You guys complain a lot about SP

[Nardog2]

But my goodness, Barnes was an absolute debacle for Pitt. He totally destroyed the bball program...I mean why on earth would you try to run off the most successful coach Pitt has had in decades if you were planning on leaving.

Thanks Scott Barnes! Great job! But hey, at least he fully brought back script. That is what is important!!!!!!

 

[CaptainSidneyReilly]

But my goodness, Barnes was an absolute debacle for Pitt. He totally destroyed the bball program...I mean why on earth would you try to run off the most successful coach Pitt has had in decades if you were planning on leaving.

Thanks Scott Barnes! Great job! But hey, at least he fully brought back script. That is what is important!!!!!!

So what, Pitt has it own Hall of Selfish Shame but far more Hall of Famers! Unfortunately it includes mostly Dumb to Dumber to Dumbest Athletic Directors more interested in their own Buyouts Consultants than Pitt.

The Chancellors all did some things right and great and some made mistakes and lack faith in Athletics that decided Pitt Sports Fate at Times. Others chose Pitt Athletic Renaissance as well as increasing and maintaining Pitt Academic Excellence and Innovations to Global benefits!

Bruce Change Pitt From a Private Secondary School built it into a College!
Holland made Pitt an University!!
McCormick Hired Pop Warner & Pitt First FB Golden Era!!!
Bowman built Cathy Hired Sutherland 2nd Golden Era Ended FB Scholarships!!!!
Fitzgerald helped Cure Polio & Hired Michelson
Litchfield Continued Pitt Renaissance but put Pitt in Debt
Posvar Hired Majors To Rebuild Pitt Football but Hired Bozik
Nordenberg Return Pitt FB Winning & BB Golden Era & Invite to ACC
Gallagher Brought Pitt Script Back Fired Pederson & Hired Narduzzi

Bozo Bozik, Pederson and Barnes did some things right and some things wrong but are all gone one fired in disgrace is Bozik, but Pederson and Barnes left Pitt.

Pop Warner, Doc Sutherland, Johnny Majors and Jackie Sherrill accomplishments speak for them but they all left to some later admitting it was with great regret and a big career mistake.

Pitt is still a Top 100 World First Class University that cured Polio & Advanced Organ Transplants & now In a Power Conference with the Richest Traditions and Most All Americans, National Championships, and Hall of Famers in the ACC and Top Ten in History!

Far more than Penn State and WVU & UNC too and Pitt did it without Major Academic Scandals or Football Lack of Athletic Integrity Scandals!

Barnes left Pitt to go Home to take care of his Mother and maybe in a year or two will Buyout Stallings for Oregon State! Barnes said it best, "bringing back the Pitt Script was a No Brainer," but Gallagher did that in 2014 Barnes just completed it to correct your own Assumptions! Pederson couldn't admit nor correct his mistakes of get ridding of it, and then refused to bring it back with any enthusiasms, and got the message from Gallagher it was his time to go away with his Pitt Buyout in his pocket, and it was worth every penny to make Pederson leave, as Pitt Fans cheered wildly when Stevie resigned.

Heather Lyke Vice has far more experience and smarts than Pederson & Barnes combine and can do no worst than those two selfish incapable small men both Hiring Selfish Poor Consultants & Buyout Fumbles for their own careers of not caring to put Pitt first like Cas Myslinski did as AD in 1968-1982.

Pitt is better off and so is Barnes that couldn't handle the Pitt job and admitted the City was too big for him and must go home to care for mom? Obviously, a better Son than Athletic Director at Pitt and Godspeed!

 

[Dr. von Yinzer]

One doesn't have anything to do with the other. Pederson remains the most divisive figure in the history of Pitt athletics.

 

[recruitsreadtheseboards]

But my goodness, Barnes was an absolute debacle for Pitt. He totally destroyed the bball program...I mean why on earth would you try to run off the most successful coach Pitt has had in decades if you were planning on leaving.

Thanks Scott Barnes! Great job! But hey, at least he fully brought back script. That is what is important!!!!!!

Maybe the first post I ever agreed with you on. And it wasn't running off Dixon that was so bad, it was having no real successor in hand to replace him.

