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.)

History

“The Pittsburgh Panthers played home football games at the Pittsburgh Pirates‘ Forbes Field from 1909 to 1924. In the 1910s and 1920s, Pitt football achieved great success under head coach Glenn Scobey “Pop” Warner, completing several undefeated seasons and claiming several national championships. The popularity of college football was rising across the country and in Pittsburgh.

Subsequently, due to tickets reserved for alumni and students, the general public’s demand for tickets to see Pitt play at Forbes Field surpassed supply. In the early 1920s, the University administration decided to build an on-campus stadium to alleviate the seating problem. The University purchased nine acres of land adjacent to university property for the Pitt Stadium site. University and private funding provided US$2.1 million for site acquisition and construction. W. S. Hindman, a Pitt graduate, was the stadium’s designer and engineer.

The Turner Construction Company built the stadium from August 7, 1924 to September 1, 1925. The 791 feet (241 m) by 617 feet (188 m) stadium was designed to hold a capacity of 69,400 with provisions for an upper deck that could provide for an additional 30,000 seats.^[2] On September 26, 1925, Pitt played its first football game at the new Pitt Stadium, a 26-0 victory over Washington and Lee. By the 1940s, the stadium could no longer hold the maximum capacity due to new safety rules from the city fire marshall that prohibited temporary bleacher seats on the rim of the stadium and in the track area. In order to provide comfort to larger spectators, the Department of Athletics also widened seats from sixteen to eighteen inches, thereby reducing the final capacity to 56,500.The Pitt Pavilion

The Pitt Pavilion, located beneath the ramps inside Gate 2 of Pitt Stadium, was the home of the Panthers basketball team from January 6, 1925 (with a loss to Geneva College) to February 26, 1951 with a Backyard Brawl victory. The Pavilion contained both permanent and temporary bleachers for a capacity of approximately 4,000 spectators.^[6] However, with only one dressing room, visiting teams were forced to use the visitors’ football locker room to dress and then walk 60-yards outdoors to get to the basketball court.On February 26, 1951, the Panthers won the final game at the Pavilion, defeating rival West Virginia 74-72 on a last-second shot by Scott Phillips, his only points in the game.^[17] The basketball team moved to the Fitzgerald Field House for the 1951-52 season.”

Last Saturday, 11/6/15, from my home base, I was watching the Notre Dame vs Pitt football game on TV. Notre Dame faithful helped fill Heinz Field that day, painting a far different picture that occurs on most Pitt Football games at Heinz Field. Most Pitt Football games at Heinz Field looks like this.

On that beautiful Saturday afternoon, many Pitt ‘Greats’ assembled to honor one of its own, in front of a sellout crowd at Heinz Field. Jimbo Covert was having his jersey retired. He was joining  other ‘Greats’. According to pittsburghpanthers.com, “Covert becomes the 10th Pitt player to have his jersey retired. He joins a legendary list of Panthers that also includes end Mike Ditka (No. 89, 1958-60), running back Tony Dorsett (No. 33, 1973-76), wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald (No. 1, 2002-03), offensive lineman Bill Fralic (No. 79, 1981-84), running back Marshall Goldberg (No. 42, 1936-38), defensive end Hugh Green (No. 99, 1977-80), quarterback Dan Marino (No. 13, 1979-82), offensive lineman Mark May (No. 73, 1977-80) and linebacker Joe Schmidt (No. 65, 1950-52).”

Seeing these ‘Greats’ on the sidelines created special images for me, including reminiscing about Pitt Stadium. I wondered to myself, did these ‘Greats’ talk about Pitt Stadium? What were their thoughts as they stood on the turf of Heinz field, being told that this was their new ‘Shrine’. Did my homeboys from Aliquippa, Mike Ditka and Tony Dorsett discuss ‘IT’?

In a previous post, ‘Neyland Stadium Produces Results’ in the Pilgrimage section, as others, I see the College Football Nation made up of individual Tribes or smaller nations. These Tribes have staked out their territories, indoctrinated their followers and worship at the Shrines and Cathedrals that have been constructed on their campuses.

I remember the image of Marshall Goldberg holding open the ‘Pitt Spirit Box’ during the final act at Pitt Stadium on Saturday, November 13,1999.We were asked by the PA to contribute our ‘Pitt Spirit’ for the box, in order for it to be captured and then to be released during the Pitt Grand Opening of Heinz Field. I missed that Grand Opening at Heinz Field. If the ‘Pitt Spirit’ was released, then where did ‘IT’ go? For when I have returned for numerous Pitt Football games there, I did not sense ‘IT’.

My College Football Pilgrimages the past few years have let me experience ‘IT’ at other Stadiums and Campuses across our country. As stated on my Homepage, though Heinz Field is a Cathedral for the Steelers, it is the worst stadium that I have attended for a College Football Game. Yes, Heinz field is modern. Yes, it has all the amenities, and parking.

