Pitt vs. ETSU Running Diary w/ Tangents

(Number 1 seed? It's about damn time!)

Last season, I kept a running diary of Pitt's opening round game against Oral Roberts (Oh Oral! How I miss thee!). The problem was...the game was not that captivating, as Pitt won in a blowout. I figure I'll slightly alter the gimmick this year. I'll keep a running diary of the game...but I'll hardly be focused on the game...allowing for my thoughts on the tournament's first day and a half, commentaries about coaches and commercials, along with updates about who I'm talking to on the phone and how my brackets are doing. Sound like a plan? Sounds like something at least.

(Comments for the Pitt game will be preceded by the time...all other comments will be marked by bullet points. That way...you can easily read either/or, both, or neither if you so choose)

Here we go. #1 Pitt vs. #16 ETSU to open Pitt's run in the East region. Let's make it happen this year! (I'm not sure what I mean by "it")

3:05 pm - Dejuan Blair wins the opening tip back to Levance Fields. Bill Raftery says, "Verne Lundquist...Eastern Tennessee State goes...MANTAMAN"! Everything is right in the world.

3:08 pm - Raftery makes his first "derriere" reference of the day. I think I'll be keeping a running count of this. Tyrell Biggs makes a 3-pointer for Pitt. He's surprisingly good for one of those a game. Pitt 6, ESTU 5.

• Has anyone else noticed how these NCAA Tournament games have been grossly under attended? It's really absurd. The Portland region has been the worst. There were so many empty blue seats during that Gonzaga/Akron game last night. There is NO ONE at the Temple/Arizona St. game right now. This has to have something to do with the weak-ass economy, right? This Pitt game in Dayton is no different. Plenty of good seats available.

3:16 pm - Apparently country music star Kenny Chesney attended ETSU. Don't know how that applies to Pitt's chances. The Panthers have committed 4 turnovers and look lazy. Pitt 11, ETSU 11.

• Pitt is doing what they do all-to-well, playing down to their competition in the first half. I need to divert my attention. As CJS has mentioned, check out Club Trillion, a blog by Ohio State bench player Mark Titus. It's titled Club Trillion because when he gets into a game, his line in the box score is 1 (for minutes played), followed by a BUNCH of zeros.

3:37 pm - After two missed free-throws by Blair, Pitt only leads by two. The fact Bill Raftery is calling this game can't even make me feel better right now. The UConn/Chattanooga game yesterday was close for the first 15 minutes, right? UConn ended up winning by 50 of course. 10 turnovers for Pitt and were not even at the half! Pitt 22, ETSU 20.

3:39 pm - Blair gets called for a technical for "hanging on the rim" after a dunk! Maybe he did a little bit of a chin-up on the play but COME ON! Both Raftery and Lundquist don't agree with the call. Coach Jamie Dixon is furious...either at the officials or at Blair. Dixon's hair, however, remains slicked back and in position. Pitt 24, ETSU 22.

3:41 pm - Bob sends me a text that simply reads, "BULLSHIT!!!" He immediately sends me another text saying, "Let's have a sporting event text chat like (Bill) Simmons and his buddies! I wanna make the blog!" Well Bob...you just did.

3:48 pm - Raftery, "Pitt has not put their imprint on this game." Couldn't have put it better myself sir. Pitt 24, ETSU 22.

• The best games so far have been #11 VCU's one-point loss to #6 UCLA, #11 Utah State's one-point loss to #6 Marquette, and #12 Western Kentucky's smack-down of #5 Illinois. I think the NCAA Tournament selection committee isn't going to make the mistake of giving WKU a #12 seed anymore.

3:55 pm - Pitt makes ANOTHER turnover...giving them 13 in the first half. I'm not panicking yet, but I'm definitely sick in my stomach. ETSU makes a last second layup to end the half that is then taken away after review. This is disgusting. Embarrassing. I need a cigarette Pitt 26, ETSU 23.

