[Bitter] Raw Feelings?

by Nestor on Mar 19, 2007 4:10 AM PDT in Basketball Comment 24 comments

As I said earlier, I am not going to spend much time on Howland-Dixon/Pitt. angle. I am sure the Pucin’s of the world will do John Tesh style write-ups over that storyline. I am pretty sure Coach Howland is not going to spend much time thinking about it, as he and his players are going to be totally immersed in preparations over how to beat a solid Big East team led by an exceptional coach. That said, there are comments coming from Pittsburgh that will do nothing but motivate our coach and players. In today’s Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Dixon had this to say about Howland’s departure to Westwood:

Dixon made it known that he thought there were greater heights for the program to achieve.

"To be honest, Ben didn't think we could sustain it," Dixon said during an interview in his office Feb. 21. "He took less money to go to another job, what most people would consider a better job. I've always seen more in [Pitt] than other people did. I have higher expectations than anybody for this job. I know no one thought we could do what we are doing."

I am not sure where Coach Dixon is coming from. I have talked to a few people who are fairly close to Coach Howland and his coaching staff. Coach Howland has nothing but admiration and respect for his former first assistant. And he has nothing but fond memories about the program he built from scratch at Pittsburgh, and the strong foundation he left behind, which enabled a talented coach like Dixon to hit the ground running.

I just don’t understand how so many folks on the East Coast just don't get why Native Southern Californians, who are out on the East Coast, jump at the first great opportunity to come back home. Sure, the unmatched tradition of UCLA's basketball program and it’s natural advantages was the ultimate draw for a coach like Howland, who grew up worshiping Wooden’s teams. However, it is amusing to see how so many people are forgetting the storyline of Howland returning to his Southern California roots, so that he could be close to his Dad, who passed away just few months after he came to UCLA.

As mentioned earlier, Aaron Gray is the Pitt superstar in the middle. He is a kid Coach Howland recruited back in November of 2002. Gray, to his credit, is sounding gracious about the whole situation:

Gray signed his letter of intent when Howland was still Pitt's coach in November 2002. Gray said he spoke with Howland after Howland accepted the UCLA job and does not have any hard feelings toward him for leaving Pitt.

"I talked to him," Gray said. "He told me his situation and why he had made the choice he had made. The position I was in, the only thing I could do was wish him luck. There's no hard feeling or anything like that."

Well, it’s just too bad that a segment of the Pitt fan base is still having a hard time letting it go. Check out some of the rants from commenters on Pitt Blather. PB is actually a very good blog run by Dennis, who does a wonderful job of covering Panther football and hoops. Anyways, from the comments in Dennis’s posts, it is pretty apparent that a number of Pitt fans still have some raw feelings (that’s the most charitable way I can describe it) about Ben Howland leaving the Steel City. Here is one guy picking up on Dixon’s comments referenced above:

He also said that on the radio show after the game. For someone as PC and nice as Dixon, these are pretty harsh words: "To be honest, Ben didn’t think we could sustain it." Fuck him. Let’s kill some bruins.

Then there was this guy spinning out the old MSM line about Wooden’s shadow:

See, Howland could have been the Bo Schembechler, or Dean Smith, JoePa (blecchh), Coach K, etc of Pitt basketball by simply staying with the program that he built. You know, the coach that builds and sustains a bigtime program, and therefore becomes synonymous with it.

But instead, he gave that role to Jamie Dixon in order to go to UCLA and live in John Wooden’s shadow like everyone who coaches out there will until the end of time.

And we will end with this:

Oh by the way! F the West coast, F The Governator, F Hollywood living, F The valley girls that comprise the team from UCLA, and F Ben Howland!

Don’t forget Ben Howland left. We didn’t ask him to leave. He wanted to be the man at UCLA. Let’s hope he regrets that decision a little on Friday morning.

Holy crap. Valley girls on UCLA’s team? Where did that come from? I mean, we have a fan from Pittsburgh, that’s right, Pittsburgh, running smack on valley girls.

By the way, I am not that big fan of the Governator either. But the guy is no Senator "Man On Dog". Neither he is a Trojan Moron like Lynn Swann, who somehow managed to get support from 40 percent of Pennsylvanians. Yikes.

If these guys keep going like this, they are not going to last till Thursday night!!

