What Should Pitt Basketball Be?

[TheWerewolfFromTwilight]

I might argue that these past three seasons - the good, the bad, and everything in between - is pretty close to the answer.

An NCAAT appearances about 33% of the time; a fighting chance more often than not during the other seasons.

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

I might argue that these past three seasons - the good, the bad, and everything in between - is pretty close to the answer.

An NCAAT appearances about 33% of the time; a fighting chance more often than not during the other seasons.

Dixon 2

NCAAT in 3 out of 5 years. Still decent in the other 2 years. Of those 3 bids in 5 years, 1 has to be with a seed that is expected to make a run. Say a 6 seed or better.

 

[pittchagg]

The minimum standard for Pitt basketball should be a bubble team. Maybe in, maybe close but just out, but in the conversation, at least, for a bid when the ACC tournament starts. The realistic ceiling for Pitt basketball should be the second weekend of the tournament. A satisfying season should be a round of 64 or 32 season.

 

[TheWerewolfFromTwilight]

Dixon 2

NCAAT in 3 out of 5 years. Still decent in the other 2 years. Of those 3 bids in 5 years, 1 has to be with a seed that is expected to make a run. Say a 6 seed or better.

60% of the time in the NIL Era? Just not so sure about that.

 

[TheWerewolfFromTwilight]

Been a pretty cyclical history.

1 appearance in 17 years

8 appearances in 13 years

0 appearances in 8 years

13 appearances in 15 years

1 appearance in 9 years

 

[LeftCoastPanther]

A hard-nosed team that we appreciate. A few low-post players with some actual meat on their bones, too. It has been guys who get pushed around the entire Capel regime.

 

[TheWerewolfFromTwilight]

A hard-nosed team that we appreciate. A few low-post players with some actual meat on their bones, too. It has been guys who get pushed around the entire Capel regime.

Don't disagree. Just not sure that a different coach wouldn't bring in better coaching, in conjunction with worse players, to equal the same results. I mean in comparison to the last three seasons.

 

[HailToPitt1985]

At this time and knowing that the coaching staff isn't changing any time soon, just give us a Pitt team that plays with some heart, effort and intensity on offense and especially on defense and rebounding. Show some life instead of standing around being spectators. Quit playing playground ball. And quit getting blown out by 20 points or more.

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

60% of the time in the NIL Era? Just not so sure about that.

We are paying NCAAT money right now so why not? You need 3 players

 

[TheWerewolfFromTwilight]

We are paying NCAAT money right now so why not? You need 3 players

Unless you can produce exact figures for what the top 100 or so teams are paying in NIL, that's nothing but conjecture.

 

[OhioPanther99]

We are paying NCAAT money right now so why not? You need 3 players

We are paying the wrong players

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

We are paying the wrong players

Whose fault is that?

I'm saying player salary budget isn't the issue

 

[MarshallGoldberg]

My answer would get me fired in a week as athletic director: to basically starting to deemphasize football and shift NIL and coaching salary money to hoops so you can try to make a final four run. Yes, I think this is possible in the NIL era, I wouldn't be shocked to see St Johns or Marquette there, NC State did it last year somehow. We are clearly never going to become Georgia or Ohio State in football EVER again and we just spend there because of nostalgic alumni.

Anyway, if we don't shift more resources to basketball (which is unlikely because it's a football town and the school is subsidizing athletics in an unsustainable way), then making the tournament 30% of the time is probably the range.

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

My answer would get me fired in a week as athletic director: to basically starting to deemphasize football and shift NIL and coaching salary money to hoops so you can try to make a final four run. Yes, I think this is possible in the NIL era, I wouldn't be shocked to see St Johns or Marquette there, NC State did it last year somehow. We are clearly never going to become Georgia or Ohio State in football EVER again and we just spend there because of nostalgic alumni.

Anyway, if we don't shift more resources to basketball (which is unlikely because it's a football town and the school is subsidizing athletics in an unsustainable way), then making the tournament 30% of the time is probably the range.

I'd agree. I'd do the Auburn and realize they can't compete in their situation in football and sink everything in basketball. Still, we can go 6-6 in football so no big loss there.

 

[PittMan 72]

Changing HC’s is just part 1 of a 2 part process.

The replacement hire having success is imperative. But anything in the future is an unknown. Greene has a lot of responsibility on his shoulders now. But that’s what he’s paid for.

