A Line I Recalled from a Pittsburgh Columnist

[Captain Kangaroo]

I wonder if, in light of our recent success in WPa, Mr. Smizek still feels the possibility of Akron stealing recruits from Pitt is "preposterous?"

Smizik: Getsy gets flak; why not Brookhart?

Wednesday, September 15, 2004

By Bob Smizik, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

If you are a member of the Pitt football program and believe you have a chance to better yourself by switching your allegiance to, say, the University of Akron, there are two paths you could follow.

If you're a coach in the Pitt program, you leave with back slaps from your superiors and best wishes and congratulations all around. And, of course, forget about any contractual obligations.

If you're a player in the Pitt program, you depart under no such happy circumstances. Instead, you leave in near disgrace, with the university doing all it can to make your transition as difficult as possible and with the media portraying you as disloyal.

Two men left Pitt for Akron in the past year. J.D. Brookhart, a former offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach, left to follow his dream and become head coach. Luke Getsy, a backup quarterback, left to follow his dream of becoming a starting Division I-A quarterback.

On the surface, both moves were similar, if not the same. But the treatment received by both couldn't be more different. Brookhart, who immediately assumed his new duties, was congratulated; Getsy, who must sit out a year under NCAA rules, was criticized.

It all goes to the hypocrisy of college athletics, where coaches, the royalty of the sport, can do what they please in moving unencumbered from job to job, and athletes, the indentured servants of the sport, are tightly bound by rules that limit their movement.

Getsy decided to transfer after losing the competition for starting quarterback to Tyler Palko. He faced three years of sitting on the bench. It's true, he was an injury away from starting, but it's also true as time went by the chances were good Pitt would have groomed a younger quarterback to back up and eventually replace Palko.

Pitt coach Walt Harris, as is his custom, refused to grant Getsy his release. That didn't stop Getsy from transferring but it prevented Akron from giving him a scholarship, which means he has to pay out-of-state tuition.

This move was as petty as it gets. What did Pitt accomplish by refusing to give Getsy his release other than to make life a little harder on him and his family? Attempts to portray Akron, a small-time program, as some kind of recruiting or competitive rival are preposterous. It was nothing more than an attempt to punish Getsy for wanting to better himself.

If this is a common practice all over the country, it doesn't make Pitt's move any less reprehensible.

Shame on Harris for sinking so low and shame on athletic director Jeff Long for not overruling the coach. In fact, where was chancellor Mark Nordenberg to nullify these misguided decisions?

When students on academic scholarships transfer from Pitt, are they required to get a release? Are they ineligible for a similar scholarship at their new school?

It was suggested the Getsy owes something to Pitt. That, too, is preposterous. Scholarships are two-way streets. The college gives the scholarship and all that comes with it, and the athlete gives his body and all that comes with that.

But if Getsy did owe Pitt something, what does Brookhart owe Pitt? Harris gave Brookhart his first big-time job. His previous experience had been as a coaching assistant -- which is decidedly different than an assistant coach -- with the Denver Broncos. It would seem Brookhart owes Pitt at least as much, if not more, than Getsy.

It also has been suggested that Getsy has left Pitt in a precarious position without a backup to Palko. It's not as if Getsy was steeped in experience. He had thrown 13 passes in his college career and completed three of them for 32 yards. It's possible the new No. 2 quarterback, Joe Flacco -- who had high school credentials at least the equal of Getsy and who has a stronger arm than Getsy and Palko -- could become as good a backup.

And what about Brookhart? Where did he leave Pitt? In a bind at least as deep. Brookhart helped develop such outstanding receivers as Latef Grim, Antonio Bryant and Larry Fitzgerald. The last two are the greatest in Pitt history. Pitt is severely depleted at wide receiver this year. It could use a coach of Brookhart's experience to upgrade the position.

The truth of the matter is that Brookhart had every right to leave Pitt in an attempt to better himself. In that respect, he's no different than Getsy. Too bad Pitt didn't treat them the same.

[Guest BigPanther]

I find it odd that Smizik focosed on Luke Getsy & made no mention of Andy Alleman. Andy was a tremendous presence on the Pitt sideline & a total stud in the weightroom & it was believed by most fans that he was poised to burst onto the scene in a HUGE way next season. His departure was made just as unpleasant by Harris & in my opinion he has the attitude, athleticism, and non stop motor needed to be much more of an impact player than Getsy. You guys stole a big one from us there.

[JP Morgan]

I really don't see the point of this guys story? Is he calling for the elimination of D-1 transfer rules? Thats a bad idea, if you open college football to a "free agency" type sytem, you'll have players transfering every year from team to team. You know who will ultimatley suffer......MAC schools, CUSA, and EVEN BIG EAST SCHOOLS (ie Pitt) ect. It would only allow the "elite" schools to get better.

[Guest CurrentZip]

I find it odd that Smizik focosed on Luke Getsy & made no mention of Andy Alleman. Andy was a tremendous presence on the Pitt sideline & a total stud in the weightroom & it was believed by most fans that he was poised to burst onto the scene in a HUGE way next season. His departure was made just as unpleasant by Harris & in my opinion he has the attitude, athleticism, and non stop motor needed to be much more of an impact player than Getsy. You guys stole a big one from us there.

Thanks for that glowing review of yourself Andy. You aren't that good.

[Guest Guest]

I find it odd that Smizik focosed on Luke Getsy & made no mention of Andy Alleman.  Andy was a tremendous presence on the Pitt sideline & a total stud in the weightroom & it was believed by most fans that he was poised to burst onto the scene in a HUGE way next season.  His departure was made just as unpleasant by Harris & in my opinion he has the attitude, athleticism, and non stop motor needed to be much more of an impact player than Getsy.  You guys stole a big one from us there.

Thanks for that glowing review of yourself Andy. You aren't that good.

I'm not Andy, but I have had the great pleasure of seeing him lay. The young man is a monster on the field. Trust me, you guys will be very pleased when you see him life. yuo can't really tell from watching on tape, yuo have to see live.

[Zip Watcher]

I'm not Andy, but I have had the great pleasure of seeing him lay.

Good for you, but I'm not sure this is the right forum for this .. Zips FB member or not ..

[Captain Kangaroo]

I'm not Andy, but I have had the great pleasure of seeing him lay.

Good for you, but I'm not sure this is the right forum for this .. Zips FB member or not ..

I did hear Andy was a STUD. :blink: :blink:

[Guest Big Panther]

I'm not Andy, but I have had the great pleasure of seeing him lay.

Good for you, but I'm not sure this is the right forum for this .. Zips FB member or not ..

Sorry, should read "play", not "lay". I'm at work & typing too fast I guess.

[Guest ***GUEST_RACER]

i think the point he was making is that coaches come,and go all the time to teams. they give the speeches about loyalty,team work, pride to recruits. when another job comes up with more $, ect they are off like a jack rabbit to the next team. they forget the promises they made to the kids to get them there in the first place.how they will stay with the kids all the way through graduation ect. when a player leaves early, or transfers he is seen as disloyal to the program. they are labelled money hungry ect. saban from what i read when he left msu to lsu didnt even tell the kids he was leaving until he was actually gone to lsu. the players heard it in the news is how they found out.

[GP1]

I read the Pittsburgh paper quite a bit as I am a Steelers fan. Smizik is a bitter old man who writes articles like this all the time. Most people think he is an idiot.