Anyways, I will try to make this the first and last post on the angle of Pitt fans' feelings over Ben Howland. If any of you are planning to comment on Pitt Blather, which again is run by a great blogger, I urge you to be nothing short of respectful, the same way Coach Howland is to his former protégé and the program he built from ashes.

We have a game to get ready for.

GO BRUINS.

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About Dixon

Last time I checked Howland was the one that made that program a household name. He built Pitt from scratch, not Mr. Dixon. So of course he could have sustained Pitt as top basketball program as long as he stayed.

He came to Southern California because he wanted to, not because Pitt couldn't compete. Dixon shouldn't have said anything.

Also, I don't understand these Pitt fans, so Howland left, get over it. What does he have to stay at one place for the rest of his life? He wanted a change of scenery and wouldn't you want to live in Southern California rather than Pittsburgh? I think they realize they lost the best coach in college basketball and are still bitter about it!

by abby8065 on Mar 19, 2007 8:07 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Really -- They should follow our good example

We are cheering for Lavin to get the Michigan job; no hard feelings here. To add the cherry to his sundae, I'd love to see us schedule every team he goes on to coach.

And, no one wants KD to succeed in the NFL more than we do. We even created a thread promoting him for the job.

Hey, Pitt, it's all about unselfishness.

sjh

by Class of 66 on Mar 19, 2007 9:13 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Well

I definitely wouldn't wish Lavin on a school like Michigan. As I have said many times here on BN, I dig the Wolverines a lot. That is a fine school with some great fans.

Now when Lute retires at Arizona ... we will have a full campaign to get the roach in!

by Nestor on Mar 19, 2007 9:31 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Arizona

actually reminds me of our Lavin-coached teams during the Dark era! Loads of talent, no defense, poorly-executed offense, uninspired.

Yeah, SL will fit in nicely with the Mildcats.

by godblesstyus95 on Mar 19, 2007 9:47 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

And

then there is Duke.

I mean Lavo will do better than Amaker and Q? No?

Plus he can get those Dukees to all those Steve-16s!

by Nestor on Mar 19, 2007 9:48 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Lavin to Puke

would turn Duke Vitale into a Pac-10 fan! (yikes)

by godblesstyus95 on Mar 19, 2007 9:52 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

It makes all kinds of sense

More that I think of it. It makes all kinds of sense. After all per Lavo, Coach K was his "mentor"! Remember this?

Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski has been a friend and a mentor of UCLA head coach Steve Lavin for years.

But for 40 minutes this weekend, all good tidings will be set aside. The two coaches will duel on the sidelines of Pauley Pavilion on Sunday, when sixth-ranked Duke pays a visit to No. 17 UCLA.

Lavin has known Krzyzewski since Lavin's college days, when the Duke coach was one of only a handful of head coaches who responded to Lavin's advice-seeking letters.

"It made a very strong impression on me that he always would take the time, that he would write a hand-written letter back to me," Lavin said. "He is everything that is good about college basketball. He is someone I really, really respect."

That respect was one of the reasons why Lavin interviewed for an assistant coaching position under Krzyzewski two years ago. Although he remained at UCLA, Lavin continued to seek the advice of "Coach K."

It would simply be epic to have Lavin "coaching" it up at Cameron!

by Nestor on Mar 19, 2007 9:56 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I'm impressed

How do you do that?

You just pulled out an article from the Daily Bruin dated 10 YEARS AGO on the spot!

Wow.

by godblesstyus95 on Mar 19, 2007 10:01 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

combination

law school + internets

by Nestor on Mar 19, 2007 10:02 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

If I ever need a malpractice attorney

I would most certainly like to have you on my side!

by godblesstyus95 on Mar 19, 2007 10:06 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

The AD that hires Lavin

will need a malpractice lawyer by his side.

sjh

by Class of 66 on Mar 19, 2007 12:16 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Lavin for the Wildcats

Let's start that blog now.... Lavin for Tucson, and KD for any job outside of Westwood!!!

BillSouthBay

by BillSouthBay on Mar 19, 2007 10:23 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

perhaps

the Dixon comments are brought to us by the same kind of reporting that gave us the AA/DC controversy.

by ranelar on Mar 19, 2007 9:25 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

I am hoping ...

that is the case.

by Nestor on Mar 19, 2007 9:29 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Interesting

I am on this blog fairly often and posted once awhile back during a game thread asking others whether anyone else felt that there seemed to be issues between AA and DC. My sense was that DC wasn't giving the ball to AA when he should and wanted the light shining on himself. Someone responded that they did not feel that there was anything between them but he agreed that DC dribbled around too much and got himself in trouble.

