Pitt beat writer says NC State crowd won’t be a factor

'09 Football Fans General44

Finally, the game is almost here. Paul Zeise is the Pitt beat writer for the Post-Gazette and recently did a chat about this week’s Pitt/NC State matchup. Here are his comments about the impact of crowds at Carter Finley stadium:

Well I suppose Bob Smizik might have been there for that game (the 1988 Pitt game in Raleigh) but he is retired, so unfortunately, no. And from what I understand there is a good crowd expected but, perhaps I am wrong about this, when has anyone ever talked about N.C. State being one of the tough or most hostile road venues around? I mean, in that conference we hear a lot about Virginia Tech, Clemson and FSU as being tough places to play, but I don’t recall ever hearing much about N.C. State. So I don’t think the crowd will be that much of a factor, no more than a normal road game.

I did a quick search about Mr. Zeise and the first thing I found was this:

paul_zeise

Please tell me he was kidding and not that out of touch with college football.

Of course you don’t hear about NC State being a tough place to play like @FSU, @VT, and @Clemson. That is because the recent coaching transition led by AD Lee Fowler has produced one of the worst stretches of NC State football in the last 50 years. It has absolutely nothing to do with NC State fans not creating a tough, loud, intimidating atmosphere for visiting teams.

The fact is that the atmosphere at Carter Finley stadium is one of the best in the conference and one of the few SEC-like atmospheres in the league along with FSU, VT, and Clemson. However, the atmosphere at those schools was at least partially created by winning national titles, conference titles and consistently being much, much better than NC State. Often at my tailgates, I look around at all of the people, the grills, the flags, tents, etc…and wonder what it would be like if NC State ever was a consistent top 25 program. Can you imagine?

The writer is absolutely wrong that the crowd won’t have an impact on Saturday. We will certainly do our part like we have for the last decade at Carter Finley. Hopefully, the team can match our efforts and beat Pitt.

'09 Football Fans General

44 Responses to Pitt beat writer says NC State crowd won’t be a factor

  1. section2chuck 09/25/2009 at 10:41 AM #

    Give me a break, this guys is an idiot. We do have an SEC like atmosphere, the only thing really different from us and like FSU, VT, and Clemson is the stadium size. I would like to see CF get it’s capacity up to least 70k. I think 80K would be a stretch. Did anyone else see all the empty seats @ S.Carolina last night. A majority of the upper decks were empty. So I think about 70k would be a perfect capacity for Wolfpack Nation.

  2. Daily Update 09/25/2009 at 10:44 AM #

    We don’t need a bigger stadium right now. Maybe not ever. We need a program that wins 7-10 games consistently first.

  3. WolfmanDave 09/25/2009 at 10:58 AM #

    Hopefully Pitt will be intimidated by the crowd attempting to do the wave during play.

  4. TheAliasTroll 09/25/2009 at 11:03 AM #

    Everybody reading this make sure to be EXTRA loud tomorrow. What an A-hole.

  5. section2chuck 09/25/2009 at 11:04 AM #

    How about beer sales in the stadium, that would make CF intimidating.

  6. choppack1 09/25/2009 at 11:17 AM #

    “That is because the recent coaching transition led by AD Lee Fowler has produced one of the worst stretches of NC State football in the last 50 years.”

    Actually – I think you are getting your searches mixed up. Todd Turner hired MOC. Les Robinson hired Chuck Amato. TOB was hired on Lee’s watch…and to be fair, I don’t think anyone other than the biggest players in the country would have fired Amato after the 2005 season.

    Regarding the atmosphere. It’s pretty good. However, as someone who has been to games at Texas, Tennessee, tOSU, South Carolina, Clemson, FSU and VaTech – Carter-Finley stadium isn’t nearly as intimidating.

    It simply does not have a big time feel. You aren’t awed by the size of the structure.

    Is the crowd loud? Yes. Can the crowd be crazy? Definitely.

    However, I don’t think it’s fair to the atmosphere is SEC-like – unless you are talking about Miss State, Ole Miss, Kentucky, and maybe Arkansas.

    I do think aside from West Virginia – it will probably be the loudest venue they’ve played in the last couple of years.

    And yes DU – you are very right in that one can only imagine what the atmosphere would be like if we were string together several Top 25 finishes…

  7. Plz2BStateFan 09/25/2009 at 11:22 AM #

    The rain will hurt attendance.

  8. YANCSSB 09/25/2009 at 11:48 AM #

    I don’t think he’s that far off base. Let’s face it, the crowds aren’t like they were at the beginning of the decade, and the baffling student seating policy means the upper section isn’t full until about the start of the second quarter.

    I don’t think it’s as BAD as he may think, but he rightfully slotted us behind the three best environments in the league. Had he claimed Kenan or Bobby Dodd were more intimidating venues, then we might have a legit beef with him.

    I think we’re getting our panties into a wad here worrying about a perceived slight that’s minimal, at best.

