Big Lead Sports Bar

2/03/2010

BACKYARD BLOWOUT


(This just in from Mikey and Big Bob at the 96.1 Kiss Morning Freak Show : a better clip!)

Well, that was about as ugly as I could've ever imagined.

The Backyard Brawl had a bit of everything: Bob Huggins conjuring up memories of Sam Wyche with a microphone-grabbing rant directed at garbage-hurling Mountaineer fans; the WVU crowd getting a technical foul later in the game for hitting a Pitt assistant coach in the head with what appeared to be a coin; a TV announcer so upset over the airborne change that he nearly lost his voice decrying the act; pushing and shoving between players that left a referee on the ground; and no shortage of vulgar chants from the student section. Yes, the brawl moniker was certainly appropriate for this contest.

Unfortunately for Pitt, they forgot one thing on Wednesday night: their game. Brad Wanamaker and Gilbert Brown were both held scoreless, the team shot a miserable 16-for-53 from the floor and 2-for-10 from three-point range, and they were outrebounded 42-30. Things were so bad for the Panthers that Ashton Gibbs, who was 87-for-92 from the free throw line this year, missed three foul shots.

The end product of those awful ingredients was a lopsided 70-51 WVU win in a game that the Panthers were never in danger of winning. Don't get me wrong, they had their occasional runs, but rarely does playing catch-up at great lengths result in a W.

During the game, we were formally introduced to Mountaineer Deniz Kilicli, the 6'9" Turkish behemoth who made his college debut after an NCAA-mandated 20-game hiatus. The TV announcers compared Kilicli to Kevin Love, and SI recently wondered that he might be the 'Eers "missing link", but after watching him put up nine points in just seven minutes of action, this I can guarantee: Pitt fans will not like him.

The Panthers got Jermaine Dixon back for this one, and he did lead them with 13 points, but that's more an indictment of the rest of the team's offensive ineptitude on the night. Gibbs was the only other Panther to score in double digits, and he topped out at 11.

The non-basketball shenanigans were mildly amusing, but served no purpose other than making everyone involved look bad. Pitt assistant Tom Herrion's change-pelting got announcer Mark Adams more fired up than I've heard an announcer get in a long time. And Huggins' rant will live on in infamy thanks to the internet (and it does give me an excellent excuse to run the Wyche clip from years back):



So to all the WVU fans who were upset at my portrayal of them a night before, congratulations on your victory, and congratulations on proving me right. Say what you want about Pitt, but I can't remember any Panther coach needing to reprimand his home crowd like a mom yelling at her five-year-old for throwing things, nor can I remember any opposing assistant coaches ever getting hit with objects thrown by Pitt fans. Which obviously means I've never seen both happen in the same game.

Mark your calendars for February 12, because that's when these two teams will meet again at The Pete. It's not going to be a game for the faint of heart, that I can promise. It's also going to be a big night for Pitt fans, who will be under the microscope after pointing out the flaws of the Mountaineer faithful. It's in your hands now, Oakland Zoo.

UPDATE:

Ask and you shall receive. Here's the awesome video of announcer Mark Adams going bonkers around the 40-second mark, courtesy of Mikey at the 96.1 Kiss Morning Freak Show.




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17 comments:

Adam said...

Hey guess what?

Pitt currently has both a better football and basketball team than Michigan.

Did that make your night?

It made mine.

Adam said...

And if you think WVU hates Pitt now, wait till Pitt leaves them in the Big East.

Louis Lipps is my homeboy said...

Anyone have a youtube of the announcer going off?

That was too good!

the nigerian nightmare said...

Wow, and I thought Philly fans were scumbags.

Adam said...

I think WVU united Pitt and Penn State against them tonight.

Jonny Van Mundegaarde said...

I listened to the first half on the radio while at work/driving home...definately didn't miss watching it. It's like bizarro world where Pitt is (understandably after losing Young and Blair) ranked so low and WVU near the top of the polls.

Chad and Burresswithbutterfly, shoot me an email at jonvitullo@gmail.com concerning cheap authentic jerseys. I'm getting an Orpik Team USA one for about 35 bucks.

BURGH08 said...

It's pretty clear Adam must be posting while drinking late at night, or full of other fluids only one can get when providing 'service' to livestock near campus. Leave it to junior to find a Penn State reference (again..do they have basketball?)

Not surprised with the outcome. Young kids hitting the proverbial 'wall' right now in the regular season. Much wasn't expected this year with the losses of NBA talent, but was lightened up with the surprising early road wins.