 

[Slick Manager of Champs]

Maybe the first post I ever agreed with you on. And it wasn't running off Dixon that was so bad, it was having no real successor in hand to replace him.

This is often trotted out, but I have made changes with personnel at work with no one in mind for replacements. That's why you have HR, to give you good candidates.

The problem is Barnes did a bad job of hiring,or so it would seem. Can't write a guy off after one year.

 

[rojo36]

But my goodness, Barnes was an absolute debacle for Pitt. He totally destroyed the bball program...I mean why on earth would you try to run off the most successful coach Pitt has had in decades if you were planning on leaving.

Thanks Scott Barnes! Great job! But hey, at least he fully brought back script. That is what is important!!!!!!

Comparing Barnes to Pederson is lacking to say the least. Pederson did his darndest to destroy Pitt football by having Pitt Stadium torn down so everyone could make the trek downtown to watch Pitt football. Never mind that constant road repairs has been the norm in recent years. Why is it so difficult to remodel a stadium ? Has been done elsewhere successfully. And now with the Peterson Event Center in Oakland and a mediocre basketball program-what a joke that is. And rehiring Pederson ?? Eeekkk !!

 

[CaptainSidneyReilly]

Comparing Barnes to Pederson is lacking to say the least. Pederson did his darndest to destroy Pitt football by having Pitt Stadium torn down so everyone could make the trek downtown to watch Pitt football. Never mind that constant road repairs has been the norm in recent years. Why is it so difficult to remodel a stadium ? Has been done elsewhere successfully. And now with the Peterson Event Center in Oakland and a mediocre basketball program-what a joke that is. And rehiring Pederson ?? Eeekkk !!

Good post....Pederson was selfish with an ego of giant with a small mind that thinks it is always about him. Pederson only came to Pitt to get to Nebraska and that is where he proved he was a little man at his own Alma Mater. It's not that Steve was short but just slick and stubborn little in the mind and in the heart. Pederson could not attract great Coaches, select good coaches that wanted to stay under him at Pitt or Nebraska. Pederson turned off Boosters, Fans, but especially became anathema to the NCAA Coaching Vine.

After his first tenure at Pitt to go to Nebraska, where Pederson was Fired in 5 Minutes after 5 years, Pederson return to Pitt was even a bigger embarrassment where he lied about Wannstedt Publicly and then tried to make a man little whose boots he couldn't touch even if he stood on tiptoe on top of the highest mountain in the world and had to slink away like wounded snake that swallow one last Buyout and made himself even littler than he was before he came to Pitt in 1996.

Scott Barnes was just Dumb Jock that could not think on his own without a Consultant that used him to save his consultant's old client from being fired and in the process used Pitt much like Pederson....Nice Guy But Oregon State can have and keep him.

I am glad Pitt hired Heather Lyke Vice and she has better background and education than Selfish Steve and Searching Scott and women have a way in asking questions and using intuition in ways that are beyond ego and not afraid to bring people together, unlike Stubborn Stevie and Scott that was in far over a head he did not have without Toad Turner.

Heather grew up in Canton, Ohio where the NFL Hall of Fame is just 50 miles from Youngstown, Ohio and 100 Miles form Pittsburgh, with a Michigan Education and Akron Law Degree, and Athletic Compliance Backgrounds at NCAA, UCincy, Ohio State, and Eastern Michigan!

This is far more then Little Stevie and Smaller Scotty. Pitt is better off with both of them gone! Just glad no one wanted Ben Howland back either, he belongs in Mississippi and that is not an insult to Mississippi State but that is where Opportunists End Up when they slip up elsewhere????

TCU helped his own Alma Mater get into the Big East that led to the Big-12 with a smart TCU President and Athletic Director that asked Jamie to help TCU and that is true Athletic Leadership. They rely and find the right people in seeking their own to grow just like Football Coach Patterson turning down many job offers. Wish Jamie well and can wait on Stallings to show he is better then he acted towards players that do not want to be around him?

This is the type of character TCU molded at TCU, unlike where Pederson, Howland, and Barnes went to learn how to displayed poorly for their own pockets and their consultants and glad all 3 are not at Pitt, all let down Pitt!

