No City Game, Again

[Tonyt66]

Ok I get it the PPG hold 19.8k so 12.5k is a good crowd but for the way everyone is just crying about it why is it not a sell-out it should be the whole 19.8 k that's not a lot of people for Pittsburgh and surrounding areas.
Like I said I would like to see them play too but peoples getting too out of whack about it and don't even go to the games.

They sold 12500 tickets in 2018. One of the biggest crowds in the Capel era. It would’ve been close to 15k this year most likely with both teams being good this year.

 

[CrazyPaco]

How you can't take a game at the Pete with no guarantee fee...can't understand that. It would guarantee a good crowd and Pitt would pocket most of the revenue.

It looks completely like we are ducking them and everyone has a right to point fingers at Pitt.
It looks stupid from destroying tradition point of view.
It looks to be stupid from not cashing in on revenue point of view.
IMO, should have played them last year too, even with RMU on the schedule.

 

[Parkview57]

Very disappointed in Pitt's approach, 1. It is good for the city and western pa bball,IMO 2. If Pitt loses to the Dukes they deserve whatever comes from it, man up and play the game. 3. last year they sent out signals that the game would resume, now this, very Un-Pitt like

Ok, the venting is over, now ,why doesn't Capel want to play this game?

 

[BballinsiderfromPitt]

How you can't take a game at the Pete with no guarantee fee...can't understand that. It would guarantee a good crowd and Pitt would pocket most of the revenue.

It looks completely like we are ducking them and everyone has a right to point fingers at Pitt.
It looks stupid from destroying tradition point of view.
It looks to be stupid from not cashing in on revenue point of view.
IMO, should have played them last year too, even with RMU on the schedule.

100 percent correct answer. They’re BEGGING to play us for free. Instead we’ll get mcneese State for 100k and 1000 fans.

 

[SoufOaklin4Life]

It's getting heated on The Twatter too.
I can't think of too many good excuses for us not to play them.
The media guys are going to love being outraged over this. And that's what I don't like to see.

Duquesne fans are butthurt
Because they think they are relevant
They are wrong

 

[ameoba defense]

Ok I get it the PPG hold 19.8k so 12.5k is a good crowd but for the way everyone is just crying about it why is it not a sell-out it should be the whole 19.8 k that's not a lot of people for Pittsburgh and surrounding areas.
Like I said I would like to see them play too but peoples getting too out of whack about it and don't even go to the games.

The crowds haven't been bigger because Duquesne has been mostly horrible since Pitt left the E8. I was actually curious to see what size crowd the game would draw, now that Duquesne actually has a pretty good team.

 

[ameoba defense]

Duquesne fans are butthurt
Because they think they are relevant
They are wrong

That's the same argument State Penn uses. Unfortunately, if you look at the head to head since Bowman wrecked the program, it's pretty lopsided, especially since 1960, outside of that 12 year stretch from the mid 70s to the late 80s, and St. Penn fans are quick to point that out when they want to diminish the status of Pitt. I prefer to keep the high ground, not stoop to Nitter tactics and arguments.

 

[4upmc]

How you can't take a game at the Pete with no guarantee fee...can't understand that. It would guarantee a good crowd and Pitt would pocket most of the revenue.

It looks completely like we are ducking them and everyone has a right to point fingers at Pitt.
It looks stupid from destroying tradition point of view.
It looks to be stupid from not cashing in on revenue point of view.
IMO, should have played them last year too, even with RMU on the schedule.

Absolutely no excuse on Pitt‘s part to not play the game. You said it looks like Pitt is ducking them? The correct answer is Pitt is ducking them. Pitt would and should most likely win the game but Duquesne has improved a good bit and it’s not a sure win. But either way Pitt looks like they are scared to lose and that’s a pus$y mentality. This is not college FB where a loss to a team from a lower Conf could ruin a season.

Heather said it did not fit Pitt’s “scheduling model” smh. Most of us here support JC and believe he has a chance to turn the corner...but this falls on him. As he said last year “it’s my schedule”. And that’s true because I know several D1 BB coaches and they make their schedules for the most part, they have a say in a large majority of the non conf games.

Keith Dambrot is clearly not afraid as he said “ We’ll play anywhere...We’ll play in their building for nothing” Duquesne is on record as saying they will play at Pitt for NOTHING, not at PPG where revenue could be split, but at the PETE where PITT gets every single $. This leaves Pitt with no excuse at all. We are supposed to be the better team and win the game right??? So Pitt would make $ and get a quality win against a program from a solid conference as Duquesne should win 20 games (way better than lots of the crap programs we will play at home). So what excuse does Pitt have other than being afraid to lose the game????

