Seriously who isn't on ignore by this guy? Why come on here if you ignore 80% of the board? Oh that is right you won't see this because I'm on ignore.
The return of the Golden Panthers...
- Thread starter HughGreenIsUndefeated
- Start date
Seriously who isn't on ignore by this guy? Why come on here if you ignore 80% of the board? Oh that is right you won't see this because I'm on ignore.
A
anon_vmuicqnzlyp3u
Guest
He get's his panties in a wad when people call him out. He thinks he's the only one that knows anything about Pitt
Last edited by a moderator:
LMFAO, what do you expect any university to say? Of all the reasons to call out Pitt for not being committed to football, not facilitating a bunch of posers unwilling to work within the athletic department's existing fundraising system so that they can set up an alternative, competing booster club is about the dumbest thing posted yet. Let alone one specifically trying to be tied to the image of the former uncontrolled and corrupt club.
It's only called "cheating" to give the charade that this isn't cutthroat professional sports... far more cutthroat than the "real" professional sports.
The body supposed to govern and discipline it has gleefully thrown up its arms, doesn't even pretend anymore.
There are way too many examples to cite that prove that it's not only condoned but expected, but the blatant paying 6 figures (at least) to Cam Newton that resulted in a NC for Auburn but absolutely no ramifications ... is probably is near the top. UNCs phony "athletes college" is next. Pitt should not have 3 losses today, because UNC sports teams should be in the middle of their Death Penalty. Somehow we'd likely still find a way to lose to them however...
Pitt is worse than hypocritical about it because the university (along with others like us) should be screaming louder than any school about stopping these things, since we won't engage in it. But Pitt just stays quiet, gets reamed up the rear by the likes of UNC, and cashes the checks.
No self respecting PITT alum is advocating "cheating" to improve our athletic programs. The Golden Panthers were more about organizing and mobilizing the alumni community. They made it a point to work with coaches and to open up recruiting networks prior to the "internet".
Crazy Paco is pushing a narrative that he determined caused the University to step in and eliminate the Golden Panthers...and to a point he is correct. But long term, the dissolution of the Golden Panthers has hurt all the athletic programs.
I think Corporate Panther explained that the Golden Panthers could reform but it would be more "select" in membership and influence. The everyday functions of fundraising should stay within the confines of the University. The progressive movement of a reformed Golden Panthers would work indirectly with Coaches and with friends of the program who are like minded.
Crazy Paco is pushing a narrative that he determined caused the University to step in and eliminate the Golden Panthers...and to a point he is correct. But long term, the dissolution of the Golden Panthers has hurt all the athletic programs.
I think Corporate Panther explained that the Golden Panthers could reform but it would be more "select" in membership and influence. The everyday functions of fundraising should stay within the confines of the University. The progressive movement of a reformed Golden Panthers would work indirectly with Coaches and with friends of the program who are like minded.
I couldnt agree more. I built a factory in Knoxville, and we had a man on our staff that embezzled money from our company and I fired him with a smile on my face (only time ever). Single guy, about 60 years old, married and divorced a few times... why did he embezzle money? Because he was sending 10K gifts to top recruiting visitors of the football team and promising there is more where that came from if they sign. I HONESTLY dont think UT staff knew anything about it, I would severely doubt he had any connections, he just wanted to look like a big baller and work his way into UT org. He did this to 4 players before we caught him, and he openly told me about it, he really thought nothing was wrong with doing this, and it would be great for the company if we got behind UT football and did this for the community.
Saying this story because there are so many people like this guy Ive run into in Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee and I am equally sure there are a bunch in PA, OH, and other places. Perfectly OK with felonies, and think students should get paid and they are going to help (with whatever money they can).
There should be a "Golden Panther" organization. In theory it is great to have this as an alumni. Just needs to be far better run and organized.
No I'm not. I didnt know one person ever involved with my family and GP that would steal from anyone. The point he is making is not valid
Ummm....please re-read his post then focus in on the last two paragraphs.
