The beginning of PITT boards on the Internets

[Demolition Man]

I remember discovering PITT message boards on that mysterious thing called the "internet" back in the mid-1990s. It was great to get up to date recruiting information and interact with other PITT fans (even during Majors II). I thought I was the only person interested in Rasshad Whitmill, Denorse Mosely, Sadiq Durham, and Vernon Pig Smith.

Hard to believe that was 25 years ago and I was just thinking about some of my favorite PITT on-line memories while using an AOL disc and that screechy dial-in noise (You've got mail !!)

The new sites included Frank Sokol, Panther in Lion Cow Pasture (PLCP) , Harry the PITT Guru, and the Crazy Paco boards.

Some obscure and not-so-obscure posters I remember from those days.......

KayzerSouze

Dream Backfield

Spirit of 76

St. Stephen

On Altoona Go PITT

Gary 77

PITTLAW

What were some of your former user names? And how did you come up with them?

Some funny early memories for me included a heated dispute between Gary77 and OnAltoonaGoPitt about eating someone's hotdog at a picnic. I am fuzzy on the details but it would be great to get clarification on this issue.

Another was when a poster claimed that the upper campus hillside around PITT stadium would collapse and fall on Forbes Avenue like an avalanche after the stadium demolition. Many people believed it and that was the origin of my current handle Demolition Man. I formerly posted as "The Truth" back then.

What were some of your favorite "old school" memories on these boards?

 

[DiehardPanther]

I remember discovering PITT message boards on that mysterious thing called the "internet" back in the mid-1990s. It was great to get up to date recruiting information and interact with other PITT fans (even during Majors II). I thought I was the only person interested in Rasshad Whitmill, Denorse Mosely, Sadiq Durham, and Vernon Pig Smith.

Hard to believe that was 25 years ago and I was just thinking about some of my favorite PITT on-line memories while using an AOL disc and that screechy dial-in noise (You've got mail !!)

The new sites included Frank Sokol, Panther in Lion Cow Pasture (PLCP) , Harry the PITT Guru, and the Crazy Paco boards.

Some obscure and not-so-obscure posters I remember from those days.......

KayzerSouze

Dream Backfield

Spirit of 76

St. Stephen

On Altoona Go PITT

Gary 77

PITTLAW

What were some of your former user names? And how did you come up with them?

Some funny early memories for me included a heated dispute between Gary77 and OnAltoonaGoPitt about eating someone's hotdog at a picnic. I am fuzzy on the details but it would be great to get clarification on this issue.

Another was when a poster claimed that the upper campus hillside around PITT stadium would collapse and fall on Forbes Avenue like an avalanche after the stadium demolition. Many people believed it and that was the origin of my current handle Demolition Man. I formerly posted as "The Truth" back then.

What were some of your favorite "old school" memories on these boards?

I was Diehard Panther. Not sure if I had numbers attached to the name since there may have been more than one Diehard Panther. It was more exciting back then because it was under the radar.

 

[BurghGuy68]

KayserSoze used to call me from Seattle right at kickoff...he passed away several years ago. He was an old Jewish doctor named Sandy. Nice man but loco in real life just like on the boards lol...dropped an F bomb every other word hsha.

On Altoona Go Pitt (OAGP) is still around...as Greg Croft on Facebook. He started up 247 for Pitt several years ago.

I'm still around but rarely go to the free boards...spend my time lurking on the premium board and Pitt Panthers Fanatics on Facebook, where a lot of the guys you mentioned are on as well.

 

[str61166]

I didn’t really get into message boards til the mid 00’s or so (mostly lurking), but for those who want to reminisce, browse around old PantherLair pages through the magic of Wayback Machine.

Earliest I could find was from 2000, some snippets below:

 

[RaleighPittFan]

KayserSoze used to call me from Seattle right at kickoff...he passed away several years ago. He was an old Jewish doctor named Sandy. Nice man but loco in real life just like on the boards lol...dropped an F bomb every other word hsha.

On Altoona Go Pitt (OAGP) is still around...as Greg Croft on Facebook. He started up 247 for Pitt several years ago.

I'm still around but rarely go to the free boards...spend my time lurking on the premium board and Pitt Panthers Fanatics on Facebook, where a lot of the guys you mentioned are on as well.

Sandy (KayserSoze) used to call everyone, it seemed. Me included. He was always interested in investments.

 

[RaleighPittFan]

GridIronSage is one who's hard to forget.

 

[daytonpanther]

I was JETuohey before DaytonPanther and was a daily visitor sometimes contributor. Bought a few game CDs.

Spent way too much time as a young father but loved the old post format...

 

[RaleighPittFan]

I was JETuohey before DaytonPanther and was a daily visitor sometimes contributor. Bought a few game CDs.

