So Joe Paterno finally woke up from his coma long enough to rekindle one of the greatest rivalries in college football: Pitt vs. Penn State. It's been a long time coming and the fact that this topic has been dominating the sports talk shows and forums should show what this rivalry means to the region.
More after the jump...
The fact that Pitt and Penn State haven't played in years is a joke and Penn State is the guilty party in that one. PSU wanted two home games for every one played at Pitt and wanted half the proceeds from the gate when Pitt hosted the game...absolutely ridiculous.
Penn State has always felt that it was above Pitt and didn't need the game, which is probably true. Pitt has struggled in recent years while Penn State always finds itself in position to blow the big game at the end of the year in front of a national television audience.
The sad thing about this whole thing is that it won't begin until 2016 when Pitt hosts the first of a two game series (Hell, JoePa might not make it to lunch, let alone 2016). Penn State officials have also stressed that they have no interest in making this a yearly event and that they were only filling a schedule which was recently vacated by the Miami Hurricanes. What a load of garbage.
Penn State is playing this off like they are doing Pitt a favor, like Pitt is some lesser opponent that they are throwing a bone to. If there's no benefit to playing "lesser schools", then why does PSU always seem to have room for Temple and Akron on their schedule? And didn't Penn State almost lose to Temple last year?
PSU fans have always had an aura of superiority and that drives Pitt fans insane. As a matter of fact, the Big Ten in general has that same aura, a feeling that they are somehow better than the rest of college football and that we should all feel privileged to watch them play the game. I know that the SEC loves to see them in the BCS Championship game, considering the ass-whippings the Southern boys always seem to deliver on the big stage.
I do, however, see Penn State's point of view. If you are considered the top dog in a state, why would you give the "lesser" team a chance to knock you from that pedestal? What if Pitt sweeps two game series? I guarantee you that means Penn State backs out of any future meetings. They didn't sign up for these games to lose, they signed up to win 45-0 and prove it's dominance. After all, Penn State are still mad that they lost to Rod Rutherford and the Panthers 12-0 back in 2000.
The Bottom Line: Pitt needs this game right now more than Penn State does. However, JoePa's insistence of PSU's superiority throughout the years makes him look like a pain in the ass. If you are supposedly so much better than your in-state rival, then take the field and prove it. Since PSU is playing the "we're doing you a favor" card, that should motivate Pitt all the more when 2016 finally rolls around and Heinz Field is rocking. As a season ticket holder, I have never been excited for a game 5 years away but there's a first time for everything.
Also, allow me to be the first to say this publicly: Hey, Penn State...blow me.
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