Who else thinks they may have taken those tournament/sweet 16s for granted?

[str6116]

(Just wanted to vent a bit, I don't really post much but I've been reading these boards for years. Thanks in advance if you read this or reply)

Starting to think I may have. Why? Well, growing up with the teams that had the likes of Knight, Page, Brown, Lett, Zavackas, Troutman (my favorite) and so forth... pretty much expected this team would get in the tournament every year (kinda like how we all expect the Penguins will make the playoffs every year nowadays).

I never realized what a struggle it could be to even get there. I, like many others, got incredibly frustrated getting eliminated year in and year out, maybe I cursed Jamie/other factors (one that comes to mind - D-Wade & Marquette vs. Knight - "oh, we don't have a Wade. We need a player like him. Not enough talent."). The countless disappointments... you name a team that eliminated Pitt in the tournament, I could most likely tell you the player that killed them. And of course, I will never forget that Elite 8 game vs. Nova... by far the most excruciating loss I've witnessed as a Pittsburgh sports fan, and I don't know when/if that will be topped.

I'm 22 years old, a 5th year senior/soon to be Pitt graduate. I remember my freshman year, 2 years after that infamous game, 15-3 conference record... #1 seed... maybe we have a chance? Maybe there actually will be redemption for the Nova game? OK, even back then I didn't think as highly of that team as I did the Fields/Young/Blair squad... but you know the great thing about the tournament? Anything can happen, so you never know. Well, I knew when I probably broke a record for most swear words said during/after a sporting event vs. Butler, that it was yet another disappointment.

Now I think: what has happened since? CBI... 9 seed... 8 seed... NIT? It just makes me long for the days of at least being in the mix every year, and thinking that after all, it usually does take even the most highly regarded coaches time to finally break down that barrier and make it to the Final 4 (look how long it took Bo Ryan... and I wouldn't be surprised if he returns again this year). Though man, that Fields/Young/Blair team really should've been the one... but with that said, I worry what kind of trajectory this program is heading in. I just hope these past few years have just been really bad luck with Jamie/the recruiting misses/transfers and what not, and we'll end up back in that mix.

 

[IamHeisenberg]

I never took them for granted. I was just ticked off with all of the local DOPES who kept saying even after getting to Sweet Sixteen. "Jamie Dixon ain't no good as a coach n at. Its da same ol Pitt every year. When duz Stiller training camp start?"

 

[SoufOaklin4Life]

Originally posted by IamHeisenberg:
I never took them for granted. I was just ticked off with all of the local DOPES who kept saying even after getting to Sweet Sixteen. "Jamie Dixon ain't no good as a coach n at. Its da same ol Pitt every year. When duz Stiller training camp start?"

Pretty much.

It was stupid when people bitched we weren't going FURTHER enough in the Big Dance.

 

[HailToPitt1985]

It's extremely difficult to make the NCAA Tournament, let alone make it every year. It's even more difficult to advance beyond the Sweet 16. Getting to an Elite 8 or Final 4 is just about impossible for 99.9% of the teams out there.

Yes, we've come to expect an NCAA Tournament every year from Pitt now. That's shortsighted and reveals how little some of us know about college basketball. But we still expect excellence from Pitt basketball now that Jamie is here and has been successful for so long. The reality is that there will be down years, if you can call a 19 or 20 win season a down year. And Pitt and Jamie don't owe us fans anything other than giving us a team that does their best and gives it their all to be better. They have given us that. We may not like the results but we have to deal with it. We as fans aren't entitled to championships every year or ever.

 

[recruitsreadtheseboards]

Originally posted by SoufOaklin4Life:

Originally posted by IamHeisenberg:
I never took them for granted. I was just ticked off with all of the local DOPES who kept saying even after getting to Sweet Sixteen. "Jamie Dixon ain't no good as a coach n at. Its da same ol Pitt every year. When duz Stiller training camp start?"

Pretty much.

It was stupid when people bitched we weren't going FURTHER enough in the Big Dance.

Well yeah, especially in hindsight. And some of those Sweet 16 matchups were brutal, some like Kent State, not so much.

The problem this program has had, is when opportunity has presented itself, it failed to capitalize. The losses to UCLA, Okie State and even Nova where tough but not bad.

However, when Duke went down in our bracket and we stated out in Pittsburgh and got a gift wrapped Sweet 16 entry against Kent Sate, we lost. When Bradley knocked out Kansas, we avoided them in the 4/5 matchup and lost to Bradley. Even way back when we lost to Vandy, there were many chips that fell that could have resulted in a Final 4.

If we took advantage of some of those, maybe their would be a different aura and stigma surrounding this program at this time of the year.

 

[Zeldas Greenhouse]

A year reaching the sweet 16 is a very good year. But once you get there, the desire to go further is huge.

Hopefully this year is the bottoming out for this program and we're back getting to that point.

