PITTSBURGH - Pitt has one football game left, a chance to go even at 6-6 and, incredibly, get a trip to some obscure bowl game.
It's been a rocky first season for coach Todd Graham, who hasn't delivered on his promise to feature a high octane offense.
It's become pretty obvious that Tino Sunseri isn't capable of operating the kind of scheme Graham wants, so that makes quarterback one of his prime recruiting missions.
Graham now has the benefit of being on the job for nearly a year. He knows the personnel he has, and he knows what he needs to make his systems work.
He should also know that what he's delivered this season hasn't been acceptable.
If Pitt was willing to settle for a 6-6 season, it could have saved some money and kept Dave Wannstedt on the job.
Clear choice
Reports from Boston say the Red Sox have narrowed their managerial search to two candidates: Bobby Valentine and Gene Lamont.
There couldn't be a bigger contrast.
Valentine is a brass band who loves being the center of attention. The laid-back Lamont is happy to fade into the background.
What approach works better with a dysfunctional clubhouse?
That's what the Red Sox have to decide.
No rooting for this
Sidney Crosby's return to the Penguins Monday night was spectacular.
Root Sports' coverage wasn't.
Given access to Dan Bylsma's pre-game speech to the team, Root chose to run it all. It wasn't Vince Lombardi, but just a dull recitation of the game plan, filled with indecipherable coach-speak.
The payoff was when Bylsma finally said, "Sid, you ready to go? Good, because you're starting." By then, though, the game had begun and Root clumsily cut to the action.
So they missed the story on and off the ice. No shot of Crosby and teammates reacting to Bylsma's question, no shot of Crosby taking the opening faceoff.
Post-game, Dan Potash did an on-ice interview with Pascal Dupuis. Root's camera angle showed Crosby in the background, smiling during a network interview, reinforcing the idea that Root had to settle for second best on choice of guest.
Mehno can be reached at johnmehnocolumn@gmail.com.
