Pitt and Penn State Debut on ESPN's "Bottom 10" Football Teams: Tied for No. 5

Headline on blackshoediaries.com today: "Nitt Links Doesn't Like Being Tied with Pitt."

Penn State fans are appalled to see Pitt as an equal on any list. This week the Panthers and Nittany Lions share the No. 5 rank on the ESPN Bottom 10 list. The No. 5 spot is reserved for big time programs and some Penn State fans are complaining about Pitt being considered as big time as they are. In this case, they fail to add, as big-time losers as they are.

Isn't that like two criminals arguing about who deserved the longer sentence or two fast-food restaurants arguing over which chain made more people sick?

This week ESPN cleverly matched the old rivals up in their negative rankings. In the past, ESPN used to televise the annual grudge war between the two schools that have played 93 games against each other and often one or both were ranked playing for a bowl invite.

Barred from competing on the football field to settle the "Who sucks more this season?" question and led by stubborn, old-school coaches, Pitt and Penn State battle in the blogs instead of on the field. This is exactly the kind of season when Joe Paterno likes to avoid Pitt. Penn State is just bad enough this year to lose to Pitt. Pitt has an offense—at least for a half of a game. Penn State's offense fails to show up at all.

Penn State and Pitt fans like to argue about which side pulled the stops on the rivalry. Did Joe Paterno end it by demanding the 2-for-1, or the Pitt AD end it by refusing Penn State's ultimatum to participate in a 2-for-1? Doesn't Pitt need Penn State more than Penn State needs Pitt? "Yes," say the Nitters, "No," say the Panthers.

Pitt should have taken up Joe on his offer. Look back at the long history of the series. When Pitt Stadium was still considered a modern facility and Pittsburgh's population topped 600,000, the Panthers made the Nittany Lions come to Pitt Stadium year after year. When the game could be televised only at night, Penn State willingly moved games to Three Rivers Stadium. At the time neither Pitt Stadium nor Beaver Stadium had lights.

Maybe the Bottom 10 ranking is actually a good thing. It means Pitt and Penn State still have something in common. These days the two schools are far, far apart. The men's basketball coach doesn't want to play Pitt even though the Panthers could help his RPI and the women's basketball program, traditionally better than Pitt's is dropping Pitt to go with the flow.    

Penn State bloggers aren't going with the flow. They can't stop themselves from bringing up Pitt no matter how unrelated to Penn State the references are. For example, when Pitt lost to Utah PSU bloggers on blackshoediaries.com had to reference the game on their blog.

The Penn State fans really get fired up about Pitt basketball but not in a good way. Comments are tinged with jealously and evil glee on the few occasions Pitt has lost during the past few seasons. The Villanova-Pitt NCAA Elite Eight game had them buzzing all night.

This year Dave Wannstedt is out-recruiting Paterno—an easy task since Paterno has maybe four recruits lined up so far. Penn State bloggers never fail to include any new Wannstedt catches then send the information over to the Rutgers fans (often the recruits come from New Jersey).

Ironically, Pitt bloggers for the most part have nothing to say about Penn State. Two seasons ago when Pitt beat Iowa and Iowa handed Penn State its only regular season loss, some comments were made on pittblather.com. This season, despite Penn State's struggles, nothing is written.

Pitt fans don't waste time on Penn State because Dave Wannstedt is a rich character study in coaching. His throwback coaching style and game-day decision-making keep Panther fans occupied.

So for old time's sake it's nice to see ESPN recognizing Pitt and Penn State for what they have become this season—two mediocre football programs jinxed by high expectations, scattered talent and under-performing coaches.

Take a look at those two names side by side at No. 5 on the Bottom 10 list. Listen closely and you will hear the Blue Band playing "Fight on State" and the Pitt Band trying to over-power them with "Hail to Pitt."

Reunited again.