Panthers Win

22 Big East Games. 20 Losses. Thats the real story of the Syracuse-Pitt game Saturday at the Dome. Other key points however, include 2 real positives Citrus Nation can take from the loss, and, as usual, Greg Robinson's.... strategery.

First, the team, and the defense for 3 quarters, apparently showed some real fight that I haven't seen in this team in a couple years. The player's effort has never matched G-Rob's (horrible) attempt to look fired up and enthusiastic on the sidelines. Today, the guys out there actually somewhat resembled a football team... (at least that's what Dick MacPherson said on the post-game show... I unfortunately had to work until the end of the 3rd, so I only saw what I've come to expect from the product on the field... a blown 11 point lead that turned into a 10 point loss).

Anyways, the fight was there, but the tackling was apparently pretty poor and the defense still lacks the ability to make stops when it absolutely HAS to.

Second strong point to hang our hat on: G-Rob is one day closer to his inevitable walk out the door.

(Example:

MY FIRST THOUGHT WHEN I LEARNED SU WAS UP BY 11 IN THE 3RD: Still a statistical chance to win the Big East.

MY SECOND THOUGHT: S#!+, that means there's no way Gregory loses his job this week, or at any point mid-year.)

So, though it's pretty sad, that is a plus (harsh, but true) that we can all focus on in the next few days. I don't normally wish for anyone to lose their job, but I think G-Rob will be ok with the 4.4 million dollars he's stolen from ...errr... been paid by the University. I also don't root for Syracuse to lose, but theres no harm in finding the positives in a negative.

This would be the best time to fire Robinson (other than last year, in hindsight). As the Axeman wrote, it makes almost too much sense at this point to let him go. But, in a stunning (not really) move, G-Rob, thinking strategically (or not at all) benched Curtis Brinkley (his best offensive player so far this year) for a critical 4th quarter drive after Pitt tied the score at 24 (and for the seemingly 1, 085th time in 5 games sealed his fate as the worst coach in BCS history).

With Syracuse's offense desperate to answer, Robinson inserted true freshman tailback Antwon Bailey into the game. Bailey had yet to play this season through the first four games. Now, he was being asked to generate some ground game at a pivotal point in the game. Bailey rushed for 2 yards on his first carries and 3 on his second. On third down, there was confusion just getting the play called from the sidelines. Cameron Dantley barely got the snap in time to beat the play clock and was thrown for a 4-yard loss on what may or may not have been some type of quarterback draw. The end result - three and out. Pitt scored on the next possession with what proved to be the winning points on another Lee field goal.

So how did the Orange get themselves in such a mess at that stage of the game?

Robinson said tailback Doug Hogue had sprained his ankle and that starting tailback Curtis Brinkley needed a chance to catch his breath. Of course, why did Brinkley need to catch his breath after the Pitt offense ripped off an 89-yard drive that took 4 minutes and 41 seconds? (Donnie Webb & Bud Poliquin of the Post-Standard)

I know if my job were on the line, or completely shot for that matter, I'd sit my starting halfback who had gained approx. 100 yards on the day in the most important drive of the young, but seemingly long and endless, season.

What is so upsetting about that point is not how dumb Greg Robinson is, but how much of a coward he looks like by making that call. A day after the Washington Post.com reports how coaches who's jobs are hanging in the breeze face the challenge of stepping up, fighting, and leading their teams through everything, G-Rob sits his best chance of fighting back.

What does that say to the players he's supposed to be leading? I'll tell you. It doesn't say "I believe in all of you... and that all of you can be successful out there." No, what a move like that really says is: "Kids, when the chips are down and the odds are against you, there are still risks that are too great to take in life... walk away from those battles, and save yourself for the next one. Oh, and punt on 3rd down... or when you're down by 20 on the road at the opposing teams 45..."

I'm not sure Jim Brown, as G-Rob put it, "knows I'm doing all I can and working my tail off." I certainly don't believe it.