What it lacks, is the ‘Pitt Spirit’. If Marshall was still here today, I wonder if he would rebuke my theory about him and the ‘Pitt Spirit Box’. I see a man holding a box, that he prefers not to hold. As a Pitt ‘Great’, he recognizes that what is to unfold, will become the biggest travesty in the history of Pitt Football. Instead of collecting the ‘Pitt Spirit’, he deflected and dispersed ‘IT’, with his ‘Greatness’ over and into the Oakland Hills from whence ‘IT’ was born.And buried ‘IT’ deep under past snows.In order to be resurrected as the Phoenix once did.

Back to the ‘Pederson Penalty’, Is it just a Fable or is it more? It is not I to judge, if this ‘Penalty’ was inflicted with intent or not. Let me review his time at Nebraska. Wikipedia reports: “Pederson was hired as Nebraska’s 12th athletic director on December 20, 2002. After records of 7-7 and 9-3 in the previous two seasons, Pederson fired head football coach Frank Solich.

Pederson justified the move by stating he would not “let Nebraska gravitate into mediocrity” and would not “surrender the Big 12 to Oklahoma and Texas“.^[8] Solich’s 58 wins during his first six seasons as Nebraska’s head coach exceeded that of his two College Football Hall of Fame predecessors: Bob Devaney (53 wins) and Tom Osborne (55 wins).

Pederson hired former Oakland Raiders coach Bill Callahan as Solich’s permanent successor. Under the leadership of Pedersen, Callahan led the Huskers to a 27-22 record in 4 seasons as Nebraska’s Head Football Coach.”

Since the 27-22 record, including this season Nebraska is 69-34. Overall, since the Pederson touch, Nebraska is 96-56 for a win percentage of 63%. If Nebraska Football was being scored on a standard grading scale, it would earn a D-. This is what Stevie left you.

To the Faithful of Nebraska, if you believe that your Nebraska Football Program is being penalized by the ‘Pederson Penalty’, I have a solution for you. It is called The ‘Cornhusker Ceremony’. How many times must it be repeated for it to get the results you seek, will be left up to the Faithful of Nebraska.

The ‘Cornhusker Ceremony’: Start with a Spring Football Game. Bring in the tailgaters and the campsites.Add in the Mascot, with the Cheer Team and the Band.Pack Memorial Stadium for the Spring Game.

Invite one the Federal Recognized Native American Tribes in Nebraska. They include the Iowa Tribe of Kansas and Nebraska, the Omaha Tribe of Nebraska, the Ponca Tribe of Nebraska, the Sac & Fox Nation of Missouri in Kansas and Nebraska, the Santee Sioux Tribe of the Santee Reservation of Nebraska, and the Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska.

Explain to them, that they will perform the pre-game ‘Cornhusker Ceremony’ to expunge the ‘Pederson Penalty’ from the bowels of Memorial Stadium and to release its grip on Nebraska Football. It will look like this.To the Nebraska Faithful, may the ‘spirits’ grant you the results you seek.

His record for hiring Head Football Coaches at Pitt speaks for itself. His first choice in 1997 was Walt Harris. Walt’s teams went 52-44 through 04, for a win percentage of 54%. When Stevie left to go to Nebraska, a new coach, Dave Wannstedt was hired by a committee. His teams’ win percentage between 05-10 increased to 58% in Stevie’s absence.

Upon Stevie’s return in 2010, he decided to reward the Pitt Nation with the following: He hired 6 Head Football Coaches between 2010 and 2014. His new hires, excluding Phil Bennett, had a record of 25-27 for a 48% win percentage. His combined Head Coaches had a 77-71 record, for  a winning percentage of 52%.

Through 2014 the Pitt Football Team is 701-511-42 for a winning percentage of 58%. Dave Wannstedt’s record speaks for itself.

On this Anniversary of the Last Game to be played at Pitt Stadium, Stevie left the Pitt Nation with these memories. The first image are those entering Pitt Stadium on its final day.I often wondered if Pitt Stadium could sense the doom that awaited after ‘ITS’ final celebration. If ‘IT’ could have been interviewed, what would ‘IT’ have said? Would Pitt Stadium have handled ‘ITS’ demise as eloquently as Socrates did in his final days in the “Dialogues of Plato”?

