Stephen Thompson
@stephenthompson.bsky.social
I write about Pitt athletics for the Pittsburgh Post Gazette | Boston Celtics fan | he/him | be where your feet are
Pinned
Column | All I need to know, I learned at Trees - The Pitt News
Outgoing sports editor Stephen Thompson has spent four years playing on and learning from Pittsburgh’s pick-up basketball courts. This is what they taught him and why he’s sad to leave them behind aft...
pittnews.com
Re-sharing this here because:
a) I want to pin it to my profile again
b) it's my favorite piece of original published writing and
c) it's 70° and I'm playing pickup later.
“Wisdom was not at the top of the graduate school mountain, but there in the sandpile at Sunday School.” — Robert Fulghum
a) I want to pin it to my profile again
b) it's my favorite piece of original published writing and
c) it's 70° and I'm playing pickup later.
“Wisdom was not at the top of the graduate school mountain, but there in the sandpile at Sunday School.” — Robert Fulghum
Reposted by Stephen Thompson
Victory over Georgia Tech lifts Pitt back into College Football Playoff rankings
Victory over Georgia Tech lifts Pitt back into College Football Playoff rankings
As Pitt football prepares for a regular season finale with massive stakes, they’ve earned some recognition. After a one-week absence following its...
www.post-gazette.com
November 26, 2025 at 1:06 AM
Victory over Georgia Tech lifts Pitt back into College Football Playoff rankings
Pitt checks in at No. 22 in the new College Football Playoff rankings. No. 12 Miami visits Pittsburgh on Saturday.
November 26, 2025 at 12:57 AM
Pitt checks in at No. 22 in the new College Football Playoff rankings. No. 12 Miami visits Pittsburgh on Saturday.
Seems to me that a lot of people have very selective memories about how competitive most 4-team CFP games were and how much the non-playoff bowls “mattered” to the teams playing in them.
November 26, 2025 at 12:30 AM
Seems to me that a lot of people have very selective memories about how competitive most 4-team CFP games were and how much the non-playoff bowls “mattered” to the teams playing in them.
Volume of missed tackles by season for Pitt during Narduzzi era (games played), per PFF.
2015 (13) - 100
2016 (13) - 122
2017 (12) - 89
2018 (14) - 136
2019 (13) - 121
2020 (11) - 120
2021 (14) - 136
2022 (13) - 90
2023 (12) - 142
2024 (13) - 139
2025 (11) - 94
2015 (13) - 100
2016 (13) - 122
2017 (12) - 89
2018 (14) - 136
2019 (13) - 121
2020 (11) - 120
2021 (14) - 136
2022 (13) - 90
2023 (12) - 142
2024 (13) - 139
2025 (11) - 94
November 25, 2025 at 5:59 PM
Volume of missed tackles by season for Pitt during Narduzzi era (games played), per PFF.
2015 (13) - 100
2016 (13) - 122
2017 (12) - 89
2018 (14) - 136
2019 (13) - 121
2020 (11) - 120
2021 (14) - 136
2022 (13) - 90
2023 (12) - 142
2024 (13) - 139
2025 (11) - 94
2015 (13) - 100
2016 (13) - 122
2017 (12) - 89
2018 (14) - 136
2019 (13) - 121
2020 (11) - 120
2021 (14) - 136
2022 (13) - 90
2023 (12) - 142
2024 (13) - 139
2025 (11) - 94
Pitt's Cory Sanders on Miami's Malachi Toney: "No. 10 can make 3 guys miss in a phone booth."
November 25, 2025 at 5:49 PM
Pitt's Cory Sanders on Miami's Malachi Toney: "No. 10 can make 3 guys miss in a phone booth."
Pitt associate head coach/safeties coach Corey Sanders: "The thing I truly liked and enjoyed from the [defensive backfield] on Saturday was the physicality."
November 25, 2025 at 5:36 PM
Pitt associate head coach/safeties coach Corey Sanders: "The thing I truly liked and enjoyed from the [defensive backfield] on Saturday was the physicality."
Dick Fitts, you will be missed dearly.
November 25, 2025 at 4:42 PM
Dick Fitts, you will be missed dearly.
Reposted by Stephen Thompson
Abby Schnable's Pitt sports chat: 11.25.25
Abby Schnable's Pitt sports chat: 11.25.25
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www.post-gazette.com
November 25, 2025 at 4:35 PM
Abby Schnable's Pitt sports chat: 11.25.25
After last night's loss to Quinnipiac, KenPom favors Pitt to win three of its remaining 24 games -- vs. Hofstra (12/7), vs. Binghamton (12/17) and vs. Notre Dame (2/21).
November 24, 2025 at 10:34 PM
After last night's loss to Quinnipiac, KenPom favors Pitt to win three of its remaining 24 games -- vs. Hofstra (12/7), vs. Binghamton (12/17) and vs. Notre Dame (2/21).
Reposted by Stephen Thompson
No. 24 Pitt finds renewed confidence heading into regular season finale vs. No. 13 Miami
No. 24 Pitt finds renewed confidence heading into regular season finale vs. No. 13 Miami
ACC schedule makers did Pitt a small favor when determining kickoff times and television designations for its Week 14 games. They assigned No. 24 Pitt...
www.post-gazette.com
November 24, 2025 at 9:46 PM
No. 24 Pitt finds renewed confidence heading into regular season finale vs. No. 13 Miami
The blocking on this play was better than I remembered.
