We will be starting the round table call in on Wednesday nights at 9 p.m. rather than 8 p.m. to get people with things to do earlier in the evening back on board so they can contribute to the call-in.  Here are the details for this evening:

 POV Roundtable Call-in
09:00 pm – 10:00 pm – Note new time
 
Meeting ID
303520973
 
Moderator Passcode
2615
 
Meeting URL

https://bluejeans.com/303520973

By Phone:
408.740.7256  then 303520973#  (don’t forget the # sign)

 

Some topics to discuss:

Max Browne is the starter.  Real or was it set from the start…why?

Narduzzi and  Conklin will stay in Cover-4 for pass defense. Is this the right way to go given the lackluster results of the last two years?  Or do they have the talent and personnel they want in the backfield now to keep going on with it.  Here are some good links to refresh your memories

http://pittsburghsportsnow.com/2017/08/21/scheme-pitt-defense-dismal-season/

“Narduzzi is going to stick with the Cover 4, but it remains to be seen if it can be successful in the spread, pass-happy ACC. This coming season may be another one where success or failure may be determined more by how the players on the field play than it is to any particular scheme. But at some point, Pitt needs to prove it can stop the pass along with the run.”

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2094989-nfl-101-introducing-the-basics-of-cover-4

Here is a bit on pre-season rankins and Pitt’s place at #39 – which sounds about right to me.

USA Today’s computer college football ratings, which are compiled by Jeff Sagarin, came out this week, and Pitt ranks 39th in the country.

They’ll play six games against teams ranked higher than them, visiting No. 10 Penn State, No. 22 Virginia Tech and No. 29 Georgia Tech and hosting No. 11 Oklahoma State, No. 15 Miami, and No. 38 NC State.

That leaves Sagarin predicting Pitt to finish with roughly 6.5 wins, with the NC State game as mostly a toss up.

Here are our neighbors in that not-so-lofty placement:

37  West Virginia

38  NC State

39  Pittsburgh

40  Boise

41 North Carolina

42  Baylor

The full ratings and methodology are here.

http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/Pitt/2017/08/22/pine-richland-ben-dinucci-pitt-football-max-browne-starting-qb-pat-narduzzi/stories/201708220131

http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/Pitt/2017/08/22/Brian-Batko-Pitt-football-chat-8-22-17/stories/201708220092

H2P: With Macvitte running with the punt team do you think he is in for a position change? Or is this just a testament to his athleticism 

Brian Batko: I did see redshirt freshman quarterback Thomas MacVittie out there this morning running down on a punt coverage. Do I think that’s a big deal? Not necessarily, but it is intriguing. He’s 6-5, 225, and was known as a decent speed guy in high school. I think it’s more testament to his athleticism and the Pitt coaches appreciating that/trying to find a way to use it.

JoeScaz: Do you think the attendance problem at Heinz Field really bothers Narduzzi and recruiting as much as some have claimed? 

Brian Batko: I think every coach wants his stadium to be full every game. Based on some insight we’ve gotten from AD Heather Lyke out of conversations she’s had with Narduzzi and people around the football program, they believe they get a huge jolt of energy and confidence from the well-attended games. So, that leads me to believe that yeah, lots of empty seats might grind his gears a little bit deep down. But then again, my high school hoops coach used to tell us to never play for the fans.

Moops: Watching the Clemson replay and seeing again how bad the pass d was, its nearly amazing Pitt won 8 games. There’s no way it can be that awful again, right? 

Brian Batko: Good day, Moops. And good question, but heaven forbid this becomes a “famous last words” situation, right? I still think this secondary might struggle. It’s quite inexperienced beyond senior corner Avonte Maddox and junior safety Jordan Whitehead, who you might recall is suspended the first three games (two of which are probably the two best passing offenses Pitt will face). Sure, the premise is sound that it would be tough to be worse, but I’d be surprised if it’s much much better.

Regarding DL recruit David Green from Central Catholic

http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/high-school-football/2017/08/21/Blue

You know just about everyone expects you to announce for Pitt on Thursday, right? Yeah.