4:07 pm - Just talked to Phil during halftime. He's not nearly as confident as I am right now. Pitt's going to win...it's just a matter of if they win by 5-10 points or more than 20. They need to dominate and pull away, not for the fans, but for themselves. This is excruciating.

• Tournament Tattoo Update - The one guy from American U. had some ridiculous ink on his bicep, the explanation of which couldn't be determined. The tattoos of the tournament have to go to the boys from Northern Iowa. Lots of white guys with lots of ink. This prompted my dad to comment, "Tattoos on white guys just don't look good". I don't know if this means he thinks they look good on black guys, or he doesn't think they look good on anyone. Love ya pops!

4:18 pm - The second half gets underway. I really hope Jamie Dixon tore the boys a new one in the locker room during halftime. I'm wondering where my level of frustration will be in 5 minutes, 15 minutes, 30 minutes, etc.

4:20 pm - Jermaine Dixon takes a long bomb outlet pass...misses the layup...gets his own rebound, and misses the put-back. ETSU rebounds. At no point during that entire sequence did any Pitt player enter the screen to come down and help Dixon out. What the hell is going on?!?

4:23 pm - Bob sends me another text, "For cryin' out loud...they (Pitt) look like Bobby Mo (Robert Morris) in the (NEC) title game! Hey-oh!" Bob just got all of his labels taken away.

4:26 pm - I love how they have to break out the whole "no #16 seed has ever defeated a No. 1 seed" thing. The attempt to jinx the Panthers is officially on!

4:29 pm - CJS just texted me - "What the fuck?!?!" Why do I feel this growing momentum against Pitt? The crowd in Dayton is certainly pulling for the upset. Pitt 35, ETSU 33.

4:34 pm - Shot of Coach Dixon sitting down on the Pitt bench with his face buried in his hands. This sums up today's events perfectly. Pitt 39, ETSU 38.

4:37 pm - Lundquist keeps calling Sam Young "Wanamaker"...in reference to Panther guard Brad Wanamaker. Anything is going to piss me off at this point. Pitt 40, ETSU 40.

4:46 pm - When I did the running diary of Pitt's victory over Oral Roberts last year...it was a party...every player was contributing, smiles were all around. This is the complete opposite of that experience. ETSU just threw down a dunk. Blah. Pitt 46, ETSU 44.

4:52 pm - Sam Young misses his billionth layup of the game...Blair gets two offensive rebounds and finally makes the basket, giving Pitt it's first 5 point lead in an eternity. They just need to score 15 more unanswered points to PUSH the spread of 20. Pitt 50, ETSU 45.

4:55 pm - Young makes his second 3-pointer in the last couple of minutes. Things are a little more encouraging than they were before. Also, Fields looks like he's playing at about 60%, maybe I'm looking for excuses.....but he doesn't look like the Levance Fields we Pitt fans know and love. Pitt 58, ETSU 52.

5:01 pm - A bunch of bullshit just happened underneath Pitt's basket. I can't talk or type rationally right now. Pitt 59, ETSU 57.

5:06 pm - CBS holds a gun to Lundquist's head and makes him read the "no #16 seed has ever beaten a No. 1" fact again. I hate CBS right now. Pitt 62, ETSU 57.

5:09 pm - Pitt's going to win, as I said at halftime, but this win isn't going to feel good at all. Ashton Gibbs just hit a 3-pointer...followed by an ETSU layup. It's all but over...but I'm still feeling sick. Pitt 67, ETSU 61.

5:12 pm - College hoops are SO about confidence and momentum. Pitt came out lazy and entitled, once ETSU felt they could hang with the Panthers...the complexion of the game changed completely. Give a team confidence and they'll believe they can do anything. Pitt 70, ETSU 62.

5:16 pm - The "game" is finally over. I'm going to need to drink a lot tonight. This was horrible. I can't wait to hear from everyone busting my balls over this disaster. Hopefully this is what Pitt needs to wake up and realize that a No. 1 seed is earned and not given. They have to go out and PLAY like a No. 1 seed. I pray this scared them shitless. I have nothing more to say right now. Final Score: Pitt 72, ETSU 62.

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