76-61

In a Facebook post today, friend Dave Finoli posted that "One of the true joys of attending a sporting event is that you just never know what you might see when you do."  Never has that statement been more true than in reference to yesterday's Pitt -Syracuse football game, won by Pitt by a score of - and you are reading this correctly - 76-61.

So much went on in this game and at such a dizzying pace, that you really can't even remember all of the dazzling plays that unfolded before you on the Heinz Field gridiron yesterday.  Just some highlights.....

• 1,312 yards of total offense between both teams
• Twenty touchdowns
• Seven touchdown plays of 35 yards or more
• A Pitt DB scoring a TD on a thirty yard interception return.  It was the one and only significant defensive play of the entire game by either team.
• A WR for Syracuse catching five TD passes.
• Syracuse's back-up quarterback passed for 440 yards, threw five TD passes and scored two other TD's rushing.
• Kicker Chris Blewitt set a Pitt record by making ten PAT's in the game.  I am guessing that that is a record that will stand for a long, long time.
• On two consecutive offensive plays in the second quarter, Pitt scored on sweeps running around right end.  One went for 66 yards, the other for 77 yards.
• Early in the third quarter, Pitt established a 28 point lead.  They never lost that lead, but Syracuse kept coming back and scoring.  The game was in doubt pretty much until the last minute and half, when the Orange failed, for the third time in the game, to recover an onside kick.
• Pitt, a twenty-four point favorite, scored 76 points and failed to cover the spread.

Purists will no doubt rail about the complete and total crumminess of the defenses of both teams, and they would be correct, but, what the hell, that was one wildly entertaining football game yesterday.

A little piece of advice when you watch whatever Bowl Game Pitt ends up playing:  Do not leave the TV set unless the game is in a commercial break, because you just never know  what that Panther Offense might generate, or what the Pitt Defense might allow, if you turn your head for even a moment.

Thanks to Pat Narduzzi, James Conner, Nate Peterman, Quadree Henderson and the entire Pitt Panther team for giving us an exciting and entertaining season.  I was not shortchanged by a single penny of any of the money spent for my season tickets in 2016.

H2P!

Second Guessing Narduzzi

I am not one who makes a habit of second guessing professional coaches and managers, and yes, I realize that this is a statement that one makes right before they second guess a coach or a manager.  I figure that they make big bucks to make hard decisions, and they know more - a LOT more - about the X's and O's of their sports and the skills of their teams than I do.  That said, I am now going into the Second Guess business, at least as far as last night's Pitt game is concerned.

A prior commitment prevented me from attending last night's Pitt - Virginia Tech game, which Tech won by a score of 39-36, and, in fact, I didn't get home until late in the third quarter.  When I turned on the game, the score stood at 22-21, Virginia Tech.  I saw Tech score to go up 29-21, and then watched the ensuing offensive fireworks by both teams that culminated in Pitt scoring with little more than two minutes remaining in the game to draw within three points, 39-36, of VT.

Head Coach Pat Narduzzi, or HCPN, as he is called on the message boards, could have then done one of two things at that point.

1. Attempted an onside kick to get his offense back on the field in a last ditch effort to win the game or tie the game and go into overtime.
2. Kick off normally and use his three remaining times out to stop Tech and get the ball back on a punt and drive the length of the field to score and either tie or win the game. As you all know, this is the option that HCPN chose.

Based upon the seventeen minutes or so that I saw of that game up to that point, the onside kick seemed to be the only option for Pitt.  Yes, the odds of recovering an onside kick are small, but were they any smaller that the odds of Pitt stopping and preventing VT from making a first down that would seal the victory for them?  And even if Tech would have recovered the onside kick, Pitt would have been no worse off, save for field position, than they ended up: the defense on the field, with all three TO's remaining, and  trying to prevent VT from making a first down as they ran out the clock.  Again as you know, Pitt didn't prevent VT from making that first down and running out the clock, and really, was there any doubt in any of your minds that Virginia Tech wouldn't make that first down?

A much larger issue, of course, is Pitt's inability to prevent their opponents from scoring points.  Oh, Pitt scores a lot, too, and their games are enormously entertaining to watch, but their defense, particularly their pass defense, is practically nonexistent.  For a far better analysis than I can give, I would highly recommend that you read Joe Starkey's column in this morning's Post-Gazette.

Pitt now stands at 5-3, and as my buddy Dan Bonk has pointed out, a mere eleven points separate them from being 8-0, but as I have pointed out before, it is not inconceivable that with a twist or turn here or there, they could also easily be 1-7 or 2-6.  The rest of the schedule is @Miami, @Clemson, Duke, and Syracuse.  I am thinking that 2-2 is the best that Pitt fans can hope for at this point.

One final note and something that has been bugging me all season.  The uniform pants that defensive lineman Ejaun Price wears are ridiculous.  We all like to make fun of the NFL and its "uniform police", but seeing Price out there in those shorts is, as I say, ridiculous.  That Pitt coaches, or the NCAA itself, allows this is strictly bush league.

