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September 7, 2009

Boo! Boo! Whatever

Filed under: Fans,Football,Media — Chas @ 5:30 pm

I am stunned that this is taking any semblance of an issue. I really am. Yes Bill Stull was booed. He was booed early. He was booed late. He was not, however, booed incessantly or mercilessly.

Do I agree with the booing? Eh. In general I don’t have a problem with it, but it seemed a little premature.

I didn’t boo during the game. I was not surprised, though, even on the opening drive that quickly died. The early poor throw was not going to help him with the fans.  When I pulled into the lot that morning, the attendant said he was taking a poll: How soon until Stull gets yanked?

In the parking lot, waking into the stadium and in the stands, I kept hearing similar questions. People talking about “Tino time.”

The whole time, though, I never thought of it as hating Stull. Just simply that he had proven to most that he was not the guy to be the starting QB.

Yet the whole thing has taken on a ridiculous life. It now seems that Stull was being booed non-stop in the game from the moment he ran on the field to garbage being thrown on him as he was leaving the field.

Both the Trib and P-G columnists focused on it for their Sunday columns. Ron Cook:

I had to check three times yesterday to make sure Kordell Stewart wasn’t playing quarterback for Pitt.

That’s how rough many in the home crowd at Heinz Field treated Bill Stull in Pitt’s easy, 38-3 win against ridiculously overmatched Youngstown State.

It was pretty pathetic, actually.

At least Stewart was a highly paid professional when he was booed and jeered by Steelers fans. Stull is a college kid. He deserved better from those in the stands who jumped his stuff as soon as his second incompletion ended Pitt’s first possession.

“That’s not giving a person much time,” Pitt coach Dave Wannstedt said, clearly saddened by the Stull treatment on an opening day when just about everything else went right for the Panthers, the lame competition considered.

Stull’s teammates weren’t thrilled, either.

“I was really disappointed that our fans would boo our starting quarterback,” offensive tackle Jason Pinkston said. “They are supposed to be our fans and be up screaming for us. But, instead, they boo him.”

Pathetic, I tell you.

That’s pathetic? Cook had to check 3 times because there were 3 instances during the game where there were boos. The opening series when Stull looked like he hadn’t changed a whit from the Sun Bowl. The interception where Stull threw it right to the DB. Regardless of whether there was confusion on the route, the DB read Stull’s eyes and stood there waiting for the throw. Then a half-hearted booing when Stull inexplicably came back in after Tino Sunseri was in for one possession.

I get Pinkston and Wannstedt defending their guy. He’s part of the team and to them it is unfair.

Joe Starkey treated it as a meditation on when booing is appropriate.

But the most pertinent question to arise yesterday was this: What is acceptable and what is not when it comes to criticizing a college athlete?

Like Wannstedt, I thought the booing was a bit premature. But I’ll say this: Like it or not, dealing with boos and calls for the backup are part of the deal in big-time college athletics.

I don’t think it’s wrong or bad for fans to do that.

It’s the other stuff — the name-calling, the vicious message-board attacks, the insults that Stull’s family surely must hear in the stands — that is beyond uncalled-for.

It is pathetic and needs to stop.

“Yeah, it’s rough,” said tight end Dorin Dickerson. “(Stull’s) my roommate. I live with him, see him every day. I feel bad for him. He deals with it really well, you know? He’s trying so hard.”

Pathetic seems to be a favorite word from that day.

On the subject of Stull getting booed for coming back in the game in the 3d quarter. Both Cook and Starkey seem to acknowledge that it was on Wannstedt to some degree.

Redshirt freshman quarterback Tino Sunseri played three of Pitt’s final four possessions, but he should have played all of them. Pitt coach Dave Wannstedt said Sunseri was supposed to play the rest of the game after he replaced Bill Stull up, 21-3, with 6:44 to play in the third quarter. But Stull returned after Sunseri’s first drive culminated with a 26-yard field goal. Stull led Pitt to a touchdown on his final series. “I was tied up doing something else,” Wannstedt said. “Tino was supposed to play the rest of the second half. That was a miscommunication on my part.”

Exactly how hard is it to communicate: Sunseri’s in there for the rest of the game? Stull was on the sidelines with a baseball cap on, and everyone knew he was done for the day. Yet his inexplicable return provoked a confused and WTF response. Yet, in terms of volume of booing, it was definitely half-hearted.

