Welcome to the 100th edition of the Backyard Brawl. Not too far from kickoff, which can be seen on ESPN. The current line is somewhere around 28 — here’s to hoping things don’t get too ugly. Lou Holtz gave his fictional pep talk to Pitt this week on ESPN’s College Football Live — said something about the Panthers winning to gain some “respecth” — so hopefully Wannstedt proclaims a similar message.
7:32: Post by Chas over at the FanHouse about WVU’s couch burning problems, plus a newspaper ad asking for fans to be responsible. Waiting for this Oklahoma State vs. Washington hoops game to finish up…
7:40: Lou Holtz reminds us teams play tougher in a rivalry. Rece Davis points out that teams ranked #2 ranked have lost plenty of games this season. Many reasons to get hopes up, only to have them quickly crushed. Ugh…
7:50: Kickoff. Go Pitt.
7:53: Bostick already throws a poor pass, which is picked and returned to the Pitt 30. Crap.
8:00: Holy crap, The Paul Rhoads Bend-But-Don’t-Break Defense™ didn’t look too bad. Add a Pat McAfee field goal miss and we get the ball at the 20.
8:11: Bostick gets eaten alive by 7 defenders for a 3rd down sack. Punting…
8:19: Greg Romeus fails to keep containment on White and he gets the huge run. On 3rd and 1 they give it to Owen Schmitt for the short run — measurement confirms the first down. Defense looks good except for White’s huge run.
8:22: McAfee misses another chip shot! Hah, gotta love it!
8:27: We can’t get a first down. LaRod was just body slammed, and the WVU defensive line is getting all sorts of penetration. Time for the Wildcat?
End of 1st quarter, tied at 0-0.
8:31: Fumble!!! Pitt ball!!!
8:34: Blah. Two more bad throws by Bostick and a bad punt through the end zone.
8:47: Bostick is 4 of 4 passing. Four throws and four horrible passes, that is. Screen play to Shady equals 1st down and first decent Bostick throw.
Nevermind, he throws another pick on his 5th bad throw of the night.
8:49: Does Wannstedt use the old-school wood crutches so they easily snap when he hits people with them? I suppose the newer metal ones would hurt a bit more.
8:55: Pat White looks like he’s in a ton of pain from a thumb injury — dislocation? Ew.
8:59: The goddamn backup is as good as White! Pitt takes a timeout.
Text message from a WVU fan/friend: “Dude Bostick is pretty fast and while I’m still lying I’ll say he’s good too.”
9:05: Wrapping White’s finger with a huge bag of ice. Things don’t look great for him. We make a 3rd down stop and Duhart makes a stupid move and gives them a first. WTF?!?
Even though the o-lineman flopped you still don’t push him.
Touchdown West Virginia, with the backup QB running in for the TD.
WVU 7, Pitt 0 — 1:43 left, 2nd quarter
9:19: Conor Lee! From 48, his new career long. He drilled the kick, showing Pat McAfee how to do it.
Only down 4 at halftime, not bad at all. Maybe Lou Holtz’s “respecth” speech worked? Anyways, I got the sense from watching McCoy those last few plays that he’s starting to physically feel those hits he’s taken from all these carries. Defense has tackled well, hopefully carrying through to the 2nd half. Offense is one-dimensional, with absolutely no passing threat.
Pat White will return if/when he “regains feeling in his thumb” according to Rich Rodriguez.
We’ve been close to WVU the last two years going into halftime, only to get destroyed in the second half. Time to break that streak.
WVU 7, Pitt 3 — Halftime
9:35: Fumble on the kickoff and Pitt got it!!!
9:39: Fake punt formation, Shane Murray takes the snap for the first!
9:46: Bostick to OD, who barely hangs on…Collins then Shady each take a carry…McCoy again to the 10 inch line…Bostick pushes into the end zone!
Pitt 10, WVU 7 — 9:48 left, 3rd quarter
9:55: 3 & out by the WV offense. As long as we can hold onto the ball and keep taking time off the clock I’ll feel good. I get nervous every time McCoy carries though after some of those fumble problems in the past — and now I probably just jinxed him. Super.
