If Pitt wins a National Championship in any sport in the next decade, which would it be?

[Sean Miller Fan]

My vote is for men's soccer. That sounds crazy since it is probably our weakest program and have not won a league match in 4 seasons but we hired arguably the best soccer coach in the nation and it doesn't take a whole lot to get real good, real fast. Give it a few seasons and Pitt will be in the NCAAT. Almost guaranteed to make a Final Four in the next decade. Akron is a soccer powerhouse and Syracuse and Clemson, 2 non-traditional powers were in the Final Four this year.

For me, its men's soccer by far.

 

[pitt-girl]

Ultimate Frisbee

 

[Pitt79]

Ultimate Frisbee

We're a national power in UF aren't we?

 

[JoseLind13]

My hope is football or basketball, but my vote is Dance/Cheer.

 

[Old School1]

PITT will never win a NC in any sport.
1. No expertise in the athletic dept. or University as to how to turn sports programs into national powers
2. No interest in the University administration to have a NC in any sport
3. No commitment by the fanbase to support a NC program

 

[ThePanthers]

PITT will never win a NC in any sport.
1. No expertise in the athletic dept. or University as to how to turn sports programs into national powers
2. No interest in the University administration to have a NC in any sport
3. No commitment by the fanbase to support a NC program

Never is a very long time.

 

[Old School1]

Never is a very long time.

Let me put it this way I doubt it will happen during the life span of the current Lair posters which includes me so that = Never!

 

[Swervin27]

Let me put it this way I doubt it will happen during the life span of the current Lair posters which includes me so that = Never!

I had a conversation about this. Will pitt win a NC in football or hoops in my lifetime (BTW, I just turned 40). If I had to pick, no way in football, just the way it's set up now. In hoops, I'd put the odds at 4/1 of pitt winning NC in 50 years. I gave myself til 90, im an optimist..

 

[Panther Parrothead]

PITT will never win a NC in any sport.
1. No expertise in the athletic dept. or University as to how to turn sports programs into national powers
2. No interest in the University administration to have a NC in any sport
3. No commitment by the fanbase to support a NC program

Never say never.

Who would've thought that Hoopie U. would've come so close to winning the national title in football. And they would've won it, too, had they come to play against Pitt. Pitt proved that one should never look past a game - no matter what the odds are.

 

[ThePanthers]

Let me put it this way I doubt it will happen during the life span of the current Lair posters which includes me so that = Never!

Fair enough.

 

[pittengineer75]

There are only two sports in college football with any relevancy when it comes to winning a national championship: Football and Men's Basketball. Probably a better chance on the basketball side just given the nature of the tournament and the fact that freshman basketball players can make such a difference in just one class if you land a few elite guys.

 

[steel_curtain]

Never say never.

Who would've thought that Hoopie U. would've come so close to winning the national title in football. And they would've won it, too, had they come to play against Pitt. Pitt proved that one should never look past a game - no matter what the odds are.

-I think Pitt football is going to be closer than people think. Clemson had a mediocre football program until Dabo took over, and it took him 4 years to really right the ship at Clemson. Who the hell was Clemson before Dabo? A mediocre football program, that's who.

-Narduzzi already started to right the ship in year 1. Win and get the talent in the backyard, we can win big.

 

[JoseLind13]

Is this limited to TEAM national championships? I will gladly take that lifetime bet, if including individual national championships in sports like track and wrestling.

 

[pittdan77]

James Franklin is 14-12 and they're pretty darn certain a NC is only a few years away in Happy Valley.

I see no reason for Pitt to not feel like it's reasonable to compete in the next 10 years if the administration commits to winning.

 

[ThePanthers]

James Franklin is 14-12 and they're pretty darn certain a NC is only a few years away in Happy Valley.

I see no reason for Pitt to not feel like it's reasonable to compete in the next 10 years if the administration commits to winning.

Fans need to commit as well. It's not one sided.

 

[pittdan77]

Fans need to commit as well. It's not one sided.

Right. We suck.

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

Is this limited to TEAM national championships? I will gladly take that lifetime bet, if including individual national championships in sports like track and wrestling.

Yes and only varsity sports. Not counting ultimate frisbee, club hockey, cheer, dance, etc.