  9. Daily Update 09/25/2009 at 11:57 AM #

    Choppack: Not sure what you are saying. Lee Fowler was the AD in the downward spiral of the last few years of the Amato era and he has been the AD in the first few years of the TOB era. I would define the transition as the last five years.

    Are those teams you listed not in the SEC?

    Notice in your first list of places you have been you are talking about all places that are some the best programs in the country historically. Of course, they have great atmospheres/loud fans. What big time program doesn’t have a great atmosphere at their games and overall gameday experience?

    The lone exception is SC. While it is bigger, our gameday environment is very similar minus about 15k to 20k fans. Again, I stand by the statement that our atmosphere is SEC-like especially when you consider our status on the college football totem pole.

    If there ever was a consistent winner produced in CF….

  10. wolfpacktexx 09/25/2009 at 12:12 PM #

    Who cares what this guy writes or says about the Carter – Finley atmosphere, he looks like a loser… We missed a big opportunity Sept 3rd with our Dana Bible – no show offense.

    Beating UPitt is what will shut this talking head up.

  11. saspack 09/25/2009 at 12:27 PM #

    Carter – Finley is a little smaller and less impressive compared to other big name football schools, especially on TV. I support the idea to expand the stadium to 70K+ capacity.

  12. section2chuck 09/25/2009 at 12:39 PM #

    Agree, I think 70k, would be a perfect number. Even with all our Epansion we cannot beat the crowd records. I think all time biggest crowd was an ECU game in 1986 or ’87. I think that day there was 61 or 63k in attendance, of coarse the grass hill used to allow us to pack in the fans. Now I believe we are at 57,065 at max capacity. Also whatever happen to the risers they used to bring in?

  13. Cardiac95 09/25/2009 at 12:44 PM #

    I’ve had the chance to go to Williams-Bryce several times in recent years & always leave thinking, “How can this many people be so quiet?”.

    Carter-Finley can get downright deafening at times… (reminds me of Reynolds at times)

  14. choppack1 09/25/2009 at 12:51 PM #

    “Not sure what you are saying. Lee Fowler was the AD in the downward spiral of the last few years of the Amato era and he has been the AD in the first few years of the TOB era. I would define the transition as the last five years.”

    Correct – but no AD in the country w/ a tradition like NC State would have fired Amato after his first 4 years. Hey, I’ll slam Lee Fowler for tons of things, but I don’t blame him for not firing Amato until he did.

    Now, if you want to blame Lee for hiring TOB instead of PJ, that’s another story.

    “Are those teams you listed not in the SEC? ”

    Yes, they were, but when people think of rabid SEC fans – they think of UT, Alabama, Auburn, UGa, LSU and Florida. They DON’T think of the schools I mentioned. Kind of like – when people talk about ACC football fans, they aren’t talking about Clemson, FSU and VaTech.

    “Again, I stand by the statement that our atmosphere is SEC-like especially when you consider our status on the college football totem pole.”

    And I think you’re stretching it a bit. The tailgating is awesome and SEC like, but the stadium and fans are not, on a consistent basis. If we were to have several successful seasons – I think we could do it. But right now, we’re in limbo…I think we have a staduim and atmosphere that’s somewhere between Top 25 to Top 40.

    Like you, for what we’ve got in return, I think our atmosphere is amazing and something to be proud of.

  15. old13 09/25/2009 at 1:11 PM #

    Note to C-F fans:

    * NO WAVES!
    * Be QUIET when the Pack is on offense.
    * Be as LOUD as possible when the Pack is on defense.

    IMO consistent practice of the above will soon earn C-F a reputation as a very dificult place for visiting teams.

    And I would support an expansion of C-F to 70,000 capacity in 3-4 years IF TOB keeps the Pack moving upward AND a competent AD is hired.

  16. tjfoose2 09/25/2009 at 1:14 PM #

    I’ve been to Texas, OSU, South Carolina, Clemson, FSU and VaTech – Carter-Finley IS at times, just as, or at least close to as, intimidating.

    Think back to the BC and FSU games of Chuck’s last year. I was at the BC game but was ‘stuck’ in San Diego for business during that FSU win – But I was able to attend Philip’s first Sunday night game of his first year as a starter for the Chargers – a come back win over Pittsburgh. It was funny in a way, the local fans were acting like ‘wow, who is this guy?’.

    But I digress, back to the topic at hand. The atmosphere and the crowd noise during that FSU game, at least as it came across on TV, was up there w/ any game I had ever viewed via television.

    And remember… the atmosphere during the BC game is what ‘sold’ TOB on NC State. I’m sure most of you are familiar w/ his comments when he was hired… they mimicked Bowden’s after that FSU game… both coaches said they had never played in a stadium with a louder more impressive atmosphere… I’ll take their opinions over any posted here.

    Now consistency of that atmosphere, now that is a different subject altogether.

    Carter-Finley will eventually need to be expanded. The triangle’s population continues to grow. More and more alumni are moving back to the area. Football is becoming THE sport for new and recent graduates.

    I know one thing, C/F better hurry up and get those new RV spots ready! Talk about some upset big time donors!