Pitt doesn't have to apologize to any them, they should just remain ashamed and stay away from Pitt, and could care less about any of them, just glad they are gone!

 

[FieldHouse12]

Barmes was the worst hire and AD in history.
He stayed 2 years and shit on pitt.
He has no loyalty to this area and should never step foot back in Pa.

 

[CaptainSidneyReilly]

Barmes was the worst hire and AD in history.
He stayed 2 years and shit on pitt.
He has no loyalty to this area and should never step foot back in Pa.

His Mommy needs him, even as Pitt has some of the Best Medical Expertise than anything in Oregon, what a sham, shame, and sooner he is gone the better Pitt is without watching Scotty grow into a man! maybe he can hire Pederson and Stallings if they retain Todd Turner as a Consultant?

 

[Las Panteras]

Barmes was the worst hire and AD in history.
He stayed 2 years and shit on pitt.
He has no loyalty to this area and should never step foot back in Pa.

Yea your right.....

Loyalty is a pre requisite in that line of work.........SMH........

 

[President Stache]

But my goodness, Barnes was an absolute debacle for Pitt. He totally destroyed the bball program...I mean why on earth would you try to run off the most successful coach Pitt has had in decades if you were planning on leaving.

Thanks Scott Barnes! Great job! But hey, at least he fully brought back script. That is what is important!!!!!!

They both completely sucked at their jobs. I think Barnes just was lazy, he may have been good when inspired??

 

[daminals76]

Stevie P. was 100 times better than Scott Barnes the basketball guy...

 

[Swervin27]

Barnes wasn't here long enough to suck as bad as you say. Bad hire sure but not around long enough to do any long term damage.

Btw, anyone know how is mother is doing. That whole "she is 83" thing really came out of nowhere, must have really been a shock to him. Someone should tell him she will be 84 in less than a year, get him prepared now

 

[Revenge Of The Noise]

Barnes was indeed awful. But Pederson was AD for the multiple years up to last that the program started going downhill with Dixon. Terrible assistants, recruiting support, conflicts on discipline. In many ways even harder to explain than what happened with Barnes, especially the Dixon side of it. He really was just burying the final inch of the axe in Dixon's back that Pederson/Nordenberg started. People only see that Dixon left and a washed up loser was hired unethically by Barnes to replace him ... But what is the whole story? Why did the previous admin allow things to go south with Dixon?

 

[pittdan77]

I thought Lyke was worse. She's obviously out to destroy the wrestling program.

 

[Revenge Of The Noise]

Barnes wasn't here long enough to suck as bad as you say. Bad hire sure but not around long enough to do any long term damage.

Btw, anyone know how is mother is doing. That whole "she is 83" thing really came out of nowhere, must have really been a shock to him. Someone should tell him she will be 84 in less than a year, get him prepared now

Was it mother or grandmother?

Other versions of the scenario are his sick daughter and lame cocker spaniel.

Dunno why he even felt he needed to concoct a story. Nobody holds it against athletic personnel who bolt from job to job. Even within a year. Usually more common with assistant coaches than HC and ADs, I'll grant. Certainly we are on the bleeding edge there!

I thought Lyke was worse. She's obviously out to destroy the wrestling program.

It's sad we're so conditioned to expect the worst automatically. But I challenge anyone to blame us given what we're used to.

 

[Delpanther]

But my goodness, Barnes was an absolute debacle for Pitt. He totally destroyed the bball program...I mean why on earth would you try to run off the most successful coach Pitt has had in decades if you were planning on leaving.

Thanks Scott Barnes! Great job! But hey, at least he fully brought back script. That is what is important!!!!!!

This how naive you are! Responsibility for the debacle that was the Pitt BB program last year and the decline in the program rests with the two guys who set this in motion, namely Petersen and Nordenberg. It started with their asinine decision to give Dixon a huge contract extension and their failure to insist in course corrections in the BB program when it was clear things were headed for the dumper. Nobody liked the Stallings hire but Petersen and Nordenberg are largely responsible fir rhis mess with their mishandling of Dixon.

