Pitt opens against Virginia on Saturday, and I approach the game with a mixture of anticipation and trepidation. On one hand, there is a nearly palpable sense of confidence radiating from the Southside, and if you quiet your mind and turn your ear towards the Mon you can nearly make out the faintest of whispers saying, this year is different. It is a siren song that Pitt fans yearn to believe. One that is backed by the steely gazes of the upperclassman, and heard in the timbre of their voices. It is projected through the stolid words of center Jimmy Morrissey, inferred by body language of the wide receivers licking their chops as they talk about the the passing game, and made that much more audible by grim determination of quarterback Kenny Pickett.
And yet for every reason to believe, there are a dozen reasons not to. Jimmy Morrissey’s confidence? There are four first-year starters surrounding him. Those wide receivers? Useless if they can’t get the ball. And Kenny Pickett? The last time we saw him, he was nothing more than a shell-shocked sophomore, gritting his way through the last three games of the season. Oh and don’t even get me started on the running backs and tight ends. Continue reading “Song of the Southside”
pittpov.com 