It is the biggest win in years for my Beloved Dribbling Panthers.
Pitt beat 11th ranked Florida State at the Pete tonight 75-62.
Once again AP's recap leads with how well coach Jeff Capel reads his players:
PITTSBURGH -- Jeff Capel noticed the fearlessness in Trey McGowens, Xavier Johnson and Au'Diese Toney right away. The way they played, it was almost impossible to miss. Capel leaned on that inherent daring when he made his recruiting pitch to them last spring just days after taking over the rebuilding project at Pittsburgh.
Join me, Capel said. Let's bring the swagger back together.
The fearlessness, the daring, the "swagger" is back in Pittsburgh.
Less than nine months later, what Capel cautioned would be a lengthy process appears to be well ahead of schedule behind his three precocious freshmen, who have shrugged off the program's regrettable recent past with a competitive fire that points to a promising future.
Jeff Capel was not A.D. Heather Lyke's first choice last year. That would be Dan Hurley. But she could not have done better with Capel. He built this program up quite nearly as a school's first ever team needs to be built. He had virtually no players, had to go out and recruit enough just to practice. He cannot know these players too well, the average person would not. But Capel is giving indications that he is not average, that he can see things and read minds and body language that the average person cannot. The swagger had gone from Jamie Dixon's best teams, replaced by a whimper under Kevin Stallings. The arena, sold out and intimidating during the golden years, where Pitt almost never lost, was more empty than full, quiet rather than loud, bathed in apathy and disinterest.
Pitt only drew 6,200 people, 50% of capacity, to the Pete for the win over Louisville last Thursday; 6,700 tonight, still only 54% but that is an increase of 51% and 63% respectively over average per game attendance all of 2017/18.
The fans are coming back, too. All this thanks to one woman, Heather Lyke, and one man, Jeff Capel.
H2P
Pitt beat 11th ranked Florida State at the Pete tonight 75-62.
Once again AP's recap leads with how well coach Jeff Capel reads his players:
PITTSBURGH -- Jeff Capel noticed the fearlessness in Trey McGowens, Xavier Johnson and Au'Diese Toney right away. The way they played, it was almost impossible to miss. Capel leaned on that inherent daring when he made his recruiting pitch to them last spring just days after taking over the rebuilding project at Pittsburgh.
Join me, Capel said. Let's bring the swagger back together.
The fearlessness, the daring, the "swagger" is back in Pittsburgh.
Less than nine months later, what Capel cautioned would be a lengthy process appears to be well ahead of schedule behind his three precocious freshmen, who have shrugged off the program's regrettable recent past with a competitive fire that points to a promising future.
Jeff Capel was not A.D. Heather Lyke's first choice last year. That would be Dan Hurley. But she could not have done better with Capel. He built this program up quite nearly as a school's first ever team needs to be built. He had virtually no players, had to go out and recruit enough just to practice. He cannot know these players too well, the average person would not. But Capel is giving indications that he is not average, that he can see things and read minds and body language that the average person cannot. The swagger had gone from Jamie Dixon's best teams, replaced by a whimper under Kevin Stallings. The arena, sold out and intimidating during the golden years, where Pitt almost never lost, was more empty than full, quiet rather than loud, bathed in apathy and disinterest.
Pitt only drew 6,200 people, 50% of capacity, to the Pete for the win over Louisville last Thursday; 6,700 tonight, still only 54% but that is an increase of 51% and 63% respectively over average per game attendance all of 2017/18.
The fans are coming back, too. All this thanks to one woman, Heather Lyke, and one man, Jeff Capel.
H2P
