After… every…. single…. game I read that Bill Stull is going to revert back to his 2008 play. Every single game now for 5 weeks since the YSU game. Well, it hasn’t happened.

Now on the message boards the Stull detractors are stating that UCONN was a crappy team and a crappy defense – even though they were ranked 5th in the NCAA going into the game.

It’s become painfully obvious to me that some fans who took such a strong position on Stull over the off season and through the camp competition with Sunseri just can’t bring themselves to look at this situation with any objectivity at all.

Perfect case in point by Hugh Green above – no one poster I have read this season has ever called Stull “God’s Gift” but in his mind it has to be black or white – can’t possibly be a shade of gray where the kid’s just playing QB well.

I thought it was a great comeback win for Pitt. Our offense has been better than I anticipated, especially the passing game. Stull has been much better than I thought he would be. He had some problems in the first part of the game: Lewis dropped a TD pass, he threw late to Baldwin in the end zone, had an int in the red zone and a pick six. But I was really impressed by the way he bounced back after that. This is one of the most balanced offenses Pitt has had, and if the D can improve, this team can go far.

Now, a word about the booing. I understand the frustration that many Pitt fans have about Wannstedt and the team. We have not performed well in front of the home fans with big crowds, and going down 21-6 to a Connecticutt team we were supposed to beat seemed to crystallize all of those feelings. I find myself holding back from getting fully invested in this team as a result. But I am reall;y getting concerned about the national reputation we are getting about booing our home team. Much of the article from a ND blogger in the most recent Bleacher reports focused on this, that this was the loudest booing of a home team with a winning record they had ever heard. And the commentators on TV pointed out how vocal the crowd was whenever we would pass. I never believe in booing
college kids. I am just concerned that this is going to have a negative effect on our recruiting.

I was there too and there is no way that many people left as Ron Cook and Paul Zeise has stated. This is just their way to bash Pitt. I hate the hometown media’s treatment of Pitt.

Also, someone mention that Wanny can’t beat the good teams. Are you full of crap? We beat some good teams last year and the year before. It’s the mediocre teams that we struggle with. I don’t know if Wanny just thinks we can beat them on talent alone or what, but the schemes they run in these games sometimes seem too vanilla or too conservative. Yes, we haven’t beat Rutgers with Wanny yet but hopefully they pull this game out or it will be the same old thing. If we start beating the teams we should beat, we would have 9 to 10 wins every year.

I also think Pitt isn’t getting the crowds because no one trust Wanny yet. He always has let downs to these crappy to mediocre teams. If they keep winning, the fans will come and we will know more about this team after friday and even more against USF. We win these two, the fans will start showing up again. Well, maybe.

Stull is God’s gift 😉

Seriously, the kid is playing darn good football right now, at THE hardest position on the field. Would you detractors please throw some credit his way once in a while!?!?! He’s the 4th or 5th best rated passer in the nation right now, what do you people want?

Right on Reed. There are a number of posters who made their mind up before the season and they jump on Stull for every little mistake. On balance he is having a very good year. I’m sure he will have his ups and downs, just like Saturday, but there is no denying his stats and our current record. We’ll see how the rest of the year shapes up. I’m hopeful because we have a lot of playmakers on the field and Cig seems to know how to get them all involved at the right time. Friday night should be interesting. Hail to Pitt

The USF game is the Big East game of the week Oct 24th at noon.

sucks the game is at noon. booo.

thats BS, you would have thouht if pitt and usf won it would be a night game…thats crap

The reason the stadium does not fill up is “all of the above”: The team will need to be Top 10 good to bring in big crowds at every game. Pitt’s basic fan base, I would say about 25K or so, is passionate ane will show up no matter what. The rest of the city is not paying if we are not beating teams with ease…The traffic situation in Pittsburgh is horrible. I love the city, but it has to be the worst laid out and managed city in America. Put a football staduim, a baseball stadium, a Casino, several hotels, a riverboat terminal and more smack in the middle of the most difficult part of the city to get to, and you have a traffic nightmare. Not just any traffic nightmare, but an actual planned traffic nightmare! Complain and you will hear the following: We want you to use public transportation!…Make it hard for people to tailgate and they will not want to come to games…As for “Sweet Caroline”, it does not just fire up the students, it fires up the whole stadium and the team. Last years WVU game is another prime example. We took that game over at the start of the 4th quarter. I’m not thrilled about that song, but it does thrill me to hear the whole stadium shout “LETS GO PITT”!!!

