Here are some pieces of info and links to prep you all for the game on Thursday night… one thing to remember, I think, is that NC’s record of 1-8 is valid, but that doesn’t matter when the whistle blows. At this point Pitt is giving away 9.5 points to the Tarheels.
PITT (4-5, 2-3 ACC) vs. NORTH CAROLINA (1-8, 0-6 ACC)
November 9, 2017 • 7:30 p.m., ET
LINK (PDF): Pitt Game Notes (vs. North Carolina)
GAME STORYLINES
• Pitt looks to continue its recent momentum when it hosts Coastal Division foe North Carolina for a Thursday night ESPN national telecast. This will be the Panthers’ 23rd all-time appearance on ESPN’s Thursday package.
• The Panthers are coming off a pair of impressive wins, 24-17 at Duke and 31-14 against Virginia. A victory over North Carolina would extend Pitt’s winning streak to three games and even its record at 5-5 on the season.
• Narrow margins have been the rule during recent Pitt-UNC series history. The past six meetings have been decided by a combined 25 points, an average of 4.2 points per game. The Tar Heels slipped past the Panthers in Chapel Hill last year, 37-36.
• Since 2013, North Carolina is the only team in the Coastal that Pitt has not beaten. The Panthers are 0-4 against the Tar Heels in ACC play. North Carolina also leads the overall series, 8-3.|
• Pitt’s last victory in the series occurred in the 2009 Meineke Car Care Bowl in Charlotte. Coach Dave Wannstedt’s Panthers edged the Tar Heels (coached by Butch Davis), 19-17, on a field goal with 52 seconds left.
• Junior tailback Darrin Hall has reignited the Panthers’ rushing attack by averaging 182.5 yards over his past two contests. Hall had 254 yards at Duke, followed by a 111-yard effort against Virginia.
• Junior all-purpose player Quadree Henderson had a 75-yard punt return touchdown in Pitt’s last game against Virginia. Henderson has seven career kick return TDs, two shy of the national record.
• Quadree Henderson leads the ACC and ranks seventh nationally in punt returns with a robust 16.1-yard average. North Carolina, in contrast, is 112th in punt return defense, surrendering 12.4 yards per return.
(MORE INFO AND VIDEOS AFTER THE PAGE BREAK)
HERE IS THE TWO-DEEP FOR NC:
Hard to read above, sorry. Here is the actual link to the Game Notes – the real sized two-deep lineups are on page 3.
HERE IS NARDUZZI’S NC PRE-GAME PRESS CONFERENCE:
Hey – we have a QB coach? Details of presser text in first comment….
Here is a good piece by Batko in the Post-Gazette about the drop in play by Weah and Q. Henderson from ’16 through this season…
Indeed, Henderson does have 25 rushing attempts on the year, but only six have gone for double-digit yardage, and four of those came in the season opener against Youngstown State. As for the passing game, it’s still a bit of a mystery as to why he has just 13 catches for 140 yards, both of which rank seventh on the team.
“I feel like I just need to work in open space, get open for the quarterback, make plays whenever I get the ball,” Henderson said. “I don’t feel like [getting open] is the problem. I feel like everybody on the team is getting open, so Ben is going through his progression reads, reading the safeties, reading the linebackers, and just getting the best player the ball on the field, whoever’s open.”
In some cases, that’s been Weah, but not as often lately. He’s still the leading receiver but has just four grabs in this two-game winning streak, and he’ll have to really get hot down the stretch to surpass his 870 yards and 10 touchdowns from a year ago.
CHANGE IN THE STARTING TIME FOR VT:
Pitt-Virginia Tech to Kick Off at 12:20 p.m.
The Nov. 18 game will be televised locally on WTAE-TV
PITTSBURGH—Pitt’s November 18 game at Virginia Tech will kick off at 12:20 p.m., and be televised locally on WTAE-TV, Channel 4, the Atlantic Coast Conference announced today.
The Panthers’ remaining 2017 schedule with announced television coverage and kickoff times:
Nov. 9 (Thurs.): North Carolina* (ESPN), 7:30 p.m.
Nov. 18: at Virginia Tech* (WTAE-TV), 12:20 p.m.
Nov. 24 (Fri.): Miami*, TBA
*ACC game
pittpov.com 
PAT NARDUZZI: We’ve had a good, I guess, almost a week away. Just getting ready for a good North Carolina football team. I don’t think you guys want to go back and talk about the last game. I don’t even remember who we played to be honest with you. But it’s all about North Carolina and who they are.
They’re a good football team, and I think you look back, I think they’re very similar to what we are, and I’ve told our kids the same thing. They lost a first-round quarterback to the Bears, who’s playing pretty good for them. You know, Switzer, as you guys know, for the last four years, that guy has been a pain in our tails with punt returns and last year I think he had 17 catches, so they lost some good football players that are playing in the league, and that’s just to mention two of the guys that I remember offhand, and I know there’s more than that.
But they’re a team that just continues to get better, I think. I mean, you look at the Miami game their last outing, they should’ve beat Miami in my opinion. They take the second drive of the game, hit a couple big plays, get it down to the 1, they think they’re in, they go back to the review, say they’re not in. It’s 2nd down and 1 at the 1. They get a TFL, it’s third down. They run a little naked to the left, don’t get in. They go for it on 4th down, so they get no points. They lose by (five), get no points out of that drive, and the quarterback gets the ball tipped, the guy is wide open in the end zone.
