ACC

[Aircraftcarrier]

So sweet to see Pittsburgh and Syracuse at the bottom of standings.They get what they deserve.Pittsburgh is irrelevant and Syracuse is on its way.

[Mr. Nielsen]

Pitt is a joke. Attendance is pitiful.

[Knight Commission]

Who cares?  They made a lot more money than they would in the Big East...

The Atlantic Coast Conference didn't have its best run in the 2017 NCAA tournament, but North Carolina's trip to the Final Four, combined with two stellar tournaments in 2015 and 2016, will yield the conference at three-year total of more than $100 million....in NCAA tourney alone.

[Aircraftcarrier]

If that is the goal,good for them.If I was a basketball season ticket holder I would be pissed that my once proud program in the Big East sucks.Sold out for the almighty dollar.

[muwarrior69]

If that is the goal,good for them.If I was a basketball season ticket holder I would be pissed that my once proud program in the Big East sucks.Sold out for the almighty dollar.

...and their football programs are not much better. The only "winner" out of all this re-shuffling are the Domers, ironically in basketball. The real winner is Maryland, however.

[jesmu84]

Superbar

[4everwarriors]

Der in a chithole conference, ai na?

[avid1010]

So sweet to see Pittsburgh and Syracuse at the bottom of standings.They get what they deserve.Pittsburgh is irrelevant and Syracuse is on its way.

Against both coaches will.  Going to be tough for Cuse and Pitt moving forward...looks like it's easier to win at TCU than at Pitt.

[Dawson Rental]

So sweet to see Pittsburgh and Syracuse at the bottom of standings.They get what they deserve.Pittsburgh is irrelevant and Syracuse is on its way.

Pitt has a long road back.  'Cuse will be fine, they have too much going for them.  The facts are they are still in a better conference for them, and we are in the perfect conference for us.  While 'Cuse and Pitt leaving when they did, blew up the Big East, it actually led to changes that really worked out best for all concerned.

[Skip Intro]

I live in Pittsburgh, so I get to witness the apathy for Pitt first hand.  Duquesne hoops has a much better shot at the tourney over the next few years. 

Stallings was a hated hire from day one- no way he makes it more than next season.  They have a new AD this year, so she can fire him without looking bad herself.  I could honestly see Crean being considered, though I don't think that'll pump up the attendance much.  Problem is, Crean might be the biggest name they can get.

[GoldenWarrior11]

I could totally see Tom Crean as the next coach at Pitt.  He would do very well there.  He would bring a renewed sense of energy and excitement that has been missing not only for Stallings' tenure, but even the later portion of Dixon's run there.  He was also an assistant there, so I'm sure he can use that in his introductory press conference. 

As far as Syracuse's and Pittsburgh's downfall in the ACC, they are not alone.  Look at Boston College.  Look at Louisville.  The ACC is simply a different brand of basketball.  They don't let players play like in the Old Big East.  That tough, physical style of basketball does not cater to UNC and Duke, who make the basketball rules in the conference. 

[GGGG]

I live in Pittsburgh, so I get to witness the apathy for Pitt first hand.  Duquesne hoops has a much better shot at the tourney over the next few years. 

Stallings was a hated hire from day one- no way he makes it more than next season.  They have a new AD this year, so she can fire him without looking bad herself.  I could honestly see Crean being considered, though I don't think that'll pump up the attendance much.  Problem is, Crean might be the biggest name they can get.

And Dixon has turned TCU around almost instantly.

[avid1010]

I could totally see Tom Crean as the next coach at Pitt.  He would do very well there.  He would bring a renewed sense of energy and excitement that has been missing not only for Stallings' tenure, but even the later portion of Dixon's run there.  He was also an assistant there, so I'm sure he can use that in his introductory press conference. 

As far as Syracuse's and Pittsburgh's downfall in the ACC, they are not alone.  Look at Boston College.  Look at Louisville.  The ACC is simply a different brand of basketball.  They don't let players play like in the Old Big East.  That tough, physical style of basketball does not cater to UNC and Duke, who make the basketball rules in the conference.

I don't see Crean doing very well there.  I guess it depends on the definition of very well...but I don't see him as a superior coach to Dixon...and I'm not sure a fired IU coach brings excitement to a program.  Plus he's a prick.

[Lennys Tap]

Pitt is an putter joke. Attendance is pitiful.