HbgFrank, I generally agree with your opinions, but I disagree with you about Pittsburgh traffic. It doesn’t stop Steelers fans. People should get to the lots a few hours before the game and tailgate, or just park downtown and walk over. I came in on the Parkway West and arrived at Gold Lot 2 at 1:30—and waltzed right in. After the game I waited 45 minutes hanging out with old friends and waltzed right out. No nightmares.

As for “Sweet Caroline”: these teams play it during the course of games. That’s some original tradition (sarcasm).

New York Giants
Cleveland Cavaliers (during halftime)
Baylor University
Delmarva Shorebirds
New York Mets
Northeastern University
University of Minnesota Duluth
Auburn University
University of Alabama basketball
University of Pittsburgh football (between 3rd and 4th quarter)
Harvard University
Boston College
Boston Red Sox (middle of eighth inning)
San Diego Padres
Penn State
Ohio State University
Texas Christian University
Rice Owls
Minnesota Twins
Calgary Flames
Detroit Red Wings
Washington Nationals (during the visiting team’s first pitching change, usually in the 6th inning or later)
University of Mississippi
University of Virginia
Vanderbilt University baseball games
University of Maryland
University of North Carolina
University of South Carolina
University of Wyoming
Florida State University sporting events
Purdue University
University of Kansas
Michigan State University
Davidson College
Wofford College baseball games
Union College
Brevard College
Charlotte Bobcats
Washington State University basketball games
New York Jets
UMass Amherst hockey games
University of Wisconsin–Madison
Central Michigan University
Iowa State University football games
Bowling Green State University football and hockey
Chicago Blackhawks
Chicago Bulls
Florida Panthers
Buffalo Sabres
Indiana University basketball
University of Alberta football (after wins)
UCF Knights baseball games
The Carolina Panthers of the NFL play “Sweet Caroline” after a victory.
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets baseball games
Guilford College baseball games
University of Miami baseball games
Baylor University
University of Michigan
New York Rangers last minutes of the 3rd period in MSG if the Rangers have a substantial lead or in the Rangers locker room.
Brown University Band performs Sweet Caroline most frequently as a late-game cheer, and occasionally during halftime show.
Miami University Redhawks

I still think that we need to have a student led brainstorming session on how to improve the atmosphere on gameday. Get a cross section of students, band member, cheer leaders, and maybe some alum. Have Wanny buy some pizza and drop them off. Let the students help create the plan and they will feel as though they are bought in. I would first focus on the in game atmosphere (ie. chants, cheers, songs). Get creative. Bring in some subject matter experts from the Oakland Zoo. They have shown to be creative and can cause a buzz (I know, a top 10 team helps). For a cheer, I have always liked UNC’s cheer when they are at the goalline. “(said while thrusting hips and moving fists in a rowing action) Stick it in…Stick it in… Uhhh, Uhhh! Stick it in…Stick it in… Uhhh, Uhhh!”. Maybe this would have helped on 1st and goal on Sat.

Seriously though, coordinate the students and empower them to make changes to the in-game atmosphere. Those dedicated students become dedicated alum with cash.

If we can’t sell beer, how about Red Bull.

Can’t wait for Friday.

Noon is freaking brutual for us fans coming in from 2+ hours away! I can’t understand how this would be a noon game if (and this a giant if) Pitt is 6-1 (#25ish ranked) and USF is 6-0 (Top ten ranked)?