The booing, was clearly not directed at Stull that time. That time it was at Wannstedt and the coaches for putting Stull back in. Mainly because it made no sense and seemed to be about holding Sunseri to a standard Stull wasn’t held to.

Sunseri went 2-4 and had to settle for a FG. Not horrible, but since they blew a TD opportunity from 1st and goal he got yanked.

Then Bob Smizik felt it wast time for him to go off.

There might be some discussion about the runnerup, but from what I’ve seen and read it happened at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh.

That’s where the so-called fans of the Pitt football team booed the team’s starting quarterback following his second pass of what was a scoreless game. That’s the quarterback who helped lead Pitt to a nine-win season last year.

Slight factual correction, it was his second incomplete pass. What offends me is that he flat out lies in his description of events.

It was worse: With Pitt leading, when Stull came back into the game in the third quarter, he was booed again and this time more loudly.

I know you are still learning how to blog Smizik, and I’m guessing you don’t hold the format in the highest regard. That said, like anything, factual accuracy only helps a position. In what report do you base that the booing was loudest when he came back in late in the 3d quarter?

The loudest boos for Stull was on the opening drive of the 3d quarter when he threw that hideous interception. If you think boos then were without logic or reason, then I don’t think we can effectively discuss the issue.

I really feel that the only reason that this is an issue, is not that it is necessarily media driven. It’s that the trade-off for having an easy warm-up game against a 1-AA patsy is that it results in the on-the-field stuff is discounted because of the competition.

That leaves the other stuff. The most significant — Stull not a beloved icon by Pitt fans.





Either Cincinnati is fantastic or Rutgers is terrible.

Comment by omar 09.07.09 @ 6:44 pm

Agree totally with Chas, and the above poster. Omar, you beat me to it. I thought Rutgers had an easy path with all these Big East home games including this one in opening week? I guess that talk was premature. I just hope they don’t end up like last year and decide to turn it around as soon as they play Pitt.

Comment by Hollywood 09.07.09 @ 6:53 pm

The ‘boo or not to boo’ issue is just pitt football fan’s way of distracting themselves from what was more obvious on the field this past sat. (and yea, I was there). Are they any better than they were last year? Or maybe a schmidge worse (no Shady, no McKillop, no Conor Lee, etc…)

Comment by "x" stands for bronx 09.07.09 @ 6:58 pm

Cincinnati is the real deal, they have the best headcoach in the Big East and Tony Pike has all the tools required to thrive in that offense.

Luckly we play them at home.

Chas, you hit it on the head with “The whole time, though, I never thought of it as hating Stull. Just simply that he had proven to most that he was not the guy to be the starting QB.”

Comment by Dallas Panther 09.07.09 @ 7:31 pm

Plenty of folks will want to boo as they watch Stull stink it up against Buffalo.

Comment by Topper22 09.07.09 @ 7:50 pm

Brian Kelley is not long for the BE — which is either good or bad depending on how you look at things.

On back to back posts above there are these two items:
1) Chas, you hit it on the head with “The whole time, though, I never thought of it as hating Stull. Just simply that he had proven to most that he was not the guy to be the starting QB.”

2) Plenty of folks will want to boo as they watch Stull stink it up against Buffalo.

My response to whether their booing Stull or Wannstedt’s decision is “What’s the difference?”

Back in the ’79 No Nukes concert at MSG headlined by Springsteen, Tom Petty was told before taking the atage that the NYC crowd are not booing, they are just yelling Bruuuuuuuce! To which Petty replied “What’s the difference?”
:

Comment by w Bill 09.07.09 @ 8:19 pm

The papers both came out and declared there was a full blown QB controversy during camp because Tino apparently was outplaying Stull. Then DW- without addressing the controversy- declares “Billy is our starter.” The papers then drop the issue and let the frustration fester with the fans. And fester it did. Then they act all high and mighty when Stull comes out and picks up where he left off at the Sun Bowl and people voice their frustrations.

I think the booing is and should be directed more at Wanny and less at Stull. DW should have addressed this issue, which has been the 5,000,000 pound gorilla in the room ever since the last pass of the 1st half of the WVU game last year, if not earlier. He has let it get out of control.

All the papers (who now criticize the fans) were reporting that during camp these guys were at worst evenly matched. Does anyone else think the head coach then should explain why he goes with the 5th year senior who has reached the limit of his potential rather than the redshirt freshman who has unknown room to grow??

