10-22-19

The Pitt News

T h e i n d e p e n d e n t s t ude nt ne w spap e r of t he U niversity of Pittsburgh | PIttnews.com | October 22, 2019 ­| Volume 110 | Issue 48

SENATE PLANNING COMMITTEE, story online at pittnews.com

FOOD ROBOT TESTING PAUSED DUE TO SAFETY CONCERNS Emily Wolfe News Editor

Mary Beth McGrew, Pitt’s assistant vice chancellor for planning, discusses potential changes to upper campus at Monday afternoon’s Senate Plant Utilization and Planning Committee meeting. Caela Go staff photographer

FORMER EMPLOYEE SUES PITT FOR ALLEGEDLY VIOLATING FEDERAL, STATE LAW IN TERMINATION Jon Moss

Assistant News Editor A former Pitt employee filed a civil complaint on Oct. 4 against the University in federal court for allegedly firing her based on a disability, and retaliating against her when she sought to continue workplace accommodations.

Estelle Belko, a former employee in Pitt’s Office of Admissions and Financial Aid, alleged that the University’s actions violated the federal Americans with Disabilities Act and the Pennsylvania Human Relations Act. She asked the court to award her back and front pay, lost ben-

efits, damages and legal fees.

In the complaint, Belko said Pitt hired her near August 2015, and she disclosed her epilepsy diagnosis before joining the University as its assistant director of financial aid special programs. Three OAFA managers were made aware of her condition — Peggie Dunklin, then the director of budget and human resources, Randy McCready, currently the executive director of financial aid, and Janet McLaughlin, currently an associate director of financial aid.

For the first several months of her employment, according to the complaint, Belko did not suffer from any seizures.

She then experienced one on Nov. 19, 2015, and another on Feb. 26, 2016, which led to concerns from her managers. Belko arranged for the Epilepsy Foundation to discuss how her managers could be most helpful to her.

But after returning to work on March 21, 2016, following a third seizure, Belko said she found her managers waiting to speak to her about her epilepsy. “[Then-Director of Employee and Labor Relations Jane Volk] had directed Belko to meet with the [University’s Office of Disability Resources and Services] See Lawsuit on page 2

Pitt paused testing of its Starship Technologies food delivery robots after a student raised concerns about safety issues the robots may create for wheelchair users.

Emily Ackerman, a fifth-year doctoral student in Pitt’s chemical and petroleum engineering program, posted a Twitter thread Monday afternoon describing her experience being trapped on Forbes Avenue earlier in the day. Ackerman said because the Starship robots wait in the curb ramp to cross the street, wheelchair users like herself are unable to use the curb ramp to reach the sidewalk.

Less than two hours later, Pitt replied to the tweet announcing it had paused testing the robots to “review the technology further and ensure everyone’s safety.” Starship also replied, saying the company was “urgently looking into this matter.”

Starship announced in August that it would partner with Pitt and Sodexo to bring the white, 2-foot-tall delivery robots to Pitt’s campus, where students could order food from campus vendors to their door.

The robots began making test trips around Oakland earlier this month, still without an official launch date. Starship operates out of the previously empty Forbes Avenue storefront next to Panera Bread.

Ackerman expressed satisfaction on Twitter that Pitt had paused the program.

“I’m glad we have the opportunity to have a discussion about how society and technology are leaving minorities behind See Robots on page 2

News

whether the company encountered similar issues at other universities that have the robots.

Heather Tomko, a research coordinator and public health graduate student at Pitt who uses a wheelchair, said she had encountered problems similar to the ones Ackerman described. Tomko recalled an incident earlier Monday when she had been unable to pass a robot as she navigated with her wheelchair in front of Towers.

“It was physically in the middle of the sidewalk, so if I wanted to pass around it, I couldn’t,” Tomko said. “I could see me having issues just like Emily did, where I could get stuck and trapped and not able to make my way around the robots on the sidewalk.”

Tomko, who blogs her experiences living with spinal muscular atrophy on The Heather Report, also noted that the delivery robots would be impossible for Tomko to use herself — they’re several feet below

her range of reach.

“Once again, there are new technologies … that aren’t planning for people with wheelchairs, whether it’s in the use or in the implementation,” Tomko said.

Both Tomko and Ackerman expressed doubts that Starship would make modifications that would stop the robots from impeding the mobility of wheelchair users.

“I don’t know if there’s a place where it can wait [to cross the street] to not cause that kind of problem,” Ackerman said.

“I don’t see a reasonable explanation for where it’s going to go.”

