SB Nation Pittsburgh: All Posts by Pat O'Mahony

The First Weekly ACC Roundup

2013-05-17T17:45:15Z

As we already know, Pitt is heading to a new home in a few shorts weeks. To make sure everyone is prepared, I'm starting a weekly roundup of news and notes from around the conference. I'm hoping to make this a Friday tradition and a nice way to send you all into the weekend. We'll start alphabetically so as not to play favorites, because if I were, Wake Forest would most certainly be first.

Boston College: The Eagles bloggers at BC Interruption are in favor of moving the ACC tourney to MSG. But not so fast.

Clemson: The Tigers baseball team (and their awesome unis) are taking on FSU in an Atlantic Division battle. Shakin the Southland brings the heat.

Duke: The Blue Devils face Notre Dame in the quarterfinals of the NCAA lacrosse tourney. Duke needed two overtimesto beat Loyola (Md.) last weekend. Offered without comment: a guy named 'Deemer' plays for Duke. That's all.

Florida State: Andrew Wiggins, the top basketball recruit in the nation, didn't pick the Seminoles. Sucks to be them, but at least they haven't lost nearly half their team via transfer, the NBA, scurvy...or whatever the heck is going on at Pitt.

Georgia Tech: Pitt fans aren't the only ones who fantasize about stadiums!!!

Maryland: The traitors, I mean Terrapins, released their 2014 B1G football schedule. It's...um...shall we say...a baptism by fire.

Miami: The Canes were once a powerhouse on the diamond, not so much in 2013. They may not even make the ACC tournament.

NC State: While Pitt fans are wondering the NBA fate of Steven Adams, Pack fans are doing the same with the maddeningly inconsistent C.J. Leslie.

North Carolina: UNC probably has the best baseball team in the country...outside of Oakland, am I right? Or am I right?

Syracuse: Something, something, lacrosse, something, whatever.

Virginia: The Hoos and their 3rd ranked RPI travel to Chapel Hill to face the 2nd ranked Heels.

Virginia Tech: The Hokies added Michigan to their 2020 and 2021 slates. I have nothing clever, solid addition, analysis here.

Wake Forest: Pitt fans, take note, this is how you try to fire an AD (Please, don't get any ideas).

So that concludes the first annual ACC Roundup. Hopefully this will become a weekly piece. To cap it off, I'm going to post a music video of my choice, with one rule, no Dave Matthews since Anson has that covered.

Vampire Weekend - Step (via VampireWeekendVEVO)

Be sure to join Cardiac Hill's Facebook page and follow us on Twitter@PittPantherBlog for our regular updates on Pitt athletics. Follow me @The_Incline.

Five reasons to be excited for Pitt Football in 2013...and five reasons why you should be worried

2013-04-30T14:00:04Z

Football season is a little over five months away. It may seem like a long way away, but it will be here before you know it. We're deep into the doldrums of the dead season. No football. No basketball. We all have to pretend like we follow the baseball team. Dark times indeed. To hold you all over and to get a little conversation going about the 2013 season, I present five reasons to get excited for the 2013 campaign. And as a Pitt fan, it is also my job to also bring you five reasons to be fearful of next season, because let's face it, the first five things will never pan out.

Five reasons to be excited:

Year two under Paul Chryst: The anti-Graham, as I like to call him, will have another year to implement his system and mold his players. There has been roster cleansing this spring, and more may come, but Chryst is slowly getting "his" players. Another year should mean more progress.
A new quarterback: My money is on Tom Savage, the well-traveled Senior. Chad Voytik may make a push in the fall or see early playing time if Savage underperforms. In either case, it will be nice to see a new face under center.
The defense should be pretty good: The secondary, led by K'Waun Williams, Lafayette Pitts, and Jason Hendricks, should be physical and the strength of the defense. Aaron Donald and Ty Ezell will pack a punch in the middle of the line. The linebackers are always a question mark, but Todd Thomas is solid and Anthony Gonzalez has been getting some good reviews in spring for his athleticism.
New blood: Pitt had a pretty decent recruiting class, all things considered. It will be interesting to see if redshirt Freshman Adam Bisnowaty sees playing time. The same can be said for true freshman Tyler Boyd and Dorian Johnson.
ACC foes: The home schedule should excite the fan base. A few wins would help, too. Nothing would be better than on Labor Day when the Seminoles of Florida State come to Heinz Field.