9:58: Shovel pass to LSH. Did Cavanaugh actually call a smart play for once? Shady breaks a nice run followed by 5 more from LSH. WVU fans, we can’t hear you.
10:00: Conredge Collins gets high for the first on 4th and short. Driving…
10:05: Turner called for questionable holding added with a Conor Lee miss gives all of the momentum back to West Virginia.
10:10: Big East refs seem to be continuing their year of excellence. Brown lost the ball but recovers anyways. Pitt defenders are friggin’ pumped up. Final quarter of the season; let’s hope they leave it all on the field. (Hooray for clichés!)
10:21: Nice boot by Brytus to pin WVU inside the 5, but Brown gets a nice run for the first.
10:24: Tommie Duhart makes up for it with a fumble recovery. Pitt ball inside the 20!!
10:33: McCoy with a beautiful move for a 1st inside the 5. Smelling the end zone — timeout Pitt (2 remaining). Pat White looking to return…tossing a ball around on the sidelines but still doesn’t look great.
Had 3 tries to power it in but couldn’t. Would have been huge to get in, but whatever — we’re Pitt, it’s expected. Lee FG is good.
Pitt 13, WVU 7 — 6:17 left, 4th quarter
10:38: Pat White back in game, Slaton can’t get what he needs on 4th down. Pitt ball, under 4:00 to go.
10:45: Holding call of Turner then not called on the pass. Talk about getting jobbed. Conspiracy theory? Confirmed.
10:53: Refs still trying to screw us, even when we do something right. Pitt ball attempting to run out the clock.
11:03: Oh my god we just won. We really just won. Unbelievable. More coming soon.
Holy crap!!!!!
Pitt 13, WVU 9 — FINAL
WVU 66
Pitt 19
White/Slaton/Devine combine for 500 yards rushing.
Crap.
WVU 66
Pitt 13
But at halftime it will be WVU 14, Pitt 13.
But I’ll bet our offense has something up their sleeves. I see Mo taking a bunch of snaps and then…..oh wait, it’s us. Nevermind.
Let’s Go PITT
WVU - 35
Pitt - 38
Passing: Strong 1TD Williams 1TD
Shady: 3 rush 3TD
White 1TD throwing
Slaton 3TD
Devine 1TD
Specific enough?
That really gives me the warm and fuzies
Calm the fuck down, we’ll be alright. How come no one can get through to this kid?
He is my boy from hazelwood!
Well, not this Saturday night, obviously.
He is also slow of foot!
Our D is playing lights out!!
Good that its in the kickers head…may help later…
let’s try a bit more next time cav!
That being said, let Bostick throw. For friggin sake we gotta do somethin unpredictable
Go Pitt
let’s Go Pitt
A fumble!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I agree their assholes are puckering!!!!!!!!!!!!!
We need to find an answer to get a forward pass in this fucking game we’re playing right here.
No way!
Shady sorta limping there.
Bostick looks awful. We have no offense with him in there so far. He can’t come close to completeing a pass. WE NEED A NEW QB!! At least for this game!! Put anyone else in there! A guy from the PITT band might throw better!
Obviously, you have no idea…
What a dick!
Dave put the crutches up Bosticks ass!!!!!!
We are fucked, our defense finally arrives but our offense is one dimensional!
Learned helplessness?
FUCK and FUCK!!!!!!!!!!!
Bostick is an interception machine!
They have no offensive gameplan. They will take no shots.
They are content covering the fucking spread!
A first!!
Make up call!!!!!!!!!
Someone missed the Turner OPI against Rutgers.
on a positive note..
Defense looks solid.
very solid.
“someday is now”….ugh.
We need to keep up the same game plan on D - even if he doesn’t come back. Don’t go into some 3 down linemen prevent bullshit.
We need to calm that QB the fuck down. He has wide open men, but is pissing his shorts. I don’t know what they have to do or say to him to get him back in this, but they have to get it done. Bring a fucking psychologist or his mommy or whatever - rip his fucking brain out, shake the shit out of it and stuff if back in his skull. Do something.