Stallings was the guy Chico wanted instead of Buzz after TC left. Yikes!!!

[UNC Eagle]

In order for Pitt to compete with the top programs in the ACC they need to hire a more dynamic coach. Stallings is a very accomplished coach,however recruiting needs to be stepped up. Pitt is at the bottom of the ACC looking up and I think a different type of coach is required . A more promotional coach like Tom Crean would fit the bill in the short run.  We saw how Buzz has revived the fortunes at Va Tech. In the long run though Pitt needs a young up and coming guy.

Syracuse is doing well overall in the ACC  and will continue to attract top players. I think Boeheim will stay at least 4 years to coach his son.

MU is in a great position in the Big East and I am glad things worked out the way they did.

[MU82]

Stallings was the guy Chico wanted instead of Buzz after TC left. Yikes!!!

Double Yikes!!!

[GooooMarquette]

Stallings had a great gig going at Vanderbilt and learned - like many coaches do - that the grass isn?t necessarily greener elsewhere....

[vogue65]

I live in Pittsburgh, so I get to witness the apathy for Pitt first hand.  Duquesne hoops has a much better shot at the tourney over the next few years. 

Stallings was a hated hire from day one- no way he makes it more than next season.  They have a new AD this year, so she can fire him without looking bad herself.  I could honestly see Crean being considered, though I don't think that'll pump up the attendance much.  Problem is, Crean might be the biggest name they can get.

Ah, Duquesne, any way they could eventually make it to the Big East?

[naginiF]

Ah, Duquesne, any way they could eventually make it to the Big East?

I'd imagine they could buy a ticket to any BE game they want to. 

[avid1010]

Stallings had a great gig going at Vanderbilt and learned - like many coaches do - that the grass isn?t necessarily greener elsewhere....

He had 1-2 years left at Vandy imho....most articles I read at the time stated that.  Terrible hire for Pitt, but look at what Dixon wasn't able to do in the ACC and what he's doing at TCU and you can see the grass is sometimes greener on the other side.

[Silkk the Shaka]

I'd imagine they could buy a ticket to any BE game they want to.

LOL

ABDq

[Galway Eagle]

Would Pitt take Ben Howlend back?

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

Speaking of Pitt, they recently announced that Ryan Luther, the only player on their team who can play, is officially done for the season with a foot injury. He played in the first 10 games and has been sitting ever since. My guess is that they will try to get him a medical hardship waiver so he can play a 5th year....which probably just means they gifted someone a very nice grad transfer. Can't imagine a quality player wanting to stay in that dumpster fire.

[Skip Intro]

I don't see Howland back at Pitt, only for the same reasons he couldn't land at MU or anywhere better than Mississippi State. 

A lot of their fan base would rather see a young assistant with ties to the program - Brandin Knight was most people's first choice when Dixon left, and might still be.  Or perhaps someone like Orlando Antigua, though he flamed out at South Florida.  They might dream of a local big shot coming home (one of the Miller bros., Calipari), but that's never happening.

And not only was Stallings a dud of a hire on its face, but the backstory made it even more suspect.  Pitt's AD at the time hired a search firm, which happened to be run by the Pitt AD's former boss.  That former boss also happened to be AD at Vandy when Stallings was hired as Vandy's coach.  That type of conflict of interest might fly if you're bringing in a superstar, but Stallings ain't no superstar.

Also, Duquesne won't be holding their breath to join the Big East - they're tailor-made for the A-10.  Their new coach (Dambrot) is going to have success.  Maybe not Dayton-level success, but enough to make them somewhat relevant and get them to the tourney for the first time since 1977 (imagine if MU hadn't been back since winning it all...).  And speaking of Dayton, I went to the Duquesne-Dayton game a few weeks back - Greek Freak Jr. definitely has the athleticism and can sky, but he also makes a lot of boneheaded plays (like getting a T for taunting on a put-back dunk).  His leash is short on a very iffy Dayton team, so he's playing in the right league.   

[GGGG]

The Marquette fanbase would have been thrilled at hiring Kevin Stallings back in 2008-09 when we hired Buzz.  They were coming off of a Sweet 16 just a year or two earlier, and would have three more 20 win seasons in the near future.  (And he beat Buzz twice head to head.)  So let's not get on Chicos too much about that.  It wasn't an unheard of choice.

He wasn't going to leave Vandy for Marquette at that time anyway so the point is moot.