At the end of August (barely 3 weeks into this blog’s brief life) I published the following:

The 2003-2004 season could be a big year for Pitt sports. Not just as far as what they can accomplish on the field and the court. I’m thinking about their place in the local Pittsburgh sports scene. Locally, no one has given much ink or airwave time to Pitt outside of complaints of how they don’t measure up to teams of yesteryear. It didn’t matter because there was always a pro team to hold the interest at any time. But look at things right now.
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The Steelers. Ah, the Steelers. The lifeblood of all Pittburghers (Pittsburghians?). Aside from the fact that they are playing in a weak division, there is hope but a lot more questions about the team. The defense. The running game. Special teams. Lots of questions.

Meanwhile at Pitt. There are potential top 10 teams in football and basketball. Definitely top 20. There should be a lot of excitement and expectations for both teams. Everyone loves a winner, and bandwagon jumpers should be lining up around the ‘Burgh.

If. If, Pitt can meet those expectations. Then this could help reshape the dynamic in the area.

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Bob Smizik, today.

Now what we have is a case of history reversing itself. The Pitt program, in the middle of a crush of crucial games, is picking exactly the right time to reassert itself. The Steelers are not very good, are not likely going to the playoffs and are turning off some of their fans.

Pitt will never catch the Steelers in the hearts and minds of Pittsburgh-area football fans. But they’re gaining a bit of ground.
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It’s never easy for a college program to succeed in a town dominated by professional teams, particularly one so close to the hearts of the fans as the Steelers. But there’s room for both to be successful.

Shrewd marketing and a winning team have put Pitt in position to find that success. Maintaining it won’t be easy, but it can be done.

This is in the context of reasserting that Pitt was right to move off-campus for football games. Still, why does he get paid to re-write what I’ve written for free?