That’s it, “yeah”? I don’t know why everyone thinks that. Pitt is a good school, but I’m really torn between that and getting away from home.

On playing other teams in the fall Camp preseason:

http://triblive.com/sports/college/pitt/12628297-74/pitt-notebook-narduzzi-favors-college-preseason

“I’m OK with it,” Narduzzi said of some type of college preseason. “We can bring Duquesne over here, whomever. Let’s bring Robert Morris over. It would be great, just to go out and hit somebody different.”

Narduzzi said outsiders always ask, “How do you look? Oh, you look great against each other.

“What’s that matter? How do you match up against somebody else?”

During an appearance Tuesday on “The Rich Eisen Show,” Swinney was asked if he would support college preseason games.

“Man, I would love to have the opportunity,” he said, “even if it wasn’t in public. I’d love to have the opportunity to go scrimmage another opponent. Someone you don’t know much about. (Teammates) know all each other’s nuances when you’re on a practice field day in and day out.

http://triblive.com/sports/college/pitt/12648392-74/gorman-max-browne-the-right-choice-for-pitt

http://pittsburghsportsnow.com/2017/08/23/not-many-scholarships-left-pitt/

 

 

Michaelangelo holds a degree in Travel Writing from the University of Pittsburgh. He was a former staff writer for InPittsburgh Newsweekly, and currently resides near Atlanta, Georgia. He has been a Pitt fan since 1997 after he witnessed Pitt upset #22 Miami on Thursday night at Pitt Stadium.

84 thoughts on “POV Roundtable Call-In; New Time”

  1. Here’s a thought I don’ really get. A PCC player is torn between PITT and maybe getting away from Pittsburgh. Hmmm?? Doesn’t it cost money to go to PCC? Sounds like his family can take care of him well enough.

    Doesn’t sound like he’s from the area’s of town to get away from??

    On another note. Where can anyone go better than Pittsburgh? Isn’t there an Ivy league school suffering with a plague of rapes. It’s all relative Dave. Please don’t tell me you’re going to get away at New Brunswick, state college or Ames Iowa?? That would indeed be a slap in the face to PITT! ..ike

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  2. FWIW, the PSU OC and OL coach are both PCC alums … but they haven’t exactly done well there yet. ND wiped up last last year you may recall.

    Chas at Pitt Blather posted a quote by DiNucci’s HC at Pine-Richalnd, ex-Panther Kasperovitz (sp), who said that he was very raw in high school (yet he was the only PA QB ever to throw > 4000 yards.) HCPN said that DiNucci improved leaps and bounds from the guy we saw at the bowl game. Maybe he was very much in competition with Browne …. and will be so next year.

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  3. It’s not just the quantity of people at Pitt games; it’s the quality. Too many fans are just kind sitting there silently watching the game and maybe chatting to their friends. It’s not like the rowdy, loud crowds you get other places.

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  4. Pitt fans are rather lame. No real attachment or connection with the school and how winning is important.

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  5. FWIW, Dokish continues to make the claim that Pitt’s attendance is better than most other urban schools. especially those with NFL teams. He also points out that Arzona St only averages about a 1000 more, even though they have an OCS and twice the enrollment of Pitt. He does concede that a 45k stadium would be perfect.

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  6. TX_Panther…. As others have noted in past discussions about Pitt fans…

    From an alumni standpoint, Pitt has historically been a “commuter” school, with most of the students living in the greater metropolitan area. I can’t speak to whether that has changed in the last decade(s) but it seems to me most city-based colleges tend to also be commuter schools. I feel that takes away some social aspects of on-campus living that might be a key factor in attachment to the school after graduation. When you add in having a successful pro football team in the city, is Pitt doing worse than other city universities that have a pro football team in the city?

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    1. Click to access 2015.pdf

      Here are the Top 30 attendance leaders in 2015 (scroll down) … the only 2 urban schools I see are USC and UCLA but there was no pro team in LA that year plus LA is the 2nd US largest city, much larger than Pgh

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    1. I used to turn around and say to those phat phucks in reply, “stand up this is a phucking football game that you’re at!