On ‘ITS’ last day, Pitt Stadium was the Grand Host and opened ‘ITS’ doors one last time, as ‘IT’ had been doing since 1925. The alumni band played.From the outside, the scene was quit different as the Pitt Marching Band played.Stevie provided the attendees with Souvenir Programs.And orders were being taken for the Souvenir Plaques.The Final Game at Pitt Stadium was a ‘Historic Event’. I was blest to be among the thousands that joined me in paying our last respect to ‘IT’. For when all was said and done this was the result of The ‘Pederson Penalty’ at Pitt.Yes ‘IT’ was replaced by this.But according to others, our Pitt Basketball Team is having adjustment pains with the ACC. For more on that, please read the column by John Harris, ‘Has move to ACC hurt Pitt Basketball’? Go to:http://triblive.com/sports/college/pitt/9379837-74/pitt-dixon-panthers#axzz3r1abdyYx

The facts are in: Out of 124 FBS teams Pitt is one of  7 FBS teams to share a Pro Stadium.

Besides Miami, who won National Championships while playing at the Orange Bowl Cathedral, before ‘IT’ too was demolished,Who else has won a National Championship from that list? Who in the future do you think will? That is why I claim that the Pitt Brass is selling the Pitt Nation ‘Fools’ Gold’. How many top level high school recruits want to play in a pro stadium/ Heinz Field when it looks like this most of the time.

Here is a partial list of Universities that constructed Shrines and Cathedrals on their campuses prior or during the 1920’s:TCU, Arizona, Georgia Tech, Oklahoma State, Alabama, California, Wisconsin, Texas, Mississippi State, Missouri, Colorado, Oklahoma, Washington, North Carolina, Iowa, Texas A&M, Southern California, Illinois, Kansas, Nebraska, Army, Michigan, Tennessee, Cincinnati, Ohio State, Ohio, Purdue, Northwestern, Georgia, Michigan State, LSU, Vanderbilt, Mississippi, Duke.

Do you notice the one common thread between them? They are all still standing and being used as Shrines and Cathedrals to this very day. They were all built from the same earth materials as Pitt Stadium and according to the same standards of construction. Why was Pitt Stadium, according to others declared obsolete and in decline with no future, but all those stadiums listed above still stand?

Most of the stadiums listed above have under gone renovations. Pitt Stadium was constructed to expand by 30,000 if need be?

I wish that the solution for the ‘Pederson Penalty’ at Pitt was as simple as Nebraska’s. Attendance results are in. Winning, though important, plays less of a role that most thinks:

Three Rivers led the way with an 84% capacity rate, in its short use of one year in 2000, followed by Pitt Stadium at 80% capacity between 1925-1999. Using the newest attendance figures for Heinz Field, from 2001 until today, it would calculate to 61% capacity. If this is the image that the Pitt Brass is selling the Pitt Nation, I am not buying.

One possible solution for the ‘Pederson Penalty’, is perhaps the New Pitt Brass can organize and have performed inside the Peterson’s Event Center which sits on the sacred grounds of Pitt Stadium, the ‘Panther Prance’. (See Nebraska for directions) Or maybe, the time has come for another solution. I challenge as one Pitt Man, the New Brass at the University of Pittsburgh to organize unpaid community activists, scholars, financial wizards and others into a committee that will explore the feasibility of returning Pitt Football to where ‘ITS’ soul was put to rest by Marshall Goldberg, on the Campus of Oakland.

Will this New Pitt Stadium make money. Not in our life time. Shrines, Cathedrals, and Monuments are sometimes not about making money. They are erected to pay tribute, and to serve as a reminder of the people before them. I say to you, the New Pitt Brass, open your arms wide and embrace the moment.

You have been given a once in a lifetime opportunity to seal your names into history. A dream is just a wish if it is not written down. A dream is just a wish if it is not shared with others. Do all dreams come true? Not always. Then that is why ‘images’ could be used in new dreams.

Upon my return from my College Football Pilgrimage this year, I received a ‘blessing’. As I sat in the coed steam with others at a local health club, in walked two young men. What caught my attention was that both of them were wearing athletic shoes with socks with their shorts. This is the first time, that I have witness such attire in a steam bath.

Sitting down next to me, I engaged in a conversation with the one with an extremely elaborate, and equally beautiful tattoo on his entire back. He said that he was of Indian decent, and his tattoo reflected his heritage. As we talked, we both shared our interest in helping others.

He told me that he assisted others with financial problems. In helping others, he uses ‘Dream Boards’ to help them focus on their dreams. Taking out his cell phone, which I found odd, as we sat in the steam room, he ask me for my name and my phone number. He was interested in picking my brain to assist him with his business. I obliged.

We left simultaneously. Standing outside the steam room, I asked for their names. He told me that his name was Nick as in my late son’s name. His friend’s name was Daniel, as in ‘God is my Judge’. Nick assured me that he would contact me in the near future for us to get together. He has not. But, his message was received. Sometimes ‘Dream Boards’ are needed to ‘PLAYIN OUR DREAMS’. This is my dream!

We need a New Pitt House for our Nine National Championships.Maybe ‘IT’ could look like this.And on a November Saturday afternoon ‘IT’ could look like this.

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