Pitt V Penn State

[gamecckfn]

Agree to a home and home.

[joebeimel]

In 2016 (at PITT) and 2017 (at PSU)

I think this will ultimately lead to the rivalry being renewed on a full time basis. No matter what Mr. Curley, PSU's AD, would like us to believe.

Penn State, as much as they won't admit it, is not the program it was in the 80's and early 90's.
Much like Pitt isn't the program it was in the late 70's and early 80's

 A renewal of this rivalry will be nothing but good for both programs.

Pitt will undoubtedly tie in another 4-5 games to the ticket for the game V. PSU in 2016.

So if you want to go to that game, you'll also have to buy tickets to see games vs. Buffalo, Navy, Bowling Green and Youngstown State!

[GoBucs21]

In 2016 (at PITT) and 2017 (at PSU)

I think this will ultimately lead to the rivalry being renewed on a full time basis. No matter what Mr. Curley, PSU's AD, would like us to believe.

Penn State, as much as they won't admit it, is not the program it was in the 80's and early 90's.
Much like Pitt isn't the program it was in the late 70's and early 80's

 A renewal of this rivalry will be nothing but good for both programs.

Pitt will undoubtedly tie in another 4-5 games to the ticket for the game V. PSU in 2016.

So if you want to go to that game, you'll also have to buy tickets to see games vs. Buffalo, Navy, Bowling Green and Youngstown State!

Honestly, I don't care any more. JoePa ruined this series with his pettiness and his demands to bow to Penn State.

Since JoePa became a geriatric child years ago, I moved on and now prefer the WVU game to any games with Penn State.

If it ever does pick up on a full time basis, the game needs to be play early in the season.  I don't want anyone thinking that Penn State is Pitt's primary rival.

[Possum]

+1 GB.  Paterno screwed this big rivalry up big time when he decided he was sooooo great that Pitt should come running to him and bow to his egotistical wishes to continue the big rivalry.

But since Pitt told him to take a hike and has set up a big "Backyard Brawl" with WVU, who needs Penn State on the schedule.  It will be nice to play them annually but like you suggest, do it early in the schedule and be sure to let PSU know that they are not our big game.  That is reserved for WVU.

On any given college football Saturday my two favorite teams are Pitt and whoever is playing Penn State. 

[steve19981]

+1 GB.  Paterno screwed this big rivalry up big time when he decided he was sooooo great that Pitt should come running to him and bow to his egotistical wishes to continue the big rivalry.

But since Pitt told him to take a hike and has set up a big "Backyard Brawl" with WVU, who needs Penn State on the schedule.  It will be nice to play them annually but like you suggest, do it early in the schedule and be sure to let PSU know that they are not our big game.  That is reserved for WVU.

On any given college football Saturday my two favorite teams are Pitt and whoever is playing Penn State.  

If we're pointing fingers, Pitt screwed up the rivalry by being nearly irrelevant for the final 15 years it was played. I had no idea a rivalry still existed until I moved to Pittsburgh in 1999 it was so far gone by that point. Pitt was just another whipping boy on the schedule during much of my childhood not very different from Temple or Syracuse or Rutgers.

If we're being objective, the rivalry ended because the programs went in different directions conference wise. It's just not practical for Penn St to lock any out of conference team in for more than a couple of years at a time save for Temple.

[gorillagogo]

+1 GB.  Paterno screwed this big rivalry up big time when he decided he was sooooo great that Pitt should come running to him and bow to his egotistical wishes to continue the big rivalry.

But since Pitt told him to take a hike and has set up a big "Backyard Brawl" with WVU, who needs Penn State on the schedule.  It will be nice to play them annually but like you suggest, do it early in the schedule and be sure to let PSU know that they are not our big game.  That is reserved for WVU.

On any given college football Saturday my two favorite teams are Pitt and whoever is playing Penn State.  

If we're pointing fingers, Pitt screwed up the rivalry by being nearly irrelevant for the final 15 years it was played. I had no idea a rivalry still existed until I moved to Pittsburgh in 1999 it was so far gone by that point. Pitt was just another whipping boy on the schedule during much of my childhood not very different from Temple or Syracuse or Rutgers.