 

[mvk112]

-I think Pitt football is going to be closer than people think. Clemson had a mediocre football program until Dabo took over, and it took him 4 years to really right the ship at Clemson. Who the hell was Clemson before Dabo? A mediocre football program, that's who.

-Narduzzi already started to right the ship in year 1. Win and get the talent in the backyard, we can win big.

In the 20 years prior to Dabo taking over, there were only 3 years that Clemson wasn't ranked at some point. They were in the top ten 6 times in those 20 years. Clemson has always been a good program, Dabo has certainly taken them to a higher level though.

In the 20 years prior to Narduzzi, there were only 7 seasons where they were ranked.

It's not impossible to build up, but Pitt wasn't near the level Clemson was over those previous 20 years. Tommy Bowden, Tommy West, Ken Hatfield, and Danny Ford had them in a bunch of Peach Bowls, Gator Bowls, and Citrus Bowls, three really good bowls.

 

[steel_curtain]

In the 20 years prior to Dabo taking over, there were only 3 years that Clemson wasn't ranked at some point. They were in the top ten 6 times in those 20 years. Clemson has always been a good program, Dabo has certainly taken them to a higher level though.

In the 20 years prior to Narduzzi, there were only 7 seasons where they were ranked.

It's not impossible to build up, but Pitt wasn't near the level Clemson was over those previous 20 years. Tommy Bowden, Tommy West, Ken Hatfield, and Danny Ford had them in a bunch of Peach Bowls, Gator Bowls, and Citrus Bowls, three really good bowls.

-That's considered good? That's almost Pitt's level, a bunch of 7 and 8 win seasons.


1993 Ken Hatfield (11 games)
Tommy West (1 game) 3rd — 9 3 0 Won 1993 Peach Bowl against Kentucky Wildcats, 14–13 ^ 23 22
1994 Tommy West 6th — 5 6 0 — — —
1995 3rd — 8 4 0 Lost 1996 Gator Bowl against Syracuse Orangemen, 41–0 ^ — —
1996 T-2nd — 7 5 — Lost 1996 Peach Bowl against LSU Tigers, 10–7 ^ — —
1997 5th — 7 5 — Lost 1998 Peach Bowl against Auburn Tigers, 21–17 ^ — —
1998 T-8th — 3 8 — — — —
1999 Tommy Bowden 2nd — 6 6 — Lost 1999 Peach Bowl against Mississippi State Bulldogs, 17–7 ^ — —
2000 2nd — 9 3 — Lost 2001 Gator Bowl against Virginia Tech Hokies, 41–20 ^ 16 14
2001 T-4th — 7 5 — Won 2001 Humanitarian Bowl againstLouisiana Tech Bulldogs, 49–24 ^ — —
2002 5th — 7 6 — Lost 2002 Tangerine Bowl against Texas Tech Red Raiders, 55–15 ^ — —
2003 3rd — 9 4 — Won 2004 Peach Bowl against Tennessee Volunteers, 27–14 ^ 22 22
2004 T-6th — 6 5 — — — —
2005 — 3rd 8 4 — Won 2005 Champs Sports Bowl againstColorado Buffaloes, 19–10 ^ 21 21
2006 — T-2nd 8 5 — Lost 2006 Music City Bowl againstKentucky Wildcats, 28–20 ^ — —
2007 — T-2nd 9 4 — Lost 2007 Chick-fil-A Bowl against Auburn Tigers, 23–20 (OT) ^ 21 22
2008 Tommy Bowden (6 games)
Dabo Swinney (7 games) — T-3rd 7 6 —

 

[mvk112]

And Pitt had a bunch of 6, 5, 4, 3, & even 2 win seasons in that time period. If you think the 20 years of Pitt pre-Narduzzi compare in any way to 20 years of Clemson pre-Dabo, then you need to take the cheerleader outfit off.

Clemson was ranked in 17 of those years and went to 16 bowls, many of them high profile (Gator, Peach, Citrus). Pitt was ranked in 7 of the previous years and went to 13 bowls, just about all of them bottom barrel bowls like Compass, Little Caesars, Armed Forces, etc.

 

[steel_curtain]

And Pitt had a bunch of 6, 5, 4, 3, & even 2 win seasons in that time period. If you think the 20 years of Pitt pre-Narduzzi compare in any way to 20 years of Clemson pre-Dabo, then you need to take the cheerleader outfit off.

