in Pitt Football 1,521 Words

Pondering Life Its Own Self

When I started this blog I wanted it to be about Pitt football – which it is with my own twists applied and with your comments, questions and suggestions. I believe you all appreciate the Pitt POV and the work that goes into it and so you should certainly believe that I appreciate all of you right back.

We Pitt fans love to talk about the football team, the Athletic Dept. and the university itself. That is what we care about and what has become – either in this century or the last – a big part of our lives be it if we are young or older. That is wrapped by the fact that at some point in our collective lives we all lived; slept, ate, drank and breathed in Pittsburgh’s Oakland neighborhood.

Thus we become friends on here also. 

I first noticed this phenomenon when I was writing on The Pitt Blather and realized I knew and cared about some people on there whom I have never met in person as much as I do my neighbors or my friends outside of the blog members writing, reading and commenting on shared things of interest.

So I’d like to take today’s article and talk to you as my friends who I want to share some personal things with.

My wife and I looked at each other a while ago and had the same thought at the same time; we had to get away from everything for a couple of days. We’ve had some rather serious family illness going on – but after 35 years of marriage these things come on, get dealt with and resolved and then we let it go.  We are pretty good at that.

But this time something was different and I’ll tell you what was a big part of it. This upcoming election and the 24/7 bullshit thrown up by the candidates, their supporters and by all the media talking heads. I know we don’t talk politics on here and I’m not pointing out one party or person or the other, I truly am not,  just that the whole thing is hard to believe and depressing as hell.

I’ve talked a lot about my career in the Coast Guard on here and will say one thing – after devoting 33 years of my life to serving the American public I’m honestly sad as hell that we’ve come down to this.

It is nothing but negative crap peddled by  media people who insist on showing the rotten side of things to keep viewers enthralled, and their pockets lined, rather than try to sift through the noise and give us voters some semblance of concrete information on the candidates so that we can cast an informed vote in good conscience.

I read a recent poll that showed 57% of us felt that we are  ‘stressed’ by what is happening this election. I believe that 100% and think it may be on the low side.  It isn’t that people are sick and tired – it is that people are disgusted by how this is playing out via the media and there is a big difference between the two.

I was one of those stressed guys so we grabbed hands and took off to Smith Island, Maryland to escape… and boy was it an escape.  Like going back in time 100 years escape… like another world escape. 

Smith Island lays about 15 miles off the town of Crisfield, MD which is the southernmost tip of Maryland’s Easter Shore and the only way to get there is by boat.

Image result for captain jason smith islandThus its isolation from the mainland and from the larger part of the rest of America.  It isn’t exaggerating to say that a majority of the 270+ people who live there go across the Bay to  ‘over there‘ maybe once or twice a year – and I met one lady who hadn’t done that, save a hospital visit, in over 20 years.

The Island is dependent on the centuries old business work of the Chesapeake Bay Watermen who have been pulling crab pots and tonging for oysters since they were children young enough to step onto a boat.

photo oyster tongers_zps7qsnno0g.jpg

I didn’t see any man over the age of 60 who didn’t walk bent over due to decades of pole-pushing boats, pulling crab pots and using those huge iron & wood oyster tongs.  The median age of the island is 58 years old so that was a lot of the men there.

The most interesting part of their lives, to me, is that they all speak an Old English Elizabethan dialect that is drawn-out and mumbled  so strongly  that ‘off-islanders’ can’t hardly tell what they are saying.

The video below was shot from a table in the only general store on island and is where my wife and I sat while eating crab cakes – also listening to a later group of older men talking the afternoon away. Take a listen to this group (they are actually talking about  a fire started from an appliance):

 

Amazing – and that isn’t as strong an accent as what we heard. The only people without that old speech are the ‘newcomers’ to Smith Island which means anyone who moved there in the last 25 years apparently.

A strange thing is that even with the new technologies of today; satellite TV and the Internet and with the middle and high school kids going to Crisfield for school (by boat of course) and interacting with outsiders, the young people on the Island are not only still talking like that but with even stronger accents then their parents and grandparents have.

BTW – that shop above, one small restaurant and the church are the only public places. There is, surprisingly, a small post office that the USPS wanted to close down. That is  until the postal guy who went there to inform the local population of the bad news the office would close realized, while on a boat going to the island, that it was indeed an island in every sense of the word. They kept it open with cut down hours.

We spent the night in an old B&B  with nothing but our books and some food. No hosts at all, no one else in the Inn – just an open door (no one locks doors there) and some other food in the ‘fridge. Strange and eerie doesn’t begin to describe it.

The whole place was like it had stood still in time and is quiet as hell. Because there is literally nothing open past 4 pm  we made coffee and sat and read our books and talked the rest of the day.  At around 9:00 pm  I went out and walked around the perimeter of the island and noticed halfway through that not one house had any lights one – not one. Everything was pitch black but for a lampost here and there and the high tide was bringing water down the streets.

The ‘breakfast’ part of the B&B were waffles and egg omelets in the freezer… ‘help yourself!’

