RE: Rivalries ?
As I wrote in my previous post, like a few other league schools (Georgia Tech, Clemson, Louisville, etc.), our primary rivals are all non-league teams. That sucks but that's the reality of college athletics in the modern world. Not all rivals have stuck together or where ever together in the first place.
Also, I want to acknowledge up front that ALL of this depends on PItt getting its act together. If we continue to languish around .500 every year, nobody is going to give two schitts about playing us and frankly, nor should they.
With that said, here is who I see as Pitt's most likely rivals within the ACC:
1.) I think Virginia Tech is going to be Pitt's most likely ACC rival. We have some shared history going into things and we have already played some epic games (Pitt has won four straight, BTW). Also, we're in the same division, so we'll continue to play every single year. The Hokies are always excellent and they have a passionate fan base that almost always travels extremely well to Heinz Field. If Pitt can get its program up to snuff, that game will no doubt turn into a very good annual game for the ACC.
2.) Miami dominated Pitt when they were each in the Big East but then again Miami dominated everyone in the Big East. For decades, Pitt played Penn State on the Friday after Thanksgiving and when they ended the series, West Virginia slid into that role. Now that the Backyard Brawl is caput - at least for now - the word on the street is that the U will likely be filled into that spot.
Personally, I'd love to see that happen as everyone knows that Miami won't stay down forever. Also, the U, with all of their swagger - which is sometimes unearned - is usually a very hateable group.
It can get very cold in Pittsburgh in late November. It would be fun to play a meaningful game up here in the cold where we can each test each other's speed, athleticism, toughness and fortitude.
3.) Pitt and Georgia Tech have no history whatsoever. However, they should. In fact I think they are basically mirrors of each other and are practically sister schools.
Look at it for a second: both are urban schools who have to fight an uphill battle to draw attention in pro dominated markets; both have primary rivals who are the giant land grant schools out in the sticks; both take men's basketball seriously as well as football; both have very strong football traditions upon which to draw; and both take academics seriously.
That is a LOT for two schools to have in common and I think it's a pretty solid basis for a rivalry to develop. Seriously, I cannot think of a more comparable school to Pitt than the Yellow Jackets.
4.) Syracuse and Pitt have played a ton over the years, first as independents and then as members of the Big East. I think our fan bases each have a healthy respect for the history and traditions of the other school. Unfortunately, and somewhat bizarrely, we have never been good at the same time. For decades now, when we have been good, they have not; and when they have been good, we have not.
One might think that it is a direct relationship attributable to recruiting success but I don't think so. We don't really recruit the same kids. I mean there is some overlap to be sure but now as much as one might think. It's not a see-saw type of relationship, let me put it that way. Rather, I think it's just a good old fashioned, decades-long coincidence.
At some point that is bound to change going forward as each program has had too many great players and teams over the years for neither to come back.
If both are ever good at the same time, I sincerely believe that could become a very good game for the ACC.
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Let me add that I am lamentful at losing Maryland as I saw that as a HUGE opportunity for a rivalry with Pitt. In fact, I was so confident that would become a rivalry, at one point I would have even advocated trading Georgia Tech for Maryland on the divisional front.
A lot of Pitt grads and Pittsburghers in general have moved to the Beltway area for job-related reasons and as such there are a ton of Pittsburgh sports fans there. That has really helped to intensify the rivalries between the Steelers and the Ravens and the Penguins and the Capitals and I think Pitt and UMD would have been a natural extension of that phenomenon.
Hell, just two weeks ago, I was in DC and walked into a bar on Capital Hill that was Pittsburgh sports themed from head to toe. We don't go there on purpose, we just stopped in for some lunch and a beer and suddenly we were back in the Burgh.
Additionally, Pitt recruits Maryland fairly heavily and we're about 3.5 - 4 hours from each other. Also like the Panthers, the Terps take hoops and football seriously. Then, factor in that each are located in pro markets and are comparable schools and I sincerely believe that had "fierce rivalry" written all over it.
Alas, they are off to the B1G now where presumably Rutgers will be their big rivals. What a shame!
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