Pitt is IT!

Once upon a time, Pitt had an awesome football team, and one of my favorite memories from my college years was trudging up "Cardiac Hill" on Saturday mornings to huddle on aluminum benches, with my fellow Pitt students, to cheer the team on.  With a demanding Chem E curriculum, I rarely took time for breaks, but home Saturday games guaranteed a few hours of fun where I could relax and relish in the excitement of the moment.  

Thirty plus years later finds the venue moved to Heinz Field in downtown Pittsburgh, quite different from the adventures of my college days.  Believe me, I'm not complaining. I'm perfectly happy to pass on the hike that tested my cardio, and am grateful for comfy seats in place of cold bleachers.  

There is a lot of hoopla and cheering and entertainment which makes the entire package just a whole lot of fun.  But what made today exceptionally special was the added experience of tailgating with college friends whom we have not seen in years.  They continue to live locally, have season tickets, and regularly tailgate.  So, when I contacted my friend to see if we could somehow meet up on this visit to the city, she was anxious to extend the invitation to us to meet them in the parking lot for some pregame socializing.

When we finally met up, the hugs couldn't be long enough, and the minutes passed by way too fast. I can't help but smile at the sheer fun that we had just "hanging out" today for just a couple of hours.  We know how lucky we were to meet so many years ago and form the bond that keeps us connected so many years later.

So, although it certainly looks like we can bid adieu to the glory days of Pitt football this season, it's great knowing that my friends still consider me to be just as special now as I was all of those years ago.  

So, I'll be counting today as a win in my playbook.  And for Pitt?  I think we're going to have to rely on our memories!