Pittsburgh Sports – Playin Your Dreams

BOBBY DODD STADIUM GRANT FIELD-5TH OLDEST-NOV. 2019

November 14, 2019August 25, 2023

The 2019 College Football Pilgrimage begins with the 2^nd Leg of visiting the 10 Oldest College Football Stadiums in the USA according to a most recent 7/12/19 NCAA Ranking. Prior to this season, a different ranking had been in use. In part of the 150th Anniversary of College Football, the NCAA Ranking will now be the Official Ranking. The 1^st Leg was completed during the 2018 College Football Pilgrimage (CFP). For those you are new to my website, a CFP is scheduled for about 20 days with visits to 3 or more College Football Stadiums. An Invite from GM in 2010 to Beaver Stadium on the campus of Penn State University was the catalyst for the CFPS. This is a short story format around 11,800 words.

As a graduate and former Pitt football player, watching the Panthers play at Heinz Field would wrench my insides. After tearing down Pitt Stadium in 1999, the Panthers have remained homeless for no stadium resides on campus. This travesty has put the Pitt Football Program into a ‘Quandary of Stupidity’. For in the history of NCAA Football Championships, a college football team sharing a pro stadium has not ever won a National Title. If Pitt continues marching deeper into this ‘Quandary of Stupidity’, one of two things will be the result. Pitt will become the first College Football Team to win a National Title sharing a Pro Stadium. Or, Pitt will continue selling ‘Fool’s Gold’ to their Future Gladiators, Alumni, Students, Faculty and other Pitt Fans while not ever winning a National Football Title by sharing a Pro Stadium. For the complete story, visit the Archives and in the College Football Section and/or Pittsburgh Sports Section, click on ‘Pitt Football, the Pederson Penalty’, parts One & Two.

**BEAVER STADIUM PENN STATE UNIVERSITY**

It was during the halftime at Beaver Stadium that My Feet confessed to GM about my Revelation. The Blessings created by the electrifying atmosphere of the tailgating and the near sold-out crowd of around 106,000 fans convinced my Feet, that my days as a Pitt Fan at Heinz Field were history. GM was the 1^st to be told that beginning in 2011, My Feet would now Pilgrimage to other College Football Stadiums in the USA to seek similar Blessings from Beaver Stadium. For Heinz Field resembled a Morgue. My loyalty would remain with the Pitt Panthers and My Feet would follow them on TV. However, my small financial support would be held back and so would My Feet until Pitt built a New Pitt Stadium on campus. My rationale was this. ‘Why should My Feet support Pitt University who is selling ‘Fool’s Gold’ and will not win a National Football Title while sharing a Pro Stadium? Plus, my saved financial support could be used to finance the College Football Pilgrimages. Next is a reprint of the editorial that was published in the Pittsburgh Tribune, The Beaver Valley Times and the Altoona Mirror during the Fall of 2017.

NFL–PRO FOOTBALL PLAYER or PPA—Part 2—The 2016 Playoffs

January 29, 2016

NFL–Pro Football Player or PPA—Part 2—The 2016 Playoffs

For every olde school NFL Pro football fan, the past few weekends have been a ‘blessing’. A return to the real meaning of professional football was put on display for the most part.

Not all the games were entertaining, but the ones that were, resembled video games being played by the ‘football gods’. During the past few NFL playoff seasons, I have witnessed scenarios, spectacular plays, ‘bolts of injuries’ and ‘bolts of stupidity’ unlike ever before.

When you think you have seen it all in a football game, it amazes one to discover, that one has not.

ESPN.com writes:
“The NFL has confirmed that referee Clete Blakeman made his own decision to repeat the coin toss before overtime in Saturday night’s divisional playoff game between the Green Bay Packers and Arizona Cardinals. Although there is no rule requiring the coin to flip in the air during a legal coin toss, the league said Blakeman acted out of “basic fairness” rather than a misinterpretation of protocol.

“There is nothing in the rulebook that specifies [a required flip],” NFL spokesman Michael Signora said in a statement. “But the referee used his judgment to determine that basic fairness dictated that the coin should flip for the toss to be valid. That is why he retossed the coin.”

The event occurred with captains from both teams gathered at midfield at University of Phoenix Stadium. Packers quarterback and captain Aaron Rodgers called tails, and Blakeman tossed the coin in the air. It did not flip in the air and landed on heads, presumably making the Cardinals the winner.

Blakeman, however, called off the toss, telling both teams that the coin hadn’t flipped. He did not give Rodgers the opportunity to change his call. This time, the coin did flip and landed on heads again.

PITT FOOTBALL–‘PEDERSON PENALTY AT PITT AND NEBRASKA-PART 2

November 13, 2015August 29, 2016

Does the Fable of the ‘Pederson Penalty actually exist?–PART 2

Before I continue my story, a pause is needed to commemorate a ‘Historical Event’ that occurred on this day in Pitt’s history some years ago. The former Pitt brass did not celebrate this day on their yearly calendar, however I did. Now that a change of leadership has occurred at Pitt, perhaps it is time to do so.

To all Pitt alumni, Pitt Nation, and nostalgia lovers, today marks the 16th year, that the ‘last’ college football game was played in the Oakland Hills on Pitt’s campus, at Pitt Stadium. It is an honor that I can share with you memories of ‘ITS’ existence. This was the beginning.

Desoto Street showing the intersection at Terrace Street and the site of Pitt Stadium.

Wikipedia writes:(Images have been added for enhancement.)

PITT FOOTBALL–‘PEDERSON PENALTY’ AT PITT and NEBRASKA

November 6, 2015August 29, 2016

The ‘Pederson Penalty’ at Pitt and Nebraska. Is it more than just a ‘Fable’?

What is a ‘Fable’? According to Merriam-Webster Dictionary, the full definition reads:

Full Definition of FABLE: a fictitious narrative or statement: as

a : a legendary story of supernatural happenings

b : a narration intended to enforce a useful truth; especially : one in which animals speak and act like human beings

c : falsehood, lie

²fable

verb

intransitive verb

archaic

: to tell fables

transitive verb

: to talk or write about as if true

For those of you that have been following my posts, I have shared other ‘Fables’ with you. The first one was the ‘600’ in Tiger Stadium at LSU. Number 2 was the ‘Bear Trap Curse’ in Commonwealth Stadium at Kentucky. The third one was the ‘Fulmer Vendetta’ in Neyland Stadium at Tennessee. As with the others, I will present my findings and let you the reader make your own judgement.

The ‘Fable’ that I will present to you in this post is called the ‘Pederson Penalty’ named after Steve Pederson, former Athletic Director at Pitt and Nebraska.

2fable

²fable