When we went back to Crisfield the next morning (by the same boat) we stopped up the road for a real breakfast and were in conversation with some town locals there. When we told them we just got back from the island and they didn’t understand and said “You mean you actually spent the night there?!“

An Island Out of Time: A Memoir of Smith Island in the Chesapeake by Tom Horton is a good book on the island’s history.  But one piece of advice – there are morning tours of the island in the summer – boats out and back by noon.  Do one of those because it really is interesting a place and the people are very nice.  But get back to dry land before the ‘haints come out at night.

As weird as the whole experience was it really did relax me and gave me a chance to take a couple of days with no interruptions at all – we shut off our phones and didn’t take any  other electronics with us.  I sat back to take stock and reflect on just what things in life are of importance to me, what I hold dear, and what other things I can honestly say that I have no control over. 

It is those last things that have to be put in perspective. So I did and will continue to do so because I owe that to myself and others around me.

Starting with not watching one iota of the news or anything else about this upcoming election until the evening of Nov 8th.  I have good things to occupy my time.  Family, good books, my music and  a TV show or a movie to watch if I want entertainment.  Plus… I have you all to share thoughts with and to discuss Pitt football and other things in our lives.

That right there is a gift my friends and I’ll hold onto that while putting my fingers in my ears to all else that is just noise at this point.

146 thoughts on “Pondering Life Its Own Self”

  1. Thanks for information on a place that I never heard of before. I plan to be retired in under 2 years and part of my retirement is to go to away Pitt games, and not be in any hurry to get there and back. Maybe the next time Pitt plays at UVa, I may stop a day or 2 at Smith Island.

    I’m with you on the over-the-top political coverage and rhetoric. I did not see one minute of the debate the other night and can’t wait for Nov 9. About the only politician I have any respect for any more is my own governor who appears to be the only adult left.

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  2. Thanks for the info on Smith Island. In September, my wife and I went with friends to a place on the eastern shore of Virginia. Not as remote as Smith Island—but still quite cut off from the world as we know it. Great people. No rush to get things down. We just kayaked, hiked, visited lots of historic sites, read, ate and drank.

    Glad that you had a chance to get away, Reed.

    H2P

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  3. If we ever get EMP’d. we’ll all be living like the folks on Smith Island.

    It’s kind of neat that the bludgeoning Popular Culture has not affected these people.

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  4. Thanks for sharing that Reed. One needs time to reflect I think, most of us don’t get a chance to… to very late in life. And by that time, a lot of us can’t remember. A cruel joke indeed.

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  5. Reed…enjoyed your ‘scape write-up and especially the video and hearing the “natives” chat… the old timers from the Outer Banks, namely, Hatteras, Ocracoke and Roanoke Islands have that ” high- tider” twang as we call it… A buddy and myself head to Wachapreague Va on the Eastern Shore to fish every spring in the Flounder Fishing Capital of the World and I always felt that it was a peaceful where one could feel like he just stepped back into the 60’s … Smith Island sounds like one could go through a time warp back to the 20’s or 30’s

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  7. Life is a lot better without watching the ‘talking heads’ of the various networks who all have ‘vested’ interests.

    In fact Life can be lived quite nicely, by cutting the cord from that garbage all together. Anything you must see can be found online for free or close to it.

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  8. Reed, we’re lucky to have you for what you do to help enrich our Pitt football experience, but also for the other nuggets of wisdom you provide along the way. And you just provided another nice nugget.

    Hail to Pitt indeed.

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  10. Thanks for sharing. That was pretty cool. At first I thought you may have given me a new place to vacation since I love the beach and all but that was a lot creepy. Did I hear a voice in the background muttering REDRUM REDRUM REDRUM? Smith island is not a place for me, for more than one reason.

    I understand that a person who’s devoted much of their life in serving their country would feel so disenchanted about what is going on this election. It’s a total head scratcher. I know I can’t believe it myself.

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  11. As I get older, I find it increasingly important to take moments to disengage and consider life. Life that I have created and found success in and life that has passed or been wasted. These moments are a point of reflection, but also a reset of priorities and reminder that life is a journey that is better taken with love, family, friends and the memorable moments created along the way.

    Thanks Reed for another moment.

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  12. Ike,
    If you’ve ever gone red drum fishing (red fish) you’d be chanting also! :>)
    They are a great fighting fish and exceptionable on the table!
    REDFISHREDFISHREDFISHREDFISH………..

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  16. Deep, that is perfect.

    wbb, we are exciting. The problem is that other fans get excited about our defensive play also.

    If we can keep this winning streak this will have to go down as one of the best and weirdest seasons in Pitt football history. I’ll do some more football articles and then get back on to the regular schedule Know The Enemy and predictions threads.

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  17. As a B’more resident, I found this interesting. I’d never heard of the place before and I’ve lived here for almost a decade.

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  18. Nice post, Reed.

    Another similar trip is Tangier Island, a bit south of Smith. Not sure how one gets there from the Eastern Shore, but a ferry goes back and forth from Reedville, VA each day.

    If one is contemplating such a visit, dont wait too long. Both islands are threatened by rising seas. Check out the eastern edge of Smith Island on Google Earth and slide the date feature back and forth.

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  20. Love that writeup on Smith’s Island. Not sure I’d venture on that trip myself. Living in NE Pa I just love taking Route 6 west for the beautiful scenic getaways that has to offer. Thankfully there is more than one general store and mop and pop motel on that route.

