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May 19, 2008

The Backyard Brawl this year will be a national telecast on ABC at noon on Friday.

OK, so what’s the big deal about that? Well, since Big East Conference football was regenerated following the loss of three programs to the Atlantic Coast Conference, the league has had only one national TV date for a conference game on ABC.

One more excuse to skip out on any “Black Friday” crap.





This is complete bullshit!!! This is “the game” of the big east and always has been. There is not one game between any two teams in the big east that can even compare to this rivalry. It’s on the level of Mich-OSU, Texas-Okla, Army-Navy, etc.

After last year’s game, this year will get so much attention nationally (as much as a big east game can get). And it’s going to be during lunchtime, it’s a slap in the face to Pitt and WVU, and to the big east.

Comment by Hail2Pitt 05.19.08 @ 12:01 pm

I agree. This is a game worthy of an 8:00 PM start. Noon is for Big Ten schools.

Comment by Lee in State College 05.19.08 @ 1:25 pm

um, I hope you guys realize that this will be the only football game on television at a time when 80% of the country has the day off. they don’t just put “any” game on at that time

Comment by Jamie H 05.19.08 @ 2:21 pm

I think a noon game the day after thanksgiving is going to be better for exposure purposes than a random saturday night. I’m not thrilled that its at noon purely for tailgating purposes, but the noon football game on ABC the day after thanksgiving is a great time slot.

Comment by Dan35 05.19.08 @ 2:41 pm

This game is gonna make Pitt’s student section look absolutely awful. I’ll be there but I can tell you, attendance from the students will not be very high.

Comment by merlin 05.19.08 @ 3:34 pm

Attendance from the students is always low. It doesn’t matter much what time the game is. With the exception of a handful of games over the years (VT,Miami, WV, ND)the student turnout is pathetic.

Comment by Topper22 05.19.08 @ 3:57 pm

Hail2Pitt, I am a huge Pitt fan but let’s not kid ourselves here. Have you seen the OSU-Michigan games? How about Texas-OU? … those games have money written all over them. I don’t like it of course because I want Pitt in the spotlight but that’s the way it is. Last years backyard brawl was a classic but the rivalry just isn’t on the same level as OSU-Michigan yet. I like the backyard brawl but unfortunately the majority of people who acknowledge this game are predominantly Big East fans.

Even though it’s not a great time to have the game, at least many people will see it. Turkey sandwiches and Pitt is not a bad thing. 6 or 8 would have been a better time, heck I would take 3:30 but ABC will advertise this game for sure. It gives me a good reason to yell at the television at a time when the visiting mother-in-law is still up.

When they start the Pitt-PSU rivalry again then you will see a better time slot. Big 10 vs Big East is a lot better than Big East school with a pro stadium vs Big East school with a lop sided field. Do we really want to see the piss collect on one side of WVU’s stadium again?

I think the time slot is OK, but if they moved it to 3:30, then at least I wouldn’t feel as guilty for starting drinking early.

Comment by Panthoor 05.19.08 @ 4:08 pm

I agree that Pitt’s student turnout sucks, but let me underscore why it will completely blow for this game: its Thanksgiving break. No one will be on campus. The best bet here, as has been floated in the past, is to make this game a separate entity, and any unsold student tickets go up for sale to local high school students or something.

Whatever, though. At least when we’re playing for the national title at home, we won’t blow it.

Comment by Maz 05.19.08 @ 4:50 pm

National title game*

Comment by Maz 05.19.08 @ 4:50 pm

College football should be played in the afternoon. The only thing I don’t like is that this game doesn’t have a standard day and time every year.

Comment by geeman2001 05.19.08 @ 8:21 pm

I can remember being in Pitt Stadium back in 1979 for a game that started well before noon. It was moved because the Pirates were in the World Series. I think Pitt was playing someone awful that day.

If the Panthers are having a terrific year people, students included, will go to the game against WVU. It doesn’t really bother me because people do watch football that day.

