Men’s Soccer Beats #5 Notre Dame 3-1.

[mike412]

Dexter with a goal and an assist. The freshman from France whose name I will not even attempt to spell also had a goal and an assist.

Pitt is ranked #4 Nationally and ND is ranked #5.

It was a nice win but IMO not as impressive as the 5-0 thrashing of Louisville.

 

[ThePanthers]

I thought pitt dominated possession and played pretty well. Strong win.

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

I thought pitt dominated possession and played pretty well. Strong win.

Pitt made ND look like teams made us look when Vidovich first took over. After the first few minutes, I had no doubt Pitt would win the game. They were better at almost every position.

 

[New York Panther]

Vidovich was an amazing hire for Lyke. He has taken Pitt from nothing to nationally competitive. Don't know how she got him to come to Pitt, but hope he stays for a long time.

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

Vidovich was an amazing hire for Lyke. He has taken Pitt from nothing to nationally competitive. Don't know how she got him to come to Pitt, but hope he stays for a long time.

She didn't

 

[New York Panther]

If it was Barnes, then he made an amazing hire.

 

[pittchagg]

If it was Barnes, then he made an amazing hire.

Barnes hired Vidovich, and Lyke hired Waldrum. Pitt got really fortunate in hiring both - Vidovich left his longtime post at Wake Forest to try his hand in the professional ranks before coming back to college after a year. Waldrum also left his longtime job at Notre Dame to coach professionally for a few seasons before coming back to college.

Pitt hired them both on the rebound, so to speak, and now has gone from barely having a facility to play in to now having two of the best coaches in the college game. Really a remarkable level of commitment and luck over the past half-decade to make it happen.

 

[ThePanthers]

Pitt moved up to #2 in latest polls.

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

Barnes hired Vidovich, and Lyke hired Waldrum. Pitt got really fortunate in hiring both - Vidovich left his longtime post at Wake Forest to try his hand in the professional ranks before coming back to college after a year. Waldrum also left his longtime job at Notre Dame to coach professionally for a few seasons before coming back to college.

Pitt hired them both on the rebound, so to speak, and now has gone from barely having a facility to play in to now having two of the best coaches in the college game. Really a remarkable level of commitment and luck over the past half-decade to make it happen.

Actually, from what I understand, Vidovich reached out to Barnes. Wanted out of MLS and back in the ACC and Pitt was the only open job plus, much like Capel, he wanted the challenge of building a program.

 

[New York Panther]

Actually, from what I understand, Vidovich reached out to Barnes. Wanted out of MLS and back in the ACC and Pitt was the only open job plus, much like Capel, he wanted the challenge of building a program.

Interesting. That could answer the question of why Pitt for Vidovich? Any insights about why Pitt for Waldrum?

 

[pittchagg]

Interesting. That could answer the question of why Pitt for Vidovich? Any insights about why Pitt for Waldrum?

I believe Waldrum said when he was hired that he leaned heavily on Vidovich - who he really trusts and respects - and Vidovich spoke glowingly of Lyke, Gallagher, and the university’s stated commitment to building the soccer programs. That, and Pitt is by far in the best conference in women’s soccer, so it’s an attractive opportunity to get back into the game for any coach. Waldrum had previously built the Baylor program from scratch, too, and said that he really enjoyed that process.

And SMF, I hear you - I don’t remember hearing that specifically, but I could see it. In any case, Pitt being the only school with an opening at the time that Vidovich decided he wanted to get back into the college game was definitely a lucky situation for Pitt.

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

I believe Waldrum said when he was hired that he leaned heavily on Vidovich - who he really trusts and respects - and Vidovich spoke glowingly of Lyke, Gallagher, and the university’s stated commitment to building the soccer programs. That, and Pitt is by far in the best conference in women’s soccer, so it’s an attractive opportunity to get back into the game for any coach. Waldrum had previously built the Baylor program from scratch, too, and said that he really enjoyed that process.

And SMF, I hear you - I don’t remember hearing that specifically, but I could see it. In any case, Pitt being the only school with an opening at the time that Vidovich decided he wanted to get back into the college game was definitely a lucky situation for Pitt.

