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Pitt-PSU may resume - because of reallignment
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Captain Bearcat Offline
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Post: #1
Pitt-PSU may resume - because of reallignment
Pitt AD optimistic on series vs. PSU

Why is this happening now? It's quite obvious: Penn State has always thrived by being the big dog in the Northeast. To maintain that, they had to play games throughout the Northeastern corridor. Just look at who replaced Pitt on PSU's schedule: Temple, Virginia, Navy, Syracuse, and BC. All schools that have a major presence in the Bos-Wash corridor.

Now that PSU has two Eastern rivals in their conference, they can afford to schedule their in-state quasi-Midwestern rival again.
05-14-2013 02:16 PM
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TIGER-PAUL Offline
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Post: #2
RE: Pitt-PSU may resume - because of reallignment
Why is this happening now?

that and Joe no longer with us....
05-14-2013 02:31 PM
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JunkYardCard Offline
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Post: #3
RE: Pitt-PSU may resume - because of reallignment
Never understood how Pitt and Penn State could stop playing in the first place. Utterly moronic.
05-14-2013 02:31 PM
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TerryD Offline
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RE: Pitt-PSU may resume - because of reallignment
(05-14-2013 02:31 PM)JunkYardCard Wrote:  Never understood how Pitt and Penn State could stop playing in the first place. Utterly moronic.

Paterno.
05-14-2013 02:53 PM
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Dr. Isaly von Yinzer Offline
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Post: #5
RE: Pitt-PSU may resume - because of reallignment
Pittsburgh is not Midwestern, it just borders Ohio - the start of the Midwest. However, that doesn't make it Midwestern or "quasi Midwestern" (a term I love, BTW) any more than Cincinnati is Southern by virtue of the fact that it borders Kentucky.

As someone who lived in Ohio (Columbus) for almost a decade, there really aren't very many similarities between the two.

Now, in all fairness, I have also lived on Philadelphia and Pittsburgh is also dissimilar to that city. It is kind of its own place - which is precisely why I love it.

As for Pitt/Penn State, they absolutely SHOULD play every year. That was once THE showcase game in the Northeast every year and it was easily this region's fiercest rivalry. Pitt and West Virginia also have a good rivalry going - I love the Backyard Brawl. However, if I'm being honest, I must acknowledge that Pitt/WVU pales in comparison to Pitt/Penn State. It's not even close.

As for the series' resumption, I don't think it has anything to do with the addition of Rutgers or Maryland to the Big Ten. Rather, it has everything to do with the fact Joe Paterno - the man who single-handedly stopped the rivalry - is now dead, thereby clearing the way for the series' resumption.

For those who are not familiar, it basically goes back to the late 70s and early 80s when both programs were at their apex and everyone on both sides hated the very sight of each other. There were lots of nasty incidents between both schools that culminated in Pitt's refusal to join Penn State in an Eastern all sports conference (on Paterno's terms of course). That led to a chain reaction of events that basically led PSU into the B1G and Pitt into the BE and ultimately into the ACC.

Everyone has their perspective on that issue and truthfully, everyone has a fair point. It was messy and nasty on a bunch of people's parts but that is what led to the cessation of that rivalry. Also, Paterno's death is what is leading to the new discussions between the schools, not B1G expansion.
(This post was last modified: 05-14-2013 02:57 PM by Dr. Isaly von Yinzer.)
05-14-2013 02:54 PM
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JunkYardCard Offline
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Post: #6
RE: Pitt-PSU may resume - because of reallignment
(05-14-2013 02:53 PM)TerryD Wrote:  
(05-14-2013 02:31 PM)JunkYardCard Wrote:  Never understood how Pitt and Penn State could stop playing in the first place. Utterly moronic.

Paterno.