Anyone accepting a high profile/high paid job as a P4 AD has to do so with their eyes wide open. They have to be prepared to act decisively and can’t allow themself to be surprised by any unexpected turn of events.

This should be interesting. The AD would appear to have a lot of issues on his plate right now. He’ll certainly be in the spotlight.

 

[TheWerewolfFromTwilight]

I'd agree. I'd do the Auburn and realize they can't compete in their situation in football and sink everything in basketball. Still, we can go 6-6 in football so no big loss there.

This notion is, and has always been, silly. We can't do anything in basketball that 75 other schools can't do.

 

[TD_6082]

I'd agree. I'd do the Auburn and realize they can't compete in their situation in football and sink everything in basketball. Still, we can go 6-6 in football so no big loss there.

Do the Auburn?

What are you saying? Auburn is paying out the ass for football talent. They went big in the portal this year and they are implementing significant increases in ticket prices.

 

[Gunga_Galunga]

We are clearly never going to become Georgia or Ohio State in football EVER again and we just spend there because of nostalgic alumni.

I think a quick look at where donations come from would cause you to rethink the second half of this sentence. I bet 80% of Panther Club and A412 donations are driven by football, if not higher.

 

[TheWerewolfFromTwilight]

Do the Auburn?

What are you saying? Auburn is paying out the ass for football talent. They went big in the portal this year and they are implementing significant increases in ticket prices.

Yeah, I was going to say... Auburn has hardly punted on football. Just not the easiest conference to find your footing in.

 

[MarshallGoldberg]

I think a quick look at where donations come from would cause you to rethink the second half of this sentence. I bet 80% of Panther Club and A412 donations are driven by football, if not higher.

Yes fair. That's ultimately the problem. We have a fairly small, not that wealthy, football first donor base. It's caught up with us.

 

[Pitt666]

I want a deep tourney run. Not a championship team every year, but every few years get a solid top 15 team. Looking back at the recent glory years, I would have swapped Pitts regular season big east success with WVU for their tourney wins. A lot of the tourney is about matchups, but a final four should still be achievable for Pitt.

 

[HailToPitt725]

I don’t think there’s any reason why we shouldn’t be an annual tournament team, although I only expect a Sweet Sixteen appearance (or deeper) once every ten years… is that too much to ask?

 

[chirurgo]

I want to see a guard dribble down the court and not look like one of the 10 year olds I coach frenetically dribbling the ball into traffic and losing the handle. The basis of the Capel program is solid guard play. They don’t have it. Then I want to see if a shot is missed that there is a large individual who will get the rebound and score. Is that too much to ask? I am amazed that they can have 2 guys at or approaching 7 feet and get boxed out of the lane. It’s basic. Let’s start there. This talk of Pitt being anywhere close to a bubble team is ridiculous. They look like they are chasing bubbles on the court.

 

[Fsgolfdr]

This team has lost 4 games they easily could’ve won . Winning those games they’re in the tournament. I’m not sure what you expect , but this team was fighting for and easily could’ve been a bubble team . Not every team pulls out their close games .

I don’t believe there’s enough money to have both Fb and Bb be top programs , and in reality I don’t think there’s enough money to seriously compete in Fb .

It would be a lot easier to be a Bb program , that’s where I’d put my resources if l was Pitt .

 

[TheSpecialSauce]

This team has lost 4 games they easily could’ve won . Winning those games they’re in the tournament. I’m not sure what you expect , but this team was fighting for and easily could’ve been a bubble team . Not every team pulls out their close games .

I don’t believe there’s enough money to have both Fb and Bb be top programs , and in reality I don’t think there’s enough money to seriously compete in Fb .

It would be a lot easier to be a Bb program , that’s where I’d put my resources if l was Pitt .

They also got lucky by pulling the OSU game out. You are what your record says you are.

 

[Joe the Panther Fan]

I don’t think there’s any reason why we shouldn’t be an annual tournament team, although I only expect a Sweet Sixteen appearance (or deeper) once every ten years… is that too much to ask?

A school that is an annual tournament team but only makes the Sweet 16 once every ten years would be a really weird resume. There isn't anyone out there doing anything like that at all.

 

[HailToPitt725]

A school that is an annual tournament team but only makes the Sweet 16 once every ten years would be a really weird resume. There isn't anyone out there doing anything like that at all.