They still have a good chance at 20 wins, a bid in the tourney, and that's about as good as you can ask for this year.

As for the 'eers fans? Was anyone really surprised?

Steve said...

Umm, what happened to the thinking that if your fans are caught doing things like this, your team forfeits the game? That should be implied without an announcment needed, especially at the college level. Kids are taught absolutely nothing anymore...not that learning is anything the punks at WVU really signed on for anyway.

BurressWithButterflywings said...

WVU is clearly a better team this year, they really showed that when Pitt got it to within 2.

Pitt is flat out struggling right now. They missed at least 3 bunny layups that rolled around and out early in the second half that killed them. When it's not going your way against a top team, you're never going to dig yourself out.

As for the WVU fans, they are as classless as they come. I remember being 14 years old when Pete Gonzalez hit Terry Muprhy in the 3rd OT to win the game at WVU and clinch a bowl game for Pitt, which was their first in 8 years. I stood up and hugged my dad and WVU fans threw stuff at us and threatened to drag me behind their pickup trick.

A few years later, we made the mistake of attending another Brawl in Morontwown in which WVU whooped Pitt up and down. My sister was a cheerleader at Pitt and despite WVU kicking the hell out of them, they were still hit will full plastic cups of pop and ice and full plastic bottles while on the sidelines cheering.

That University is a disgrace, from it's fake degrees, to half of it's FB team needing 12 tries to pass NCAA clearinghouse, to having Bob Huggins as their Bball coach, just one human cessepool. Which is a shame because they have some really good academic and athletic programs, but they are 100% without class.

brian72975 said...

Soooo... once is OK! Noted.

Unknown said...

west virginia. full of rednecks and hillbillies.

BurressWithButterflywings said...

I was mistaken when i said that we had stuff thrown at us afte the OT game, that actually happened same game when we the cheerleaders being assaulted.

And I also stand corrected in that it was the officials and not myself whom the fans wanted to drag behind their truck ( that is a forgivable as we have all made similar suggestions, I'm sure). So I retract that statement.

It is a shame that after the fans were asked not to do anything embarassing they did it, especially on a night when their team crushed their most fierce rival. I guess you can't have your cake and eat it, too.

Honestly, that Turkish kid is ridiculous. I hate him.

Unknown said...

mountaineer fans sure are passionate, i guess too passionate...

BurressWithButterflywings said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
NickDawg said...

mountaineer fans are idiot is more like it...who throws a coin at someones head...im sorry thats piss poor no matter how you look at it...

on a ligher note, Mondesis house got some props from si.com extra mustard - hot clicks for posting the Huggins and announcer freaking out clips..not sure Don or anyone else reads that site but it has some good and off the wall content

Anonymous said...

I will say the coin incident was the most ridiculous thing I've ever seen. Some fans just don't get it. When you're told to stop, you need to stop. But thanks for thinking that WVU fans are the only people who do that, because, you, we clearly are. I don't understand why the hell you people think you're superior because you're a PITT fan (Hell, I'm from and live in Pittsburgh, so, I'm not from West Virginia before all of the original redneck/incest jokes start). Are some fans complete jackasses? Yes. Are all fans like that? No. I went to the Backyard Brawl last year, and I got threatened several times by Pitt fans. Do I think everyone that wears Pitt colors are like that? Absolutely not. Every team in any sport at any level has a group of douchebag fans who are like that. You can't tell me that every fan from Pitt is an angel. By no means am I sticking up for whoever threw the coin, but, don't make assume that's the way every fan acts.

Anonymous said...

I will say the coin incident was the most ridiculous thing I've ever seen. Some fans just don't get it. When you're told to stop, you need to stop. But thanks for thinking that WVU fans are the only people who do that, because, you, we clearly are. I don't understand why the hell you people think you're superior because you're a PITT fan (Hell, I'm from and live in Pittsburgh, so, I'm not from West Virginia before all of the original redneck/incest jokes start). Are some fans complete jackasses? Yes. Are all fans like that? No. I went to the Backyard Brawl last year, and I got threatened several times by Pitt fans. Do I think everyone that wears Pitt colors are like that? Absolutely not. Every team in any sport at any level has a group of douchebag fans who are like that. You can't tell me that every fan from Pitt is an angel. By no means am I sticking up for whoever threw the coin, but, don't make assume that's the way every fan acts.