 

[Revenge Of The Noise]

This how naive you are! Responsibility for the debacle that was the Pitt BB program last year and the decline in the program rests with the two guys who set this in motion, namely Petersen and Nordenberg. It started with their asinine decision to give Dixon a huge contract extension and their failure to insist in course corrections in the BB program when it was clear things were headed for the dumper. Nobody liked the Stallings hire but Petersen and Nordenberg are largely responsible fir rhis mess with their mishandling of Dixon.

You'll get bashed for this (or more likely ignored), because seemingly all on these boards think management of what amounts to two major league professional sports teams should be a part time hobby, that determining the vendor of loose leaf binders or how much to water down the Towers cafeteria salad dressing are more pressing concerns for Pitt management.

Vut what you described is indeed the case. It's not a question of which one, it's both. Both Dixon AND Stallings were problems. And likewise, blame goes to both the previous and current administrations. Both had big roles in the dumpster fire that the program suddenly finds itself. It's a significant story that i wish local media would dig into and expose, not to throw anyone idly under the bus but as a precautionary tale if Pitt ever hits the sports lottery again (because anytime we have success its blind ass luck). To shift a Seinfeld analogy to our situation: CHERISH THE CABIN. You stumble onto something great, don't squander it. Too late now, basketball is dead for at least 2-3 more years, but perhaps someday in the future Pitt will get another chance.

 

[Delpanther]

You'll get bashed for this (or more likely ignored), because seemingly all on these boards think management of what amounts to two major league professional sports teams should be a part time hobby, that determining the vendor of loose leaf binders or how much to water down the Towers cafeteria salad dressing are more pressing concerns for Pitt management.

Vut what you described is indeed the case. It's not a question of which one, it's both. Both Dixon AND Stallings were problems. And likewise, blame goes to both the previous and current administrations. Both had big roles in the dumpster fire that the program suddenly finds itself. It's a significant story that i wish local media would dig into and expose, not to throw anyone idly under the bus but as a precautionary tale if Pitt ever hits the sports lottery again (because anytime we have success its blind ass luck). To shift a Seinfeld analogy to our situation: CHERISH THE CABIN. You stumble onto something great, don't squander it. Too late now, basketball is dead for at least 2-3 more years, but perhaps someday in the future Pitt will get another chance.

It's not enough to hire the right coach. You have to monitor the way things are going under his auspices have and be objective in doing so. Petersen and Nordenberg gave Dixon a blank check. He filled in the number he wanted and the last 5 years ran the program, without outside interference, into the ground. Another case of incompetent management by the prior regime.

 

[RaleighPittFan]

But my goodness, Barnes was an absolute debacle for Pitt. He totally destroyed the bball program...I mean why on earth would you try to run off the most successful coach Pitt has had in decades if you were planning on leaving.

Thanks Scott Barnes! Great job! But hey, at least he fully brought back script. That is what is important!!!!!!

Are you suggesting that it's an either, or? That somehow we can't complain about what poor ADs Pederson and Barnes were, separate of each other?

How about they both were a poor fit for Pitt(sburgh)?

 

[Revenge Of The Noise]

I

It's not enough to hire the right coach. You have to monitor the way things are going under his auspices have and be objective in doing so. Petersen and Nordenberg gave Dixon a blank check. He filled in the number he wanted and the last 5 years ran the program, without outside interference, into the ground. Another case of incompetent management by the prior regime.

That's where you and I disagree. I think Pitt grudgingly (but to its credit) paid Dixon more, a couple different times, to keep him in the fold, indeed.

But each time, compensated (ironic word) for it by going cheap in other areas. Bad assistants, no bag money, etc.

In particular something seemed to spook / anger them about the Birch deal and they appeared to tighten the yolk around the "morals" too after that.

Either way, very suddenly, both recruiting and player development crumbled.
I see it as micromanaging and choking the golden goose rather than hands off.

Otherwise it would have had to been Jamie being lazy and unmotivated... And while he had faults, not working hard is NOT one of those. In fact as it crumbled, he appeared to be working desperately hard to compensate for the problems.

In short I think the more he made, the more they squeezed him. Then pushed him out to be a scapegoat. And went utterly low grade in replacement, because, well, they always do. Two wrongs (or several) over 6 years making one huge, bald wrong.