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    2. Agree, this is part of it. Fortunately my seats are right behind the players’ families and they typically cheer. Shouting them down at a game would have blowback. I used to have seats in the upper deck and the browbeatings were typical.

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  9. series of Dokish tweets concerning attendance:

    Chris Dokish‏ @ChrisDokish Aug 21

    Ideally, Pitt would have a 45k stadium that would be packed every game. It would be a much more exciting game day experience.

    Chris Dokish‏ @ChrisDokish Aug 21

    Arizona St. has twice the enrollment and the metro population than Pitt, and averaged 47,736 last year.

    Chris Dokish‏ @ChrisDokish Aug 21
    USC, which is a huge university in a huge city, had the most avg. attendance in an NFL city last year, and it was still only 68,459.

    Chris Dokish‏ @ChrisDokish Aug 21

    University of Cincinnati is probably most similar to Pitt and they averaged 33,585 last year. Pitt averaged 46,076.

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    1. Pitt averaged no where near 46k. That is off by 15k. It doesnt take a mathmatician to see that. The tickets are so cheap people just dont go or give them away. Maybe they are sold but most don’t go. The PSU game was why no one went after. PSU fans bought them and didn’t care. Sad but reality. Hell that Thursday night looked like maybe 24k.

      In business dinner. If we finish I will get on call
      In from hotel.

      My Puppy died today. Issues with his heart surgery to fox murmur. Sucks. RIP Grady.

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      2. Having attended every home game over the last 4 seasons, I have to agree with you. Pitt is reporting inflated numbers at least in terms of the gate.

        I think one would have to agree that Pitt’s attendance suffers from the fact that the Steelers and Penguins have been contenders every year for the past dozen years or so including 5 championships and 7 championship appearances (as I recall). Their season tickets are very expensive and there is only so much discretionary cash left for Pitt Athletics and other events in the area.

        Interesting side note. I recently went on a business trip with a longtime PSU fan who lives in Pittsburgh. He told me that he purchased 4 Pitt season tickets last year just to attend the PSU game. He told me that a number of his PSU friends also purchased multiple season tickets for the same reason. At least this guy attended other games including VT and Syracuse. He noted the poor attendance for each. It’s still anecdotal, but it sure lends some substance to the suspicion.

        Upitt, my dog died suddenly two weeks ago. No known reason but seemed very much like a stroke. My condolences to you.

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  10. I’m thinking those yellow seats are way to comfortable so most fans just plant their arses down and dont bother to get up and yell. Bring back the bleachers.

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  11. Pitt’s 46k is paid attendance. Fewer than 40k actually show on average. So to right size a 70k capacity stadium, you need to bring out the tarps.

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  12. We need fannies not tarps. Heather better get the lead out and come up with something to put some fannies in those seats. I wonder how many seats are sold to people who are in PA but out of Allegheny County. Not nearly enough. I had to drive across Interstate 80 a couple of years ago during a Pitt football game, and almost wrecked the car trying to find a Pitt radio network station. There was none. They need to build up the Pitt network across PA to get the Eastern folks more interested in Pitt athletics, and then maybe some of the Pitt grads over there will start driving to some games (and staying in local hotels).

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  13. Open letter to Mark Cuban… You are a Pitt “sort of” alumni: having attended Pitt one year in lieu of attending your senior of high school. I’ve listened to all of the Blatherites (POVites) aud nauseum. It’s all in vain. I finally have come to the shore of realization (Gatsby’s green breast of the new world) that the only hope for Pitt football to be RELEVANT is for you to work your financial and legal magic and part with some of your 3 billion dollars, change the laws and plant a campus stadium somewhere where 456 acre Schenley Park now sits.

    Knowing alumni such as myself, my friends, and my kids I know that after a week of school and partying; when we roll out of bed and wake up Saturday, we don’t want to head for a bus. We want our feet to take us to our very own campus stadium. Mr. Cuban, this is your opportunity to be Pitt’s Phil Knight or T. Boone Pickens. I thank you for your time.

