in Pitt Football 517 Words

It Happened on Her Watch…

LINK: Guttman Family Commitment

For IMMEDIATE Release

April 20, 2017                                                                                                                                                               

  Pitt Football Receives $2 Million Commitment from the Guttman Family
Guttman Family’s commitment is the single largest in the history of the Pitt Football Championship Fund.

    PITTSBURGH—The University of Pittsburgh football program has received a $2 million commitment from Steven and Kathy Guttman, the single-largest contribution in the history of the Pitt Football Championship Fund, it was announced by Director of Athletics Heather Lyke.

   The Panthers’ Football Championship Fund is used to enhance such critical areas as the student-athlete experience, facilities, recruiting and advancing technology.

    “On behalf of our football student-athletes and coaches, we thank Kathy and Steven for their extremely generous commitment,” Lyke said. “Though I have only been in Pittsburgh a few weeks, it has been awesome to meet our loyal donors and even more inspiring to see their generosity positively impact the lives of our student-athletes.

    “The Guttman’s investment not only emphasizes that sentiment, it underscores how vital philanthropic support is to our competitive success. We are grateful for Kathy and Steven’s belief in the leadership of Coach Narduzzi and the trajectory of our football program.”

    A 1968 graduate of the University of Pittsburgh, Steven Guttman is founder and chairman of UOVO Fine Art Storage and has more than 40 years of real estate development experience. Prior to UOVO, Guttman founded and remains chairman of Storage Deluxe Management Company (SDMC), of which he is the main investor. Additionally, he had a 30-year career with Federal Realty Investment Trust (NYSE), where he served as Chairman and CEO.

    “We are delighted to make this commitment to the Pitt Football Championship Fund,” Steven Guttman said. “The program’s visible growth under Coach Narduzzi’s leadership is reason for tremendous optimism moving forward. It is our hope that this commitment will not only serve to help the Panthers continue that growth, but also motivate others to support their quest as well.”

    “We are incredibly appreciative and inspired by Steven and Kathy Guttman’s generosity,” Coach Pat Narduzzi said. “Their belief and support is so important in helping us achieve the goals we have for our program, both on and off the field. We thank them not only for this historic commitment, but also for their longtime loyalty and love of the University of Pittsburgh and the Pitt football program.” 

    The Panthers are considered a rapidly ascending program under Narduzzi. He has directed Pitt to eight regular-season wins in each of his first two years, something the Panthers had not achieved since 2008-09. Narduzzi owns a 16-10 overall mark and 11-5 record in the ACC, which was regarded as the nation’s finest conference last year.

       In 2016, Pitt was the only school to have wins over two teams that finished in the top 5 of the final College Football Playoff rankings. The Panthers gave No. 2 Clemson—the eventual national champion—its only loss (43-42) and kept No. 5 Penn State out of the playoff field by defeating the Nittany Lions, 42-39.

    For more information on the Pitt Football Championship Fund visit www.QuestForTen.com or call the Panther Club at (412) 648-8889.

 

 

74 thoughts on “It Happened on Her Watch…”

  1. BTW – this may also be a lot of Pat Bostick’s doing also. This didn’t just come to fruition in the last month – but who knows, maybe it did but Pat Jr is very much involved in fund raising.

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  2. Thank you for the Hugh contribution made to the Pitt football program. This is what’s needed to go to the next level. It would be great for the administration to follow suit and be more proactive for all the sports programs. Maybe they should examine what damage they’ve done in past twenty years and do a corrective action and support the football program in many more ways. The foundation is there now time to add on to it BEAT PENN STATE. H2P

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  3. Boy Reed, you’re on the beam buddy. Finally good news traveling fast instead of bad.

    Hope we don’t see this spun in a negative manner. Like it of not, Lyke was the AD at this time. Kudos to Reed on such a great title to his article. I will give credit to Pat Bostick, there is zero doubt in my mind that he is a great asset to the PITT football program moving forward.

    We All We Got
    We All We Need
    H2P! .. …ike

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  4. No chance Heather even got business cards yet so this is definitely in works or Bostick. Good either way. Anyone else surprised this is the biggest donation made to football? 2 M seems low for all the bigtime grads. Rmbrace the frads and give them an experience Pitt. Not northshore Heinz blah.

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  5. Many thanks extended to the Guttmans!

    Somebody has to be first with the mega donation. The Guttmans are definitely it with their generous contribution to “The Pursuit”. Let’s hope that it initiates a trend.

