible coach when the Steelers won 1 game his first season ? Let him get a roster with talent and experience and then evaluate him . John Wooden wouldn’t win with this roster .

I'm not saying I still don't have hope that Capel will turn it around. But 4 years is more than just a random bad season. 8-36 with 2 different teams now late in the season is very troubling. And I think Pitt fans have a right to be a bit worried.

 

[pittchagg]

When I do get a chance to read Craig Meyer, he always seems to be very informative and very objective. His articles are also well written, which is something that many writers for the P-G can't say. Cook, for example, can be illiterate at times and not make any sense. That can't be said for Meyer. He is always coherent and actually writes in English.

If thin-skinned, snowflake Pitt fans can't handle his objectivity, don't read his articles.

I agree with this. Whether you agree with his specific analyses or not, the subjects of his articles are typically based on some level of empirical observation.

The same cannot be said for most of the columnists that the P-G has; every column from Cook, Starkey, and Zeise all just fall back on tired platitudes like "Jeff Capel is going to get me to go to Pitt games again" (who cares?) or "Pitt needs to get out of their current funk" (no sh*t).

 

[DT_PITT]

I'm not saying I still don't have hope that Capel will turn it around. But 4 years is more than just a random bad season. 8-36 with 2 different teams now late in the season is very troubling. And I think Pitt fans have a right to be a bit worried.

This is certainly fair.

 

[Franb]

Does Craig Meyer have anything better to do than search for meaningless stats. Just shows to what lengths they go to be negative to Pitt.

How is that a meaningless stat? Every coach in every sport wants to have a team that is playing its best at the end of the season, so consistently having the opposite result is certainly a cause for concern.

 

[Slick Manager of Champs]

I’ve talked to him more than a couple of times. He’s a really good guy with no agenda at all and he does like Pitt for sure.

actually the best beat writer we've had is the current nitter guy covering football. Kind of ironic isn't it.

 

[Slick Manager of Champs]

I agree with this. Whether you agree with his specific analyses or not, the subjects of his articles are typically based on some level of empirical observation.

The same cannot be said for most of the columnists that the P-G has; every column from Cook, Starkey, and Zeise all just fall back on tired platitudes like "Jeff Capel is going to get me to go to Pitt games again" (who cares?) or "Pitt needs to get out of their current funk" (no sh*t).

yeah, some of these "columnists" just kind of mail it in half the time. Zeise saying Pitt fans were going to like Stallings offense, and the one you referenced about Cook.

 

[CaptainMurphy]

I don't think you can use his stint at Oklahoma as a true comparison to what is happening now. It was over a decade ago while he was in his thirties and prior to him spending years on coach Ks bench. This team had glaring weaknesses from day one that others found a way to effectively exploit. It was always going to be a struggle without effective bigs and shooters. It's still a work in progress, not nearly willing to start getting negative yet.

 

[str61166]

Does Craig Meyer have anything better to do than search for meaningless stats. Just shows to what lengths they go to be negative to Pitt.

Lol and then we get this

 

[TheSpecialSauce]

Lol and then we get this

View embedded media

I assume Fat Man is referring to Wanny and Dixon. Narduzzi has a better winning % at this point than Wanny. I wish things would have worked out differently with Dixon, and it is too early in Capel’s tenure to make a firm judgement.

 

[PittPoker]

Lol and then we get this

View embedded media

Right now he's kinda right. Narduzzi hasn't taken Pitt to any kind of next level in 5 years and his track record doesn't speak to that really ever happening. And Capel has 4 years now at Oklahoma and Pitt where his teams have epic collapses. 8-36? That's a disgrace. So Madden isn't really wrong. Right now that is.

 

[PittPoker]

I assume Fat Man is referring to Wanny and Dixon. Narduzzi has a better winning % at this point than Wanny. I wish things would have worked out differently with Dixon, and it is too early in Capel’s tenure to make a firm judgement.

Narduzzi has been a disappointment. At least Wanny had 10-3 and 9-4 seasons.

 

[str61166]

Right now he's kinda right. Narduzzi hasn't taken Pitt to any kind of next level in 5 years and his track record doesn't speak to that really ever happening. And Capel has 4 years now at Oklahoma and Pitt where his teams have epic collapses. 8-36? That's a disgrace. So Madden isn't really wrong. Right now that is.

And you agree “very few in Pgh sports media” feel this way?

 

[str61166]

I assume Fat Man is referring to Wanny and Dixon. Narduzzi has a better winning % at this point than Wanny. I wish things would have worked out differently with Dixon, and it is too early in Capel’s tenure to make a firm judgement.

He acts like if Pitt never got rid of Wanny and Dixon everything would be fine, despite the glaring issues they had towards the end of their tenures.

 

[Fsgolfdr]

I'm not saying I still don't have hope that Capel will turn it around. But 4 years is more than just a random bad season. 8-36 with 2 different teams now late in the season is very troubling. And I think Pitt fans have a right to be a bit worried.

To me if next yrs additions don’t meet expectations then I’ll start to worry . If Horton turns into the second coming of Ellison and the freshman are bigger projects then expected things might not get any better .

If one of X or Trey leaves then I’d be disappointed if both leave then I’d be worrying that somethings not right in Denmark.

If JC loses both Jeffress and the pg then I’d be worried that recruits aren’t buying his pitch .

