GAME #10: COLDSBURGH

NORTH CAROLINA @ PITT

11.14.19

NORTH CAROLINA - 27

PITT - 34 [OT]

WHEN WE SCHEDULED THIS YEAR'S GAMES, WE KEPT SAYING WE NEED TO EXPERIENCE ALL OF WHAT THESE TOWNS HAVE TO OFFER, WEATHER INCLUDED. THAT WAS A MISTAKE. FROM 110 DEGREE TEMPE IN SEPTEMBER TO 15 DEGREE PITTSBURGH IN NOVEMBER, MY BODY HAS BEEN SHOCKED TO ITS CORE. THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN THESE PLACES GET TO ADJUST GRADUALLY TO THE TEMPERATURE CHANGES. FOR US, IT WAS GETTING THROWN INTO AN OVEN AND THEN DIVING INTO THE ARCTIC CIRCLE. INTENSE.

AS YOU'VE PROBABLY GATHERED BY NOW, I AM A MATER-OF-FACT PERSON. THE PREVIOUS BLOGS WERE ALL PRETTY POSITIVE TOWARD THE GAMES AND LOCATIONS. THAT'S BECAUSE THAT'S HOW I FELT ABOUT THEM. THAT SAID, I DID NOT CARE FOR PITTSBURGH. I HAD PRETTY HIGH HOPES, TOO. THE CITY ITSELF IS LOVELY AND OUR AIRBNB WAS ON A HILL WITH DECENT VIEWS. THE FIRST NIGHT WAS SHORT BECAUSE WE FLEW IN A LITTLE LATER IN THE DAY AND COULDN'T TAKE THE COLD. LITERALLY COULDN'T TAKE WALKING TWO BLOCKS. THE STAFF AT THE TWO PLACES WE WENT WERE SEEMINGLY INDIFFERENT TO THEIR PATRONS, BUT I WROTE IT OFF. TURNS OUT THAT'S PAR FOR THE COURSE THERE, ACCORDING TO TWO OF THE FOUR TALKATIVE PEOPLE WE MET. ROB & I LIKE TO TALK TO RANDOM PEOPLE, ESPECIALLY ON THESE TRIPS, AND IT'S HAPPENED IN SPADES EVERYWHERE WE'VE BEEN SO FAR. NOT IN THE STEEL CITY. DON'T KNOW WHY, BUT WE DIDN'T CARE FOR IT. IT'S COLD, SURE, BUT COME ON.

PITT PLAYS AT HEINZ FIELD AND THAT STADIUM IS BEAUTIFUL. THE STEELERS PLAYED AT CLEVELAND AT THE SAME TIME AS THE PITT GAME [TURRABLE SCHEDULING] SO WE WERE TOLD THE CROWD WOULD BE LIGHT. DESPITE THE FRIGID COLD AND OBVIOUS FAVORITE TEAM PLAYING ON TV, THE STADIUM ACTUALLY FILLED OUT NICELY. OUR SAN DIEGO SKIN BARELY MADE IT THROUGH THE FIRST HALF BEFORE WE HAD TO BAIL. WATCHED THE HILARIOUS END TO THE STEELERS GAME [MILES GARRETT HELMET SMASH] AT A BAR BY THE STADIUM WHERE WE MET THE COUPLE [FROM CLEVELAND] WHO SAID ALL THE SERVICE PEOPLE ARE NOT GOOD AT IT. SERIOUSLY, THEY SEEMED PUT OFF BY ME ORDERING FROM THEM. ONE GIRL AT A BAR BY CAMPUS WAS COOL. GO SEE HER. HENNESSY'S, I THINK.

GAME TIP - HOT DOGS ARE GOOD. WE ALSO HAD A CHICKEN SAUSAGE DOG WITH BROCCOLINI ON IT. THAT WAS WAY OUT OF LEFT FIELD, BUT PRETTY DAMN GOOD. DEFINITELY WASN'T EXPECTING THAT. THE LIQUOR BARS AREN'T OPEN FOR PITT GAMES, SO THAT GAVE ME A SAD FACE.

TRAVEL TIP - AS YOU COME IN FROM THE AIRPORT, YOU GO THROUGH A TUNNEL AND POP OUT RIGHT ACROSS THE RIVER FROM DOWNTOWN. IT'S KIND OF SURPRISING, BUT REALLY BEAUTIFUL. IT'S A REALLY NICE SKYLINE.

GENERAL TRAVEL TIP - FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT'S MASTERPIECE - FALLING WATER - IS ONLY NINETY MINUTES FROM PITTSBURGH. I CANNOT HYPE THIS PLACE ENOUGH. IT WOULD BE A STUNNER TODAY, BUT IT BEING BUILT IN 1936 IS ABSOLUTELY INCOMPREHENSIBLE. YOU NEED TO SEE IT FOR YOURSELF. IT'S AMAZING.

WHAT TO EAT - GOOD LUCK.