For those unfamiliar with the Backyard Brawl, let me set the record straight: this is a rivalry that's been simmering for over a century. This isn't some fabricated feud; the animosity between Pitt and WVU runs deep. They despise us, and we despise them. This isn't just a game—it's an emotionally-charged, no-holds-barred brawl from start to finish, rankings be damned.
Don't expect genteel sportsmanship here. Keep your eyes on the trenches and you'll see just a physical game from start to finish. Players on both sides toe the line between fair play and an all-out fight. There are no cheap shots in the Backyard Brawl, only opportunities to lay down some hurt. Forget sportsmanship, that's for the civilized. No quarter asked, no quarter given...
This isn't some "holy war' or battle for a meaningless trophy; this is a brawl where both the winner and loser come out the other side with a black eye and bruised ego. This rivalry took an 11-year hiatus but didn't lose an ounce of its intensity. As Pac-Man Jones said, "There's only 75 miles of separation, and it's a damn good thing there's a border in between."
Beano Cook, the late broadcasting legend, once explained West Virginia's ingrained disdain for Pitt through a story about Mountaineer broadcasting icon Jack Fleming. Cook said, "Jack Fleming's house overlooked the old stadium. As a child, he'd sit on his mother's lap while she pointed at Pitt's team on the field, saying, 'Son, that's Pitt. You hate Pitt now, you hate Pitt tomorrow, you hate Pitt until the day you die. And after that, you'll hate Pitt for all eternity.'"
So buckle up, it's time for another chapter in this epic rivalry. The stage is set... Saturday, September 16th, 7:30 p.m., Morgantown, West "by the grace of God" Virginia, 60,000 juiced up Mountaineer fans ... in front of a national television audience... let's brawl!
Let's go Mountaineers!
Don't expect genteel sportsmanship here. Keep your eyes on the trenches and you'll see just a physical game from start to finish. Players on both sides toe the line between fair play and an all-out fight. There are no cheap shots in the Backyard Brawl, only opportunities to lay down some hurt. Forget sportsmanship, that's for the civilized. No quarter asked, no quarter given...
This isn't some "holy war' or battle for a meaningless trophy; this is a brawl where both the winner and loser come out the other side with a black eye and bruised ego. This rivalry took an 11-year hiatus but didn't lose an ounce of its intensity. As Pac-Man Jones said, "There's only 75 miles of separation, and it's a damn good thing there's a border in between."
Beano Cook, the late broadcasting legend, once explained West Virginia's ingrained disdain for Pitt through a story about Mountaineer broadcasting icon Jack Fleming. Cook said, "Jack Fleming's house overlooked the old stadium. As a child, he'd sit on his mother's lap while she pointed at Pitt's team on the field, saying, 'Son, that's Pitt. You hate Pitt now, you hate Pitt tomorrow, you hate Pitt until the day you die. And after that, you'll hate Pitt for all eternity.'"
So buckle up, it's time for another chapter in this epic rivalry. The stage is set... Saturday, September 16th, 7:30 p.m., Morgantown, West "by the grace of God" Virginia, 60,000 juiced up Mountaineer fans ... in front of a national television audience... let's brawl!
Let's go Mountaineers!