It Was A Busy Weekend....

Some recollections of a busy weekend before it gets too far in the rear view mirror.....

• The weekend began for us on Friday afternoon when we took in the new, heavily promoted Ben Affleck movie, "The Accountant".  It was exciting, it was action packed, and it was somewhat original, and we enjoyed it a lot.  Both Marilyn and I are big fans of Affleck, so we were not disappointed.  However, when you leave the theater and reflect upon it, you can begin to see some of the elephant sized holes that were in the storyline, and you start asking questions like "Well, where did he learn how to do.....?" or "How did he know to go to....?"  You know what I mean.  Don't let that stop you, though, because as I said, it's really entertaining.  Also quote violent, so be forewarned. I give it two and one-half stars.
• Saturday afternoon gave us that amazing 45-31 Pitt victory over Virginia.  After a first half in which neither team could stop the other, a Jordan Whitehead 58 yard interception gave Pitt a 35-28 lead right before halftime.  And then, Pat Narduzzi and the defensive staff made some kind of miraculous adjustments at halftime and stopped UVA cold over the final two quarters.  This has seemed to me to be a hallmark of Narduzzi in his time at Pitt.  When adjustments are needed to be made at halftime, they make them.  Doesn't happen all the time, but it happens more often than not, it seems to me.
• Then came that Steelers 30-15 loss at Miami yesterday.  This highlights a disturbing trend over recent seasons of the Steelers losing to crummy teams, teams that the should be beating.   And make no mistake about it, the Dolphins are a bad team.  They will finish below .500 by a wide margin when all is said and done. the injury to 
• And as for the injury to Ben Roethlisberger.....  As I write this, it is not known how many games he will miss, but with each game that he doesn't play, the Steelers chances of that predicted Super Bowl win, or even a run in the playoffs, decrease exponentially.

• On a much happier note, we took in our first play of the 2016-17 Pittsburgh Public Theater season on Sunday night, "The Fantasticks".  Until last night, all I knew about this play was that it was the longest running musical play in American theater history (it has been running in New York City continuously since 1960), and the song "Try To Remember" came from it. A story about two young people falling in love, in sprite of the (seeming) objections of their fathers, overcoming the rough spots when the bloom is off the rose, and then cementing that love forever.  I thought it was delightful, and, as usual, the staging and presentation by the PPT was fabulous.  The show runs through October 30 at the O'Reilly, and I highly recommend it.
• The three leads in "The Fantasticks" were played by Mary Elizabeth Drake, Jamen Nanthakumar, and Josh Powell. Each of these young actors were making their debuts with the PPT, and I hope that we will see them again in the years to come.
• Theater Trivia: The part of El Gallo in "The Fantasticks" was originated way back in 1960 by Jerry Orbach.  Orbach was at the beginning of what would be a long career on Broadway (he would later win a Tony Award) and in the movies, but he will probably be best remembered for playing hardened and sardonic Detective Lennie Briscoe on TV's "Law and Order".
• The program gave a list of some of the actors who have played in "The Fantasticks" over the course of it's long history.  In addition to Orbach, you can also include folks like Liza Minelli, Elliott Gould, Richard Chamberain, and F. Murray Abraham.
• We got home Sunday evening in time to see the final five innings of the Dodgers 1-0 win over the Cubs, led by the dominating performance of Clayton Kershaw.  The performance of Kershaw both last night and in the NLDS against Washington has put to rest, it seems, the notion that "Kershaw stinks in the post season".  He's STILL not the "next Koufax", though.
• The Dodgers' win is going against the hoped for conclusion of a Cubs pennant.  The series now stands at 1-1 with three games now coming up in LA.   In the American League, the Indians have taken a 2-0 lead as that series now heads to Toronto.  You know that MLB and Fox, in spite of possibly losing a large chunk of that LA market, are dying for a Cubs-Indians World Series. Two teams that, between them, have not won a World Series for 176 years. It would be quite a story line, but pardon me if I am cheering for Joe Maddon to be dealt one giant dose of humility.  I am, however, rooting like hell for the Tribe!
• And on one final note, we stopped at Appleby's for dinner on the way into town for the play last night, and I had a cheeseburger, the "American Classic Burger" to be specific.  Long time readers know of my never ending quest for terrific burgers, and that search usually avoids chain restaurants, but I gotta be honest, that burger at Appleby's last night was absolutely terrific.  I can't recommend it highly enough!

Football in Pittsburgh, 2016

We are not quite one-third (actually, 31.25%) of the way through the Steelers season and halfway through the Pitt season, and 2016 has been nothing if not wildly entertaining for fans of these two teams.