If they don’t sign any impact player next early recruiting period I’d worry.

But what doesn’t worry me is what he did 8 or 9 yrs ago at Ok . Or that he can’t win with his current roster ...no one could .

 

[PittPoker]

And you agree “very few in Pgh sports media” feel this way?

No. Tim Benz doesn't believe Narduzzi is the answer here. Madden obviously doesn't. Poni doesn't either from some of his tweets. I don't know the thoughts of every Pit sports media guy but there are definitely some that are not believers in Narduzzi. Now as for Capel I'm sure most are willing to give him time. Different situations.

 

[TheSpecialSauce]

Narduzzi has been a disappointment. At least Wanny had 10-3 and 9-4 seasons.

Narduzzi has played a better overall schedule, and this year we are set up for a good season. Wanny didn’t even make a bowl game three of the 6 years he was here.

 

[PittPoker]

Narduzzi has played a better overall schedule, and this year we are set up for a good season. Wanny didn’t even make a bowl game three of the 6 years he was here.

I think if I recall Wanny was on an upswing, recruiting wise and his recent teams. Then he got canned. I haven't seen anything like that from Narduzzi. He's just average. Blah. You like that fine. I want top 15 in the rankings, 9-10 wins and a nice bowl game.

 

[lilspainishflea]

Right now he's kinda right. Narduzzi hasn't taken Pitt to any kind of next level in 5 years and his track record doesn't speak to that really ever happening. And Capel has 4 years now at Oklahoma and Pitt where his teams have epic collapses. 8-36? That's a disgrace. So Madden isn't really wrong. Right now that is.

Oklahoma's record has nothing to do with us.

 

[PittPoker]

Oklahoma's record has nothing to do with us.

Oy vey.

 

[lilspainishflea]

I think if I recall Wanny was on an upswing, recruiting wise and his recent teams. Then he got canned. I haven't seen anything like that from Narduzzi. He's just average. Blah. You like that fine. I want top 15 in the rankings, 9-10 wins and a nice bowl game.

We've been over this ad nauseum but allow me to point out again that

- Wanny did have a 9 and a 10 win year, but he never outright won a really bad Big East and that was his undoing. I also think if Scott Barnes didn't F Pitt football with an impossible schedule that Narduzzi definitely would have won 9 games or more in 2016.
- Wanny technically only went 1-1 in bowl games (since he was fired before the 2010 Compass Bowl)
- Wanny's "nice bowl game" win was either the Car Care Bowl, which hasn't had a ranked team play in it since Obama was president, or the Sun Bowl, which Narduzzi has also coached in (they both lost).
- Wanny also failed to qualify for a bowl 3 times in 6 seasons, whereas Narduzzi only let that happen once in 5 seasons.
- Wanny has a lower winning % at Pitt than Narduzzi.
​

Jamie is undoubtedly better than Capel to this point. But I find it hard to objectively say Wanny is better than Narduzzi. I guess you could argue that Wanny's highs were ever so slightly higher, but his lows (he went 6-6 or worse 3 times) are also certainly lower. If you argue that Wanny's recruiting was significantly better than Narduzzi, I think it's a further indictment against Wanny insofar as he basically did the exact same as Narduzzi except he had much better players.

 

[HailToPitt1985]

With the lack of elite recruits that Pitt has had, it's understandable that his teams just don't cut it, especially late in the season. What's alarming is the lack of basketball IQ his players have, top to bottom. And Capel doesn't have the luxury of being a top coach like we had with Dixon, at least not yet.

Next year is the year he needs to show some positive results with a winning record and an NIT bid at the very least, along with actual signed LOI's from top level recruits. If he doesn't do that, there will be rumblings from the faithful.

 

[lilspainishflea]

Oy vey.

Yeah we should hang Oklahoma's 2009 Elite 8 banner next to our own.

 

[Tonyt66]

Really he went back 10yrs for his last 2 months you guys are eating it up either you're dumb as rocks for following it or your mind is as shallow as a stream in the backyard. Get a grip we know what the problem is here and now and its going to get better and better.

 

[MalvernPanther]

Who cares what these hacks say? I mean really?
Are you that insecure that the local fish wraps are mean? Boo freakin hoo!
Howland, who is universally lauded as the savior of Pitt men’s hoops took 3 years to make waves and had a FAR superior roster to start with Greer as an upperclassman who could guide Knight and Zaveckas-the freshmen of the future.
Our best player now is a freshman. Let’s pump the brakes. If this is still an issue in year 4, then fine, Crucify him then.
He is at least 1 year handicapped than what Howland inherited.
I’m not pleased with the finish at all -don’t get me wrong-I think we are all spoiled with the previous 15 year run that we tend to overreact.
Rant end

 

[Joe the Panther Fan]

Tim Benz doesn't believe Narduzzi is the answer here. Madden obviously doesn't. Poni doesn't either from some of his tweets.

Isn't it a good sign for Pitt fans that those three simpletons don't think that Narduzi is the answer?

 

[PittPoker]

Isn't it a good sign for Pitt fans that those three simpletons don't think that Narduzi is the answer?

No. It really doesn't make a difference. Narduzzi has shown he is an average coach. Nothing I have seen from him in now 5+ seasons is leading me to believe Pitt will take that next step in football. So that's probably what the Narduzzi doubters in the media see too.