Maverick Rowan has officially reclassified AND...

[R-M-U-h-o-o-p-s-f-a-n]

If Jamie doesn't get some good recruits for next year, 2016, (not 2 star grad transfers like this year), this entire program could be on the edge.
This whole situation just goes to show how Dixon can hardly recruit (gets lucky sometimes) and that talented freshman across the country don't want to wait until the end of their Sophomore year to receive a decent amount of minutes. His "seniority" program used to work but needs to be no more.... Time to get better recruiters along side him and get some talent (minimally 3 star players, some 4&5) so Pitt can compete with the elite clubs once again.

 

[levance2]

Let's see when did Pitt have its most talented teams in both Fb and bb? When the Golden Pathners existed.

I don't remember the Golden Panthers existing in 2009.

 

[levance2]

I can't imagine a coach having credibility in promising court time to a player. I have heard interviews that are just the opposite, in which players say they were attracted to a program because they were told they would have to earn their time.

There are plenty of players who pick lesser-profile programs because they have better playing time. When I wrote that, I was pretty specifically recalling the Jon Severe situation where he passed up Pitt to go to Fordham, where he wasn't particularly good, because they let him hack up terrible shots all the time.

I don't quite recall the situation with Geno Thorpe, but he surely had a better promise of minutes at PSU than Pitt.

Obviously things didn't end well with Agnus Berenato, but I recall that she got her first top recruit, Marcedes Walker, by flat-out telling her she'd build a program around her, which she did.

 

[NTOP]

I don't remember the Golden Panthers existing in 2009.

The 1987 BB team was more talented than 2009. Coaching was vastly inferior.

 

[R-M-U-h-o-o-p-s-f-a-n]

"There are plenty of players who pick lesser-profile programs because they have better playing time. When I wrote that, I was pretty specifically recalling the Jon Severe situation where he passed up Pitt to go to Fordham, where he wasn't particularly good, because they let him hack up terrible shots all the time."

Yes players do that but....
As of at least recent, I would consider NC State as a better program if I was an elite player.

ie....
Last four years for Pitt: 2 Tourney bids, 1 NIT (lost in first round) and (can't forget this one) the 2012 CBI year.

Last four years NC State: Made the Tourney all four years and the sweet sixteen 2 times.

Not saying that I would pick NC State over my home town team (Pitt) but NC State has been better the past 4 years and have recruited better. Remember, elite talent likes to play with elite talent (and go to teams that make deep Tourney runs) Pitt needs to start getting (talent) that to compete.

 

[Fsgolfdr]

I don't remember the Golden Panthers existing in 2009.

Sam young and D Blair vs Charles Smith ,Jerome Lane,D Gore , B Shorter, Bobby Martin ,J Mathews ,C Akins
No comparison of talent Pitt didn't have the right coach then ( P Evans )

 

[lunzhegu]

If I remember correctly, levance, Severe had a long-term relationship with the coach and also wanted to stay close to his family. The issue of playing time is only one of many factors, of course, and I don't want to paint with too broad a brush. Carr is (and Walker was) at a different level than Severe (or Painter for that matter), and he can be reasonably sure of being in the game.

Many players choose lower-profile schools, often to the consternation of the Board, where such players are often criticized for not having the necessary competitive fire to embrace a challenge. Players have to be confident, but they also know their limitations because they are always working on them and they know what is involved in competition. When they are thinking about their potential futures at different schools, most are pretty knowledgeable about their capabilities and they can analyze their fit with their potential teammates. My point, more generally, is that most players are probably less vulnerable than many people assume to false promises or slick salesmanship.

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

My point, more generally, is that most players are probably less vulnerable than many people assume to false promises or slick salesmanship.

I couldn't disagree more. You have professional, well-trained, extremely aggressive salesman (with huge incentives) selling to 16 and 17 year old kids. Its hard to envision an environment where salesmen have as much influence as that.

 

[Zaratoughda]

Ya know, on this one (and Heron) it is a matter of Dixon trying something different... the EARLY commits, and it DID NOT WORK. So, chalk up one to experience and move on... note that he is not doing this anymore. Of course, we got the 3 open schollies for next year that are currently needing to be filled... and the 5 open one's for 2017.

Maybe Dixon knew from the start that he was on the wrong side of Nike/Addidas from the start on Rowan and so tried the early commit to counter it but... again IT DID NOT WORK.

Let's just hope the Zoo is prepared to boo Rowan (and his dad if he shows up at The Pete) off the court when the time comes and NCS is visiting.

 

[NTOP]

Ya know, on this one (and Heron) it is a matter of Dixon trying something different... the EARLY commits, and it DID NOT WORK. So, chalk up one to experience and move on... note that he is not doing this anymore. Of course, we got the 3 open schollies for next year that are currently needing to be filled... and the 5 open one's for 2017.

Maybe Dixon knew from the start that he was on the wrong side of Nike/Addidas from the start on Rowan and so tried the early commit to counter it but... again IT DID NOT WORK.

Let's just hope the Zoo is prepared to boo Rowan (and his dad if he shows up at The Pete) off the court when the time comes and NCS is visiting.

The shoe thing wasn't an issue when Mav committed.

 

[lunzhegu]

SMF, players also have people around them who know something about the game, and many of these people have the experience and motivation to give good advice on what they believe to be the players' best interests. The players are not babies. They are a diverse group with different visions of where they might want to attend college and play ball. Recruiting is a big topic in the off-season, but many people on the Board make too many assumptions about recruits and over interpret the significance of a recruit's decision. Pitt is a great place, but it is not the only great place. As for the "huge incentives" you mention, I believe they are a rare exception.

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

The shoe thing wasn't an issue when Mav committed.

