June 20, 2007
Paterno says resumption of Pitt rivalry must be on PSU's terms
Penn State coach Joe Paterno fielded questions in Pittsburgh last night at an alumni fund raiser, including the future of a Penn State - Pitt series.
JoPa firmly blamed the collapse of the series on Pitt's decision to join the Big East and -- if Pitt wants to renew the rivalry -- it will have to be on Penn State's terms.
Paterno answered that question the way he always has, bringing up his attempt at forming an all-sports eastern conference which was nullified when Pitt joined the Big East for basketball in 1982. That forced Penn State to join the Big Ten a few years later, and eventually, in 2000, the series ended. There have been no serious talks on renewing the series, and Paterno reiterated that Pitt would have to play the series on Penn State's terms."Financially, we have to have seven home games," Paterno said. "Now, if Pitt would say tomorrow that we'll play twice up at your place and once down here ... The last time we came to Pitt, they charged more money for our game than any other game.
"I'd love to play, but we have to think about some things in our place. We're going to play Virginia, Nebraska, Notre Dame. We have fans all over the country now, and they all want to see us in intersectional games. Saying that, I was with Dave Wannstedt, Marty Schottenheimer and Foge Fazio in Hershey last week. That was the topic sentence ... I love Pittsburgh, but we have economic things we have to consider. We're going to try to raise a billion dollars. We have to go to California to see people. We have to make a presence in a lot of different ways. I personally would like to have a home-and-home series with Pitt, but I don't think it's realistic right now."
So, for those of you pining for future Panthers-Nittany Lions matchups, it certainly sounds like an uphill battle as long as JoPa has any say in the matter. Although Paterno is right about the financial side of the equation and PSU's need to have at least seven home games every year, you also get the feeling that the old coach feels he deserves an apology of sorts from the gang at Pitt.
Another interesting takeaway, Paterno plans to return to the sidelines this fall, although you won't see him sprinting out of the locker with his team. The 80-year old coach is still recovering from the sideline knee injury suffered during last season's Wisconsin game.
"Right now, I wouldn't bet on it," Paterno said of leading his team onto the field for the season opener against Florida International. "It's been tough on me to get enough exercise as I'd like. I'm going down to the shore on Monday and I'll start trying to run down there, and we'll see what happens. I have an outside shot of making it."
Comments:
novaman17 said:
posted on June 20, 2007 12:18 PM — 76.1.44.159 — link — abuse?
One of Penn State's biggest problems as far as funding is getting money from big time boosters. I am not saying it is due to the lack of boosters, but I think is is more of making it known they are needed more these days. It has already been said that PSU is way behind schools like Michigan and Ohio State as far as boosters are concerned. I am sure USC is far ahead as well if not the most ahead, so comparing PSU's situation to USC's is not exactly the same...
Zac said:
posted on June 20, 2007 1:16 PM — 65.31.230.72 — link — abuse?
I find it interesting that Joe Pa doesn't sound much different than some Big East coaches or commissioners. Money plays an important factor in the series between PA St & Pitt. Just like last year, when money played an important factor in a game eventually played at WVU against E WA. It was originally to be played against Buffalo, but they opted out, themselves claiming the money wasn't quite to their likening, and they did get a better deal elsewhere. WVU, needing to fill that slot, took the 1st team willing to come.
The real truth in this case gets back to the Big East, a proposal brought to them by Syracuse to invite PA St to join, and the Big East voting it down. I have heard, at the heart of that decision making was Pitt. I don't know how true it is, nor do I know their rational. I only know after so many years, PA St still remembers, and it stings. It's no wonder Joe Pa is "wining", as it were. A little trivia regarding this circumstance: In addition to Syracuse, the only other two schools (Again, I'd have to do some digging to be entirely certain of this.) to vote in favor of PA St joining the Big East were VA Tech, and WVU.
posted on June 20, 2007 6:20 PM — 64.12.116.77 — link — abuse?War Eagle Atlanta said:
It's a shame when traditional rivalries die, but this one really ended after 1992. They squeeked out a few more games in the 1990s, but the conference allegiances really killed this one off. It's especially a pity because this was always a close rivalry. Perhaps it may change when JoePa leaves for that big practice field in the sky.
