ADVERTISEMENT

The Backyard Brawl

West Virginia is a disgusting state and the only real great thing that University does is give out college degrees to the intellectually challenged (although only half of the ****heads who go there are even able to graduate).

Also party. They do that really well, although still not even as good as my alma mater (Wisconsin).

With that said, we can act athletically superior to each other but the reality is neither program is exactly great and consistent success has been hard to come by for a while. This rivalry is extremely beneficial to both programs and always gives us a nationally spotlight that we've lacked playing against the Dukes and GTs (same goes for WV against the Iowa States/K-State's).

Let put it more simply, Pitt vs WVU is not a world beater of a matchup but it's getting College Gameday. A similar level matchup like Pitt vs UNC is absolutely not getting College Gameday.
Really?

A Wisconsin guy ragging on someone else’s schedule?
 
Again, I feel I have unique perspective being that for 4 years (and no I didn't go to WVU) but I can get a cup of coffee and look out my window and see Mountaineer Field. It would be like living in an apartment on Red Square looking out at the Kremlin in 1970.

I never had a hate for WVU. I did wonder why my one buddy did, until I found out his neighbor was going to WVU. He gave me a foreshadowing of what was to come.

When I first got to Morgantown in 1999, the two biggest questions asked to me as a Pitt fan was: 1) "what the hell happened? 2) "why would you change uniforms and logos?"

It really started to amp up in the 2000's, I think I was there for the glory years of the rivalry as both shared conferences, both became decent to very good football programs and both basketball programs took off. No one hates a loser. So when both teams were battling for bowls and Big East titles, it was pretty intense.

It is amazing though, when I got a new job, moved back to Pittsburgh, Pitt left the Big East and stopped playing WVU, and then WVU joined the Texas League, it is amazing how my interest, and seemingly the Pittsburgh region as a whole's interest in WVU just completely evaporated.
 
Again, I feel I have unique perspective being that for 4 years (and no I didn't go to WVU) but I can get a cup of coffee and look out my window and see Mountaineer Field. It would be like living in an apartment on Red Square looking out at the Kremlin in 1970.

I never had a hate for WVU. I did wonder why my one buddy did, until I found out his neighbor was going to WVU. He gave me a foreshadowing of what was to come.

When I first got to Morgantown in 1999, the two biggest questions asked to me as a Pitt fan was: 1) "what the hell happened? 2) "why would you change uniforms and logos?"

It really started to amp up in the 2000's, I think I was there for the glory years of the rivalry as both shared conferences, both became decent to very good football programs and both basketball programs took off. No one hates a loser. So when both teams were battling for bowls and Big East titles, it was pretty intense.

It is amazing though, when I got a new job, moved back to Pittsburgh, Pitt left the Big East and stopped playing WVU, and then WVU joined the Texas League, it is amazing how my interest, and seemingly the Pittsburgh region as a whole's interest in WVU just completely evaporated.
Your last comment is my dilemma. Why give WVU a reason to be relevant in Pittsburgh with an annual game?

I’m hoping for a demoralizing loss for them for that reason alone.
 
Really?

A Wisconsin guy ragging on someone else’s schedule?
I wasn't ragging on anyone's schedule. I was simply stating that Pitt vs any ACC Coastal school doesn't get national attention unless both are ranked. No matter the quality of both teams, Pitt vs WVU is a matchup that always gets national attention, so there's always at least one game a year that's guaranteed to get us viewers. How is not having a nationally known rivalry more beneficial.

And it's stupid to rag on the Wisconsin's schedule. The B10 West is not a great division but neither is the Coastal. It takes a certain level of prowess to be able to consistently get 10+ win seasons, regardless of difficulty.
Pitt and Wisconsin have had similar difficulties of schedules the past 2 decades, and Pitt's 0-3 against the West since divisions started btw. Results are,

Number of 9+ win seasons since 2000: 15 (ten 10+ win seasons) for Wisconsin and 4 for Pitt (two 10+ seasons).