I feel bad for Stull and think everyone should stop the booing. We’re engaged in the season now and we have to just support whoever is our QB, even if we disagree with the choice. Wannstedt should step up and address this issue and stop simply stating “Billy is our starter” because every time he does that he is going to amplify the boos by 100.

Comment by Dan35 09.07.09 @ 8:47 pm

w Bill – after dishing out 140 bucks for 2 tickets to see Bruce Springsteen with my wife at Mellon arena, that Tom Petty anecdote makes ALOT of sense. He didnt play thunder road and wouldn’t shut up about politics.

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Comment by Dan35 09.07.09 @ 8:53 pm

DW is the worst coach and he should be peppered with questions during call-in shows on the radio and by local media about the idiotic way he has handled the QB situation. The boos may be directed at DW, but they still suck, IMO.

And, Chas, I find it hard that you can be surprised that this is an issue. I would argue there is more substance to this argument than the freakin’ one about script vs. block letters. If I never hear/read a word about that again, I’d be thrilled.

Comment by Carmen 09.07.09 @ 9:19 pm

Chas, let me ask this question to all, has anybody ever booed a student on academic scholarship for not getting straight A’s, the Marshall award, or Rhodes scholarship? Aren’t full academic scholarships worth about the same as athletic scholarships?

This much I can answer myself, both type of scholarship student is contributing to the University, probably, to a greater extent than I did. Remember, whatever they get to attend the University, they are kids and are going through a growing up period just as we did.

We need them to do the best they can. Why? To make us look good!

Because of Pitt, I’ve been able to have a successful business career and my memories of my time in Pittsburgh make me feel good.

I would like Bill Stull to have the same good memories when he thinks back to his college days.

Rutgers losing big as they did is not good for the Big East. This will hurt the TV ratings for the other games the conference will have coming up. The metro NYC market will lose some interst in watching.

Comment by Old Pitt Grad 09.07.09 @ 9:29 pm

Meanwhile, back to football. The BE game blew goats. I mean seriously, wtf was that on display? Meanwhile, the ACC game is entertaining to watch. Guess who wins, despite opening week wins and losses?

Comment by dugdog 09.07.09 @ 9:43 pm

Boo hoo, someone’s feelings got hurt. This isnt high school or grade school, this is big time college football; booing is an occupational hazard that you should be prepared for at this level. If he cant take it then he isnt ready for the job.

BIIIIIG difference between academic vs athletic scholarships. No one is booing students who dont get straight A’s b/c no one is paying to watch them take tests or emotionally invested in it. Plus, we Pitt fans arent expecting Stull to be an A+ qb, most of us would settle for a C.

Comment by matt in orlando 09.07.09 @ 9:59 pm

n the second half, I liked how Stull came in after Sunseri’s first drive and led PITT to a TD. That was very good to see nd good for morale. Also his pro QB score for the game was near 105 which is very good. It was good Tino led a drive for a TD too. Lots of good for both and I liked the alternation of QB’s at this stage of the season. We need both ready to go on a moment’s notice. Kudos to the coches for working them both and at the same time trying to get PB a useful RS. Its going to be interesting…

Comment by IronManEE68 09.07.09 @ 10:09 pm

So not related to Pitt football, but has anyone seen the new Troy Polamalu Head and Shoulders commercial? Hilarious!

Comment by dugdog 09.07.09 @ 10:10 pm

As a paying customer you have the right to boo. And what about all the visiting teams and players that get booed? Is that wrong or pathetic. Could the booing hurt his confidence and his play? Maybe, but it could also make him tougher. And if the booing does hurt his play and then he gets benched that’s what many fans want and they are the customer. Stop holding up athletics that are a billion dollar business to some higher higher principle. As for the columnists they are huge hypocrites as they write critically and even derisively of college athletes for years and then have the gaul to complain about the booing.

Comment by Matt in NYC 09.07.09 @ 10:14 pm

Did greg cross get any playing time at any position?

Comment by forgetthescriptbringbackwalt 09.07.09 @ 10:50 pm

i listened to the game on streaming radio since i am stuck at keesler afb for two more weeks…but i dont remember hearing greg cross mentioned at all. Boos are part of the game. I watched a ton of college football this weekend and didnt hear any QB boos…except Pitt. Why? Pitt has a QB that probably wouldn’t start on any other D1 school in the country.