  17. johnwolfpack2003 09/25/2009 at 1:14 PM #

    I agree with YANNCSB to an extent. However CF gets really loud on 3rd down defense at least. You can hear us on tv pretty good. It may be the micing of the game, but I honestly didn’t hear 80+k people last night at the uSC game. It was weird. They looked loud

    On a side note: I’m glad they pulled out the win last night. /transitive property ( blarg!)

  18. Daily Update 09/25/2009 at 1:17 PM #

    So then are Ole Miss, Miss St, and Arkansas not SEC like?

  19. section2chuck 09/25/2009 at 1:36 PM #

    Williams-Brice Stadium attendance was listed as 74,724 last night, but I saw alot of empty seats in the upper decks. I think Arkansas has a very good crowd, and atmosphere. I have heard Ole Miss has an awesome gameday atmosphere, have not heard much about Miss St. I think the attendance @ S.Carolina had more to do with it being on a Thurs night, than anything else, because they are rapid about their football. Also it was pretty interesting to see that was their 1st win over a Top 5 team since 1981 vs. UNC. Wow

  20. choppack1 09/25/2009 at 1:49 PM #

    “So then are Ole Miss, Miss St, and Arkansas not SEC like?”

    Arkansas is kind of in purgatory. They’re not like the big boys, but they draw significantly better than the Missippi’s and Commode Doors. Still their attendance would be 3rd best in the ACC, in the SEC, it’s 8th (Behind UT, Florida, UGA, LSU, Auburn, ‘Bama, and SC).

    tjfoose – one thing to remember, those were both night games. I can’t imagine how crazy a night game gets in Columbus. However, I think for a good opponent with good weather, Carter Finley has a great atmoshpere at night.

  21. 44fan 09/25/2009 at 2:04 PM #

    I don’t know if anyone has posted this, but when App. State beat Michigan the coach for App. was asked on TV if this was the hardest place he had ever played and his comment was NO, NCSU is the thoughest crowd he had ever faced.

  22. ppack3 09/25/2009 at 2:15 PM #

    tjfoose2 – I was ‘stuck’ in LA that year, too. Only, during the weekend of the first pre-season game. I stayed up until 2am Pacific Time, watching that game! I ws going to rent a car and make the drive but we had some logistics problems with that.

    Anyway, I agree with the expansion theory, but a don’t want to see any more temporary (or permanent) bleachers. The one’s that they had in the Southern corners wouldn’t work now because of the video boards. Where would the expansion come from? I heard someone suggest another pseudo Vaughn Towers on the eastern side of the stadium that would be exclusively used for luxury boxes and club seating. I thought that idea was very feasible. The old renovation plans had a similar structure planned for filling in the North End Zone, but they scrapped that and went with new concessions and bathrooms (which I’m not complaining about). If they built more seating above the North End Zone, they would be displacing all of those fans in the permanent bleachers that are already there, and not increasing the capacity all that much. Where would we ‘fit’ 17,000 more people?

    Too, I agree about the RV spots! There are a bunch of pissed off donors, and there is nobody in the WPC who is even remotely sympathetic to this issue. There is about 100 ‘full hook-up’ spots going in by the Horse Complex that should be done for next year. It would be much the same as parking at the fairgrounds, though. You would pay by the night on a first come first served basis, and if I understand it correctly, the WPC wouldn’t have anything to do with it. So, if there is a Horse show that weekend, you could find yourself without a space.

  23. Hot Sauce 09/25/2009 at 2:27 PM #

    I went to the Florida-Tennessee game last weekend. I went in thinking.. Why would a kid ever want to play at State if he could go down to Florida to play. I have to admit, while it was a fun trip and i’m glad I went, I left not overly impressed. The tailgating was spread out all over and it kinda felt like chapel hill. Although it seats 90k, I didn’t find the crowd overly loud. And this was a rivalry game. We have something special here at Carter Finley. (Don’t feel bad about the wave, florida tried it too) We have great fans and a great place to watch college ball. All we need is some wins and we will get the exposure.

  24. section2chuck 09/25/2009 at 2:27 PM #

    “The old renovation plans had a similar structure planned for filling in the North End Zone, but they scrapped that and went with new concessions and bathrooms (which I’m not complaining about). If they built more seating above the North End Zone, they would be displacing all of those fans in the permanent bleachers that are already there, and not increasing the capacity all that much.”

    I have been wondering about that myself, when you read the plans it said there would be a club level in the North Endzone, etc. I think i they can expand, it could be done in the North Endzone, also they could get rid of the permanant bleachers, if they wanted to do so. Why did they buid those anyways? Why not build those same perm bleachers all the way around? It’s like they just threw up those two perm bleachers in that endzone. Why did they do that?

  25. section2chuck 09/25/2009 at 2:31 PM #

    Instead of building more suits and a club level, why not just put a 3rd deck on the opposite side from the Towers. Don’t build more high priced seating noone can afford. A ticket in the Dail Club is $219.00 face value per game, who can sit their?

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