Ackerman said she thinks the issue is representative of a larger problem — that while technology and society are advancing rapidly, disabled people aren’t being given a significant voice in the conversation. As a disabled person working towards a degree in a STEM field herself, Ackerman said she’s on a “one-woman crusade” to boost underrepresented voices in STEM. “Part of the reason why I was so vocal about it is because I think people didn’t think about it before,” Ackerman said.

“When people see the robots, they don’t think about the problems it causes people like me. I wanted this to be something we could all see and learn something from.”

Leigh Culley regarding her condition.

“Culley explained to Belko that it was the University’s ‘goal’ to place Belko on a leave of absence as an accommodation until Belko’s medications got her seizure disorder under control,” the complaint said.

In response, Belko provided medical papers authorizing her return to work and said she did not want to take a leave of absence.

After repeated pressure from her managers, the complaint said, Belko did take a leave of absence in mid-2016. But later that year, Belko was hospitalized and took a second leave of absence following an episode of severe depression.

Once she returned to work, Dunklin and McCready told Belko she might be

put on a Performance Improvement Plan due to her medical leaves. She experienced two seizures in November 2016, and took another medical leave of absence with short-term disability benefits.

But Belko was allegedly blocked by the University when she tried to return to work, even after she supplied approving documentation from medical professionals.

Belko had Dr. Anto Bagic, the epilepsy division chief of UPMC’s neurology department, submit a letter approving her return to work to Pitt.

“There is no obstacle from epilepsy point of view for [Belko’s] full return to work,” Bagic said in the letter.

Volk responded and said the University still had “serious questions” about

Belko’s condition, raising the question that Bagic may have “overlooked” several issues. She also provided a new ultimatum — Belko needed to provide a “satisfactory release from all … treating physicians,” by Feb. 28, 2017 or would be terminated as an employee.

The University listed a job posting on Feb. 14, 2017, for Belko’s position.

But Belko was auto-approved on Feb. 22, 2017, for long-term disability benefits, since she had been on short-term disability benefits for six months. She alleged that this provided the University a reason to fire her. Belko was sent a termination letter from Pitt the following day.

Pitt spokesperson Kevin Zwick did not respond to a request for comment.

Robots, pg. 1

because this is a problem that’s only going to get worse going forward,” she wrote.

In a phone call, Ackerman said she noticed issues sharing the sidewalk with the robots before the incident, but she hadn’t anticipated the difficulty the robots would create for Ackerman in getting off the street.

“It’s one thing for it to trap you in a place where it traps you and it sucks, but it’s another thing for it to trap you in a place where you’re actively in danger,” Ackerman said.

University spokesman Kevin Zwick reiterated that Pitt had paused testing of the Starship robots to review the technology.

“Throughout this process, Pitt and Starship have worked with our community partners including City officials, accessibility advocates, and business and community improvement organizations,” Zwick said in an email.

Zwick said Pitt has Starship’s commitment to “apply their experiences” working with other large universities and disability rights organizations to make sure Pitt’s campus could be served safely. Starship did not respond to a request for comment Friday night, including questions about

Lawsuit, pg. 1 because Dunklin, McLaughlin and McCready ‘had gone too far’ in trying to accommodate Belko during her last seizure,” the complaint said.

According to the complaint, McCready made further remarks about Belko’s condition during the meeting.

“McCready noted that Belko had experienced more seizures than they anticipated. McCready then said that there were no ‘current plans to replace’ Belko, but that ‘if the seizures continue it could affect your position,’” the complaint said.

“McCready also told Belko that while she was doing good work, her [seizures] were a ‘distraction’ to her co-workers.”

Belko later met with DRS Director

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The testing of the Starship Technologies food delivery robots have halted due to concerns over potential safety issues for wheelchair users.

Thomas Yang assistant visual editor

October 22, 2019

2

Opinions

ONLINE EDITORIAL

Keep TikTok out of public shcools online at pittnews.com

column

Marsy’s Law could further protect crime victims

Josh Beylinson Staff Columnist

Only about 20% of people vote in local elections, though they’re often vital. When statewide local elections occur in Pennsylvania Nov. 5, there will be a very important issue on the ballot — it’s called the Pennsylvania Marsy’s Law Crime Victims Rights Amendment.

This proposed amendment seeks to add a section to the Pennsylvania constitution, granting rights — such as notification of a defendant’s release or bail — to victims of crime. A crime victim is defined as any person directly harmed by a crime, along with any person close with the victim, such as a spouse or parent.

It is absolutely imperative that crime victims get constitutional protection. As of now, Pennsylvania does not enshrine rights to victims of crimes, and this is a severe injustice that can be changed in the upcoming election. Several states have passed Marsy’s Law and it is past due that Pennsylvania does the same.

