Tuesday linkage: Shipley, Steelers and Pitt
◊ Two interesting news clippings from the Pittsburgh papers. I've never met people so cocky about their city than Steel City natives. Even those outside the metro area thump their chests about Pittsburgh. That aside, the competing papers are filling the time between the bowl season and the NFL draft. Here's what's up in western PA...
• Bob Smizik wrote in his blog yesterday, questioning if Pitt would join the Big Ten, if the conference came calling. Of course, any discussion about this kind of thing must warrant a customary slap towards Penn State: "Rivalries: Hopefully, West Virginia would not pout like Penn State and continue to play Pitt in football and basketball. The loss of the great rivalries in basketball with the likes of Connecticut, Georgetown and Syracuse wouldn’t be that large a factor. New rivalries quickly would spring up. The football rivalries with Penn State and Ohio State would be enormous."
Why won't the Pittsburgh loyalists just admit it? Pitt needs Penn State more than Penn State needs Pitt.
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
• Will AQ Shipley continue to play football in the Keystone State? Over at Pittsburghlive.com, Mike Prisuta gives us a little insight. "Yesterday was the first day players were permitted to work out at their team's headquarters and receive compensation per the NFL's collective bargaining agreement.
Shipley did well for himself at the combine a few weeks ago, and we can wish him only the best.
"That's [Shipley]," [Steelers' director of football operations Kevin] Colbert said of Harrison. "It's not surprising because that's his work ethic. He was here as much as anyone last year. It says a lot about who he is."
Pittsburgh Trib