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  14. Heinz Field attendance 2016:

    Villanova 50,149
    PSU 69,983
    Marshall 45,246
    GT 47,245
    VT 40,254
    Duke 35,425
    Syr 34,045

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  15. Based on a hasty glance at the 2015 NCAA data that wwb provided, the college group that Pitt seems to mostly “compete” with in attendance, i.e. Power 5 college located in a mid-tier city (population wise) which also has a pro football team, would be Georgia Tech (Atlanta), U of Miami, U of Minnesota (Minneapolis), and U of Washington (Seattle) as well as Az State (Phoenix-Tempe). All these have average attendance at or higher than Pitt.

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  18. It’s bad business to let the cheap tickets /seats go empty for the games. Think about that one?

    People in seats make for a much better college football experience. That translates into a possible big boost in recruiting, which should translates into more wins that = mo money.

    Got that BOT?

    Get your heads out of you asses!! sincerely … ..ike

    H2P!

    PS, GET THE PITTSBURGH ATHLETIC CLUB DEAL DONE!!.

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  22. Just watched a video on Duzz’s twitter welcoming students to class…. 35,000 students… 13,000 staff and faculty … wow- so few students making so many jobs… maybe cut staff and work folks a bit harder to give our coaches a raise

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  23. Pitt is building depth. Thats good. Need to get a few elites though.
    A Cuban benefactor would help but dont count on it
    I think tarps need to be considered and used
    Maybe splinter some of those yellow seats
    The only good experience is an on campus experience
    Pitt network idea is good but who listens to radio…internet and TV is where its at for the younger generation
    May you dog find milk bones in heaven

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    2. With a solid OOC schedule & when you have a synergistic starting OL that all stay healthy throughout the season, please explain to me Reed exactly how the two deep (& deeper) get “tested” as you say, and accumulate game experience that you feel is essential prior to giving value to our backup OL players?

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      1. I have no idea what synergistic means here. In fact what we have our three guys who started for Pitt last season and 2 are now playing new positions (O’Neill and Officer). While O’Neill seems well suited to it, he is playing the all important LT. There may be growing pains. Smith is coming off a season lost to injury. Hodges at RG started at RT for Texas last season in his first season of D1 football. The starting center will have limited to no experience regardless of who it is.

        If it wasn’t you asking the question, I would take it at face value and assume it was legitimate and wasn’t an attack on Reed for being anything other than optimistic. Since that probably isn’t the case, regardless of how untested backup players finally gain experience is irrelevant to the factual argument that they are presently untested. The only way that they will gain experience is through injury, noncompetitive games, or failure of the guys in front of them (which will likely result in noncompetitive games).

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  26. Meeting has started – I’m on now and please join in. if we get more than five callers i’ll have to cut it off there.

    Here are the details again:

    POV Roundtable Call-in
    09:00 pm – 10:00 pm – Note new time

    Meeting ID
    303520973

    Moderator Passcode
    2615

    Meeting URL

    https://bluejeans.com/303520973

    By Phone:
    408.740.7256 then 303520973# (don’t forget the # sign)

    C’mon down!!! Lots to discuss…

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  27. So sorry about Grady, Upitt. I have listened intently to the radio spots for Pitt football season tix and have found them to be rather “Meh”. Regarding the increase in articles on Pitt FB in the local rags, I wondered if the AD department might have gotten smart and told the papers that they expected better, even preferential coverage over PSU and WVU, since they are the only school paying to advertise here. If so, kudos!

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  28. BigB wrote: “just watched a video on Duzz’s twitter welcoming students to class…. 35,000 students… 13,000 staff and faculty.”

    I echo your concern about the staff size. It has become a problem for many universities, specifically on the numbers of new staff positions created. Would be interesting to get a list of all staff positions, highlighting those that have been created over the last 5 or 10 years. With a Pitt endowment fund, that I believe I read was in excess of $3 billion, I guess the university administration feels it can “afford” these additions of staff. I had to reduce my periodic contribution to the Pitt alumni campaigns because I am now retired with a lot less income, but I always tell the students “volunteering” for the phoneathons that I am giving less because I don’t support all the staff positions Pitt is adding (outside of football that is). I doubt that message goes anywhere.