Now I certainly am not swearing I'm right, maybe JD took the money and checked out like you and others claim ... I honestly don't think so, and this past season seemed to corroborate my view ...
.. but either way it's frustratingly been completely ignored, yet really is a huge sports story...a colossal collapse of a great program within a mere couple years. It deserves to be uncovered.

 

[Delpanther]

I

That's where you and I disagree. I think Pitt grudgingly (but to its credit) paid Dixon more, a couple different times, to keep him in the fold, indeed.

But each time, compensated (ironic word) for it by going cheap in other areas. Bad assistants, no bag money, etc.

In particular something seemed to spook / anger them about the Birch deal and they appeared to tighten the yolk around the "morals" too after that.

Either way, very suddenly, both recruiting and player development crumbled.
I see it as micromanaging and choking the golden goose rather than hands off.

Otherwise it would have had to been Jamie being lazy and unmotivated... And while he had faults, not working hard is NOT one of those. In fact as it crumbled, he appeared to be working desperately hard to compensate for the problems.

In short I think the more he made, the more they squeezed him. Then pushed him out to be a scapegoat. And went utterly low grade in replacement, because, well, they always do. Two wrongs (or several) over 6 years making one huge, bald wrong.

Now I certainly am not swearing I'm right, maybe JD took the money and checked out like you and others claim ... I honestly don't think so, and this past season seemed to corroborate my view ...
.. but either way it's frustratingly been completely ignored, yet really is a huge sports story...a colossal collapse of a great program within a mere couple years. It deserves to be uncovered.

Whether your or my assumptions regarding the "facts" here are correct, either situation smacks of mismanagement by Pitt.

 

[VeroBeachPanther]

My two cents on the fall of the basketball program was when prima dona Khem Birch left the program, the recruiting class was already 'in the barn' and JD never recovered to get that quality big man to play the post.we were never the same.

Stallings was a terrible hire, but if he is pulling players out of Monteverdi in Florida, I'm willing to give him a little slack. Those kids at that school can ball......all day

 

[CaptainSidneyReilly]

Pederson concentrated on Rebuilding Basketball because it was easier to do it. Pederson was gone with Howland sooner for their Dream Jobs. Nordenberg & Interim AD's due to Big East being raided by ACC had a tough time attracting a Basketball Coach as rumors spread the Big East lose its BCS Bowl Bid as a Conference? Turns out Players Top recruits said we want Dixon and Nordy pulled that plug and it was good move for Pitt at that time.

Soon afterwards, Nordy brought in Wannstedt too and then brought back Pederson and they clashed and Pitt went into seeking to get into the ACC and did it with Cuse and followed by ND and ULou as UMD left for Big Ten.

Gallagher got rid of Pederson brought in Narduzzi to Rebuild Pitt football but brought in Basketball AD long afterwards after PN, and now Barnes is gone and Dixon too, and Stallings was saved by Pitt.

Now Pitt has a FB Coach for a few years, a basketball for next 6 years, and now Heather Lyke Vice New AD and shall see what happens?

 

[magadog]

Pederson concentrated on Rebuilding Basketball because it was easier to do it. Pederson was gone with Howland sooner for their Dream Jobs. Nordenberg & Interim AD's due to Big East being raided by ACC had a tough time attracting a Basketball Coach as rumors spread the Big East lose its BCS Bowl Bid as a Conference? Turns out Players Top recruits said we want Dixon and Nordy pulled that plug and it was good move for Pitt at that time.

Soon afterwards, Nordy brought in Wannstedt too and then brought back Pederson and they clashed and Pitt went into seeking to get into the ACC and did it with Cuse and followed by ND and ULou as UMD left for Big Ten.

Gallagher got rid of Pederson brought in Narduzzi to Rebuild Pitt football but brought in Basketball AD long afterwards after PN, and now Barnes is gone and Dixon too, and Stallings was saved by Pitt.

Now Pitt has a FB Coach for a few years, a basketball for next 6 years, and now Heather Lyke Vice New AD and shall see what happens?