Spent way too much time as a young father but loved the old post format...

From ShadySide Scott?

 

[caleco's]

What happened to the guy in the mid 2000's "i was specialties before...." had to be a nitter. He posted relentlessly and seemed to be a teen. As negative as pittpoker is but at least pittpoker seems to be a fan in masochistic way.

 

[DT_PITT]

From ShadySide Scott?

No ... he bought them at the Sheetz in Breezewood.

 

[recruitsreadtheseboards]

It was tragic what happened to St Stephen. He sold all his possessions then went into the wild, hiking and living off the land. Last heard, ended up in Morocco. Rumors are that his methods have become...unsound.

 

[DT_PITT]

It was tragic what happened to St Stephen. He sold all his possessions then went into the wild, hiking and living off the land. Last heard, ended up in Morocco. Rumors are that his methods have become...unsound.

Were his methods ever sound?

 

[HopeandChangeforAntoons]

Corporate Panther, may he rest In peace.

 

[Las Panteras]

Big Panther.....

A complete blowhard who knew nothing

 

[Demolition Man]

Corporate Panther, may he rest In peace.

Corporate Panther was great. Along with PuckYinz and Shady Side Scott.

 

[mike412]

And, let us not forget Brian, who knew everything anyone could possibly know about Pitt football. Even though everything he knew was wrong.

Greg Croft strongly believed that if Pitt recruited 25 kids from Altoona each year, we would win multiple national championships.

 

[RaleighPittFan]

And, let us not forget Brian, who knew everything anyone could possibly know about Pitt football. Even though everything he knew was wrong.

Pitt would win every home game if the fans would just show up 30 minutes before kickoff.

 

[BurghGuy68]

Teh

 

[BurghGuy68]

Really amazed how Brian Gold disappeared from the boards and hasnt appeared in any Facebook groups or Twitter. He has a FB account if you search for him. He looks exactly as I pictured him.

 

[daytonpanther]

From ShadySide Scott?

He actually came through every time if you treated him right.

 

[HailtoPitt]

Still have my DVD.

 

[Alan Partridge]

I was Fort Apache Panther on Frank’s old board. No viable reason for it, I was living in Fort Lee NJ at the time and not too far from the Bronx so it just sounded better.

Does 3RC post here under a new handle? He was good for hoops talk back when we had the Ralph Willard recruiting prowess going for us. I forgot what he called himself before that, I think it was just Lou.

 

[wbrpanther]

I didn’t really get into message boards til the mid 00’s or so (mostly lurking), but for those who want to reminisce, browse around old PantherLair pages through the magic of Wayback Machine.

Earliest I could find was from 2000, some snippets below:

Great find, thanks for posting.

Some great names on there of guys who are still around.
Mike412
ERICCARTMAN
NTOP
Yours truly.
Haven't heard from Dream Backfield or plcp for a while. Also remember black-man.

There is an exchange that I wish I could read between Altoona Panther and myself. AP was the best, great guy who passed away too young back in '06. He was an absolute antagonist of the nitters. He got them so pissed they posted his phone number. He was a dentist in Altoona and a great Panther fan. I miss him.

 

[wbrpanther]

I was Fort Apache Panther on Frank’s old board. No viable reason for it, I was living in Fort Lee NJ at the time and not too far from the Bronx so it just sounded better.

Does 3RC post here under a new handle? He was good for hoops talk back when we had the Ralph Willard recruiting prowess going for us. I forgot what he called himself before that, I think it was just Lou.

I pretty much cut my teeth on the old Frank Sokol board. There were a few other fly by night boards but I really don't remember who ran them.

 

[RaleighPittFan]

He actually came through every time if you treated him right.

I never tried to buy from him, but a lot of folks must have not "treated" him right, based on those who complained about getting stiffed at the end of his little business venture.

 

[Zeldas Open Roof]

Big Panther.....

A complete blowhard who knew nothing

Think he was the guy that said that pitt will get millions from the acc from the first expansion From a lawsuit we won..

Any day now.

 

[Atlanta Panther]

I'm the Atlanta Panther, was back then, still am now. Because of posting on Frank's "Unauthorized Pitt Football Message Board???" and the Unauthorized Pitt Basketball Message Board???", I got to know a few of the guys and always appreciated there insight since I lived so far away. I wound up being asked to help moderate the original PantherLair Board (still have my PantherLair Cap!) back when it was the wild west and they didn't have the full-timers like today. Of course, the weirdest guy was Wyndell Williams, who actually had a pretty good in on the City League stuff. Unfortunately, he was also a pervert and wound up in the jail for molestation (but not on the scale nor with the imprimatur of the school in the center of the state!