    Liked by 1 person

  32. Upitt, Ike, Huff, Dan72, Pittman4ever and Pitt-Cocks – thank you all for a hilarious hour+ of Pitt football talk. Video will be up in the morning… and you are the best.

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  36. It was great to match faces with names tonight on the Roundtable. Really enjoyed it!!!!
    Pittman4ever

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  37. There is no debate about certain things that occurred tonight and one of them is that we all have faces for radio.

    Enjoyed it guys.

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  38. UPitt…didn’t know about Grady til after our call. So sorry. I’ve grieved over the loss of pets much more than the loss of humans. I’m sure it’s one of many things wrong with me. Wonderful to be in the Burgh (always will be home) for a few Days. Got to watch Harrison make baseball history breaking up a no no in the 10th with an HR ..only hit for the Bucs.
    Putting butts in the seats comes down to one question. How do you make alums, native Burghers, their relatives and friends passionate about Pitt Football? Good luck with that Heather!

    Even when I went to Pitt we made fun of the crowds politely clapping like they were sitting at a church musical. And standing at kickoff!!! Oh my god, for a Pitt crowd that is simply not done.
    Again, good luck with that Heather!

    I have an excuse. I have been and will always be completely addicted to Pitt Football. Maybe we should start a 12 step program for the hundred or so of us addicts?

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  39. No matter how bad your day is and how crappy you feel, the dog is always happy to see you! Salute to Grady!

    Maybe we get another 3 star in the morning. I am fine with Fl 3 stars for sure.

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  40. Umm. 13 teachers or staff members for every 35 students. That’s nearly 1 for every 2 students.

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  41. The Nick Gorden writeup on the Youth Movement at Pitt was very incite full and and as such quite encouraging for Pitt going forward. I’m just hoping that “going forward” includes the 2017 season.

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  43. Can’t wait to see the Roundtable…

    UPitt sorry about Grady… as I type this our 9 year old long- haired, double dapple miniature dachshund is snoozing between me and my wife… nothing better than than a pet

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  44. UPitt – sorry to hear about Grady – how’s the daughter doing with the news?

    My golf score last night was 42-39

    No nitters in the foursome though to hang that on.

    HTP!

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    1. Man, so close to breaking that 80 barrier! Only been in that rarified air four times in my life and three of them within the last three years since my (semi)retirement.

      Still, 81 is really good golf. Those are rounds that stay in your memory banks for a while.

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  45. you have to think about this:

    Dan Kingerski @Budmoonshine
    ESPN has removed production assistant Joe Nu from all Penn State games.

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    1. That’s funny!
      I know Joe’s relatives. Nice Asian family. Joe’s brother works in PSU’s ethics & standards office, his name is Hue Nu, and his sister actually was Sandusky’s secretary for awhile back in the 70s her name, Thea Al Nu!

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      1. When Sandusky left, she took a job at Vandy as Franklin’s special assistant for player relations.

        H2P

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  46. Thanks everyone. He was only 13 weeks old but super special. Fun, loving, playful and sweet personality. Last night’s call helped me block it out for a few hours.

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  49. RE: attendance

    One thing that I think is overlooked is that Pittsburgh ranks 153rd in Metropolitan statistical areas ranked by median household income. With an income of $37,467. That’s behind Cleveland, Rochester, NY, Macon, GA, Baton Rouge, LA. I think a big issue is that folks have to choose among their sports because they can’t afford to go to them all. Furthermore, everyone is a Steelers, Pirates, Pens fan. Most Pitt fans have attended Pitt. What is the % of Pittsburgh folks that went to Pitt? About 35-40% of folks in Pittsburgh are college educated. Do the math.

    One interesting thing is that Tampa ranks 156th. How does South Florida do with attendance in a pro stadium in a pro town? I’ve been there. It isn’t good.