The basketball program was the money maker during the new big east years. The television contract for football was peanuts. Peterson got the the money to develop the none revenue fields to make Pitt more attractive to the next ACC raid. If Pitt hadn't upgraded, they would have either partnered with WV & gone to the big 12 or been stuck in AAC purgatory like uconn or Cincinnati. Peterson did a lot of things that infuriated Pitt fans, there were some things that he did right.

 

[RaleighPittFan]

The basketball program was the money maker during the new big east years. The television contract for football was peanuts. Peterson got the the money to develop the none revenue fields to make Pitt more attractive to the next ACC raid. If Pitt hadn't upgraded, they would have either partnered with WV & gone to the big 12 or been stuck in AAC purgatory like uconn or Cincinnati. Peterson did a lot of things that infuriated Pitt fans, there were some things that he did right.

You remember, "Peterson got the money to develop the none revenue fields" differently than I. I remember Pitt being gifted the money and being told what to do with it. I'm pretty sure that would have happened regardless of who was AD at the time.

Steve Pedersen should be remembered for what he was, a very divisive AD who did little more than intentionally piss off generations of Pitt fans with his rebranding of Pitt(sburgh).

Pitt and Nebraska have something in common.

http://www.giveto.pitt.edu/campaign-story/petersen-sports-complex-0

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

But my goodness, Barnes was an absolute debacle for Pitt. He totally destroyed the bball program...I mean why on earth would you try to run off the most successful coach Pitt has had in decades if you were planning on leaving.

Thanks Scott Barnes! Great job! But hey, at least he fully brought back script. That is what is important!!!!!!

Barnes's reducing Jamie's buyout to hire Kevin Stallings is probably the worst decision ever made by a Pitt athletic director.

Unless you have a Miller or another big-time coach waiting in the wings, you tell Dixon he can go to TCU......as soon as the full buyout is paid. If he cries about it, you tell him he signed a contract.

 

[Nardog2]

100% agree with smf on this point

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

100% agree with smf on this point

Barnes's defense for reducing the buyoimut buyout was that Jamie wanted to be at TCU, his heart was there, and its not a good situation for a coach to be somewhere he doesn't want to be. OK, but #1, he would still be making $2 million/year to win games at Pitt so he better at least be professional enough to do his best even though he longs for Fort Worth steak houses. #2, is an upset Jamie Dixon worse than Kevin Stallings? Probably not.

I didn't have a huge problem with letting Jamie leave but only if the full buyout was paid. He was too good to let him go to hire a coach that Vanderbilt was going to fire.

 

[Swervin27]

100% agree with smf on this point

yep, two good ones by SMF back to back on Dixon. couldn't agree more with both.

 

[Revenge Of The Noise]

Barnes's reducing Jamie's buyout to hire Kevin Stallings is probably the worst decision ever made by a Pitt athletic director.

Unless you have a Miller or another big-time coach waiting in the wings, you tell Dixon he can go to TCU......as soon as the full buyout is paid. If he cries about it, you tell him he signed a contract.

It's only a mistake to fans. The administration was happy to be rid of his contract. And Barnes took orders from them, not you or me.

Gallagher and the trustees are to blame. The buck stops there in such major decisions, and the fire and hire of one of the two most high profile and highest paid university employees certainly qualifies.

This is where the anger should be directed.

 

[21Guns.]

The basketball program was the money maker during the new big east years. The television contract for football was peanuts. Peterson got the the money to develop the none revenue fields to make Pitt more attractive to the next ACC raid. If Pitt hadn't upgraded, they would have either partnered with WV & gone to the big 12 or been stuck in AAC purgatory like uconn or Cincinnati. Peterson did a lot of things that infuriated Pitt fans, there were some things that he did right.

Basketball is never the money maker. Even in the Big East the revenue from football dwarfed basketball revenue. I don't think people realize how low ratings are for college basketball outside of the tournament. Even the numbers for the most watched regular season basketball games is about the same as the average noon ESPN game.

 

[CaptainSidneyReilly]

Basketball is never the money maker. Even in the Big East the revenue from football dwarfed basketball revenue. I don't think people realize how low ratings are for college basketball outside of the tournament. Even the numbers for the most watched regular season basketball games is about the same as the average noon ESPN game.

You still here? Men's Basketball makes money a fact that happens but not Penn State?