Christmas not kind to Pitt football

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, Pitt football!

Though at this point in your 2006, there… Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, Pitt football!

Though at this point in your 2006, there isn’t much to be merry or happy about at all.

You see, I once thought that when you were considered to be on the “bad” list, you got coal in your stocking. But according to your holidays, phew – you were something worse than bad. Just look around you:

While your football world came tumbling down this season, championships were being won by hated rivals everywhere.

Sugar Bowl champs, you ask? That title went to your backyard buddies from that town you hate – the West Virginia Mountaineers. Remember them? They’re the same team that sent you home with an embarrassing 45-13 blowout on Thanksgiving Day.

One day later, Fed Ex crowned its latest Orange Bowl champions.

Your favorite old, washed-up football coach from just a few hours away, Joe Paterno, laid claim to that title with his fully rejuvenated version of the Penn State Nittany Lions, a squad that featured a few recruits he swiped away from your grasp in recent years.

Those two instances alone can seem like a bit much to take in, but things got worse than that. It wasn’t just what was happening nearby that made the holidays a little hard to swallow.

Two key components that had some people actually buzzing about next season took off and left you in the dust, Pitt. One for a legitimate reason, and another for some kind of reasoning that still has mostly everyone shaking their heads and wondering why.

Greg Lee – that’s right, Greg Lee – has decided to enter the NFL draft.

Yes, the same Greg Lee that dropped numerous passes throughout the season. And yes, the same Greg Lee that garnered national attention at the beginning of the year only to fall off the face of the earth when Biletnikoff finalists were chosen.

When asked after the West Virginia game what his plans were for the future, Lee led reporters to believe that he’d be staying put. He mentioned that he’d sit down to think about his decision, but he was leaning toward a senior season as a Panther.

Things changed, however, and the inconsistent receiver will take his shot at a second-day draft selection.

As if that wasn’t enough, freshman Rashad Jennings is transferring from the program.

Jennings, who many thought would be a fixture in the backfield with LaRod Stephens-Howling for the next three years, went home to Virginia to be closer with his family during a medical situation involving his father.

You can’t do anything but wish the kid and his family well, but it sure leaves a nice, unexpected dent in Pitt’s plans for next season.

Leading receiver? Gone. Second leading rusher? Gone.

Congratulations, Tyler Palko – your returning offense that struggled through most of the past season has just lost two of its biggest weapons.

It’s hard to believe that everything could be going wrong for Pitt. Off the field, I’m sure coach Dave Wannstedt has recruits coming in from all over the place, including the Pittsburgh area.

Until signing day actually comes, however, any standout high-schooler can go against his word and eliminate a verbal agreement. No one knows that better than Pitt.

Luckily for Panther fans, you have something on the side to take your mind off the pain. The men’s basketball team remains one of only three unbeaten teams left, which puts a little more pressure on its coach, Jamie Dixon.

Not only is he forced to deal with the new 16-team super-conference that is Big East basketball, he’s left with the harsh job of washing the taste of Pitt football out of students’ mouths.

Good luck, Mr. Dixon.

Coach Wannstedt will be extra pleased with a job well done on your part.

Alan Smodic is a senior staff writer for The Pitt News. e-mail him at ams85@pitt.edu.