Seems like the Big East is expecting UC to humble the Bulls on Thursday, and Pitt to lay the annual terd to Rutgers…

Here’s my thoughts on Bill Stull…and I come from this perspective.

1) Not a Stull apologist (Stats lie)
2) Harsh critic of his mechanics & decision making
(fails the eye test)
3) Not a game day booer of a player (ever), simply a frustrated fan griper to my friends in the stands like any fan in America
4) Firm believer that a QB must win games above and beyond the play that is called or the routine, not just play “not to lose”;

Having said that…

I want to give him his just dues. He is delivering the ball (for the most point) as the play is designed. Most of this, I believe, is due to the awesome play of our O-line. Nonetheless, he is making good throws in key situations. He is also getting unjustly blamed for stalled drives(no TDs) that are mainly due to drop passes or less than advantageous play-calling. The team is 100% behind him, and he is commanding the huddle in a way that is extremely impressive considering the naysayers. I will admit that Boo-gate has been blown out of proportions, but still, give the kid props for not throwing the “I told ya so” baby response to his fortunes this season. He is a class act.

Now… can he continue to improve and make the plays needed when things collapse? I’m still not sold that he has the ability to carry the weight of the team on his shoulders when needed, but I’ll be the first to give him props if/when it happens.

Can he beat two (UC & USF)and possibly four (ND & WVU) ranked teams (THREE AT HOME!!!) is left to be seen.

Lord knows, I’m rooting for him!

This isn’t about Pitt/UConn, but I just wanted to take this opportunity to make fun of former hoopie Owen Schmitt for busting his own head open with his helmet yesterday.

Just a few things:

Good teams find a way to win. Even playing terribly, mistakes, dropped balls, personal fouls, Pitt won the game.

Uconn is a decent team, no powerhouse.. but they have a stout Defense, additionally they got some big boys on the line. In Uconn’s eyes.. they are 2 fourth quarter meltdowns from being 5-0.

About filling the stadium… have to remember competing with a pro team in the same city that had and has great sucess is tough for a college team. Granted in the 70’s and 80’s pitt was it… but getting back there is tougher.

Miami even when they were a powerhouse…. going to national championships…struggled to fill the orange bowl.

Teams like psu, wvu, that pack the house.. have nothing else to compete with and basically thats the only thing around.

But the first step is to win and win consistently.

Pitt basketball put a winner out there and it packs the house…. additionally there is no pro team to really compete with.

Lastly… I thought Bill Stull sucked last year…but you can’t hate on what he is doing this year…he is getting better and better. It is night and day from last year and this… he has surpassed his td total from last year already.

The deep ball he throws now… compared to last year .. is amazingly improved.. I don’t see him throwing off his back foot nearly as much. Sure he has some throws that are questionable… but every qb does that. He isn’t taking sacks (oline is brilliant) He has only 3 picks…. and is getting the ball to the play makers… baldwin, dickerson, mchgee, bynahm.

But i guess the fans are waiting to see what he does against usf,wvu,cinci, and nd. (as i am too)

I just hope pitt starts putting it all together.. a full 60minutes agaisnt teams.

One play I will always associate Stull with is the TD pass with boos in the background. It was a work of art and one that should be uploaded onto youtube so we can watch over and over again. He was playing for his team and his loyalty should never be in question.

He’s not fantastic but he hasn’t lost any games for us. The one loss was on the defense all the way. I called him Bill “Sun Bowl” Stull before the season started but he is starting to leave that mess behind him.

This simply isn’t the same person that couldn’t move the ball last season. Maybe it’s because of Cignetti or perhaps the maturity of our receivers. It could be the emergence of Dickerson at TE or the amazing freshmen tailbacks we have. I would have to say all of the above. McCoy was everything to this offense last season, now we have weapons at every position, even at Offensive Coordinator. Stull is better because this is a team that has matured.

The QB position is better through 6 games because the running game is working. The OL should also be given a lot of credit here. New targets have emerged at WR/TE and the playcalling/coaching has been better.