If you’re saying my asking price is too low, then let’s bump up the Sweet 16 appearances!

 

[Black_Man_Panther]

The minimum standard for Pitt basketball should be a bubble team. Maybe in, maybe close but just out, but in the conversation, at least, for a bid when the ACC tournament starts. The realistic ceiling for Pitt basketball should be the second weekend of the tournament. A satisfying season should be a round of 64 or 32 season.

So... basically Paul Evans era is prime Pitt basketball. Wow.

 

[Atilla Cosby]

This is what I expect them to be.

I'm not holding my breath.

 

[Pittisit4me]

This is what I expect them to be.

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I'm not holding my breath.

That's some high expectations!!!

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

So... basically Paul Evans era is prime Pitt basketball. Wow.

Yea. Paul Evans and Dixon 2 is about what Pitt should be

 

[TheWerewolfFromTwilight]

Yea. Paul Evans and Dixon 2 is about what Pitt should be

Since it's easier to pull off in basketball than football, would you rather be that every year or have a $200k roster for four years and then a $5M roster every 5th year?

 

[pittbb80]

Creighton, Dayton, Xavior, etc. Theres no reason with a solid coach this program can make the tourney more often than not and occasionally make a nice run Its been done before when the right coach has been hired.

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

would you rather be that every year or have a $200k roster for four years and then a $5M roster every 5th year?

If we had a good coach, then yes.

 

[BreakingPitt]

This is what I expect them to be.

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I'm not holding my breath.

Those were the days, tough hard nosed Physical team that played team Defense.

 

[TheWerewolfFromTwilight]

If we had a good coach, then yes.

I guess I should have asked it like this: You have $1M/year to allocate over the next five years. In an overly-simplified example, how are you choosing to distribute that per season?

 

[Atilla Cosby]

Those were the days, tough hard nosed Physical team that played team Defense.

Yeah, hard to accept less than that when we've seen the top of the mountain already. But I see no path to it either. Which sucks.

 

[TheWerewolfFromTwilight]

Yeah, hard to accept less than that when we've seen the top of the mountain already. But I see no path to it either. Which sucks.

I'm honestly not sure how it lasted as long as it did (I would say the golden age was ten seasons, but some may argue it was longer). We caught lightning in a bottle.

We had talent, but certainly not nearly as much as a run like that would typically require. I appreciated at the time that there was no way that was going to be sustainable. I was shocked the post Elite 8 bunch were able to keep it going.

Kind of seems surreal to look back on that time period. Them flashing the record at the Pete on the scoreboard, etc. Just seemed like we'd almost always find a way to get the job done. Lot of bitching at the time, too, though. People always complained about the lack of top tier talent - particularly at guard - and that being what kept us from getting past the Sweet 16 most seasons. It doesn't take long for fans to get used to their new place in the pecking order and want more.

Personally, I am thankful for that period while realizing it will never happen again. I do, however, cling to the hope that, while being nowhere near that consistent of a program again, we can be a program that occasionally advances further than that team did in the tournament.

 

[Protes]

I'm honestly not sure how it lasted as long as it did (I would say the golden age was ten seasons, but some may argue it was longer). We caught lightning in a bottle.

We had talent, but certainly not nearly as much as a run like that would typically require. I appreciated at the time that there was no way that was going to be sustainable. I was shocked the post Elite 8 bunch were able to keep it going.

Kind of seems surreal to look back on that time period. Them flashing the record at the Pete on the scoreboard, etc. Just seemed like we'd almost always find a way to get the job done. Lot of bitching at the time, too, though. People always complained about the lack of top tier talent - particularly at guard - and that being what kept us from getting past the Sweet 16 most seasons. It doesn't take long for fans to get used to their new place in the pecking order and want more.

Personally, I am thankful for that period while realizing it will never happen again. I do, however, cling to the hope that, while being nowhere near that consistent of a program again, we can be a program that occasionally advances further than that team did in the tournament.

Despite our numerous tournament failures, I never took it for granted for a moment. It lasted as long as it did because we had good players who bought into the system and were willing to execute it. We had players who knew they would not start as underclassmen and were willing to wait their turn while learning that system. We played the game the right way. Now, nobody is willing to stick around, but even if they did, we have a coach who has no system to teach them.