Smaller story but I am sure you will be interested. The University of Pittsburgh tackle football team of scholars is an irrelevancy (small story) this year as it has been for over 30 years. But there are those who love her.
Those old enough remember that there was once a brief shining moment; there was a time when the "Panthers" were kings.
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania takes its name from the greatest British political figure of the 18th century, William Pitt the Elder.
And for as long as there has been a University of Pittsburgh it has been known familiarly as "Pitt."
At the beginning of the time that was to culminate in orgiastic frisson for those who love her in the "precisely measurable triumph" of 1976, at the beginning of all of that, in 1973, the university adopted William Pitt's signature as the logo for its sports teams.
William Pitt's signature, the university's new logo, became inextricably intertwined with the greatness of the men's football and basketball teams from 1973 to about 1982. Never mind that after that time, more than a "moment" but more a moment than an era, and continuing for the next 15 years, more an era, Pitt SUCKED. Never mind that. For there are those who loved her.
Then in 1996 a brash, young (36 years old), energetic, charismatic, carpet-bagging, swine, BOOB! (There are those who did not love him.) named Steve Pederson was put in charge of all university athletics. Down went Pitt as the official un-official name of the university, down went Pitt Stadium, down went William Pitt the Elder's signature as the university's athletic signature and up went an abortion of a logo, an offense to design art, an offense to humanity, a primitive, repulsive, long-in-the-tooth, hunched, grinning, sneering, snarling, leering-appearing, child-predator-like feline nicknamed "Dinocat:"
After six years of destruction the carpet-bagging Pederson returned to his alma mater the University of Afghanistan.
Up stayed "Pittsburgh" and "Dinocat" to the dismay of those who still loved her as legacy to the
dearly-departed. In 2005, the university exhumed Pitt but kept the block letter font as it may have been written in the first grade by Willam Pitt the Baby. And in 2007, like a bad meal that won't stay down, Pederson was back. Oh! the humanity.
Today, quite unexpectedly, in the middle, the middle, of the football season, another season of football mediocrity, a season of mediocrity that has now lasted over 30 seasons Steve Pederson announced that beginning tomorrow and "for the future" William Pitt the Elder's cursive signature is back.
It may not have been his idea, the timing and manner of the announcement suggest the change was forced upon him by the new hierarchy of the university but it is he who made the announcement and tonight there are those who love Steve Pederson.
Those old enough remember that there was once a brief shining moment; there was a time when the "Panthers" were kings.
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania takes its name from the greatest British political figure of the 18th century, William Pitt the Elder.
And for as long as there has been a University of Pittsburgh it has been known familiarly as "Pitt."
At the beginning of the time that was to culminate in orgiastic frisson for those who love her in the "precisely measurable triumph" of 1976, at the beginning of all of that, in 1973, the university adopted William Pitt's signature as the logo for its sports teams.
Then in 1996 a brash, young (36 years old), energetic, charismatic, carpet-bagging, swine, BOOB! (There are those who did not love him.) named Steve Pederson was put in charge of all university athletics. Down went Pitt as the official un-official name of the university, down went Pitt Stadium, down went William Pitt the Elder's signature as the university's athletic signature and up went an abortion of a logo, an offense to design art, an offense to humanity, a primitive, repulsive, long-in-the-tooth, hunched, grinning, sneering, snarling, leering-appearing, child-predator-like feline nicknamed "Dinocat:"
Up stayed "Pittsburgh" and "Dinocat" to the dismay of those who still loved her as legacy to the
dearly-departed. In 2005, the university exhumed Pitt but kept the block letter font as it may have been written in the first grade by Willam Pitt the Baby. And in 2007, like a bad meal that won't stay down, Pederson was back. Oh! the humanity.
Today, quite unexpectedly, in the middle, the middle, of the football season, another season of football mediocrity, a season of mediocrity that has now lasted over 30 seasons Steve Pederson announced that beginning tomorrow and "for the future" William Pitt the Elder's cursive signature is back.