We need to find an answer to this disaster of a QB situation. If Stull can hold a ball - burn his fuckign redshirt and get him some fucking pads. We need a win here.
Being 4-7 and playing in a mostly meaningless game doesn’t warrant that though.
It will be interesting…if we keep it close.
Let’s pull out all the stops 2nd half (minus letting our “deer in the headlights” QB go too crazy.
Hats off to the Panthers on a very gritty first half.
Comment by pitt2008 12.01.07 @ 9:29 pm
hahaha. how things have changed this season?
wow. (nothing personal, its just amazing how much Rhoads head has been called for)
Are we going to try to onside it coming out of the break?
I just don’t know what the hell we’re going to do about the QB. I hope to god the coaches have an answer. That kid is a head case. It isn’t his ability or lack thereof - he completed passes in HS and looks somewhat decent during some stretches - there’s just something about him being rattle on the road…and in pressure situations.
I can’t wait for the trickeration…i’m praying it works better than Whites thumb.
Smith gave us a spark and looked halfway decent before. I’d give him a shot.
That was a fumble!!!
Hey let’s put Shane Murray in at QB.
Tonight is the night you can turn this program around.
15 minutes to go, baby!
Hey at least it only took an entire season to figure that one out refs….
You don’t make that catch unless someone upstairs is saying you’re supposed to win this game.
GO PITT!
let’s go pitt let’s go pitt, let’s go pitt
Seriously.
i fucking hate big east refs.
http://www.pittblather.com/2007/11/29/big-east-loves-wvu/
Confirmed for sure.
I AM GOING TO GET FUCKING WASTED
AND ACCEPT GROVELING FROM ALL THE STUPID BUCKEYES FANS I HAVE TO IMMERSE MYSELF IN ON A DAILY BASIS
FUCK THEM. FUCK THEM AND THEIR SISTERWIVES, AND THE TOOTHDECAY YELLOW UNIFORMS.
I DON’T CARE WE’RE GOING TO SEE AN AWFUL PIG TEN OSU SHITHOLE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME:
CAUSE IT AIN’T GONNA BE THOSE TOOTHLESS WONDERS.
PS. Fuck Penn State.
Wow. I havent been able to say this in a awhile, but im Pround to be a PITT Fan! Hail to PITT!!
I love it, the blather is crashing, Pedersen is the AD, DW gets a contract extension, Paul Rhoades is a genius….Its pandamonium…Im in shock
Rich Rodriguez is crying at his press conference…TOO BAD…you certainly had the refs working for you.
A few tears shed….no feeling in the world like this. Thank you Santa
Good karma with DW’s extension and Steve Ped back aboard. Sky’s the limit next year.
HAIL TO PITT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
FUCK YOU BITCHES - ONE TEAM WANTED IT.
Pittblather…can’t…handle…
I don’t know what defense we had out there, I havn’t seen Pitt tackle and blitz like that in……ever.
I AM PROUD TO BE A PITT FAN ONCE AGAIN!!!! THANK YOU GUYS!!! THAT WAS A BEAUTIFUL PERFORMANCE!!!!
What a perfect end to such a bad season.
1. WVU national title hopes — over
2. WVUs winning streak over pitt — over
Damn I’m proud of those guys right now.
Who shoudl win the heisman next year?
What a fucking game.
HAIL TO PITT!!!!
As it is, HAIL TO PITT
When my dad died last year, his best friend gave me a bottle of Crown Royal…he said they would drink it on special occasions. To this day, it’s remained unopened…I put aside ‘trivial’ things such as my buying my first house and other special occasions, refusing to open it.
Tonight, my friends, it has been opened.
This is a great feeling. I still have to say, beating those cowards from Penn State in 2000 12-0 was my favorite Pitt game of all time. But tonight, is an incredibly close second. My mistake not to DVR the game was corrected when I saw a replay is coming on at 3:30 a.m.