Marsy’s Law came about after a tragedy in 1983. Marsalee “Marsy” Nicholas, a student in California at the time, was stalked and killed by a jealous ex-boyfriend. One week later, Marsy’s mother and brother were approached by Marsy’s killer in a grocery store. He was released on bail only one week after the murder, and her parents were not aware of this, since it was not required by law for them to be made aware.

While her family was still grieving, they had to see in public the man who killed their daughter.

They were deeply disturbed by this event, and in 2009, Henry Nicholas, Marsy’s brother, founded Marsy’s Law for All, a national organization advocating for Marsy’s Law across different states.

The end goal is to amend the U.S. Constitution to include Marsy’s Law, which will make the crime victims’ rights equal to that of those accused of crimes.

Although not in the state’s constitution, Pennsylvania has a statute known as the Pennsylvania Crime Victims Act, which gives victims some protections. This act allows a crime victim to know when significant proceedings in their case

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David Akintola staff illustrator occur, such as when the accused in the case is released or gets out on bail, among other things.

However, Marsy’s Law would enshrine this statute within the Pennsylvania constitution, ensuring these protections reach all state residents.

These new rights include the right to refuse an interview by the accused, full restitution for any lost property or money, protection from the accused, information before probation of the accused is considered and the right to be heard at proceedings where a right of the victim is implicated — including release, sentencing and parole proceedings, among many other things.

In the 12 states that have already amended their constitutions to include Marsy’s Law, 10 had referendums where the voters approved the law with more than 60% in favor. A majority of the voting population favored Marsy’s Law in every state that held a referendum.

In Pennsylvania, support for Marsy’s Law appears to be quite high among a bipartisan mix of politicians, judges, police officers and other public officials. Earlier this year, when the state Senate and House of Representatives voted to have

Marsy’s Law appear as a referendum, it passed 190-8 in the House and passed unanimously in the Senate.

Many officials in the state support Marsy’s Law, including Gov. Tom Wolf and Attorney General Josh Shapiro, along with groups including the Pennsylvania State Troopers Association, Pennsylvania District Attorneys Association and Pennsylvania Coalition Against Rape, among many others. In Pittsburgh, support for Marsy’s Law includes District Attorney Steve Zappala, who will be running for reelection this year. He received an award from Marsy’s Law for Pennsylvania for being an advocate for crime victims.

Although Marsy’s Law is supported by a majority of the population every time it is voted on, there are still some that oppose the law. The two main arguments used against Marsy’s Law are that it covers too many issues for just one referendum question and that it may potentially reduce the rights of those accused of crimes. In fact, Montana and Kentucky have had their state justices overturn Marsy’s Law after a referendum, because of concerns over it being too widely en-

October 22, 2019

compassing.

However, these concerns are unfounded. All of the provisions within Marsy’s Law are necessary for crime victims, and if the people truly thought that there were too many things being voted on, they could simply vote no and our elected officials could modify the amendment. This will not be an issue, since a majority of voters always approve Marsy’s Law, and Pennsylvania’s politicians — on both sides — are no different.

The concern of Marsy’s Law taking away rights from the accused is also unfounded, since no constitutional provision can erode another constitutional provision, and the accused will always be assumed innocent until proven guilty.

It is the prosecutor’s duty to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt, but now the victim will have greater protection and a greater say in court proceedings to ensure equality under the law.

Marsy’s Law is long overdue, but in the upcoming election, Pennsylvania will have a chance to change our legal system for the better and encourage other states and eventually the nation to embrace it.

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Culture

Holocaust memorial ‘Lest We Forget’ opens on the Cathedral lawn

Hayley Lesh

For The Pitt News Life-size black-and-white portraits dotted the Cathedral of Learning lawn Thursday, greeting passersby with serious expressions from each massive canvas.

About a hundred community members congregated on the Cathedral lawn on Oct. 17 for the public opening reception of German-Italian artist Luigi Toscano’s exhibition “Lest We Forget” — a traveling art display that showcases photographs of Holocaust survivors. The reception included kosher food that observed Jewish dietary law, as well as a series of speeches, featuring Mayor Bill Peduto and Pitt Chancellor Patrick Gallagher.

“Lest We Forget” includes 60 individual photographs of survivors, 19 of whom are from Pittsburgh. Each image displays the face of a different survivor and includes a plaque with short notes on the individual person’s life. One side of the installation showcases the survivors from Pittsburgh — the other side shows survivors from around the world.

