The Constant Chryst Bashing

[Pittguy1980]

It really shows how low IQ the fanbase is and the total lack of perspective it has. Tons of revisionist history.

When Chryst took over, the program was a dumpster fire. Two straight recruiting classes had essentially been lost because of first Wanny being let go (the right move) then fraud Graham bolting. The cupboard was empty.

The year started horrendously, and the team looked terrible in 12. Lost to YSU, and then got blown out at Cincy. It looked like a 2 or 3 win season was coming.

Then they beat VA tech the next week who was ranked. They did lose at Cuse to a pretty decent Cuse team, and did get beat by a good louisville team but still was managing to play better.

That team also went to ND, who was the third ranked team, and basically won the game if not for a litany of horribly missed calls. The PI call that extended the game essentially was an absolute farce.

They closed the year beating top twenty five rutgers and USF and made a bowl and one the next two years as well.

Given that it looked like a massive rebuild was coming, what Chryst did here was nothing short of amazing. Pitt had very little talent at the time outside of Aaron Donald. Pitt was lucky that they didn't turn into UVA at this point. There was nothing stopping it from happening.

The fact is, many of the same people that railed Chryst constantly pined for Dave. Meanwhile, Dave, in his first three years was horrendous compared to Chryst, and stepped into a MUCH MUCH MUCH better situation. Dave inherited a team with Palko, Larod Stephens Howling, Darrell Revis, HB Blades, Scott McKillop, Clint Session, and promptly tanked the team from a BCS game (yes, I know a poor conference but we still won it) to a 5-6 record and missing a bowl for the first time in several years. He also nearly ruined the best QB pitt has had since Marino in Palko who regressed greatly from a great sophomore year to a mediocre Tino/Voytik/Peterman like Junior year.

Again, lots of revisionist history with Chryst, and how he did here. Chryst was fine. I think Narduzzi is as good if not better, but I absolutely think had Chryst stayed Pitt wins at least 8 games last year as well.

 

[Swervin27]

chryst took a 6-7 program and turned it into a 6-7 program. Any comments about him stabilizing or improving it, as well as ruining it, is nothing more than a biased poster pushing his agenda..

once again, chryst came into a 6-7 program and left it as a 6-7 program. His conference record at pitt was 10 -13. His overall record was .500%, if you include fcs scrimmages.. Facts people, lets deal with facts..

 

[Pittguy1980]

chryst took a 6-7 program and turned it into a 6-7 program. Any comments about him stabilizing or improving it, as well as ruining it, is nothing more than a biased poster pushing his agenda..

once again, chryst came into a 6-7 program and left it as a 6-7 program. His conference record at pitt was 10 -13. His overall record was .500%, if you include fcs scrimmages.. Facts people, lets deal with facts..

And Dave Wannstedt came in, took a program that had won 9,8, and 8 games the previous three years and won 5, 6 and 5 in his first three. Many people thought he was the best coach Pitt had since Johnny Majors.

Chryst did fine for what he had to work with. In fact, he did better than what anyone should have expected. Pitt also would have been fine with Chyrst going forward, and left Narduzzi in a MUCH better situation than he inherited.

Anyone that says anything else is simply incapable of breaking down the situation beyond saying "he went 6-6"

 

[Swervin27]

And Dave Wannstedt came in, took a program that had won 9,8, and 8 games the previous three years and won 5, 6 and 5 in his first three. Many people thought he was the best coach Pitt had since Johnny Majors.

Chryst did fine for what he had to work with. In fact, he did better than what anyone should have expected. Pitt also would have been fine with Chyrst going forward, and left Narduzzi in a MUCH better situation than he inherited.

Anyone that says anything else is simply incapable of breaking down the situation beyond saying "he went 6-6"

break down what? Im looking at actual results. You want to elevate him based on what? Here is your in depth break down.. "Chryst did better than what anyone should have expected." That's your exact post. So 6-7 is better than what any of us should have expected? Are we that poor of a program that Pitt cant even expect to go .500%?

some more of your great in depth info. "Pitt would have been fine with Chryst going forward, and left Narduzzi in a MUCH better situation than he inherited." Really? We are? Because I see a very poor QB with a backup that wouldn't start for Bethel Park.. Im missing this great situation that he left..

