Here is a Pitt-life Bio from an old friend from the message boards and who is a truly great Pitt fan. – Central80. I’ve had a chance to meet his family and watch games with them and all because of our similar fandom for Pitt football…

My history as a Pitt football fan has many phases and dates  back to the late 60’s. Family friends were good friends with Boo and Kay Connors. Boo Connors was the legendary Pitt football equipment manager for many years. Every Pitt home game I would go with my friend Mike and his family and meet up with Kay Connors and her group of friends at the Pitt Tavern. I would scarf down huge ham sandwiches and drink as many pony bottles of Pepsi as I could manage before the walk up Cardiac Hill. After the games we would meet Boo and he would take us into the locker room to meet the players. These were not very good years for Pitt football and I’m sure that these years were meant to prepare me for my fate as a Pitt fan.

My later grade school and high school years I would walk from my house in Shadyside to Oakland with my buddies and sneak into the stadium and look at all of the drunk students. They were as entertaining as many of the games. In college I became one of those drunk students. My friend Jakes was a bartender at the Sanctuary and would work Saturday mornings before games. Jakes never met a drink that she didn’t like to give away. She also dated a player so I became friends with a lot of guys on the teams at that time. This was also during Pitt’s glory years so the games were a lot of fun.

After college I, of course, remained a Pitt fan but didn’t attend as many games as I used to. Not sure the reason why but other things just took priority. That changed sixteen years ago when my son was born. He and I have been going to Pitt games since he’s been ambulatory. He’s had the opportunity to meet many players, from legends Tony Dorsett, Jimbo Covert, Larry Fitzgerald, and Dan Marino to James Conner and Quadree Henderson. Each one of them treated him like gold. Pitt football and their games have been such a bonding agent for my son and I and they are something that we will always share.

My daughter enters Pitt in the Fall and that begins a new phase for me as a Pitt football as a Pitt father. She looked at many schools and initially had scant interest in Pitt….namely because it is in Pittsburgh. She finally decided that Pitt was the best place for her and her academic interests. I couldn’t be happier. I was also so proud that the one school that she refused to consider was Penn State!!

In my brief history above I haven’t mentioned one specific game. As a fan I would love for Pitt to win every time they take the field but, ultimately, that’s not what is most important to me. Enjoying the experience with the people in my life, from grade school until now as a parent is what is more meaningful and important to me. A lot of you seem to have photographic memories concerning details of games, Reed included. I’m not like that. I remember the fun that I have had with people. The bond that I have created with my kids and even some people on social media. These will always be my memories of Pitt football.

Not the wins and losses.