This is the outdoor installation’s first time on display in Pittsburgh. It will remain on the Cathedral lawn until Nov. 15 and has previously appeared at the United Nations’ headquarters and the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool. According to informative plaques in the exhibit, the installation makes its way to Pittsburgh in honor of the one year anniversary of the Tree of Life massacre in Squirrel Hill on Oct. 27, 2018 — the largest anti-Semetic attack in United States history.

The exhibit’s large-scale design and layout allows spectators to see the many survivors who are pictured and to read about their experiences. Peduto said in his speech that the exhibit serves as a reminder of the humanity underlying every historical event.

“Let this remind us that behind every event are people, and it is people who create history,” Peduto said.

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Luigi Toscano (left), creator of the “Lest We Forget” exhibit, holds hands with Solange Lebovitz (right), a Holocaust survivor, on Wednesday outside the Cathedral of Learning. Leela Ekambarapu staff photographer According to his placard, survivor Shulamit Bastacky from Lithuania was hidden as a child in Poland while his parents worked at a concentration camp. Survivor Moshe Baran from Poland became a partisan fighter after Nazis arrived in 1942. Horst Sommerfeld from Poland spent two years hiding in Berlin before he was sent to a concentration camp.

Some of the Holocaust survivors photographed were present at the reception as well. Frances Spiegel, who is pictured in the exhibit, said she was hesitant about taking part in the exhibition, but understood its importance. Spiegel labored at Camp Ober Altstadt — a concentration camp that made up the Gross-Rosen system.

“I was very scared because I don’t like publicity,” Spiegel said. “But I think it’s important because in a few years from now there wouldn’t be any survivors left and it will just be like a dot in the history.”

Toscano said in his speech on Thursday

that “Lest We Forget” aims to abolish hatred of any kind, and serves as rememberance for those who were affected by the Holocaust so something like it does not happen again.

“I decided to do something against antiSemitism, racism and any kind of hatred,” Toscano said.

Prominent members of the Pitt community also attended the opening reception, including Vice Provost and Dean of Students Kenyon Bonner, who said the display allows spectators to understand the importance of history, especially within the context of current events.

“I think it’s really important. One of the things we know is that when you understand history, and particularly history in which people were victimized and the atrocities that were committed, it is less likely to repeat itself,” Bonner said.

Danielle Moss, a junior neuroscience major, said the exhibition’s reception helped her view the survivors as individual people with

October 22, 2019

different perspectives.

“I think that it’s a good way to remember the Holocaust and recognize that there are real people that are survivors,” Moss said.

“You can maybe even see some of them here and hear their stories and make sure that it’s not forgotten because it’s an important part of history.”

Bonner said he encourages students to see the exhibition for themselves, as a way for Pitt students to change their outlook on the world and their understanding of human life.

“I think it’s a part of who we are, unfortunately, but I think it’s a way to connect with humanity and hopefully have a different perspective on life and understand that life is valuable,” Bonner said. “No one should be harmed or killed or victimized because of their faith or their culture or their identity or their ethnicity.”

“Lest We Forget” will remain on display on the Cathedral Lawn until Nov. 15.

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review

FOR RELEASE OCTOBER 22, 2019

‘The Office! A Musical Parody’ brings Scranton to Pittsburgh Since its debut in 2001, “The Office” has become a pop-culture phenomenon loved equally by those who have held dead-end office jobs and those too young to have encountered annoying bosses and awkward office romances.

Now, a musical inspired by the iconic TV show is currently on its tour of North America, and promises fans of “The Office” a new twist on their favorite moments from the show. The plot of “The Office! A Musical Parody” — which came to the Byham Theater Downtown on Oct. 18 and 19 — covers all nine seasons of the American version of “The Office,” and pays special attention to featuring as many memorable moments from the show as possible.

The parody is the seventh musical from writing duo Bob and Tobly McSmith, whose other works poke fun at popular television series like “Keeping Up with the Kardashians” and “Beverly Hills, 90210.”

On television, “The Office” relies on a certain dryness to get its humor across — the appeal of its characters comes from the fact that the antics are just absurd enough to be funny, but not entirely unbelievable. There’s a thin line between exaggeration and utter caricature, and “The Office” toes it perfectly.

In live theater, and musicals in particular, it’s hard to maintain that subtlety. The nature of the genre requires over-the-top choices, because anything less may go unnoticed by the audience, a fact which the writers and the actors all seem to be aware of.

Played by actress Emma Brock, Michael Scott’s already goofy demeanor becomes exaggerated by highly embellished facial expressions and physicality. When Steve Carrell’s Michael Scott may have shown a little strain on his face to indicate that he was refraining

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Find the full story online at

10/22/19

Staff Writer

from cracking a “that’s what she said” joke, Brock’s hunches over with a tight grimace and fists clenched in agony — only to launch into a musical number about how badly he wants to deliver his iconic catchphrase.

