I get a lot more excited when Penn State plays Michigan or Ohio State than I do with Pitt!! So explain how Pitt is more of a rival.My son-in-law is a Pitt graduate. And I "may" pre date you as PSU?
Maybe just Maybe
That being said, I kind of miss the "back and forth" prior to THE game. Look, I do understand that "we" have moved on, and we have much more to lose in such a match up, but FUN is FUN !!
I do not get that "feeling" for any other team we play. We are NOT rivals with anyone else? Are we?
True Rivalry game vs PITT...
- Thread starter dawgduice
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+ the Greek debt (+1 just didn't seem to be enough.
). Holy flippin' God. This is the absolute truth and for the life of me I don't get how Pitt fans are so full of themselves to not see this.
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Ah, the ASWP formula to increased ticket sales. Don't think it's gonna work, scholar.
OK. clearly this "topic" is very charged. In my defense, I thought IF we wanted to have a rival, at this point, it could be PITT. We played them first in 1893 (I missed that one). We have played them 96 times. They are in Pennsylvania.
BUT, I can see the point in not wanting to play them. Clearly we have more to lose by playing them. We would be expected to win, so if we lose, we have lost to an inferior team.
Quite frankly, if we do not want a rival then AT LEAST play home and home against the BIG BOYS -- not WVU, not PITT ... get me Alabama, Texas, USC, ND, Oklahoma, teams that have staying power, history and represent tier one most every year.
BUT, I can see the point in not wanting to play them. Clearly we have more to lose by playing them. We would be expected to win, so if we lose, we have lost to an inferior team.
Quite frankly, if we do not want a rival then AT LEAST play home and home against the BIG BOYS -- not WVU, not PITT ... get me Alabama, Texas, USC, ND, Oklahoma, teams that have staying power, history and represent tier one most every year.
This should be every Penn Staters mantra when asked about playing and/or scheduling Pitt. FairG, you nailed it!
I for one would not consider playing a home (us) no home (them). There is already talk of the Steelers moving to the 'burbs. Where would we play them???
Besides, having been "treated" to hospitality (hostility) by Pitt fans I do not want to experience it again. Car - "keyed"; car - broken into; coffee thrown in the face of a person I was with that day. No thanks
Besides, having been "treated" to hospitality (hostility) by Pitt fans I do not want to experience it again. Car - "keyed"; car - broken into; coffee thrown in the face of a person I was with that day. No thanks
IF Penn State and IF the other powers in the B1G are playing/operating in their fullest capacity, then I believe you will see natural "rivalries" in the B1G based on great competition, much like we are seeing in the SEC. Imagine if Penn State, Michigan, Ohio State and Michigan State were all playing/operating at peak performance.... imagine the great games each and every year in the B1G East.
The analogy I use is Georgia & GaTech. "Technically", the big in-State rival for UGA is supposed to be GaTech. But in reality, GT is a smaller program that really never can compete with Georgia on a yearly basis. In the SEC East when S. Carolina and Florida and Tennessee are playing/operating at peak performance, each of those games is more important for the Bulldogs. Add in that their yearly cross-over game is Auburn and every year Georgia faces at least 4 or 5 other schools that they are "circling on their schedule" more than GaTech.
The same thing would happen with us. If we are hitting on all cylinders. If we become the Penn State national powerhouse from the mid 80's again. And the same happens at Ohio State and at Michigan, then each year those are two monster games on our schedule. If MSU continues to be a very solid top 10-15 program, then that is a great game every year. If this happens, then each and every year we would be circling the OSU, the Michigan, the MSU game on our schedule much more than a game vs. pitt.
The analogy I use is Georgia & GaTech. "Technically", the big in-State rival for UGA is supposed to be GaTech. But in reality, GT is a smaller program that really never can compete with Georgia on a yearly basis. In the SEC East when S. Carolina and Florida and Tennessee are playing/operating at peak performance, each of those games is more important for the Bulldogs. Add in that their yearly cross-over game is Auburn and every year Georgia faces at least 4 or 5 other schools that they are "circling on their schedule" more than GaTech.
The same thing would happen with us. If we are hitting on all cylinders. If we become the Penn State national powerhouse from the mid 80's again. And the same happens at Ohio State and at Michigan, then each year those are two monster games on our schedule. If MSU continues to be a very solid top 10-15 program, then that is a great game every year. If this happens, then each and every year we would be circling the OSU, the Michigan, the MSU game on our schedule much more than a game vs. pitt.