Saying this story because there are so many people like this guy Ive run into in Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee and I am equally sure there are a bunch in PA, OH, and other places. Perfectly OK with felonies, and think students should get paid and they are going to help (with whatever money they can).
There should be a "Golden Panther" organization. In theory it is great to have this as an alumni. Just needs to be far better run and organized.
No, I didnt own the place, I was general manager.
I wasnt insinuating the golden panthers were like that, I honestly know nothing about those days, I was too young, other than what I read on this board.
I am saying, that like the EER fan, there are lots of morally bankrupt people walking the earth and to them doing these things is nothing. Taking money in a 50/50, or whatever the case may be.
Not a factually accurate comment. The University employee that headed that organization ran afoul of the law, not the organization itself. Surprised at your imprecision, or do you have an axe to grind? Hail to Pitt!
The Golden Panthers were generally a huge boost to Pitt athletics and were green lighted by Cas Myslinski and John Majors. They were integral in fund raising back in the last golden age of Pitt football. They effectively engaged big alumni booster and local big donors.
Bob Heddleston was the guy who screwed the pooch eventually. He became too big for his britches and ended up "diverting funds". He was able to parley his role as Executive Director of the Golden Panthers into a gig as Associate Athletic Director under one of the killer B's, Dean Billick and seemed to think he was untouchable. The group certainly helped Pitt land lots of top end players. " Wink, Wink, Nudge, Nudge...know what I mean, know what I mean..."
You mix a lot of facts with fiction. The Golden Panthers was the name of a University of Pittsburgh fundraising arm/booster organization. The head of the GP, an University employee, ultimately resigned in 1990, and paid restitution to the University [not a dollar of donated money was lost]. There is not a shred of public facts or documents that suggests the organization was in any way corrupt...other than the head, who was a University employee. After Heddleston resigned, you are right, the fundraising had become inept and incredibly disorganized [which may also be attributed to the Chancellor and the downgrading of athletic priorities at the time--not to mention some really bad football teams].
Rather than attempt to fix or reorganize, Steve blew it up when he arrived in 1997. He formed Team Pittsburgh at the time...but it was largely a name, not a real organization with events, meetings or fund raising functions. Pitt needs, as do all Division I universities, an active booster club. Whatever the name may be, and frankly, Golden Panthers was a great name, you will likely see something similar come to pass under AD Lyke. Hail to Pitt!
Dixon hung himself because he couldn’t recruit and left town to escape the mess he made. More lies...
If UNC could manufacturer phantom courses, Pitt can manufacture phantom losses.
You know as well as I that any interpretation of Pitt history, whether related to athletics or not, which even tangentially casts a negative light on Nordenberg, compels this poster to aggressively assume a defensive position. Anything he says about the events that transpired during this time period are biased and in many instances completely inaccurate.
Actually the real Golden Panthers , the guys who funneled $$ to the players were more a shadow organization. Meaning the guys that raised money did it among themselves. Cas and Johny were not involved in raising the money. I am assuming they worked with the HC in directing the funds. But they never ever went through Pitt. The money was in the form of cash. The Golden Panther organization which CP refers to was not involved in the direct raising of money to be paid to the players. Players did get paid .Just like at many of our ACC rival schools. I was there . CP was not. I was friends with a GP that was involved from the start. Many of you would know his name. Reality is tough for some of you to deal with. Bagmen do exist. All over college athletics.
He did leave of his own volition but Barnes effectively pushed him out.
Right. I was there. I was friends with a whole bunch of players. It was cash from no show jobs...cars from local dealers...nice off campus apartments rent free...food and nice meals without a bill...etc. In other words the same shit that goes on at big schools...
Well a National Title helped.
I know for a fact that PSU was doing the same things. It was what it was.
Our family, well, my father specifically, had donations of his that went missing in the Golden Panther records when the Great Bob Heddelston (sp) ran the group.
It was up to him, rather me, to go through my dad's bank records and prove to the Golden Panthers that Dad had indeed been a Golden Panther since the group was founded.
