1. Considering all the circumstances, this is the best coaching job by Walt Harris since he… 1. Considering all the circumstances, this is the best coaching job by Walt Harris since he has been at Pitt.

Matt: Fact. Although what he did in 2001, rebounding the team from a 1-5 start to win out and win a bowl was very remarkable, to take a new, young quarterback and nine new starters on offense and make them bowl-eligible and in the hunt for the conference title is worthy of praise. The job he has done with Tyler Palko is unbelievable. He threw three picks in that bad loss to Nebraska, but Harris never swayed in his support and now he might be the best in the conference. Sour note is that Harris will still be fired when the year is over because the Pitt administration had that decided a few weeks ago.

Dave: Fiction. Although the Panthers have exceeded many expectations and Harris has done a lot with a young team that does not have much talent, I am still not buying it. With a cupcake non-conference schedule and the way the level of play has deteriorated in the Big East, I am not that impressed. At least not as impressed as when Harris joined Pitt in 1997 and led the Panthers to their first winning season in six years and their first bowl bid in almost a decade. Before Harris took over, Pitt had won just 15 games in the last five years. In his first season here, Harris was named Big East coach of the year as Pitt upset Miami and VT on their way to the Liberty Bowl. This year has been special, but not that special.

2. Tyler Palko is at fault, as he was out of line saying an expletive on national television Saturday.

Matt: Fiction. There is a reason for the NCAA’s ten-minute cooling-off period between the end of the game and the interviews: Players are too emotional that soon after a big loss or win. Tyler Palko’s interview should have never happened and the word should have never been said. Like he said, that is not Tyler Palko — he is a leader that has done wonders this year with little to work with. It’s a shame that there is now a black eye on a great win.

Dave: Fiction. Tyler made a mistake and was responsible enough to apologize for it. I don’t blame him, though. I blame NBC and every other network that covers sports. I hate these mid-game interviews and on-the-field reporting. Sideline reporters typically just get in the way. I hated how Fox interviewed managers in between innings of playoff games this fall. Let them do their job. Let the coaches’ coach at halftime. Let Tyler Palko celebrate with his team after his biggest win as a Division I starter. The only time we remember these kinds of interviews is when they go badly. Like Jim Gray and Pete Rose, like Roy Williams being badgered about the UNC job minutes after his Kansas team was upset in the national championship, and who could forget the embarrassment of Broadway Joe on Monday Night Football. Hopefully, Tyler’s incident will pull the plug on these stupid interviews.

3. Hosting the Big East tournament at Fitzgerald Field House Saturday, the No. 2-seeded Panthers will win the tournament for the second straight year.

Matt: Fact. Like I said last week, it will rely on Megan Miller, because if she plays, the Panthers are the best team in the conference and should defend their title. Coach Beerman mixed the lineup around on Sunday after the loss to the Irish and got good results in a come-from-behind victory over Syracuse. It will be hard playing two of the best teams in the conference on consecutive days, but the Panthers love the field house and love that trophy even more.

Dave: Fact. Although last week I correctly predicted they wouldn’t pull off a weekend sweep against the Orange and the Irish, I think they will this weekend. This weekend they are at the friendly confines of the Field House. Plus, Megan Miller has had another week to rest her injury. Don’t think she’ll miss her senior Big East Tournament. With her healthy and the home-court advantage, I look for the Panthers to defend their title.

4. Yuri Demetris should start for the Panthers basketball team.

Matt: Fact. As of right now, Demetris brings as much to the starting five as anyone who would compete against him. When healthy, the Panthers will go with Chris Taft, Chevon Troutman, Carl Krauser, Antonio Graves, and right now, Demetris, with his good defense, should be the fifth. John DeGroat will step in, along with Mark McCarroll, but not until someone either outplays Demetris or shows a better understanding for the offensive and defensive schemes. Plus, Yuri has earned it and he is an Oakland Zoo favorite.

Dave: As much as I hate to say it, this is fiction. Yuri has definitely paid his dues behind JP and Jaron Brown. However, he is not one of the best five players this season. Just because he is a senior doesn’t mean he should start. Coach Dixon has praised his defense, but once sharpshooting freshman Ronald Ramon learns the Panther D, look for him to supplant Demetris. Yuri may be the starter in November, but I doubt he will be when it matters in March.

5. You miss the NHL.

Matt: Fact. It has been a long time since the Penguins were good and that makes hockey harder to watch for me, but even after last year, when the Penguins were one of the worst teams ever, I watched the games. This year, the Pens had nowhere to go but up and that means good things. I would have enjoyed watching them improve. I miss it the most, however, because I hate the NBA.

Dave: Believe it or not, I say this is a fact. I do miss the NHL. Not only am I a huge Penguin fan, but you have to admit that without the baseball playoffs and no college basketball yet, SportsCenter has been a little boring in November. I can’t stand the NBA and we only get NFL highlights on Mondays and college football highlights on Sundays. I cannot take all those NBA highlights without a little NHL. It may not televise too well, but there is nothing like a good hockey highlight on Wednesday morning’s Sportscenter.