The power and importance of a strong rivalry.....

[thebadby2]

When Mark Dantonio came to MSU, he used MSU's longtime inferiority complex regarding Michigan to motivate his players and get them to play with a chip on their shoulder. Beating Michigan annually became a top priority, and it keeps the Spartans focused, hungry and playing for 60 minutes every week. Tressel did the same thing when he took over at OSU--beating Michigan was Job 1. It elevates the programs on and off the field, on the recruiting trail, in national perception, everywhere. Now, from the very same coaching tree as Tressel and Dantonio, we are seeing Narduzzi already working the same angle here vs. PSU. This is not coincidental.

Unfortunately don't have our bitter rival on the schedule every year. Nonetheless, Narduzzi's rekindling of the bad blood is already paying dividends. He is stoking the rivalry, getting it going, getting the blood up on both sides. There is a definite method to his madness. I think we have all suspected that there have been a lot of WPIAL studs over the years who went to PSU not because it was their lifelong desire to play there, but because for a very long time Pitt has not been an attractive program to play for. Now he's giving them a reason to stay home, emphasizing hometown pride, creating buzz, putting his money where his mouth is. Finally someone breathing some life into a long lifeless program, generating some buzz. You can debate the Xs and Os job that Chryst did here all day, but he was never going to be a guy to energize a program, to stoke the embers into a flame--and that;s just as important, or maybe even more so, as the Xs and Os when you;re trying to revive a program that has been on life support as long as this one has.

 

[Consultant Panther]

When Mark Dantonio came to MSU, he used MSU's longtime inferiority complex regarding Michigan to motivate his players and get them to play with a chip on their shoulder. Beating Michigan annually became a top priority, and it keeps the Spartans focused, hungry and playing for 60 minutes every week. Tressel did the same thing when he took over at OSU--beating Michigan was Job 1. It elevates the programs on and off the field, on the recruiting trail, in national perception, everywhere. Now, from the very same coaching tree as Tressel and Dantonio, we are seeing Narduzzi already working the same angle here vs. PSU. This is not coincidental.

Unfortunately don't have our bitter rival on the schedule every year. Nonetheless, Narduzzi's rekindling of the bad blood is already paying dividends. He is stoking the rivalry, getting it going, getting the blood up on both sides. There is a definite method to his madness. I think we have all suspected that there have been a lot of WPIAL studs over the years who went to PSU not because it was their lifelong desire to play there, but because for a very long time Pitt has not been an attractive program to play for. Now he's giving them a reason to stay home, emphasizing hometown pride, creating buzz, putting his money where his mouth is. Finally someone breathing some life into a long lifeless program, generating some buzz. You can debate the Xs and Os job that Chryst did here all day, but he was never going to be a guy to energize a program, to stoke the embers into a flame--and that;s just as important, or maybe even more so, as the Xs and Os when you;re trying to revive a program that has been on life support as long as this one has.

I agree, but Narduzzi's superior coaching matters a lot. If Pitt were 2-3 instead of 5-1, he wouldn't be able to make some of the comments he has. It appears that Narduzzi has it all.

 

[thebadby2]

I agree, but Narduzzi's superior coaching matters a lot. If Pitt were 2-3 instead of 5-1, he wouldn't be able to make some of the comments he has. It appears that Narduzzi has it all.

Of course-Never said it didn't. He's the best defensive coach in college football. But getting the players to buy in, take on his energy and personality, play for 60 minutes as a team, find a way to win-those intangible type things are every bit as responsible for our win-loss as the schemes and game planning.

 

[Consultant Panther]

Of course-Never said it didn't. He's the best defensive coach in college football. But getting the players to buy in, take on his energy and personality, play for 60 minutes as a team, find a way to win-those intangible type things are every bit as responsible for our win-loss as the schemes and game planning.

I totally agree with you. I include all those things when I say "superior coaching." Coaching isn't only about game planning, play calling, etc.

 

[VAPITTALUM]

I agree, but Narduzzi's superior coaching matters a lot. If Pitt were 2-3 instead of 5-1, he wouldn't be able to make some of the comments he has. It appears that Narduzzi has it all.