Obviously Larry Fedora does a great job coaching. We’ve got a ton of respect for him and his staff. Know a few guys on that staff, as well, and they just keep plugging away, and I think they continue to get better.
Their last few games, talk about Notre Dame; Virginia, who’s a 6-3 football team; Virginia Tech, a 7-2 football team; and obviously Miami and where they are, being a top-4 team potentially. So our work will be cut out for us. I know some of you guys will probably think it’s an easy game. We’ve stressed with our guys it will not be an easy game, I’ll guarantee you that, and Thursday night should be fun.
Q. Seems like they have uncertainty about their quarterback or about who’s going to be playing. What do you see from each of those guys?
PAT NARDUZZI: Well, I think they’ve got probably more clarity than you do or I do. If you looked at the last six weeks at least, they’ve had the same depth chart at the quarterback spot. You know, if you look at the last six weeks, they really don’t tell you on a depth chart. But all three of them are good.
You know, when you look at it, just talk about the starter Brandon Harris for the year, obviously a transfer from LSU, a left-hander, good football player, can run. I mean, he was the original starter. They list him as the starter this week, so I don’t know if he’s back or not, but I’m sure they do.
And then Surratt, again, Chazz is another left-handed quarterback that I think is really good. I think he throws a great deep ball, which we’re always going to be aware with our corners and pressing and giving him the ball out there, but I think he does a great job, and he’s athletic and can run.
The guy that took over, I think, after the 27th play last week, Nathan Elliott, is a coach’s kid from Texas. He’s tough. His first play in the other day, they throw a pass that’s a throw-back to him. So they’ve got three capable guys that I think — are any of them Trubisky? Probably not. But none of ours are Peterman yet, either, so that’s even right there.
Q. You build up some momentum with two wins in a row. How do you continue that when you’re not playing a game due to an open date?
PAT NARDUZZI: You go out the next time and win again.
Q. How do you keep the momentum going?
PAT NARDUZZI: How do you keep it going after six or seven days? It’s no difference; if you make a big deal out of an open week and say, oh, my gosh, you had momentum going — it doesn’t matter. You’ve got more days to prepare, so the momentum should be the same. They’ve got the same days to prepare as we do, so it’s just — it’s even. Probably look at it — we’ve played hard against each other out there. We’ve competed. So we’ve played the game. We’ve had some good periods against each other. You know, I don’t think it’s a factor. It will not be a factor, win or lose Thursday.
Q. Do you keep up the routine at all, practice this past Saturday?
PAT NARDUZZI: No, but we did on Sunday. We gave the kids Saturday off. These guys have been going for, I don’t know, 15 weeks so far, with camp starting when it did, the stresses of school. We gave them Saturday off. They lifted on Friday, had a great practice on Thursday. We practiced on Sunday. So we’re Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, so we’re right where we need to be.
Q. How do you deal with this week with the Thursday night game? Have you changed the way you prepare for the short week game at all now in year three?
PAT NARDUZZI: Yeah, well, it’s not really a short week. It’s not like playing on a Saturday and then playing again on a Thursday, which was the problem two years ago in my opinion, and I didn’t do a great job of making sure we were fresh. But we even freshened them up a little bit more this year, I think, and we’ve talked about it a lot. I thought we had a fantastic practice on Sunday. I thought it was another good one today, but just getting our kids’ legs back a little bit, because when it’s play on Saturday; Sunday, lift, meet; Monday, you get into that monotonous schedule of what it is. Now it’s a little bit different, so I think change is good at times.
But we’ve kind of lightened up as far as how long we’re going at this point in the season, and again, it’s not like it was two years ago where, again, I hope we never have a schedule like that where you’re playing on a Saturday. I don’t think there’s any way really to prepare for that. Either way after that game you’re saying, well, we didn’t practice enough or we practiced too much, so it’s going to get you one way or another, so which one do you want to go with, being a tired football team or an unprepared football team. We’ll be prepared and we’ll be fresh.
Q. When you said lighten up, I’m curious what that means.
PAT NARDUZZI: Length of practices. Just not going out there forever. Just cutting back some of the periods. Instead of going 10 minutes of inside drill, which is a heavy run on run, cut it down to seven, just cutting it down. Not cutting down what we do but just slimming down the amount of time, and if the coaches want to get more plays on, you’d better go faster. But we just — whether it’s an ABC period, which you guys are out there for at times, just scrunching the periods down so we’re not on our feet as long during the day.
Q. You mentioned all the guys that UNC lost from their offense. Who still stands out to you as far as a new wave of guys who are making plays?
PAT NARDUZZI: You know, when you look at offensively, I think their wide out, No. 17, I wish I knew his name here, probably —
Q. Ratliff-Williams?
PAT NARDUZZI: (Ratliff-Williams). I think Anthony stands out as a guy that will go up and get the ball, a deep-ball guy that Chazz has thrown to and has made some plays deep. I think when you look at their tight ends, the Fritts kid from Cleveland Mentor, again, is another football player that does everything that they want to do there. Defensively, you know — and again, the quarterbacks are impressive, and the tailback, Jordon Brown, who’s started every game for them, is impressive, as well. And then the Carney kid, defensive end, makes a ton of plays, No. 53, very active. But they’ve got a lot of football players all over the place.