November 24, 2025 at 10:23 PM
The blocking on this play was better than I remembered.
Ja'Kyrian Turner has been named the ACC running back and rookie of the week, it was announced today. Braylan Lovelace is linebacker of the week.
November 24, 2025 at 7:02 PM
Ja'Kyrian Turner has been named the ACC running back and rookie of the week, it was announced today. Braylan Lovelace is linebacker of the week.
Pat Narduzzi said there's no timeline for starting placekicker Trey Butkowski's return to action.
"I wish there was."
"I wish there was."
November 24, 2025 at 5:26 PM
Pat Narduzzi said there's no timeline for starting placekicker Trey Butkowski's return to action.
"I wish there was."
"I wish there was."
Here's ABC's broadcast team for Miami-Pitt on Saturday. Pretty good trio. And I believe Bob Wischusen was on the call when Pitt upset No. 2 Miami back in 2017.
November 24, 2025 at 5:25 PM
Here's ABC's broadcast team for Miami-Pitt on Saturday. Pretty good trio. And I believe Bob Wischusen was on the call when Pitt upset No. 2 Miami back in 2017.
Pat Narduzzi on Braylan Lovelace: "I can't help what the media says but I know we've got 3 dudes at linebacker and they're all good. ... He is, in my opinion, an all-conference linebacker."
November 24, 2025 at 5:10 PM
Pat Narduzzi on Braylan Lovelace: "I can't help what the media says but I know we've got 3 dudes at linebacker and they're all good. ... He is, in my opinion, an all-conference linebacker."
Pat Narduzzi on the win over Georgia Tech: “I think a lot of people were shocked. … We’ve got a good football team here in Pittsburgh. I wasn’t shocked by how our guys played.”
November 24, 2025 at 5:03 PM
Pat Narduzzi on the win over Georgia Tech: “I think a lot of people were shocked. … We’ve got a good football team here in Pittsburgh. I wasn’t shocked by how our guys played.”
It’s completely fucking over if Will Campbell is hurt.
November 23, 2025 at 8:16 PM
It’s completely fucking over if Will Campbell is hurt.
Pitt had hosted an AP ranked opponent as a ranked opponent twice from 2015 through 2024. Now they’ll do it twice in 2025.
Pitt is ranked No. 24 in the latest AP poll following their win over newly ranked No. 23 Georgia Tech.
By the AP's accounting, it will be No. 24 Pitt hosting No. 13 Miami on Saturday at Acrisure Stadium.
By the AP's accounting, it will be No. 24 Pitt hosting No. 13 Miami on Saturday at Acrisure Stadium.
November 23, 2025 at 7:16 PM
Pitt had hosted an AP ranked opponent as a ranked opponent twice from 2015 through 2024. Now they’ll do it twice in 2025.
Pitt is ranked No. 24 in the latest AP poll following their win over newly ranked No. 23 Georgia Tech.
By the AP's accounting, it will be No. 24 Pitt hosting No. 13 Miami on Saturday at Acrisure Stadium.
By the AP's accounting, it will be No. 24 Pitt hosting No. 13 Miami on Saturday at Acrisure Stadium.
November 23, 2025 at 7:10 PM
Pitt is ranked No. 24 in the latest AP poll following their win over newly ranked No. 23 Georgia Tech.
By the AP's accounting, it will be No. 24 Pitt hosting No. 13 Miami on Saturday at Acrisure Stadium.
By the AP's accounting, it will be No. 24 Pitt hosting No. 13 Miami on Saturday at Acrisure Stadium.
That Drake Maye TD pass was Mason Heintschel-esque.
November 23, 2025 at 6:59 PM
That Drake Maye TD pass was Mason Heintschel-esque.
I’ve watched a lot of Drake Maye football between his UNC days and obviously the Patriots. That was easily the worst throw I’ve seen him make.
November 23, 2025 at 6:46 PM
I’ve watched a lot of Drake Maye football between his UNC days and obviously the Patriots. That was easily the worst throw I’ve seen him make.
A football player could get shot on the field and the first thing you’d hear from team PR is “questionable to return.”
November 23, 2025 at 6:17 PM
A football player could get shot on the field and the first thing you’d hear from team PR is “questionable to return.”
Oh yeah, almost forgot about you.
a football player wearing a number 11 jersey stands next to another player
ALT: a football player wearing a number 11 jersey stands next to another player
media.tenor.com
November 23, 2025 at 5:57 PM
Oh yeah, almost forgot about you.
Pitt is slated to host the Seminoles next season.
Florida State is bringing Mike Norvell back for next season, sources confirm to @theathletic.com
FSU, Baylor, Wisconsin, Maryland all bringing back their maligned coaches, in part due to high buyouts and a difficult market. Norvell's was almost $60 million (w/ offset)
FSU, Baylor, Wisconsin, Maryland all bringing back their maligned coaches, in part due to high buyouts and a difficult market. Norvell's was almost $60 million (w/ offset)
November 23, 2025 at 5:56 PM
Pitt is slated to host the Seminoles next season.