My necessaries are embark’d:  Farewell…. Hamlet

When I started this Pitt POV blog back in June of 2016, after many years of writing about Pitt football for the Pitt Blather, I knew it would become a huge deal in many ways.  If that sounds like bragging then maybe it is – but I knew that Pitt football had a large, strong and diverse fan base and so I tailored my writing in a specific manner. I wanted it to be different from all the other websites and media outlets that toe the party line and spread sweetness and light everywhere.

Some of that wasn’t what a lot of die-hard blinders-on fans wanted to read because I didn’t hesitate to act in a critics role when I felt something or someone was skewed toward the bad side of the road and so I pointed it out. As a critic does in many different ways.  Some Pitt fans want nothing but positivity so they read a bit here then went over to other websites that better fit their way of thinking.

Writing whatever jumped to mind or was triggered by events was pretty easy to do in that I was never covered by the strict rules of Journalism precepts (although I adhered to them as much as I felt was appropriate).

I also didn’t hesitate to praise things or people if that was the case but that wasn’t why the Pitt POV existed – what I wanted to do is write compelling articles that raised the level of discussions so that the readers themselves could carry the show – and boy did you ever!

So sometimes I exaggerated in a stance taken to do just that – get new readers involved first with reading the articles then by chipping in on the comments section.

That obviously worked very well.  I posted up the POV’s statistics in a separate article not too long ago so I won’t repeat them all here but I do want to share a few; in only 28 months we have had 750 blog posts with 96K+ comments. A total of 1,896,248 “views” have taken place with 189,000 “visitors” who have read the articles and commented.

My friends, that outpaced even what I thought would happen and it was due to you.  I truly believe that – my writing was but one small part.  However, your devotion to the blog (if that isn’t too strong a word) with your insightful comments, emails, phone calls and all the extra-curricular stuff like the Golf Outings and POV tailgating were really what the Pitt POV has been about. And its been all good even when I was upset with certain things.

Thank you – each and every one of you – for everything you  have done in making the Pitt POV what a great experience it was for me. I can’t thank you enough as I bow out stage left and hand over the POV to Michelangelo.

Since today is Thanksgiving let me close with these thoughts…

I am truly thankful for the great new friends I have made through the POV. You are too numerous to list but you sure do know who you are.  However, I want to acknowledge a handful of guys – Ike (Ike!) for being supportive when I wanted to do this last year; Rick (Erie Express) for the long hours he puts in setting up the golf outings; Fran (Lastrow) for his dedication to providing the wonderful tailgating parties for the POVers; Bernie (BigB) for his support financially and otherwise and Jim (Pittman4ever) for being a great new friend and keeping the civil discussions just that way.

And Annie for being the group conscious and keeping us rowdy guys from getting too far over the line sometimes..

Thank you all… really and truly.

I’m also thankful that I have now realized it is just the right time to use my time and energies elsewhere and finally let go of the blog.  While Pitt football and basketball is fun and this season is pretty exciting as well (and well done Panthers!) it isn’t involved in my life as much as it used to be.  As a matter of fact I really didn’t follow the team closely after the first few games this year and I think my writing reflected that also. Don’t tell anyone, but I haven’t watched the last four games at all… so that’s a true clue as to what to I need to do at this juncture.

I’m OK with that because at this point in my life – starting the last third of it – I am ready to double down on my volunteer work in trying to keep helping others.  Thirty-three years of hands-on public service gets into your blood.  I’ve a few pretty important irons in the fire along those lines and that’s where I need to concentrate here on out.

I stopped taking donations on here some time ago.  Do me a personal favor and at some point down the road toss a few bucks that you might have donated to me where it is really needed to help others and think of the POV when you do it.  Please – I’d really appreciate it.

So – thanks for the great time; sparring back and forth and always learning something new each day has been a great joy over these last three years and I urge you all to get behind Michelangelo just as you have supported me since the blog started.  He’s a great one to take over the helm and hell… I’ll drop in an article every once in a while to let you all know I’m still alive… and remember – Civility at all times!

Best wishes for fair winds and following seas to you all,

Reed