It might be a bitter end to the Kevin Stallings era.
Pitt is internally discussing the possibility of a reduced buyout of Stallings' contract, multiple sources close to the basketball program told me this week. But that buyout, believed to be either $9.5 million or $10 million in the contract, won't come easily under any circumstance.
The program's boosters are pushing hard for the university, in particular athletic director Heather Lyke, to find a new head coach after the current, catastrophic season ends. The Panthers have lost all 16 ACC games and are almost certain to lose the final two, to No. 1 Virginia and Notre Dame. Attendance at the Petersen Events Center has plummeted to previously unfathomable depths, including the Wednesday crowd of 2,420 for the loss to Wake Forest.
Those boosters. some of whom have opened very thick wallets on the program's behalf in the past, are increasingly convinced it's a matter of when and how -- not if -- Stallings is removed after this season. They're also increasingly convinced the university won't have to pay anywhere near the full buyout amount because, they feel, the athletic department will be able to demonstrate just cause for a dismissal.
That just cause, I'm told, would be purely related to basketball coaching/recruiting. That's important to stress.
If a case can be made, the sources say, that could lead to negotiating down the buyout to as little as half of that $10 million. If not, Stallings can hang tough.
It could be a tumultuous couple of weeks up on Cardiac Hill.
• This came from only one source, so please weigh it accordingly, but the Panthers are apparently considering themselves to be a serious suitor for the services of Rhode Island's Danny Hurley.
Hurley, 45, is having an extraordinary season with the Rams, now 22-4 overall and 14-1 in the Atlantic 10. He signed an extension last May that carries through the 2023-24 season, one that includes a clause stipulating he'd have to pay Rhode Island $500,000-$1.2 million to break the contract. But that could just be part of the payment his new employer essentially would pick up.
• The general thinking right now at Pitt is this: However much they pay to change coaches, it'll be worth it to fill the Pete up again.
PENGUINS
• Jim Rutherford will almost certainly make a move to upgrade his team. It’s kind of what he does every trade deadline.
Some have been of the Justin Schultz variety (2016), some have been of the Mark Streit variety (2017). I’m thinking something more along the lines of the latter this year.
After the emergence of Riley Sheahan’s offensive game, Rutherford told me he’d be quite content if he lands only a depth center, and I tend to believe him. There’s nothing that I’ve seen since then that would lead me to believe otherwise.
With a tweak to the bottom six, the Penguins would put themselves in their best position to win a third straight Stanley Cup.
Saying that, it isn’t just about who the Penguins get but who the competition might get. The Erik Karlsson-to-Tampa Bay drumbeat has already started to sound. If a deal of that magnitude or any other that could shift the balance of power in the Eastern Conference, that might prompt the Penguins to be a little more aggressive than planned. If Ottawa’s Derick Brassard can be had at the right price, Rutherford may go for it. — Chris Bradford
• Don’t underestimate the threepeat factor in all this. In speaking with people in the organization one gets the sense that given the choice between winning, say, four times in six or seven years, or three in a row, they’re taking the three every time. The window isn’t closed after this season, but they’re thinking in the moment. — Bradford
• Tomas Plekanec is another name that has been linked to the Penguins. As I wrote back in January, I'll take Mark Letestu. -- Bradford
• Rutherford has staked his reputation as being one of the NHL’s most aggressive managers and rightfully so. But a look back at his previous deadlines with Pittsburgh and you’ll realize he’s done his best work in the summers. - Bradford
• Killing time while flying down to Raleigh on Thursday I listened to The Hockey News podcast in which one of the hosts pitched the idea of Max Pacioretty being a perfect fit for the Penguins. Hmmm, hadn’t heard that one. The Canadiens captain would certainly look good skating on a line with Sidney Crosby. But like so much pre-deadline speculation, most of it is not based in reality. —Bradford
• Winning deadline day rarely results in, you know, winning the Stanley Cup. No matter what happens before 3 p.m. on Monday, there are no guarantees this year or any year. — Bradford
STEELERS
• As I had been hearing, the Miami Herald reported Thursday Lawrence Timmons is likely to be a salary cap casualty with the Dolphins sometime in the next couple of weeks. That would be great news for the Steelers. If Timmons is released, he would be on the first plane to Pittsburgh. Timmons will turn 32 in May but would be the perfect bridge linebacker for the Steelers and whatever rookie they draft to groom to be Ryan Shazier's replacement. If the rookie isn't ready right away, they can go with Vince Williams and Timmons. If the rookie is ready, they can decide whether to go with Timmons or Williams beside him. Timmons struggled to make plays in Miami's defense, but as I reported here, that wasn't a surprise to some in the Steelers' organization. They knew Timmons had taken time to learn Pittsburgh's system and would need time to adjust to that of Miami. But he could walk into the Rooney Sports Complex tomorrow and know the defense. - Dale Lolley