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    1. Another issue is that even many Pitt alums prefer the Steelers over Pitt. I have a friend and a relative who are Steeler season ticket holders but rarely go to a Pitt game. I have another friend who will attend a small handful of Pitt games if he gets a good stubhub price, but will buy a Steeler ticker over the printed price. I’m sure there are many more.

      As stated in the concussion movie … The NFL owns a day of the week. The same day the Church used to own. Now it’s theirs.

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    2. I live in Tampa and USF is a good comparison. There attendance is not good. I even went to the FSU game last year and is wasn’t full. That being said they are researching an on campus stadium.

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  50. Loads of laughs last night.

    It would nice to land David Green from PCC. He’s scheduled to announce his choice today at 1:30. Not saying he’s another Aaron Donal but does play like him. Has a motor and is all over the field when I watched him. He jumps out at you much like AD does.

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  51. Hey Huff, Reed told me I have a face for the radio, voice for the newspapers and the writing skills for the comic books. How dare he 🙂

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  52. wwb…NFL might be starting to lose it’s grip..becoming so political..but the Steeler’s will always rule..hoping the James Conner factor being a Steeler indirectly brings in more butts to Pitt games.

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  53. What I found most disturbing about attendance was the last two home games. Very bad after a great Clemson win. Like Yeti says so much competition from the pro teams, even to having them play at the same time. Also you have many PSU and WVU grads living in Allegheny and the surrounding counties. Not to mention the ND and other grads.

    But the Steelers are definitely the elephant in the room. Most people aren’t going to spend their whole weekend on football.

    The long term solution is to infuse students with that lasting Rah Rah spirit, so that they support the team for the rest of their lives. Pitt has always done an extremely poor job of that. Even when the game was on campus more students, especially freshmen went home for the weekend, than went to the game. At PSU, no one goes home for the weekend.

    Another big issue is that Pitt is largely a graduate school university. These students have allegiance to other schools, but very little is done to make them Pitt Fans.

    Also, how about encouraging those 13,000 Pitt employees to be Pitt Fans, many attend games but not enough.

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    1. the ex-chancellor didn’t much care about FB, why do you think many professors would? Many of them have other priorities.

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    1. he may attend games because that’s what a chancellor was .. but it certainly wasn’t a priority to him. Not that it’s necessarily part of the job description. Academic and fund raising are.

      Which brings me to a conversation I had with a YSU professor this past weekend who is a god friend (I was best man in his wedding). I asked him how Tressel was working out as Prez .. his reply “Tressel was a great FB coach” But he did say that the Vest is a pretty effective fund raiser.

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  55. I do agree that many professors have other priorities, as do most students and alumni. That’s why an effort to change that is needed.

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  56. It’s also possible that with Dan Rooney’s passing, Pitt and the Steelers will help each other much more. For example, when was the last time the Steelers put so many Panthers on their team? NEVER. The reason is obvious and I also have a cousin who was a neighbor of Dan Rooney, who always said that Dan openly say he does not care for Pitt football.

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  57. How would Pitt or any team have veteran experienced depth at any position? The back ups in college rarely have experience and are always unproven. This isn’t the NFL.

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    1. notrocket – it’s just another made up thing for the pessimistic crowd to complain about.

      Our talent depth is stronger today at most every position than it has been for the past 30 years.

      I’m ready to watch that talent gain experience – entertain me, please!

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  58. A friend is s Pitt grad but only goes to one or two Pitt FB games per year, but he has season tickets for the Steelers, the Pirates and the Pens.

    Just the way it is in Pittsburgh. In recent years for games played in Pittsburgh, those 3 pro teams have had more big games and delivered more drama than Pitt FB….

    But I do think that Pitt is on the rise, entertainment-wise and performance-wise…

    Go Pitt.

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    1. Major — yes, Pitt is on the rise, and the Steelers may be in for a few rough years when Ben Roethlisberger decides to hang it up. If the Steelers start missing the playoffs, and Pitt is getting better, that might be enough to encourage 5-10 thousand fans to give up their Steelers season tickets in exchange for Pitt season tickets (for a tenth of the price). Just a thought.

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