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• David Gold says:

  February 4, 2010 at 5:39 pm

  Why is Cincy ranked higher that USC in the Polls

  Why? Because USC has all the 5 Stars? Cincy has all the 2 Star players> Answer: Bad coaching decisions at SC and GREAT coaching at Cincy. I think USC will do very well this year. Kiffin will make good business decisions and not base his decision on a father disagreeing with the USC staff. Who made Pete Carroll God. Vidal’s dad wasn’t getting the result from Pete so take the fight public. Pete Carroll is not use to dealing with strong black men but he got one from Mr Hazelton. Pete hires a guy name Joe Mendes for SC. Cornerstone Consulting. Remember this name folks. http://cornerstonesports.com/jmbio.html Ask Mike Garrett if this guy is not on their payroll. Former VP for the Redskins. His job is to help Pete prevent kids from leaving for the draft and push them in the direction of certain agents. They tried this with Mark Sanchez. Didn’t work. Tried it with Ray Mauluga. Didn’t work. Who knows who else kid they tried this with. LOOK people. I hate to bust your bubble but Pete Carroll is no saint. I saw an interview with Mark Sanchez on the NFL network. They asked him what advice does he have for Pete Carroll going to the Seahawks? He replied “Stay in school” Pete laughed when they played the clip for him. It is very easy to play nice guy on TV and in the public eyes. BUT. Do you folks ever wonder what really happens behind closed doors. There was a lot about to come down at USC. I got the inside scoop. Pete got out fast and boy did he run that 40 in a sub 4.3. THIS IS AN EXCLUSIVE. STAY TUNED FOLKS
• David Gold says:

  February 4, 2010 at 6:37 pm

  Don't count Vidal Hazelton out yet. He is the REAL DEAL. He was one of the main reason that the Bearcats was so successful. Brian Kelly awarded him the Scout Team MVP prior to leaving for ND. I believe Vidal was hindered by Steve Sarkisian at USC. It is one thing to have competition but the real question is: Will they allow you to compete. USC is notorious for this. Vidal's dad did not get along with USC and was caught in the middle of a dog fight. Because the can do it with the stable of players they recruit.This kid was by far the best player at USC but wasn't allowed to be the BALLER he is. What Pete Carroll and company tried to do was very petty. I look for Vidal having a great year and the NFL boards drafting him high in 2011. Maybe you should go take in a Cincy practice and see the TRUTH. Vidal is the REAL DEAL. 6' 3″” sub 4.4, Runs crisp and precise routes, VERY Physical and probably the best blocker I've seen in college football. Lane Kiffin was the man that recruited Vidal and he knows his stuff. I think SC is in so much better hands with Lane Kiffin calling the shots. That is why USC lost so much game. USC wasn't playing the best players. Lane Kiffin won't stand for that. He's all about business. Pete Carroll was a happy go lucky dude that won't last 2 years in the NFL if shorter. Nice guy but not NFL material. Go Trojans
• Charlie says:

  February 4, 2010 at 8:08 pm

  @David Gold, Penn State fans would have loved for Vidal Hazelton to matriculate here at Penn State instead of going to Southern Cal. Especially against his father's public wishes. It was his ability as a game changer that we coveted and was clearly disappointed when he signed his LOI with Pete Carroll instead of Joe Paterno.

  I simply find humor in the fact he spurned his father's advice for the glitz and glamour of Los Angeles only to transfer out to Cincinnati, Ohio afterwards. I am not familiar with the system Pete Carroll and his coaching staff runs at USC, but even during his recruitment, Hazelton's father publicly described Carroll as a shark and strongly preferred the program run by Joe Paterno. Unfortunately for us, that still wasn't enough to sway Vidal who could have made a huge impact in Happy Valley. But such is life when 18 year olds are allowed to make their own life choices and in turn, mistakes.
• Bill S. says:

  February 6, 2010 at 4:45 pm

  I love this reporting. LOL. Don't you worry, the Pitt fans are still here.

  I am trying to figure out the relevance of the link you provided. Was it to prove that “Wannstedt boldly claimed he wanted to build his “brick wall” around the WPIAL”? I'm curious. You'll have to let me know.