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  21. Reed,

    It has been almost 40 years since visiting Crisfield and Tangiers Island. My former brother-in-law and I sailed a small hobi catamaran from Prince George’s across the bay to Tangiers with a hand-held compass. At one point there is only water in all directions and if you miss Tangiers to the south it is the Atlantic Ocean. We arrived safely but as you say not much is open. We found a hamburger joint called Fern’s and the only two words we understood were “Mohammed Ali” by a couple of teenagers sitting next to us. We slept on the beach of Crisfield Island and sailed back the next day. It is one of the fond adventures in my memory, filled with numerous episodes getting there and clearly an isolated outpost of American culture that most are unaware of. Sounds like not much has changed.

    Greatly enjoy the blog that I visit everyday. Thanks for bit of Americana and the insight into Pitt and Pitt Football.

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  22. Reed, great article. So sorry you’ve had some serious family problems.
    I too, am looking forward to escaping for a few days after daughters iVC problems.

    My favorite escape is a solo trip back to the Burgh. Turn off the radio and head up over the WVA mountains.
    Stop in Uniontown at my
    Moms home,still standing ,built by
    my grandad’s own hands as an immigrant from Austria.

    Made all my most major life’s decisions on this 4 hour trip.

    Then, win or lose, once inside Heinz
    no other thoughts than Pitt – VPI

    It’s not Smith Island but for me, it works.

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  23. Very interesting Reed…never heard of this place. No wonder the locals stay on the island…not many ‘off-islanders’ would be able to understand them.

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  24. Don’t we all need to have our own Smith Island or should get one ASAP?

    I’ve found over the years, that time and the memories spent away with family together is like fine wine. They just get better over time.

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  28. LOL Jack that was hysterical. You get a couple guys in the woods without supervision and fire. Lordy Lordy.

    Love camping myself. 🙂

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  29. @Jackagain, my first thought was I wanted to grab a beer and kick back after all that work cutting the firewood. I think I will go grab one right now…LOL

    Then, what was it you threw in the fire to make the show on the 3rd video?

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  31. Not to be redundant but it’s all about people sharing their stories/lives and getting to know each other first then sharing thoughts on PITT football, makes it much more interesting for me.

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  32. Trax1, my buddy threw in some fireworks into the hollow log. We usually have them every time we camp. It was me with the chainsaw in the first vid.

    Liked by 1 person

  33. Wow — Why’s everybody going all soft on me here???

    🙂 🙂 Lol kidding! Great to read everyone of your articles @Reed and enjoy all of your comments 😉 .

    Where is Upittbaseball here though??? —>“First of all Reed and you crazy-guys, Trump is the effin’ man! And camping is for Cavemen! I have a 90 inch TV in Texas with 10,000 High-Def channels, and a Fridge full of Beer, you guys are ridiculous going off into the woods and crazy Islands like Tom Hanks in Castaway!” — kidding! — but @Upittbaseball I personally don’t think I would break-even though betting on all of your predictions 😉 lol.

    This Pitt Football Bye-week has been a great, Calm Before The Storm here at the Pitt POV and it’s been amazing. It’s almost (Key Word: Almost haha) sad that it’s almost “Game Week” and we’re all going to be back Holding the Fire to Josh Conklin to fix the secondary, and Putting the ‘Weight of Atlas’ on Nathan Peterman to win us the game against the Gobblers!

    #HailToPitt !!!

    @Reed I feel like this website and all it’s posters are going to becoming a story on College Gameday or something — maybe next year before the Pitt v penn state game in State College — This has become a lil phenomenon here!

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  34. DK, nothing on TV beats our fires live and in living color. Throw in the fire works and….did I mention the food? These guys I camp with are beer collectors. I’ve had about every craft & Belgium beer there is.

    This last trip one of the guys brought a small smoker and slow cooked ribs for about 6 hours,,,,

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  35. ^^^^ “Throw in the fire works and….did I mention the food? These guys I camp with are beer collectors. I’ve had about every craft & Belgium beer there is.”

    ^^^ So you went on a camping trip to Heaven ….why did you come back??!!! 😉 lol!

    #PittIsIt !!!

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  36. DK, I’m mostly a wine collector. I got these guys into vintage ports. I opened a 1977 Grahams port a few years back. Real nice around the fire….

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  37. Seriously yous guys need to get into the many many many English Ales. Smooooooth.
    The ribs look a little well done. lol 🙂

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  38. Which can happen when groups of guys partake in a little hard beverage drinking. ha
    Oh yea…..the ribs ! yikes.

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  39. I hate camping did I tell ya, unless someone else is doing all the grunt work.

    Prefer room service at the Ritz Carlton and a ‘Do Not Disturb’ sign. 🙂

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  44. Jack again…Thanks for the pic and videos they made me homesick and hungry at the same time.. perfect visuals for this time of year… love you guys who have the technical savvy to put “stuff” on the blog… Our family has a camp “Wabbit Twaks” heated by a 100 yr old pot-belly stove nestled in the South Woods of Potter County with the trout stream right out the back door and surrounded by mountains and the”Big Woods” – minimal humans more wildlife and lots of room to walk and move around unencumbered.. now that is my relaxation
    A book worth reading for all ” Last Child in the Woods” by Richard Louv… theme is how each generation gets further and further from interaction with the great outdoors …for us old timers the outdoors was
    our stage and a toy to play with … tell a young kid to go outside and play today and most are clueless.. check the book out.. and thanks againJack!!🍻

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  45. I’m still confident that enough rational patriots will still emerge after this devisive presidential campaign has concluded to put national interests above political partisanship going forward. No matter which political party ends up in control of the Judicial, Executive & Legislative branches of our federal government, sooner or later the political climate has to transcend partisan politics and evolve into a more bipartisan attitude to get some positive direction on all of these major issues confronting our nation & it’s citizens.