And now, if you weren't a naturally pessimistic Pitt fan (hah!), here are some reasons for concern:

A new quarterback: What's that you say? I just said that was a reason to be excited above, I know, but I guess things can always get worse. The fear of the unknown, etc. etc.
Offensive line: Quick. Name Pitt's possible starting o-line for next year. You can't. Depth will also be an issue, meaning the aforementioned Johnson and Bisnowaty may be forced into action before they're ready.
Running Back depth: I'm confident in Isaac Bennett and company, but I'm not confident in their ability to suddenly multiply. If one or two guys go down, this group will be even more thin than they are right now if that's even possible.
Special Teams: Pitt needs more out of its kicking and return games, plain and simple. Kicking cost them at South Bend where they could have spared the nation a blowout in the BCS title game. Freshman Chris Blewitt is a headline writers dream and will compete for the starting PK job. I don't see how this can end bad...
ACC foes: Again, another contradiction. The ACC schedule is both a blessing and a curse. A blessing for fans wanting to see quality opponents and surely for those selling tickets in the Athletic Department. It may be a curse for a team a year or two away from reaching its full potential. I have 2014 pegged as a year where Pitt can make some noise, but they may have to take their lumps in 2013.

So there you have it. Pitt is capable of having a solid introductory campaign in the ACC. They could also have a bumpy ride. As Pitt fans, we've learned to expect the worst and hope for the best.

Be sure to join Cardiac Hill's Facebook page and follow us on Twitter@PittPantherBlog for our regular updates on Pitt athletics.

Tino Sunseri granted a sixth year of eligibility

2013-04-01T20:00:05Z

In what can only be described as earth-shattering news, at least for Pitt fans, the Athletic Department has released a statement confirming news that has essentially come out of nowhere: Tino Sunseri has been granted a sixth year of eligibility.

Head coach Paul Chryst stated:

"We’re really glad to have Tino back for another season. It’s pretty neat actually. We were expecting a battle for the quarterback position this season, but with this news it will give Chad another season to sit back and learn from a seasoned veteran and master of his position. It’s a unique situation, something I’ve never seen before, but we’re going to go with it. It’s going to be really neat."

After a day of big news surrounding Pitt athletics, the NCAA’s decision here is surprising, especially given the fact that the signal-caller’s petition was never publicized. There are rumors circulating that Sunseri had a severe case of food poisoning his redshirt freshman year that kept him from participating for much of the season. The source of the food poisoning is rumored to be one of Oakland's fine eating establishments. Our sources could not confirm the exact location.

We’ll have more on this later as we hear more from the staff. As always, enjoy your first day of April.

Check your calendar. That is all.

Finally, a reason to be excited for Pitt football

2013-03-01T13:00:03Z

Have you all seen this? Isn't it glorious? When have we, as Pitt fans, been this excited over a team that probably isn't even going to be that good? I'd wager a bet and say never.

There are a lot of things to be excited about concerning this Pitt team. Rushel Shell is going to be "the guy". Paul Chryst is into year two (hopefully he'll get rid of his Andy Reid disease). Tyler Boyd and Dorian Johnson should make an impact as freshmen. And Tino Sunseri won't be the quarterback. There's a lot of good news to look forward to without even mentioning the schedule.

However, the most exciting part of the 2013 season has nothing to do with the Panthers. It has to do with their opponents. Florida State. At home. Monday night. To open the season. Excuse me while I go breathe into a bag. Miami on the day after Thanksgiving? Yes, please. Notre Dame at home? Thank you college football Jesus (and of course by that I mean Steve Pederson). No offense to the Rutgers, South Floridas, UCONNs of the world, but this is what it feels like when you get that really nice pair of work shoes. Once you try them on, you're left wondering what you were missing all these years. You also vow to never go back to those crappy Skechers. Apologies to our Big East brethren, but we're moving on and we couldn't be happier. It's unfortunate to see some teams left behind in the shuffle, but that's the nature of the business nowadays.

So, Pitt fans, use this excitement for some good. Buy those season tickets and fill Heinz Field. Tell your friends. Then measure your own excitement and wonder how the players feel. I expect a ton of effort this season, more so than usual. It's going to be a fun journey. So, enjoy your new pair of shoes and get comfortable...