  Yeah, it sounds like you don't really think about us (Pitt) at all. This article proves it. LOL. Feel free to delete this post, if necessary.
• Charlie says:

  February 6, 2010 at 11:31 pm

  I really have to ask. What are you smoking? The relevance of the link I provided? Did you read the article at all or just scan for the word Pitt? I understand the degree from Pitt is as useful as toilet paper, but if the article points to a quote from Wannystache in 2005 and links to it, that would be relevant. But feel free to keep commenting, we could always use a few chuckles while at work.
• Bill S. says:

  February 7, 2010 at 1:24 am

  Where is there a single quote from Wannstedt in that article? Seriously. Please show me. Talk about using “journalistic liberties”. If you actually read and comprehended the article, the only person “claiming” anything is Walt Harris (and maybe the writer Kevin Gorman, second).
  Let's see: “Former Pitt coach Walt Harris once vowed to build a fence to keep prospects from leaving the region.” OK, Walt Harris vowed to do something. We'll take the writer at his word and believe that Harris must have actually said this.
  “The new Panthers coach is in the process of building a brick wall around the WPIAL.” I don't see Wannstedt boldly claiming anything. Is that how you interpret this? I see Gorman making a statement that Wannstedt is doing something. I mean, if you interviewed Wannstedt and he made that statement, then please post that as evidence and not some link that includes the opinion of a Trib writer–which somehow leads you to the assumption that Wannstedt “boldly declared” something. All I am saying is that if you have better evidence, then just post it. That's all.

  No, I did not go to Pitt (but nice try). You should post your SAT score and then we'll see if you are even an average student at the place I attended college. Based on the many falsities posted on this site, however, I wouldn't be inclined to believe you unless you provided some sort of “real evidence”.

  Come on, you've got to do better than this, Charlie. Yes, you can delete the post to avoid embarrassment.
• Bill S. says:

  February 7, 2010 at 1:30 am

  I love the attention you guys put on recruiting. The whole “smoke and mirrors” thing is funny. If you can't come to Heinz and beat us, then who cares about the number of “would be” Pitt recruits you get. LOL. I mean, really.

  Do you discuss PSU basketball or is this just a football site all year round? LOL.
• Charlie says:

  February 7, 2010 at 8:16 pm

  I am amused you think I can be embarrassed by anything posted online, especially anonymously. I actually enjoy your comments for the most part, and like I said before if there is a legitimate argument I appreciate the feedback even if I don't agree with them.

  Here's a New York Times article referring to one of Wannystache's original promises of erecting the figurative fence around Western Pennsylvania. Or are they not legitimate journalists there too?
  http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/28/sports/ncaafo...

  And an op-ed at Pitt's local newspaper referring to the very same fence
  http://community.post-gazette.com/blogs/bobsmiz...
• Bill S. says:

  February 7, 2010 at 10:51 pm

  Of course I would be embarrassed by posts like the ones that show up on this site.

  I can tell by your reply that you have missed the point yet again. LOL. This doesn't have to do with Kevin Gorman being a legitimate journalist. It has to do with the way you construct your articles (and you being a legitimate writer).

  The whole premise of this article is garbage. Please don't tell me you are trying to simply be informational here. I mean, the pie charts are neat and it is good to have your new recruits listed, but what does it prove? Your bitterness toward the SEC and Pitt is clearly apparent. I hope you are not trying to make some sort of point from this article. I don't see how it could really support anything. The new links you have posted talk of Pitt grabbing players out of PSU's backyard. So who cares about the wall over here when you are losing recruiting battles in Eastern PA? It's bologna.

  Why don't we do a pie chart of the SEC raiding the Big Ten? It makes very little sense to me. Oh, and it is bizarre that Florida is even considered SEC country (these “conference blueprint” things are ridiculous) since more teams in the ACC hail from Florida than the SEC. If better high school athletes are in Florida, go get them. If you have to go to Texas or California, go get them. Sure, a fair share of quality athletes are found right here in PA and Ohio.

  Really, is there a point to this article besides trying to bash Pitt or the SEC? Because even at that, you've done a poor job.
• Charlie says:

  February 7, 2010 at 11:06 pm

  You want to read articles with a Pitt and the SEC slant go to their blogs. Never have I ever claimed to be fair and balanced and I can play to my Blue and White biases as much as I like. The best part about this site being mine is I write about whatever issues I want. You don't like it? The back button is on the upper left hand corner. Doesn't Pitt have their own basketball issues to worry about, from that loss to WVU, I would say so. Plenty of other sites out there to troll buddy.
• Bill S. says:

  February 8, 2010 at 1:17 am

  OK, at least you are man enough to admit that you are doing it with a slant against the SEC and Pitt. That's a step toward being real. I'll take it (but don't tell me you don't even think about Pitt–because that wouldn't be true). You have the right to write articles the way that you do. Just like I have the right to complain about how ridiculous it sounds. It's cool. You can hit the delete button as many times as you want too.