Comment by dobber 09.07.09 @ 11:00 pm

Chas, the importance of “booing” (or lack thereof) may be a generational thing. To me, an older graduate, it is a big thing. To me, Pitt is family. We can discuss and analyze our players and coaches before and after games among ourselves, but once the game begins, it should be us against them. We should be unified. I don’t believe in criticizing members of my family in front of others unless a family member does something that shows a lack of character. I found nothing that a player or a coach did Saturday that would merit being booed.

Comment by BigGuy 09.07.09 @ 11:25 pm

If Bill Stull didn’t suck, he wouldn’t get booed. Simple.

Comment by JoeyD 09.07.09 @ 11:34 pm

I want to see more from every position before I feed the boo bird. Since I wasn’t able to actually watch the game with my own eyes, I can’t get angry at QB stats. It wouldn’t be fair to my ego to yell at the computer or a newspaper right now. It’s fragile and somehow has a part here in this conversation.

I am not saying that I would boo or not boo. It’s just very difficult to boo a name on a roster after only one game. Yes, Mr. Stull is not a very good QB, that much is obvious. He might even have a hard time making the London Silly Nannies. But, I am going to wait until he fraks up a game to start carving up a voodoo doll. You know why? Because we don’t have the luxury of experienced or world class options. This is my opinion and may not reflect the opinions of my sponsors.

Watch out for Buffalo, that’s a hungry team with a half starved coach. That could be the game that wakes the evil monster in me, who knows.

Hey, anyone watch the Miami-FSU game? Classic.

Comment by Panthoor 09.07.09 @ 11:52 pm

Couldnt agree more. Boo-Gate has taken a life of its own. THere were a few boos … so what? THis is major college football, not my daughter’s 5-year old dance recital. Cook, Starkey, and Smizik made it seem SO much worse than it was (I was there). A few of neighbors who read the paper said, “Wow, I heard it was unreal down there huh?” I told them the same thing. A few boos that some columnists ran with to make a story. Get some balls people, this is major college football … boos come with it.

Comment by Johnny B 09.08.09 @ 12:10 am

I’ve gotten to the point where I’m skipping over every comment about booing just to hopefully get to something that’s not about booing.

So, have FSU and Miami finally passed the rest of the mediocre ACC pack as everyone thought they eventually would?

Comment by Jimbo Covert's my Dad 09.08.09 @ 12:15 am

Talk about a terrible post. If you need to spend so many words defending the actions of Pitt fans, then the behavior of Pitt fans was definitely not called for. Sure you have a right to boo, but guess what I have the right to call anyone who boos classless. Seriously, it was only Stull’s second incomplete pass. And really what will you accomplish with booing? Nothing, besides making the rest of the good Pitt fans look terrible, and hurting Stull’s confidence. Do you really think any head coach is going to make decisions based on boo’ing. Any real and good coach will not listen to boos. Guess what Wanny knows a lot more about football than anyone posting on here. Everyone acts like experts on here. What is boo’ing really going to accomplish? Nothing, except to expose how immature you really are. If you think you need to boo, then I think you need to grow up.

Comment by wardapalooza 09.08.09 @ 12:48 am

The anti-Pitt hometown media is really blowing this out of proportion. The boos were actually pretty lame compared to what I’ve experienced at Hinze Field. Last Year’s boos at the godawful play calling in the Bowling Green game dwarfed Saturday’s. The loudest I think came when Rod Rutherford ran out of bounds just shy of the first down marker vs. Miami on a critical 3rd down. Where was Smizik then?

Comment by Chuck Morris 09.08.09 @ 12:50 am

Bill Stull couldn’t hold me.

No, but seriously, the whole booing thing is pretty retarded. I understand the fans discontent with Stull being the starter again, but the bottom line is that Bostick and Sunseri failed to prove they were better than Stull. Sadly, that leaves Stull as the starting QB at this point.

I do agree with BigGuy though, as a Pitt fan, I do believe that for those 60 minutes that the team is on the field, we as fans should be united in support of the team. Before the game, we can debate…after the game, we can critique…but during the game, we should all be united in support of the Pitt Panthers. That’s just my view on things.

The ultimate irony of the whole “booing” controversy is that while the sports reporters are writing their material lambasting the fans for booing Stull…they are just making it an even bigger issue than it was. I’m sure Stull has a thick head and can get over being booed…but the fact that they have now made it the #1 Pitt football related topic, it’s a bigger deal than it needed to be. What better way to put the boo’s behind you than to have to answer questions about it for the next month.