    Who’s next? H2P!

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  6. upitt from what i understand the football championship fund was created by mr. barnes

    so there may (or may not) have been larger single donations prior to 2015

    or maybe they’re using football championship fund here as an all-inclusive term for any donation to pitt football ever

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  7. Is it a stretch to say that the FB team benefits from BB games at the Pete with the excitement generated by the Zoo?

    If it’s not a stretch, could this $2 million be used to buy out HCKS?

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  8. There have been bigger donations to the athletic department but not specifically to the football program…Corky Cost donated $1M for the Cost Center to get started but he ponied up monies at other times also.

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  10. What a bunch of classy comments – including the troll headline – by the crew of misogynist neanderthals led by the simpleton upittbaseball.

    Heather Lyke should be in the kitchen making samich’s for you bunch of fat heads/asses. Right?

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    1. Hey John, I hope you didn’t take my comment the wrong way. I give the new AD all the credit. If there was some work done prior to her, well then, she still sealed the deal. Pat Bostick could have played a roll as well. So I give him a shout out.

      I took Reed’s article as giving her credit as well. I’m all in on PITT until it’s proven otherwise. Go PITT.

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  11. Heather Lyke does seem extremely likeable and engaging. I can see the old geezers with a lot of loot being smitten by her and ponying up…

    Go Pitt.

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  12. It doesn’t really matter if it is Pat or Heather, its a team sport and thanks to the Guttmans for backing our guys. i’d like to see Heather do well then hand the baton to Pat.. Upitt if you are really getting married again congrats. Nice to see Darkie back and posting, EJ if you read this daily, Darkie is waiting for that internship. 🙂
    HAIL TO PITT!!

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  13. Need to see more of that. I’ll be more impressed when the donation goes specifically to the Basketball program.

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  14. I have never once criticized a fellow POVert. But does John Ramella ever offer anything useful to this blog? Fact is, Heather Lyke may or may not have had anything to do with this large donation. So Reed’s headline was on the mark. And the shot at UPitt was unnecessary. We take him as he is: mostly negative, but knowledgeable and witty. A degeneratie gambler maybe, but he’s our degenerate gambler as they say. And a regular contributor. As opposed to Mr. Ramella, who pokes his head in the room every so often, and adds ZERO to the discussion.

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  17. I truly believe what Reed has done with the POV blog is extra extraordinary. It even makes you wonder why and how he puts in all the time and effort. (hint, he’s a crazy huge PITT football fan) Yet why question, I just say thanks Reed!

    Now about that turd in the punch bowl. Are we missing something that “The Estonian Woman” is seeing?

    Is Dark Knight going to be the best man?

    Why aren’t these two ever seen in public together?

    Better yet, why isn’t the Dark Knight allowed in the public?

    You guys should jump on the round-table next Tuesday evening. Let’s get the party started!! The more the merrier.

    Who would win these cage matches?
    Reed vs ike
    Upitt vs Kevin Stallings?
    Upitt vs Heather Lyke
    Upitt vs a shoe salesman
    Upitt vs a toupee salesman
    Upitt vs “The Estonian Woman”
    Upitt vs “The Dark Knight”?

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  18. Reed – Cookie made that back and more building it. Scratch my back and get the project. Haha

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  19. John – God bless your ignorance. Man, Woman, Billy goat 🐐 whoever whatever she hasn’t even relocated tonPittsburgh yet and only been on the job a few days so she obviously isn’t getting credit for the money. This isn’t about women or men it is about her efforts so far at Pitt being 3 weeks. People like you make me so happy I live in Texas.

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  20. Ike – I’d fo 5 for 6. Heather looks like she could take me possibly. She has an intense stare I hope is used to send Rockports to Gannon.

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  21. Ike – I have split personalities. Positive Side is Dark Knight and Negative is Upitt. Haha. That would be scary. Did Darkie Golf?

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  24. I’m still trying to figure out what misogynist means.
    And I wouldn’t mind a good samich right now. I’ll take an Italian from either Heather or EJ. Whosoever is better.

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  26. Pitt BB has a shot at two other grad transfers in the coming weeks after losing out to NC State on the Baylor player –

    Chris Lane from Longwood (ikr) – Pitt vs VCU
    Ed Morrow from Nebraska – Pitt vs Iowa State

    Both VCU and Iowa State have made coaching changes in recent years, and both have done well with those changes in keeping their programs on a winning track.