A few notes that I observed:
1. The refs were incredible (as if anyone who watched the game didn’t notice). The play that stuck out to me (and if you watch the replay, you’ll see it) was McCoy’s TD run that was called back. The ref literally waited until McCoy had scored to pull out his flag. It was a COMPLETE phantom call.
I very rarely call refs out - they have unbelievably tough jobs calling games, so even when they blow calls, it’s really hard for me to fault them. But that call was incredible. I implore you to watch that specific replay and stare at the ref that called it. You’ll see exactly what I’m about.
2. Someone noted it above and I didn’t notice it - but Rodriguez gave Pitt no credit at all. All I’ve heard about this week is about how classy a guy he is. That was a gutless move…especially when the refs literally did all they could to keep us from winning. Pitt COMPLETELY outplayed WVU - it wasn’t even close.
3. I’ve always held PSU as the standard when it comes to hating other teams. But man do I hate WVU. I think they’re tied for me now with PSU. It was SO unbelievably great to see their little fans with their little painted faces going home sad. It was even better seeing the usually talkative Rodriguez at a loss for words. Hilarious.
4. I’ve been among those who have spoken against this coaching staff before, but they really did a great job tonight. The pitch call to Shady was exactly what I said they needed to do and it worked to perfection (other than that bad call bringing it back) (And by the way, they need to do MUCH more of that rather than simply handing it off to him - Shady with an open field is freaking dangerous). I have no words for the defense - I’m speechless. 11 yards for Slaton? Yeah, that’s pretty fair.
I’ve already told my wife that there’s no way any gift she gives me can top this. For the first time ever, I’ve literally had tears welling up in my eyes.
Thank you, Pitt.
-Dick rod
Don’t ever forget bitch.
Beautiful
BCS = Run by clowns
I still feel like I dreamed that entire game!!
I new I saw progress in this team throughout that year, and they showed it bigtime tonight.
This team’s only getting better next year too!
Christ I hope Chas made it out of Morgantown alive!!!!
It was only a two year winning streak for WVU, but it felt like a decade!!! We beat ‘em in 04 too (that was an underrated Brawl BTW).
This young team showed heart in the 2nd half of the year, and it was good to see that it finally translated into a big win on a national stage!
How’d that taste WVU?
One more point I forgot - how about those chumps having their marching band spell out BCS at halftime? They would argue that it is just them pointing to their BCS birth, but you know it meant the title game…
Sorry about that.
Hail to Pitt.
touchdowns hanging right now !!!
I’m crying…fucking crying…and it hasn’t even sunk in yet.
Waht a fucking game.
I could care less who backdoored a national championship - as i said before, as long as WVU (And PSU) aren’t playing for a national championship, i’m fucking estatic.
Now all the bitches are doing 180s rambling about Pitt this and Pitt that…fuck you, you didn’t believe…we finally put togehter one of those games, the games we knew we were capable of - where the most talented team, athlete and coaches were able to accomplish what was ours, against all odds.
Who says Wannstedt shouldn’t get an extension now?
I said if we won this game and went 1-11, i’d be fucking happy. Look it up. Its in writing.
I’m happy.
unfreaking real listening to Herpiestriet compare pitts win to App St’s w over Mich. He & Corso both giving Pitt a ton of credit. (MUCH DESERVED) Can’t belive Pitts D Wow I’ve been impressed all year so proud of how well they’ve played Looks like P. R. has finally remembered how to coach an aggressive D. Man we really kicked the shit out of WVU Mountoursisters. gonna go on some WVU sites & rub it in now. Hail To Pitt. (Get a QB please)
Anyways…as much as i want us to win, i’ll be satisfied (at least not pissed off) if at the end of the game we have left it all out on the field: no dropping easy catches, no missing sure tackles, no fumbling away our chances, no balls tossed up for grab. If we play a great game, and lose, so be it. I just want to see them give it their all - and hopefully that’s enough to win.
That said, i expect us to find a way to win. And to truck at least one of their players.
Hail to Pitt. Fuck WVU.