Who cares about Wannstedt? If you want to compare Wanny with Chryst ok but don't tell us that Chryst was a good coach. He was the shining, perfect example of mediocrity.

 

[Pittguy1980]

break down what? Im looking at actual results. You want to elevate him based on what? Here is your in depth break down.. "Chryst did better than what anyone should have expected." That's your exact post. So 6-7 is better than what any of us should have expected? Are we that poor of a program that Pitt cant even expect to go .500%?

Who cares about Wannstedt? If you want to compare Wanny with Chryst ok but don't tell us that Chryst was a good coach. He was the shining, perfect example of mediocrity.

Yes, given the dumpster fire that Pitt was after the Wanny to Graham disaster, Pitt was lucky to win more than 2 or 3 games his first year here. Pitt should have been Wake Forest or UVA by that point, or turned into BC or Cuse.

 

[Swervin27]

Yes, given the dumpster fire that Pitt was after the Wanny to Graham disaster, Pitt was lucky to win more than 2 or 3 games his first year here. Pitt should have been Wake Forest or UVA by that point, or turned into BC or Cuse.

you've made up your mind and are incapable of listening to any disagreements, even if they are factual statements that cant be debated. Not sure why I even got involved in this thread..

 

[CaptainSidneyReilly]

It really shows how low IQ the fanbase is and the total lack of perspective it has. Tons of revisionist history.

When Chryst took over, the program was a dumpster fire. Two straight recruiting classes had essentially been lost because of first Wanny being let go (the right move) then fraud Graham bolting. The cupboard was empty.

The year started horrendously, and the team looked terrible in 12. Lost to YSU, and then got blown out at Cincy. It looked like a 2 or 3 win season was coming.

Then they beat VA tech the next week who was ranked. They did lose at Cuse to a pretty decent Cuse team, and did get beat by a good louisville team but still was managing to play better.

That team also went to ND, who was the third ranked team, and basically won the game if not for a litany of horribly missed calls. The PI call that extended the game essentially was an absolute farce.

They closed the year beating top twenty five rutgers and USF and made a bowl and one the next two years as well.

Given that it looked like a massive rebuild was coming, what Chryst did here was nothing short of amazing. Pitt had very little talent at the time outside of Aaron Donald. Pitt was lucky that they didn't turn into UVA at this point. There was nothing stopping it from happening.

The fact is, many of the same people that railed Chryst constantly pined for Dave. Meanwhile, Dave, in his first three years was horrendous compared to Chryst, and stepped into a MUCH MUCH MUCH better situation. Dave inherited a team with Palko, Larod Stephens Howling, Darrell Revis, HB Blades, Scott McKillop, Clint Session, and promptly tanked the team from a BCS game (yes, I know a poor conference but we still won it) to a 5-6 record and missing a bowl for the first time in several years. He also nearly ruined the best QB pitt has had since Marino in Palko who regressed greatly from a great sophomore year to a mediocre Tino/Voytik/Peterman like Junior year.

Again, lots of revisionist history with Chryst, and how he did here. Chryst was fine. I think Narduzzi is as good if not better, but I absolutely think had Chryst stayed Pitt wins at least 8 games last year as well.

Yep, they got to cut that crap out at Wisky, Chryst now has MSU, Michigan, OSU, Iowa, & Nebraska the next 5 games?????

Chyrst had to learn to become a Head Coach and lost 3 games a year on him being his own Special Team Coach and was proud he went 0-3 losing on Special Teams each year at that and bragged it was on him?

The Pitt Players have already rejected your display of outrage by saying it is Chryst's Night from Narduzzi Day in attitude alone, Chryst was great at losing leads, and Pitt Players don't Quit like under Chryst!

Pitt Players played under Wannstedt, Graham, Chryst, and Narduzzi and reject your Post, not anyone on the Lair? The Player say it!

Wisky is Alvarez/Chryst Team, not just Chryst! Alvarez told Chryst what Coaches he must keep at Wisky and lost 2 Coaches because he interferes so he had to bring Chryst back? You do know Chryst left Pitt with a losing record????? With some Historic Record Losses like Youngstown State, Georgia Tech 6 Fumbles, Duke, and Houston Bowl Comeback?????