Clemson was ranked in 17 of those years and went to 16 bowls, many of them high profile (Gator, Peach, Citrus). Pitt was ranked in 7 of the previous years and went to 13 bowls, just about all of them bottom barrel bowls like Compass, Little Caesars, Armed Forces, etc.

-Being ranked means nothing. Every year teams get ranked off of premature hype. Rankings should not come out until the 4th or 6th week in the season. Compare the win totals the last 10 years before Dabo entered Clemson.

 

[buckage]

Wrestling

 

[mvk112]

Honestly, a more apt comparison would be the school where Narduzzi came to Pitt from before they hired D'Antonio. And that includes the Saban years. They are now legit National Title contenders year in and year out after being a 4/5/6/7 win program for about 20 years.

Clemson was way ahead of where Pitt was.

 

[buckage]

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pittsburgh_Panthers_wrestling

We have a solid recruiting base, a good conference and good history.

 

[steel_curtain]

-Win Totals for 10 years prior to Dabo

Clemson-75
Pitt-72

-And Clemson played in the worst P5 Conference in the Country prior to the ACC shift of teams. There is your 10 year history prior to Dabo.

-And the following season after Pitt won 10 games, which was not included.

 

[mvk112]

-Being ranked means nothing. Every year teams get ranked off of premature hype. Rankings should not come out until the 4th or 6th week in the season. Compare the win totals the last 10 years before Dabo entered Clemson.

Really?

Pitt 68-58, 7 bowls - Arned Forces, Little Caesars, Compass(x3), Car Care, Sun

Clemson 76-48, 9 bowls - Gator (x2), Peach (x3), Music City, Champs Sports, Tangerine, & Humanitarian.

For Pitt, that includes 8 years in a Big East post Miami/VT defections. Again, take off the cheerleading outfit, Pitt wasn't close to where Clemson was.

 

[mvk112]

-Win Totals for 10 years prior to Dabo

Clemson-75
Pitt-72

-And Clemson played in the worst P5 Conference in the Country prior to the ACC shift of teams. There is your 10 year history prior to Dabo.

-And the following season after Pitt won 10 games, which was not included.

You're wrong on both numbers. Pitt only won 68 games from 2005-2014. Clemson won 76 games from 1999-2008, when Sweeney took over mid year. The Big East in that time was also worse than the ACC.

 

[paulbl99]

My vote is for men's soccer. That sounds crazy since it is probably our weakest program and have not won a league match in 4 seasons but we hired arguably the best soccer coach in the nation and it doesn't take a whole lot to get real good, real fast. Give it a few seasons and Pitt will be in the NCAAT. Almost guaranteed to make a Final Four in the next decade. Akron is a soccer powerhouse and Syracuse and Clemson, 2 non-traditional powers were in the Final Four this year.

For me, its men's soccer by far.

Debate

Where do you come up with this stuff?

 

[steel_curtain]

Really?

Pitt 68-58, 7 bowls - Arned Forces, Little Caesars, Compass(x3), Car Care, Sun

Clemson 76-48, 9 bowls - Gator (x2), Peach (x3), Music City, Champs Sports, Tangerine, & Humanitarian.

For Pitt, that includes 8 years in a Big East post Miami/VT defections. Again, take off the cheerleading outfit, Pitt wasn't close to where Clemson was.

-We must be looking at different win totals.

Tommy Bowden was still coaching in 2008. Try again.

-And this topic is useless, its about moving forward.

-So Ill finish it with this. Pitt had the Top defense in the ACC Coastal for a 1st year head Coach in Pat Narduzzi. Spin that gentlemen, anyway you like. #1 defense in year 1 under Narduzzi in the Coastal.

 

[steel_curtain]

You're wrong on both numbers. Pitt only won 68 games from 2005-2014. Clemson won 76 games from 1999-2008, when Sweeney took over mid year. The Big East in that time was also worse than the ACC.

-The Big East had more BCS bowl wins. You seem to forget

 

[mvk112]

Bowden stepped down mid year 2008. I included that in pre-Dabo, 1999-2008.

It's good to shoot high by putting down Alabama and Clemson, but you have to realize that Pitt isn't close to that level.

 

[steel_curtain]

-Im only talking about the future moving forward.