BTW both AD’s said last year the series would continue this year. This makes heather look bad as she won’t honor her word.

 

[maxxwell]

Duquesne fans are butthurt
Because they think they are relevant
They are wrong

PSU says the same to us about the football game.

 

[Joe the Panther Fan]

17-1
27-3
36-4

Seriously, it's no big deal. In fact it's not nearly as big a deal as Duquesne refusing to play Robert Morris because Robert Morris actually started beating them semi-regularly.

I mean I'd rather we play both Duquesne and Robert Morris every year. But I didn't miss the game last year, and I won't miss it this year.

 

[4upmc]

Duquesne fans are butthurt
Because they think they are relevant
They are wrong

Funny you say that but when ppl say Pitt FB should play an easier non conf schedule you basically say Pitt FB shouldn’t be afraid to play good comp. This should be a WIN WIN for Pitt as we will make $ and should get a solid non conf win vs a 20 win team from a solid conf. Much better than paying a MEAC team and the win not helping us at all.

Do you believe ppl should honor their word? If so Pitt should as they agreed last year to play this year.

 

[joeydavid]

Personally, I could care less either way but 1 win in the last 18 tries isn't fun.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/City_Game

 

[ameoba defense]

17-1
27-3
36-4

Seriously, it's no big deal. In fact it's not nearly as big a deal as Duquesne refusing to play Robert Morris because Robert Morris actually started beating them semi-regularly.

I mean I'd rather we play both Duquesne and Robert Morris every year. But I didn't miss the game last year, and I won't miss it this year.

No question the Dukes have been non competitive, but you know what our record is vs the Nitters the last 40 games? 10-30, and we fancy ourselves a big time program. I can make it look better by only going back 24 games 8-16, or from a Nitter perspective, just take the last 12 games 2-10. Regardless, it's ugly, so I'd hate to be that guy, using similar arguments against another team.

 

[4upmc]

I’m guessing we’ll pay 100k to Niagara or Nichols State for the free win instead. Worked out well last time. Bad look coming off a pandemic where budgets are getting cut.

Yep coming off a pandemic where athletic budgets are being cut... Heather and JC are saying what budget? Thats ok we will pay some horrible team that will draw no fans for the guaranteed win.

Playing Duquesne will bring in $ as Duquesne has agreed to not take a cent. Way more tickets will be sold than playing South West Easy Win State and it helps our strength of schedule as compared to SWEWS.

 

[Drew1208]

Yep coming off a pandemic where athletic budgets are being cut... Heather and JC are saying what budget? Thats ok we will pay some horrible team that will draw no fans for the guaranteed win.

Playing Duquesne will bring in $ as Duquesne has agreed to not take a cent. Way more tickets will be sold than playing South West Easy Win State and it helps our strength of schedule as compared to SWEWS.

And watch us throw up a gooseegg against one of those guaranteed wins. At least if u lose to Duquense they still could go on to have a great year and that loss doesn't look that bad.

 

[SoufOaklin4Life]

That's the same argument State Penn uses. Unfortunately, if you look at the head to head since Bowman wrecked the program, it's pretty lopsided, especially since 1960, outside of that 12 year stretch from the mid 70s to the late 80s, and St. Penn fans are quick to point that out when they want to diminish the status of Pitt. I prefer to keep the high ground, not stoop to Nitter tactics and arguments.

Duquesne holds no advantages for Pitt

it’s not a relevant game as Duquesne isn’t relevant outside of some Catholics in western pa

 

[TheSpecialSauce]

Games might not be played in November or December, so this all might not matter.

 

[FieldHouse12]

who cares, maybe Capel doesnt want to play Duquesne because it builds mystique for Pitt.
Let everyone know that Pitt decides to play who and when.

 

[BballinsiderfromPitt]

Duquesne holds no advantages for Pitt

it’s not a relevant game as Duquesne isn’t relevant outside of some Catholics in western pa

It’s a neutral site essentially home game against a Q2 projected team. If we’re trying to get into the NCAA tournament it is a better win than vs directional state Tech.

 

[4upmc]

It’s a neutral site essentially home game against a Q2 projected team. If we’re trying to get into the NCAA tournament it is a better win than vs directional state Tech.

Agree as we get a chance to get a sellout, no payout, and play a team who should have a top 100 net ranking as opposed to paying some team with a 300 net ranking.