If we're being objective, the rivalry ended because the programs went in different directions conference wise. It's just not practical for Penn St to lock any out of conference team in for more than a couple of years at a time save for Temple.

It's practical to lock up games vs Temple? When's the last time they beat Penn State? I just looked that up and it's 1941. It's kind of hard to take that argument seriously when you start out saying that Pitt screwed the pooch by being irrelevant for 15 years and then switch gears to how important it is for Penn State to schedule a patsy they haven't lost to in seventy years.

[scrapiron]

I was under the impression that the rivalry ended because the Big East gave PSU the finger when they said they'd take the football program but not the basketball team into the conference.  I don't think Pitt gave any support to PSU, and so they went off to the Big Ten.  Between that and whatever other personal differences JoePa had with Pitt, they went their separate ways.  PSU would have dominated Big East football and I think the bball program would have improved much more quickly in that conference.  It's more of a natural fit.  Now when you look at the basketball teams that are now included in the BE, PSU would have been a good fit and Big East Football would be much more relevant today.

[Possum]

I was under the impression that the rivalry ended because the Big East gave PSU the finger when they said they'd take the football program but not the basketball team into the conference.  I don't think Pitt gave any support to PSU, and so they went off to the Big Ten.  Between that and whatever other personal differences JoePa had with Pitt, they went their separate ways.  PSU would have dominated Big East football and I think the bball program would have improved much more quickly in that conference.  It's more of a natural fit.  Now when you look at the basketball teams that are now included in the BE, PSU would have been a good fit and Big East Football would be much more relevant today.

I think that if you check your facts more closely it was JoePa who was doing the finger waving.  But now that PSU is becoming irrelevant they need the big rivalry with Pitt to comeback.

[scrapiron]

I was under the impression that the rivalry ended because the Big East gave PSU the finger when they said they'd take the football program but not the basketball team into the conference.  I don't think Pitt gave any support to PSU, and so they went off to the Big Ten.  Between that and whatever other personal differences JoePa had with Pitt, they went their separate ways.  PSU would have dominated Big East football and I think the bball program would have improved much more quickly in that conference.  It's more of a natural fit.  Now when you look at the basketball teams that are now included in the BE, PSU would have been a good fit and Big East Football would be much more relevant today.

I think that if you check your facts more closely it was JoePa who was doing the finger waving.  But now that PSU is becoming irrelevant they need the big rivalry with Pitt to comeback.

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/07308/831051-142.stm

My facts are pretty darn close.  The Big East didn't want PSU basketball, although they did want the football program, so PSU didn't go Big East (where the rivalry would have flourished).  Pitt chose the big east for basketball instead of the conference JoePa was trying to build to include all sports.  So Pitt and the Big East gave JoePa and PSU the finger.  SU is still more relevant in football than Pitt and don't need them at all.  With OSU and UM both going on the downside right now PSU has a great opportunity to be the top dog in the Big Ten (or eleven, or twelve, etc). 

[GoBucs21]

+1 GB.  Paterno screwed this big rivalry up big time when he decided he was sooooo great that Pitt should come running to him and bow to his egotistical wishes to continue the big rivalry.

But since Pitt told him to take a hike and has set up a big "Backyard Brawl" with WVU, who needs Penn State on the schedule.  It will be nice to play them annually but like you suggest, do it early in the schedule and be sure to let PSU know that they are not our big game.  That is reserved for WVU.

On any given college football Saturday my two favorite teams are Pitt and whoever is playing Penn State.  

If we're pointing fingers, Pitt screwed up the rivalry by being nearly irrelevant for the final 15 years it was played. I had no idea a rivalry still existed until I moved to Pittsburgh in 1999 it was so far gone by that point. Pitt was just another whipping boy on the schedule during much of my childhood not very different from Temple or Syracuse or Rutgers.

If we're being objective, the rivalry ended because the programs went in different directions conference wise. It's just not practical for Penn St to lock any out of conference team in for more than a couple of years at a time save for Temple.