His dad didn't work for Adidas then and was in a completely different line of work.

 

[NTOP]

His dad didn't work for Adidas then and was in a completely different line of work.

Yep....and I think he's no longer with Adidas??

 

[R-M-U-h-o-o-p-s-f-a-n]

Dixon should have offered Marcquise Reed when he left RMU in April. If people want a scoring two guard (if stead of always having a 3/4 forward always scoring for Pitt these days), this kid could score. He could drive to the rim well and keep teams honest shooting 41 % from three and around 49% overall. Also was NEC rookie of the year at 15 pts per game.
He was third in scoring for ALL D1 freshman behind Okafor and maybe D. Russell...?
Instead he's of to Clemson having picked up offers from Tulsa, UMass, USC, and GW among others... If you saw him play one game you'd know what I mean.

He scored 24 pts on UNC, 21 on Clemson, 15 or more vs Gtown, and 21 or so vs duke in the Tourney.

Not bad......(to say the least)

He'll be most likely putting up points against Pitt in the 2016-2017 ACC season for sure.

 

[levance2]

SMF, players also have people around them who know something about the game, and many of these people have the experience and motivation to give good advice on what they believe to be the players' best interests.

That may be the case for many, but I do not believe it is the case for Mav.

 

[lunzhegu]

You're right about that, levance. We have all followed this story very closely, and it has traveled a long and winding road indeed, full of detours and confusion for all concerned. I personally feel that he would have been well served in Dixon's hands, but in the end, none of us knows if it has or has not worked out for the best.

 

[Jpripper88]

I know, I am the critic. But a lot of people on here sure make a lot of excuses on why Pitt can't. Some of you love Pitt basketball so much, yet make it easy on justifying why a kid would not want to play at Pitt. I really don't get that. As Souf said, it is about selling, that is what recruiting is. We are not Duke. We are not Kentucky. But...

1) We are the ONLY show in town so to speak when it comes to basketball. There is no NBA team, While we see what sharing a city with an NFL franchise hampers the football team, this is not true of basketball. And...there is no big, in state school hovering over us, taking up media time.

2) We are in a great conference, have been in arguably the best basketball conference the last few decades, whether the Big East or the new ACC. Very high visibility and level of play, lots of TV time.

3) We have great facilities and the ZOO has become legendary as far as crowd reputations are concerned. Again, quite the opposite the football program has been.

4) We have been really successful, maybe no Final Four's, but top 10's, #1 seeds, you can sell that coming to Pitt you can win a championship.

5) While not an NBA factory, you can get to the NBA from here.

I just don't understand how we always are out recruited by other schools save for a few assistants when they come here. I know Slice is considered overrated by many of yinz (because he is not here) but man he had us in with a lot of kids. This should be a fairly easy sell. And to those who counter "well you have to play defense here". Ever watch Louisville? Think Syracuse don't play defense? Duke? Kentucky? Okay, it may not be roll out the ball Roy at UNC, but Pitino's and Calipari's teams play fierce defense. So again, that is another excuse.

This is not just geared towards Rowan, obviously there was more there than just a decommit, but still....Jamie and company needs to start closing and locking some of these kids up.

Really agree about the "must play defense" excuse being bull. Plenty of coaches emphasize defense and make it a requirement. They still get top recruits and big time results.

I think the biggest issue for selling the program (beyond the folks doing the selling) is the lack of NBA or true big time tournament success. Final Fours and big time NBA players go a long, long way. Top kids really don't care about 10th-15th NBA bench guys and Sweet 16s when other schools can sell top players and Final Fours.

 

[thebadby2]

The 1987 BB team was more talented than 2009. Coaching was vastly inferior.

Agree. That 1987 team was more talented than all but a couple of teams in the whole country at the time. They were super fun to watch--and poorly coached.

 

[Fsgolfdr]

Is his dad still at Addias? Then it was an issue. Guess what happens when you drink a coke and you work for Pepsi .? Your FIRED,

 

[Joe the Panther Fan]

talented freshman across the country don't want to wait until the end of their Sophomore year to receive a decent amount of minutes. His "seniority" program used to work but needs to be no more.

I wonder how many more times people will parrot this ridiculously incorrect line of thinking before it eventually dies out.

Unfortunately, probably never.

 

[TempleBAPittMPA]

Amazing . . . almost the same complaints I'm reading about Jamie Dixon on Pantherlair, I'm reading about Fran Dunphy on Owlscoop. (Particularly the nearly identical Tony Carr topics.) If not for the reference to the coach by name, I wouldn't know which board I'm on. (Well, unless I read a "too old" comment, then I know they're not talking about Jamie . . . )

 

[magadog]

Dixon should have offered Marcquise Reed when he left RMU in April. If people want a scoring two guard (if stead of always having a 3/4 forward always scoring for Pitt these days), this kid could score. He could drive to the rim well and keep teams honest shooting 41 % from three and around 49% overall. Also was NEC rookie of the year at 15 pts per game.
He was third in scoring for ALL D1 freshman behind Okafor and maybe D. Russell...?
Instead he's of to Clemson having picked up offers from Tulsa, UMass, USC, and GW among others... If you saw him play one game you'd know what I mean.

He scored 24 pts on UNC, 21 on Clemson, 15 or more vs Gtown, and 21 or so vs duke in the Tourney.

Not bad......(to say the least)

He'll be most likely putting up points against Pitt in the 2016-2017 ACC season for sure.

RMU hoops fan,
when Reed said he wanted to transfer did RMU place any stipulations on schools that he could not transfer to? If Reed wanted to come to Pitt & RMU wouldn't release him, he would have had to pay is own way for his 1st year.