The new mega-sized conferences and their 8-game conference schedules have really terminated some old rivalries. For Auburn, being in the wrong division killed off 2 traditional rivals, Florida and Tennessee. Auburn should have been in the East division and Vanderbilt in the West, but with the rise of Florida since the 1980s, that would have left 4 powers in the east and only two in the west. Oh well...
College Pigskin Fan said:
posted on June 20, 2007 8:45 PM — 63.19.118.54 — link — abuse?
Maybe it's me, but I don't get it. Penn St. has to have a seventh home game? Sounds more like an excuse than a reason.
Example, Georgia plays in a 80,000 plus seat stadium, they play six home games per year, and they manage to alternate sites with their rivals Georgia Tech. Georgia Tech plays in a 50,000 to 55,000 seat stadium.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't the Big 10 have one of the best TV deals and Bowl arrangements outside of the SEC?
Last I checked, State College is not a far trip to Pittsburgh. Just think if all the major programs wanted to play seven home games. Yikes.
Brian said:
posted on June 20, 2007 9:12 PM — 69.250.168.62 — link — abuse?
So PSU can afford a 1 and 1 with UVA but not Pitt. And this snub took place during the 1st Reagan Administration. Now I know why Joe Pa is still coaching. He's too stubborn to do anything else.
http://thebusinessofcfb.blogspot.com/shiguy said:
posted on June 21, 2007 7:06 AM — 64.9.12.234 — link — abuse?
sounds basically like a lot of "wa wa wa we don't want to play a BE team when we're a B10 team because we hvae nothing to gain from it" pitt hasn't exactly been doing great lately but they're definatly still a good team. last year they were beating WVU at the backyard brawl for the entire first half of the game before WVU managed to stage a comback in the second half. i wouldn't agree to penn st.'s terms either. if some school came up to me and said "we'll play you, but only if we get 2 times the home games that you do" (when i'm already playing teams such as Mich st. with home and home series) i would give them the finger and say "up yours" it's a pitty because i have heard that pitt is actually trying to get this rivarly going again.
Portis said:
posted on June 21, 2007 7:30 AM — 24.140.92.2 — link — abuse?
With talks coming to an end for a Pitt/Clemson series beginning in 2010, this leaves Pitt with an open date on September 18, 2010. It just so happens that PSU also has this date open on their future schedule. If this is gonna happen it looks like now would be the time, if not then perhaps those fans hoping to see this should give up. Seems that as long as JoePa is ruling the roost, there will be no Pitt/PSU game.
Go Eers!
Panther Rich said:
posted on June 21, 2007 8:32 AM — 170.201.180.136 — link — abuse?
There are a number of stories that have floated out there over the years as to why Penn State was not voted into the Big East. The story that I have heard is that Joe wanted in the Big East on his terms. At the time he realized the money making machine that he had with the PSU football program so as part of the deal of PSU joining the Big East and form an all sports Eastern conference was that revenues would be shared equally as they are in conferences today EXCEPT football revenue. Schools would keep all revenues driven from football. That is why most of the schools voted them out. I understand that Joe was trying to do what was best for PSU but don't bitch and moan 30 years later and say you were screwed by not being voted in.
shiguy said:
posted on June 21, 2007 12:14 PM — 64.9.12.234 — link — abuse?
Maurice there is actually some logic in what you just said. Penn st. probably just sees it as we're a good B10 team and you're a mediocre BE team so why should we play them. but yes i bet if Pitt was to become a major contender again they would probably change their story. Also Pitt needs to pack the seats more. last year at the Backyard brawl Heinz field was only about 75% full. i know it's a larger stadium but common about 3/4 of those fans that were actually there were WVU fans.
Zac said:
posted on June 21, 2007 6:33 PM — 65.31.230.72 — link — abuse?
Some years back VA Tech went 9-2 and didn't go to a bowl game. The experts said Tech's schedule was too weak to warrant it. So, Tech beefed up their schedule over time (including some one time visits elsewhere), and we all see where they are today.