Q. Damar Hamlin and Dane Jackson, would you say they’re two of the most improved players on the roster?
PAT NARDUZZI: I mean, Damar, it’s hard to say he’s much improved because you haven’t seen — I would say in a year, hopefully we can say he’s even more improved than what he is. But I think you can certainly take Dane Jackson and say he’s one of the most improved players that we had from a year ago. Taking over a starting role, and he’s just gotten better. You look at where our corners were a year ago, and you can say that we’ve made some major strides in that area for sure.
But Damar — much improved from health purposes for sure. He feels much better. His attitude is much better because he gets to play.
But the product on the field, I think he can still be a lot better, too. Not that he’s bad, but I think he will — we’re going to see, once he gets to practice, he hasn’t had a preseason camp yet. He hasn’t had a spring ball yet, so he’s just playing.
Q. How much do you sort of remind the guys that North Carolina, no matter who’s new on their team this year, that that’s a program you guys haven’t beaten since you’ve been here?
PAT NARDUZZI: Well, we reminded them on Sunday, I think, and we don’t need to harp on it. I think it’s a fact, and I think it’s something they know. Most of the guys in this room were here. They looked back and watched tape. We’ve watched extensive tape of the last two years of what they did, what they like to do, how they do things against Pitt. You know, I think they’re well-versed on how that game finished up last year and understand what we’re dealing with.
Q. North Carolina, is that a team, you look at 1-8 and then you look at the film and it doesn’t quite line up?
PAT NARDUZZI: Yeah, I mean, again, playing good teams, the ACC is competitive, and sometimes you lack that guy in the back — if they don’t have Trubisky last year, they don’t beat us, so take him out of the mix and try to develop a new guy and really play three quarterbacks, which is what we’re playing, three quarterbacks, too, so I think they’re very similar to us. They’re dangerous and can beat anybody on any given day, but they’ve got to be on, and their young players got to make plays.
Q. There’s a lot that’s gone into your running game, of course, but Darrin Hall specifically over the last two games, have you seen something different from him or maybe what you always thought was there maybe came through?
PAT NARDUZZI: You just see him making plays. I think he’s playing a little bit faster. Sometimes it clicks — you’d have to ask him to find out, hey, what’s the difference in the last two weeks compared to the last year. But he’s playing at a higher level. Again, that’s what we talk about developing. You never give up on a kid after his freshman year or sophomore year or junior year. I’ve seen guys throughout in the fourth year, all of a sudden they start playing the best football that they’ve played. But Darrin is a good football player. When we recruited him, we knew he was talented, and we’re kind of getting what we thought we’d have, and I think he’s got confidence now.
But you know, as I said last week, you’re great on what you do for us lately, and he’s got to go out and have another one and stack another great game on top of it. Another 100-yard plus would be nice.
Q. Quadree Henderson’s punt returns, it’s sort of another reminder of what he can do, but getting him more involved offensively, what’s it going to take to do that? Is it just a matter of him getting open more?
PAT NARDUZZI: You know, in the pass game, you can’t look for a guy. I think you get in trouble when you look for a guy. I think Ben got in trouble last — I guess a Saturday ago, two Saturdays ago looking for a guy, trying to throw to Flanagan. You can’t throw it to guys. You have to read — you have to do what your quarterback coach tells you to do and read your coverage. I think you get in trouble when you do that. But he’s got to get open. We’ve got to get him the ball in the run game, as well, but the look has got to be what we need it to be, and then we’ve got to find ways to get it in his hands and make it like a punt return. So we’ll see. We’ve just got to keep trying to get it in his hands, and then he’s got to make plays when he gets it. He’s had opportunities to get the ball and stumbled around, so he’s got to start to visualize some big plays on offense.
Q. Shane Roy called the Virginia game the defensive line’s coming-out party almost. Did you see that as like a major step for that unit, that game?
PAT NARDUZZI: It was a coming-out party to him because he got his first sack, so I hope so. I hope so. Weaver had a nice sack, and like I said, they can talk all they want. I want to see it on Thursday night.
Q. Where have you seen their progression as a unit these last couple games?
PAT NARDUZZI: Well, I think the progression has been in the quality of depth that we’ve got. I mean, if you go back, and again, seems like forever, but Keyshon Camp and Dewayne Hendrix didn’t play in that game, so I think Coach Partridge has developed the depth in that room, number one. I think they understand what they’re supposed to do, and I think, again, just like Darrin Hall, with a young football team it takes reps, it takes game reps. You can’t just practice all day and become great players. It’s like being great in history class all day and paying attention but you never have a test. The test is where you find out if you’re better or not, and some guys get choked up on game day or test day and don’t test well.
I think they’ve had enough tests that as they start to grow older, the game starts to slow down a little bit, things start to seem to become a little bit more comfortable for them, and I think that’s what you’re seeing.
They’re no better athletes, okay. They’re probably as strong as they were. We’ve hopefully maintained our strength. They’re no faster than they were. Their fundamentals are getting better and their confidence and that game tempo.
Q. Speaking of the D-line, do you anticipate having Dwayne and Keyshon back?
PAT NARDUZZI: I guess we’ll get an injury report soon. I don’t know.