Vidovich said it in an interview I heard. I believe it was on the old Triblive Radio.

 

[New York Panther]

I believe Waldrum said when he was hired that he leaned heavily on Vidovich - who he really trusts and respects - and Vidovich spoke glowingly of Lyke, Gallagher, and the university’s stated commitment to building the soccer programs. That, and Pitt is by far in the best conference in women’s soccer, so it’s an attractive opportunity to get back into the game for any coach. Waldrum had previously built the Baylor program from scratch, too, and said that he really enjoyed that process.

Thanks for this information also. It's so nice to see good things like this happen to a couple of Pitt sports teams. Soccer is such a great game, both men's and women's.

 

[pittchagg]

Thanks for this information also. It's so nice to see good things like this happen to a couple of Pitt sports teams. Soccer is such a great game, both men's and women's.

Agreed. If you’re going to sponsor the sports, there’s no sense in doing anything other than trying to be good at them. Lyke seems to be the first AD in a long time to understand that conceptually - and the commitment that it requires. Still feels like there’s quite a bit of meat left on the bone for Pitt soccer, too, which is exciting.

My personal hope for soccer is that they’ll decide to permanently adopt the plan that they’re doing this year to have fully-competitive soccer in both the fall and spring seasons. There’s no reason not to, it would improve the quality of play and development for college players, and would open up the possibility to have some fun mid-season invitationals in warm locations over the holiday break.

 

[Joe the Panther Fan]

My personal hope for soccer is that they’ll decide to permanently adopt the plan that they’re doing this year to have fully-competitive soccer in both the fall and spring seasons.

The men's coaches almost universally want a switch to a two semester season. For whatever reason, the women's coaches are almost as universally against it.

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

The men's coaches almost universally want a switch to a two semester season. For whatever reason, the women's coaches are almost as universally against it.

The women players are against it too.

Reasons:

- There isnt much of a market for female pro soccer so the overwhelming majority of D1 female soccer players are true student-athletes who don't have any intention of playing pro soccer. Thus, they do not care to train 365 to compete with foreign players.

- The USA is by far the best country for women's soccer and the college system (playing 3 months a year) has worked fine.

- The men realize they need to plag 9-10 months a year to compete with professional youth academies both domestically and worldwide.

 

[ThePanthers]

Ladies lost in ot to uva last night.

 

[Joe the Panther Fan]

There isnt much of a market for female pro soccer so the overwhelming majority of D1 female soccer players are true student-athletes who don't have any intention of playing pro soccer. Thus, they do not care to train 365 to compete with foreign players.

Women's soccer players start training for their current spring season at the beginning of January. That season lasts typically until early April. So they are already practicing and playing from August through April with a break in the middle from the end of their fall season to after the holidays.

The difference is that the games in the spring are all essentially meaningless, which I think the coaches like. Meaningless games mean no pressure to win them and no one gets fired for going 0-5-1 in the spring season. Because no one cares about the spring season.

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

Women's soccer players start training for their current spring season at the beginning of January. That season lasts typically until early April. So they are already practicing and playing from August through April with a break in the middle from the end of their fall season to after the holidays.

The difference is that the games in the spring are all essentially meaningless, which I think the coaches like. Meaningless games mean no pressure to win them and no one gets fired for going 0-5-1 in the spring season. Because no one cares about the spring season.

Right but that's essentially "spring practice" for the men's and women's teams (ie a couple practices per week, not taken as serious). Those associated with the women's game do not see a need for a 9 month season, which would mean a much bigger spring commitment, largely because the current set up already produces the best female players in the world which of course is due to very few countries taking women's soccer seriously.

 

[Joe the Panther Fan]

(ie a couple practices per week, not taken as serious)

I can say with a fair degree of certainty that you have no idea what you are talking about.

 

[bwh05]

Big game for the men tonight!

 

[pittchagg]

Big game for the men tonight!

Question for you. With the Wolf announcement today, are we going to have fans in the stands for the rest of the home slate for men and women?

 

[bwh05]

We will have fans going forward.