Casting a woman in the role of Michael Scott is a bold choice in and of itself, one that pays off in utter camp-factor. Brock’s masculinized makeup and costuming create the impression of Michael Scott without trying to copy the character or imitate masculinity directly. We’re still aware that this Michael Scott is ultimately a woman in a suit, which, coupled with Brock’s over-the-top acting, helps distance the show from reality and from its source material. It serves as a constant reminder to the audience that the world the play creates is neither our own nor that of the original TV show.

Making a less successful transition to the stage is the character Dwight Schrute.

Dwight’s quirky demeanor and constant antics in “The Office” strike a delicate balance between annoying and loveable, and part of his wide appeal to fans is his lack of selfawareness. He’s frequently saying and doing inappropriate, sometimes unthinkable things — like in season five, episode 13, when he starts a fire in order to get his coworkers to take emergency preparedness seriously — but has no idea that his behavior is in any way out of the ordinary.

When Dwight, portrayed here by Christian Fary, can no longer deliver an absurd line with a look of stone-faced smugness, the character quickly becomes annoying rather than eccentric. Fary exaggerates his character’s nerdy mannerisms and know-it-all tone of voice, but the heightened acting that makes Michael’s character so successful in “The Office! A Musical Parody” actively hinders Dwight’s.

Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Lewis

The Pitt news crossword

Charlie Taylor

Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle

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October 22, 2019

ACROSS 1 Barbecue glowers 6 Priestly robes 10 Cobblers’ tools 14 Neighborhood map on a city map, e.g.

15 Java neighbor 16 Former Iranian ruler 17 Classroom text 19 Deep sleep 20 Represent 21 Like a bike 23 Goes on to say 24 Summer on the Riviera 25 MLB Network analyst Martinez 28 Twinkling in the night sky 34 On bed rest, say 36 Lupino of “High Sierra” 37 Bird’s crop 38 Colorado native 39 Relief from the daily grind 42 “__ Am”: Alicia Keys album 43 Screen material 45 Sinus doc 46 Growing weary 48 Office spot with a coffee pot 51 Landlord’s income 52 Tell tall tales 53 Field of study 55 Pays some of 59 Closed in on 62 Cut __: dance, in old slang 63 Start of a sports season, and what each half of 17-, 28-, 39- and 48-Across can have 66 Hightail it 67 Trait carrier 68 Mozart’s “Così fan __” 69 Spill the beans 70 Taiwanese PC maker 71 Most common roll of two dice DOWN 1 Prefix with gender

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By Paul Coulter

2 How software was once sold 3 Queens tennis stadium 4 Johnny’s “The Big Bang Theory” role 5 Was conspicuous 6 Convent leader 7 Language of Southeast Asia 8 Hard punch 9 Many a Punjabi 10 One leading a Spartan lifestyle 11 Healthy bread type 12 Like a weak excuse 13 Roe source 18 Inc., in the U.K. 22 Slender aquarium swimmer 25 __ bob: vertical measuring tool 26 Diner 27 Gas at a truck stop 29 Connect with 30 Big deal 31 Whitewater ride 32 “Who __?!”: “Join the club!”

Monday’s Puzzle Solved

©2019 Tribune Content Agency, LLC

33 Small sticks 35 Jetty 40 6, on a cellphone keypad 41 Insects with a painful sting 44 Stylist’s supply 47 Debate again 49 Hawaii’s Mauna __ 50 Style 54 Camping gear brand

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55 Inane 56 Mystery writer Gardner 57 Tranquil exercise 58 On __: without a contract 60 1999 Ron Howard film 61 Go out with 64 WSW’s opposite 65 Japanese money

5

Sports

FOOTBALL TAKEAWAYS:

AGGRESSION IS A DOUBLE-EDGED SWORD

Ben Mankowski Staff Writer

Pitt football continues to roll, extending its winning streak to four games after defeating Syracuse on Friday night, 27-20. The same aggressive defense that made Panthers head coach Pat Narduzzi famous at Michigan State showed itself against the Orange, though Pitt kept the score close by making several avoidable mistakes.

Aggression paying off on the defensive line In his time as Michigan State’s defensive coordinator, Narduzzi made his name by pressing receivers and blitzing constantly. This strategy was on full display against Syracuse as the Panthers tallied nine sacks — their most in a single game since 2001. It was a full team effort, with no Pitt defender tallying more than one sack.

Almost every passing play the Orange attempted ended up with a Pitt lineman in the backfield. Both Syracuse quarterbacks were rattled by the constant pressure, with redshirt sophomore starter Tommy DeVito even exiting the contest for good in the third quarter after a jarring hit from redshirt sophomore Paris Ford.