    I’m all about “America 1st” as well as feeling that we are “Stronger Together”. So I’m anxious to see some national healing after this election takes place.

    My election motto therefore is,,,,,

    “Let’s Make America Stronger Again, Together”. Since when it comes right down to it, whether you’re black, white red or yellow, whether your family has immigrated from, Europe, the Middle East, Asia Central or South America, or anywhere else from the four corners of the world, us, as in “US” of A are all in this thing called life together in the good old USA.

    Let the healing begin come 11/9/2016.

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  47. Reed

    Good post and I couldn’t agree with you more. Just posted to my Facebook friends to stop putting up negative political BS. If you are that passionate about one of the candidates go volunteer for them, not blow up a place I go to check in on friends and family. ….and what the F happen to promoting your own candidate, it is all just non-stop bashing. I hate what this has become. It stresses me out also. Stopped watching the news.

    Damn, now I need a get away, LOL.

    Love MD. Beach, Annapolis and surrounding Chesapeake area. Did a race over the bay bridge a few years back, one of the best I have run in. Beer and crabs on the bay after.

    Basketball scrimmage open to the public today. 1:30.

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  48. My wife grew up in an almost shack on the coast of the Big Island of Hawaii… had to to cook for the family over a wood stove and had to work as mate on her father’s 30 foot fishing boat for years.

    Needless to say, but she wants hotels and room service also… no camping for her. I don’t hesitate to give her the best I can after her very rough childhood.

    Liked by 1 person

  49. Reed, visited Hawaii and the Big Island for the first time this summer.

    I guess if you have to grow up in a shack that is a great place to do it.

    But fishing is a difficult way to earn a living. I bet your wife is one tough lady.

    I hope your family is doing OK and your son has a speedy recovery.

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  50. Back to sports talk.
    My 2nd favorite team this week (whoever plays Penn State that week) is a -19.5 favorite over the Nittany Lions. Since my #1 team, the Pitt Panthers are off today, the buildup to the Prime time OSU vs PSU game is what peaks my TV viewing interests for today.
    In that regard, I checked out Black Shoe Diaries to see how the cult fans are spinning this one during pregame. The most recent prediction article was pretty rational with the author predicting a score of OSU-41, PSU-24 anticipated.
    But then the comments section let the cult mob mentality have it’s say in a big way. There were a few sane posts that kept it real but some on that board make Dr. Tom’s usual optimistic approach to predicting Pitt fortunes seem pathetically anemic when compared to most Penn State fans mindsets.
    And of course when all else fails they can always fall back on their attendance records when their W-L record takes a beating. Needless to say with the WHITEOUT at Beaver Stadium, a full house is anticipated, so the talk revolved around the Pedos being a top 5 venue when it comes to college football venues! LOL! No matter how reality impacts PSU, the cult always has the ability in the end of introspectively seeing themselves as the bestest of the best.
    Pretty sure that the 104 thousand fans assembled in their white T-shirts, etc. this evening are going to witness just another significant OSU beat down at Beaver Stadium duplicating the history of their last four meetings at creepy valley. But there’s always rationalization! Yeah, but we had over 100,000 fans watching that mugging of the Lions,,,,, so we got that going for us! Just SMH.

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  51. @BigB, 40 years ago hunted near intersection of 44 and 144 near Germania in Potter County.

    Hunting camp that my 4 brothers with dad and uncle and guys in hunting camp would stay for opening few days of buck and then doe(if we got doe stamps). Great times. Buck season, maybe success for a few guys, doe season, EVERYONE got one. Days we would see 150 deer while on post and mornings we would see 50+ per hunter on some drives. Turkeys and grouse plentiful and occasional bear sightings during deer season.

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  52. Dr Tom @ 8:16: I’m sitting out in my backyard this morning, burning the leftover pine branches from the 6 trees cut up as a result of Hurricane Matthew. And I got to thinking …. This is my 3rd hurricane since living on/near the coast. One of the most heart warming sights of post hurricane occurances is the string of electric company buchet trucks heading back northward and westward.

    Its amazing to see the license plates of these trucks – Ga, Ala, Ms, LA, Tn, etc. When there is a catastropic incident, the food people of this country come together like you wouldn’t believe! There were church men’s groups from all over the SE, going around the area cutting up people’s downed trees – for free! All kinds of people “flood” the area with nothing on their minds but to assist anyone they can find!

    The point: we are a very good people – it is our politicians and people in power that get consumed by their position, and use it to best their personal power and wealth.

    It is up to We the People to weed these bottom feeders out! It is our fault they are in those positions
    !

    OK, I’m climbing down off my soap box!