And I'm not gonna deep dive into attendance, because I obviously hate when other fanbases talk shit about Pitt's crowds, but without mentioning Pitt, us Badgers have a nationally rated and electric atmosphere week in and week out. That's probably why we have gotten on College Gameday 18 times.

Point is, unlike Wisconsin, Pitt has not earned nationally recognition yet, and until Pitt starts consistently beating up on the "weak competition" like Wisconsin has, national spotlight games like the Backyard Brawl are very beneficial for Pitt's program.
 
I wasn't ragging on anyone's schedule. I was simply stating that Pitt vs any ACC Coastal school doesn't get national attention unless both are ranked. No matter the quality of both teams, Pitt vs WVU is a matchup that always gets national attention, so there's always at least one game a year that's guaranteed to get us viewers. How is not having a nationally known rivalry more beneficial.

And it's stupid to rag on the Wisconsin's schedule. The B10 West is not a great division but neither is the Coastal. It takes a certain level of prowess to be able to consistently get 10+ win seasons, regardless of difficulty.
Pitt and Wisconsin have had similar difficulties of schedules the past 2 decades, and Pitt's 0-3 against the West since divisions started btw. Results are,

Number of 9+ win seasons since 2000: 15 (ten 10+ win seasons) for Wisconsin and 4 for Pitt (two 10+ seasons).

And I'm not gonna deep dive into attendance, because I obviously hate when other fanbases talk shit about Pitt's crowds, but without mentioning Pitt, us Badgers have a nationally rated and electric atmosphere week in and week out. That's probably why we have gotten on College Gameday 18 times.

Point is, unlike Wisconsin, Pitt has not earned nationally recognition yet, and until Pitt starts consistently beating up on the "weak competition" like Wisconsin has, national spotlight games like the Backyard Brawl are very beneficial for Pitt's program.
Why are you posting here? It sure sounds like you’re ragging on something.

If anyone here cared enough about Wisconsin, I’m sure they could figure out how to get to a Wisconsin board to discuss your school. And your wonderful schedules.
 
Why are you posting here? It sure sounds like you’re ragging on something.

If anyone here cared enough about Wisconsin, I’m sure they could figure out how to get to a Wisconsin board to discuss your school. And your wonderful schedules.
He’s obviously still a Pitt fan.

You’re the person who attacked Wisconsin first when he was saying something that was completely unrelated to Wisco. I also tend to agree with him.

Jesus you get sensitive.
 
Why are you posting here? It sure sounds like you’re ragging on something.

If anyone here cared enough about Wisconsin, I’m sure they could figure out how to get to a Wisconsin board to discuss your school. And your wonderful schedules.
It’s pretty transparent. The tactic of the boy-raping Nits of late have been to create new accounts pretending to be fans of other programs, so they can get in their insults without the short hook from the mod (plus, they don’t like to be faced with the reality that they are perverts and they’ll be going to hell, which only Pitt fans have cajones to tell them). A “Wisconsin” Fan (with a whopping 4 posts to his name) would have no reason to come here at all in the first place, and then to focus obsessively on attendance also gives him away.
 
How does our “rivalry” with WVU make you feel? Having WVU in our backyard makes me feel a bit dirty and embarrassed having them as neighbors. Anyone else with me?
Yes I feel filthy and unclean around that trash program to our south. Plus makes the Field Formaly Known as Heinz smell something awful.
 
  • Haha
Reactions: Fk_Pitt
Louis Riddick to be part of ESPN’s Crew for Backyard Brawl
 
It’s only interesting (to me) in the historical context of our country and specifically The Civil War. When you consider that the Union manipulated the break off of West Virginia from Virginia into it’s own State. Yet flash forward 160 years later and no state yearns to be and acts more “Deep South” than West Virginia. To the extent that WPA folks in large modern suburban and solidly “northern” setting can get into their cars and in about 40ish minutes, find themselves essentially back in time in the antebellum Deep South…with the irony being that the state was distinctly created to be a “Northern” state. Add in that Pittsburgh kind of came into its own, for better or worse , acting as the ‘arsenal’ for the Union army during the Civil War (and then on through the wars of the 20 th century). So the history and culture nuance is what most interests me.
I completely disagree with this take.

