Here's a Pittsburgh Sports Media Beef ...
- Thread starter DT_PITT
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Channel 11 also did a minute+ on the Pens playing an outside game at Heinz field before showing 1 (yes one) highlight from the Pitt game.
I always thought Jory Rand was bad on the Nightly Sports Call, but the combination of Gene Collier and Richie Walsh is even worse. Walsh is very uncomfortable and incessantly talks rather than take calls and Collier dislikes Pitt and professes to know little about Basketball although he is a sports writer on a major newspaper. Aside from hockey and football local sports fans get very little from the Pgh. electronic media except for Bob Pompeani who is an excellent and the best in Pittsburgh sports
It's reasonable, Steelers are the biggest sports story in Pittsburgh every day that the Pirates don't win the World Series, the Pens don't win the Cup or Pitt doesn't win a NC.
Yep.
I don't hate the steelers, and up to about 5 years ago used to cheer for them like anyone else.
Now however I am suck of them. The primary reason is because I consider the attention and coverage they get, and the overall worship of them nitter like.
I mean Harrison is revered, but is a woman beater.
Really an old, tired and lame complaint. I don't know about TV broadcasts but the Pitt-Cuse game was definitely covered just fine and appropriately placed on both paper's online sites. And to not expect any signing developments on the 1st day of NFL free agency to not take a notable place in the media coverage is not realistic. The Steelers actually had a couple big ones.
I know that, just watching ESPN all day, NFL free agent signings got as much if not more attention than NCAA conference tourney action all day.
It is the world we live in. I noticed this yesterday too. And I understand this. But....here is where I really take them to task, then they criticize Pitt for attendance. Well when you marginalize whatever sport Pitt is playing and subordinate it to everything else, well then you are conditioning the public that it isn't that important.
I might be in the minority but the Steelers should be #1,Pirates 2 and then Pitt fits in next if they are top 25 and if not it's the Pens. I like all sports and that's just what makes sense. Pens are very niche but when great, they unite the community. They are not great so they fight for 3rd with Pitt. Being off the bubble and winning a second round game of ACC is not exactly big news. Signing a Tight End to take Heath Miller's place is actually good water cooler talk and I'm not being sarcastic. The sooner you realize Pro Sports is #1, the less it bothers you.
I'm a Pitt BB fan and was definitely excited and energized by the game yesterday. But, looking at it objectively from someone that may only be a casual fan as you could describe a majority of the Pittsburgh area sports fans, it was only a 1st round win against another middle-of-the-road foe. Now if they go out today and beat UNC and the coverage is not better, than I would agree that would be a WTF.
And personally, I don't care if the players are good or bad people, I root for the logo and the colors, not the character of the team members. I mean, the US Military has wife beaters on their team too, I still root for them.
Why watch local sports? Apart from high school, it is more thoroughly and far better covered than by others. Gene Collier?! I thought he was dead...or is he writing obits now? He is a non player.
Hate to say this, the Pens are not "niche". Hockey is a niche sport across the USA, but not in Pittsburgh, it is mainstream here. Pens games DWARF Pitt games in ratings. DWARF them! Like 10 times the ratings.
OH MY GOD!!!! THEY SIGNED BROCK OSWEILLER!!!! THAT IS GREAT NEWS!!!! THANKS DT!!!!
The amount of free publicity that the local media gives the pro teams is gag worthy.
I don't disagree, however you do realize the "burg" once had a pro basketball team that got no coverage. BB in Pgh is below bowling unless Jamies teams were fighting for Big East championships. Since he has lost his MOJO either by recruiting or coaching, then BB will be behind everything
Perhaps it is a bit old and tired. It is what it is.
Actually, I really shouldn't "blame" the media. They give their audience what they want, and in this city, that's the Steelers.
But yes, I do think an actual game that is very meaningful is a "bigger story" than the Steelers free agent talk. But that's clearly a minority view in Pittsburgh.
Even after the game (which Starkey and Mueller discussed enthusiastically), they actually commented how few phone calls they were getting about Pitt Hoops at the time.