    Obviously not the case with Pitt BB. Under Stallings in his first year at Pitt, the team produced a losing record for the first time since 2000.

    These two young men have a choice to make – they both plan to further their education and BB careers.

    Heather Lyke will be paying attention, I’m sure.

    Pitt’s starting line-up for next season looks Lyke this –

    Nix C
    Luther F
    freshman F
    Milligan G
    freshman G

    Sign up for your season tickets now, before they sell out. Remember those days not too long ago?

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  27. Here is my take on the $2M donation. The Guttmans apparently are current NYC area residents and have lived there for a while, and it’s where their businesses are. In their engrossing business and social schedule, they have little time for Pitt FB, and when the Pinstripe Bowl announced Pitt as a participant, they were overjoyed that the game was coming to them. And of course, they were saddened to see Pitt lose, so in addition to all of the large donations to charitable cause, the included $2M for Pitt FB.

    Thus, it was the bowl game loss that was responsible for the donation …. and not Heather or Pat.

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  28. Off topic but interesting; from Ed’s Steeler’s chat:

    Guest: Do you really think the Steelers have their eye on James Conner in the fourth or fifth round as some predict? I wouldn’t draft him at all

    Ed Bouchette: In my piece on the running backs, I had to pick out one player the Steelers might have their eyes on. Conner was the one. I would grab him in a heartbeat in the fourth round.

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  29. To be a big time program you need big time money, a nice start to Heather’s tenure no matter who did the heavy lifting.Hopefully more to come. Maybe even Barnes laid the groundwork, who cares as long as the check clears.

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  31. Great call WWB. Who knows what was in place and happened at the bowl game. Narduzzi, EJ, Pat, and whomever else spend a week or so in the city of the bowl game doing alumni functions and etc. so it could have just as easily been Pat or Dark Knight convincing them to donate the large donation.

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  33. PSN reports Chris Bleich 4 star a 6’6″ 305lb OT from Wilkes Barre, Pa pulled out of his commitment from PSU. He has a Pitt offer and enjoyed his visit to Pitt in February. But he had a Nebraska visit last week and decommited from PSU this week so draw your own conclusions as to where he might be headed.

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  34. John – the only troll here seems to be you. ” It happened on her watch” is a compliment meaning she should be given credit for it as she was the AD when it came to fruition.

    Honestly – each of your comments have been negative in extremis without basis. If you have something conversation worthy to share, please do. if not then try to refrain from writing something just to see your words on the screen.

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    1. The hipocrisy is becoming palpable.

      If negative comments and slights offered towards other commenters on the POV were grounds for reprimand, 95% of us would have spent time in the penalty box from time to time.

      If I were Johnny Boy right about now I’d be giving a few guys the one finger salute, but that’s just me.

      What ever happened to the POV motto of “don’t hold back”. That’s the thing about opinions, everybody has one, and they don’t necessarily need to be in agreement with yours to remain a valid opinion.

      Lighten up.

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  36. I happen to agree with the good Dr Tom in his above comment but isn’t it like a dog chasing his tail? So John should say what and how he feels, that’s good. At the same time when someones decides to take it upon themselves to scold John, (in this case) isn’t that also a form of free POV speech?

    Self expression comes in many forms. Like the one finger salute as an example. Let’s make the POV great again, or should I say. Let’s keep the POV great again.

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    1. For the record, I agree with Ike. I may not agree with much of what John R writes, I’m big enough to shrug it off.

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  37. My son’s HS wrestling coach would always say: “Opinions are like rear ends, everyone has one and they all stink!” (Except mine of course) :>)

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  39. ^^lol, what a couple of cheese balls? Cher never met a bra she agreed with. That went for Sonny as well.

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  40. Where I might disagree with you guys (and agree more with Reed) is that, yes, we do make fun of each other and cut each other down in good nature. We are Pittsburghers – this is what we do. In fact, if you really care for a person you take the time to really hack on him. Unless of course, if the person is a pri*k, then you’re polite and don’t waste your time.
    But when John the Ramalla Fella comes on here he only attacks the bloggers with his mean spirited “you guys are pigs” mentality. For what purpose? I don’t understand it – if you don’t like anybody from the POV why bother writing? Only answer I can think of by his talking points (i.e. we are “misogynists” for example) is that his posts are political in nature – and what’s even more ironic is we don’t do politics on the POV.
    So, in summary, John please post away with your other snow flake friends on a political site and let us old farts talk sports. No hard feelings.