Q. You talk a lot about the fine details, and sort of piggy-backing, in the secondary as a whole, do you see those finer things that you guys have been preaching, do you see the lightbulb starting to come on? What’s an example of something that Dane did two weeks ago that he wasn’t doing six weeks ago? Or not necessarily Dane.
PAT NARDUZZI: I mean, every year is different, and I look at — shoot, Oklahoma didn’t stop Oklahoma State, either. You sit there and think about Oklahoma State, it’s like, God, who did stop them. Somebody did, I guess. But Oklahoma surely didn’t. Watched a little bit of that game this weekend.
But I think every week, those guys are different. Dane is different because he’s making plays. I mean, he’s just more confident. And again, you can be there in the pass. Again, I just think it’s game reps that make him better. I don’t know if I’m going to pull out a certain play or this or that that makes him perfect. Same thing with Avonte; Avonte has got confidence; he’s got those game reps that make him what he is. He’s the most experienced guy in the back end. But I think it’s just time behind the wheel.
Q. I know you are —
PAT NARDUZZI: I probably didn’t answer your question. I apologize.
Q. I know you aren’t a huge fan of Thursday night, but is there something fun about playing that game under the lights?
PAT NARDUZZI: You know, I think it goes back to that Friday night lights, the night game. I think night games are great. I’m not not fond of Thursday night. I’m not fond of Thursday night when you play the Saturday before.
But when you’ve got a little extra time to prepare for a Thursday night, I think it’s great. I think it’s a time for our guys to have a little bit of exposure and kind of show what kind of football team they are in a national spotlight on Thursday night on ESPN, so I think our guys will be excited. I think they’ll come ready to go, and I think it’s special to be under the lights, period.
Q. Obviously Shawn Watson worked with Ben in spring camp, throughout training camp. Do you feel like the last three games he’s kind of evolved?
PAT NARDUZZI: I think anytime you get a guy out there and you can see how he reacts in a game to find out what he does well, what he’s not doing well, what do we change, what can we do better, it certainly helps you that way. I mean, again, he’s not a finished product yet right now, Ben, and he still needs to continue. We can’t just do what Ben likes to do; we’ve got to do what we need to do to win, too. So he’s got to improve his game in different areas to be a championship-caliber football team.
Q. Are your guys talking about getting the sixth win to make a bowl game; is that important to them?
PAT NARDUZZI: You know, I don’t sleep in the dorms at night. I can’t tell you what they talk about anywhere else, and I really don’t care. I hope they’re not talking about that. I hope they’re just talking about North Carolina and playing one game at a time. I certainly haven’t mentioned it one, absolutely not one time in here about, hey, if you do this, you get this. No. Our goal is to go out every week and win a football game, and I think if you start thinking ahead, you’re going to be in big trouble.
But you know, I can’t tell you they don’t sit in the dining facility down here and talk about it. I can’t tell you at night they don’t talk to their girlfriend about it. I don’t know what they talk about. I hope they’re talking about North Carolina.
Q. Big picture question: If you look at the conference, Mark Richt in his second year, Fuente is in his second year, Babers is in his second year, Mendenhall is in his second year. Those guys have had some success, have taken steps forward. I’m curious, the guys that you’ve played, what have you seen differently about those schools? As somebody who’s just in the second year a year ago, is it maybe the chance to relax, you kind of got through that first year and —
PAT NARDUZZI: I think it’s all about scheduling really when I look at it. Bronco has had success, and I think they beat Georgia Tech last week. I don’t look and go evaluate, hey, what’s Bronco doing or what’s Fuente doing. It doesn’t matter.
Q. Do they look like different teams?
PAT NARDUZZI: You know, I haven’t watched Miami much. I haven’t watched — we haven’t studied them. I’ll let you know after the season, but I think it’s what returning players do you have and how good a football team are you. I think it comes down to that. Those guys are all good coaches. I don’t think they got better in a year or two. I think it’s the players you have.
Q. You didn’t watch Miami-Virginia Tech Saturday?
PAT NARDUZZI: Oh, yeah, I did. But I’m not going to grade them on one game, either. You guys are going to sit here and say Virginia Tech is no good now because they got beat by Miami? No, you can’t evaluate a team on one game, but I did watch that game for sure.
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We’re ten games in and we’re just now trying to quadree the ball. He has had a terrible season think he was dinged up a little bit coming out of ysu game.
Last game against va he looked faster I called for a breakout performance from him feel we may see it this week.
Fran and Reed I want to come to the tailgate I’ll stop if I can but I work till three o clock than have a two hour drive to the game. No need to have food or drink for me because I’ll be right on time or late thanks!!
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Reed, been asking. Where has Chris L been? I enjoyed his articles and it lightens your load. We will surely miss you at the POV tailgate buddy. ike
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Wed night – RoundTable discussion on POV
Thur night – FB vs UNC on HBO
Fri night – MBB at Navy on CBS Sports Network
Good thing it’s vs UNC in football and Navy in basketball although Navy may well be favored, and probably should be. 3 players from W Pa on Navy roster vs 1 on PItt roster
Keep the momentum going fells after good wins versus UVa and Slippery Rock.
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I don’t know about you guys but I think it’s time to show a package for the Wildcat.
My question to the UNC DC, would be, “what do you do the first time you see Jordan Whitehead behind center with Q. Henderson in motion behind the line”? Is it a jet sweep? Is it a off tackle run up the middle? Or does Whithead do something completely novel & put the ball in the air? I’ll guarantee this, whatever they do to counter one option, leaves them vulnerable to a big play with the corresponding misdirection alternative. Is it time for a little Canadian imagination to show up in Pitt’s playbook?