• As soon as the NFL Scouting Combine is completed, expect things to get hot and heavy for the Steelers in terms of signing restricted free agent Chris Boswell to a long-term deal and making a last-ditch effort to get Le'Veon Bell signed, as well. Anthony Chickillo and Eli Rogers are the team's other two restricted free agents. Expect Chickillo to receive a tender offer to bring him back next season. Given Rogers' situation with his ACL injury, the Steelers likely won't tender him an offer, allowing him to become unrestricted. If he signs elsewhere -- which is unlikely given his injury -- so be it. If not, they can sign him before they head to training camp when they'll be sure his knee is healed. - Lolley
• You'll see a lot of stuff from other coaches around the league next week from Indianapolis, but not Mike Tomlin. This will be my fourth straight trip to the NFL Scouting Combine and Tomlin has yet to talk at any time. Last year, he and Marvin Lewis were the only two head coaches not to address the media in Indianapolis. Every team must provide either their GM or head coach at the combine and Kevin Colbert handles the event. Tomlin will speak for the first and only time between the end of the season and the draft at the NFL owner meetings in Orlando at the end of March. -- Lolley
PIRATES
• Lack of communication is very much a problem within the Pirates' organization. Josh Harrison and David Freese made that clear to reporters last week. Also, one player expressed to me that he was frustrated with Clint Hurdle for telling reporters information that was not first shared with players. That's not unusual, but this particular situation incited quite a bit of anger. -- Lance Lysowski
• Barring injury, Tyler Glasnow and Steven Brault will begin the season in the bullpen, and yes, Ray Searage pounded the table for the two young starters to at least be considered for that role. -- Lysowski
• Starling Marte wasn't entirely comfortable moving to center field last season when it meant that Andrew McCutchen had to move to right. But taking over that position with McCutchen out of the picture has Marte energized this spring. The situation has helped Gregory Polanco, too.
A source told me this week that the Pirates' outfielders last season — McCutchen included, of course — weren't comfortable whatsoever with the realignment because it came off as somewhat of a slight that the group as a whole was not good enough.
Marte and Polanco both expressed disappointment with McCutchen's departure, but it's clear that they're much more comfortable with the changes this time around. -- Lysowski
• For what it's worth, the vibe in the clubhouse appears to be much more positive than what Freese's comments last week indicate. Ivan Nova has emerged as the leader among the Pirates' pitchers, going around to remind guys about team meetings and other obligations at the facility. Meanwhile, Harrison, Freese, Sean Rodriguez, Jordy Mercer and Francisco Cervelli are quietly leading the young position players.
That was put to the test earlier this week when Dario Agrazal nicked Freese during live batting practice. Players were concerned the situation could escalate — Freese can be a bit prickly, after all — but one veteran told me that it was quickly put to rest. -- Lysowski
PENN STATE
• While Penn State football’s on-field turnaround the last two seasons has been obvious, part of that transformation is because of what happened in the locker room. As one former letterman recently told me, the upperclassmen who James Franklin inherited were never going to buy in. He had no chance with many of them, the source said. For some, this was their third different head coach and they held that against him right away. They were tired of new schemes, new philosophies and it wasn’t until the house was cleaned out that this thing turned around. And, it also took some bending from the head coach to meet some of these guys in the middle. Since then the program’s culture couldn’t be healthier, something several sources have indicated. Winning certainly helps, but don’t underestimate the value of buy-in, either. - Audrey Snyder
• Penn State hasn’t disclosed the estimated price tag for their 20-year facility master plan released last year. Nearly one year later it’s still in the feasibility and planning stages, which likely makes it further behind than administrators would like as they continue trying to raise funds. However, don’t be surprised if the price tag for this entire project pushes $1 billion. That's the projected value, per records I located from the construction company submitted in December. Once the sticker shock wears off, that’s 20 years' worth of projects -- many big and some small -- which lessens the blow a bit. At this rate, who knows what the campus could look like by December of 2037, the targeted completion date. - Snyder
• Penn State's athletic administration could have a vacancy should Phil Esten, COO and Deputy Director of Athletics, gets the athletic director job at UNC Charlotte. He's one of two finalists for the position, and while he's heavily involved with the facility master plan, among other duties, his relationship with athletic director Sandy Barbour -- which dates back to both of their tenures at Cal -- could be difficult for Penn State to replace. Esten was hired at Penn State in 2014 but both were heavily involved in facility projects together at Cal, as well, so turnover now would be far from ideal for Penn State as it works through this gigantic facility plan. - Snyder