Nailed it! This coaching STAFF gets it. Narduzzi is a great motivator and obviously knows how to coach players up on the defensive side of the football. However, he also recognizes areas where he may be a little weaker, like the offensive side of the ball. To handle those duties, he hired a very experienced coach in Chaney to take the reigns. After a slow start, he seems to have the wheels moving in the right direction.

This team is more fundamentally sound, being one of the fewest penalized teams in the country, and they play with a focus that we as fans haven't seen in a very long time. With PITT now receiving more national attention, that focus and intensity is going to be even more important. Like most of the players are saying, there are no mid-season awards.

 

[MajorMajors]

I think the most important factor in the recruiting of the local kids - besides winning games - is that the kids can see for themselves that in this Pitt defense, BIG PLAYS are being made by players at every position -- DBs, LBs, and Dline.

I think this is what kids want - the opportunity to win - but just as important, the opportunity to MAKE PLAYS and see themselves doing good things on tape.

Showing a kid how his skills will allow him to excel in this defense -- especially when they can see kids with less talent than them already out there making plays -- is very powerful stuff.

Go Pitt.

 

[raleighpanther]

Yes! And kids see the players having FUN on the field. And play with swagger. And it works, the defense is way more successful and smart looking than last year.

As a recruit, you know they see the energy of the players on the field; see the interviews of players saying things like "they let us go out there and make plays"; seeing Maddox answering a question after a game by laughing with joy and saying "this is what its like to play in the Narduzzi defense!"
Hell, even at my age, I want to suit up again and run onto the field.

 

[PITTLAW]

Yes! And kids see the players having FUN on the field. And play with swagger. And it works, the defense is way more successful and smart looking than last year.

As a recruit, you know they see the energy of the players on the field; see the interviews of players saying things like "they let us go out there and make plays"; seeing Maddox answering a question after a game by laughing with joy and saying "this is what its like to play in the Narduzzi defense!"
Hell, even at my age, I want to suit up again and run onto the field.

I love what he has them doing between the 3rd and 4th quarter...gets me pumped just watching it and they clearly are having fun! Hail to Pitt!

 

[#99HUGHgreen]

Of course-Never said it didn't. He's the best defensive coach in college football. But getting the players to buy in, take on his energy and personality, play for 60 minutes as a team, find a way to win-those intangible type things are every bit as responsible for our win-loss as the schemes and game planning.

Good points...

Though, the concept of players "buying in" to what the caoaches are teaching them isn't what's so revolutionary. What's revolutionary is having talented coaches at Pitt now who are proving everything they are getting their players to "buy into" in fact yields superior results.

 

[Saboteur]

I think the most important factor in the recruiting of the local kids - besides winning games - is that the kids can see for themselves that in this Pitt defense, BIG PLAYS are being made by players at every position -- DBs, LBs, and Dline.

I think this is what kids want - the opportunity to win - but just as important, the opportunity to MAKE PLAYS and see themselves doing good things on tape.

Showing a kid how his skills will allow him to excel in this defense -- especially when they can see kids with less talent than them already out there making plays -- is very powerful stuff.

Go Pitt.

Don't underestimate the decision to bench Chad for Nate. Benching Chad is not like benching Tom Brady, but Chad is a good player, well liked and a quality person. That could not have been an easy decision.

 

[Pittx9]

How about we find an ACC rival instead of that disgusting team in the middle of nowhere PA? All for what Narduzzi said, I just really don't want to even be mentioned with them anymore. We gotta play them the next two seasons, so I'd love nothing more than to beat them into the turf both games. After that though, move along, get lost, and don't come back.

 

[upj87]

How about we find an ACC rival instead of that disgusting team in the middle of nowhere PA? All for what Narduzzi said, I just really don't want to even be mentioned with them anymore. We gotta play them the next two seasons, so I'd love nothing more than to beat them into the turf both games. After that though, move along, get lost, and don't come back.