Since then, I have felt that the issue has mostly gone away. But it came back pretty strongly in one of those last two losses--I think it was the UW game--when DC seemed intent on trying to do too much by himself and it looked to me like he was believing the hype about himself that none other than our pathetic Barry Tompkins said he is the team's "most important player".

I do not see any direct problem between DC and AA, but it seems that DC (and Luc perhaps sometimes as well?) has a tendency to fall into "I'm going to the NBA and I'm going to be a star all by myself" mode. AA never acts like this. In fact, if anything, AA is too unselfish and needs to step it up given his skills, especially with regard to driving to the hoop (something discussed on BN often).

When the game comes to DC, which it often does, he is spectacular. Same thing for Luc. (And for the rest of the guys.)

I hope the "good" college team shows up the rest of the way--we can beat just about anyone then--ugly or pretty.

Bruins Forever

by bruinsince69 on Mar 20, 2007 8:35 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Pitt fans

The fans of teams use this stuff like junkies on smack. Look at all the blabber about Xavier-OSU a few days ago how Thad Matta slighted the team.

The notion of a perceived slight is great motivation. It could give Pitt extra energy. But from what Grey said it appears it is water under the bridge. Of course the fans aren't playing in the game.

I am really, really glad Dixon has continued to build on that program. It's a great school and that team can keep going far. Howland did a great job with it and did what any of these loudmouths would do, that is take a job they feel is better. That's what Roy Williams did too. It's what a lot of people do. I don't get the hostility.

by njbruin on Mar 19, 2007 9:51 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Very Good Point

I don't think the Pitt players feel nearly the same amount of animosity that some of the Pitt fans feel toward our Coach.
And to expand on the Roy Williams point, Williams left Kansas, not a school with a shoddy basketball tradition, to coach at North Carolina, in his own home state. There shouldn't be any anger from the Pitt Fans toward Howland. Too bad for Pitt fans.

Victory or until next year!

by ncrpz2 on Mar 19, 2007 11:12 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

It appears

That some Pitt fans are classy (read:rational) about Howland coming to UCLA:

"What the hell did Howland say that was so bad? It IS tougher to build a hoops program in Pittsburgh than at UCLA. Did you ever think that maybe he was just being honest and felt that he had done as much as HE could do.

Look, he's a west coast guy and he went back for the one job that every west coast college basketball coach covets. He did a great job while he was here.

As for the rest of the anti west-coast rants, they just make Pitt fans sound jealous and provincial. It's not like we need to create bitterness to get excited about this game."

The Pitt fans are digging up a lot of dirt about why Howland left without a lot of references to support the allegations. Nice journalism.

by diehardbruin on Mar 19, 2007 11:00 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

They sound pretty ungrateful

Isn't going to the national championship and winning a basketball game enough for motivation. Sounds pretty shady, Jamie Dixon. You can get your guys to play with a chip on their shoulder with other tactics.

by bruin95 on Mar 19, 2007 11:05 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Something positive about Pittsburgh

The Andy Warhol museum is kinda cool.

by doublebonus on Mar 19, 2007 1:40 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

and...

Don't forget about PNC Park.

We're still looking for a good baseball team to fill it. If you know of one, please give us a call.

-Dennis Pitt Blather http://www.pittblather.com/

by Dennis From Pitt Blather on Mar 19, 2007 6:05 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Pittsburgh

There is also Primanti's sandwiches, O's fries, and Iron City Beer!

by Nestor on Mar 19, 2007 6:52 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I'm not taking the bait...

Pitt's a great town with some great fans. Dixon's got a good program over there and on every day besides this thursday I'll be rooting for them. Just because there's a few stragglers on message boards complaining about the coach that built the program doesn't mean that they're all a bunch of idiots over there. The craziest thing about that town is that EVERYTHING has fries in them. Salads, sandwiches, EVERYTHING! It's unique and cool I guess.

And after a visit to PNC park, check out who I saw in a local bar putting down the Iron City Lights!