This team has to win on Friday. We have to go into the South Florida game undefeated in the Big East in case we suffer a letdown. Personally, I think every game is winnable but we might lose 1 or 2 more games. Rutgers is a game we can’t lose though if we want respect. That’s the type of loss that costs you a conference championship.

Good point by Panthoor. If you are a complete ass and feel you need to Boo Stull, wait until he loses a game this year. If you are going to boo, boo the defense.

As for that f’er Smitzik (or however you spell it) column about how Steeler fans never boo….only Pitt fans. He apparently wasn’t around during the Kordell years.

What a Game Wow! Great come back. I think we, as PITT fans need to be more positive even when things are going hard. We have a reputation as being miserable mean yinzers who complain too much, which in turn comes back to the players. Telling some fans to keep it down when Staul was booed was f*%$ing bullshit. I was ashamed when I told them to keep it down, while the rest of the offense was doing the same. Why not be more positive, instead of being miserable and negative. I grantee you the players feed on that all the time. But I was glad to see a come back and seeing a more positive fan supports from Sweet Caroline great. To those fans that where positive through out the game, even when things where down, I thank you. When need more PITT fans like that the rest of the way.

Hail TO PITT! Time for some payback against Rutgers!

one issue with the home field advantage is that Pitt plays in a rather large stadium. Let’s face it. Pitt is not a big enough draw to consistently sell out 65,000 seats. That is nothing to be ashamed of. There are plenty of respectable programs that don’t have 65,000 fans in attendance every game. If Pitt played in a stadium that held 50,000 or 55,000 (last years attendance was just below 50k), the gameday atmosphere would be much better. For example, look at Minnesota’s new on campus stadium. The gameday atmosphere there is much better then it was when they played in a half-empty Metrodome.

People like to point out the home court advantage in the Pete. One thing to remember is that the Pete only holds 12,000 seats. That is a relatively small arena. Would the Pete have the same appeal if it held 20,000 like some other high profile basketball stadiums? The less seats, the higher the demand, the higher the chances that invested fans will go to the game, the better the gameday atmosphere.

I agree, a 50,000 seat stadium is fine for a program like ours as long as you leave room for future upgrading. There must also be areas that cater to fan interaction such as tailgating and a place for kids.

Something like Ohio Stadium is not profitable since we won’t be able to fill over 90K+ every game. But, if/when the program starts winning conference championships and bowl games you must have parts of the stadium that can be expanded. A good example of that is what they did with Rutgers Stadium. That place sounds hostile and it looks great on television.

I want to confirm all of the previous posters who opined that the attendance problems is not due to the fact that Pitt is not a Top 10 program, but instead due to being in a pro city as well as a few other off-the-field conditions.

Again I hearken back to the late 70s/early 80s when the program was nothing but Top 10 … 7 straight years, with a national championship and 2 national 2nds. I lived away from Pittsburgh then and did not attend every game … but I certainy remember that except for PSU, WVU and ND … I never had an issue buying a ticket on gameday (and I don’t mean from a scalper either.) And that was at a stadium with approx 10,000 less seats than what they play in now.

The defense played better when Berry went off the field with his shoulder injury. Some changes in the secondary should become permanent . Berry is afraid to get beat deep so plays a 7 yd cushion on the receivers.

Lots of excellent points on the attendance, support, etc. Keep another big point in mind – Pitt does not play on campus any more (duh), consequently the pageantry of college (I repeat -college) football is simply not there. No Cathedral of Learning lurking over the stadium like a Pittsburgh touchdown Jesus, no Pitt Tavern, no reminiscing with your college bride or children about Trees hall or the Quad, no tube steaks from the Dirty O. Nope; just a venue which reminds you of six super bowl trophies the whole time you are there. But you can still buy a Primanti’s, but don’t even think about an accompanying IC Light.

