Kovacevic: Panthers shaky in Stallings' debut but prevail ... and that's OK

"I'm very happy for my team. And actually, despite what anybody else might think, I'm very proud of them."

Oh, Kevin Stallings was ready for this.

The University of Pittsburgh's new basketball coach had no sooner entered the equally new press conference room at the Petersen Events Center, one of countless renovations this summer no doubt aimed at giving the place that Jamie-Dixon-isn't-here-anymore feel, than he'd sat down, taken a sip of Aquafina, tilted into the microphone and taken on the establishment.

And hey, who can blame him?

The man's been under siege pretty much since the day Scott Barnes, Pitt's almost-as-new athletic director, hired him through one of those shady search firms and after Stallings' wholly unspectacular 17-year tenure at Vanderbilt. Students, alumni and Zoo animals far and wide cried out in unison. People spoke openly of cancelling season tickets, and at least some followed through. It seemed the program was ... if not sunk, then at least scarred.

So you'd better be sure that when Stallings' debut Friday night saw his Panthers needing double-overtime and a double-dose of good fortune to squeak by Eastern Bleeping Michigan, 93-90, yeah, he'd be braced for any backlash, even if it hadn't yet had more than a few minutes to materialize.

That quote up there, that's Stallings talking about his players.

And I'm going to be blunt here: I really liked it.