 

[CrazyPaco]

Absolutely no excuse on Pitt‘s part to not play the game. You said it looks like Pitt is ducking them? The correct answer is Pitt is ducking them. Pitt would and should most likely win the game but Duquesne has improved a good bit and it’s not a sure win. But either way Pitt looks like they are scared to lose and that’s a pus$y mentality. This is not college FB where a loss to a team from a lower Conf could ruin a season.

Heather said it did not fit Pitt’s “scheduling model” smh. Most of us here support JC and believe he has a chance to turn the corner...but this falls on him. As he said last year “it’s my schedule”. And that’s true because I know several D1 BB coaches and they make their schedules for the most part, they have a say in a large majority of the non conf games.

Keith Dambrot is clearly not afraid as he said “ We’ll play anywhere...We’ll play in their building for nothing” Duquesne is on record as saying they will play at Pitt for NOTHING, not at PPG where revenue could be split, but at the PETE where PITT gets every single $. This leaves Pitt with no excuse at all. We are supposed to be the better team and win the game right??? So Pitt would make $ and get a quality win against a program from a solid conference as Duquesne should win 20 games (way better than lots of the crap programs we will play at home). So what excuse does Pitt have other than being afraid to lose the game????

BTW both AD’s said last year the series would continue this year. This makes heather look bad as she won’t honor her word.

A notch in Heather's negative column, for sure.

 

[FieldHouse12]

 

[TIGER-PAUL]

Only thing missing is Pitt saying ‘it’s their Super Bowl’. Probably not as big a deal as some are making but it’s dumb nonetheless. Some schools locally get a pass on things like this. We’ll see if Pitt does.

 

[Pizzaboy2]

Duquesne gone now and next year Wvu just who does Capel want to play?With Chapel's recruiting and his x and o's he'd dominate Huggy and yet he doesn't want to play us.Duquesne 2 miles away and Wvu just 75 and he won't play even with a money crunch.This makes no sense to me but I'm not a very smart guy.

 

[DC_Area_Panther]

I would wait to see the OOC schedule before complaining about not playing Duquesne. As we all know we only get to play 11 OOC games vs the 13 we got before last season because the ACC requires 20 conference games. We may be pleasantly surprised to find we are in one of those prestigious early season tournaments in an exotic warm location in addition to the ACC Big 10 challenge game, WVU and another tournament with at least 2 Major opponents. If so, then skipping the Duquesne game would make sense.

Right now we don’t know anything for sure about the OOC beyond the WVU game and the ACC Big 10 challenge game and refusing Duquesne.

 

[Pitt MD]

I would wait to see the OOC schedule before complaining about not playing Duquesne. As we all know we only get to play 11 OOC games vs the 13 we got before last season because the ACC requires 20 conference games. We may be pleasantly surprised to find we are in one of those prestigious early season tournaments in an exotic warm location in addition to the ACC Big 10 challenge game, WVU and another tournament with at least 2 Major opponents. If so, then skipping the Duquesne game would make sense.

Right now we don’t know anything for sure about the OOC beyond the WVU game and the ACC Big 10 challenge game and refusing Duquesne.

We are playing in the Myrtle Beach Tournament too

 

[PittPanther44]

Has PITT offered any official reasoning?

I can’t see any reason not to play. Is it because they want home and home? Any money can’t be that big of a factor.

And if Duquesne was actually good, it would be a “good” win or not a “bad loss”. And if we are going to be anything like this program should be, then we should win 90% of the time regardless. So what’s the issue?

 

[NTOP]

I respect what you’re saying. I guess what I’m saying is the game means nothing to the city of Pittsburgh and even less to college basketball. Would I like to see the game? Yes. But should people be outraged that they don’t play? No.

Not worth outrage but really stupid. As stupid as the nitwits not playing us every year. And Lyke looks as dumb as SP or Barnes.
This was as heated a rivalry as playing wvu or psu,and much bigger than anything we have in the Mayberry league.

 

[TheLogicalTake]

If I recall correctly, the RMU game at their place was done with Lyke driving the ship as Capel wasn’t thrilled with the idea so this isn’t surprising.

On one hand he’s just playing it safe. Until it gets rolling, you need all the non-con wins you can get to pretty up the resume for post-season before the meat grinder conference schedule. Jamie was no stranger to this theory and it generally worked out, as the complaining quieted down when you’re playing ranked opponents every other night.

That said, if Pitt wants to be the big boy on the block, it’s just a bad look to seem like you’re ducking your neighbor. Pitt is a punching bag in the media and this just gives them more fuel. I understand the reasoning, but this just seems like the wrong place to take a stand.