No offense intended, Six-Fiver, but this is another example of someone confusing “Deep Southern” with “Appalachian”. Two entirely different cultures.
 
Eh, “antebellum” was just an attempt at a nicer term than “backwards hicks”. But the point was that the abrupt clash between north and south (obviously with some exceptions within each) is almost walking distance away. You’ll hear that football is a metaphor for war, well for one side at least the Brawl is a metaphor for the Civil War, with the humorous irony that WV forgot that it was our side
I can assure you that being from northern Wva and a WVU grad, WVU fans look at the pitt rivalry as anything but north vs south. We want your tails for the same way is the way you look down on us, which is the same way PSU looks down on you guys. It is that and nothing else. That and a lot of beatings in the leather helmet days too, I'm sure. And other things like the poster above saying us (and Tenn) don't look at academics at all. I don't know about Tenn but WVU is not at fault for US News &WR changing the criteria and having us dropping like a rock in the rankings. We weren't great before but I don't ever recall it being this bad. They are doing everything they can to improve not only the rankings but academia as well.
 
I was driving through West Virginia last fall and was surprised to see how many houses had a U.S. Flag and a Confederate Flag. I guess they don't know both sides were killing one another by the thousands during a war.
 
  • Like
Reactions: singregardless
I was driving through West Virginia last fall and was surprised to see how many houses had a U.S. Flag and a Confederate Flag. I guess they don't know both sides were killing one another by the thousands during a war.
You obviously don't live out here in central pa...
 
  • Like
Reactions: Parkview57
I wasn't ragging on anyone's schedule. I was simply stating that Pitt vs any ACC Coastal school doesn't get national attention unless both are ranked. No matter the quality of both teams, Pitt vs WVU is a matchup that always gets national attention, so there's always at least one game a year that's guaranteed to get us viewers. How is not having a nationally known rivalry more beneficial.

And it's stupid to rag on the Wisconsin's schedule. The B10 West is not a great division but neither is the Coastal. It takes a certain level of prowess to be able to consistently get 10+ win seasons, regardless of difficulty.
Pitt and Wisconsin have had similar difficulties of schedules the past 2 decades, and Pitt's 0-3 against the West since divisions started btw. Results are,

Number of 9+ win seasons since 2000: 15 (ten 10+ win seasons) for Wisconsin and 4 for Pitt (two 10+ seasons).

And I'm not gonna deep dive into attendance, because I obviously hate when other fanbases talk shit about Pitt's crowds, but without mentioning Pitt, us Badgers have a nationally rated and electric atmosphere week in and week out. That's probably why we have gotten on College Gameday 18 times.

Point is, unlike Wisconsin, Pitt has not earned nationally recognition yet, and until Pitt starts consistently beating up on the "weak competition" like Wisconsin has, national spotlight games like the Backyard Brawl are very beneficial for Pitt's program.
B1G West, ACC Coastal :: Cleveland Browns, Detroit Lions
 
I can assure you that being from northern Wva and a WVU grad, WVU fans look at the pitt rivalry as anything but north vs south. We want your tails for the same way is the way you look down on us, which is the same way PSU looks down on you guys. It is that and nothing else. That and a lot of beatings in the leather helmet days too, I'm sure. And other things like the poster above saying us (and Tenn) don't look at academics at all. I don't know about Tenn but WVU is not at fault for US News &WR changing the criteria and having us dropping like a rock in the rankings. We weren't great before but I don't ever recall it being this bad. They are doing everything they can to improve not only the rankings but academia as well.
Some of these jokers look up to academia and the bending over that they are more than happy to take from the likes of Pitt and many, many other institutions of “higher debt”. I’m a moderate with politics of a Yang, Murkowski or Manchin. Pragmatism must rule any moment. Higher education in this country is a joke. People on here call WVU “WVCC”. Community college is exactly where anyone in this country, not born on 2nd or 3rd base, should begin their college careers. It would be a big “f*** you” to the higher education system and certainly help these poor kids who have to pay off their Pitt or Syracuse education over 10–15 years.

