New Pitt beat writer
- Thread starter Slick Manager of Champs
- Start date
I was thinking Abby would take over for Hiles, she was doing some coverage in the interim, I guess she goes back to Duquesne/miscellaneous now.
wait, a pitt beat writer who went to pitt and might actually be a pitt fan and not from syracuse or psu?
im shocked..
im shocked..
actually McGonigle, as blue and white as they come, did a really good job on the Pitt beat. But he was definitely the exception.
There has been a bad stretch, but there also was a long stretch of very pro-Pitt beat writers that us old folks can remember: Russ Frank, Phil Axelrod, Marino Parascenzo to name 3. I think the downtrend started with Smizik, who ironically was a Pitt grad.
Ed Bouchette also, who was before my time. He actually said in one of his last interviews that he was upset to be moved from the Pitt beat to the Steelers since the Steelers were so bad at the time.
I can't remember the specifics, but something happened when Smizik was on the Pitt beat. He was going to run a story about something he found out that Billick and co. didn't want it published? Started the bad blood between him & Pitt. He was on good terms originally; I remember Sherrill had him as a coach for one of the spring games.
Thankfully that wasn't the answer. She's pretty clueless on sports.
x.com
x.com
Three thoughts from his X page:
I agree that it’s nice to have a Pitt guy in this position.
He has the “Charlie Brown” theme already in place. He must know what to expect.
He looks way too young.
Chris Carter is a Pitt alum and has been very good, though I’m not sure how much longer he’ll be on the Pitt beat before he’s moved up.
always liked joe, had the pleasure of meeting him and talking pitt sports with him at some south side watering holes back in the day..
his linkedin account says he's a business development coordinator for Menards so apparently he got out of the sports talk/media game about 6-7 years ago..
Oh yeah, I shared some beers with him at some spots also. Great guy.
great story. on the first go around with conference expansion, i cant even remember the year it's been so long ago. believe he was still the beat writer at pitt back then. I am with some friends, i see him at pipers pub on carson. i ask him, "is pitt gonna get an invite to the big 10?"
he looks at me, no hesitation and says, "they arent going to the big 10 for the same reason you and i didnt go to prom with the best looking girl in school. because they didnt want us." I mean it was funny, wasnt offended that he assumed i didnt go to prom with the hot girl (Sadly he was right). and sure enough, he ended up following us to another bar (McArdles Pub) and drank all night with him.
a beat writer should be a tad of a homer. not an apologist like every steeler beat writer in my lifetime but it's ok to have someone cover the team who doesnt actively dislike pitt, it will be a nice change for once.
it's possible to ask a tough question and be critical at times and still be a fan. i know we dont see it in this city with our media but it is possible.
I disagree. The Pitt beat writer shouldn't be a homer. He or she should be interested and engaged enough to understand what readers want while also being a diligent reporter. Let's face it: In the hierarchy of Pittsburgh sportswriting assignments, Pitt is pretty far down the list. I would settle for someone who's ambitious enough to want to work their way up or out of the assignment.
pitt beat writer job has been a stepping stone job to get to the steelers for 40 years, if not longer. that wont change..
All we want is a Pitt beat writer who doesn't beat on Pitt.
