Stupid Northwestern game is dampering how some view our season

[ksquared33]

I think this post hits the nail on the head. I am a huge Coach Duzz fan & absolutely luv the fact that he is at the helm of our Program but this was the 2nd year where after finishing off the schedule strong we laid an egg when it mattered most, the Bowl game which leaves a lasting taste in the mouth for the entire offseason, knocked us out of any post season recognition(Top 25, etc.) while allowing others to dismiss us as pretenders.
Now I do not know if we are too lax preparing for the Bowl game, was it a mistake to allow Canada to stay involved after he had already shown his attention was elsewhere, etc.
In any case this is one area where Coach Duzz still needs to find his footing & get us finishing off the season on a win because these losses on National TV for all of the Country to witness against schools most of us believe we should beat is not helping our cause.
I understand that injuries killed us this year but we also were nowhere near ready to play this game from the get-go. For anyone to suggest these Bowl games mean nothing I would have to strongly disagree.....it is yet another example of pounding into each & every players head how imperative it is they treat every game that they step out onto a field as being the ultimate challenge. We need to change the mentality that there is nothing done in a Pitt football uniform that can be taken casually.
This game really disappointed me w/ how uninspired the entire team looked.....it mattered against Navy, it mattered against Northwestern & it will matter from here on out that no game can be allowed to be looked at as not a big deal, as if it's just the Pinstripe Bowl, etc. How can any Bowl game be looked at as no big deal when for so many players it is the last time they will ever wear a Pitt uniform if not the last time they will be in a competitive game in uniform altogether.
I know I am more pissed about this game than so many other fans were w/ losing to a Youngstown St a few years back. I was hoping the team was getting beyond the letdowns in any game let alone one on national TV in Bowl season.
This loss did the program no favors after having had a very inspiring regular season w/ 2 enormous victories while stepping up to win our last 3 games only to come out flat in the Bowl game.

H2 PITT !!!

 

[wbrpanther]

Why is that funny? We won the last two games and one was a shutout.

Because his philosophy is always assume the worst.

 

[Panther Holla]

I would also like to add, I am writing this post in frustration of some of my nitter relatives telling me around the holidays that "Penn State would kill Pitt if they played later in the year".

They didnt seem to understand we beat Clemson on the road in November-not the first game of the year, and Clemson was a better team than they were.

You are trying to drill into concrete with a toothpick.

 

[Franb]

The reason why I don't like to use the time off as an excuse for losing is that Northwestern was off, too. After their best, most exciting season in reason years, Pitt did their usual post-season bowl disintegration.

To improve their attendance, Pitt needs to attract the causal college football fan in the Pittsburgh area; ending their season on such a downer isn't the way to do it.

I was not suggesting that was the reason that Pitt lost the game - as you said, both teams had the same break. My point was that sloppy play is partly a result of not playing for a month, and applies to both teams.

 

[Pittx9]

Bowl games are blown way out of proportion. However a team that beat 2 top 10 teams including the national champ you'd think would've finished better than 8-5. I don't care if it was the first game, 10th game, or bowl game...the 5th loss was what somewhat dampened the season.

 

[Slick Manager of Champs]

Bowl games are blown way out of proportion. However a team that beat 2 top 10 teams including the national champ you'd think would've finished better than 8-5. I don't care if it was the first game, 10th game, or bowl game...the 5th loss was what somewhat dampened the season.

as much as I hate Cook, he said something similar when he call Pitt's season good but not great since it can't be great with that many losses. I tend to agree with that statement

 

[Pittx9]

as much as I hate Cook, he said something similar when he call Pitt's season good but not great since it can't be great with that many losses. I tend to agree with that statement

Yeah I agree with all of that too. Including the hating cook part lol. In retrospect it really wasn't that good of a season though. It did however have a lot of great moments, notably 2 great wins. But to say the whole season was a great one, the whole season actually had to have been. 8-5 was dissapointing, although pretty good with that brutal schedule. It's also encouraging that narduzzi has gone 8-5 twice to start his career, about where every other coach got to at the peak of their careers. Certainly much better than anyone else's first two recently.

 

[TD_6082]

Exactly what would it have done for us had we won the bowl game? We would 9-4 instead of 8-5. We might be ranked near the bottom of the Top 25. That's pretty much it.

