I hate to keep bringing up Khem Birch, but it's not everyday Pitt signs a top five player.

So Khem is headed to Pitt in 2011. What do coach Dixon and players think of it?

Well, Dixon says it was Khem's decision to come earlier than expected:

"It was his decision and what he wanted to do," Dixon told assembled media on Monday. "He’s going to try and not have that postgraduate year. That’s his plans. It was something that he relayed to us and what his family relayed to us."

So where's he going to play?

"They said I will be a four-man when I come and they will help me develop every aspect of my game," he said. "They feel, and I feel, I need a couple of years of college to…become a better player."

Wow...the big news out of this isn't that he's playing power forward, it's that he sounds as if he'll be more than a one-and-done.

We all know that the NBA could be changing their rules anyway in the new labor deal, but for him to say he thinks he needs a few years...I don't really know how to interpret that. I'm leaning towards it simply being lip service, but who knows. If Pitt gets him for anything more than one season, that's icing on the cake as far as I'm concerned.

PG Travon Woodall is excited for him to get here:

"It's exciting," said Travon Woodall about the early arrival of Birch. "He's a good player and he'll add a lot to our team. We're excited to have him next year."

So there's still the issue of being two over the scholarship limit. Any chance Birch doesn't qualify? Who knows, but it doesn't sound like it:

According to a source, Birch has pushed most of his credits from the prep level over already, and will more than likely be eligible to join the team in June.

Who knows, still a long way off.