Comment by Matt Lytle's Jaque Strap 09.08.09 @ 12:54 am

Ha! The boos Rod had for that half-assed attempt at moving the sticks against Miami were deafening.

The hometown media loves to pile on. Obviously, the qb situation has been brewing and the press knows where their bread is buttered.

Pitt brings this on themselves. I feel as if there has been an increasing attitude of ‘because we said so,’ when it comes to answers from Pitt’s athletic department…
-Why no script Pitt? ‘because we said so’
-Why the conservative play calling? ‘because we said so’
-Why no aggressive approach to picking the series back up with State Penn? ‘because we said so’
-Why Stull when he’s obviously not our guy? ‘because we said so’
Every legitimate gripe seems to be met with piss poor explanations and from that, leads dissension. Now, THAT leads to the booing.

We’re all here for the same reason; we love Pitt! But we also know there is a long way to go for Pitt to be where we want it to be. There are going to be plenty of bumps in the road. Booing may not solve anything, but it certainly ain’t gonna hurt. Chaos before resolution.

HTscriptP

P.S. Have we really talked this much about boo’ing hahaha

Comment by Cool Hand Nuke 09.08.09 @ 4:27 am

The “he’s a college kid” argument doesnt stack up. If thats the case then you shouldnt boo the opposing teams either. After all they are college kids on scholarship just trying their best too. And Im sure their friends and family are in the stands. So lets stop the non sense with this argument.

And lets stop acting as if Pitt fans are classier than all others, maybe compared to some schools but we are just like most other programs. I remember the endless and tasteless taunting that Marcus Vick took when he played here a few years ago…is that fair? He’s just a college kid?

Comment by Coach Ditka 09.08.09 @ 7:27 am

I am surprised the papers put as much time and effort into this booing nonsense as they did. Isn’t it more par for the course to have 1 Pitt article and then 4 pages of information about the Steelers’ 3rd string placekicker’s cousin-in-law?

Comment by JoeyD 09.08.09 @ 8:32 am

Pitt opened at a 11.5 point favorite!

Comment by Sam "Ace" Rothstein 09.08.09 @ 9:19 am

.. you really cant fault stull… even if he is terrible or whatever… its the coaches that are keeping him in. If he can’t perform and the coaches keep playing him…. can you really blame the player ?

Comment by Snala the Panther 09.08.09 @ 9:25 am

If anyone watched the Rutgers debacle, they heard many boos at the half when Rutgers left the field. It happens. When I was in school we used to boo Walt Harris’s decisions all the time. Does anyone remember “the slide”? That was the loudest that the stadium got that day, and they were boos for the home team.

Comment by Wannstache 09.08.09 @ 9:35 am

Wanntache, that slide play happened at UConn

Also, as that play goes further back in Pitt lore, please note (just like the boos) that the play was too magnified … and it certainly wasn’t the turning point …. that play happened in before halftime yet Pitt had its biggest lead in that game towards the end of the 3rd quarter.

Comment by wbb 09.08.09 @ 10:03 am

Also, for the umpteenth thousand time, you have the right to boo.

The question is about the wisdom of doing so, and will it do any good or is it possibly doing the team, player and program some harm.

As for me, I would never boo a player … high school, college or pro … if I thought he was trying his best. And I also don’t see a difference whether the booing is intended for the player or the coaches’ decision to play that player. In the end, it still points to the player

Comment by wbb 09.08.09 @ 10:10 am

Booing
– does not help the confidence of the kids. In fact, it could well undermine that of the team.
– does nothing to change the coach’s mind
– does nothing to make a recruit want to come here
– may make an impression on Pederson but the negatives outweigh the slim chance of a positive when mass emails will be just as if not more noticed

To answer an above comment, I heard that Greg Cross is deep on the WR depth chart and will not see the field this year and so is looking at a redshirt.

Comment by KeyboardKev 09.08.09 @ 10:39 am

Who cares about the booing?! It really isnt a big deal. You hear can hear it EVERY Sunday at Heinz. I heard callers all the time last season want Leftwich to start over Big Ben because he could run the offensive system better! This was after the NE game in particular. Pittsburgh will always cheer for the backup/ boo the starter. Funny thing is though – how do the Pirates still get 20k+ fans and not booed? That is beyond me… but I digress.