 

[str6116]

I still believe in Jamie right now, and agree down years happen even to the best programs (teams like Florida, Uconn, Syracuse this year). Definitely on point about the difficulty of advancing/making the tournament. I think the one thought from that recent article on Jamie sums it up - when you start winning, everyone wants more.

It's just tough to consider how these past 4 seasons have gone -- though I did enjoy the blowout tournament win last year and even getting a crack at a very good Florida team. I'll start to get very concerned about Jamie if these next few years follow a similar trend, but I'll be willing to bet they won't. We saw some good things this year, but this collapse the past week and a half has gotten us back to square one, sadly.

This post was edited on 3/12 2:12 PM by str6116

 

[PITTLAW]

Reply

Champions? Uh, not sure people are demanding that. Good thing...as how many championships has any Pitt sport attained? And although being in the Dance, NFL playoffs or Stanley Cup are all very hard to do every season...if you are investing in paying top 30 salaries to your coach, and playing big time...getting there is the baseline of expectations. I mean, finishing with a winning record in conference is not too much to expect on an yearly basis. Sure, every now and then it will not happen--and those bad years will be remembered. However, to feel it is fine for less than that...would be a problem. I guess there is still the NIT before this season is totally in the history books...but even Coach Dixon would likely tell you that the end result is not where he wanted to be and that he is disappointed with the 2014-15 season. Hail to Pitt!

 

[TIGER-PAUL]

Agree, and you could argue winning the BE was even tougher than making it to 16.
I haven't been that impressed so far seeing the ACC close up and Pitt seems far from contending in it right now.

 

[PittMBA]

The feat I find most remarkable is two #1 seeds in the 3 years with almost a completely different group of players.
I agree with the poster that the biggest missed opportunity was losing to Kent State in the sweet 16 after Duke lost. Losing to a crappy Vandy team is right up there.
Posted from Rivals Mobile

 

[drunkinoakland]

When we lost to Nova is was pretty obvious we had taken our best and missed. I predicted this on that night.
Posted from Rivals Mobile

 

[Pitt79]

Originally posted by TIGER-PAUL:
Agree, and you could argue winning the BE was even tougher than making it to 16.
I haven't been that impressed so far seeing the ACC close up and Pitt seems far from contending in it right now.

I always thought that! I always felt like winning 4 nights in a row over BE teams and winning that tournament was tougher competition that reaching the Final 4 as a high seed. I mean if you're a #1 seed, you automatically beat a #16 the 1st game, then you get some team about like this year's Pitt team in the 2nd game out of the #8/9 seed game, BE bottom feeders where likely tougher competition back in the day when we dominated the BE Tourney! And I rally miss those days, When BE Tourney time meant 3-4 consecutive days of Pitt Basketball, playing at a high level every year for 7-8 years. It became a rite of spring every year for awhile.

 

[PITTLAW]

Reply

No question in my mind that the old Big East basketball tournament was the BEST sporting event I've ever attended that happened on a regular basis. Pitt had some fun and amazing runs in that tournament. The level of basketball was excellent. The venue was great. There were some games for the ages, [e.g. the epic overtime battle between Syracuse and UConn, etc.]. All the fun and hoopla in and around the event was awesome. However, going to the Final Four would have been a much greater accomplishment for Pitt. The fact that Pitt has never made the Final Four in the past 15 years easily establishes that going there...is far harder than winning the Big East Tournament. And by the way, the ACC Tournament is not even close to the event that the Big East Tournament was Hail to Pitt!

 

[Pitt79]

Re: Reply

Originally posted by PITTLAW:
No question in my mind that the old Big East basketball tournament was the BEST sporting event I've ever attended that happened on a regular basis. Pitt had some fun and amazing runs in that tournament. The level of basketball was excellent. The venue was great. There were some games for the ages, [e.g. the epic overtime battle between Syracuse and UConn, etc.]. All the fun and hoopla in and around the event was awesome. However, going to the Final Four would have been a much greater accomplishment for Pitt. The fact that Pitt has never made the Final Four in the past 15 years easily establishes that going there...is far harder than winning the Big East Tournament. And by the way, the ACC Tournament is not even close to the event that the Big East Tournament was Hail to Pitt!

Still, at the time, the BE Tourney was a hell of an event, and maybe the 2nd toughest after the NCAAs to win, Still a great accomplishment and great times when Pitt was consistanly dominant in that Tourney! The only blemish was going 2-5 in the Final, but still reaching the BE Tourney Final 7 of 8 years was a helluva run.

 

[Pitt79]

I was curious, so I went back and did some research, in the 8 year run, Pitt won 2 BE Tourneys, made 7 Finals and was 19-6 overall. At that time, the BE Tourney was my favorite sports event outside a Steelers Super Bowl every year, I would always look forward to that week, ahead of the NCAA Tourney.