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  53. WHOA, Coach Narduzzi gettin some😘❤️on ESPN’s Gameday by showing his pregame speech before the PSU game, the classic line portrayed, “they don’t respect, they’re going to find out”!!
    AWESOME!!! Hail to Narduzzi

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  54. Savannah Panther, nailed it! It’s our fucking politicians who keep telling us how bad we have it when that is far from the truth .. especially compared to most other places. This is why I had completely shut them off for a long while now — and my world is just so much better because of it

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  55. Dr Tom, check out the last 3 years of OSU vs PSU. OSU completely blew them out in Columbus both times but 2 years ago, OSU had to go to overtime to beat them at Happy Valley.

    Last year at PSU, Michigan escaped with a close win … this year at Ann Arbor, they beat the crap of the Nits. Like most teams, PSU plays much better at home it seems.

    Nonetheless, I still expect OSU to win by at least 2-3 TDS

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  56. Interesting, I have often thought I was just being too hateful when most of the “other” (not PITT) football games I watch, is to see my hated 3 teams go down. I get over any guilt rather quickly though. nd, psu, and wvu. < This could be why I am enjoying this season so much. 🙂 with the exception of wvu 😦

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  58. How they’ve been bounced up the polls from #20 to #12, based on beating 3-3 Texas Tech, shows how ridiculous and rigged the polls truly are.

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  62. @BigB, we used to go all the way to Potter Co. for our Fall trips when I was younger. As they like to say up there….”God’s Country”, I had a friend who had a camp in Renovo, Clinton Co. and we went there too. Both are very beautiful places…

    As for the Pedo’s vs Ohio fake, I think the spread to too big for a game at the pedo haven. But I do hope they beat the spread 😉

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  63. I believe the Pedo’s have had 2 weeks to prepare for the *ucknuts. While the nutbags are coming off a YUGE overtime win against Paulie’s PotatoFarmers.

    So one would think there’s going to be a ‘letdown’ there for the Bucknuts.

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  64. Lamar Jackson is Terrelle Pryor with an accurate arm and a little more speed.

    Pryor now making it as a reciever. Some athlete.

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  65. Hope I’m wrong, as it would be great if Osu went up by 35-0 at half and the CowPasture Stadium would half empty out for national TV.

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  67. L Jackson is something special for sure and he may be faster than TP. Tp is a freak himself. He could put some weight on and be a beast at TE and or defensive end. He does have a bit of a mean streak in him. Or maybe he was just angry as a younger man. Early on he had a rough life then lots of manipulation by self centered white people. There is no doubt he is a professional athlete.

    Meanwhile Louisville and Lamar are putting a whopping on NCS

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  68. public scrimmages at the Pete today. A few comments from PG Zeise twitter had Jeter lead scorer in 1st scrimmage, Young and Artis leading in second, Stallings telling players to speed up the pace, and PG Kithcart looking like he will be a real contriibutor as natural freshman

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  69. And Buttgers goes down again. Might go winless in the BigJoke. Nice that the conf. added 2 additional ‘cupcakes’, in a conference loaded with them.

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  70. Yea I know it was about ‘eyeballs’. But seriously nobody in the NY Metro area ever cared about Buttgers football or basketball.

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  73. Ped State has been complaining in local articles all year about how many injuries they have had. HaHa At Pitt we dont complain we adapt and overcome.

    When Pitt had openings in FB the past few tilmes local “reporters” such as Pompiani and Cook trumpeted Tom Bradley saying there was no evidence he knew of Pedophiles. They beamed and pontificated. When more evidence came up in the spring Bradley again reiterated like Srgt Schultz “I knew nothing” Well at Mcqueerys trial vs Ped State it turns out that in a deposition that Bradley asked McQueery about it in 2004 and McQueery told him – this is per Bradley’s admission – he knew. God they lie about everything.
    I hate Ohio State but BEAT THE LIARS BADLY BUCKS!!!!! Those pedophile protectors are still eating their young and praising Joe the Denier. They all knew and should never coach anywhere again.
    HAIL TO PITT.
    Reed at night when the lights went out someone needed to play Deliverance music. Glad you and your way way better half had a good few days off.

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  74. Watching the Texas A&M vs Tide game. Didn’t Robert Foster used to play for Alabama? He’s nowhere to be found. Is he hurt?

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  76. I worked in the Federal Government for 36 years (I loved my job) and I am a Navy veteran. The Federal workers I knew did their job regardless of who was President. We all took the Constitutional oath just like the President. I do not think that will ever change. Just like H2P.
    .

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  77. ^^^ I really DO NOT SEE Paul Chryst sustaining success at Wisconsin. He came into that Fully-Established Program in an Anti-Pitt Scenario — he inherited an absolutely Stacked Defense (Brett Bielema could definitely identify and collect talent) and a ton of Offensive talent too —- these are the Seniors and (mostly) RS Seniors and RS Juniors of the Brett Bielema era, with 2 solid years of Gary Anderson recruiting. Paul Chryst took over a Solid, Deep, 9 win Wisconsin Team.

    The fans are happy — but the issue is Chryst is recruiting the Exact same players — with the exact same Talent Levels (Zero Speed, plus zero “Offers”, lol) as he was here at Pitt. Pretty soon Wisconsin’s defense is going to lose all of these incredibly scrappy, saavy veterans and it’s going to be Out-House level talent manning Wisconsin’s D. Those poor Bucky-Badger fans just don’t know about Paul Chryst’s recruiting ability (i.e. inability) like Pitt fans 😦 it’s gonna be a wake-up-call for them up in Madison!!!