Is it really a surprise that DW has no clue about how to handle the QB situation? He has not his whole career! He needs to learn what not to say about it however, so he does not sound like the intelligence-challenged.

Comment by greg 09.08.09 @ 11:00 am

From ’64 thru ’68 we were too drunk to boo. Thunderbird was nasty.

Comment by steve 09.08.09 @ 11:04 am

Pirates can get fans.. since some great opposing players come to the stadium. Just last weekend Albert pujols came to town.. and he is one the most prolific hitters of our time. Amazingly when it was thought he was not going to play saturday, he pinched hit and smacked a homer which ended up winning the game. Additionally pirates care about thier fireworks more then keeping talented players. But people sure do love fireworks night.

and finally … booing a team that has 17 seasons of being under 500….is just wasting your breath. Its like making fun of an already disabled person, you just don’t do it.

Comment by Snala the Panther 09.08.09 @ 11:07 am

i could care less if the fans boo, look at the way stull played, he can not complete a pass over a few yards, he brought the boos onto himself. hes a college player and should be able to handle it, if not, go play div 3. if he keeps winning, the boos will go way. at least until the next int.

Comment by mike 09.08.09 @ 11:21 am

The whole issue of booing totally begs the question. Approximately 48,000 fans paid for tickets to attend this scrimmage against a 1-AA team. Most paid parking too. Booing is a fan’s right. With the yellow jackets starring back at the crowd just waiting for a wrong move and with the gestapo tactics by security at stadiums across the country, Cook and Smizik should be praising the turn-out and the fact that Pitt football is still very popular in this town despite Wannstedt’s unspectacular coaching and conservative play calling. In his fifth year he really hasn’t gotten much better. As for me, I live 1500 miles away and will not pay to see games against FCS schools. For the record, I did my booing at home.

Comment by TonyinHouston 09.08.09 @ 11:44 am

I’m given advice to all fellow PITT fans when I say “its time to be a little more positive about what transpires in games, and to stick up to PITT more” or watch the local media, Penn State, WVU, and the ACC continue to lack the respect for us. The booing of Wannstedt is (and would) just, however booing a kid that’s probably not a bad kid is stupid. You all sounded like Philly, WVU and Jersey scumbags. What the fuck was that? Like I said I understand maybe booing Wannstedt,thats fine, but don’t boo a kid, who’s actually not a bad kid too. We know he doesn’t have it, ok come now just lay off of him.

The person who is to blame for his development as a QB is Cavanaugh, or DW. He had 4 years to develop him and look. But also people remember that there are still 11 games to go, and also statistically Stull is not that much off from Rutherford, and Palko after their first year they started.

So all I ask to you other fellow fans is be more positive about your team from now on. Or otherwise the media, Penn Shit, WVU, and the rest will continue to take the blows, and jabs at PITT. Come on People where better than this!

Comment by Lou 09.08.09 @ 11:46 am

I guess I’m naive here … but I think it is just common decency not to boo a person who is trying his best. I certainly don’t want it to happen to me or my son.

Further, as much as I would love to see Pitt get a BCS berth, my life will continue and it really doesn’t change all that much win or lose.

I assume you booers get a large amount of satisfaction or get some relief of frustration, but I find it to be embarrassing, whether it others or especially me doing the booing. (haven’t booed any athlete, amateur or pro for a very long time.)

Comment by wbb 09.08.09 @ 12:00 pm

Haven’t we talked the life out of this one yet!? As for me, I am booing us all for still talking about it. Don’t worry in a few days we’ll have something fresh to talk about. Hail to Pitt!

Comment by Heel Hater 09.08.09 @ 12:25 pm

It is my opinion that paying (or even not paying) to see an event does NOT give any rational person the RIGHT TO BOO. Have we lost all our decentcy?Frankly I am embarrassed by the behavior of Panther fans. For what it is worth I don’t condone booing opponents either. It was heartwarming to hear the fans at the OSU-Navy game actually cheer for the Middies upon their entering the Ohio Stadium. Surely, the folks of my home town (Pittsburgh) can be be just as classy. No, I do not support the Buckeyes and will continue to support Pitt athletics,but the clowns in the stands at Heinz Field make that increasingly more difficult. George from Columbus

Comment by rev. george mehaffey 09.08.09 @ 12:32 pm

George, well stated..

