U mad, bro?: Fans have anxiety about trading Adam Frazier, doubts about the Pirates draft, concerns about college sports
Anxiety about an Adam Frazier trade. Depression over the Pirates draft philosophy. And concerns over the future of college sports. That’s what filled up the comments section in the columns, email inbox and Twitter interactions for this week’s “U mad, bro?” We start with a tweet from Kenny. He agrees...
Sports law expert: Potential for big NCAA changes exist but are ‘not going to happen overnight’
Monday’s Supreme Court loss for the NCAA in the Alston case got a ton of attention nationally. But it could be years before a substantive change comes as a result. Michael McCann is a sports legal analyst for Sportico and was a longtime contributor to Sports Illustrated. He’s also a...
Norwin alum Emily Harrigan transferring to Pitt
Emily Harrigan is coming home. The former Norwin star has left Rutgers and will have three years of eligibility when she arrives at Pitt to continue her soccer career. Harrigan, a redshirt sophomore, has battled hamstring problems for the last three years as she tries to get into a rhythm...
Tim Benz: Supreme Court mocks notion of NCAA ‘amateurism;’ now let’s mock goal of ‘fair’ NCAA economics
Pick a topic. Not just sports. Any topic. Now pick a handful of conservative people you know and a handful of liberal people you know and have them discuss. See if you can get all nine or 10 of them to agree. On anything. Let me know how that goes....
Former Pitt star Jaylen Twyman shot 4 times in Washington, D.C., expected to recover, agent says
Former Pitt defensive tackle Jaylen Twyman, a sixth-round draft choice of the Minnesota Vikings this year, was shot four times while visiting a family member in Washington, D.C., but he is expected to make a full recovery, his agent, Drew Rosenhaus, told ESPN on Monday. “Wrong place, wrong time,” Rosenhaus...
Pitt hires former player Gilbert Brown as director of player, alumni development
Jeff Capel has replaced one Pitt man with another. Former Pitt player Gilbert Brown, who scored 1,048 points, was part of five NCAA Tournament teams and made an Elite Eight appearance with the Panthers in 2009, was named Director of Player and Alumni Development. Brown was associate head coach at...
Oddsmakers rank Pitt’s schedule 2nd-easiest, Georgia Tech’s toughest in ACC
If you believe in the power of numbers and analytics, Pitt has the second-easiest schedule among ACC football teams this season. Odds-makers at SportsBettingDime.com developed a formula that leads to a ranking of the schedules of all 130 FBS teams. The formula sounds all-encompassing, taking into account opponents’ 2020 efficiency...
Pitt’s Jeff Capel secures 1st commitment from class of 2022
With his 2021-22 roster largely — if not totally — finalized, Pitt coach Jeff Capel received his first verbal commitment from the Class of 2022 on Friday when rising high school senior Judah Mintz announced his plans to enroll next year. “Limits like fears are often just an illusion”????????➕ pic.twitter.com/VoG4wlUARd—...
ACC will bring its softball tournament to Pitt in 2022
Improvements to Pitt’s Vartabedian Field at its Petersen Sports Complex have led to the school landing the host role for the 2022 ACC Softball Championship tournament. The event will be held May 11-14. It will be the third ACC championship held at Pitt after the 2015 and 2020 wrestling tournaments...
Pitt lands Georgia cornerback for its class of 2022
Pitt secured a second defensive back for its class of 2022 when Ryland Gandy, a cornerback from Buford (Ga.) High School, announced on Twitter his intentions to enroll next year. COMMITTED!!!?? #Hail2Pitt pic.twitter.com/G0yasxtPka— Ryland Gandy (@iamrdg10) June 16, 2021 Gandy (6-foot, 170 pounds) holds an impressive offer sheet, with 17...
Tim Benz: Potential hurdles for 12-team College Football Playoff as 2nd round of approval looms
The recently released plan to incorporate a 12-team College Football Playoff was largely met with applause last week. But it’s still a long way from becoming a reality. Remember, the idea was merely crafted by a CFB playoff subcommittee comprised of Big 12 commissioner Bob Bowlsby, SEC commissioner Greg Sankey,...
Pitt’s Justin Champagnie invited to NBA Draft Combine
Former Pitt forward Justin Champagnie will take the next step toward the NBA — perhaps the most significant one — after accepting an invitation to participate in the NBA Draft Combine that starts Monday and continues through June 27 at the Wintrust Arena and Marriott Marquis in Chicago. “I am...