So, the vibes are there albeit subliminally. It will be tough for any coach to find a way to make that work (even Wanny with his cheerleader outfit on 24/7).

For the most part (not all, but most) people who buy Pitt tickets are the same people who buy Steeler tickets so it stands to reason that when they are in the same building the Steelers play in that they would have a tendency to have similar expectations in terms of their experience, which of course does not, and could not, happen. It is college, not pro.

I am just saying you have to take the good with the bad. Pitt stadium is gone (doh). And there are many good things about playing at Heinz and it probably is a big part of the recruiting pitch. But a college game day experience it ain’t. I agree with the poster who suggested that the students be empowered to come up with some unique promotions, chants, etc.

But the only thing that will truly change the atmosphere is a winning team that competes for national attention. I root for it every year and some day maybe it will happen. One can only hope.

wally, Pitt played on campus in thr 70s/80s and still rarely sold out. If anything, Oakland is more of a section of a city than a campus, with many diverse interests … this may be more of a reason for lower attendance than having a stadium on campus to go along with the fact that Pitt althletics are 4th of the local food chain … behind the 3 pro teams. Pro teams are almost always adopted by almost everyone in the community, whereas, college teams only are when there are no pro teams around.

Not sure what games you went to in the 70’s and 80’s but my memories of those days certainly don’t mirror last Saturday’s first three quarters. I agree after the Foge experiment that attendance went down, but not when Majors and Sherrill were there. Your comments on the food chain are not debatable, you are spot on. My only point is that if you start winning like Pitt did 30 years ago and muster a national reputation then attendance will take care of itself

although it is easier for students to attend a game when the stadium is on campus…for the non-student fan base, driving in to oakland to attend a pitt game is much worse than getting to Heinz Field.

There are advantages and disadvantages to where the stadium is located. That decision is long gone. Pitt made a committment to hoops on campus, which looking at the success of the program and the BE in hoops vs. football, does not look like such a bad idea. Particularly so because of how many more home games & other revenue-generating events can be held there. I would venture to assume that having the successful hoops teams and other events in Oakland does much more for the bottom line does then ANY football/ multi-purpose non-Steelers stadium would do for Oakland. I dont see an influx of money into Oakland as a bad thing.

The big advantage Pitt has that it can leverage is the pro facilities (training & stadium). No one else in the BE can claim that distinction. If the program could just turn the corner and vie for BE titles I think that Pitt would get many more 4 & 5 star recruits, which could translate into more success. THAT is why Pitt fans boo & don’t like Wanny; he is underachieving, and we feel we could get someone else that wouldn’t underachieve. Whether or not that person is available & would come here is another discussion.

A new Pitt Stadium?–My 2-cents worth–IMO, should this ever get seriously considered (say 15-20 years from now) I would not be in favor of a relatively “small” (i.e. 45-50, 000) maximum capacity stadium. I believe the thinking should be more creative than that. IMO, any facility should be designed for peak demand not average demand. There are ways to do that and still not have an empty looking place for non-peak games. As a suggestion–If you built a stadium where sideline seating alone produced seating for about 50,000, you could have endzone areas that have large logo billboards underlain by pop-up bench seating that could add additional seating for peak demand games. That way you could have that fairly cozy seeming 50,000 or so capacity stadium that looks full for the average game while having extra on-demand capacity for whenever that is needed. You simply do not sell tickets for the pop-up endzone bench seating areas except when it is needed for, say, Notre Dame which I suspect could draw 75,000+, and a key BE game against, say, West Virginia which might draw up to ~65,000+. For the Notre Dame example you could pop-up all the extra capacity, for West Virginia you could pop-up, only the extra seating in one of the end-zones. A flex capacity stadium along these lines, IMO, would better serve Pitt than going small and needing to turn people away from a game or two each year. An added advantage to such a flex-seating capacity arrangement might also be the possibility that it could give Pitt a better shot at attracting non-Conference opponents with a large traveling following from time to time (e.g., Ohio State, Michigan, etc.).