 

[DC_Area_Panther]

We are playing in the Myrtle Beach Tournament too

Good to know.

 

[PittPanther44]

Duquesne fans are butthurt
Because they think they are relevant
They are wrong

See, I don’t think that’s it. I think that it’s their biggest game of the year and they truly feel they have a chance to win it. I don’t consider that butt hurt or thinking they are more than they are.

 

[Bethlehemjohn]

According to reports, not scheduled and no explanation provided. Assuming it is Pitt that is preventing this, I still can’t find justification for Pitt’s position here.

Who cares?

 

[4upmc]

And if Duquesne was actually good, it would be a “good” win or not a “bad loss”. And if we are going to be anything like this program should be, then we should win 90% of the time regardless. So what’s the issue?

Good point. It would be a good win for Pitt and if we lost it would not be a bad loss. They won 21 games last year and return their starting 5 unless some transfer as they are 3 players over the 13 man limit right now.

Honestly it looks like Pitt is scared and Pitt looks bad in their position. Think about it we are scared to play the team who finished 5th in the A-10...this is not the A-10 of old that was good. JC won’t admit it but this is the best Duquesne team in his lifetime and he does not want to risk a loss to them. But if we are the team we think we should be and want to be we should beat them. IMO it would be a good game but Pitt should win. I guess JC won’t play them unless he knows it’s a guaranteed win.

We must be one of the few Athletic departments who are not struggling financially (turning down a home game and not having to pay the other team) by the way JC and Heather are acting...smh.

 

[NTOP]

Good point. It would be a good win for Pitt and if we lost it would not be a bad loss. They won 21 games last year and return their starting 5 unless some transfer as they are 3 players over the 13 man limit right now.

Honestly it looks like Pitt is scared and Pitt looks bad in their position. Think about it we are scared to play the team who finished 5th in the A-10...this is not the A-10 of old that was good. JC won’t admit it but this is the best Duquesne team in his lifetime and he does not want to risk a loss to them. But if we are the team we think we should be and want to be we should beat them. IMO it would be a good game but Pitt should win. I guess JC won’t play them unless he knows it’s a guaranteed win.

We must be one of the few Athletic departments who are not struggling financially (turning down a home game and not having to pay the other team) by the way JC and Heather are acting...smh.

Basically, if Capel wants this, Heather should have overruled him. It makes no sense.

 

[TheSpecialSauce]

Basically, if Capel wants this, Heather should have overruled him. It makes no sense.

The last time Duquesne won an NCAA tournament game was 1969.

 

[Tonyt66]

How about everyone just get over it there not a Rival. Yes I would like us to play them but there not so no big loss. Duquesne haven't did anything since Norm Nixon played for them and the game never sells out everybody that's crying about it don't even go to the games.

 

[DC_Area_Panther]

We are playing in the Myrtle Beach Tournament too

Counting Likely major OOC games—

Myrtle Beach Classic— 3 games
ACC Big 10 Challenge — 1 game
West VA — 1 game
Two easy teams at home before 2 major opponents neutral type tourney — 2 games (Will we have this?)

That is 7 majors out of our 11 OOC games. Then consider we play 2 of our ACC games early and we have 9 of our first 13 games against major opponents. If the above is so, not playIng Duquesne this season does makes some sense.

 

[Joe the Panther Fan]

This was as heated a rivalry as playing wvu or psu

But that's the thing, it WAS a heated rivalry. And old people like me and really old people like you ( ) know that. Kids who are in college today don't think of Duquesne as anything more than Robert Morris. There are people in their 30s who can't remember Duquesne beating us more than once. There are people in their 40s who might remember them beating us three times.

It isn't really a rivalry any more, and it hasn't been in a long, long time. We should play them, just like we should play Robert Morris, but not playing them is no big deal to almost everyone.

 

[Tonyt66]

He's words on the Fan!!!

More Capel: "I'm not afraid to play anyone. Nobody. So let's get that out there right away. But as the leader of our program & caretaker of this program, my job is to do what's best for my program."

 

[Joe the Panther Fan]

Two easy teams at home before 2 major opponents neutral type tourney — 2 games (Will we have this?)

We aren't playing in two tournaments next season. The Myrtle Beach Tournament IS the "2 major opponents neutral type tourney", except it's three games in South Carolina rather than the 2-2 type tournament we have been in before.

And we aren't getting 3 majors in those games, because there are only 3 majors in the tournament, and we are one of them. The other two are Missouri, a bad SEC team, and Nebraska, one of the worst P6 teams last year.