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did you know that Wisconsin ran the OT screen that Pitt did last year vs GT a couple of weeks ago? .. and it worked well although the OT didn’t score. Would have loved to see that wildcat vs PSU when we twice advanced inside their 10 yard line and was stonewalled.
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Dr. Tom – I remember JW taking a snap against Duke with someone lined up on each side of him. Looked interesting until the ball was actually snapped and JW was tackled for a loss!!!
Maybe we’ve had the chance to practice that formation some more…🙂
Go Pitt
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I think Quadreee was banged up a bit. This last game he really turned on the jets. I think at the end of the year duzz will come clean ( ouch Dejan Kevajavic) and tell us Quadree was hurt.
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On one play last game QH was 3 steps behind the DB running down the hash marks when BD threw to a fairly well covered Jester. Course those things happen…
Go Pitt.
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Which is why narduzzi in this press conference was talking about Ben dinucci having to read the field not just look at one guy which he’s been doing all season.
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Here’s a quote from Coach Duzz:
“ I just think it’s game reps that make him better.”
Hope he applies this thinking to Wilson Pickett for a couple of series this week…
Go Pitt
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looks like we’ll have to Wait for the Midnight Hour
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PSN reporting TE Flanagan is out for the NC game.– NC should come into this game much more confident after putting up a good fight against Miami their last game. Pitt giving 9 points to any team with our less than productive offense this season gives me great concern. I can’t believe I’m saying this but IMO it’s our defense that may have to win this game via turnovers.
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Flanagan seems a step slow to make those shovel passes work more effectively. Give somebody else a shot…
Go Pitt.
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This is one of two Veterans Day ceremonies I’ll be speaking at:
The public is invited to honor U.S. veterans and those actively serving at Veterans Day event on Friday, Nov. 10 at Downtown Columbia Lakefront
The Columbia community is invited to honor those actively serving in the U.S. armed forces and the more than 20,000 veterans who call Howard County home at a Veterans Day event on Friday, Nov. 10 from noon-1pm at the Downtown Columbia Lakefront.
The event is organized by Columbia Association alongside its community partner, the Howard County Commission for Veterans and Military Families. It will feature comments from Howard County Veterans Foundation President Robert Gillette, Howard County Executive Allan Kittleman, and Columbia Association President/CEO Milton W. Matthews.
Couldn’t drive back in time to be here and be ready for that after the game so have fun without me…
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very admirable Admiral
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Hats off to you Reed for your work with Veterans. You make the POVers proud.
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I’m proud to be able to call you a friend and doubly proud to be an American!
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I salute you Commander…. Do what your heart calls for friend.. You will be toasted in the highest regards..
Deep down I know you are a conflicted man at this time just follow that big heart of yours.. ike
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CBS Sports ranks PItt MBB No. 7 …………… in PA
Villanova
Saint Joseph’s
Temple
Penn State
Bucknell
La Salle
Pitt
Lehigh
St. Francis
Penn
Duquesne
Drexel
Robert Morris
Lafayette
Don’t mind being behind any of the Philly Big 5 but Bucknell?
Syracuse is ranked No. 3 in NY behind St Bonaventure and St John’s
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Flannagan no loss. go with Ollison as the H back. Chris Clark has been a disappointment. Hmm another 5 star bust.
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Break-out game for Chris Clark. We need Emel’s endorsement…
1st it was Hall vs Duke.
2nd was QH vs UVA
Next in line?
HTP!
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Browne and Flanagan were two busts. I wouldn’t sleep on Clark though. PITT needs a QB that can see the whole field.
Good call titleman. Ollison is the perfect replacement for Georgie. Better runner but not a better blocker…. but close.
Narduzzi has handled Ollison perfectly while the crowds cried…
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Clark should flourish as the single tight end next year or the year after he. He probably has some Talent he just was not going to live up to expectations that the fans themselves had this season.
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Clark just needs a “shout-out” from Emel and he’ll be the star of the tar hole drubbing.
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Not to pump my chest out but ask Reed how I have felt about Hall for two years?
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Ike has been a Hall fan.
He likes Hall as much as he dislikes SP.
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Hall is at PITT, steve isn’t.
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Here goes EE…….Clark has done absolutely nothing this year worthy of still playing.
How’s that !
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Yep! That should do it.
He had to be good at one point to be a 4/5 star TE. If he originally would have signed with Pitt maybe he’d have been a 3 star. Who knows?
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Reed speaking of pumping out one’s chest? I know it’s not you style but you should be dam proud of yourself on all fronts.
What you do for the veterans is truly remarkable, you are world class and my hat is off to you.
Also, you’ve built up a PITT football blog never seen before or will. I just hope you do not think your work is done here… A leaderless outfit will become rogue in the blink of an eye.
Just take a look at the responses to the POV tailgate poll. No one can do what you have done. You big lug.. . ike
H2P!
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At tight end I say give freshman Tyler Sear a good hard look in our last couple of games. He’s got the look of a solid football player so lets see if he can out play Clark at the position.
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I thought we were going to see Sear in the Aston role – but hasn’t happened – yet.
