Let’s face reality: Pitt may not have the best sports teams out there, but at the end of the day, we’re still panthers. I see so many people who go to a game—football or basketball—where they automatically get upset, aggravated, and quiet when we aren’t playing too hot. This should not be, panthers! Why should we ruin the experience of going to a college game when our school has so many amazing aspects to its pride? The games are what you make of them, not the score at the end, so muster up that pride you have because here are five reasons why there’s nothing better than being a panther.
1. Roc, the best mascot ever. What’s better than a panther riding around the football field on a Segway, like Roc did at the recent Notre Dame game? Whether we’re winning or losing, you can’t help but smile when you see Roc. He is such an involved mascot in the games; he’s always in the crowd or on the field dancing with the cheerleaders.
2 The victory lights. Okay, so maybe these do show why winning is just so damn awesome in Pittsburgh! There’s nothing like coming back from a game late at night and seeing Cathy beaming high in the sky, as if she’s so happy about our win. These lights allow us to reflect on (and brag about) how awesome our school is and lets athletes look up and see their accomplishments. Nothing says “Hail to Pitt” more than the most amazing building on a college campus (I’m biased) getting involved in sports. Even Cathy is a true panther!
3. Our quirky yet awesome traditions. There’s something about doing the same thing over and over at a sport game that makes it mean something—not to mention it riles up the students and makes you just love your school. Every time I’m at a game I get so excited when reading our newspapers and screaming “sucks!” in the Oakland Zoo while the other teams players are being announced at basketball games, jumping up and down and screaming when the other team has the ball, or banging on the seat in front of me at a football game. It’s the little things like these that make Pitt have some of the best student sections for sports; we do these things to show support for our team and to just add some fun to the game. Though I do have to say, jumping up and down at the basketball games is a workout!
4. The fabulous Pitt Band. Without the band, where would the panthers be? The band starts all of our cheers and get us all riled up when the musicians rush out onto the field at the beginning of the game. And what about the drum major who can basically do the Matrix move? The band gets the crowd ready for the “P-I-T-T” cheer and “Go Pitt Go Pitt First Down!” Overall, they make make the games lively and, personally, they’re my favorite part of the games. They even played an instrumental version of Blurred Lines at the Notre Dame game, which proves how awesome they are. You can tell that the band loves the panthers just as much as the rest of us, and they share their love.
5. Last, but not least, Sweet Caroline. The end of the third quarter rolls around, maybe we’re losing and you’re down in the dumps… but then you hear the lovely tune of “Sweet Caroline” start to play, and you instantly cheer up. You wrap your arms around the person next to you, whether it be your friend or even just a stranger—and you join together to sway back and forth and sign the lyrics! Right in time for the chorus, you’re ready to put your arms out for the “hands… touching hands… reaching out…” and then before you know it everyone’s substituting the ba ba ba’s for LET’S GO PITT! The great thing about Sweet Caroline is it brings all the panthers together and allows us to celebrate our team and our school no matter what. To me, that’s better than a win or loss. I mean, what other school has something as cool as this?
If you’re not convinced or even feeling a little warm and fuzzy after this, then you may not be a true panther. Two of my top ten moments here at Pitt were sports game—so with that, I hope you’ll go to the games and leave just a little bit more in love with this school than you already are. Hail to Pitt!
Photo Credit: 1, 2 and 4 credited to pittsburghpanthers.com, 3, 5