-Pitt defense. #1 in the Coastal last year, will be by far #1 defense in the Coastal this year. Spin that. Because no one in the Coastal will have a better defense than Pitt this year. Lets see someone spin that.

 

[OriginalEther]

Fans need to commit as well. It's not one sided.

No, no, don't you realize? The Pitt administration needs to subsidize the athletic department to the tune of $70 million a year, not the measley $7 million they currently do.
Oh, and they need to drain that endowment to build a new stadium also.

 

[mvk112]

-The Big East had more BCS bowl wins. You seem to forget

LOL, that is the measure of a good conference? The conferences' auto bid was threatened to be taken away many times because it was a weak league. From 2004 onward it was propped up almost entirely by WVU.

 

[Delpanther]

No, no, don't you realize? The Pitt administration needs to subsidize the athletic department to the tune of $70 million a year, not the measley $7 million they currently do.
Oh, and they need to drain that endowment to build a new stadium also.

All good suggestions!

 

[OriginalEther]

On a more serious note, to the ops question, in the two sports people care about, I don't really know.
Six years ago, I'd have said football - despite the difference in the coach - because in football they just had to navigate the Big East, hope to get in the Title game, and win one game. Now, the conference is tougher, you have to Win it's own championship game, still hope to get in the expanded playoff, and then win two games.
Hoops is still that crapshoot tournament where you have to Win six games.

The off the wall answer I may throw out there is baseball. If a place like Oregon State can win it - pretty sure the weather isn't that great in Corvallis either - why can't Pitt?

 

[Old School1]

James Franklin is 14-12 and they're pretty darn certain a NC is only a few years away in Happy Valley.

I see no reason for Pitt to not feel like it's reasonable to compete in the next 10 years if the administration commits to winning.

Well that makes sense for the Nitters. They're a bunch of

No, no, don't you realize? The Pitt administration needs to subsidize the athletic department to the tune of $70 million a year, not the measley $7 million they currently do.
Oh, and they need to drain that endowment to build a new stadium also.

In our current state of athletic affairs you're correct.
But if PITT had fans, boosters, and a football brand like BAMA or Clemson the athletic department would float itself of come close to floating itself. That's the gap PITT must close to become "bigtime" in football and basketball.
In the meantime PITT football will be very good winning 8-10 games each year contending for the coastal champ, go to a good bowl game, which all is good news!
Don't have a clue how PITT basketball will go given the new " splash" hire.

 

[OriginalEther]

LOL, that is the measure of a good conference? The conferences' auto bid was threatened to be taken away many times because it was a weak league. From 2004 onward it was propped up almost entirely by WVU.

Really only 2004 and 2005. The talk largely went away after wvu's Sugar bowl win. Other teams did catch up over the following years to where the debate pretty much went away, even though the conference stunk again starting in 2010.

 

[mvk112]

Really only 2004 and 2005. The talk largely went away after wvu's Sugar bowl win. Other teams did catch up over the following years to where the debate pretty much went away, even though the conference stunk again starting in 2010.

Well they were a few points away from going to the title game in 2007 and blew Oklahoma out in the bowl game.

If WVU wasn't as good as they were under Rich Rod (who came up under Tommy Bowden and was at Clemson ironically), the conference would've lost their auto bid. They made a crap hire with Stewart and the league went downhill with them. I know they're a rival and all, but that's the truth.

 

[steel_curtain]

Well they were a few points away from going to the title game in 2007 and blew Oklahoma out in the bowl game.

If WVU wasn't as good as they were under Rich Rod (who came up under Tommy Bowden and was at Clemson ironically), the conference would've lost their auto bid. They made a crap hire with Stewart and the league went downhill with them. I know they're a rival and all, but that's the truth.

-Final Post because you need a history lesson.

Miami was 11-1, 12-0, 12-2, and 11-2 from 2000 to 2003. They won the National Title and lost another National title game in those years. They were the boss team those years, in the entire country. Miami went to the ACC in 2004

West Virginia won the Sugar Bowl, Fiesta Bowl, and Gator Bowl from 2005 through 2007 in the Big East.

Louisville won the Orange Bowl and Sugar Bowl in 2006 and 2012 in the Big East

-When the Big East is winning BCS bowl games every other year, the conference was never in danger of losing its bid. Never.