Steve,
Pitt was irrelevant in the 60s and early 70s, that didn't keep the game from being played.  It didn't stop the game either.  So, Pitt's irrelevance in the 80s and 90s misses the point.

The rivalry ended because JoePa ended it in a hissy fit.  JoePa wanted an all sport, eastern conference.  Pitt, Syracuse and WVU (I think) wouldn't go along because Penn State had nothing to offer in terms of mens basketball.  Pitt was getting ready to move into the Big East and Syracuse was already in the Big East.  When Pitt turned JoePa down, he threw a tantrum took Pitt and WVU off his football schedule, and eventually went into the Big 10.

I don't really care if Pitt plays Penn State or not.  Last time I checked the final score was 12-0, with Pitt on the winning end.  I'm happy to end it that way.  The Pitt/WVU game is as good as the Penn State game was. 

Personally, I like to see Penn State struggling to find a primary rival.  I like seeing Ohio State and Michigan fans treat PSU fans as second class citizens.  Besides, that land grant trophy game with Michigan State is really heating up into an intense rivalry.

[GoBucs21]

I was under the impression that the rivalry ended because the Big East gave PSU the finger when they said they'd take the football program but not the basketball team into the conference.  I don't think Pitt gave any support to PSU, and so they went off to the Big Ten.  Between that and whatever other personal differences JoePa had with Pitt, they went their separate ways.  PSU would have dominated Big East football and I think the bball program would have improved much more quickly in that conference.  It's more of a natural fit.  Now when you look at the basketball teams that are now included in the BE, PSU would have been a good fit and Big East Football would be much more relevant today.

I think that if you check your facts more closely it was JoePa who was doing the finger waving.  But now that PSU is becoming irrelevant they need the big rivalry with Pitt to comeback.

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/07308/831051-142.stm

My facts are pretty darn close.  The Big East didn't want PSU basketball, although they did want the football program, so PSU didn't go Big East (where the rivalry would have flourished).  Pitt chose the big east for basketball instead of the conference JoePa was trying to build to include all sports.  So Pitt and the Big East gave JoePa and PSU the finger.  SU is still more relevant in football than Pitt and don't need them at all.  With OSU and UM both going on the downside right now PSU has a great opportunity to be the top dog in the Big Ten (or eleven, or twelve, etc). 

Your fact are all wrong.  The Big East was a basketball only conference then.  Penn State was never invited to the Big East. That means your entire argument is wrong.  Nice effort though.

[gamecckfn]

+1 GB.  Paterno screwed this big rivalry up big time when he decided he was sooooo great that Pitt should come running to him and bow to his egotistical wishes to continue the big rivalry.

But since Pitt told him to take a hike and has set up a big "Backyard Brawl" with WVU, who needs Penn State on the schedule.  It will be nice to play them annually but like you suggest, do it early in the schedule and be sure to let PSU know that they are not our big game.  That is reserved for WVU.

On any given college football Saturday my two favorite teams are Pitt and whoever is playing Penn State.  

If we're pointing fingers, Pitt screwed up the rivalry by being nearly irrelevant for the final 15 years it was played. I had no idea a rivalry still existed until I moved to Pittsburgh in 1999 it was so far gone by that point. Pitt was just another whipping boy on the schedule during much of my childhood not very different from Temple or Syracuse or Rutgers.

If we're being objective, the rivalry ended because the programs went in different directions conference wise. It's just not practical for Penn St to lock any out of conference team in for more than a couple of years at a time save for Temple.

It's practical to lock up games vs Temple? When's the last time they beat Penn State? I just looked that up and it's 1941. It's kind of hard to take that argument seriously when you start out saying that Pitt screwed the pooch by being irrelevant for 15 years and then switch gears to how important it is for Penn State to schedule a patsy they haven't lost to in seventy years.

Agree, that makes little to no sense.  South Carolina and Clemson play a non conference game with each other each year.  If an ACC and SEC team can manage to play each other every year, I think a Big Ten team can manage.  No clue why they should lock up Temple and not Pitt.  If Penn State is so confident they will win, then why not play each other?  You can make up the money lost from the home game with merchandise sales, or at least some of it.  I do not see the logic of being able to play at Temple or Syracuse ect, but not at Pitt.