At the beginning of the season, I said that the Steelers would "win twelve games, win the AFC North Division and gain first round playoff bye, win the AFC Championship, and win the Super Bowl."  Today the team sits at 4-1 and are one, two, and three games ahead of their AFC North rivals, and are playing at a level that is almost impeccable. Yes, they did fall behind the Jets at one point yesterday, but was there ever a moment in that game when you felt that they were NOT going to comfortably beat the Jets?

There have been injuries to some key players, but it hasn't appeared to slow them down a bit.  And, yes, there have been times when that bend-bit-don't-break defense can get a bit scary, but they have been more than adequate, in fact, they have been quite good, when it comes to surrendering points, and all four of those wins have been laughers.

Well, there was that blip in the form of that 34-3 loss to the Eagles in Week Three.  Not sure how you account for that, and I am thinking that when the season is over, that game may well qualify for the NFL Aberration of the Year Award.

And as long as none of those key injuries happens to #7, I see no reason to back off of my pre-season prediction.

And while none of us can look past the Dolphins next week (it's the kind of game that the Steelers have lost in recent seasons), that match-up with the Patriots at Heinz Field on October 23 is shaping up as a possible AFC Championship preview.

********

Then there are the Pitt Panthers.  

They are half way through the season and are 4-2 (1-1 in the ACC).  Save for the opener against Villanova, everyone of the Panthers games have been high scoring, decided in the final minutes of each game, and wildly entertaining.  Pitt could very easily be 6-0 today.  They also could very easily be 1-5.  They are just that kind of a team, and it has been that kind of a season.

What remains before them are home games with Virginia Tech, Duke, and Syracuse, and road games with Virginia, Miami, and Clemson.  The only game among those six that appears to be a sure thing is a loss to Clemson.  Of the other five, it would be a surprise but not a shock if Pitt went 4-1 or 5-0.  It would also not be a shock to see them go 1-4 or 2-3.

Two more wins are needed for Pitt to gain Bowl eligibility, which is no great shakes in today's college football scene, but winning their division in the ACC is also in play given some help from some other schools.  My buddy Bob Middleman, who has forgotten more about Pitt football than I will ever know, told me before the season that he thought Pitt would be a 7-5 team this year, maybe 8-4.  Those numbers are attainable, so if that is how it ends up, I suppose that you would be able to call this a reasonably successful season.  It will then be up to Pat Narduzzi to continue to bring in his kinds of players and continue to coach 'em up.

And no knock on Nate Peterman, but a top flight college quarterback would be nice.  And more guys named Quadree.

North Carolina 37 - Pitt 36

So, I am watching the Pitt - UNC game yesterday, and Pitt is leading 33-23 early in the fourth quarter.  Their offense, which has been dominant throughout the game is marching into North Carolina territory, and another touchdown seems inevitable.  The ESPN announcers even say that a Pitt touchdown here could well be a knock out punch to the Tar Heels.   Lo and behold, the NC defense stiffens, forces a fourth down situation, and Pitt kicks a field goal to go up 36-23, and the game remains a "two score game" for NC.  On Facebook, I make the comment at the time that I hope that settling for three instead of getting seven doesn't come back to haunt the Panthers.

Regrettably, I believe I had that.  

You know what happened.  Pitt stopped playing defense, the offense didn't seem able to make a first down after that, and North Carolina began to play defense, and with :02 left in the game, NC scores, kicks the PAT, and wins 37-36.

Heartbreaking.  

For the second week in a row, Pitt's pass defense is torched for over 450 yards, and memories of how close the same thing happening in the Penn State game two weeks ago came to my mind.  A last minute interception by Pitt in that game is what stands between Pitt being 1-3 instead of 2-2 right now.

Oh, well, in year two of the Narduzzi Era, it is not the time to be hard on the coach.  I am sure he knows the shortcomings of his team better than any of us mokes out in TV Land do, and we need to give him the time to get the players and coach 'em up.  Next week is Marshall which should - should -  be a win, but in two weeks, Georgia Tech comes to Heinz Field and it would behoove Pitt to win that one and avoid falling to 0-2 in the conference play.

A word about North Carolina's Ryan Switzer.  I don't know if we will ever hear of this kid again, or if he will ever play beyond the collegiate level, but based on what he did against Pitt yesterday, he should win the Heisman Trophy, be the Number One overall pick in the NFL Draft, and be no less than an even money bet to make the Pro Football Hall of Fame one day.  What a performance he turned in, and perhaps his best play, a long punt return for a TD was nullified by a penalty.  Wow!

In retrospect, we didn't know it at the time, but the absolute highlight of the day came early in the first quarter when Pitt kicked  FG to go up 5-0.  The ESPN cameras focused on the section of Pitt fans in the stands and the country, or at least the ESPNU audience, got a full glimpse of our own Dan Bonk cheering on his beloved Panthers.  Another fifteen minutes - okay, maybe fifteen seconds - of fame for Dan!

For those who don't know him, that's Dan in the blue shirt

 and cap standing with hands clasped and looking to his right.