Chryst used & needed Pitt to become a Head Coach, Narduzzi knows how to be on in his 2nd, not his 5th year? Penn State Sanctions help bring Johnson, Boyd, and Holtz to Pitt, not Chryst's Eloquence?

Do you really want Chryst Back if not Accept it, Chryst was Medioicre at Best at Pitt!

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

Chryst was the textbook definition of an average coach. He beat some good teams and lost to some bad teams. Even at Wisconsin, he's showing this, beating LSU and neary losing to Georgia State yesterday, a team that only started their football program 5-6 years ago.

 

[JohnnyGossamer]

Dude's got his squad in the Top 10. He's doing fine.

 

[Joe the Panther Fan]

It's like as if some of you forget what went on prior to him getting here. Getting to a bowl game his first year was a minor miracle. The fact that some people can't see that astounds me.

 

[Italianblend]

Chryst was simply what we needed at the time. No notable coaches were going to jump on a team that had hired and fired a coach without a practice, and a snake oil salesman named Todd.

I have nothing against him. He filled the post and we moved on. Narduzzi is a step in the right direction and th guy has heart and gives his team heart. It was all necessary.

 

[TD_6082]

It is absolutely nuts to think dumping Wanny was the right move. I'm on board with Narduzzi and the direction of the program now, and I think he will have more success at Pitt than Wanny. But if you think dumping Wanny when they did to replace him with any of the other coaches that came before Narduzzi, you need help.

I'm not saying Wannstedt was Knute Rockne or that he wasn't a flawed coach, but he was a far better fit here than the other guys and Pitt would have had a much better program had they not booted him for Haywood, Graham, Chryst. Chryst gave Pitt a nice OL. Yippee. Build a statue.

 

[TD_6082]

Welcome aboard Italian Blend.

 

[Joe the Panther Fan]

It is absolutely nuts to think dumping Wanny was the right move.

No, it isn't. Don't mix up the circus that came after with the original decision.

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

It's like as if some of you forget what went on prior to him getting here. Getting to a bowl game his first year was a minor miracle. The fact that some people can't see that astounds me.

Come on Joe, seriously? He beat 1 team with a winning record: a terribly overrated RU team. His other wins came against Gardner-Webb, USF, Temple, Buffalo, and VT. Winning those 6 games is, um, NOT a miracle.

Chryst did NOTHING here. He gets no credit for not destroying the program.

 

[pitt-girl]

chryst took a 6-7 program and turned it into a 6-7 program. Any comments about him stabilizing or improving it, as well as ruining it, is nothing more than a biased poster pushing his agenda..

once again, chryst came into a 6-7 program and left it as a 6-7 program. His conference record at pitt was 10 -13. His overall record was .500%, if you include fcs scrimmages.. Facts people, lets deal with facts..

Like it or not without HCPC we don't have this O line OR James Conner. I have zero problems with what Chryst did here. If nothing else he provided stability which was immeasurable at the time.

 

[TD_6082]

No, it isn't. Don't mix up the circus that came after with the original decision.

Again, name me ONE school that fires a coach after the best 3 year stretch in 25 years when recruiting is going well. And the two are not mutually exclusive. When you fire a coach, you create a vacancy that must be filled. If you thought Pitt was going to get an upgrade at that time, then you are nuts. There is only one coach that Pitt could have realistically hired at that time that would have been an upgrade, imo.

 

[Pittguy1980]

Come on Joe, seriously? He beat 1 team with a winning record: a terribly overrated RU team. His other wins came against Gardner-Webb, USF, Temple, Buffalo, and VT. Winning those 6 games is, um, NOT a miracle.

Chryst did NOTHING here. He gets no credit for not destroying the program.

Givem how they started it was. They also had the ND won, and nearly beat a good SU team as well.

 

[TD_6082]

Like it or not without HCPC we don't have this O line OR James Conner. I have zero problems with what Chryst did here. If nothing else he provided stability which was immeasurable at the time.

Which proves my point to Joe. By firing Wanny, Pitt became a program that looks favorable on a coach that came in and did nothing else but stay at Pitt for 3 years, collect a paycheck, and not pull a Paul Hackett. End of discussion. Now we can get back to progress.

