Pitt Football: Steve Pederson Now Has Ruined 2 Football Programs

This plea for help goes out to Nebraska fans: How did you get rid of clueless Steve Pederson and then dump his win-challenged coach?

We suffering Pitt fans need a little guidance. When it comes to football, Steve Pederson knows about as much as the cotillion committee at the Junior League.

You guys were so successful in cleaning house at Nebraska Pederson came running back into the arms of Mark Nordenberg, Pitt's aloof chancellor who confuses being chancellor with being king.

Some readers who have made it this far are getting ready to tell me how out of line I am for picking on the man who is rebuilding athletic facilities at Pitt, increased football attendance, and administrates over a Top Five hoops program.

Re-read title, please.  I'm writing about the football program here so save your equivocations for Shakespeare.

Some Pitt fans are so mad right now they can't think straight. Two themes predominate their thinking: Wannstedt must be fired and the turf at Heinz Field sucks.

Guess what, fellow Panther fans? If Steve Pederson had gotten his way back in 1997, this dud of a coach would have been inflicted on us 13 years ago. Luckily for Pitt, Wannstedt was too busy screwing the Chicago Bears fans to bother with his alma mater.

I am a Walt Harris fan—at least a fan of Harris from 1997-2002. Harris seemed to forget that the running game and a strong defense are essential elements of a winning team. But I would take Harris back in a minute over this buffoon of a coach we have now.

Pederson sits silently through this disastrous 2010 season he is ultimately responsible for. Just like he did at Nebraska, Steve Pederson never blames himself when his decisions leave a big stink bomb right on top of the fans.

Pederson didn't learn self-reflection from his Nebraska termination. He did, however, learn to be cautious and spread the blame around.

Pederson is quick to criticize anyone but himself. Pederson ignores fans emails and hides behind his buddy Nordenberg.

Remember, fans, he dumped Pitt to go "home" to Nebraska. He returned to Pitt when the Nebraska fans, who have a much lower tolerance level for the nonsense Pederson engages in than we do, ran his butt out of town.

Nordenberg welcomed him back and allowed him to extend Dave Wannstedt's contract after two losing seasons and one 6-6, before Pitt's win over West Virginia in 2007.

Pederson marked his territory by renewing loser Wannstedt before he set up his office on his return visit to Pitt.

That's one big screw you to fans from your new athletic director.

Chancellor Nordenberg deserves his share of rebuke as do a number of Pitt chancellors who interfered in Pitt football while knowing nothing about the sport.

And please remember how Pitt left its on campus stadium to play home games in a pro venue.

The real culprit for the turf at Heinz Field is not Mr. Rooney. Pitt AD Pederson campaigned to destroy Pitt Stadium. Pitt had complete control over Pitt Stadium. Pitt owned it and could have installed natural grass.

When you give up ownership, you give up control. That's the American way.

Like he is prone to do, Pederson made a mess because he didn't talk to anyone about his stadium plans who weren't fat cats. As a group, former Pitt players were opposed to Pederson's plans and were vocal about it.

I raise the stadium issue now because turf complaints come with the territory when you use someone else's facility.  Furthermore, the college football game should be played in a college stadium, not a pro stadium.

You want to have an inspiring game day experience? Go to a game at Navy's home stadium, or Beaver Stadium, or even Robertson Stadium on the campus of the University of Houston.

Or go to Nebraska's stadium in Lincoln where they have exorcised all traces of Steve Pederson.

Another week will go by, Pederson will stay ensconced behind his office walls, Wannstedt will play circus master to a down-trodden, out-of-control program, and many Pitt fans will be rebudgeting for 2011 adding the money they'll save from canceling Pitt football season tickets.

Never fear, Pitt fans, Pederson's moment of accountability is coming. Keeping Wannstedt around for next season will guarantee a loss of season ticket sales and a shrinking fan base in 2011.

Increasing home football attendance is the one task we know for certain Nordenberg charged Pederson to accomplish.

Hey Husker fans: We have an A.D. we can give you—real cheap, too.