Classes begin today at Pitt. It will be very interesting to see what the students do this weekend. Usually, half the campus would clear out for Labor Day weekend for one last chance to get together with some old friends from high school, freshmen would go dashing home to recap that first exciting week to the parents. The Oakland bars would seem to be running at 1/2 speed and feel very odd since you could actually move.
I suppose those who live in the Pittsburgh area might still clear out, but those that live a little further away have to be thinking of staying. How do you skip that opening game against ND? One of the most exciting season opener at Pitt in years. The last time was back in ’96 with an opening day blowout loss to WVU in Johnny Majors, the Sequel’s final year. In fact, Coach Wannstedt is almost more worried about keeping everyone in check for the rest of the week.
“We’ve got three or four days of hard work in preparation, but by Wednesday or Thursday … we’ve got rallies, bonfires and (ESPN) Game Day coming in. So, if anything, I’m probably going to be slowing them down a bit and just trying to let it take its natural course and not get ahead of ourselves.”
Yeah, there’s apparently going to be a bonfire on campus on Thursday.
Everyone is excited for the game.
The Irish and the Panthers meet 8 p.m. Saturday at Heinz Field and the game is being billed as one of the most anticipated Pitt openers in the past two decades. The game will be nationally televised on ABC and ESPN “GameDay” live Saturday morning from Heinz Field.
Pitt also will attempt to do something it hasn’t done in nearly two decades — beat the Irish twice in a row. That is something that hasn’t happened since 1986-87.
Pitt linebacker H.B. Blades said making history is not important — but history is always made when you beat a tradition-laden program like Notre Dame.
“Coaches may say that every game counts the same, but everybody here knows Notre Dame is a big game and always will be,” said Blades. “You get up to play against Notre Dame just because of who they are. Everybody understands their history, their tradition, the great, great players who have played there and what that program means to college football.
“So this game is special, no matter when it is, what our record is or whatever. It is huge. We’re not worried about streaks. We’re worried about finding a way to beat one of the best programs in the country.”
ND’s Coach Weis is also eager to get to game time. Strangely, and I guess this is part of Weis’ master plan, he is now entering the piss off the media mode.
Keith Jackson figures it has been more than 20 years since he last broadcast a college football game from Pittsburgh.
“It was 1984,” he said. “I remember Foge Fazio was coaching Pitt back then.”
These days, Jackson, who will turn 77 in October, prefers to work exclusively on the West Coast. However, he is breaking his self-imposed ban on crossing the Rocky Mountains to join the ABC-TV crew for Saturday’s Pitt-Notre Dame game at Heinz Field.
“I know I’m getting near the end of the trail,” Jackson said by phone from his home in Sherman Oaks, Calif. “I wanted to go back and see Pittsburgh. It will be fun to see Pitt play again.”
Jackson will arrive in town Thursday, and hopes to have dinner with Panthers coach Dave Wannstedt. The conversation likely will include a anecdote or two from Jackson about the games in which he saw Wannstedt play for Pitt.
Jackson has never met Notre Dame coach Charlie Weis. And it appears that will not change, even after this weekend.
“He’s turned down all of our interview requests,” Jackson said. “He told us he’d be glad to talk with (ABC broadcaster Dan) Fouts out there in South Bend, but he won’t do it on camera.
“Somebody needs to sit down with Charlie and tell him how important marketing is to Notre Dame.”
I mean, he spent a week-long media blitz in late-July (or was it early August) including one day when he was on just about every ESPN TV and Radio show. Now he’s only willing to do an interview off camera a couple days before? I’m not saying that it wouldn’t just be fluff and irrelevant to the game itself, but what is really served by that kind of action? That’s just being an asshole.
I can hardly wait until that always useless moment when a sideline reporter trots upto or after Weis before or after half-time to ask an inane and useless question. What happens? A “No comment”; coach speak answer; a withering look of contempt; bitch-slapping?
I know, this is part of Weis’ super-genius strategy to galvanize the Domer fans. Piss off a legend — albeit an increasingly confused and befuddled legend — of college football broadcasting so Domer fans can yell at the TV and everywhere else in self-righteous, aggrieved tones about how ABC and Jackson are biased against ND.
I’m going to have to get a tape of this game.