Arguably, Pitt shouldn't have to go through that. They've paid their dues, not to mention, they own a couple of NC's. However, sometimes you gotta take the worthy chance. Maybe they need to make PA St an offer they can't refuse; basically, pull a variation on Marshall/WVU. PA St & Pitt both have this open date next year. Suppose Pitt offers to play at PA St next year. Only, the winner plays on the winner's home field the following year. The worst that can happen is Pitt winds up with two opportunities to embarrass PA St in Happy Valley. The best that could happen is Pitt does it the 1st year, before doing it again at Heinz Field the 2nd. If nothing else, it's worth a shot. Just a thought.
NittanyNation said:
posted on June 22, 2007 4:04 PM — 63.144.43.98 — link — abuse?
The real issue is that the last time PSU played at Pitt, they raised the price of the tickets just for that game. That'll just be working over State fans cause it's inevitable that they'll have more fans. Of course, PSU wants money for a seven home game schedule, every team does. I'm sure that has something to do with it, but what makes Pitt think they have the upper hand in bargaining? JoePa is just letting them know their place.
Zac said:
posted on June 23, 2007 11:22 PM — 65.31.230.72 — link — abuse?
Yo, NittanyNation, how's this for class? I live out here in Husker country, and have it on good authority that Wake Forest fans & alumnus are buying up all the tickets they can to keep them out of the hands of Nebraska fans, for Wake's home opener with the Huskers. Kevin, howzabout you check that out and see if that's what's really going on?
nittanymountaineer said:
posted on June 27, 2007 2:15 PM — 67.163.124.237 — link — abuse?
seems everyone never likes to heard the whole story....Pitt always balked at forming an Eastern all-sports conference since the ealy 70's. It all has to do with egos and revenues and insecurities. It would have been great to have PSU in the beginning of the Big East and others wanted them too. The ACC Raping of a few years ago probably wouldn't have been possible. Now, Pitt wants to cash in on the enevitable PSU fan base?! And they can't even fill their own stadium up for the WVU game? If those tickest were available to WVU, it would have been 90% Mountaineers in Heinz Field. For PSu to play in The Burgh, Pitt has got to fork over the cash. I'd much rather see a PSU-WVU or PSU-Rutgers game these days.
PS: current ND tickets if you can find them are from $300 to $3000!!! For a 110,000 seat stadium?!?! And you think a 64,000 stadium were the home team (Pitt) holds out many tickets to keep the PSU fans from swamping the place and charging more for the tickets is right?!?!? You call that whining?!?!? I call that a RIP OFF!!!
NittanyNation said:
posted on June 28, 2007 8:54 AM — 63.144.43.98 — link — abuse?
Nittanymountaineer, I actually did know that story. I'm sure that definitely has something to do with it too. I doubt that that's the only issue (like we both pointed out). It's funny as hell to see Pitt not even be able to pull in 4,000 people at their Spring Game. I'd like to see PSU play Pitt only to solidify dominance in recruiting in the state.
WE ARE...PENN STATE
NittanyNation said:
posted on June 28, 2007 9:10 AM — 63.144.43.98 — link — abuse?
Oh yeah, #6 College Pigskin Fan, I live in Athens, GA about 3 miles from Sanford Stadium and it definitely has 93,000 seats, not 80,000. In addition, last year and this year they scheduled 7 home games. As for previous years, I didn't check that, but I can imagine it's the same.
mug said:
posted on June 30, 2007 6:37 AM — 172.165.219.183 — link — abuse?
shiguy your dumb. why don't you look at how many games (all-time)between Pitt & Penn State have been played at Pitt. You have no clue what you are talking about...they screwed us for years and now that they are no longer relevant you want to bring this stupid s*** up. Nebraska, Virginia (Al Groh), Alabama are all already worked out and ARE 1000 times better than scheduling Pitt. DW will probably in all honesty be FIRED before Joe even leaves Penn State, so maybe Penn State will be able to deal with 'a new guy' who actually understands what Pitt actually means in the big picture; not a damn thing right now.
shiguy said:
posted on July 3, 2007 12:33 PM — 64.9.12.234 — link — abuse?
mug, i never said that penn st. should drop an already scheduled school. but now that pitt is out of the clemson series there is a perfect date lined up for a match up and penn st. is being stuburn about it. so you're actually telling me that penn st. can get more money going to california than playing an instate rival??? please try not to choke on all the bullsh$t. anyhow with all the schools in california i highly doubt that that is going to be an extremely profitable trip compaired to a major instate rivalry. maybe in television viewing but that's about it. personally i myself would enjoy seeing a wvu-psu (huge sellouts!!) or even a rutgers-psu game but the pitt game would still interest me as i'm sure it would revive some spirit in several dorment fans.