I paid off my WVU degree in less than 2 years and that’s because I worked hard and played hard in college (Spring Break trips, Rockies ski trips, etc). If I chose to be frugal, I MIGHT have had 6 months of debt. Maybe.
 
I still think of this when I hear the name


images
 
Some of these jokers look up to academia and the bending over that they are more than happy to take from the likes of Pitt and many, many other institutions of “higher debt”. I’m a moderate with politics of a Yang, Murkowski or Manchin. Pragmatism must rule any moment. Higher education in this country is a joke. People on here call WVU “WVCC”. Community college is exactly where anyone in this country, not born on 2nd or 3rd base, should begin their college careers. It would be a big “f*** you” to the higher education system and certainly help these poor kids who have to pay off their Pitt or Syracuse education over 10–15 years.

I paid off my WVU degree in less than 2 years and that’s because I worked hard and played hard in college (Spring Break trips, Rockies ski trips, etc). If I chose to be frugal, I MIGHT have had 6 months of debt. Maybe.
This would be a great topic for you guys to discuss on the WVU board.
 
  • Like
Reactions: OKJones
I was driving through West Virginia last fall and was surprised to see how many houses had a U.S. Flag and a Confederate Flag. I guess they don't know both sides were killing one another by the thousands during a war.
I'll tell you this, drive through Ohio. Off of the interstates. It's shocking. Hell, drive through Fayette, Westmoreland and Greene Counties.

I always said this, "ya never see the Confederate flag flying where people are successful live, do ya?"
 
  • Like
Reactions: Butler Pitt Fan
Some of these jokers look up to academia and the bending over that they are more than happy to take from the likes of Pitt and many, many other institutions of “higher debt”. I’m a moderate with politics of a Yang, Murkowski or Manchin. Pragmatism must rule any moment. Higher education in this country is a joke. People on here call WVU “WVCC”. Community college is exactly where anyone in this country, not born on 2nd or 3rd base, should begin their college careers. It would be a big “f*** you” to the higher education system and certainly help these poor kids who have to pay off their Pitt or Syracuse education over 10–15 years.

I paid off my WVU degree in less than 2 years and that’s because I worked hard and played hard in college (Spring Break trips, Rockies ski trips, etc). If I chose to be frugal, I MIGHT have had 6 months of debt. Maybe.
Or trade schools. This generation (and their parents) look down at trade schools, but damn we need Machinists, Electricians, and other skilled trades as much as we need doctors and definitely more than we need accountants and lawyers. They can practically name their price. But, it is looked down upon now. We are idiots as a society.
 
Or trade schools. This generation (and their parents) look down at trade schools, but damn we need Machinists, Electricians, and other skilled trades as much as we need doctors and definitely more than we need accountants and lawyers. They can practically name their price. But, it is looked down upon now. We are idiots as a society.
Also, the same people that look down on West Virginians are the same ones that look as if they are on Mars when they need to change a flat tire or change their oil.

So embarrassing.
 
Or trade schools. This generation (and their parents) look down at trade schools, but damn we need Machinists, Electricians, and other skilled trades as much as we need doctors and definitely more than we need accountants and lawyers. They can practically name their price. But, it is looked down upon now. We are idiots as a society.


I keep saying, Coded Welder. Those folks can get a job in any part of the country they want to work and they make good money. There is a huge shortage of Coded Welders in this country, and they are retiring faster than people are taking it up. So the job security, assuming that you are even decent at it, is off the charts.
 
I was driving through West Virginia last fall and was surprised to see how many houses had a U.S. Flag and a Confederate Flag. I guess they don't know both sides were killing one another by the thousands during a war.
That’s the thing. The confederate flag they wave has nothing to do with history. They don’t know history nor do they understand it. They see themselves as rebels. Which is the same persona WVU fans embrace. Maybe it’s because society as a whole, not just Pitt fans, look down at them.
 
