I was going to leave it alone, but the more I thought about it the more annoyed I got. Dave Wannstedt held what should have been his final press conference as a direct representative of Pitt. My initial impulse was that he let his own wounded pride and anger at AD Pederson overrule all else. Disappointingly, after 24 hours, I’m still at the same spot.
This is one of those times when just about everyone saw something the same way. It’s not some Rashomon event.
Ron Cook came down hard on the man.
Another thing that was really irksome about Wannstedt’s announcement was the shameless way he tried to make himself seem like a sympathetic victim. He talked about how people from “around here” know the importance of loyalty. That was a direct shot at Pederson, who’s not from around here.
I guess I understand Wannstedt’s bitterness in a way, but that “loyalty” nonsense was way over the top. Yes, he’s from Pittsburgh. And yes, he’s a Pitt man. But that doesn’t mean he has a coaching job for life. I repeat: Wannstedt should have been fired.
It’s a shame the end of the Wannstedt era at Pitt has to be like this. It’s a shame he’s leaving a smaller man than he came in as six years ago. You might remember his promise then to do great things. “It has been way too long since we’ve won the national championship here at the University of Pittsburgh.”
As it turned out, those words were hollow. So were his parting words Monday.
“It’s all about the kids. It’s always about the kids. They know I’d do anything for them.”
Anything but be there with them when they play their final game.
That was a theme.
When emotion trumps common sense, you get the type of press conference Dave Wannstedt held at Pitt Monday afternoon.
Wannstedt, who resigned under pressure as football coach at Pitt last month, reminded us that he was a “Pitt guy” and “Pittsburgh guy” and how important loyalty was in his life.
Then he told the assembled media that he was abandoning the players and would not coach the Panthers during their game against Kentucky in the BBVA Compass Bowl in Birmingham, Ala.
There is a disconnect there, but Wannstedt doesn’t see it.
Look, it had to be hard for Wannstedt. We all know he didn’t see the firing coming.It’s part of his character. That not too much of this disappointing season was his fault. The injuries to Greg Romeus and Dan Mason. The limited number of seniors. The new players on the O-line and at QB.
The issues of poor recruiting at linebacker, O-line, defensive backs “were what they were” or something else. All the poor play and mistakes, correctable — with time. Essentially it came back to “just not catching a break.”
And yes, we all know that AD Steve Pederson botched the whole forced resignation thing. Whatever the attempts to soften the blow and help Wannstedt’s reputation, it was not believed from the moment it happened. And yes, there is no question he needed to put a time limit on Wannstedt to make a decision. It looked like a form of cowardice on Pederson’s part. He didn’t want to have to confront Wannstedt over the decision, instead assuming that Wannstedt wouldn’t be so hurt and petty, as to drag it out.
So, no, this didn’t happen in a vacuum and without plenty of blame. But the length taken to make the call. The final press conference only held the day before Pitt travels to Birmingham. That’s all on Wannstedt. It was all in his control.
What makes it worse. Far worse, was that Wannstedt admitted in the press conference that he had known for some time that he wouldn’t coach the team — but wasn’t telling anyone.
Wannstedt said he told his seniors Sunday night he would not coach the Panthers in their bowl game but said he did not take long to make his decision about coaching the BBVA Compass Bowl.
“I just didn’t want to tell you guys,” he told reporters.
Whether it was a weak attempt at a joke to/with the media, it falls flat.
It truly makes him look small and petty. He yo-yo’d the team. His own players. The assistant coaches. All to get back at Pederson? Sad.
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