I knew he was the motivation behind it. I guess that is just one more thing that shows how much power he had. I don't think any coach could ever have the power to nix the UK-Louisville game. For that matter, what coach could ever want to kill FSU-Florida, GT-UGA, etc. Look what it took to kill Texas-aTm.
05-14-2013 02:59 PM
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LSUtah Offline
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Post: #7
RE: Pitt-PSU may resume - because of reallignment
(05-14-2013 02:16 PM)Captain Bearcat Wrote:  Pitt AD optimistic on series vs. PSU

Why is this happening now? It's quite obvious: Penn State has always thrived by being the big dog in the Northeast. To maintain that, they had to play games throughout the Northeastern corridor. Just look at who replaced Pitt on PSU's schedule: Temple, Virginia, Navy, Syracuse, and BC. All schools that have a major presence in the Bos-Wash corridor.

Now that PSU has two Eastern rivals in their conference, they can afford to schedule their in-state quasi-Midwestern rival again.

I have fond memories of this series from when I was a kid. I hope this happens...
05-14-2013 04:21 PM
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ohio1317 Offline
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Post: #8
RE: Pitt-PSU may resume - because of reallignment
I don't see it becoming annual given the 9 game Big Ten schedule, but I could see it becoming at least 4 years a decade.
05-14-2013 04:27 PM
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MKPitt Offline
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Post: #9
RE: Pitt-PSU may resume - because of reallignment
I think every Pitt fan celebrated when Joe was no longer the coach, he single-handedly destroyed what was a great rivalry. I'm glad it is coming back at least on some level.
05-14-2013 05:21 PM
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bitcruncher Offline
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Post: #10
RE: Pitt-PSU may resume - because of reallignment
There have even been rumors that Penn State may schedule some games with WVU sometime in the near future...
05-14-2013 06:13 PM
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brista21 Offline
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Post: #11
RE: Pitt-PSU may resume - because of reallignment
(05-14-2013 06:13 PM)bitcruncher Wrote:  There have even been rumors that Penn State may schedule some games with WVU sometime in the near future...

The old man's passing has led to a renewed interest by Penn State in being with its old rivals. Penn State's Athletics Department has been very outward in its excitement at Maryland and Rutgers joining. They benefit by the Big Ten's latest expansion more than anyone other than Rutgers. They get Eastern games they actually want on the schedule and they remain in the Big Ten. Its ideal for them.

That being said I think Pitt and Penn State won't be annual as long as both are in different leagues. On the other hand I expect it to happen several times a decade now. I'd love to see WVU back on Rutgers' schedule with some regularity. Last season just didn't seem right without the annual beatdown or lead for 3 quarters and lose.
(This post was last modified: 05-14-2013 06:19 PM by brista21.)
05-14-2013 06:18 PM
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MKPitt Offline
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Post: #12
RE: Pitt-PSU may resume - because of reallignment
It would be nice if the eastern schools didn't all have to fight over the few open slots on the out of conference schedules and Penn State, Pitt, Rutgers, West Virginia, and Syracuse had all joined the same league back in the day. 03-banghead

I think most reasonable fans in each fanbase want all of these five schools to be regularly playing each other but it's impossible with the current setup.
05-14-2013 08:12 PM
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brista21 Offline
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Post: #13
RE: Pitt-PSU may resume - because of reallignment
(05-14-2013 08:12 PM)MKPitt Wrote:  It would be nice if the eastern schools didn't all have to fight over the few open slots on the out of conference schedules and Penn State, Pitt, Rutgers, West Virginia, and Syracuse had all joined the same league back in the day. 03-banghead

I think most reasonable fans in each fanbase want all of these five schools to be regularly playing each other but it's impossible with the current setup.

Yup and there's a few other schools I'd have liked to see with us too.
05-15-2013 10:22 AM
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bitcruncher Offline
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Post: #14
RE: Pitt-PSU may resume - because of reallignment
(05-15-2013 10:22 AM)brista21 Wrote:  
(05-14-2013 08:12 PM)MKPitt Wrote:  It would be nice if the eastern schools didn't all have to fight over the few open slots on the out of conference schedules and Penn State, Pitt, Rutgers, West Virginia, and Syracuse had all joined the same league back in the day. 03-banghead

I think most reasonable fans in each fanbase want all of these five schools to be regularly playing each other but it's impossible with the current setup.
Yup and there's a few other schools I'd have liked to see with us too.
Those days are long gone, and never to be seen again. It's a pity. But it is what it is...
05-15-2013 12:21 PM
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