Comment by Z 05.19.08 @ 9:29 pm

Stop complaining about the time. Seriously, its a nationally televised game. I am going to get to watch it while in Mexico for Thanksgiving, it doesn’t matter to me who else watches it. If Pitt does what it is capable of, the people of Pittsburgh will come out to support this team (because they love football) and local students will get there. Steve Pederson is a smart guy, I am sure he will work something smart out to fill the stadium for a day when no students are around. Have some faith people and STOP WHINING!

Comment by wannstache 05.20.08 @ 3:38 am

What type of fan are you if you’re going to be in Mexico instead of the game?

Comment by Fcuk Paterno 05.20.08 @ 8:18 am

Jamie H.

What time is Texas-Texas A&M on that same day? Isn’t that typically also a noon game?

Comment by Lee in State College 05.20.08 @ 9:16 am

I was a student at Pitt in 2004 when we played WVU at home and I believe it was the day after Thanksgiving. There were plenty of non-students that were allowed to sit in the student section. I know that it was a huge game because a win kept us in the running for the Big East title and it was at night, but after what happened at the Brawl last year and if we’re going to be as good as everyone expects, there’s no reason the stadium shouldn’t be filled. The athletic department will definitely do something if they feel a lot of students won’t show up. I wouldn’t be worried about the attendance.

Comment by jtads14 05.20.08 @ 10:14 am

Z:
I was at that game too – I think we beat Lousville 35-0.

Comment by Julius Dawkins 05.20.08 @ 10:36 am

Texas-Texas A&M was moved to Thanksgiving night on ESPN. That opened up the time slot Friday on ABC for Pitt-WVU

Comment by Jamie H 05.20.08 @ 12:23 pm

For those wondering the schedule for that afternoon:
12:00 PM West Virgina at Pitt ABC
2:30 PM LSU at Arkansas CBS
3:30 PM Colorado at Nebraska ABC

There will be a few MAC games that afternoon, as well as Mississippi State vs Ole Miss, but those will not be receiving national attention.

Comment by Jamie H 05.20.08 @ 12:28 pm

jtads14,
The 2004 brawl was played on Thanksgiving night.

Comment by Fcuk Paterno 05.20.08 @ 12:57 pm

The Student section at Pitt is sad to say the least, and the excuse everyone will be home for break is a joke. Most Pitt students live within a 2 hour drive to Pittsburgh, you’re telling me they can’t drive to Heinz field…I’m sure they would do it for a Steeler game….either show up or don’t, I really could care less, because I will be there regardless of the weather time or day!

Comment by Marco 05.20.08 @ 3:37 pm

Marco-
The school isn’t that Pittsburgh-centric anymore. I have friends from NJ, NY, Michigan, Massachusetts, and a lot of my friends (as well as myself) hail from the Philly area.

Comment by merlin 05.20.08 @ 6:19 pm

Yeah, over 25% of freshmen were from out-of-state last year

Comment by Ed 05.20.08 @ 7:19 pm

fcuk paterno,
the type of fan that lives on the west coast and is going to drop a pretty penny to come back for homecoming.

Comment by wannstache 05.20.08 @ 8:44 pm

If we are undefeated at that time and getting national hype, and especially if WVU is also rolling, that place will be packed regardless of the starting time. But sadly even if we are merely decent (3 losses or such), I expect to see and hear 50/50 WVU-to-Pitt ratio as usual.

That’s because people of this area, more than most, crave to associate not just with a winner, but an ELITE winner. And it’s almost more a triumph of style over substance. The Steelers were never popular before the 70’s, after all. But it wasn’t the actual winning of individual titles, it was the impression the Steelers became an ‘elite’ team that moved them into the next echelon of fan obsession. The brilliance is that they’ve managed to continue that, despite a fairly pedestrian success rate over the last 28 years (usually decent teams, but a fair number of duds, and only one championship).