...until half of the ACC is raided by the Big Ten.

When it comes to recruiting, Pitt head coach Paul Chryst is proving his doubters wrong

2013-02-05T15:00:02Z

The early knock on first year head coach Paul Chryst was that he lacked the charisma to attract recruits. Well, signing day is one day away and the doubters are pretty quiet.

Chryst and Pitt have put together, on paper, one of the school's best classes in recent memory. It’s also one of the largest. While classes can sometimes fail to reach expectations, Pitt’s is important for a variety of reasons. First, there are some legitimate players in positions of need expected to sign with the Panthers. Most important is probably Belle Vernon’s Dorian Johnson. Chryst and Wisconsin churned out offensive linemen at an alarmingly effective rate and the coach is looking to do the same at Pitt. Johnson is the first huge prospect for Chyrst as coach of the Panthers

Secondly, Pitt needs bodies, plain and simple. The coaching changes depleted the roster to the point where some positions, like offensive line and linebacker, have become extremely thin. By sheer numbers, this class is impressive. However, that’s not what impresses me the most about Chryst and his staff’s ability to bring in players considering the current state of the program.

For all those out there who said Paul Chryst doesn’t have the charisma, that he can’t sell the snake oil, and that he doesn’t have the Yinzer hucksterism of Dave Wannstedt, the new ball coach has proven them wrong for the time being. Pitt’s class is ranked by Rivals as the 29th best class in the nation. Scout has Pitt as the 17th best class in the country, and first in the ACC. Rankings are usually wrong and no indication of how these players will perform and be coached, but it is impressive nonetheless.

Just think about it for a second. What has Pitt football done in the past few years to warrant such a class? Hell, what has Pitt football done in the last 30 years? Pitt has potential, a new home, and some nice facilities. Hopefully, Paul Chryst will coach these players and mold them into a championship-caliber team. If he doesn’t, I’m sure Dave Wannstedt will understand.

Be sure to join Cardiac Hill's Facebook page and follow us on Twitter @PittPantherBlog for our regular updates on Pitt athletics.

A Pitt fan’s guide to life in the ACC

2013-01-23T13:00:06Z

As a Pitt alumnus and fan living in the heart of ACC country for the last three years, I feel like an expert on all things Atlantic and Coastal. Not really, but I’ve made a few observations Pitt fans should taken into account. Today, I’m here to give you all a handy guide to life in the ACC. With the announcement of Pitt’s 2013 ACC schedule causing Pitts fans to salivate over the prospects of not playing Rutgers and Cincinnati ever again, I feel now is the time to prepare you for life in the South.

So, without further adieu, here are some suggestions, tips, and warnings about life in the ACC:

Pitt is joining the Coastal Division of the ACC and will be the northernmost school in that division. Therefore all division games require a drive south for Pitt fans. This means Pitt fans will also see things they don’t experience often in Pittsburgh. Most notably, the sun.
If you’re traveling through North Carolina, Virginia, and South Carolina (hopefully not in that order), you must stop at a Cook-Out. You can get a barbecue plate and a milkshake for less than $6. Look at this menu! This brings me to my next point...
Barbecue is a noun not a verb. Barbecue is generally pulled/chopped pork, and served Carolina (vinegar-based) style. It’s the way to go (the only way if you’re in NC).
College sports rule in the South. If Pitt is getting spanked, for instance, at Clemson sometime in the future, don’t respond with some argument about "them Stillers" and their Lombardi trophies. No one cares.
Gameday attire is going to be a huge issue for Pitt fans. In the South, not just in the ACC, football games are a social event. T-shirts, jeans, and painted faces are unacceptable for the most part. They’re about sundresses, pastels, collared shirts, dress pants, and boat shoes. While there will be some exceptions, this is not a bad thing. However, some may experience culture shock.
Here’s another stereotype that I’ve found to be true living in the South: people are actually friendlier. "Southern Hospitality" is actually a thing. You’ll be chatted up by tailgaters, neighbors, strangers, waitresses. It’s really quite nice. Just don’t ask for a ‘pop’, you’ll get a look and a chuckle. Remember to be nice and courteous.
I just realized I’ve been ignoring our old friends at Boston College, but I doubt anyone noticed or cared. (LOOK, WE'RE FITTING IN ALREADY!)
A lot of Pitt alums now reside in the South, especially in the Triangle (Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill), so expect a nice showing at away games. And Pittsburghers, please make the easy drive down through the mountains. Enjoy a nice weekend getaway in Raleigh, Chapel Hill, Charlottesville, or wherever else the Panthers travel.
Remember to honk when you drive past Morgantown.
And most importantly: "Y’all" not "Yinz".

