Pitt Panthers Football: Influential Donors Demand Firing of AD Steve Pederson

Pitt football has deep roots all the way back to 1890. If the Panthers can pull out a win today at Legion Field over Kentucky, the 2010 season will end with an 8-5 record. It will go into the history books as the 39th eight-or-more win season in the 121-year history of Pitt football.

Those deep roots are partially made up of many alumni, former Pitt players and regular high cash donors. Normally a quiet, respectful group of people, one-by-one they are going public in their criticism of current Pitt athletic director Steve Pederson.

Two former Pitt players with easily recognizable names in Pitt and college football lore have lambasted Pederson in the media.

Al Romano came to Pitt in the huge freshman class Johnny Majors recruited in 1973. He played a vital role in the 12-0 national championship season of 1976 and was co-captain of the squad.

He told the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review this:

"I think he has issues no matter who they hire," said Romano, who lives in Syracuse, N.Y. "All is not going to be well," (triblive.com, Jan. 8, 2011).

Paul Helsel, a 1966 Pitt graduate and former Panther baseball player, went public in The Pitt News, the daily student newspaper of the University of Pittsburgh, calling for Pederson to hit the road.

The university would surely miss the $26,000 he donates annually, but he is not the most generous donor who has had it with Pederson's approach to alumni and his strategic plan to destroy Pitt traditions.

A $60,000 annual donor, Armand Dellovade, has weighed in on Pederson. Mr. Dellovade purchases multiple season tickets to Pitt football games as well as club seats. He also buys basketball tickets.

Unhappy with Pederson, Dellovade told the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review Pederson's usefulness at Pitt has expired.

Another unhappy donor is Bill Fralic, who has a radio platform as color analyst for Pitt football which he will use to bash Pederson. In fact, he will be the play-by-play announcer for today's BBVA Compass Bowl.

This influential group of former players and alumni reiterated one of my complaints about Pederson all football season long: Pederson never gave former coach Dave Wannstedt a warning, never set administration expectations for him and fired him without notice after his team won a co-Big East championship.

There is long-festering dislike for Pederson at Pitt. Pederson's critics remember how brazenly he changed the schools colors, changed the name of the sports teams from Pitt to Pittsburgh and orchestrated the tearing-down of Pitt Stadium. They opposed each of those actions.

The alums and former players have let it be known they won't stop with Pederson. If chancellor Mark Nordenberg does not fire Pederson, they could be looking for a chancellor who will.

As long as Pederson stays, Nordenberg will be on shaky ground.