The Pens got that to a degree with the first two cup teams, kinda lost it with the Lemieux on-again, off-again health episodes (and especially the passing of Bob Johnston … he would have kept that team rolling in the 90s I’m convinced). Then the late 90’s and the weird Jagr saga and the bankruptcies sunk them for awhile. Now they are hot, but not merely because they are a good team again, but because of the ELITE status that Crosby and Malkin give them. I think that’s very important.

Maybe even more impressive than the Steelers is that Penn State manages to sustain their status as an “elite” program in the Pgh area, despite (1) tOSU is actually a closer drive and (2) PSU is certainly a good program, but nowhere near as ‘elite’ as their faithful BELIEVE they are.

Again, like the Steelers, being able to establish the legend AND sustain it despite not really winning anything in decades (and I mean NC’s, as nice as Alamo Bowl wins are … and sure I’d take them … but even with their #2 finish a few years ago, it was really 1 and 2 and then everyone else that year.) … it’s quite an accomplishment.

Like with all the Steeler legends and others like Lemieux, much of PSU’s success is due to the Paterno legend of course, with his “record number of wins.” Doesn’t matter that pretty much any coach would have won the same number of games eventually if he coached forever and won a consistent 7 games a year. Doesn’t matter that given their phenomenal recruiting most years and dominant D and OL and TB’s, they’ve frankly underachieved. Joe has the the record (or does Bowden right now? I forget). Either way, he’s “elite.”

Pitt had the chance to duplicate the Steelers and Nits. We experienced our apex in the late 70’s when we had 3 legends in a row (TD, Hugh Green and Dan Marino). I think if Majors or Sherrill stayed, and we cultivated and championed our very legit stars (we had tremendous players even in the late 80s) better than we did, it would have gotten to that (especially when the Steelers and Bucs experienced a dip in that decade). But we (the Pitt ADs and administration, specifically) sadly bungled it away. By the time the 90’s started, we were “good”, but certainly not elite, and that’s not good enough here. And of course the bottom dropped out after that.

This also helps explain why the hoops team isn’t really given much credit. WE appreciate them but Pittsburgh in general doesn’t. They aren’t considered “elite” yet. No less a sage than Bob Smizik actually ridiculed our success of overachieving and winning the BE title! Unbelievable, but then you realize he’s a yinzer. And since Pitt hasn’t ‘won it all,’ and (very important) usually have no players considered elite at their position, or an elite coach, we aren’t going to get our due. And really, that’s what “McDonalds All Americans” and the like will get the program, even more than W’s … after all, we already get a lot of those already.

Obviously you didn’t have to have Psychology 80 to realize why. Pittsburgh = forlorn broken down old rust belt town. Heavily insecure. So much so it’s not merely enough to be good, gotta be ELITE.

Obviously the football program has a long, long, long, long way to go to get there, but maybe guys like McCoy and Romeus and Baldwin will lead us to that point. I hope so. I’m as insecure as everyone else around here!

Comment by geeman2001 05.20.08 @ 9:19 pm

Geeman – Well said.

Comment by PiDoubleT 05.20.08 @ 9:28 pm

My question is this: where the hell is the Pittsburgh media on this story? PG’s website has a 5/7 softball story and the Trib has a 5/3 story about Chris McKillop getting a Jets tryout as their most recent Pitt stories. Pretty sad that breaking Pitt news had to come from a WV paper!

Comment by Kek 05.21.08 @ 8:18 am

Kek,
I’m not defending the newspapers at all but just a few things. First, this isn’t breaking Pitt news! ESPN had this tagged as a noon start the day our schedule was released, months ago. I emailed Pitt that day to ask why they show it as TBA. They told me that the gametime will not be set until the season starts. I think the pony just arrived to WV so that’s why they wrote about it. Second, what else do WV papers have to write about!!!!! The annual Memorial Day pig tying contest????

Comment by Fcuk Paterno 05.21.08 @ 8:52 am

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