 

[Pittguy1980]

Again, name me ONE school that fires a coach after the best 3 year stretch in 25 years when recruiting is going well. And the two are not mutually exclusive. When you fire a coach, you create a vacancy that must be filled. If you thought Pitt was going to get an upgrade at that time, then you are nuts. There is only one coach that Pitt could have realistically hired at that time that would have been an upgrade, imo.

Yet many wanted to run off Dixon, including you I believe.

Wanny needed to go. He was regressing. There were off field issues. He had BY FARthe most talented team in a weak conference and continually hacked away the chance to win a conference title. Hell, his first three years there is now at he should have been as bad as he was.

Seriously, you give Todd graham the roster Dave had 08-10 in relation to the rest of the league Pitt probably wins two outright titles. I'd say Chryst and narduzzi would be able to do it too.

 

[Swervin27]

Dixon was regressing too.

 

[pitt-girl]

Which proves my point to Joe. By firing Wanny, Pitt became a program that looks favorable on a coach that came in and did nothing else but stay at Pitt for 3 years, collect a paycheck, and not pull a Paul Hackett. End of discussion. Now we can get back to progress.

I hate Wanny threads as much as on campus stadium threads. He won ONE big game in 2007. His last year was a total embarrassment. Perhaps you forget UConn and Randy Edsall dancing on the sidelines? Or maybe when Wannstedt LOST his team in the WVU game? C'mon.

 

[djbpitt]

It really shows how low IQ the fanbase is and the total lack of perspective it has. Tons of revisionist history.

When Chryst took over, the program was a dumpster fire. Two straight recruiting classes had essentially been lost because of first Wanny being let go (the right move) then fraud Graham bolting. The cupboard was empty.

The year started horrendously, and the team looked terrible in 12. Lost to YSU, and then got blown out at Cincy. It looked like a 2 or 3 win season was coming.

Then they beat VA tech the next week who was ranked. They did lose at Cuse to a pretty decent Cuse team, and did get beat by a good louisville team but still was managing to play better.

That team also went to ND, who was the third ranked team, and basically won the game if not for a litany of horribly missed calls. The PI call that extended the game essentially was an absolute farce.

They closed the year beating top twenty five rutgers and USF and made a bowl and one the next two years as well.

Given that it looked like a massive rebuild was coming, what Chryst did here was nothing short of amazing. Pitt had very little talent at the time outside of Aaron Donald. Pitt was lucky that they didn't turn into UVA at this point. There was nothing stopping it from happening.

The fact is, many of the same people that railed Chryst constantly pined for Dave. Meanwhile, Dave, in his first three years was horrendous compared to Chryst, and stepped into a MUCH MUCH MUCH better situation. Dave inherited a team with Palko, Larod Stephens Howling, Darrell Revis, HB Blades, Scott McKillop, Clint Session, and promptly tanked the team from a BCS game (yes, I know a poor conference but we still won it) to a 5-6 record and missing a bowl for the first time in several years. He also nearly ruined the best QB pitt has had since Marino in Palko who regressed greatly from a great sophomore year to a mediocre Tino/Voytik/Peterman like Junior year.

Again, lots of revisionist history with Chryst, and how he did here. Chryst was fine. I think Narduzzi is as good if not better, but I absolutely think had Chryst stayed Pitt wins at least 8 games last year as well.

So how is this current defense NOT a Dumpster fire -- largely because of Chrysts personnel. Did he leave us better than he found us? Only on the OL.

 

[Pittguy1980]

Dixon was regressing too.

He very well may have been. However, when you accomplish as much as Dixon did, you should get far more of a leash than wanny did. Wanny accomplished NOTHING here. Walt accomplished more. Walt should never have been pushed out.

I will never figure why wanny gets such a free pass from many in the fanbase while people jumped on guys like Dixon constantly. Is it really because he was a "Pitt guy." That is absurd if that is the case.

 

[Pittguy1980]

So how is this current defense NOT a Dumpster fire -- largely because of Chrysts personnel. Did he leave us better than he found us? Only on the OL.

Absolutely left pittbetter than he found us.

 

[Swervin27]

Like it or not without HCPC we don't have this O line OR James Conner. I have zero problems with what Chryst did here. If nothing else he provided stability which was immeasurable at the time.

