Willie talked about something similar on yesterday's FRL. Talked about Bloomsburg and they have had multiple donors try to donate $3-$4 million and were told they couldn't give it directly to wrestling so they pulled it. The school said something about having to give it to a women's sport as well. He said he talked to them at Flonationals
New Pitt coach
- Thread starter thom67
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Did not want to say it was Bloomsburg, but since you said it I guess it's ok. Sounds like Willie's report is factually correct because this is exactly the same story I was just told.
If all that is true Pitt might not be any better than they already are which is sad
The answer depends on which administration is more supportive now and for the long range with regard to wrestling. Right now I'd go with SDSU until Pitt proves otherwise.
Here is the Pitt wrestling room:
http://insidepittpanthers.com/
From the link, click on the Navigation button on the bottom next to the Pitt logo. Then go to the top of the screen and click on Wrestling (should be far right pic). That will take you into the room. (You may need to click on Navigation again to get rid of the pics at the top.) Then use the arrows to scroll around -- and don't forget to use the up arrow.
Some Pitt wrestlers probably had better facilities in high school.
http://insidepittpanthers.com/
From the link, click on the Navigation button on the bottom next to the Pitt logo. Then go to the top of the screen and click on Wrestling (should be far right pic). That will take you into the room. (You may need to click on Navigation again to get rid of the pics at the top.) Then use the arrows to scroll around -- and don't forget to use the up arrow.
Some Pitt wrestlers probably had better facilities in high school.
Program commitment comes in many forms. Unless the admin support is there, nothing will change. Nothing. At Pitt, no wrestling facility to draw the kids. No RTC. No top tier coaching staff. No program developmental plan. No alumni benefactors. All that starts with AD support. All of it.
Whoever takes the Pitt job will be doing so for the upgrade in experience and money only. Bono seems above what Pitt is worthy of having at this time. A more committed school will approach Chris in a year or two, so I suggest he hold his cards for another day.
Lyke sounds like a special kind of stupid person. The kind that has no clue how stupid they are. Nice AD hire.
Not really. It is just the opposite. It is shocking that PSAC schools which are basically D2, can compete with D1 schools when many D1 schools can not even compete with top D1 schools.
Not true. They have had a few good years. Stutzman and Warnsburger were good. In 2013 they went 17-3 with wins over Arizona State, UMd, Pitt, Drexel, Clarion, Edinboro, Loch Haven, Princeton, and a few other teams. Stutzman had a good year and was probably offered more money.
Plenty of d1 schools tanking too. Like I said, it is amazing that Bloom/PSAC schools can compete with D1 schools when many lower level D1 schools can not compete with top D1 schools.
I think Keith Gavin is a big miss imo
Pitt needed a Kevin Dresser type of coach in there to take away some recruits from Carl at psu. I don't think Gavin is a big enough name with enough experience to do it.
Now, if he brings in guys like a Brewer or Howe like Santoro did at Northwestern, that would help.
We need Pitt to build up a very very strong RTC to rival NLWC.
I don't see that happening anytime soon with this hire.
Pitt needed a Kevin Dresser type of coach in there to take away some recruits from Carl at psu. I don't think Gavin is a big enough name with enough experience to do it.
Now, if he brings in guys like a Brewer or Howe like Santoro did at Northwestern, that would help.
We need Pitt to build up a very very strong RTC to rival NLWC.
I don't see that happening anytime soon with this hire.
The fact that Gavin was hired instead of Bono, Santoro, Flynn, and Roselli tells you all you need to know about Pitt starting a RTC. Pitt's AD may have changed but the attitude has not. Good luck to Gavin, but this wasn't the game changer Pitt needed.
Turned it down with a 100% raise (110k to 220k) according to reports. If true, beyond telling.
Well can see money don't matter if no support from adminstration.
Makes me really wonder If Pollard would have spent the money they are spending now for
Kevin D. would Cael have stayed. If he didn't stay
then we would all know he left
because he knew he could not do what he is doing at Penn State..Getting all the top wrestlers every year..
Storniolo, Santoro is at Lehigh. Two PA Italians, I guess it's easy to mix them up. We all look alike...
Agreed that is has been sporadic success recently, just nothing like the consistent success under Sanders. I'm not sure if you're also questioning my info on donors but I assure you it is 100% accurate.
Gavin may turn out to be a good coach, time will tell. His hiring is a symptom of an apathetic administration, but that doesn't mean he will be.
Bringing in Howe and Brewer is not his most important job. Shaking every loose dollar out of the alumni is. Because the school obviously will not commit to upgrading the facilities and creating an RTC, so it'll be up to the head coach to do it on his own.
In that sense, Gavin may be the best hire they could've hoped for (given that no established coach would take it). He'll have credibility as an alum and a national champ. Plus he helped Rosselli start up the RTC at Oklahoma, so he knows what that will take.
Realistically, none of those coaches were going to steal many (any?) starter level recruits from PSU anyway.
Not intended as smug, just matter of fact. PSU is now recruiting starters nationally. Pitt's next coach isn't going after #1 or #2 kids from Oregon or Arizona or Minnesota or Texas, and frankly it would be a bad strategy. Santoro, Flynn, Bono, and Rosselli don't do that now, despite having significantly better programs than Pitt.
Pitt's coach should go hard after the PA kids who currently go to Virginia, VT, NC State, UNC, Ohio State, Nebraska, among other out of state schools. Many of them are at or near the top of their weights, and close to home. Sprinkle in an occasional OH, NJ, NY kid, and that's a consistent top 5-10 team. Which is a hell of a lot better than they are now.
Get to that level, and then they're a destination program that can expect to land top kids from the rest of the country.