TE should be interesting next season – with Clark getting back into the swing of things and the 3 young guys… Reeves is especially intriguing as a prospect.
Go Pitt.
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Maybe these 5 stars who transfer to PITT really aren’t 5 stars….
When I watched Curtis Enis play at Kiski Prep, he was a man playing amongst boys who were no where near being physically mature…for now I put my hope in selecting kids who are capable of growing bigger/ stronger, can be “ coached up” , possess speed, have aptitude, smarts and hearts of a warrior…there I go again, describing the POVers who will be at the tailgate Thursday….
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Bernie, hate to pry but is that how you know Reed? Through Kiski Prep?
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Watched some of The Bob Mathias Story the other day.
He attended Kiski in 1948 so that he could get into Stanford…
Too bad Pitt didn’t “flip” him at that point. 🙂
Go Pitt
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Hey M&M, my brother in law ran against Mathias. Held his own too. He ran for the Jeannette Harriers. He’s a year or two older than me. He’s 89…
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That’s cool ike.
I liked the fact that the guy playing Bob Mathias in the movie was, well, Bob Mathias.
Maybe your brother-in-Law was in the movie?
Go Pitt.
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Pitt football stuck in the ’70s… again.
https://www.cbssports.com/collegefootball/rankings/cbs/130
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Clark
Sear
Carrigan
Reeves
Alaimo
Surely, we can get 2 decent TEs from this list and we don’t have to replace Aston next year and Ollie will also return. (and yes, I called you surely)
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Ike, I sent my son to Kiski. He was a sophomore on the team when Enis was a senior.. I played on the Beano Cook Field in 1969 my senior year at Apollo-Ridge in the new mergers 1st year of football – Dave Martha, brother of Pitt great Paul Martha, was the opposing QB for the Kiski Cougars. Doc Medich had a boy playing on the team with Curtic Enis and my son.
Met ole Reed in Annapolis at the military bowl pub crawl also met JoeL and JoeKnew and Bostick….
Reed, we need a pub crawl- !!
I vote Military Bowl… what a great venue for a lower tier bowl.
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BigB – I played baseball at Pitt with Doc Medich. My first year, our top two pitchers were Frank Gustine and Doc.
Go Pitt.
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Hear, hear!!
That was one great evening. The game was another story.
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Hey B, I’ll be there in Indy…… Reed went to school with a good friend of mine at Kiski. Small world.
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I should have said Andy… as in Annapolis….
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Zach from toona… PITT fans got ripped off when they fired Dave. nuff said
VOR as far as Tyler goes. Narduzzi, not lucky, he has the eye of a crack recruiter. Trust me.
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Well I did my do diligence today. I voted……..and was able to find takers for the free tickets for the FB game on Thursday . I am very curious as to how well the stadium gets filled up for this game. Really looking forward to the pre-game tailgate. The POV tailgate may look like the frat tailgate next to ours at the homecoming game, the obvious place to be!
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MM.. 2 of the better PITT ball players you n Frankie! Kenny Macha was the BMOC BB player during my years.
Looking forward to seeing you Thursday.
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PittPT… damn right we have the potential to have a great yesteryear frat- like tailgate ( social mixer if our sister Annie shows!) We were groomed in the age of under-age drinking, occasional fisticuffs and trying to get la-d long before the term “political correctness” was coined…. We must control ourselves- we don’t want to be the reason tailgates are forever banned at PITT…. poor frats and sororities at FSU banned … punish all the good for the mistakes of a few……
Annie… please come to the game.
How many of you old farts are dressing up for Star Wars Night??
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Looking forward to meeting you, Bernie!
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I believe that trying to get laid is still politically correct. It stands the test of time through all generations.
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here is how I am dressing
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Why do I not doubt that.
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Count me as one not dressing up. I come as plain old iek kie ike…. but then again, I may come as joe dressed as the devil??
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Someone please explain why we are only 9 point favorites against a 1-8 team.
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We stink….
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I’ guessing because NC played tough against Miami and seems to have Pitt’s number .
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Me thinkth Jackagain gave the most thought out answer………
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I have to wonder were Jackagain puts his money down? Remember the ole saying about bullschitt walks?Lay your good thing down and back that smack.
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LOL Ike…my favorite J. Geils tune is their remake of “house party” …still have the album. Its on red vinyl. Maybe that could be our tailgate theme song. Looks like 60 strong plan to stop by. Getting more beer tomorrow just to play it safe. FYI the parking gendarmes have allowed me to park in the same spot every game so far but someone may be in my usual spot from parking there earlier in the day. I will try like hell to get close but LOOK FOR THE FLAGS…white POV above a Pitt script flag. I have a black Toyota Tacoma pick up. See yinz there.
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Fran – the Mrs. and I will help you in anyway we can. You have my cell # (text or call). I’m not sure what time we will be at the tailgate event as we have a 4 hour drive (hoping early). This has now become an “event”. Bigger than the Spring Golf Outing – you da man!
I hate to miss the prediction thread, but I’ve got a busy two days ahead of me, so here is my entry –
North Carolina wins another close one 21 – 18
Pitt scores six times to unc’s three, but Pitt kicks all FG’s and the tar holes score TD’s.
As the 4th qtr begins and Pitt up 18 – 14, Pitt will have lead the entire game to this point. The offense sputters, except for TE Clark’s 7 catches for 100 yards, and never threatens the end zone as there seems to be an odd “ Force” denying Pitt’s entry.