Life is the ACC will be new and different - it’s best if you start preparing now.

Be sure to join Cardiac Hill's Facebook page and follow us on Twitter@PittPantherBlog for our regular updates on Pitt athletics. Follow me for more random musings from ACC country @The_Incline.

NHL lockout over as hockey returns to Pittsburgh

2013-01-06T17:27:18Z

At 5 a.m. Sunday morning, something wonderful happened. Two sides that bickered endlessly in perhaps the silliest work stoppage in all of sports (and possibly in the history of labor) finally came to an agreement on terms that could have been settled, in say, July. No more talk about escrow, or HRR, or federal mediators. Now we can finally, finally, talk about things on the ice.

Before we do, we should remember that there are no winners in this situation. Don Fehr looks bad. Gary Bettman may look even worse. The owners look greedy. The players look greedy. Issues that could have been resolved months ago were agreed upon before sunrise on January 6, 2013. Why? Because they knew we'd be back. I guess it's one of the downfalls of having some of the most loyal fans in all of sports. I'm almost surprised they didn't cancel the season knowing that we would still show up next season. Instead, the deal was brokered and names will appear on the cup.

We should also remember the workers, hundreds and thousands of nameless workers, who keep the arenas clean, take your ticket, pour your beers before the game, pour your beers during the game, and throw away your trash. These people have been out of work, or have seen significantly less work, in the past four months. What the NHL did to those people was unfair, and if anyone has the right to be angry, it's them.

It looks like we'll have a 48 or 50 game season. The NHL season is usually a marathon and a grind, but now we're going to see a sprint to the playoffs. Intra-divisional games will be plentiful. Rivalries will be front and center. It's going to be hockey at its best. Frantic, frenzied, and competitive. As Penguins fans, we're going to see Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, in their prime, tear through the NHL with an intensity never seen before. We get to talk about wingers for Sid. The trade deadline is probably a few weeks away. We'll finally see Brandon Sutter in a Pens sweater. And yes, we'll be able to blame Paul Martin for everything bad that happens.

Hockey is finally back. And for some, it has a whole different meaning. Let's drop the puck. It's a hockey night in Pittsburgh.

Evaluating the expectations of Pitt basketball heading into Big East play

2012-12-21T16:00:33Z

The Panthers' lackluster non-conference schedule ends this Sunday against Kennesaw State. Pitt opens Big East play on New Years Eve against the eleventh-ranked Cincinnati Bearcats. We're nearly halfway through the season, but what do we really know about this team? We've graded the performance so far, but it's hard to get a real handle on the situation based on the opponents (Are Howard, Bethune Cookman, and Lehigh great barometers?).

First, we know that they can hang with the best of them. Pitt gave a very talented Michigan team all they could handle at Madison Square Garden. The Wolverines, still undefeated and ranked 2nd in the nation, trailed for the majority of that game. James Robinson proved his talent and his "it" factor. Steven Adams has had some rough games, but is showing improvement. Guys like Tray Woodall and Lamar Patterson have played as expected. And some players, especially Talib Zanna, are breaking out.

Secondly, Pitt has done what they were supposed to do so far. They have one loss to a strong team on a neutral court. This is good news for Panther fans. They avoided a slip-up at home against Oakland. Pitt has dispatched their opponents with regular conviction and confidence. That is nice to see.

But again, how can we measure this team? What should we expect against the Cincinnati's, Louisville's, and Syracuse's of the world? We'll find out soon, but I'm curious to see where you envision the Panthers finishing in their final season in the Big East. Can they win the conference? Maybe, I haven't seen evidence that they can't...or that they can. In either case, this should be a fun team to watch the rest of the way. I think they might even surprise us.

Everyone enjoy your holidays and safe travels. Here's an appropriate song to leave you with today:

R.E.M. - It's The End Of The World (via emimusic)

Be sure to join Cardiac Hill's Facebook page and follow us on Twitter @PittPantherBlog for our regular updates on Pitt athletics.