  No, I am not really out to find articles with a Pitt and SEC slant. I just want honest reporting. Facts. My point is that they don't often show up here (but after your above post, maybe that isn't your intention in writing these articles).

  Haha. Are you really trying to bust on Pitt basketball? LOL.
• psudevon says:

  February 8, 2010 at 6:06 am

  How about this one:
  http://msnsportsnet.com/page.cfm?story=9477&cat...
  “A few years ago when Pitt coach Dave Wannstedt issued his challenge of building a wall around Pittsburgh’s top football prospects, that raised more than a few eyebrows”

  Just google “Wanny's Wall.” It's something he'd talked about extensively, every coach does. Wanny wanted the WPIAL to be a stepping stone to playing at Pitt. That didn't turn out the way he expected, did it?
• psudevon says:

  February 8, 2010 at 6:10 am

  Dude. If you were recruiting like we are, and we like you, you'd be the fanbase talking trash. Recruiting isn't a guarantee for success, but you've surely heard the adage “football is won in living rooms, not in locker rooms.” Why is USC, Florida, Texas, et al. competing for the championship every year? Because they're bringing in every kid they want. When you recruit as well as we did this year, you've got something legitimate to brag about, especially when Pitt pulled in a very mediocre class. When Pitt and Penn State go after the same kids, kids from Pittsburgh with STRONG ties to Pitt (Rickett's dad played there, Dieffenbach's dad coaches there), and they pick Penn State, that says more about the state of each program, doesn't it, especially when Wanny just led you to your best season in a long time, than one game, that could go either way, right? I wish we played you every year, but to play once would be a travesty. No smoke and mirrors, just a reaffirmation that Penn State is on a different level than Pitt. Accept that and we can move on.
• psudevon says:

  February 8, 2010 at 6:14 am

  I found that slightly comical, but then again, we're a football school. Your hoops teams have accomplished more than your football teams over the past couple decades.

  We're reporting on Penn State and the Big Ten because we're a Penn State blog. I could name half the roster of any B10 team you give me, and I can tell you about our recruits, because those are the programs Penn State measures itself against. Sure, maybe our fathers and uncles cared about beating Pitt, but Charlie and I are the next generation. To us, a win over Ohio State makes our season, and we'd like to play Pitt like a big brother likes to go 1-on-1 with his little bro. Because it's a scenario where we're better than you at virtually everything, and even though winning (recruiting battles, in the rankings, in terms of attendance, fan enthusiasm) doesn't mean much, seeing y'all get so worked up makes it all worth it.
• LOL says:

  February 10, 2010 at 2:59 am

  I still don't get why this Bill S. is bitching about reading stuff with a Penn State slant here. He is smart enough to realize this is a Penn State fan site right? But then again, being a Pitt fan, you might want to include that in your title just to make sure he is aware of it.
• psudevon says:

  February 21, 2010 at 4:21 am

  Bill, find me recruits that Pitt got that PSU really wanted. You guys got Anthony Gonzalez because you would recruit him as a QB, and we did as a safety, and all reports were that if we'd given him a shot at QB, he'd have picked PSU. Andrew Carswell? Didn't have a Penn State offer. The only guy I see from this year was TJ Clemmings. And I can't think of anyone with PSU ties who hasn't picked PSU while your kids have gone to Pitt's biggest rival. When it comes to recruiting, you can't claim to compete with Penn State.
• psudevon says:

  February 21, 2010 at 4:24 am

  You want me to send you my 1510? I'm sure that's more than enough for me and Charlie. But I'm not here to brag about my SAT score, I'm here to talk about Penn State football, and how it's far superior to Pitt.

  In the past 5 years, Penn State has 51 wins, 4 bowl wins, 2 BCS games, and 2 partial conference championships. Since coming to Pitt, Wannstedt has 35 wins (in 5 years), 1 bowl win, and no finishes in the Big East higher than 2nd. Don't bring up 2000. Don't bring up basketball. Try and show me one thing Pitt has done better than Penn State since Wanny came aboard.
• Charlie says:

  February 21, 2010 at 9:20 pm

  Devon, there's really no point trying with Bill S. I don't even bother going through his dribble and some people just don't know how to play nice so he gets the ban hammer. He can come back as often as he wants on different computers, but its as simple as 2 clicks to remove and ban. SAT score? What juvenile argument/comeback is that. It's like a pissing match with the guy. Like I mentioned, just 2 simple clicks and we barely break a sweat.
• psudevon says:

  February 28, 2010 at 7:07 pm

  This is funny. 2000 is your argument? 2000? You're aware that Penn State went 5-7 and lost to Toledo, right? Hell, TOLEDO BEAT US WORSE THAN YOU DID, 24-6 as opposed to 12-0. Penn State in 2000 was just an awful football team. And again, I don't get why that matters if we're talking about the games being played NOW. Bill, if you're bringing up 2000, then it makes just as much sense for me to say “1981″ or to say that before 2000, we'd won 7 in a row. I don't get how you can remotely claim bragging rights when you haven't won the Big East outright in decades, when your recruiting classes stink, and when you're losing the sons of alumni and Pitt coaches to Penn State. You're about as delusional as the Obama birthers and 9/11 conspiracy nuts, times the people who think LBJ killed Kennedy.
• psudevon says:

  February 28, 2010 at 7:09 pm

  Congratulations, you won an out-of-conference game. I hope that kept a smile on your face while you were collapsing down the stretch and losing the only two meaningful games of the year. But hey, great job winning the Meineke Car Care Bowl. That's almost as prestigious as the Capital One, right?
• Bill S. says:

  April 2, 2010 at 1:30 pm

  Your “better than Pitt at virtually everything” comment really speaks for itself. To me, I am so glad you posted that because it tells me that what I see/hear from the majority of Penn State fans is true. Clearly, you would have never posted that if you didn’t believe it to be true. It was great because it gave me insight into what is actually running through your mind. You honestly believe that statement and you managed to let it slip out. Talk about “showing your hand”. That’s the bias and arrogance I am talking about. Your statement is more than being a fan or having pride in your team. I am a die-hard Pitt fan, but you would never hear me utter the statement “Pitt is better than PSU at virtually everything” (EVEN THOUGH it is more likely that Pitt football + Pitt basketball is greater than PSU football + PSU basketball). The arrogance is clearly evident. When provided with clear facts to the contrary, you still hold to your statement. Don’t worry, I know the type and it is nothing new to me. Of course that is why your statement disappeared from this site. (Don’t worry, given your belief that you are better than us at nearly everything, if I had lost as many head-to-head matchups in a row to Pitt as you have, I’d delete it too. No wonder Charlie says “forget head-to-head matchups”. It’s all so clear to me now! LOL.)

  At this point, you probably want to throw basketball out. OK. Still, my point would be that the so-called “superiority” or “dominance” of PSU football over Pitt football is marginal (at best) and possibly not even true (at worst). Again, current level of play is the basis here (and not recruiting, legendary coaches, large fan base, or who sells more cotton candy at the games). This point may be spelled out even more after the 2010 season.

  Congrats on the 1510, Devon. You guys crack me up so much, though. I’ll be sure to check back in later for a few more laughs.
• Bill S. says:

  April 2, 2010 at 1:30 pm

  2000 isn’t my argument. I’m talking about current level of play (and how many times do I have to say that?). I only bring it up because I like hearing what ridiculous excuse you’ll come up with next. If you want to go back there, though, we can. All of your talk about Toledo and every other team that beat you in 2000 is an attempt to DEFLECT the fact that you lost to Pitt. A loss to Pitt in 2000 is simply that: a loss to Pitt. Why should I care if you lost to all of those other teams? You still didn’t beat us. I’ve noticed your method of debating/trying to prove a point always goes back to picking one minute fact from the season and trying to make it stick (when it just doesn’t). Not only is your methodology easy to apply, but the arguments are easy to overcome. Do I have to go pick some silly little fact out of the 2000 season to make the win against PSU look legitimate? I guess I have to make it look like Pitt was bad that year too. Hmmm…let’s see. We beat an awful Temple squad 7-0 in 2000. Now, do I really think that did much to solidify my point? No, but apparently you do. In fact, you’ll probably twist that into meaning that PSU had a REALLY bad year since we beat you by more than we did Temple (thus, discrediting Pitt’s win even more). Talk about nonsense.

  This is great. I knew you would somehow get back to recruiting. LOL.
• Bill S. says:

  April 2, 2010 at 1:33 pm

  Well, according to your buddy Sagarin, that prestigious Capital One Bowl win isn’t convincing enough to enable you to defeat Pitt at Heinz. I guess he doesn’t think it is as big of a deal as you make it sound on here. LOL. I’m not surprised.

  I guess your meaningful game was the one against LSU because we know how the other two turned out.
• Bill S. says:

  April 2, 2010 at 1:33 pm

  “SAT score? What juvenile argument/comeback is that.”

  Well, Charlie, it’s kind of like saying this:
  “I understand the degree from Pitt is as useful as toilet paper.”

  Come on, now. Wise up. There’s very little difference there.