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    1. John R’s fault seems to be that he has no sense of humor and appears to take the negative side.
      Two examples: (1) he took exception to Reed’s headline whereas I didn’t see any negativity at all, and took it as Reed explained in his 2nd sentence @ 9:5, and (2) since he (John R) posted right after I did, he may have taken my post @ 7:29 as sarcasm, which was not my intention at all — my sole intention was humor. Thus far, I have nothing but good thoughts about the new AD.

      John appears to have that nerve that extends from his optic nerve down to his sphincter.

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  41. My friend Pittman, you’re not really disagreeing with anyone. Not many here like John’s message, the difference might be more along the lines of how people feel when he speaks his mind. To me, he’s following the rules set down for the POV.

    The bigger point is, it’s OK to read him the riot act if you feel the need. It’s all good in the neighborhood..

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  42. My wife says I can get mean when I drink… John… I am sorry .. feel free to call me a neandrathal misogynist anytime…
    Remember this .I like Lyke

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  43. While I don’t agree with the shot at Reed, there has been plenty o misogyny on this and most sport boards.

    Funny that TX doesn’t recognize the term, and Pittman calls it a political term?

    Guys that say woman should not be the announcer of a sporting event might be a misogynist.

    UPitt is an equal opportunity abuser so again, John may want to lighten up.

    But he has every right to his own opinions.

    It used to be called Chauvinism.

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  44. Should have said Reed’s headline, which would be true if Lyke were a man. Just a statement of her just getting here and that these things sometimes take time.

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  46. Women just got the right to vote in 1919 less than a hundred years ago, just after WWI.

    You’ve come a long way baby, but still a ways to go. (maybe that is political) Sorry

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  47. FWIW, the current AD at the Dairy School is a female, and she certainly couldn’t do any worse than her predecessor.

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  48. Guys.. I am responsible with my comment to J Ramella for starting this barrage of
    political correctness and
    public lecturing… enough… let’s move on…

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  49. The PAA contents about to go to sheriff sell. That building would make for a great improvement to the Oakland campus. Couldn’t they use a small portion of that 8 billion dollar endowment to purchase such a potential asset?

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  51. I haven’t been inside the PAA since circa 1990 but remember it as a very attractive, well built edifice. Can’t see how the University could pass this up .. unless some real estate magnate envisions it for high-priced condos or apartments (a la Schenley High)

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  52. “Only we can call ourselves names” Last Vegas, circa 2014. Good flick and highly recommended for the message.

    The news on Bleich is interesting. It is good and not so good in my opinion. Good that we are in the running and he has shown interest in Pitt for a few months now. Bad in that the timing of two of our top guys we are pursuing on the OL will be at the Dairy College this week on visits and there is one extra slot open now.

    I hope it rains a whole bunch in that area of the state on saturday.

    The AD at the Dairy College is all about a recommendation by the PR firm to do the opposite of what has been done in the past in order to distance themselves from the horrific activities that took place under the good ole boy regime.

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  53. Reed

    The pics are great. Thanks for posting them. Now I know what an incredibly good looking group of POVers I am blogging with. Just proves that it is possible to be smart and also good looking.

    Let’s ask Heather to attend the next Golf Outing. Maybe even stop by the tailgate. She needs to know the POV gang.

    H2P

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  54. The Dairy College is charging $20 for parking tomorrow. They said they need the money to help defray the costs for their Blue/White game. Maybe the Guttman’s paid for the Pitt spring game last with their $2 million.

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  55. Awesome donation by very generous folks and great Pitt alum. Great PR.

    Maybe no Pitt person was in contact with them. Maybe it was out of the blue. It can happen.

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  58. Chauvinism is the word I know. This ‘M’ word seems more of a ‘liberal’ or PC word. If Heather can do her job, I have no problems. But she must make good hires and raise tons of money. The guys before her did not. And Pitt obviously doesnt think all that high on her since they hired her on the cheap. But Pitt doesnt give a crap about sports in general anyway. They are all talk like that front porch.

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  60. Ike, thanks for the Motown memory…Dr Tom, the wall only needs to be as high as it takes to be effective.

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  61. To each his own. Not a word used around my house. If wiki has to ‘educate’ me, not a word thats common rolling off my tongue. I dont care if she’s Bruce or Caitlyn Jenner as long as she gets the job done. Why so sensitive gc?

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