Sports are back in Pittsburgh

After a few down weeks from Thanksgiving to about mid December where nothing good was happening for Pittsburgh, thing have turned around. The Football team finished strong with a last second 19-17 win over North Carolina in the Meinke Car Care Bowl, improving to 10-3 on the season. This was the first time since 1981 that Pitt has won 10 games in a season. Dion Lewis broke Tony Dorsett's freshman yardage record with 1799 rushing yards and LeSean "Shady" McCoy's scoring record with 18 total TD's. Pitt returns the record setting true freshman back Lewis as well as his backfield mate Ray Graham. Also returning are Redshirt Freshman QB Tino Sunseri who played sparingly this season, Junior QB Pat Bostick who in 2007 led Pitt to the 13-9 victory over then # 2 archrival West Virginia. Whoever wins the Quarterback competition in camp will be throwing to 1100+ yard WR Jonathon Baldwin as well as Redshirt Freshman Mike Shanahan who came on towards the end of the season After their a second consecutive loss at Madison Square Garden to Tom Crean's Indiana club, the Panthers home away from home, Pitt put on an embarrassing display at home against New Hampshire. The Panthers managed only 15 points in the first half and 48 for the game. All but one field goal and a few free throws came from Ashton Gibbs and Brad Wanamaker. Since the loss to Indiana, Jamie Dixon's team had returned a fully healthy Jermaine Dixon and welcomed back Gilbert Brown. Since having those to back and in the regular rotation, the Panther have not felt defeat. With a stunning win on the road against #5 Syracuse, Pitt improved to 12-2 (2-0) and is now ranked #23 in the AP Poll for the first time during the 2009-2010 season. After beating Syracuse for the 11th time in 14 tries, it doesn't get any easier for the Panthers as they go to 10-3 (2-0) Cincinnati then #13 UConn before they host 10-4 (1-0) Louisville and 11-1 (2-0) #12 Georgetown. If Pitt is going to weather the beginning of the Big East schedule they will be doing it with Defense and Rebounding, staples of Jamie Dixon coached teams. Although they came up short of a playoff berth, the Steelers also turned things around by finishing the regular season with three wins.