 

[UPitt '89]

Originally posted by Pitt79:

I was curious, so I went back and did some research, in the 8 year run, Pitt won 2 BE Tourneys, made 7 Finals and was 19-6 overall. At that time, the BE Tourney was my favorite sports event outside a Steelers Super Bowl every year, I would always look forward to that week, ahead of the NCAA Tourney.

They were great times that Pitt fans really underappreciated.

But I don't think they're necessarily over.

I liken Pitt 2015 and 2016 to Notre Dame's 2014 and 2015.

- Last year, Notre Dame was without Jerian Grant due to a year-long school suspension, and their team had a bad year.

- Last year, and this year, Notre Dame's defense was suspect... but their offense was efficient and the return of Grant made them a Top 15 team.

- This year, Pitt was without Durand Johnson due to a year-long school suspension, and the team had a bad year.

- This year, and likely next year, Pitt's defense was/will be suspect... but their offense is effiecient and the return of Johnson might make Pitt a Top 15 team.


I think next year, Pitt will look an awful lot like Notre Dame does *THIS* year. Scorers like Artis, both Johnsons, and Mike Young.... Jeter on a good day.... and average to poor defense. Something like 24-7/12-6. Ranked around 18. 4-6 seed in the NCAA.

That's my prediction, and we'll see.

 

[PITTLAW]

Reply

Trust me...I know...never missed a Big East Tournament since Pitt entered in 1983. Leaves a real hole in my March. Greensboro and the ACC Tournament sucked this year [although there have been some good basketball games] and last. Hopefully the move to DC next year will be better? Time will tell. Hail to Pitt!

 

[Cap pitt]

As much as I want them to be better next year, iI don't see it, and some of us are happy winning 20 games a year and some of us want more, it hard to win the national championship with just 20 wins

 

[Pitt79]

Re: Reply

Originally posted by PITTLAW:
Trust me...I know...never missed a Big East Tournament since Pitt entered in 1983. Leaves a real hole in my March. Greensboro and the ACC Tournament sucked this year [although there have been some good basketball games] and last. Hopefully the move to DC next year will be better? Time will tell. Hail to Pitt!

Is that confirmed? ACC Tourney in DC next year? Great! I live an hour away.

 

[PITTLAW]

Reply

Yes! The ACC Tournament will be at the Verizon Center next year--and only for one year. After that, it will be at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn for two years...and then for a year in Charlotte...and back to Greensboro for a year. Maybe after that the Big East will have folded and they can move it to Madison Square Garden? I'd be in heaven if they did! Hopefully the dry tournament policy will also end! Hail to Pitt!

 

[Pitt79]

Re: Reply

Originally posted by PITTLAW:
Yes! The ACC Tournament will be at the Verizon Center next year--and only for one year. After that, it will be at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn for two years...and then for a year in Charlotte...and back to Greensboro for a year. Maybe after that the Big East will have folded and they can move it to Madison Square Garden? I'd be in heaven if they did! Hopefully the dry tournament policy will also end! Hail to Pitt!

So they don't sell beer at the ACC Tournament games?

I know I went to a couple Pitt/Georgetown games at Verizon and I think they did sell beer? It's been I while, maybe I drank the beer at the bar across the street?

 

[PITTLAW]

Reply

No, they do not sell beer or alcohol in the arena during the ACC Tournament. It has nothing to do with the venue...as they certainly sell alcohol at the Greensboro facility for other things. Unfortunately, I think it is an ACC thing. Perhaps a long time ACC fan can jump in here? The atmoshpere at the ACC Tournament compared to the Big East Tournament [at least based upon two years experience] is entirely different [and much worse to my taste]. The ACC had stuff like cupcake stands that were decorated with your teams logo, and lots of ice cream for sale. The entertainment at half time and in between sessions or games was all very vanilla family stuff [lame to my taste].

The Big East was full of suits networking, partying and calling their bookies. The Garden was electric and so much fun. Alcohol flowed freely [at great expense]...and the fans were mixed in with each other. It {The Big East Tournament} truly was an amazing 4-5 day event in the best city in the world. Yeah, I really miss that event. Hopefully next year in DC will be better? Hail to Pitt!

 

[recruitsreadtheseboards]

I never did. In fact I have been one of the more vocal defenders of Jamie's record at Pitt in regards to those two #1 seeds. That actually, they were more an accomplishment than Final 4's. There have been more teams that have been to a Final 4 over the past decade than there have been #1 seeds, and to do it twice.

It wasn't until the Butler game where we lost as a #1 seed I became more vocal and started losing some "appreciation" and wanting more in March. Though I also was never shy about the fact that Pitt never once played above their seed line in the NCAA's.

ALSO.....I really, really appreciated the Big East Tourney and took great enjoyment out of not just the two Championships, but every appearance in the final game on Saturday night in MSG. Great source of enjoyment and pride.

I am glad I smelled the roses back then.,