Why am I not surprised that the same guy who is capable of posting blank posts doesn't get it? When you are done delivering pizzas, please go back and quote where I said that "the big ten is the best". If you weren't such a moron, you would realize I was providing an example as to why the ACC is weak. That's why I lead with "How did the ACC's best fair against Oregon?" They were CRUSHED by Oregon, who was CRUSHED by Ohio State. The ACC team in the tournament was by far the weakest. I guess reading comprehension isn't a strength for you?
Since you didn't address it, we can only assume that you agree about the first part of my post... that Pitt is irrelevant and never was relevant unless cheating, and thus is not a true rival of PSU.
There are 2 types of rivalries. Take OSU/UM, the teams are both generally good over many years, and their game generally decides who is the champion. The other type of rivalry is the big brother, little sister type. The type that is manufactured by the Pitt's of the world because they have nothing else to look forward to. They know they will never be good, so all they can hope to do is occasionally ruin the season of big brother. It's pathetic. So I agree 100% that rivalries are overrated. If both teams are good, it doesn't have to be an official rivalry to be a great game.
I also agree about the state of Pitt's program. One of my very best friends is a die hard Pitt fan. He dropped his lifelong season tickets after they fired Wanny. He hasn't been to a game since, but still watches on TV. He lives in Pittsburgh, and is independently wealthy. He still doesn't waste the time and money to go see Pitt. He has realized what a waste it is, and that they never will get where he hopes in football, and that he has wasted enough of his life on Pitt.
My son-in-law is a Pitt graduate. And I "may" pre date you as PSU?
Maybe just Maybe
That being said, I kind of miss the "back and forth" prior to THE game. Look, I do understand that "we" have moved on, and we have much more to lose in such a match up, but FUN is FUN !!
I do not get that "feeling" for any other team we play. We are NOT rivals with anyone else? Are we?
There is nothing that I miss about the back and forth that I lived thru back in the day. From June on, all we ever heard is how magnificent Pitt was going to be. This only ever proved true for 2 or 3 of the years.
It just got tiresome every. damn. year.
I do not want to have to go thru that again, but I know I have to at least 4 more times. I hope it ends after that.
In my view, part of what happened to Penn State in 2011 was an effort by politicians to carry out their campaign promises to get Pitt and PSU to play every year. Some of them even said: "whatever it takes." I think they meant "whatever it takes."
They can all go to hell. That is all.
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There are probably several reasons Pitt doesn't get it. First and foremost is that they don't want to get it.
However, I think you will agree that they have little or no idea how important and lucrative 7 home games can be. They just do not have any experience in that regard.
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anon_is9z1n0h3zblb
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That game was set up by ESPN because of a lack of interesting games that weekend. They basically paid the appearance fee for Oregon St to come to Happy Valley. We got a PAC-10 opponent without a return game at almost no cost to us. And back then the appearance fees were nothing compared to what they are today. With paying over a million for Sun Belt schools for a one and done, the fees for a P5 school would be astronomical
PSU thrashed a healthy Oregon State 45-14. At the end of the season, Oregon State was without their best players, and they still beat Pitt.
Even with Tony Dorsett, Pitt won only one game out of 4 during the seventies. Now without quality players, how would Pitt perform against Penn State...probably not very well. And that scenario will continue for years to come.....Pitt should be dropped from the schedule immediately. Nuff said.
Face it, Penn use to be a rival until the Ivy League stopped being a football factory. Pitt went the same way when they took their bouncy ball and ran to the Big East thinking PSU would still subsidize their football program.
To many, Syracuse was the bigger rival, especially through the 50s and 60s. Outside of the late 70s early 80s, when has playing Pitt mattered?
Let's face it, Pitt and Penn St are both from PA, several hours apart and have had past success, albeit not recently. How could they not matter to each other. That would be like saying Mich St didn't matter to Mich, even when they were mediocre, or GaTech not mattering to GA, or TA&M not mattering to Tex. The quality of the teams only makes it matter more or less. If both are good, it matters greatly. You guys still bring up 48-14, and Pitt brings up the most recent game 12-0. Would anyone care if it didn't matter?
You should only really have one true rival. So, there's no way Pitt can be PSU's rival. Rutgers and their 1 win in 1988 are the sole rival to Penn State. Ask any member on the Rutgers board, they'll tell you. In fact, it's prob as big as UM-OSU, Bama-Auburn, FSU-UF......probably even bigger. Sorry Pitt, don't see you ever overcoming the legendary rival that is Rutgers-Penn State.
Does Cincinnati matter to tOSU? That would seem to be comparable as perhaps LSU-Tulane.
The fact that PSU only really brings up 48-14 is telling. It was one of the rare times the game had any national meaning. Otherwise toss Pitt in a basket with BC, Syracuse, WVU which filled out the schedule in between Bama, ND, Nebraska, etc.
