I thought I addressed this last month. Apparently some people didn't get the message. Pitt and Penn State are not going to play football any time in the near future. It ain't going to happen. Fuggitabadit. Yet Pitt people go on and on. Here are some of my favorite comments from Pitt fans.
Yes, it must be very hard to schedule and fit in all of those games against the Florida International's and Buffalo's of the world.
Now there's a huge difference between Pitt and Buffalo. Buffalo knows their place in the college football world. They realize PSU would never schedule a home and home series with them. And they realize there is no money in traveling to play UConn. So teams like Buffalo and Temple are willing to schedule two-for-ones or a one-and-done with Penn State to get a nice paycheck for their services and some local air time on ESPNU. Pitt on the other hand refuses to admit they are not on Penn State's level football-wise. It makes absolutely no sense for Penn State to share it's football revenue with Pitt 50/50 when Pitt's stadium is smaller than ours and their ticket prices are almost half the price of a PSU game against Temple.
Nice jab. Was this meant to suggest PSU is ducking Pitt? Come on. On the very link Grummell provides you can see PSU won the previous seven games by an average score of 29-16. Going back to 1960 PSU is 25-7-1 against the Panthers. It was hardly a competitive series. Bringing up your 12-0 win over a team that went 5-7 in 2000 is hardly impressive.
Yeah, it's a huge financial burden to have the stadiums full at both schools while local hotels and bars fill up for the weekend. Other than the big wigs at Penn State, everybody else wants to see these games happen.
State College has no problems filling up bars and hotel rooms even when Buffalo and Florida International come to town. Pitt fans would most likely drive up the day of the game and drive home that night anyway stopping to eat in Altoona or Johnstown.
Ok. You're crazy. No way in hell Penn State is leaving the Big Ten to join the Big East. Yeah, sorry Ohio State, Michigan, and Wisconsin. We see greener pastures in playing Pitt, Louisville, West Virginia, and Rutgers every year. I don't think so. Besides, we already applied for membership to the Big East once before and were denied.
Joining the Big Ten was the best thing Penn State has ever done. Sure the road has been a little rocky in football and basketball, but every other Penn State sport has flourished under Big Ten competition. In 2005 we had five teams claim conference championships in fall sports. And you think we should leave the Big Ten just so we can play Pitt again? Please.
Ah yes. Penn State is hurting their recruiting by not playing Pitt anymore. Let's say you're a recruit and you have a choice. On one hand you can go play in the Big Ten on ABC national coverage every other weekend against teams like Ohio State, Michigan, Notre Dame, Nebraska, and Wisconsin with the opportunity to be highly ranked and in the running for the BCS every two or three years. On the other hand you can go play for a team that hasn't had a 10 win season since 1981 and plays their biggest conference games against West Virginia and Rutgers with very little chance of your family seeing you on television unless you're willing to play on Thursday night. Which team would you go play for? Bottom line, if there is a kid that Pitt and Penn State both want, nine times out of ten he's going to Penn State.
Comment by Rex 04.11.07 @ 9:38 am
Comment by frankinchicago 04.11.07 @ 11:01 am
Comment by adam 04.11.07 @ 11:52 am
Well hey, Pitt fans. At least you'll always have your dignity.
(Note: For more on this, check out The Nittany Line)