The glimmer of light that was flickering on East Carolina's football season is beginning to dim. Any other conclusion following the Pirates' 24-19 loss to Cincinnati would lack reasonable logic.

Where a win over mediocre Cincinnati could have turned the year's outlook a more vibrant shade of gold, the loss has created a more cloudy forecast. With a remaining slate that includes more offensive firepower than a third-world nation, the prospects for a storybook finish are slim.

This is the harsh reality in which the Pirates now exist. Save for Tulane, Army, and Houston, the victory opportunities are few and far between.

And, if you had to bet, running through that trio unscathed might not be the safest wager.

"I told our team before the game I felt like this was going to be a huge measuring stick for any kind of progress that we were trying to make with this football team," Pirates coach John Thompson said following the Pirates' loss to Cincinnati. "I saw it during the game and I told our team after the game that, when you measure where we were a year ago — and we took a butt whipping — and then you see the kind of effort that we gave tonight.

"The things that went on (against Cincinnati), I am very proud of our team. We obviously have some things that we've got to do a lot of work on. For a change, the shoe is on the other foot a little bit."

In other words, the ship has sprung another leak.

Where the defense made noticeable improvements in its best performance to date, the offense regressed to a level reminiscent of its outing against the Bearcats last year. That was Thompson's debut, a day on which the Pirates rushed for 57 yards compared to Saturday's abysmal 11.

Aside from the defensive effort, the overwhelming difference between the two showdowns was the resilient play of talented quarterback James Pinkney. Without him, the scoring tally may not have exceeded the three points the Pirates produced in last season's opener.

"James Pinkney, my goodness, he does everything you ask," Thompson said. "He just got the heck knocked out of him today and kept getting back up.

"A lot of men wouldn't get back up. I think that's indicative of this team. A lot of teams wouldn't get back up. This team keeps getting back up."

No question, Thompson has instilled an incredible fight within his team that defies its 1-14 record over the past two seasons. Had the Pirates waved the white towel midway through that stretch, perhaps the number of lopsided scores would have approached a baker's dozen.

At the same time, though, ECU has shown an inability to seize a win against a legitimate opponent when victory has been well within its grasp. That was the scenario last year against Louisville, South Florida, and Tulane.

It certainly was the case Saturday against Cincinnati.

"We tried to get some breaks," Thompson said. "We had some field position and we just couldn't convert.

"Get a turnover, get an interception and couldn't convert. They blocked us back there and got the safety and got the momentum. But we came back and got it again."

'Uncle Mo' apparently is no fan of purple and gold. The few times ECU has clothed him in its attire, he shed the Pirates' garb faster than Superman peeling away his mortal duds during a global crisis.

Be it a penalty, turnover, sack, safety, or a fourth down judgment call that backfired, East Carolina has found a way to squander any emotional edge it has held over the past 15 games before putting it to productive use.

But attributing the Pirates' woes to black magic or superstition would be a failure to recognize the issues at hand.

In certain areas, such as the offensive line and receiving corps, ECU is performing below par by Division I standards. On another level, the Pirates' gameplan consistently appears a step behind the opposition.

East Carolina clearly wasn't prepared for the Bearcats' barrage of blitzes — just like it wasn't ready for the pasting it took from West Virginia bruiser Kay-Jay Harris or the improvisation of Wake Forest quarterback Cory Randolph.

Perhaps even more unsettling is the Pirates' inability to convert in short-yardage situations and make a stop with the game on the line. During Cincinnati's game-ending eight-minute drive, the ECU defense played without any sense of urgency or confidence during a moment when the program most needed an emotional boost.

That drive was painfully punctuated by a golden opportunity that went amiss when two Pirates defenders observed motionless as a fumbled ball rolled freely in the end zone.

"That was a slow death — felt like a slow death," Thompson said of those closing minutes. "When we had played well all night and got them off the field... we just couldn't get them stopped."

With far more explosive offenses on the horizon, the prognosis for tangible signs of improvement is anything but given. No question, the Pirates should make their share of strides as the season progresses.

But the realistic chance that progress will be reflected in the overall record is beginning to diminish.