I've never said he was a complete disaster. He did some positive things and some negative things. Not sure why this is being missed. He is mediocrity. Some good, equal amount of bad. He won some games at Pitt, and lost some. Equal aka mediocre.

I do not hate him or like him. I was not happy to see him go or upset. His tenure at Pitt is like his personality, forgettable.

 

[pitt-girl]

So how is this current defense NOT a Dumpster fire -- largely because of Chrysts personnel. Did he leave us better than he found us? Only on the OL.

He must have because that's why Narduzzi took the job over other offers. That alone should make you thankful to HCPC.

 

[Joe the Panther Fan]

If you thought Pitt was going to get an upgrade at that time, then you are nuts.

An upgrade on Dave Wannstedt? Good god, you must have a low opinion of Pitt if you didn't think that Pitt could get an upgrade on a coach who took over a program that made a BCS bowl game and proceeded to go 16-19 in his first three seasons with no bowl games. Hell, the coach that you folks are running down took over a program in complete disarray and he went 19-20 with three bowl games in his first three seasons.

I mean look, I understand Wanny is a yinzer who loves fish sammiches and Isaly's chip chop ham, so there is some portion of the fan base that is going to consider him a god. I mean hey, in his best three year period he won ONE more game that Walt Harris did in his best three year period. If that doesn't scream "coaching legend" I don't know what does.

 

[Swervin27]

He very well may have been. However, when you accomplish as much as Dixon did, you should get far more of a leash than wanny did. Wanny accomplished NOTHING here. Walt accomplished more. Walt should never have been pushed out.

I will never figure why wanny gets such a free pass from many in the fanbase while people jumped on guys like Dixon constantly. Is it really because he was a "Pitt guy." That is absurd if that is the case.

Wanny gets murdered on this board. Free pass? Where are you at?

 

[Pittguy1980]

I've never said he was a complete disaster. He did some positive things and some negative things. Not sure why this is being missed. He is mediocrity. Some good, equal amount of bad. He won some games at Pitt, and lost some. Equal aka mediocre.

I do not hate him or like him. I was not happy to see him go or upset. His tenure at Pitt is like his personality, forgettable.

You keep talking about record only. Do you really not realize how precarious the program's situation was after graham left?

 

[Pittguy1980]

Wanny gets murdered on this board. Free pass? Where are you at?

Wanny should get blasted. There is also a very large portion of the fanbase that moaned about him being fired for 4 years.

Do you remember the vitriol graham faced as soon as he was hired, and graham had an excellent track record.

 

[Joe the Panther Fan]

Dixon was regressing too.

So was the coach whose team went from 10-3 to 7-5, but don't tell TD that.

 

[Joe the Panther Fan]

Come on Joe, seriously?

It's like as if you don't remember what the situation was in 2012. Do you really think we were better than teams like Rutgers and Virginia Tech that year? Seriously?

 

[TD_6082]

I hate Wanny threads as much as on campus stadium threads. He won ONE big game in 2007. His last year was a total embarrassment. Perhaps you forget UConn and Randy Edsall dancing on the sidelines? Or maybe when Wannstedt LOST his team in the WVU game? C'mon.

Back when 8-5 was considered a huge disappointment?

 

[Pittguy1980]

Back when 8-5 was considered a huge disappointment?

He went 7-5 his last year.

Also, the conference they achieved that better record in was garbage. Literally closer to conference USA at it's best than a power 5 conference.

With the team he had, Pitt should have been in BCS bowl games two of three years.

 

[Joe the Panther Fan]

He went 7-5 his last year.

The pathological need for Wanny boosters to count a game that he didn't coach as a win on his record is an odd and yet amusing phenomena.

 

[Pittguy1980]

The pathological need for Wanny boosters to count a game that he didn't coach as a win on his record is an odd and yet amusing phenomena.

It is funny they want to count that, and act like the first 3 years never happened.

 

[TD_6082]

One disappointing season is not regression

 

[Joe the Panther Fan]

It is funny they want to count that, and act like the first 3 years never happened.

I mean no one has ever argued that the bowl win in 1989 should count on Mike Gottfried's record instead of Paul Hackett's record, and yet it is the exact same situation.

 

[Joe the Panther Fan]

One disappointing season is not regression

Sure it was. The question is whether it was the start of a trend or an aberration.