    So Glad Pitt got Pat Narduzzi 🙂 + ACC Money and Exposure 🙂 —> We’re Lookin’ Solid!! ….. but Pitt Needs a huge “W” here on Thursday.

    Agree with the wonderful Positivity about this wonderful Society we live in!! Biggest thing about this Country I’ve had the Privilege to be born in and live my life-in, — is that in my view we’re the opposite of If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it mindset —- This Country is always about Improving, Evolving (i.e., the entire way our Constitution was created to always be Improved and Adapt to our new technology / attitudes / life-ambitions etc.) and America has an: We can always become so much better mindset. A lot of people who knee-jerk, and say negative things, they forget that in this Country, we have the opportunity and actual tangible ways to improve what we feel is not good enough about our Society!!

    (NFL Players kneeling for example: “What needs to be fixed that you find unacceptable right now in this Country —-> and how can we tangibly Improve this situation? Use your brain, Create The Improvement, and stop just kneeling and saying, “Things are bad, ummkayyyy……things are bad.” — lol South Park reference?…..nevermind)

    —- I always laughed when Teachers / Professors (many times at Pitt!!!) would have the “Obtuseness” to compare The United States of America to “Rome”, always making the comparison as America as a “Republic”. I always said, “You’re Crazy!!!” — Because America is “Rome”, if all of the Barbarians were fighting to try and immigrate-in and bring their families, Learn the Language, and become part of the Culture!! America is not a “Republic” — The United States of America is One Idea that Unites us and keeps us cooperating-together, and pushing our boundaries always to be Stronger and Better — The Foundation for everything we create and our whole lives —- We Have the Absolute Right to LIFE, LIBERTY, and the Pursuit of our own slice-of-Happiness 🙂 …..Sorry, Rambling!

    #PittIsIt !!!

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  78. Reed, my daughter spent 3 days on Smith Island with her high school’s gifted students. They go there go learn about the people and history, bring a Christmas tree and decorate it with the residents (they go in late Nov/early Dec. Brrrr!), and do some sort of service project. I think they rebuilt the docks there. Also, my cousin actually lived there for a few years. The residents actually remembered him! There is another Island in the bay they went to in a different year- Wallops Island. Small world.

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  79. Anon….the 2nd best receiver in W. PA will never get playing time at Bama. Foster’s old man was nuts…

    He’ll be lucky to get a FA contract in the NFL when he graduates.

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  83. @bigb and @tvax1

    My dad and some of his buddies leased a plot and built a hunting cabin along the Potter/Tioga Counties border in the early 60’s. We’d make our way over to Germania and Galeton occasionally. We used it every year up through the late 90’s. Talk about disconnecting. I think we got one AM station and the STARS were incredible.

    Liked by 1 person

  85. @gc The score of the game looks good. Both teams look terrible. McSorely and Barrett are a combined 6-20 for 30 yards. Teams are a combined 2 of 15 on third down. I doubt that will last.

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  87. The only way Foster even sniffs the NFL is if he graduates in the spring, transfers, & has a good Sr season elsewhere. NFL scouts don’t even know who he is.

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  88. The BIG Joke is an overrated conference.

    Looking forward to Thursday night – Pitt needs to show th whole playbook as this will be the best D we face in 2016.

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  93. we gotta show up big Thursday!

    This game and atmosphere is big time for their recruiting whether I like it or not.

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  94. The BIG10 this season is all Hugely Positive for Pitt Football.

    Michigan State was a “Paper Tiger” last year immediately after Narduzzi left. The Confidence, and Gusto was gone — and this year they’ve fallen apart. It made it clear that Pat Narduzzi was the true Man Behind The Success up in East Lansing, not Mark Dantanio.

    And make no mistake, penn state is playing right up-there with Ohio State. That shows that this Growing Pitt Football Program with Pat Narduzzi still playing with all “Paul Chryst, MAC recruit” Juniors and Seniors —- is already just one small step away from being as talented as the “Elite” (Except for Nick Saban’s Behemoth he’s created in Tuscaloosa, Saban has built an All-Time Power —> Nick Saban has created an even more Powerful Dynasty than Pete Carrol built at USC in the mid 2000’s!)

    But this penn state effort is showing by-comparison that Our Pitt Panthers are already Right at the Door….imagine if Lamont Wade comes to Pitt, and Narduzzi and co. bring in another Strong recruiting class this Year! The Future For Pitt is Bright!!!

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  96. PS may win that game. Just blocked a punt, and got a favorable call from officials on another play.

    And, while I still doubt WVCC, they did beat a decent TCU team and are 6-0, so they may be the real deal.

    I hope Pitt shows up against VT.

    HTP

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  98. And keep in-mind…Pitt at Heinz could have absolutely Stomped and Blown-out penn state if Narduzzi and Matt Canada kept their foot to the throttle 🙂 (to be fair, Narduzzi and Conklin probably didn’t quite understand just how bad the secondary was at that point).