 

[Zeldas Open Roof]

I'm the Atlanta Panther, was back then, still am now. Because of posting on Frank's "Unauthorized Pitt Football Message Board???" and the Unauthorized Pitt Basketball Message Board???", I got to know a few of the guys and always appreciated there insight since I lived so far away. I wound up being asked to help moderate the original PantherLair Board (still have my PantherLair Cap!) back when it was the wild west and they didn't have the full-timers like today. Of course, the weirdest guy was Wyndell Williams, who actually had a pretty good in on the City League stuff. Unfortunately, he was also a pervert and wound up in the jail for molestation (but not on the scale nor with the imprimatur of the school in the center of the state!

I remember Wendell. Off field discretions aside, I remember him being very pompous, know it all.

Which in hindsight, would make him perfect for today’s pantherlair.

Remember him telling us windell (name being similar ironically) brown would be a huge player for us.

 

[DT_PITT]

I remember Wendell. Off field discretions aside, I remember him being very pompous, know it all.

Which in hindsight, would make him perfect for today’s pantherlair.

Remember him telling us windell (name being similar ironically) brown would be a huge player for us.

What was your name (handle) on Frank Sokol's Board?

I started posting on Frank's Board during the 96-97 hoops season. Those were the days.

 

[recruitsreadtheseboards]

Corporate Panther was great. Along with PuckYinz and Shady Side Scott.

Puck ended up at WVU. He's now in Canada. I kid you not.

 

[RaleighPittFan]

Puck ended up at WVU. He's now in Canada. I kid you not.

He went to Law School in Michigan before he went to Canada.

 

[caleco's]

What happened to the guy in the mid 2000's "i was specialties before...." had to be a nitter. He posted relentlessly and seemed to be a teen. As negative as pittpoker is but at least pittpoker seems to be a fan in masochistic way.

Man i must be on ignore by most of you. After 14 years i have no great recruting insight but its fun to interject and read alot of your posts. I live too far away in the mostly talentless state of nv.
Thank you all for a great decade and a half of solid info!

 

[BurghGuy68]

I actually left Rivals and spent most of my days at Scout when the blowhard predecessor to Chris Peak banned me here for ripping him for removing a star from Jason Pinkston...he mistakenly thought he didnt make the PG Fab 22 team but he did. That guy was a moron.

 

[wbrpanther]

I remember Wendell. Off field discretions aside, I remember him being very pompous, know it all.

Which in hindsight, would make him perfect for today’s pantherlair.

Remember him telling us windell (name being similar ironically) brown would be a huge player for us.

Wendell sat right behind me at Pitt Stadium. Seemed like a pretty good guy til he got arrested.

 

[mike412]

I actually left Rivals and spent most of my days at Scout when the blowhard predecessor to Chris Peak banned me here for ripping him for removing a star from Jason Pinkston...he mistakenly thought he didnt make the PG Fab 22 team but he did. That guy was a moron.

C’mon. You can name him: Jim Sny**r

I can’t recall if he was one of the major reasons the short-lived (albeit excellent) private by invitation only message board was started. Recruits... was on it, as were Harry, me and a number of other posters who are still active. My best recollection is that it was active during the year we recruited Blair, Young, etc and the football season preceding it. Although short-lived it was a great source of inside information on football and basketball recruiting.

 

[recruitsreadtheseboards]

I actually left Rivals and spent most of my days at Scout when the blowhard predecessor to Chris Peak banned me here for ripping him for removing a star from Jason Pinkston...he mistakenly thought he didnt make the PG Fab 22 team but he did. That guy was a moron.

Meh. Mere banal stuff. I got banned repeatedly. Like the time I questioned Big Panther and called him a blowhard when he was saying there was no way BC would leave their Big East roots at the same time Gene DeFelippo (then BC AD) was announcing their intention to leave the Big East, and many of you shouted me down and sided with Big Panther because.....it is what you wanted to hear, not what I was reporting (which was the truth). Kinda resonates in today's world. Anyways....

People forget my epic debates with Grid Iron Sage?? Oh those were the days.

 

[BurghGuy68]

I used to get into it with IronWorks aka Brian all teh time. The boards are such a time suck lol.

 

[recruitsreadtheseboards]

Remember back in those days, especially on a weekend, you would wake up and either see page after page of a single post or like 3 days of posts, gone. All because of some idiot "bombing" the board with some profane post and would repeat it for like 3-4 pages.

 

[pittdan77]

I'm relatively new to message boards but I do wonder where some of these guys go. Not just Pitt posters but there was The Dude (who has moved on to Twitter) and PennyLion who would send me threatening messages.

 

[RaleighPittFan]

I'm relatively new to message boards but I do wonder where some of these guys go. Not just Pitt posters but there was The Dude (who has moved on to Twitter) and PennyLion who would send me threatening messages.

Maybe they finally gets their meds leveled out.