Panthers Arrive In El Paso

The Pitt football team did its best to shake off the rust from Christmas break Friday, as it arrived in El Paso for the 75th annual Sun Bowl.

Pittsburgh (9-3) faces Oregon State (8-4), which arrived a day earlier, Wednesday at 2 p.m. at Sun Bowl Stadium. The game will be broadcast nationally by CBS-TV.

The Panthers and head coach Dave Wannstedt displayed their dance moves during the traditional warm welcome with mariachis and folklorico dancers at El Paso International Airport. Here is a link to the video from the El Paso Times.

http://www.elpasotimes.com/webexchange?bcpid=1612750174&bctid=5846250001

Pitt fifth-year senior free safety Eric Thatcher said the team's greeting by El Paso officials, as well as the drastic weather change, was a welcome one.

"It beats being in that 40-degree weather up north,'' Thatcher told Matt Johnson from the El Paso Times. "It's nice (in El Paso). It's a beautiful town, and the little introduction was real nice.''


Photo Courtesy of The El Paso Times


Photo Courtesy of The El Paso Times

Pitt was off from late Monday morning through Christmas night. The Panthers had to return to the campus for an early flight to El Paso Friday.

Here is a link to a photo array from the Pitt Media Relations Department:

http://pittsburghpanthers.cstv.com/view.gal?id=40082

Upon arrival, Pitt participated in a brief conditioning session at a local high school. The evening was capped off with a dinner at Sundland Barbeque where both Pitt and Oregon State players and staff took part in festivities.

The Panthers will resume practice sessions Saturday morning for their meeting with Oregon State.