It was up to him, rather me, to go through my dad's bank records and prove to the Golden Panthers that Dad had indeed been a Golden Panther since the group was founded.
pittdan77
Athletic Director
The biggest thing that Pitt misses from the Golden Panthers days is the outreach to kids. I went to so many GP meetings as a kid because I got to meet players and coaches. I wasn't the only kid. We always got extra tickets and never missed a spring game. It was a really big deal to me.
Yeah, right. And, the line of about 30 new Monte Carlos parked outside wherever the Football Training Table was being served was PURELY coincidental. (Sarcasm Font)
We were as corrupt as anyone, well, except the Ped State crew. We never sunk THAT low. But there were things ignored or, more often, actively covered up that would be national scandals if they happened and were exposed now.
There is no need to wash our dirty laundry in public by going into specifics. . Maybe a couple of the former GP's posting here weren't personally cheating. But, cheating was rampant. The worst excesses at Oklahoma or the SEC were duplicated here. Influential boosters helped determine the Depth Chart and in a few cases, even who was recruited.
I was on campus as an undergrad, then as an RA as a grad student, and later was a close friend with a big booster. I witnessed much and was told about more, often by those closely involved.
Pitt could easily have been prosecuted for the dread " Lack of Institutional Control" due to Golden Panther and/or other booster activities. They were doing pretty much whatever they wanted. That's why Pitt shut them down.
I don't like to lose. But it's not important in the big picture. Nordenberg built us into a world class university while overseeing a basically average athletic program.
That is important. Football, schmootball. No offense, but it really doesn't change anything if we win 12 games or lose 12 games. I don't measure my personal happiness by whether my alma mater's semi-professional athletes play better than another school's semi-professionals. My ego isn't warped that way.
I hope we win. But, it doesn't surprise me if we don't.
I lived and breathed Pitt sports for decades. I bled blue and gold. But, if we have to cheat to win, I decided it's not worth it.
I'm over all that now.
Last edited:
You’re loaded with integrity!!! Running around like a maniac insulting people on an internet message board.
This is like Lindsay Lohan calling Kim Kardashian a slut.
Is it really cheating if everyone is doing it? Like having a drink before you are 21?
Your definition of corrupt is very different than mine I guess. You can parse definitions anyway you want to, but when the leaders of a booster club get caught embezzling funds...and that is exactly what happened, embezzlement, which is the my very definition of corrupt......initially whistleblown by Mike Gottfried himself.... and it received national attention in news outlets across the country becoming irreparably tarnished. Not to mention it was, or at least some of its members were, involved in things that were certainly NCAA violations that were almost an open secret. Please don't try to insult anyone's intelligence by arguing that wasn't going on because there's no public record of it. Now, that doesn't mean that the club's genesis was corrupt or that even most of its members were (and I was one), nor that it didn't do good most of the time, but like many organizations without adequate oversight and control, the temptation to take shortcuts becomes too much for some. It absolutely needed to be blown up. That should have happened in 1991, before things got so bad in 1996.
Whether "Team Pittsburgh" was a good name (it was not) or was correctly implemented (no disagreement that it was lacking), is not the issue. I'm not here to argue Steve Pederson or any of his successors. But to this day, the "Golden Panthers" moniker carries a very mixed and loaded connotation, and that connotation is not without merit. When people call for a restoration of the "Golden Panthers," they're not calling for a reorganization of the Panther Club to make it more effective at events, fundraising, and local chapter membership drives (no one can argue that isn't needed); they're recalling with nostalgia the wild west days of the 80s. Let's not be coy, they're calling for cheating, and everyone knows it.
Last edited:
Some would have you believe that the heads of this group only ran afoul of the law, and not the organization. LOL. Only a lawyer would attempt to mount such a defense.
The thing that just really insulting is that when these people stole, they essentially stole doubly....theft from the donor and theft from the university, and specifically, the athletic department and football program...and their actions just damaged so much and the consequences rippled across the athletic department for years. Hell, we're still discussing it almost 30 years later.
Last edited:
A
anon_vmuicqnzlyp3u
Guest
My personal values have nothing to do with the business of College football. You can go f@ck yourself as well. Don't make a statement when you don't even know me ****wadd
Similar threads