I agree to some extent, this has been the story in the Burgh, even when the Panthers were in their Apex.
On the last day of the regular season of 2003-2004, the top 5 Panthers beat Villanova to win the regular season Big East Championship. It was senior day for Julius Page and Jaron Brown.
But all three sportscasts that night led with "Steelers release punter Josh Miller" and spent a great deal of time on the story.
The second story on KDKA Sports was Pitt Hoops, but both WPXI and WTAE next went to highlights on the Pens game before moving onto Pitt Hoops.
Just a few things. As a fan of Pitt specific and college sports in general, yeah it is bothersome. But I am not criticizing so much, as I am stating facts. Where my criticism of the media comes in when they whine about Pitt not having the same gameday atmosphere as say Kansas BB or PSU football, yet they are the ones who are pimping any pro sports piece of news to the audience. So in many ways, they themselves diminish Pitt and college sports here as compared to other markets.
The other is more obvious. What was Pitt FB this past year? 8-5? When was the last time Pitt FB was in the Top 10? It last won a Championship in 1976. The Steelers in contrast are the winningest NFL franchise since 1970. They have won 6 championships in that span. 8 Super Bowls. Think about it, they have more Super Bowls combined than some of the teams combined have appearances. They had a "meh" season this year and finished in Conference Semi's. The Pens have won 3 Cup Championships and 4 Finals In the last 25 years. The Pirates have been to the playoffs the last 3 years. Our pro teams are successful. That goes a lot towards building fan bases and audiences.
The other is more obvious. What was Pitt FB this past year? 8-5? When was the last time Pitt FB was in the Top 10? It last won a Championship in 1976. The Steelers in contrast are the winningest NFL franchise since 1970. They have won 6 championships in that span. 8 Super Bowls. Think about it, they have more Super Bowls combined than some of the teams combined have appearances. They had a "meh" season this year and finished in Conference Semi's. The Pens have won 3 Cup Championships and 4 Finals In the last 25 years. The Pirates have been to the playoffs the last 3 years. Our pro teams are successful. That goes a lot towards building fan bases and audiences.
Money controls the media. Their money comes from advertisers who buy eyes and ears. When Pitt becomes as newsworthy as the steelers which will never happen then they'll get equal coverage.
I don't think it's even that so much.
The viewers and listeners want to hear about the Steelers. Next they want to hear about the Steelers. The third thing they want to hear about is the Steelers, and so on.
Heck, things like the Steelers draft even significantly trump the Pens and Pirates.
And on 93.7 the Fan, when they bring up Pitt topics, no one calls in.
It is what it is.
Good point - when they ask to talk about Pitt, then people listening need to call in. Instead of complaining about it, people should be doing something.
My nominee for post of the month if not the year. Excellent post, Recruits.
I can't believe this is news to anyone who has lived here for more than a week. Pitt could play in the Final Four and still be fourth priority, although I hope that someday in my lifetime I am proved wrong on that statement.
I'm trying to remember the last time I watched a "local news" broadcast. I remember a weather man named Joe Denardo, and Wikipedia tells me he retired in 2005, so it's been a while. Nice to know some things never change.
As for 93.7, I listen to that station before, sometimes during, and after games till Bill puts a button on it. Had the misfortune to hear a misinformed gas bag named fillypony on it once about 5 years ago, so no reason for me to listen to that station unless it's game time.
If I want to know about anything related to Pitt basketball, well, that's what Dribbles are for.
The Steelers will usually be a bigger story than Pitt. If Pitt's win was in the ACC semis or finals or in the NCAA sweet 16 it would have beaten out the Steeler TE story.
But in reality signing this TE has a much bigger impact overall than this particular Pitt victory.
I see your point.
However, I won't take it to the bank that the TE signing would have been below the Pitt Hoops win you described.
Again, it is a challenge that Pitt will always have to face. It is why in most areas, your dominant college teams in football and basketball are in large state schools in college towns or a city like Cincy, which doesn't have an NBA or NHL team, therefore has enough interest to support UC AND Xavier basketball.
