Spring Break
Season opener the Pitts
Kevin Duffy
Issue date: 9/2/08 Section: Sports
Pitt led Bowling Green 14-0 in the second quarter, but was outscored 27-3 for the remainder of the game. As the final whistle blew, the Falcons jumped on each other in celebration. The Panthers hopelessly drifted into their home locker room in much the same way that West Virginia did last December.
Say what you want about Pitt, but it is difficult to break down the situation any better than comedian Frank Caliendo did in a skit where he impersonated (and hilariously mocked) ESPN's Jim Rome.
"Dave Wannstedt at Pitt, harsher than my goatee," Caliendo said. "First the NFL, now college. Dude, which Pennsylvania high school do you have your eye on next?"
"Altoona High?," he said. "I like Altoona High. I also like making myself laugh. Hysterical."
As funny as Caliendo (and Rome) can be, Wannstedt's tenure at Pitt is no laughing matter. He consistently brings in blue-chip prospects and his team routinely finishes in the bottom half of a weak Big East conference.
Pitt had no business being brought up in a conversation that may have slightly pertained to the top 25. To put a UConn spin on it, the Huskies annihilated the Panthers, 34-14, on the road last season. UConn finished 9-4 and returned nearly every starter, which earned it the No. 39 ranking in both polls. Pitt got lucky in one game, ended the year 5-7, and somehow was voted as the 25th best team in the country.
The point is two-fold. A: I'm a UConn fan and Pitt's pathetic loss was an easy opportunity to bash a rival. B: Pitt serves as clear evidence that there should be no pre-season rankings, and furthermore, rankings should not come out until at least the third week of the season.
Preseason rankings shouldn't set the tone for the rest of the season, but they do. Take the 2004 Auburn Tigers, for example. The Tigers finished undefeated, but because they were ranked No. 17 in the preseason poll, they were unable to surpass Oklahoma and USC in the rankings and thus deprived of a chance to play for the national championship.
How does this apply to Pitt? Well, it doesn't really. Mentioning the Panthers in the same breath as "national championship" is like mentioning Wannstedt in the same breath as "good coaching." Despite landing 17 four-star recruits in the past three seasons - UConn has signed just two in that time - Wannstedt has compiled a dismal 16-20 record since taking the reigns.
So, on Dec. 6, when Wannstedt's 3-7 Panthers roll into Rentschler Field and get blown out by the 8-2 Huskies (who will still be unranked, might I add), take note that you have just witnessed Wannstedt's last game on the Pittsburgh sidelines.
It's not all bad though. When Wannstedt struts into the athletic director's office at Altuna High on Dec. 7, at least he can say "Hey, I coached my team to the top 25."
That has to be good for something, right?
Say what you want about Pitt, but it is difficult to break down the situation any better than comedian Frank Caliendo did in a skit where he impersonated (and hilariously mocked) ESPN's Jim Rome.
"Dave Wannstedt at Pitt, harsher than my goatee," Caliendo said. "First the NFL, now college. Dude, which Pennsylvania high school do you have your eye on next?"
"Altoona High?," he said. "I like Altoona High. I also like making myself laugh. Hysterical."
As funny as Caliendo (and Rome) can be, Wannstedt's tenure at Pitt is no laughing matter. He consistently brings in blue-chip prospects and his team routinely finishes in the bottom half of a weak Big East conference.
Pitt had no business being brought up in a conversation that may have slightly pertained to the top 25. To put a UConn spin on it, the Huskies annihilated the Panthers, 34-14, on the road last season. UConn finished 9-4 and returned nearly every starter, which earned it the No. 39 ranking in both polls. Pitt got lucky in one game, ended the year 5-7, and somehow was voted as the 25th best team in the country.
The point is two-fold. A: I'm a UConn fan and Pitt's pathetic loss was an easy opportunity to bash a rival. B: Pitt serves as clear evidence that there should be no pre-season rankings, and furthermore, rankings should not come out until at least the third week of the season.
Preseason rankings shouldn't set the tone for the rest of the season, but they do. Take the 2004 Auburn Tigers, for example. The Tigers finished undefeated, but because they were ranked No. 17 in the preseason poll, they were unable to surpass Oklahoma and USC in the rankings and thus deprived of a chance to play for the national championship.
How does this apply to Pitt? Well, it doesn't really. Mentioning the Panthers in the same breath as "national championship" is like mentioning Wannstedt in the same breath as "good coaching." Despite landing 17 four-star recruits in the past three seasons - UConn has signed just two in that time - Wannstedt has compiled a dismal 16-20 record since taking the reigns.
So, on Dec. 6, when Wannstedt's 3-7 Panthers roll into Rentschler Field and get blown out by the 8-2 Huskies (who will still be unranked, might I add), take note that you have just witnessed Wannstedt's last game on the Pittsburgh sidelines.
It's not all bad though. When Wannstedt struts into the athletic director's office at Altuna High on Dec. 7, at least he can say "Hey, I coached my team to the top 25."
That has to be good for something, right?
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