They played many years in 70s and 80s when both teams were ranked or at least very good. And, some of the games were eventful, such as the 48-14 game when Pitt was #1, and Pitt's 24-7 win in the NC year to name a few. Several publications have called it one of the storied rivalries of the past. If Pitt doesn't matter to PSU, so be it, but it will still matter in the state of PA.
Does Pitt football even matter to Pittsburgh, let alone the State of Pennsylvania?
Yes, more than it would appear. If you frequent restaurants, or other events, there will be those that will freely discuss Pitt, and especially now, the new coaching staff. Interest is high, despite what you think. If you are referring to attendance, a hot topic for PSU fans, tickets there are a tough sell, due to fans also buying for the Steelers, Pens, Pirates, and cultural events, all very popular. City schools are a different breed. Pitt, I believe, actually is above average for a city with a pro team. Miami has won NCs despite low attendance, and USC often didn't sellout during their elite years. It is what it is. PSU does not have to share its loyalties, and are lucky to be in that position. They take advantage of it very well.
You write as if the majority of the greater than 100K fans attending PSU home games reside i central PA. Mmost do not and travel great distance at considerable expense to support their team. Similar to your post mentioning other entertainment opportunities for Pitt fans they do exist for most PSU fans traveling from Metro Philly, Baltimore, Wash, DC, Pitts, New York City etc. I personally find the cop out for poor attendance at Pitt Games trite and inaccurate. Another example of Pitt fans not facing reality.
We do face reality, and it is what it is. Also, Pitt just does not have the numbers in the fanbase that PSU has. Remember, PSUs enrollment is much higher than Pitt's, which over a period of time translates to a great difference in alumni numbers. Again, not trying to make excuses, it is what it is. PSU takes advantage of its position, Pitt must win more to get people to go out of their way to attend. The Steelers are a world-wide brand name, and the Pens and Pirates aren't going away, so Pitt will just have to do a better job of attracting people.
I think this year is like the Silver Anniversary of waiting for that. Or something. I am not joking.
I live in the Pittsburgh area. My wife is a Pitt grad. I have at least a dozen friends who are Pitt fans and 4 of them have held Pitt football season tickets for over 10 years. We talk to each other regularly, and honestly, about the states of our respective football and athletic programs. They tell me interest is not high. In fact, they are disappointed it is not higher with the new staff. On a personal note, I have attended about a dozen social events in the Pittsburgh area since May (graduations, weddings, holiday picnics) and while the Pirates were hot topics of discussion, as well as the Steelers, and occasionally Penn State and WVU, I cannot recall a single time that anyone mentioned Pitt football, despite the fact that I knew there were Pitt alums in attendance. Now, if you guys can win some games interest may increase, but for now, I perceive it as flat at best.
Wow, I can't even walk into a pizza joint without hearing people mention Pitt. I went to a grad party and that is all they talked about, especially Narduzzi. My daughter was in an NYC restaurant with a Pitt shirt and a couple of fans approached her saying they were excited to see what results are with the new coach. My college roommate who lives in Pgh texts me all the time about being in bars and the 'buzz' that is going on. I guess we have just had different experiences.
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I also live in the Pittsburgh area and have the exact same experience as you. The only time we hear about Pitt is when someone is making fun of them, or it's basketball season.
I too think the Pro-team argument is a tired cop-out. Basically someone can afford thousands of dollars for pro tickets, but can't shell out $99 for Pitt season tickets?!?!
I would maintain that before we even discuss playing Pitt, that Chris Peake be fired and exiled to Siberia. Because of the way he has run the Lair, he is singlehandedly responsible For a very large fraction of the current emnity. He is a huge problem, a dismal failure, and a vile creature.
Other teams and conferences make it happen. It's not like climbing a mountain. This is not impossible.
[QU OTE="fairgambit, post: 279810, member: 8190"]I live in the Pittsburgh area and my wife is a Pitt grad. I have no desire to play Pitt annually and as a Penn State fan of nearly 50 years, I will let the powers that be know my feelings (not that it will matter). I want to play national teams like Oregon, FSU, Georgia, or Texas. Playing Pitt does not benefit us. Playing Pitt benefits Pitt.[/QUOTE]
how does anybody think that playing any team on the current non conference schedule benefits Penn State?
how does anybody think that playing any team on the current non conference schedule benefits Penn State?
why would that have anything to do with anything? Pitt has as many national championships as Penn State. does Navy stop playing army because they have beaten them more than a dozen years in a row? Penn State is about the only major power that has no traditional rival game. a game with the university of Pittsburgh would cure that in one year.
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