It’s back and family friendly (the press release says so).

The University of Pittsburgh will host its second annual Basketball Fan Fest and Blue/Gold Scrimmages on Saturday, Oct. 29 at the Petersen Events Center. The event will highlight both the Pitt men’s and women’s basketball teams and feature autograph sessions, team scrimmages and various fan-oriented events. Doors open at 3:45 p.m.
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Following the combined autograph session, the Pitt women’s team will play a 20-minute intrasquad scrimmage. The Panthers men’s team will then play a 32-minute scrimmage with two halves.

Fan Fest will also feature performances from the Pitt Pep Band, Pitt Cheerleaders and Pitt Dance Team, along with various family oriented activities including face painting, the Balloon-A-Tic, Moon Walk and more! Also, author Sam Sciullo Jr. will be on hand to sign copies of his book, “Pitt, 100 Years of Pitt Basketball” from 4-5:30 p.m.

FM NewsTalk 104.7 and Fox Sports 970 AM will broadcast live from the Petersen Events Center lobby. Hosted by Greg Linnelli, the broadcast will have live interviews with Berenato, Dixon and student-athletes from both basketball teams.

Hopefully, the new book isn’t just be a B/W picture book culled from the Pitt Athletic Department’s archive like “Panther Pride.” Why yes, I am a little annoyed that I spent the money on it.

The admission is free.

I wish that Pitt did a Midnight Madness thing, since that is for the students, but they stopped trying after 2003. Part of it was that they had poor turnout, though I think that can at least be blamed, in part, on not making it all about the students.

Still, the students have to take some responsibility for turning out to the events. A writer for the Pitt News called out his fellow students today.

Saturday’s victory against South Florida was an embarrassment. Not for the team, but for the students. Most of you weren’t there to notice, but the student section was half full, and I’m only talking about the first level.

By the way, Pitt won that game.

The next time the Panthers win a big game at home, which they will at some point, I want security guards to stop fans before they rip down the goal posts — to check ID’s. Any Pitt student that wasn’t there for the Youngstown State, Cincinnati or South Florida games should not be allowed to celebrate. They have no right.

Being a fan means being there through the good and the bad. It makes victory that much sweeter. In 2003, the Red Sox sold out every game, and they hadn’t won the World Series in 85 years. Pitt fans should take a page from their book and keep the faith.
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Sure, the Oakland Zoo has been crazy for Pitt basketball games versus Syracuse or UConn, but when a ticket policy needs to include punishment for those with tickets who don’t attend games, it says something about the fan base. Do you think Duke or Kentucky has that problem?

Of course Duke is averaging a little under 17,000 per game in football.