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  102. gc — I agree that OSU sure doesn’t look like a top 2 team. And this PSU team doesn’t look much better than the one we beat. They have maybe improved a bit, but nothing that jumps out to me.

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  104. I bet the entire Pitt team is watching this penn state game — Their confidence has to be going through the roof, showing them they can beat anybody — Pitt Football is Right There to get to top-20 status.

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  106. I was gonna say, Franklin didn’t save his job. The big 10 refs saved his job. Not just one or two, but several questionable calls.

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  109. You gotta wonder what Pedo State did to garner this win, Eliminating Ohio Fake possibly from the playoffs.

    Of course if past seasons are indicative, anytime Ohio Fake seems ‘out of it’, all kind of chaos ensues across the nation, to get them…….’back in the picture’.

    Hate both schools, teams, fan bases, etc. But pedo’s winning, gives Pitt’s Win over them a big boost to our SoS.

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  110. Pitt cannot, I repeat, CANNOT lose on Thursday and expect recruits to take them seriously after that PSU win over OSU.

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  112. gc
    October 22, 2016 at 8:55 pm
    DK, you better cut back on the Ritalin.

    LMAO

    btw we are a Constitutional Republic. Contrary to what some of the boob pols says.

    “I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America, and to the REPUBLIC for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”

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  113. despite our optimism, can’t ignore the white out win over OSU or the undefeated WVU impact on 2017 and 2008 recruits.

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  114. This might be wrong, but I feel a little good in that Pitt beat and at some points was trouncing(offensively) a team that just edged tOSU. I would have been perfectly happy for happy valley to go home sad but I have come to dislike tOSU enough to have this be tolerable just one time.

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  115. A rising tide raises all boats.

    We will be at our best when our rivals are at theirs.

    Eastern football, even though not a conference needs to get great players to stay here and come here from the south. We play PSU 3 more times and WV is coming back on the schedule. Doesn’t help us if they are no good.

    Have to beat VT to keep up with the Jones.

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  117. Gotta wonder though…the order of things. What if we played Penn State next week instead? Would they crush us based on their confidence level (and possibly just being a better team than they were earlier in the sreason) or would we win still and look better than we do now because we beat them AFTER they beat tOSU? I might go read some Sartre now and contemplate my reality.

    H2P

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  118. @Emel:

    “LMAO

    btw we are a Constitutional Republic. Contrary to what some of the boob pols says.”

    Yeah, I know I know lol……. I was going for more of a Philosophical / Spiritual thang about American ideals being the “real binding factor” of our Society and all — poorly articulated and rambling though 😦 moving-on, back too Football:

    Dunno about State College — prolly gonna go make big bonfires and Tip over all the poor cows and party hard n’ all — cool for them — But tonight was a win for Pitt Football in the end 🙂 (lol at least from our-perspective)

    Pat Narduzzi to the team this week: “You smashed those guys in the mouth while they were here. We’re better than them, and we knew it from the first snap. We’re Stronger, Faster and downright-Nastier than them. We let them off the hook a little bit, and we should have Crushed them in our House, but in the end we handled business and proved with no doubt who was the better team……. Well, that team just beat The number two team in the Country. That Ohio State team won the National Championship two years ago, went 12 and 1 last year, and was undefeated this year. Have zero doubt about what we learned: We just found out that we are good enough to beat the Number 2 team in the Country on any given day. Now that we know that —– let’s go Handle Business vs. our Conference Rival, Virginia Tech, in front of the whole Country, only show in town, Under The Brightest Lights, IN OUR HOUSE!!!!! ”

    #HAILTOPITT 🙂

    Goodnight…..wooo, way too much Ritalin…. hahaha

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  119. panther94 – you could spend the rest of this weekend on Smith Island watching CNN.

    “Richard stands” and “Olive the other reindeer” was a good way to get me to turn in for the night.

    Cheers to Pitt, and to all a good night!

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  120. So the game showed that Sanders will not see any time at psu until Barkley leaves after next year. Sanders will be a junior. I was thinking that Robert Foster really got hosed by going away. Then I thought Delvin Simmons was another WPIAL superstar 4 or 5 star that left and….well,,,,,didn’t even get drafted.

    Well, its not too late for foster to graduate and transfer. Simmons already is trying to make it in the league. Desmon Greene disappeared as well.

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  122. Annie – the Smith Island people were nice and I think the fact that we were the only off-island people visiting made a difference especially because it was the offseason.

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  123. Only good news for Pitt yesterday on the PSU win is that we beat them easier this season. Past that news it’s all down hill for Pitt especially on the recruiting front. Time for Narduzzi to find some more 2 and 3 stars that turn into 4 and 5 stars. Not an easy task by any stretch of the imagination.

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  124. Congrats to PSU. They won that game with a gritty effort. Their defense was the key, pressured the OSU QB consistently. Special teams play is important too I guess. Ya Think!?!?!?

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  125. Dr. Tom — yes they did a great job pressuring the QB, but that’s where The OSU’s problems lie. We ran for 300+ yards on PSU, and I’m sure they saw that film. They had a two score lead, and it was pouring rain. Why would you be throwing the ball 43 times? Urban is a fantastic coach and a fine recruiter, but he’s also a bit of a pompous fool.

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  126. Congratulating a school that honored Joepa? The guy who turned his back on child molestation?
    I only wish both teams could have lost.

