The questions came at Pitt coach Jamie Dixon, one after another. Is he happy here? Does he want to stay? Can he see himself retiring here? What will it take? Did he notice the seven-year contract extension Villanova gave coach Jay Wright? Does he think Pitt should step up like that for him? Will he think about leaving after the season if Pitt doesn't step up?

Dixon rolled his eyes.

"I get asked that all the time, so it's pretty hard not to think about it," he said.

Dixon's answers weren't especially enlightening. At least on the subject of his future, he has mastered that most necessary of coaching tools: Talking without really saying much. He has never given any indication he's looking to leave, but he's not going to say anything that would limit his options or bargaining power, either.

"I'm very fortunate to be at the University of Pittsburgh," Dixon said, finally.

Much more interesting was a question Dixon had.

"Why is it Pittsburgh people always seem to worry about people leaving Pittsburgh?"

It was the best question of the interview.

"I guess it's our paranoia complex, our inferiority complex, whatever you want to call it," I explained to Dixon.

We don't always think we're good enough. The first time someone has success here, we look for him to leave. For some reason, we don't think we have enough to offer to keep the really good people.

In Pitt's case, it didn't help that a few high-profile coaches left over the years. Ben Howland left after the 2002-03 basketball season because there's only one UCLA in the college game. Jackie Sherrill left after the 1981 football season because Texas A&M threw gobs of money at him. Johnny Majors left after the 1976 national championship football season because Tennessee was home.

It also didn't help when former football coach Walt Harris' agent publicly belittled Pitt during the 2004 season, basically calling it a second-rate job. "If you can't believe, you can't achieve," athletic director Jeff Long said after Pitt wisely pushed Harris out after that season. Dave Wannstedt was hired and talks openly about competing for national championships. How refreshing.

"So that's why people assume you're thinking of leaving," I told Dixon.

The speculation fills the talk shows. Pitt is 20-4 and ranked No. 9 in The Associated Press poll. Dixon should be the Big East Conference Coach of the Year for the second time in three years. His three-year record is 71-18.

How can Pitt possibly keep him?

Dixon nodded, seemingly satisfied with the explanation. Me? I felt like throwing up.

This paranoia thing is getting pretty sickening, especially when it comes to Pitt athletics. Maybe the place was a black hole before former athletic director Steve Pederson came to town in 1996 and changed the culture, before Heinz Field and the Petersen Events Center were built, before Howland and Dixon and Harris and Wannstedt were hired. But it's certainly not a black hole now.

Where would Dixon go to get a better job?

Unless the Duke, North Carolina, Kentucky or Kansas jobs open, I mean?

Arizona State, to which Dixon has been linked?

Please.

At Pitt, Dixon is coaching in college basketball's best conference. He has the strong support of chancellor Mark Nordenberg, as athletic department-friendly as any college administrator. He has wonderful fan support; Pitt has sold out its season tickets since the Petersen Events Center opened four years ago. He has a terrific home-court advantage; Pitt is 61-5 in the new building.

Nordenberg still needs to make sure he's paying the going rate. He should bump Dixon to the same $1 million-plus salary that he offered Howland to stay. He also should pour even more of that Petersen Center revenue back into the basketball program. It would be nice, for example, if Pitt chartered flights to its away games -- the way other top programs do -- instead of flying commercial.

But those things are doable.

There's no reason Pitt shouldn't be a destination job rather than a steppingstone.

Sure, it would be better if Pitt had a recruiting base. That's a big reason Howland left, taking less money from UCLA to get a better shot at all of those great California players. He didn't think Pitt could sustain success without top players in its back yard.

"I think we can win without [that]," Dixon said, flatly.

Dixon has proved it's possible. Since he came to Pitt with Howland seven years ago, the school has recruited one local player -- Shaler's Yuri Demetris -- although Aliquippa junior Herb Pope and Jeannette sophomore Terrelle Pryor have given verbal commitments. Pitt has won because of its recruiting pipeline to New York. There's no reason it shouldn't keep winning.

Dixon really is fortunate to be here. "This feels like home to me," he said. "I know I'm not from here, but I got married here. My kids were born here. My wife graduated from here. I think those things make a place home."

It's nice to think Dixon will stay for a long time.

It's even better to think the day will come when we don't have to worry about Pitt coaches leaving.