** I’m stunned!
** Actually, I’m shocked!!
** OK … that doesn’t do it either. I’m overwhelmed!!!
** No … that’s not enough. The only thing that truly fits is that I’m BLOWN F*CKING AWAY!!!!
** Where does one really start commenting on this game? It might take me 10 dribbles just to find a moment to begin!
** But I’ll attempt to rise to the challenge with a number. The number is 41.
** I suspect there’s not a fan nor prognosticator in the multiverse who would have foretold the Panthers holding the Cyclones to 41 points today in the Round of 64. Not me for one for sure. No one from the Panther Hoops fan nation either I believe.
** Eight days ago, the Panthers surrendered 48 points to Duke in one half. Twice.
** And it wasn’t just that we surrendered 48 ... twice. We looked entirely inept defensively that day. We all know that we had looked suspect defensively for several games before that too.
** Allow me though to be about as objective and fair about the Panthers’ 41 point defensive stand as I can be. Yes, Iowa State layed a a big damn egg. Knowing that, let’s not allow that by any means take away from a tremendous defensive game plan by Capel and staff and even better defensive execution by our players.
** Somewhere between last Thursday and today, Jeff Capel must have somehow gotten the message to his team that defense matters. Message received.
** Or maybe it’s as simple as Guillermo.
** While I love Fede with all my Panther might, somehow the Pitt defense has been solved by the tall Spanish Gman and his Wonder Twin.
** And let’s go one step beyond with a wonderful dribble from my friend @brdst11 . His words: we “beat them up with 14 feet and 360 pounds of arms and legs.” I think I could have made this one statement with my first dribble tonight and my work would have been complete.
** Yesterday, my son and I were discussing the NCAA tournament and I was proclaiming maybe the Panthers had a shot to surprise because they were fearless to take and make tough shots. I suspected that this could have been one of the key missing ingredients from the great teams that Ben Howland and Jamie Dixon brought to the NCAA tournament who largely underachieved.
** This seemed like a wise thought after Blake’s insane 30 footer on Tuesday that helped propel the Panther win. But there were no such shots from the Panther’s today. In fact, our special and sometimes unconscious pair of leading scorers hit a measly pair of field goals today. They were sort of non factors actually.
** The biggest factor was indeed a young enthusiastic Spanish man by the name I’ve already mentioned once … Guillermo.
** I can't take back my comments from October, or even November, that suggested that we shouldn’t expect all that much from our Spanish Twins.
** Additionally, I’ll readily acknowledge that many said they saw a bright future when I still offered caution.
** How about if I just say I was wrong.
** But I wonder if any of even their largest supporters suspected that the Wonder Twins would combine for 11 points, 13 rebounds, 3 blocks, 3 assists and a steal in 35 combined minutes this year to beat a 6 seed.
** So as I suggested to begin with for the Panthers’ win today, I am stunned, shocked, overwhelmed and even blown f*cking away by what the Diaz brothers did today to propel the Panthers to the Round of 32.
** Still, let me slide back once more with my congratulations to the Twins, because much as it has it’s been all season long, this was a team win.
** The 41 points surrendered were a team accomplishment from a team who likes each other and pulls for each other.
** Along those lines, it feels like that entire team really, really likes the Twins, and it feels to me like the entire team is rising to occasion to back to Twins, especially GDG, as Fede’s understudy.
** That’s one explanation. Who’s to say if it’s really the case? Who cares actually? It's all glorious regardless.
** All I can say for sure is that our Panthers have me left me with my mouth wide open in amazement at this point.
** Stunned, shocked, overwhelmed and blown f*cking away! All of these fit and much more!
** Thank you to our Panthers from one extremely elated Pitt Hoops fan.
** HAIL TO PITT!!!!!
** Actually, I’m shocked!!
** OK … that doesn’t do it either. I’m overwhelmed!!!
** No … that’s not enough. The only thing that truly fits is that I’m BLOWN F*CKING AWAY!!!!
** Where does one really start commenting on this game? It might take me 10 dribbles just to find a moment to begin!
** But I’ll attempt to rise to the challenge with a number. The number is 41.
** I suspect there’s not a fan nor prognosticator in the multiverse who would have foretold the Panthers holding the Cyclones to 41 points today in the Round of 64. Not me for one for sure. No one from the Panther Hoops fan nation either I believe.
** Eight days ago, the Panthers surrendered 48 points to Duke in one half. Twice.
** And it wasn’t just that we surrendered 48 ... twice. We looked entirely inept defensively that day. We all know that we had looked suspect defensively for several games before that too.
** Allow me though to be about as objective and fair about the Panthers’ 41 point defensive stand as I can be. Yes, Iowa State layed a a big damn egg. Knowing that, let’s not allow that by any means take away from a tremendous defensive game plan by Capel and staff and even better defensive execution by our players.
** Somewhere between last Thursday and today, Jeff Capel must have somehow gotten the message to his team that defense matters. Message received.
** Or maybe it’s as simple as Guillermo.
** While I love Fede with all my Panther might, somehow the Pitt defense has been solved by the tall Spanish Gman and his Wonder Twin.
** And let’s go one step beyond with a wonderful dribble from my friend @brdst11 . His words: we “beat them up with 14 feet and 360 pounds of arms and legs.” I think I could have made this one statement with my first dribble tonight and my work would have been complete.
** Yesterday, my son and I were discussing the NCAA tournament and I was proclaiming maybe the Panthers had a shot to surprise because they were fearless to take and make tough shots. I suspected that this could have been one of the key missing ingredients from the great teams that Ben Howland and Jamie Dixon brought to the NCAA tournament who largely underachieved.
** This seemed like a wise thought after Blake’s insane 30 footer on Tuesday that helped propel the Panther win. But there were no such shots from the Panther’s today. In fact, our special and sometimes unconscious pair of leading scorers hit a measly pair of field goals today. They were sort of non factors actually.
** The biggest factor was indeed a young enthusiastic Spanish man by the name I’ve already mentioned once … Guillermo.
** I can't take back my comments from October, or even November, that suggested that we shouldn’t expect all that much from our Spanish Twins.
** Additionally, I’ll readily acknowledge that many said they saw a bright future when I still offered caution.
** How about if I just say I was wrong.
** But I wonder if any of even their largest supporters suspected that the Wonder Twins would combine for 11 points, 13 rebounds, 3 blocks, 3 assists and a steal in 35 combined minutes this year to beat a 6 seed.
** So as I suggested to begin with for the Panthers’ win today, I am stunned, shocked, overwhelmed and even blown f*cking away by what the Diaz brothers did today to propel the Panthers to the Round of 32.
** Still, let me slide back once more with my congratulations to the Twins, because much as it has it’s been all season long, this was a team win.
** The 41 points surrendered were a team accomplishment from a team who likes each other and pulls for each other.
** Along those lines, it feels like that entire team really, really likes the Twins, and it feels to me like the entire team is rising to occasion to back to Twins, especially GDG, as Fede’s understudy.
** That’s one explanation. Who’s to say if it’s really the case? Who cares actually? It's all glorious regardless.
** All I can say for sure is that our Panthers have me left me with my mouth wide open in amazement at this point.
** Stunned, shocked, overwhelmed and blown f*cking away! All of these fit and much more!
** Thank you to our Panthers from one extremely elated Pitt Hoops fan.
** HAIL TO PITT!!!!!