Along with the strong pass rush, Pitt’s defensive line was extremely effective in stopping the run game, holding Syracuse running backs to under 50 yards on the ground. The Orange couldn’t find any traction due to the constant backfield pressure, which also served to force unfavorable distances on third downs.

With Syracuse often forced to air it out on third-and-long, Pitt recorded six of its nine sacks on third down.

Pitt now leads the entire nation with 36 sacks on the season, seven more than nextbest Ohio State. Even after losing its best defensive linemen before the season — redshirt juniors Rashad Weaver and Keyshon Camp — this unit has made it clear that it’s the crux of Pitt’s success.

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Narduzzi’s Panthers have cumulatively outscored their opponents by a single point. Thomas Yang assistant visual editor Physicality coming back to bite in the secondary The ugly side of Narduzzi’s aggressive defense manifested itself in the secondary, where the Panthers were flagged three times on one drive. Having the cornerbacks press up on the receivers at the line makes the strategy work by delaying timing. But the Panthers paid for their physical play multiple times by committing avoidable penalties.

Pitt’s secondary could not keep its hands off of the Orange receivers, most of the time while in press coverage. Without the handsy play of the secondary, the Orange offense would’ve stalled in multiple drives instead of marching downfield thanks to pass interference penalties. These penalties kept the score close when Pitt should’ve been building on its lead, and the Panthers’ defensive backs will need to work on cleaner coverage in the future.

coordinator Mark Whipple and Pickett seem to be meshing this year with impressive quarterback play.

What makes Pickett’s season even more impressive is his ability to play through big hits.

Most notably, Pickett was knocked out of the UCF game earlier in the season, only to triumphantly return and lead a winning drive. Adding to his reputation for toughness, Pickett hit the ground four out of six times on Pitt’s opening drive against Syracuse. He took a trip to the locker room but eventually returned and ultimately led the Panthers to victory. Pickett’s throwing ability and physical toughness continued to shine Friday night against the Orange.

Improvement in the rushing attack Junior running back AJ Davis added another layer to Pitt’s improved offense against Syracuse, rushing for his first career 100-yard game. Pickett throwing the ball effectively all night opened Pickett continues to impress up the ground game for the Panthers’ running Junior quarterback Kenny Pickett continued backs. Davis highlighted the rushing effort with his impressive year through the air with a pair of a late first down run to put the game out of reach. touchdowns and 232 yards. First-year offensive Ranked 111th in the country out of 130

October 22, 2019

teams with an average of 112 rushing yards per game, Pitt’s run game still leaves much to be desired. But Friday’s showing was at least a step in the right direction, and shows that the Panthers have several quality running backs at their disposal.

The Panther run game overall is still a work in progress, but Friday night showed how talented the group really is.

Time to put all the pieces together Every week it seems like some aspect of Pitt’s performance is phenomenal, while another serves to counteract the positives. Whether it be penalties, turnovers, dropped passes or special teams mistakes, the Panthers simply can’t seem to put all the pieces together for a full 60 minutes.

Pitt currently ranks just outside the AP Top 25, and deservedly so. The Panthers simply haven’t played with the level of consistency and discipline expected of a ranked team. But with a great opportunity ahead of them this weekend to finally break into the top 25, Pitt must finally put forth a complete performance against a quietly solid Miami team.

6

NARDUZZI TALKS CANES, COASTAL, CALMNESS UNDER PRESSURE Ben Bobeck

Senior Staff Writer Pitt head football coach Pat Narduzzi’s team hasn’t really been comfortable in any game so far this season. The Panthers (5-2 overall, 2-1 ACC) have cumulatively outscored their opponents by a grand total of one point, scoring 156 points through the season while allowing a total of 155.

Speaking to the gathered media for his weekly press conference Monday afternoon, Narduzzi discussed how Pitt’s experience in close games can affect the team down the stretch.

“We’ve been in tight games. Some people aren’t in tight games. We have been,” Narduzzi said. “Like I said, it’s a nice thing. It’s nice to be in a four-minute [situation] at the end when you know the pressure is on.

Still, Narduzzi isn’t satisfied with just winning close games. He wants his players to continue producing once they’ve built a lead — something that has not come easy in the last seven games.

Pitt has gone down to the wire with its opponent after notching multi-score leads in consecutive games now, leading 24-6 over Syracuse (3-3

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overall, 0-3 ACC) at halftime and 26-3 over Duke (4-3 overall, 2-2 ACC) with 11 minutes of clock left in the third quarter two weeks ago. Pitt also led 21-0 late in the first half over UCF before allowing 31 unanswered points to the Knights before coming back to win on a “special” play.

