Cannon Firing Line
A Real Mess
By Ellis G. Cannon

This Pitt football thing has a chance to get messy. Real messy.

Pitt football coach Walt Harris has come under attack for the perceived failures, or at the very least, underdevelopment, of his program. Things built to a crescendo when Tony Dorsett criticized the program, Harris' agent turned the heat up and athletic director Jeff Long publicly allowed that his job performance would be reviewed at season's end.

The expectation in mid-October was Pitt would give up, Harris would be fired at any moment and the season would go down the toilet. Despite the public bloodletting, however, the Panthers' recent play has opened the door to a host of scenarios. The hunch here is Pitt will likely exceed expectations as the season unfolds, thereby creating headaches for the Pitt administration.

Let's say Pitt wins six or seven games and goes to a fifth-consecutive bowl. Some will still maintain that Harris will be terminated by an administration that has lost confidence in his ability to lead the program to more rarified air. According to this perspective, Harris has lost his passion for the job, the university and recruiting; any second half surge is just short-term. These are the folks whispering that this is a done deal.

Should Pitt fire Harris under those circumstances, it will be skewered mercilessly across the nation. You can see the headlines: 'Harris Dismissed: Who Does Pitt Think It Is?' Indeed, all those folks will have to do is dig up the recent quotes of Harris' agent, in which he chuckles at the notion Pitt is anywhere near an elite program.

Much of what the agent, Bob LaMonte, said is accurate. Expectations about Pitt's program have been so whacked that he's looked at as nuts (this is the part where you want to thank Steve Pederson for over-hyping and the minions for buying it all). Few understand the difference between improving the program and being an elite program. Whether you want to believe that is your decision; you can be assured most folks who speak and write nationally agree with LaMonte and that will be their jumping off point when they malign the university if Harris is fired under those circumstances.

In light of LaMonte's comments, it's also easy seeing Harris leave town, but not at the hand of others. This is the scenario where Pitt is bowl eligible and Harris tells the school to take a hike for not having his back when he needed it. There are those in the loop who give the impression that is actually Pitt's hope, if not plan.

That may be the neatest way out, but it's not a plan. It's lighting candles.

One last scenario has Pitt, presumably aware of the national hit it will take and without consensus internally to fire Harris, does just the opposite and extends his deal. Don't discount this scenario, particularly if Pitt's accountants aren't keen on buying out his contract. Harris and his mouthpiece have positioned things to keep this option alive. Of course, considering the perceived lack of development in the program, that will either leave fans scratching their heads or calling for anarchy.

Pitt AD Jeff Long should have told the media the university intends to honor the balance of the deal. That didn't happen. The lynch mob grew.

But as we enter November we know two things. One, it ain't over. Two, it's going to get messy. And if you think losing games in November is the best way out, you need to reconsider the second point.

'Ellis Cannon's Sportsline Pittsburgh' airs weeknights, on FM NewsTalk 104.7. Ellis is also a regular contributor on the '#1 Cochran Sports Showdown', aired Sundays at 11:35 on KDKA-TV.