Wide receiver Addison Copeland commits to Pitt; recruiting class grows to 7
Addison Copeland III, a wide receiver from Buffalo, N.Y., joined the recent parade of 2022 prospects to make public their commitment to Pitt when he put the news on his Twitter account Tuesday. 110% committed ??@Pitt_FB @BrennanMarion4 @CoachMcCannERT @wufosports @sportsQUBEtv @CoachDuzzPittFB You can’t even imagine the amount of thought that...
Former Pitt football player Kellen McAlone earns part in movie ’12 Mighty Orphans’
In five football seasons at Pitt, Kellen McAlone did anything coaches asked of him. “He’ll come in here and mop the floors if we wanted,” coach Pat Narduzzi said after rewarding his former walk-on wide receiver a scholarship. That was then (2018). Leave it to the movie industry to bring...
Pitt snares verbal commitment from New York defensive end
The return of face-to-face recruiting this month for the first time since the start of the covid-19 pandemic netted another promise for Pitt coach Pat Narduzzi. Defensive end Jimmy Scott pledged to enroll next year, making the announcement Monday on his Twitter account. Dedication…Hard work + Patience ?#H2P?? pic.twitter.com/RwLBnRD1o9— Jimmy...
Tim Benz: Pitt? Duquesne? Chatham? Who picks up the torch of Pittsburgh DI hockey if Robert Morris folds programs?
Hopes of saving the Robert Morris hockey teams are on life support. So the question needs to be asked if any other local universities might be interested in stepping up and filling the void for Pittsburgh area NCAA DI hockey that would be created if the Colonials can’t stay on...
Pitt football gets 5th commitment for Class of 2022
In the midst of a burst of on-campus recruiting visits after the NCAA lifted the covid-19 ban on face-to-face contact June 1, Pitt football coach Pat Narduzzi secured a fifth verbal commitment from the Class of 2022 on Saturday. Jordaan Bailey, a running back from Tampa, Fla., pledged to the...
Mt. Pleasant’s Dayton Pitzer commits to wrestle at Pitt
One of the state’s top wrestlers plans to stay close to home for his college career. Mt. Pleasant junior Dayton Pitzer, a two-time WPIAL and PIAA champion, announced on Instagram Friday he was committing to Pitt. Pitzer joins a 2022 Pitt recruiting class that includes Hempfield junior Briar Priest, a...
Tim Benz: College football playoff expansion idea is good, but don’t go too far
The new college football playoff proposal is a case of a good idea that’s going half a step too far. According to multiple national reports Thursday, the current four-team format would extend to 12 schools. It’d be composed of the six highest-ranked conference champions, followed by the six highest-ranked at-large...
Pitt volleyball coach Dan Fisher to lead U.S. women’s U20 national training team
After guiding the Pitt women’s volleyball team to the NCAA regional finals this spring, Dan Fisher will offer his coaching talents to more of the top players in the country. He was tabbed to lead the 2021 U.S. women’s U20 national training team later this month. “Representing the United States...
Pitt men’s basketball officially adds American East Defensive Player of the Year Mouhamadou Gueye
Jeff Capel and the Pitt men’s basketball team officially added another transfer Tuesday when the Panthers announced the signing of 2021 American East defensive player of the year, Mouhamadou Gueye. The 6-foot-9 forward from Stony Brook averaged 9.7 points and 7.1 rebounds, while recording a single-season school-record 3.1 blocks per...
Dozens of states leave athlete compensation on back burner
Now that he has graduated with a major in digital technology and culture, defensive lineman Dallas Hobbs wants an opportunity to profit off some of his graphic designs while he continues playing football at Washington State. He also would like to hold charity fundraisers or youth football camps without worrying...
Amid uncertainty, schools prepare for paid athlete endorsers
There is Arizona Edge and Buffs with a Brand. Oklahoma State rolled out OSU Elite and Texas Tech launched Beyond Verified. Florida State unveiled Apex in April with a social media video that included clips of former Seminoles sports stars from Deion Sanders to Burt Reynolds. The program Alabama created...
Backyard Brawl with Pitt returns to West Virginia’s basketball schedule
West Virginia’s 2021-22 nonconference basketball schedule features meetings with two former Mountaineers, the return of longtime foes Pitt and Connecticut and a spot in the Big 12/SEC Challenge. WVU will open the regular season Nov. 9 against Oakland at the WVU Coliseum. Three days later, Pitt comes to Morgantown for...
Pitt hires ex-point guard Brianna Kiesel as assistant coach on women’s basketball staff
As a point guard, Brianna Kiesel provided on-court direction for the Pitt women’s basketball team. Now, she’ll do the same from the bench. Coach Lance White announced Thursday that Kiesel, who spent the past six seasons playing professionally, will join his staff as an assistant coach. “After a nationwide search...