Pickett seen on the sidelines with a red hat (not shirt) sending in signals to DiNooch.
The Heather gives out six awards after each FG and the stadium is nearly full at 55k.
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sounds about right to me
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I didn’t appreciate that Erie Express’s post was pure satire until the very last sentence, the “55k” attendence made that abundantly clear at the end.
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I’m working in the morning before heading to da Burgh tomorrow . What time were you planning to get to 5A, Fran and JoeL?
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Reed, you are proud that Pitt doesn’t seem to sacrifice its integrity for wins on the football field or basketball court. A couple of years ago, I saw a special on ESPN with a handful of prominent basketball coaches, and MSU HC Tom Izzo said that he would never be caught associating with a professor because of the look of impropriety .. yet Jamie Dixon seemed puzzled about it, and said that he does it constantly to ensure that his players are attending and keep up in class. Many of the coaches seem to side with Izzo on that show.
anyway …. I know you don’t follow college BB but you may know that our next opponent, UNC, was cleared of charges of its athletes taking bogus classes over a 20 year span due to a technicality. However, I’m sure you are aware of Louisville HC Pitino finally getting his due when the FBI stepped in. Here is a story by a prominent college sports writer pointing out the dumpster fire that college BB is in right now.
https://sports.yahoo.com/college-basketball-state-emergency-season-even-starts-040019556.html
Right now, Pitt POVers should be proud of its athletic program. Yes, Wanny has his off-field problems and paid for it ….. yet, he also broke no NCAA violations or was accused of such.
But be humble … I can remember the PSU fans poking fun of OSU back in 2010 when Tressel ultimately got fired, and telling everyone of ‘The Penn State Way’. Boy, did they eat some crow just a year later
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Surely you joke about PSU fans eating crow…. They’ve never tasted it despite it always being on the table.
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well at least they quit poking fun at OSU. But you’re right …. “we did nothing wrong. It was Sandusky, the BOT, the NCAA, the politicians and the courts.”
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I forgot Louie Freeh
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for you Pitt BB fans, check out the first 3 names listed on this box score
http://gleague.nba.com/games/20171106/LAKSXF/
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Wbb not only have we not had any sanctions or penalties from the NCAA over the years but Pitt itself reported as soon as possible when they found infractions and their football, basketball and other sports programs.
I’ve never said Pitt was squeaky clean; I’m sure that’s not the case. But I think by and large the university has pretty tight control over the athletic department, especially now, but has always never really let it run rampant and that goes back to Jock Sutherland.
That can be good or bad I guess depending on if you’re a fan of the University or fan of only the football program.
I don’t believe that you have to cheat to win… sorry but I just don’t. I’ve seen so many good things, great things, happen in my lifetime with people who played by the rules… or if they bent outside the rules in a minor way it was for the betterment of the mission and the positive outcome. But it wasn’t for self-aggrandizement or for ‘us versus them’. It was for the good of all.
We Pitt fans can and will say what we want to about Penn State University and Joe Paterno. And after 2010 anything we say is pretty much valid, but there was a time when Joe Paterno had that program running as well as any football program can be run and he was doing it the right way.
As much as it pains other people I look at that and say that was a very good thing to do. And I know that other schools tried to emulate him. They won championships and they did it the right way and by graduating and educating players. That can still be done and it can be done on a big scale like you see Stanford aand other schools do. Not every school is cheating and not every school is paying recruits and\or parents (Foster) and so I just believe is not the norm over 128 D1 programs.
I prefer Pitt lose a game or two more per season then stoop to trying to win conference or national championship by undermining the basic tenents of sportsmanship. North Carolina has cheated continually and I’m not sure their fans are going to say the good outweighs the bad. Perhaps their fans might say that but I’m not sure their alumni would say that. But that’s a different university than Pitt.
Why am I confident that Pitt plays this this way? For one reason because of the results we get on the field. Mainly, it’s pretty obvious that the university does not put so much stock in winning that they go out of their way to throw big money and energy into the football program and they certainly don’t rise to the occasion of cheating to try to make it one or two games better a season as I say. I don’t think it’s that important enough to Pitt to do so.
Do I believe that everyone is lily white and virginal in the athletic department and in the football program? No, I do not. I think there’s always shenanigans and I think there’s always influences and I think there’s bending the rules and overlooking minor regulation sometimes. But I do not believe there’s wide spread or mass cheating or non-adherence to NCAA regulations like we see it other schools.
I’ve had long discussions with probably 25+ parents of Pitt recruits over the years and I have always asked them in very conversational and intimate terms, usually over a drink or three, if there’s been anything weird about their son’s recruitments and I’ve heard many stories about other schools and what they tried to do and what was offered but almost to a man… now there has been one or two times I’ve heard some strange and relatively minor stuff… but almost to a person it has been that one of the reasons they picked Pitt is because that did not happen.
And those were some star players we had over the years.
Now all that said, if Pitt had the same sort of over-demanding outside influences and extreme craziness that some of the SEC and other schools have from their fans and uber-strong alumni bases with their determination and desire to win at all costs, then I’m sure things would be different here. But we’ve never had that and we never really will because football has always been an integral, but associated, part of the University’s missions as a whole…. it is never been what the University is all about.