Its not like a Pinstripe win is suddenly going to attract blue-chip recruits or help at all when we kick off 2017. Regardless the outcome, it doesn't help/hinder the long term goals of the program either way. Our best season in the last 30 years came after the 3-0 Sun Bowl disaster.

Winning the VaTech and UNC games would have improved the perception of our program a lot more than a win over NW, which imo, would have done next to nothing for us.

 

[Pitt79]

...this was the 2nd year where after finishing off the schedule strong we laid an egg when it mattered most, the Bowl game which leaves a lasting taste in the mouth for the entire offseason, knocked us out of any post season recognition(Top 25, etc.) while allowing others to dismiss us as pretenders.
... For anyone to suggest these Bowl games mean nothing I would have to strongly disagree.....

Interesting question? I've seen a lot of people here say the opposite? That bowls are meaningless exhibitions. Me? I care about winning the bowl game, I think it's more important than a regular season win. If they are meaningless, then they shouldn't be factored into the final record and rankings then, right?

So which is it?

1. Is a bowl, "when it matters most"?
or
2. Is a bowl, a "meaningless exhibition"?

 

[Pitt79]

Exactly what would it have done for us had we won the bowl game? We would 9-4 instead of 8-5. We might be ranked near the bottom of the Top 25. That's pretty much it.

That's all I wanted it to do, NINE WINS+RANKED. I didn't care if it lead to anything more, I just wanted that. That's a HUUUUUUUUUUUGE season for this program over the last 30 years, I would of liked that.

 

[TD_6082]

That's all I wanted it to do, NINE WINS+RANKED. I didn't care if it lead to anything more, I just wanted that. That's a HUUUUUUUUUUUGE season for this program over the last 30 years, I would of liked that.

Yeah. I understand and every other Pitt fan wanted that too. But the original post sort of implied that the perception of the program by the media (I don't know if he meant local or national) and outsiders would have been differently if we had won... like we might have received more preseason hype or recognition. I don't think it was going to help/hurt either way. I think the only thing that would have helped perception significantly going into next year is if we had beaten them badly with roster full of key returnees.

 

[TheNoise88]

Let me add I know human nature and it's unrealistic to expect razor sharp precision in any bowl after 30 days with young players etc. And "any given Saturday, (Wedsneday in this case)", blah blah.

Interesting question? I've seen a lot of people here say the opposite? That bowls are meaningless exhibitions. Me? I care about winning the bowl game, I think it's more important than a regular season win. If they are meaningless, then they shouldn't be factored into the final record and rankings then, right?

So which is it?

1. Is a bowl, "when it matters most"?
or
2. Is a bowl, a "meaningless exhibition"?

That said i think winning should be more important to Pitt than to a "bigger" program, if only to avoid turning off those who attended it, so that they'll be more apt to repeat (and encourage others).

It's often repeated, whether true, that "we don't travel," thus get shorted on bowls. We had two straight bowls that belied that claim, but the team shat the bed. What harm will that do to the next one?

If OSU doesn't win (as in this year), they've built enough good will that plenty will still attend future bowls.

 

[Slick Manager of Champs]

Yeah I agree with all of that too. Including the hating cook part lol. In retrospect it really wasn't that good of a season though. It did however have a lot of great moments, notably 2 great wins. But to say the whole season was a great one, the whole season actually had to have been. 8-5 was dissapointing, although pretty good with that brutal schedule. It's also encouraging that narduzzi has gone 8-5 twice to start his career, about where every other coach got to at the peak of their careers. Certainly much better than anyone else's first two recently.

I wouldn't say disappointing when one of those wins includes a win over the nits. 8-5 with a PSU and Clemson loss (and say wins over OSU & VaTech) would have been disappointing. So I'll have to begrudgingly agree with Cook. Good season, slightly better than expected, but could have been a little better.

And really, if we played UCONN or someone like that at home instead of OSU after the nits, we are looking at 9 wins and maybe a win against UNC since that brutal 3 game stretch really took its toll on team. If there was a breather in between PSU & UNC, would have had much different results.

 

[TheNoise88]

It wasn't a disappointing season. It was pretty good. Could have been better. OSU and UNC were oh so close. VT, just came up short (and anathema as it to some to ever cite officiating, Pitt truly was hosed by the officiating that night...PI is always skewed for the offense but it was truly ridiculous that night, and spot differentials were comical). Only Miami was a true dud ... until the bowl. The bowl was a legit disappointment. Unfortunately it just happens to be the last one you remember.

