Fraternity continues its own Backyard Brawl

Surely every Pitt football fan remembers last year when the Panthers went into Morgantown and… Surely every Pitt football fan remembers last year when the Panthers went into Morgantown and took down No. 2-ranked West Virginia ‘mdash; keeping the Mountaineers from a shot at a national title. It was the 100th anniversary of one of the most notorious rivalries in the college football world: the Backyard Brawl. But for members of the Phi Delta Theta fraternity at Pitt, it means something more. Before the upset over West Virginia last year, the brothers started a tradition that they hope will become almost as infamous as the rivalry itself. The fraternity ran from Pitt’s campus to Morgantown, W. Va., arriving in time for kickoff of the 100th edition of the Backyard Brawl. They called it the Backyard Run. Because this year’s brawl is taking place at Pitt, the brothers will reverse their route and run from Morgantown to Pitt, arriving at Heinz Field for opening kickoff Nov. 28. The goal of the event is to raise money for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. Cistic fibrosis is an inherited chronic disease that attacks the lungs and digestive systems of more than 30,000 children and adults. The members chose to support the development of the cure for this disease because the fraternity’s president last year was diagnosed with the illness.’ Starting on Sunday, Nov. 23, the brothers will begin their venture. They’ll run the majority of the mileage but will continue the event on game day. Each runner will run one-mile legs before’ back into a car that’s following them. Another person in the car will then get out and run the next mile. Eventually the 77 miles that separates Morgantown and Pitt will be completed. Ben Levy is the public relations chairman for the event, and he hopes to build on last year’s success, in which the fraternity raised more than $4,000. ‘This is a great event,’ said Levy. ‘We’re raising awareness for cystic fibrosis and contributing money to hopefully find a cure. We’re potentially saving people’s lives.’ Levy said that he looks forward to the moment when the brothers reach Heinz Field on Nov. 28. ‘It’s going to be an amazing atmosphere,’ said Levy, ‘just knowing that we ran all the way from Morgantown and then [geting] to witness such an amazing event. It’s going to be even more special to tie this event to the game.’ After all of that running, the brothers hope their Panthers can take down the Mountaineers two years in a row. ‘If we win, we’re going to have two reasons to celebrate,’ said Levy.