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Fran, I had the red vinyl record as well.. The way I read the poll it looks like 60-70 holy heck time for name tags I think. Wlat’s idea. It’s gonna be a House Party in the lot… (couldn’t find the remake version)
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The Showstoppers version was better. Great Philly group, a jukebox fave and one of the original “TL Sounds”
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And that’s a good thing. But I do wish Pitt had more of a culture that appreciated how sports has a positive impact on the student college life experience. Spirit is tough to find at Pitt. Applicant quality and donations can be helped if the university made school a bit more fun.
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Tx, to be brutally honest I believe that Pitt itself tamps down the athletic side of the University kind of on purpose sometimes because they want to be seen as heavily weighed toward the academic side. In other words… Eggheads vs Jocks.
Now I don’t know what we can do about the actual campus atmosphere -I don’t think much because of the way they’re situated right in the middle of a city. But I do think that Pitt does barely enough, or just enough, to keep all these programs afloat because, as I said earlier, if you don’t have major football you’re seen as a “less than” university like the basketball only schools and Pitt doesn’t want to be that.
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Reed – I’m puzzled by the fact that Pitt overcame mediocrity from the mid seventies to the mid eighties. How did that happen? Can’t it happen again? I thought I saw glimpses last year. – Hobie
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Guys I am in the title business and I have been doing a lot of work in that forbes fifth corridor lately Oakland is taking off again. and there will be lots of cranes in the air. The PAA will be awesome. the right people are targeting Oakland. Its a city school but that’s a really vibrant neighborhood
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BTW I would love going back to Annapolis for a bowl I would leave a day early just to do more things. the bar crawl was awesome
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I kind of rooting for the Military bowl myself. One, means PITT is in a bowl game and finished the season strong and two, I’m in for my first bowl game ever……
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I do remember that when Jamie Dixon was hired, Pitt reportedly didn’t consider Calipari who had issues at UMass ….. if memory serves, their wins were vacated when they reached the Final 4 in late 90s.
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Last two PITT games I picked against PITT for the first two times in my life. What happened? PITT wins both games. Don’t know which direction I’ll take this week but I’m putting the Black Cat jinx on the tarheels and waiting for the prediction article but until then..
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The trend is your friend. Bet on a UNC upset and keep your fingers crossed that your contrarian strategy continues to produce the magic!
May the Force be with you.
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LOL
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Sorry to keep asking but what happened to Eric L? Hope he’s alright… Enjoyed his contributions.
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Ike and titleman…I went to a Rose Bowl game and that would be great to play there but we are not…I can tell the POV nation that Annapolis is the ticket for a lower tier bowl. Great town, lots of atmosphere…1000% better that being on the outskirts of Pasedena…I am talking atmosphere here….I would recommend a trip for all FB fans to see the “Granddaddy of the all”
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@ Burger.. love the “crow always being served at the Nit table” Good one !
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Ike, saw J Geils at the Civic Arena in the 70’s when they were the opening act for Alice Cooper. When I hear “House Party” I can see myself in the Phi Delt basement bar on N Ditheridge rocking with the brothers …great times at PITT>
Hey guys and Annie..and a shout out to Reed- The POV has connected me to Dr. Tom, Atlanta Panther and another SAE who doesn’t post – we were all at PITT during over-lapping years and never met each other at school but thanks to Reed and the POV the circle contines to grow.
Reed, have you ever thought about starting an on-line dating service ??? Money to be made there. You are quite good at bringing peeps together. Next time you get down..remember this..you are a victim at your own success..We love you.
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I’ve seen J. Geil’s open up for a few acts I went to see.
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Kudos BigB for the Reed shout out… The man is amazing… << He needs to retire… AGAIN!
Must have been to 8 or 9 J Geils shows. The “Full House” 8 track tape was almost religion to us.. I said almost…
Come tomorrow night B, you just may be connected to another 70 POVers. I have a funny feeling I’ll be able to pick you out of the crowd.. 🙂 ike
H2P!
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Ike, Geils did the remake of the Showstoppers… earlier version was better as noted by Dan. Still have the 45. Next game we need a DJ. Haha. Pitt PT I will be there at 2:30 when Reed 5A opens. JoeL planning on 4:00. Thanks Rick. I will text you if anything is urgently needed but I should be good. I have some blank name tags I found at work…need some lanyards…still looking.
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Sounds good, Fran. I’m planning on getting there around 4 pm and am bringing a bottle of chardonnay for the wine enthusiasts .
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Bernie, Dan72 and I watch Pitt games together and he and his friends were fraternity brothers with my older brother Clint when he was a Pitt. Now Clint died in early 1980s and when I heard that it brought kind of a tear to my eye because I hadn’t had that much time with him myself and it was so great to meet people who had met him and had fun with him while he was at University
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BigB – my younger brother went to Kiski Prep in the late 70’s. Lovely place and I remember hearing stories about his teachers – Mr Pidgeon, Mr DiOrio and a Mr. Szilagi. He lived in a butt ugly green cinderblock dorm – no doors on the rooms, just curtains.
The Cougars used to play against other Prep Schools such as Mercersburg, Shadyside, University Prep in Cleveland, Linsley in Wheeling…do they still play those schools?
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Thanks for the wine PittPT. My wife was just scolding me for having 6 different beers but no wine…haha. Thanks again. Look for the flags. Not sure where they will make me park within the lot.
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