A Calmer Look at the Last Five Days...

Okay. So let's recap.

Friday Night: Pitt Basketball plays New Hampshire setting the record for fewest combined points scored in a half in the shot clock era. Somehow Pitt wins, which in will no was set the tone for the next few days.

Saturday Afternoon: Cincinnati 45, Pitt 44. Pitt has to settle for the Meineke Car Care Bowl.

Saturday Night: Blackhawks 2, Penguins 1 in a shootout.

Sunday Afternoon: Raiders 27, Steelers 24. Blech.

Monday Night: Hurricanes (worst team in NHL by 9 points) beat Penguins 3-2.

Tuesday Night: Pitt Panthers lose to Indiana Hoosiers (coming off 9 win season, worst in Indiana history) at Madison Square Garden.

Yikes.

When the Pirates signing former Rookie of the Year Bobby Crosby, he of the .237 career average, is the highlight of the last five days, you know we've fallen on hard times.

It's hard for us to complain after the amazing last 14 months or so the Pittsburgh sports scene has given us, Pirates excluded. But this is a little difficult to take.

However, there's gotta be some positives to take away from this, right?

The Steelers: They theoretically can still make the playoffs. We've found our next great running back in Rashard Mendenhall. Troy is going to be back eventually. The secondary can't possibly get any worse.

Pitt Football: Wannstadt, who remains underrated as a college coach, has Pitt headed in the right direction. Dion Lewis and Jonathan Baldwin are coming back. As remarkable as Bill Stull's season has been, he'll be replaced by a quarterback who can throw the ball thirty yards. If Wanny can convince Greg Romeus to stay, Pitt should be a Big East favorite next year with a bonafide Heisman Trophy Candidate to boot.

Pitt Basketball: Ashton Gibbs is a budding star. Brad Wannamaker is coming into his own. They have a McDonald's All-American, freshman Dante "Falcor" Taylor ready to explode. Gary McGhee can't me worse than last year.

The Pens: They're not as injured as they were a few weeks ago. Mike Rupp is scoring goals. Jay McKee is blocking shots. You know Ray Shero will make a savvy deadline deal. They still have Sid and Geno. They're third in the East.

The Pirates: Bobby Crosby!

So it's not all bad. Things will get better. We'll be okay Pittsburgh. We are still the City of Champions.