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  127. One big difference in PSU is the return of Cabinda. He is a big run stopper and their best linebacker.

    The game was won and lost by special teams play though.

    Surprised how anemic both teams offenses looked.

    The whiteout was most impressive although I did notice some empty seats.

    You can understand why kids want to play in front of a crowd like that.

    Our empty yellow seats a big factor in recruitment.

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  128. Poll notes:

    The BIG Joke conference will still have 4 teams in the top 10 (Mich, Neb, Wisconsin and tOSU).

    Does anyone on this blog believe that conference has 4 of the best 10 teams in the country right now?

    #11 Houston was crushed by SMU and will fall – opening the way for wvu to crack the top 10.

    Two SEC teams SHOULD drop from the top 25 with their loses this week – #17 Arkansas was embarrassed by Auburn 56-3 and #23 Ole Miss at 3-4 should be loonngg gone.

    That opens up two spots that vt and Ok State could fill – but watch the pedos of the BIG Joke leap in.

    Pitt needs to Jack up the jokies on prime time national TV on Thursday night to get noticed.

    HTP!

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  129. Let’s hope our second half defense last week can be replicated for the rest of the year.

    If not we are in trouble, if so the sky is the limit.

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  131. To be fair across the board it seems like parity has struck the entire college D-1 football world. (except bama) The ACC can stand up and be accounted for along with the rest of the conferences. All of a sudden the PITT schedule looks even tougher than it did 24 hours ago. An OSU win over wvu would change perspective not only on the this blog (Reed) but the entire nation. Been saying all along, PITT is closer than most believe.

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  132. Pitt has a top twenty offense, maybe top ten, also offensive special teams. But the defense, especially pass defense is bottom of the barrel, making it really hard to figure how good we are. Especially hard to figure how we will finish.

    Our pass defense is noticeably better when we get a pass rush, unfortunately our pass rush disappears for long periods of time. Hope Price is healthy. Think we will see a few more plays with Conner at end.

    The VT game is huge for the season and maybe the program. Should be a sellout, but I expect 47,000 fans with about 5,000 cheering for VT.

    Should be another exciting game.

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  133. panther94 – yea, I read that article too. Glad to see it was regarding another asu losing effort.

    It appears Pitt is competing with the Fraudster on a few recruiting prospects –

    We need to focus on jabbing the jokies of vt in the mouth and sending them home on Thursday night with their gobblers in a bunch…

    HTP!

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  135. gc – I’ve been going to most home games for the past ten years and the crowds usually disappoint. The teams for the past 35 years have as well. This team is different.

    HCPN wants the house packed I’m sure, but more importantly he understands that his team needs to “show up” each and every week regardless of the crowd support. Winning “could” change the support, but it probably won’t happen anytime soon.

    Let’s hope the jokies of vt slip into the top 25 ahead of the pedos in today’s poll. HCPN could then make this a BIG win – not yet the “signature” win that is coming, but a BIG win in The Pursuit of the Coastal title.

    HTP!

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  136. Does anyone on this blog believe that conference has 4 of the best 10 teams in the country right now?

    Simple answer……NO !

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  138. EE, I believe part of the attendance problem is all of the crushing defeats we have experienced at home, and I have been to most of them. Pittsburghers want to attend winning events, that is why so many casual fans do not show up. You see it with all of the sports teams. Winning will help the most.

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  139. I guess the Football gods want Franklinstein to succeed at Pedo State. Whatever happened to the gang rape cases of the Vanderbilt players when Franklinstein was there.

    And when if EVER are the 3 Pedo Enabler Stooges of Pedo State going on Trial ???

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  140. It seems that college home teams are now at least 7 to 10 points better than they are on the road. We need an analysis.

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  141. ~ gc ….you got that right. For a long string of years, every Pitt game I came up to the Burgh for….we lost.

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  142. Speaking of the pass defense, being bottom of the barrel.

    Had the local Big AM Radio talker station yesterday, they have financial stuff on during the weekends, However they do also carry the Tarhole games. And at around 3 pm, the Tarhole at Virginia game came on, so I left it on and was listening while I was doing other things around the house.

    Virginia got the ball first and UNC came out defensively in a formation with 6 DBs and only 1 linebacker.

    The result of which was holding UVA to only 14 points and 143 yards passing, the Cavs lowest passing total of the entire season.

    UNC won easily 35-14. 6 DB’s eh, who would have thought of that, not Conklin.

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  143. Emel – from a July 2016 news clip (with no mention of Franklinstein) –

    (Vandy players) Batey and Vandenburg were convicted last year, but the verdicts were tossed because a juror did not reveal he was a victim of statutory rape. They have both been convicted a second time. Two other players are awaiting trial.

    In handing down his sentence, Judge Watkins said the case stood out among the thousands he has seen in 32 years of practicing law.

    “I’ve seen so many cases, and this is one of the saddest,” Watkins said

    As for the pedo three trial – crickets except that the red head assistant coach McCleary had his day in court last month as he sued the university for wrongful termination.

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  145. Thanks EE. They really helped bail out Franklinstein on that one. Had he stayed at Vandy, his career was thru after that verdict.

    ‘Some’ football coaches and ‘some’ pols are Above the Law.

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