It was only a matter of time before the Eagles blew another championship game and Larry… It was only a matter of time before the Eagles blew another championship game and Larry Fitzgerald packed his bags for the NFL.

The spanking the Eagles took on Sunday was rather fascinating. However, the fact that there will be no more Larry in a Panthers uniform is rather gloomy.

I have to admit, despite the rumors and talk about what he was going to do with the upcoming season, there was still a little shock when the words hit me Sunday afternoon that Fitzgerald did, in fact, turn in an application for the NFL and he would be most likely declared eligible by week’s end to leave school early.

There is certainly nothing wrong with his decision, but to see him go is so overwhelming to the average Pitt fan. I knew, just like everybody else, that there was no chance that a man of his status could stick around for another dreadful season, but in the back of my mind there was still a fragment of hope that he would stick around for one more year.

Just like everything else he’s done on and off the field, Fitzgerald handled the situation with class.

Saturday afternoon, he was honored at halftime of the Pitt men’s basketball game for winning the Walter Camp Award. He worked the crowd with his charm, smiling and waving, shaking hands with everyone in his sight as the student body chanted “one more year.”

He accepted the award, holding it in the air with pride, knowing in the back of his mind that this would be his last honor as a Panther.

At that point, most of us knew he was gone, but how could you bad mouth the guy for living the dream that nearly every man in the arena had at some point in their life? He’s going to be an NFL superstar.

He never promised he would return. He simply answered with “no comment” when asked about his future. I’d rather hear “no comment” then an un-kept promise like we heard so many times from Ben Howland.

Fitzgerald’s a 20-year-old kid going on 45. He single-handedly turned Pitt football into one of the premier programs in the country.

He brought so much joy and made so many memories in his two seasons at Pitt that it’s impossible to turn your back on him for his early departure.

The accomplishments Fitzgerald made in a Panther uniform are far greater than any of us could imagine. He set too many records to count. He was simply brilliant.

Fitzgerald was perhaps the biggest marketing tool Pitt has ever seen.

If somebody were to tell me that Pitt would have a standing room-only crowd on hand at Heinz Field two years ago, I would have chuckled. But to see 65,000 plus at an average home game this season with all eyes glued to No.1 was remarkable.

A guy like Fitzgerald doesn’t come around very often, so you have to appreciate what he did in the short period that he was here.

The man is irreplaceable. We may never see anything like him again. But how can you not root him on and wish him the best?

He’s going to be a top five pick in the 2004 draft, no question. He’s going to be a star on a terrible NFL team and help turn their program around, just like he did with a mediocre Pitt team. The kid is a walking success story who’s future is so bright.

You better believe that when the Steelers aren’t playing and I have the chance next year, I’ll be watching and cheering for No. 1 on Sundays.

Ryan Faloon is a staff writer for The Pitt News and can be reached at [email protected].