  • Like
Reactions: singregardless
That’s the thing. The confederate flag they wave has nothing to do with history. They don’t know history nor do they understand it. They see themselves as rebels. Which is the same persona WVU fans embrace. Maybe it’s because society as a whole, not just Pitt fans, look down at them.
From Lewis County (Weston/Stonewall Jackson Resort) south, it’s essentially ALL Rebels. From that point north, it’s still probably 65-75% Rebels…meaning mindset, culture, etc. It’s VERY culturally “southern Appalachian” just like East Tennessee, eastern KY, SW VA, and northwest GA. There are definitely subsets of the South and that doesn’t get mentioned enough. I can’t explain it but western North Carolina is a little different from these areas except for the area around Boone (App State) and extreme western NC, which is more similar to “southern Appalachia”. I’m sure some of it has to do with the more liberal Asheville/Black Mountain area but that’s not the only reason why. Southern Appalachia’s Super Bowl is Bristol Motor Speedway. TONS of all of these people at that event.

It’s the reason why WVU and its fans would embrace SEC so much (in addition to obvious great conference). Playing UK, Tennessee, and Virginia Tech would be perfect for the majority of the fans….a ton of which live down state. That is who we are.

We are NOT Pitt, BC, Syracuse, Cincinnati, etc. People are absolutely correct in assumptions that our fan base has this feeling that those schools think they’re superior. That’s not the most important issue though. It’s simply the fact that they aren’t like us in any way, shape or form. Those people don’t tailgate like these other schools do. They don’t listen to same music. It’s quite literally every imaginable facet of life. It’s completely different. I’ve always said that WVU would probably make more sense if it was located in Lewisburg or Beckley….not Morgantown.

However, we also love playing Pitt because of the proximity, especially for northern fans (like me), and the fact that Pittsburgh is where I have grown up….allergy appointments at Dr Solo, homecoming dance on Clipper, etc. Proximity absolutely matters. If Pittsburgh was an hour or two farther away, we would probably care about playing them like we would Syracuse or BC.

In so many ways, WV could be 3 different states, but ALL would embrace the Southern/Rebel mindset, values, culture, etc….even northern WV.
 
Last edited:
How does our “rivalry” with WVU make you feel? Having WVU in our backyard makes me feel a bit dirty and embarrassed having them as neighbors. Anyone else with me?
Maybe if you hadn’t lost 7 out of the last 10 in football you’d feel cleaner? Or is it losing the last five years in a row in basketball that makes you feel embarrassed?
 
Maybģe if you hadn’t lost 7 out of the last 10 in football you’d feel cleaner? Or is it losing the last five years in a row in basketball that makes you feel embarrassed?

I think The Pitters also forgot about losing the last 8 out of 10 to the Mountaineers in baseball.They surely have been the dominate school when it comes to athletics as you can see.
 
This might be the most delusional fan board I’ve ever seen. Thinking that the team will just automatically strike gold again after losing legitimately 65-70% of the offensive production. It took the best offensive season in program history to beat Wake Forest lol. The lines will be good, and will probably lead to a solidly fielded team, but the delusions of grandeur about a team that has LITERALLY nowhere to go but down has been some fascinating reading.
 
  • Haha
Reactions: LordoftheTides
This might be the most delusional fan board I’ve ever seen. Thinking that the team will just automatically strike gold again after losing legitimately 65-70% of the offensive production. It took the best offensive season in program history to beat Wake Forest lol. The lines will be good, and will probably lead to a solidly fielded team, but the delusions of grandeur about a team that has LITERALLY nowhere to go but down has been some fascinating reading.
It truly is comical. It's like they think Whipple isn't a loss and Cignetti can just step right in and do what he did with a worse QB and WR corps... yeah ok. That 103rd ranked BC total offense was real impressive in '21! I mean it was hard to be worse than a Neal Brown led offense but Cignetti found a way.

Not to mention they actually have expectations this season unlike last year... ask Iowa State how that goes when you start to get all the preseason hype and read about how good you are for 8 straight months. Usually only the teams with elite talent can overcome that. Pitt is good but good lord this hype train is hilarious to read.
 
ADVERTISEMENT