Maybe I missed it – I was traveling a lot earlier this month – but, I just haven’t seen much made of this story on NC State websites despite its presence in the local media and discussions on internet Message Boards.
As a part of the ACC and Big East’s lawsuit settlement, the Pitt Panthers have been added to NC State’s football schedule in the form of a home-and-home series to be played between 2008-2012.
As the USA Today discusses:
“Home-and-home series with appearance fees of $150,000 between Florida State and West Virginia, Rutgers and North Carolina, Connecticut and Virginia, and North Carolina State and Pittsburgh are scheduled to be played between 2008 and 2012. A single game sends Miami (Fla.) to Pitt on Sept. 11, 2010. Miami will be paid $225,000.”
The Post-Gazette explains that:
“Under the agreement, the Big East and ACC agreed not to “alert the media of this settlement” or hold a “press conference or briefing.” Pitt athletic director Jeff Long declined comment and referred all queries to the public affairs office. Public affairs spokesperson Robert Hill could not be reached for comment. Mike Parsons, West Virginia’s deputy athletic director, said, “We’re glad we’ve been able to resolve it and we look forward to moving on.”
I just searched the archives of Pack Pride.com and Wolfpacker.com and couldn’t find mention of this…so, maybe it just isn’t out there?! Hmmm. I guess if the news doesn’t come straight from the “sources” on campus, these “indepedent” (LOL!) websites dont’ know about it or can find it. You can’t really blame them…telling us about a 15 year old future recruit from Murphy that has a 10% chance of wearing the Red and White is obviously significantly more important and deserves much more focus than does a future football date in which recruits will actually participate.
Personally, I am very excited about the addition of Pitt to the football schedule. Perhaps our road game could be lucky enough to fall on the same weekend that the Steelers will be in town?
Dave Wannstedt’s presence in Pittsburgh has their program energized. With Penn State and Syracuse’s struggles, and the Big East’s overall weakness in football, Pitt is a natural choice to emerge from the Northeast as a future power. Since NC State has historically valued Pennsylvania as fertile recruiting territory, this inter-conference clash has the makings of national importance.
Related Recent Entries:
Pack vs VPI moved to Sunday night for ESPN2
2005 NC State Football Schedule
Tentative Non-Conference Football Opponents:
2006: Akron, Appalachian State, @ Southern Miss?
2007: ECU, @ UConn
2008: @ Tennessee, Pitt/@ Pitt?
2009: @ Notre Dame, Pitt/@ Pitt?
2010: Notre Dame, @ ECU, Pitt/@ Pitt?
2011: Tennessee, Pitt/@ Pitt?
2012:
2013: ECU
2016: @ ECU
