Hope this is interesting to you all! I've always had a soft spot for the 2018 team and wanted to talk about that season. Here's the first part.
(Part 1) Fight to the Finish: The Story of the 2018 Pitt Panthers
- Thread starter ButtPilgrim
- Start date
Hope this is interesting to you all! I've always had a soft spot for the 2018 team and wanted to talk about that season. Here's the first part.
I thought this was a parody of that stupid new PSU book that details the insurmountable odds the 2012 PSU team overcame. 5 players transferred and they still managed to go 8-4. Simply incredible.
Nah, wasn't familiar with that book. not sure why anyone would transfer when clearly the fanbase would defend you through, well, anything...
WOAH WOAH WOAH WOAH WOAH
I get it. The team went .500.
The team also played THREE teams that went undefeated during the regular season, a Citrus Bowl team, beat a 10 win Syracuse team, won their division outright, and did all of this in the same year Pittsburgh went through the Tree of Life shootings. Yeah, they're a .500 team for sure, man. That's all they are.
My friend, you're entitled to your opinion, but that is the most "hindsight makes us forget all of the cool stuff" sentence I ever read.
I straight up do call myself ButtPilgrim though so can't argue there
Hope you watch!
Well, as with most .500 teams, I could cite examples on the other side, too.
They finished with a loss to a Stanford team that was missing about half its starters and managed to complete six passes on the day.
They lost games by 45, 31, 21, and 32 point differentials. I don't care who you're playing... that ain't good.
For the second season in a row, they lost to a UNC team that was 1-7 in the ACC (both wins against Pitt).
Let's not pretend like this was some fateful team graced by the hand of God. They were a team that lost to every non-con team with a pulse and managed to squeak their way through a weak Coastal Division that saw two teams finish above .500 in conference play.
Not hating on them. I went to the Wake game and thought it was a cool moment. But if Iowa or Northwestern did this in the Big Ten West, I think we know what the tone would be on this board.
Yeah, for sure. The UNC loss isn't defensible. The team as a whole, for the entire season, was awful in the 2nd half. There is a reason they fired their offensive coordinator the day the season ended after having two 1,000 yard rushers (by the way, the team had two 1,000 yard rushers). I'm not saying this was a playoff team that got screwed by the schedule. But these things are true:
1. Played three undefeated teams. Almost beat one of them. In the modern era, this absolutely has to be some kind of a record.
2. Beat six teams in their conference. Lost to North Carolina by three points. Lost to Miami after clinching the division. Was the Coastal good? No. Was Pitt easily the best team in the Coastal division? Yes. Did they win the division outright? Yes. Did they win due to some fluke? No.
If Iowa won the Big Ten West by beating the Big Ten West teams, I would say this: Iowa won the Big Ten West. I guess I wouldn't say they were world beaters, and either was Pitt's 2018 team. But they were champions.
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In light of the post on this board about a last place ACC finish for this upcoming season, the 2018 team is a good reminder that the predictions are just educated guesses. That ESPN predictor said we were gonna finish 1-11 after the UNC loss in 2018. We ended up winning the division and playing for the ACC championship.
I dont think ESPN will be picking this up for a 30 for 30 anytime soon. I admire this guy's work on this but this project seems so random. We went 7-7.
I think the "Man in the Arena" portion of Teddy Roosevelt's "Citizenship in a Republic" speech fits in well here.....
It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.
It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.
the same year Pittsburgh went through the Tree of Life shootings???....wow, that's a stretch even for the high levels of defense excuses of Pitt mediocrity through the years found in these parts....
Nah.
yes, because that is what i was saying
I don't know. The team is special for me, and I like making videos and think I'm pretty okay at them. If you're not into it, no big deal!
You have the right attitude. There are some (a lot) on this board who think they are not a real fan unless they get a microscope out anytime something negative happens to the program. Anything positive gets overlooked because, “That’s what’s expected “.
No need to celebrate mediocrity...Ignore it, fine. Don't pounce on it, ok...Inspirational videos to embellish it, na.....Nothing to do with attitude..... However it is expected from the orange slice and juice box kids who root for Pitt and have never really seen greatness from them..