“You have to refocus, stay focused for 60 minutes and execute,” Narduzzi said. “There are 11 guys out there … If 10 guys do a good job and one guy doesn’t, it’s not good. If one guy drops the pass on third down, your punt team is coming out or your field goal team. That’s not what you want.”

The Panthers have a tough test ahead of them this Saturday at Heinz Field with the Miami Hurricanes (3-4 overall, 1-3 ACC) and first-year head coach Manny Diaz stepping into the ring. The last time Pitt and Miami faced off at Heinz, the Canes were ranked No. 2 in the nation and then-firstyear quarterback Kenny Pickett was making his first career start.

That game ended with a stunning upset as Pickett and the Panthers knocked off Miami, 24-14. The Hurricanes came into Pittsburgh that November afternoon undefeated and looking to

secure their spot in the College Football Playoff.

Since then, the Hurricanes fired their coach, had three different starting quarterbacks and compiled a total record of 10 wins and 11 losses.

Pitt, meanwhile, has gone 12-9, including an 8-3 record in the ACC. But Narduzzi doesn’t see that 2017 upset as an “attitude shift” and is focusing instead on the talented roster that Miami still has, even with its lack of results so far this season.

“They’re still a really good football team that has a ton of talent with a bunch of four- and fivestar football players on their team. We don’t have many,” Narduzzi said. “Manny Diaz will have them prepared, ready to go. Like I said, I don’t care about what they’re ranked, doesn’t matter. I don’t care what we’re ranked. It’s a good football team.”

The topic of rankings has been prominent since Pitt beat Syracuse, with the Panthers receiving significant votes in both the AP and Coaches Polls but not cracking the top 25 in either. The ever-focused Narduzzi expressed great disinterest in such metrics.

“I don’t really care,” he said. “In the middle of the season, it doesn’t matter. Preseason rankings

October 22, 2019

don’t matter. It’s postseason rankings that matter.

We’re ranked at 1-0 last week. This week we’d like to be 1-0 as well. That’s the ranking I’m worried about.”

In order to go 1-0 this week, Narduzzi and his staff must prepare to face a team that, in spite of its quality talent, has been unable to demonstrate results on the field and is coming off a 28-21 overtime loss to lowly Georgia Tech. The week before, however, Miami’s defense dominated the Coastal-leading Virginia Cavaliers, who Pitt lost to by its widest margin of the season.

Virginia bounced back this week by destroying Duke 48-14. Welcome to the chaos of the ACC’s Coastal Division.

Addressing how the “unpredictable nature” of Pitt’s division impacts the team’s preparation and focus, Narduzzi responded in his usual dry manner.

“It really doesn’t matter,” he said. “Look at Wisconsin in the Big Ten, got beat by Illinois. Anyone can beat anyone on any given day. I’m not worried about what anyone else is doing.”

Pitt and Miami — with their meaningless records and rankings, according to Narduzzi — will meet for a Homecoming noon kickoff Saturday at Heinz Field, with both teams just trying to leave 1-0.

“We’ve got to do our job and prepare and focus on one team this week. You say that’s coachspeak and all that. It’s a fact,” he said.

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I N D E X

Rentals & Sublet • NORTH OAKLAND • SOUTH OAKLAND • SHADYSIDE • SQUIRREL HILL • SOUTHSIDE • NORTHSIDE • BLOOMFIELD • ROOMMATES • OTHER

For Rent North Oakland Oakland‑264 Mel­ wood Ave. 4 bed­ rooms, 2 bath, has central air & forced heat, coin‑op laundry in building, close to Pitt & on busline.

Available Now and for Spring Semester for Monthly Rent ‑ $1,200+G/E 412‑462‑1296 madroneproperty.com Starting at $775.00.

Studio, 1 , and 2 bed­room. 3 Min walk to Pitt! 1, 2 and 4 bed­room units also avail­able in North Oak­land.

For more infor‑ mation call us at 412‑586‑7575

South Oakland ***AUGUST 2020: Furnished studios, 1, 2 and 3 bedroom apartments. No pets.

Non‑smokers pre­ ferred. 412‑621‑0457. **2,3,4, 5, and 6 Bed­room houses/ Apart­ments in South Oak­land. Available for rent August 2020.

