ARIZONA STATE FOOTBALL

Let’s face it, Tempe is better than Pittsburgh

Nov 24, 2013, 7:00 AM | Updated: Apr 28, 2015, 2:00 pm

Todd Graham was torched by the national media for his one-year tenure in Pittsburgh. Isn’t it time for those same people to turn their attention to Pittsburgh and wonder if they’re the problem?

Arizona State University is in a major metropolitan area with four professional franchises. The University of Pittsburgh is in a major metropolitan area with three professional franchises. Arizona State University’s football team has had flash points of success on a national level but nothing sustained. The University of Pittsburgh’s football team has had periods of sustained success, but those are so long ago you wouldn’t know it without Wikipedia. Arizona State University has a terrible attendance problem. The University of Pittsburgh has a terrible attendance problem.

It begs the question, why couldn’t the same man do in Pittsburgh what he’s done in Tempe? Obviously, there was some talent here for Coach Graham, but don’t say the uneducated line, “He won with Erickson’s guys.”

First off, Coach Erickson didn’t win with Erickson’s guys. Secondly, D.J. Foster, Marion Grice, Jaxon Hood and Jalaen Strong are not Erickson’s guys. Lastly on this point, there is no way Taylor Kelly was seen as the answer or would have developed into the player he has under the former coaching staff. This is the work of Todd Graham.

Todd Graham lost a division championship in his first year on a late field goal. Todd Graham won a division championship at ASU in only his second year. Todd Graham is one win away from bringing a championship game to the Tempe economy in his second year.

The national media won’t rise up in a massive recantation. They’ll just move on to the next story somewhere else. The truth of the matter is that the University of Pittsburgh will look at the success and scream in frustration. They’ll claim that should have been them. That’s not reality. The reason why the University of Pittsburgh didn’t have the same success under Todd Graham is the fault of Pitt’s administration. They ran to the national media to save them from people that jump from their “commitments,” but they didn’t want to be judged for jumping conferences.

Todd Graham has brought a winner to Tempe for two reasons. Todd Graham is a winner, and Arizona State University is not the University of Pittsburgh. The national media won’t re-examine their positions on Todd Graham for a few more years. ASU won’t care what the national media does. ASU will just happily invite the national media to town for the Pac-12 Championship Game with Todd Graham as its host.

Arizona State Football

...

Arizona Sports Video

Video: What is Bobby Hurley’s future at Arizona State?

On the latest State of the Sun Devil podcast the guys react to the end of men's basketball season, and wonder what the future of the program will be and how the offseason will unfold. Plus, reactions to football's pro day.

3 days ago

ASU football field...

Dan Bickley

Arizona State reaches rock bottom at end of Pac-12 stay

Rock bottom is mostly a metaphor, a cliché for sports teams that have fallen and can’t get up. But you can find it on the map at ASU.

4 days ago

Michael Crow, Arizona State University president...

Kevin Zimmerman

Now would be a good time for Arizona State to hire an athletic director

Who's to make a decision on Arizona State coach Bobby Hurley without an athletic director? Michael Crow must make a decision soon.

5 days ago

ASU QB Drew Pyne...

Arizona Sports

Former ASU starting QB Drew Pyne headed to Missouri

After playing in just two games in his ASU football career, quarterback Drew Pyne is moving on to the Missouri Tigers.

9 days ago

Sparky's Fairway at Mountain America Stadium...

Tyler Drake

Sparky’s Fairway golf takes over Arizona State’s Mountain America Stadium

ASU's Mountain America Stadium is trading in its hash marks for yardage markers as Sparky's Fairway takes center stage beginning Thursday.

11 days ago

...

Arizona Sports Video

Video: What does Arizona State men’s basketball need to do against Bronny James and USC?

On the latest edition of State of the Sun Devils, the guys discuss what Arizona State men's basketball needs to do next.

13 days ago

Let’s face it, Tempe is better than Pittsburgh