 

[Delpanther]

I think this post hits the nail on the head. I am a huge Coach Duzz fan & absolutely luv the fact that he is at the helm of our Program but this was the 2nd year where after finishing off the schedule strong we laid an egg when it mattered most, the Bowl game which leaves a lasting taste in the mouth for the entire offseason, knocked us out of any post season recognition(Top 25, etc.) while allowing others to dismiss us as pretenders.
Now I do not know if we are too lax preparing for the Bowl game, was it a mistake to allow Canada to stay involved after he had already shown his attention was elsewhere, etc.
In any case this is one area where Coach Duzz still needs to find his footing & get us finishing off the season on a win because these losses on National TV for all of the Country to witness against schools most of us believe we should beat is not helping our cause.
I understand that injuries killed us this year but we also were nowhere near ready to play this game from the get-go. For anyone to suggest these Bowl games mean nothing I would have to strongly disagree.....it is yet another example of pounding into each & every players head how imperative it is they treat every game that they step out onto a field as being the ultimate challenge. We need to change the mentality that there is nothing done in a Pitt football uniform that can be taken casually.
This game really disappointed me w/ how uninspired the entire team looked.....it mattered against Navy, it mattered against Northwestern & it will matter from here on out that no game can be allowed to be looked at as not a big deal, as if it's just the Pinstripe Bowl, etc. How can any Bowl game be looked at as no big deal when for so many players it is the last time they will ever wear a Pitt uniform if not the last time they will be in a competitive game in uniform altogether.
I know I am more pissed about this game than so many other fans were w/ losing to a Youngstown St a few years back. I was hoping the team was getting beyond the letdowns in any game let alone one on national TV in Bowl season.
This loss did the program no favors after having had a very inspiring regular season w/ 2 enormous victories while stepping up to win our last 3 games only to come out flat in the Bowl game.

H2 PITT !!!

I'm with you. We weren't prepared and played like crap and these minor bowls, particularly for a program like Pitt's, are still vet important.

 

[recruitsreadtheseboards]

Exactly what would it have done for us had we won the bowl game? We would 9-4 instead of 8-5. We might be ranked near the bottom of the Top 25. That's pretty much it.

Its not like a Pinstripe win is suddenly going to attract blue-chip recruits or help at all when we kick off 2017. Regardless the outcome, it doesn't help/hinder the long term goals of the program either way. Our best season in the last 30 years came after the 3-0 Sun Bowl disaster.

Winning the VaTech and UNC games would have improved the perception of our program a lot more than a win over NW, which imo, would have done next to nothing for us.

You know college football is one half perception, one half results. 9-4 and say ranked 23rd is not appreciably different than 8-5 and unranked. Well for Alabama or Florida State. For Pitt, there is a difference, especially when you figure into that the Clemson and PSU wins. It feels different, it propels you a bit more nationally, let alone locally. I can remember 9-4 in 2002, we were highly ranked in 2003 to start, we finished 8-5. Trust me that 9-4 season with bowl win felt a helluva lot better than the 8-5 season and bowl loss.

 

[Slick Manager of Champs]

It wasn't a disappointing season. It was pretty good. Could have been better. OSU and UNC were oh so close. VT, just came up short (and anathema as it to some to ever cite officiating, Pitt truly was hosed by the officiating that night...PI is always skewed for the offense but it was truly ridiculous that night, and spot differentials were comical). Only Miami was a true dud ... until the bowl. The bowl was a legit disappointment. Unfortunately it just happens to be the last one you remember.

i keep harping on it but if we have Peterman, Conner, Johnson in the 4th quarter we most likely win. But we shouldn't have squandered those 1st quarter opportunities. The Aston fumble reminded me of RJ English against ND. And Conners leap wasn't too good, although it can be argued he got in.

 

[BuffetParrothead]

PITT had a great season with a low energy game to cap the season.
IMO we were beat up, and beat on all fronts ( coaching, effort, & skills).
We're better than we looked in the NW game.
Unfortunately people sometimes judge a team based on what they saw last which wasnt good for PITT.
If we won we'd be ranked around 20 maybe better so that should have been motivation enough to close out the season strong!