Very clean with dif­ferent amenities (dishwasher, laun­ dry, A/C, washer and dryer, 1‑3 baths,

pittnews.com

Employment • CHILDCARE • FOOD SERVICES • UNIVERSITY • INTERNSHIPS • RESEARCH • VOLUNTEERING • OTHER

Classifieds

For sale

• AUTO • BIKES • BOOKS • MERCHANDISE • FURNITURE • REAL ESTATE • PETS

off‑street parking, newer ap­pliances & sofas). Check out my Face­book page: https:­//www. facebook.­com/ KenEckenrode­ RealEstate/. Call Ken at 412‑287‑4438 for more informa­tion and showings.

available immedi­

1‑6 bedroom. All newly renovated, air‑conditioning, dish­washer, washer/ dryer, and parking.

Most units on busline and close to Pitt.

Avail­able Summer 2020. 412‑915‑0856 or email klucca@veri­ zon.net.

412‑608‑8581.

2‑3‑4‑5‑6‑7 bedroom apartments and houses available in May and August 2020. Nice, clean, free laundry, in­ cludes exterior main‑ tenance, new appli‑ ances, spa­cious, and located on Semple, Oak­land Ave., Mey‑ ran Ave., Welsford, Bates, Dawson, and Mckee 412‑414‑9629. douridaboud­ propertymanage­ ment.com 3 BD apartments available in South Oakland from $1195‑$1600 M.J. Kelly Real Estate mjkellyrealty@gmail.­ com. 412‑271‑5550.

3211 Juliet Street.

2 Bedroom 1 Bath

notices

services

• EDUCATIONAL • TRAVEL • HEALTH • PARKING • INSURANCE

ately at $900 per

month, includes all

utilities. Great 2‑level apartment lo­cated

on the second floor.

Newly remod­eled

and new carpet. Two person max. Call

3408 Parkview Ave. 2 BD for $950 & 3 BD for $1,295.

Available immedi­ ately. Pet Friendly & Parking. CALL NOW! 412‑455‑5600 4 BR HOME ‑ SEM­PLE STREET, LO­CATED NEAR LOUISA. EQUIPPED KITCHEN, FULL BASEMENT. NEW CENTRAL AIR ADDED. AVAIL­ ABLE IMMEDI­ ATELY AND RENT­ING FOR MAY AND AUGUST 2020.

412‑ 343‑4289 or 412‑330‑9498.

Before signing a lease, be aware that no more than 3 unre­lated people can share a single unit. Check property’s compliance with codes. Call City’s Per­mits, Licensing & In­spections.

412‑255‑2175.

SNOW REMOVAL For winter 2019‑2020.

Near the Cathe­dral of Learning. Ex­cellent pay. If inter­ested call 412‑682‑7672

• ADOPTION • EVENTS • LOST AND FOUND • STUDENT GROUPS • WANTED • OTHER

South Oakland South Oakland Houses and Apart­ ments with Laundry and Central Air Call or Text 412‑38‑Lease

Squirrel Hill 3 BDRM, 1 1/2 BR townhouse, on bus line. Seniors and grad students.

412‑281‑2700

Employment Employment Other Accounting, book­ keeping, Quickbooks experience. Call 412‑281‑2700 or send re­sumes to bar­ry@ blsestate.com.

CHOOLAAH restau­ rant located at 6114 Centre Ave is looking to hire Cooks and Cashiers to join our Team. Starting is $10.

A‑players can get to $12 in 6‑8 weeks.

Flexible Schedules for students. Please apply in person or on­line at joinchoolaah.­com.

COME JOIN US AT LA FERIA, PERU­ VIAN RESTAU­ RANT AND CRAFT

R A T E S

Insertions

1-15 Words

16-30 Words

1X

2X

3X

4X

$6.30

$11.90

$17.30

$22.00

$7.50

$14.20

$20.00

$25.00

5X $27.00 $29.10

6X $30.20 $32.30

Add. + $5.00 + $5.40

(Each Additional Word: $0.10)

Deadline:

Two business days prior by 3pm | Email: advertising@pittnews.com | Phone: 412.648.7978

SHOP. PART TIME RE­TAIL OR RESTAU­RANT WORK . NO EXPE‑ RIENCE NEC­ ESSARY. PLEASE APPLY IN PERSON. ABOVE PAMELAS RESTAURANT AT 5527 WALNUT STREET. 412 682 4501.

Commerical real es­tate office looking to hire Executive Assis­tant. Must be com­puter literate.

412‑281‑2700 Part Time Banquet

Servers needed at The PRIORY HO­TEL.

Starting rate of $11

an hour. If inter­ested please email zach@ priory.com or call 412‑224‑6306.

For Sale For Sale Other For Sale: Pitt Team Autographed Foot­ balls 1976&1980 teams. COA’s in­

cluded. $700 each.

Bob 412‑973‑0770

October 22, 2019

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