NittanyNation said:
posted on July 3, 2007 2:53 PM — 63.144.43.98 — link — abuse?
Penn State not playing Pitt has everything to do with not wanting to get reemed by them not wanting to give us a home-and-home series. They've already had almost 70% of the past games played in Pittsburgh. One reason could be due to Pitt Stadium being a superior facility till Beaver was moved to it's current location. However, now they need PSU to fill their stadium for them. Just cause JoePa doesn't want to do that some people are saying he's whining. I completely agree with mug in that Pitt needs to worry about other things than resuming the ass whipping PSU has given them ever since JoePa took over like who's gonna replace Wannstedt. Wannstedt=good recruits, no production
HbgFrank said:
posted on July 6, 2007 1:24 PM — 138.162.0.43 — link — abuse?
Just a few comments: The "All Sports" conference was voted down because it was just that "All Sports". The majority of BE members (a BB driven conference, then and now) were not willing to sacrifice G-Town, Nova, and St. John's BB Programs (to name a few) just to make a FB driven conference work. In retrospect, it was a great idea, and it would still be a great idea if it happened today....The WVU game last year was a sell out (yes, there were plenty of WVU fans there, but by no means were they the majority. I believe that PSU is trying to get WVU on a future schedule. If that happens, you will see plenty of Hoopies in Happy Valley on game day. They travel well, and for the most part are great fans....I love to hear PSU fans follow JoePA's lead when he complains that Pitt put a higher price on the PSU tickets than any other game. True, and Pitt did the same thing to ND, WVU, VaTech, and Miami. Or, when Pitt had a standard ticket price for all game as PSU does (more on that in a moment), they "bundled" the PSU or ND with another ticket like Temple or Bowling Greeen (meaning you had to buy tickets to both games). Here's why the boo-hooing from JoePa is ridiculous: I can't recall what the ticket price was for the 2000 game against PSU, but I do know that a few years back when Pitt played ND, the tickets for most home games were $25 each, but the ND game was $50 or $55. I have never heard, or seen on a blog, a ND fan complain about this. Yet every time the subject of Pitt playing PSU comes up, I hear about this subject. It's nothing more than the market doing what the market does. Demand drives up prices. Further, it is a recognition that PSU is an elite program. If people would not pay the price, Pitt could not charge the price. Now, let's look at PSU's ticket prices. Last year, the per game ticket price was $55. If it stays the same this year, that means that JoePa will be charging those poor FIU, Buffalo, and Temple fans $55 to see a game..."That's not fair"...Oh,wait a minute, yes it is! Why? Because that's what the market allows PSU to charge. It kills me that JoePa can't stand the fact that Pitt charged $45 or $50 bucks for a big rivalry game like Pitt vs. PSU, but it's OK for him to charge his fans $55+ to see PSU vs FIU!
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TrojanHorse said:
posted on June 20, 2007 11:00 AM — 132.228.195.206 — link — abuse?Sounds like a lot of whining by JoePa to me
Tell me what school doesn't need to raise money (thats a BS excuse..).. USC plays six home games every year.. not seven.. in a smaller stadium (92K) and they don't own it at that
With the B11 playing 8 conf games, thats 4 ooc's.. he can't find one spot every other year or even third year (hey they can skip a year) to go to Pitt.. Don't give me the BS about oh whine me a river that we play ND, VA, NU (hmmm who else has those teams on its future schedules).. its pure whining by joepa
He can still have his 7 and add PITT. by declaring only on his terms.. If I was PITT I'd wait for the old man to leave and then deal with the next guy.. PITT (as much as I hate the BE) can live without PSU just as easy as PSU can live without PITT..