And the excuse that the AD gave about playing all over the country is weak as well, since they do not play all over the country.  They have the one game against Alabama, but most of their non conference games are at home or in the north east.

[GoBucs21]

+1 GB.  Paterno screwed this big rivalry up big time when he decided he was sooooo great that Pitt should come running to him and bow to his egotistical wishes to continue the big rivalry.

But since Pitt told him to take a hike and has set up a big "Backyard Brawl" with WVU, who needs Penn State on the schedule.  It will be nice to play them annually but like you suggest, do it early in the schedule and be sure to let PSU know that they are not our big game.  That is reserved for WVU.

On any given college football Saturday my two favorite teams are Pitt and whoever is playing Penn State.  

If we're pointing fingers, Pitt screwed up the rivalry by being nearly irrelevant for the final 15 years it was played. I had no idea a rivalry still existed until I moved to Pittsburgh in 1999 it was so far gone by that point. Pitt was just another whipping boy on the schedule during much of my childhood not very different from Temple or Syracuse or Rutgers.

If we're being objective, the rivalry ended because the programs went in different directions conference wise. It's just not practical for Penn St to lock any out of conference team in for more than a couple of years at a time save for Temple.

It's practical to lock up games vs Temple? When's the last time they beat Penn State? I just looked that up and it's 1941. It's kind of hard to take that argument seriously when you start out saying that Pitt screwed the pooch by being irrelevant for 15 years and then switch gears to how important it is for Penn State to schedule a patsy they haven't lost to in seventy years.

Agree, that makes little to no sense.  South Carolina and Clemson play a non conference game with each other each year.  If an ACC and SEC team can manage to play each other every year, I think a Big Ten team can manage.  No clue why they should lock up Temple and not Pitt.  If Penn State is so confident they will win, then why not play each other?  You can make up the money lost from the home game with merchandise sales, or at least some of it.  I do not see the logic of being able to play at Temple or Syracuse ect, but not at Pitt.

And the excuse that the AD gave about playing all over the country is weak as well, since they do not play all over the country.  They have the one game against Alabama, but most of their non conference games are at home or in the north east.

Because Temple will agree to a 2 and 1 format, where Pitt won't.  Before the 12th game was added to the college schedule, JoePa demanded a 2-1 (two games at Penn St and one at Pitt) because he said they needed the 7th home game revenues.  After he got the 7th home game via the additional game, JoePa still demanded a 2-1 series, out of petulance.

JoePa's two decade snit is the major reason this game went away.

[gorillagogo]

Just out of curiosity, does anyone know if Pitt have a hard time selling out games before they started playing at Heinz Field? I never really followed Pitt until I moved to Pittsburgh in the late 90s. I remember the old Pitt Stadium, but don't have any idea if the team drew well when they played games on campus.

[joebeimel]

Another factor in this, IMO is Nebraska's entrance into the Big 10 this season. In my mind, that's just one more school in the Big 10 that has a bit more swagger than PSU.

With the coming NCAA sanctions on OSU, Penn State's time to regain some of that old glory is these next two football seasons. Michigan is still down, but I think on it's way back under Hoke. MSU is pretty consistent at underachieving, and Wisconsin seems to be pretty 2 good years/1 underachieving year when it comes to Football. This would be the time for PSU to convince everyone else in the Big 10 that they are still a top football program in their own division, let alone the country. And personally, I just don't see them getting it done.

 Throw in schools like Iowa, Illinois, or Purdue having one of those "no on saw that coming" seasons, and I think this opportunity for Penn State to win the Big 10 in one of the next 2 seasons and go to a BCS bowl will likely become a lost opportunity.

 I see Nebraska having instant success in the Big 10, ultimately pushing PSU even further back on the Big 10 football food chain.

Perhaps an eventual renewed rivalry with Pitt towards the end of this decade will, by then, mean a little more to Penn State football then they're right now willing, or able, to admit.