Expectation Management - The process' of developing into a program that plays with Notre Dame, Clemson, FSU, etc., requires it to have players of equal talent and experience. EVERYONE knows this team is void of that, so to expect a diffeent outcome is self-inflicted disappointment based on unreasonable, flawed thinking.
Pitt needs us as fans as much if not more then we need them. If you're a Pitt fan, you probably refer to Pitt as "we". If you do, consider aligning your fandom with the new approach clearly exhibited by the chancellor, athletic director Narduzzi and staff. If it's a "we" thing, buy in and allow yourself to accept and experience the process that has to unfold before the desired product is achieved.
The process includes losing to better teams on a regular or semi-regular basis. 90% of program redevelopment entails commitment, capital, human resources at the management level and facilities among others. Ideally, it will yield better coaches, players and more wins. We are early in this development stage, regardless if we wish for it be further along or not. Some successes will reveal themselves immediately, and others not so immediate. Today falls into the latter.
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Program reconstruction - Start to End - Example
Nov 10,1973 - Majors' first year as coach. Pitt plays host to its first ranked opponent of the season in Notre Dame, and comes in at 5-2-1 and ranked #20. Parseghian was in his 10th year and Notre Dame was 8-0, ranked 5th and on there way to an undefeated season of 11-0. A start-up Pitt team lost the game as it should have, 31-10, similarly to today's game perhaps. The majority of Major's starters were holdovers. Although Dorsett was on the team, the talent differential was too significant to overcome, even with Dorsett who had 209 yards. Pitt was still an undermanned and unseasoned team.
Nov 16, 1974 - Pitt's ranked 17th and of course Majors' players are now sophomore's. Johnny's crew is playing at ND for the first time and ND is again ranked #5. Pitt's coming in a little confident and perhaps cocky and for good reason. They start the season ranked #13 and they win at Florida State in the opener and then win at Georgia Tech. which vaults them to the #8 ranking. They lose at home to #18 USC and then the following week ranked #17, lose to unranked, North Carolina 45-29, dropping them out of the top 20. They then win 5 in a row and re-enter the rankings at 17th when going against #5 ND. Pitt loses 14-10 (progress) fall to 7-3 and finished 7-4 (PSU) while ND goes to 8-1 and finishes with a 10-2 record.
Nov 15, 1975 - Pitt's unranked, with a 6-3 record, losing badly to Oklahoma, 45-10 and a horrible 17-0 loss to Navy, and a 3 point loss to WVU, while Pitt was ranked #20 and the loss knocked them out of the top 20. They win at home against ND 34-20 (TD-303 yards) in Majors' 3rd year and they re-enter the top 20 with a #17 ranking, then go on to lose against #10 PSU before getting re-ranked to #20 and winning against an un-ranked Kansas team to close out the season.
Sep 11, 1976 - Pitt is preseason ranked #9 and with Majors' boys in there 4th year, seasoned and cocky-confident and playing a made for prime time TV game against # 11 Notre Dame who seeks revenge after getting torched by TD's 303 yards the previous year. TD finishes with 181 yards before pulled in the 4th quarter of a convincing 31-10 win, on it's way to a National Championship. Program reconstruction complete.
Pitt experienced a few hiccups in this 4-year synopsis, but it offers a realistic view of the unevenness a program life-cycle from an also-ran to elitism inside a 4 year period. TD, the Golden Panthers coach Majors and others were the foundation. Today's gem of course is Whitehead. He's a piece. 1 piece. Each year, Pitt will need to add significant ones, like Ford and others, and by Narduzzi's 4th or 5th year Pitt will be it. It doesn't necessarily mean a NC, but a future of national relevance is inevitable.
As fans we need to provide patience, unyielding support (and belief) more patience, and $ if possible.
Pitt needs us as fans as much if not more then we need them. If you're a Pitt fan, you probably refer to Pitt as "we". If you do, consider aligning your fandom with the new approach clearly exhibited by the chancellor, athletic director Narduzzi and staff. If it's a "we" thing, buy in and allow yourself to accept and experience the process that has to unfold before the desired product is achieved.
The process includes losing to better teams on a regular or semi-regular basis. 90% of program redevelopment entails commitment, capital, human resources at the management level and facilities among others. Ideally, it will yield better coaches, players and more wins. We are early in this development stage, regardless if we wish for it be further along or not. Some successes will reveal themselves immediately, and others not so immediate. Today falls into the latter.
.
Program reconstruction - Start to End - Example
Nov 10,1973 - Majors' first year as coach. Pitt plays host to its first ranked opponent of the season in Notre Dame, and comes in at 5-2-1 and ranked #20. Parseghian was in his 10th year and Notre Dame was 8-0, ranked 5th and on there way to an undefeated season of 11-0. A start-up Pitt team lost the game as it should have, 31-10, similarly to today's game perhaps. The majority of Major's starters were holdovers. Although Dorsett was on the team, the talent differential was too significant to overcome, even with Dorsett who had 209 yards. Pitt was still an undermanned and unseasoned team.
Nov 16, 1974 - Pitt's ranked 17th and of course Majors' players are now sophomore's. Johnny's crew is playing at ND for the first time and ND is again ranked #5. Pitt's coming in a little confident and perhaps cocky and for good reason. They start the season ranked #13 and they win at Florida State in the opener and then win at Georgia Tech. which vaults them to the #8 ranking. They lose at home to #18 USC and then the following week ranked #17, lose to unranked, North Carolina 45-29, dropping them out of the top 20. They then win 5 in a row and re-enter the rankings at 17th when going against #5 ND. Pitt loses 14-10 (progress) fall to 7-3 and finished 7-4 (PSU) while ND goes to 8-1 and finishes with a 10-2 record.
Nov 15, 1975 - Pitt's unranked, with a 6-3 record, losing badly to Oklahoma, 45-10 and a horrible 17-0 loss to Navy, and a 3 point loss to WVU, while Pitt was ranked #20 and the loss knocked them out of the top 20. They win at home against ND 34-20 (TD-303 yards) in Majors' 3rd year and they re-enter the top 20 with a #17 ranking, then go on to lose against #10 PSU before getting re-ranked to #20 and winning against an un-ranked Kansas team to close out the season.
Sep 11, 1976 - Pitt is preseason ranked #9 and with Majors' boys in there 4th year, seasoned and cocky-confident and playing a made for prime time TV game against # 11 Notre Dame who seeks revenge after getting torched by TD's 303 yards the previous year. TD finishes with 181 yards before pulled in the 4th quarter of a convincing 31-10 win, on it's way to a National Championship. Program reconstruction complete.
Pitt experienced a few hiccups in this 4-year synopsis, but it offers a realistic view of the unevenness a program life-cycle from an also-ran to elitism inside a 4 year period. TD, the Golden Panthers coach Majors and others were the foundation. Today's gem of course is Whitehead. He's a piece. 1 piece. Each year, Pitt will need to add significant ones, like Ford and others, and by Narduzzi's 4th or 5th year Pitt will be it. It doesn't necessarily mean a NC, but a future of national relevance is inevitable.
As fans we need to provide patience, unyielding support (and belief) more patience, and $ if possible.
