How is it, that almost every off season, the topic of Penn State-Pittsburgh comes up?

“If I had to make a choice between Pitt and West Virginia, I would feel more obligated to West Virginia because of the fact that West Virginia stayed with us when we were trying to do some things,” Paterno said at last week’s annual football media day, “But Pitt did what it felt was best for Pitt. They didn’t give a darn about us.” – Joe Paterno, 1990

It’s just not going to happen, not solely because of Joe Paterno, but because Pittsburgh is no longer relevant.

Yes, the sad truth is that while the alumnus from yesteryear would relive tales of epic Nittany Lion – Panther games, the new generation of Penn State fans have moved on and Pittsburgh excites them as much as Syracuse. A more prestigious opponent when compared to Temple, Akron and Central Michigan, but offers as much value to the Penn State football program as a box of tampons.

Why would we lock ourselves into a long term contract with Pittsburgh when we could have rotating opponents like South Florida, USC, Alabama, Syracuse, and Virginia. You are not only talking about fresh new BCS opponents descending upon Happy Valley every two years, but the chance for Nittany Lion fans to visit new venues, towns and states in the process. A long term series with Pittsburgh would generate what? A chance to look forward to the city of Pittsburgh every two years? I’d take a raucous college atmosphere over an empty stadium, bridges and tunnels any day of the year.

Its a sorry revelation, but Pittsburgh has become less of a quality opponent than fellow Big East member Rutgers or even Louisville, once considered a basketball power.

A simple look at the Sagarin ratings for the last 5 years tell the tale. Only during the dark ages of the Zack Mills era, Penn State would have benefited from playing Pitt and even then we would have been extremely competitive.

Playing Pittsburgh would simply be unnecessary dead weight. True, they are a much better opponent than Temple, East Carolina or Central Michigan, but those teams serve a much greater purpose than simply showing up for the game. Those games are almost a tune-up, an extra fall scrimmage to prepare the Lions for the real meat of the schedule when conference play begins. Unlike the NFL where preseason games serve the same purpose, the Lions schedule these patsies so we can prepare ourselves for the Big Ten matchups against another team not dressed in a Lion’s uniform.

If Penn State were to schedule Pittsburgh, it would mean replacing Alabama, Syracuse, Oregon State, Virginia and Notre Dame from our schedule, not Temple, East Carolina and Western Michigan as oblivious critics of Joe Paterno claim. We simply can’t afford to pad our non conference schedule with opponents that actually registers a pulse on offense and defense. We already have enough of that during Big Ten play, it would be overkill to do so in our non-conference portion. Get the big picture here?

We CAN schedule Pittsburgh, but are we willing to sacrifice possible rotating matchups with the likes of Alabama, Notre Dame, Syracuse, and Virginia to do so? Bring on the legions of Alabama crimson, Irish green and gold, Syracuse orange and Virginia shirts and ties. At least playing those programs will guarantee that we will see at least 20 of them which is more than Pittsburgh can say for their empty stadium on game day.

Lets for a second forget the atrocious funk that some of the programs are currently in, but if the proponents of the rivalry have their way, we would see Pittsburgh year in and year out without any other big name program for years to come. We are no longer in the era of conference independence, we can’t pick and choose several big name opponents padded with cupcakes. The Big Ten IS our gauntlet of big name opponents, with them it actually matters when it comes to the BCS and the Big Ten title. Pittsburgh just isn’t worth it.

So enough about Joe Paterno harboring a vendetta against Pittsburgh for leaving Penn State in the dust when it mattered. I too would not give Pitt the time of day if they snubbed me when I needed them back in the day and now want something of their own. That’s not the point here. It’s not that we CAN’T schedule Pitt because of Joe Paterno. Its because we DON’T WANT to.

Other than a geographical commonality, little else brings the two programs together. Pittsburgh claiming that they deserve an annual game against Penn State is like Western Michigan deserving an annual matchup against Michigan or Michigan State. It’s time they moved on.

Releated Posts:

1. Nitt Links rehashes old arguments like a broken record
2. Blue White Round Table – Kevin’s Take on Syracuse
3. The Temple-Penn State Rivalry
4. 44 for 44: Kenny Jackson
5. Champions of the East: Nittany Lions awarded record 28th Lambert Meadowlands Trophy

Tweet