Comment by BigGuy 09.08.09 @ 12:44 pm

Wow, seriously? This thing has been beaten like a dead horse. No one is going to change anyone’s opinions on the matter.

@Jimbo Covert’s my Dad, I’d agree, but VA Tech could still win a lot of games, obviously, but I think they’re seriously over hyped this season.

Comment by dugdog 09.08.09 @ 12:49 pm

11.5 points sounds about right. Buffalo will be playing without their best RB. I read that Pitt ran a basic offense in the BYU game, so we did not see much of Cignetti’s playbook. I doubt we did anything complex on defense either. It truly was a glorified scrimmage.

Comment by HbgFrank 09.08.09 @ 12:51 pm

maybe we just appreciate a few things …. one is that we’re not Rutger, nor Virginia or Duke for that matter.

Buffalo won at UTEP which is impressive in that they traveled half way across the US, but UTEP is not a Conf USA power. Believe we are a way better team but still it is an away game, against a MAC opponent with a fired-up crowd. Note that the last 2 time we played at a MAC school (Toledo & Ohio) we lost and their fans tore down the goal posts (just read that in one of the local papers.)

The one plus is that we have a much better defense than we did in those 2 games … and our offense was bad in that Ohio game (believe the only TD was the opening kickoff when LSH went the distance.)

Comment by wbb 09.08.09 @ 1:05 pm

When did Pittsburghers become a bunch of sissies who are so worried about emotionally upseting a player??? This is a football game not the Oprah show. If you want to be a D1 QB its part of the job description – otherwise transfer to a D3 where nobody will boo because nobody will be watching. Seriously, I can’t believe we are discussing football. This sounds like an emotional therapy session.

I also like the rationale of don’t buy season tickets if you dont like the QB…so dont support the school and the rest of the team because you dont like the QB? nice reasoning.

Comment by Coach Ditka 09.08.09 @ 1:25 pm

Cincy is 23rd in both the Coaches and AP poll. Pitt is 28th (82 votes) and WVU is 33rd (32) in AP above Tennessee, Michigan and BC. UF got 1 vote.

Also, some things never change — found this on CBS sports.com: Bucs WR Antonio Bryant (left meniscus surgery) appears ready to go against the Cowboys on Sunday and isn’t worried about developing timing with starting QB Byron Leftwich: “Most of the spectacular catches I made last year were bad timing.”

Comment by wbb 09.08.09 @ 1:32 pm

that’s USF got 1 vote (obviously not UF)

Comment by wbb 09.08.09 @ 1:33 pm

Trust me, they boo on the D III level too.

They just don’t write articles on it there.

Comment by BURGHBOY 09.08.09 @ 2:04 pm

George,

Remember those classy tOSU fans cheered Navy because they thought Navy would be a push-over.

Do you remeber those classy tOSU fans that chased Texas fans around Columbus when tOSU lost in Columbus to Texas?

You should, it was in the Columbus papers and there was a ton articles nationally.

My point is, fans will be fans, good and bad, most cheer, some boo and some turn over cars with Michigan license plates and light them on fire if they are parked in Columbus after a loss to Michigan.

Comment by Woody Hays 09.08.09 @ 4:42 pm

Those boos for Stull will turn to cheers if he performs and wins.

Question is, is he capable?

We shall see this week because Buffalo will be a stern test similar to the Toledo and Ohio U games.

Win and silence the critics.

Comment by John 09.08.09 @ 4:46 pm

Thanks for reminding me , “Woody”(thought you were deceased). I never said the Buckeye fans were ALL gentlemen and ladies. Believe me, Columbus has more than its share of poor sports. Oh yes, a correction–The Buckeye fans cheered Navy because they are a service academy. George from Columbus

Comment by rev. george mehaffey 09.08.09 @ 5:34 pm

[…] booed louder in the second half when he was inexplicably reinserted after Sunseri played a series. He wasn’t Smizik, and you were not there to even claim you witnessed […]


[…] Even as camp went further along and Stull re-asserted himself as the best QB in practice according to reports, there was plenty of skepticism, doubt and hostility. Why? Because of how Stull looked in 2008. Not just because of how he finished the season, but his overall mediocrity. That his best wasn’t going to be enough for Pitt to compete and win the conference. Stull went into the start of the 2009 season with a lot of fans against him. […]


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