If they were not a rival in your mind you would have not started out by insulting them. Spoken like a nitter.....Nope, I want the disgusting team from the middle of nowhere rivalry...Rivalries just are...they are not "found" and they are not manufactured..

 

[PITTLAW]

How about we find an ACC rival instead of that disgusting team in the middle of nowhere PA? All for what Narduzzi said, I just really don't want to even be mentioned with them anymore. We gotta play them the next two seasons, so I'd love nothing more than to beat them into the turf both games. After that though, move along, get lost, and don't come back.

UPJ87 is 100%...you cannot manufacture a rival...they just happen naturally. PSU and WVU will always be Pitt's football rivals, regardless of whether they play or not. And by the way, the PSU series is now for four years...so better get used to it for a while. Hail to Pitt!

 

[thebadby2]

Don't underestimate the decision to bench Chad for Nate. Benching Chad is not like benching Tom Brady, but Chad is a good player, well liked and a quality person. That could not have been an easy decision.

And it would be pretty hard to second guess that decision at this point.

I was one of the guys before the season started who never thought for a second that Peterman would be our starting QB this year, it really was Voytik's job to lose--and he lost it.

How about we find an ACC rival instead of that disgusting team in the middle of nowhere PA? All for what Narduzzi said, I just really don't want to even be mentioned with them anymore. We gotta play them the next two seasons, so I'd love nothing more than to beat them into the turf both games. After that though, move along, get lost, and don't come back.

Yeah, we could

If they were not a rival in your mind you would have not started out by insulting them. Spoken like a nitter.....Nope, I want the disgusting team from the middle of nowhere rivalry...Rivalries just are...they are not "found" and they are not manufactured..

100% correct. I can't believe there's a Pitt fan alive who doesn't want a shot at PSU every year. Just goes to show how beaten down this fan base has become over the past 30 years.

 

[CrazyPaco]

I could care less if we play them ever again, even if we missed out on pounding them 10 straight times. That is how disturbing that trash is to me. They are obviously a rival, but rivalries can have respect. There is no respect left in it for me. They are beneath contempt and that has zero to do with Pitt.

Calling them disgusting is just an accurate and well deserved description. Has nothing to do with their state of being a rival or not a rival. Louisville is disgusting too, just somewhat less so than covering up child rape without it effecting the SOP. Miami has been disgusting. Lots of disgusting things out there, not that I can think of any more despicable than the cultists. There is no way I'm ever setting foot in Beaver Stadium again. I'm really not even that comfortable with the thought of going to Heinz with so many heinous cultists in the building. Hell, there is no way I'd even drop a dime on one of their over rated ice cream cones.

After this four game series, we're unlikely to play them in a long time. If we want a regular, out-of-conference, geographic rival, we better start getting used to WVU. As messed up as their fans can be, they're way less offensive to basic humanity than the cultists, and I'd much rather play them annually as I called for since we first left the Big East. That is not how I felt prior to 2012. Things have changed dramatically.

 

[Pittx9]

After this four game series, we're unlikely to play them in a long time. If we want a regular, out-of-conference, geographic rival, we better start getting used to WVU. As messed up as their fans can be, they're way less offensive to basic humanity than the cultists, and I'd much rather play them annually as I called for since we first left the Big East. That is not how I felt prior to 2012. Things have changed dramatically.

I agree with you and I agree with the posters who want to play Penn State. I've had some enjoyable trips to Morgantown for the Backyard Brawl. 13-9 being my first trip there and by the far the best though . I think of our natural rivals, I'd rather play them. For years I've waited for the chance to play Penn State again and it's great we are going to finally. But I'm with you in the sense they are disgusting and I don't want them in Pittsburgh.

In no way, shape, or form should they have a football team right now. In a few years, maybe. But their fans will never get it, they're too brainwashed. So as great as the rivalry once was and yes, it is a natural rivalry, I don't want to acknowledge they exist (unless of course we're speaking badly about them.) The fact they still field a football team is everything that's wrong with sports. Give me 30 years of mediocrity over PSU's resume in that time frame and the scandal that followed any day of the week.