We all know the media in this town is extremely lame and will NOT ask the questions of Barnes and Stallings at the press conference.
These are the questions that NEED to be asked.
For Barnes:
1. You said last week that you wanted a hire that will "move the needle". That Pitt is a "national job". You hired a coach toward the end of his career who has elicited nothing but negative reactions from fans, boosters, and the national media. Do you think you "moved the needle"?
2. It has been reported that the head of the search team you hired, Todd Turner, was the Athletic Director that hired Kevin Stallings at Vanderbilt in 1999. He was also your boss at the University of Washington. How do you answer the questions concerning a conflict of interest in this hiring?
3. It has been reported by multiple sources that USC head coach Andy Enfield was extended an offer and was interested in the job, but offered a counter-offer to make the same salary that Pitt was paying Dixon. Was this counter-offer ever considered?
4. It was widely believed that Kevin Stallings was soon to be fired by Vanderbilt, possibly as early as next week. Do you think it was wise to pay a buyout to Vanderbilt to take a coach off their hands that they were going to terminate anyway?
5. You said last week that this hiring was an opportunity to perhaps build on the foundation that was laid at Pitt by Jamie Dixon. Given that Kevin Stallings has only made the tournament in 9 of his 23 seasons and only had 8 20-win seasons in the past 17.... do you feel you took advantage of that opportunity?
For Stallings:
1. You are stepping into a situation in which the majority of the Pitt fan base and boosters think the program has just taken a step back from where they were. What can you say to them to bring them on board?
2. This past season, you had at least 2 players that are considered to be possible NBA first round picks. You were in the Top 20 at the start of the season. Your team finished 19-13 and barely made the NCAA tournament. In late February, you lamented the fact that you had "lost" this team. What can you say to Pitt fans to make them believe that 2016 was an abberation and not the norm?
3. Have you given any consideration to hiring Brandin Knight as an assistant, to keep some continuity for the players and to keep some linkage with the past 15 years of great Pitt basketball?
For Gallagher:
1. Chancellor, are you satisfied that your Athletic Director's process for filling this vacancy was thorough and resulted in the best possible candidate being hired?
2. Are you troubled at the appearance of collusion and cronyism in the relationships between your Athletic Director and the head of the search team? Between the head of the search team and Kevin Stallings?
3. Can you give an accounting of the level of angry emails and phone calls you have received by boosters and fans who feel this process was flawed at best, and corrupt at worst?
These are the questions that NEED to be asked.
For Barnes:
1. You said last week that you wanted a hire that will "move the needle". That Pitt is a "national job". You hired a coach toward the end of his career who has elicited nothing but negative reactions from fans, boosters, and the national media. Do you think you "moved the needle"?
2. It has been reported that the head of the search team you hired, Todd Turner, was the Athletic Director that hired Kevin Stallings at Vanderbilt in 1999. He was also your boss at the University of Washington. How do you answer the questions concerning a conflict of interest in this hiring?
3. It has been reported by multiple sources that USC head coach Andy Enfield was extended an offer and was interested in the job, but offered a counter-offer to make the same salary that Pitt was paying Dixon. Was this counter-offer ever considered?
4. It was widely believed that Kevin Stallings was soon to be fired by Vanderbilt, possibly as early as next week. Do you think it was wise to pay a buyout to Vanderbilt to take a coach off their hands that they were going to terminate anyway?
5. You said last week that this hiring was an opportunity to perhaps build on the foundation that was laid at Pitt by Jamie Dixon. Given that Kevin Stallings has only made the tournament in 9 of his 23 seasons and only had 8 20-win seasons in the past 17.... do you feel you took advantage of that opportunity?
For Stallings:
1. You are stepping into a situation in which the majority of the Pitt fan base and boosters think the program has just taken a step back from where they were. What can you say to them to bring them on board?
2. This past season, you had at least 2 players that are considered to be possible NBA first round picks. You were in the Top 20 at the start of the season. Your team finished 19-13 and barely made the NCAA tournament. In late February, you lamented the fact that you had "lost" this team. What can you say to Pitt fans to make them believe that 2016 was an abberation and not the norm?
3. Have you given any consideration to hiring Brandin Knight as an assistant, to keep some continuity for the players and to keep some linkage with the past 15 years of great Pitt basketball?
For Gallagher:
1. Chancellor, are you satisfied that your Athletic Director's process for filling this vacancy was thorough and resulted in the best possible candidate being hired?
2. Are you troubled at the appearance of collusion and cronyism in the relationships between your Athletic Director and the head of the search team? Between the head of the search team and Kevin Stallings?
3. Can you give an accounting of the level of angry emails and phone calls you have received by boosters and fans who feel this process was flawed at best, and corrupt at worst?
