< Previous38 UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH ATHLETICS VARSITY LETTER CLUB JOE PRINCE-WRIGHT oe Prince-Wright is currently the lead writer and editor of NBC Sports’ Pro Soccer Talk. He graduated with honors from the University of Pittsburgh in April 2011 and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree with a double major in communication and English writing (journalism track). He began his career as a journalist at age 14 as a weekly columnist for a highly circulated daily paper in England. Joe was a four- year starter for the Pitt Men’s Soccer team and named Big East Academic All-Star during his time at Pitt. Why did you choose Pitt? Pitt has the perfect combination of athletic and academic excellence. I also love the campus and how connected it is to the community in Oakland and how close it is to everything in the city of Pittsburgh. Coming to Pitt straight from England as a teenager, it was really an incredible experience to explore such a wonderful city that was, and is, being redefined and eager to grow and progress. As a young sports journalist, it was also the perfect university and city to be in to learn my trade in the classroom and with internships as well as playing soccer for such a respected university. Tell us about your time at Pitt and the impact it had on you. On the soccer pitch, my experience was extremely fulfilling. At the time, we played in the Big East [Conference], and the competition was so tough. We pushed ourselves to the limit in practice every day because we knew we would play against some of the best Division I college soccer teams in the nation every single game. A personal highlight was an incredible comeback win in my sophomore year that helped us reach the conference playoffs. We were down 2-0 away at Seton Hall in a crucial game late in the season. I scored a header to make it 2-1, then we made it 2-2 and my roommate Justin Boehm then crossed the ball in, and I managed to score an overhead volley to make it 3-2 late in the game. We held on for a crucial win. As a defensive player, I didn’t score many, so to score two in the same game and for it to be in such an important game in our season was a really huge moment. It just so happened [that] my parents and sister had flown over from England for a trip to watch that game, too. I remember the final whistle going and celebrating with my teammates in the pouring rain in New Jersey. Most of that team had all arrived at Pitt together the year before, and we had a really close bond. As a young group, to make the playoffs was a big achievement for us. We were a really hardworking team and never gave up, and I felt like that comeback win summed up the spirit we had as a group and the spirit of Pitt. You’re originally from England. Why did you decide to cross the pond and attend Pitt? It really was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for me, and I wanted to explore a new country and culture as well as to study and playing soccer alongside one another. In England, that is tough to do, as you have to dedicate yourself fully to either sport or academics, not both, at a very young age. Pitt was the perfect place for me to continue to play at the highest level possible in my soccer career while also earning a degree and having some incredible experiences with internships, which I was lucky enough to do at TV, radio stations and fantastic sports franchises (my staff writing internship with the Pittsburgh Penguins was awesome!) in the city. My whole idea of coming to the University of Pittsburgh was to get a fully rounded experience from an educational and athletic perspective, and it remains the best decision I’ve ever made.H2P MAGAZINE FALL 2024 39 What was the biggest adjustment moving from England to the United States? Actually, quite a lot—many I hadn’t even thought about! When I arrived as an 18-year-old in 2007, video calls where only just becoming a thing, so I definitely missed my family and friends a lot early on. I remember going to the pay phone by the team store in the Petersen Events Center and calling home once or twice in the first few months. The weather was a big change for me, as it doesn’t get that hot in England in the summer or as a cold as a Pittsburgh winter. It hardly ever snows where I’m from in the south of England! But I think the biggest adjustment was the education system. It is very different to the schooling system in England, and it took me a little over a year to get the hang of it all. I was so lucky to have great teammates to help me out and also the wonderful support staff in the athletics department at Pitt who spent so many extra hours with me going over what was expected in the classroom. It took me about 18 months to properly feel like I had a good idea about what to expect, day in, day out, about attending a university in America. Also, my accent was pretty thick when I first arrived in America, and there were plenty of terms I would use that nobody understood, but my transatlantic accent is spot on now! Where did you find the best fish and chips in Pittsburgh? Is there any? Oh yes. Definitely go to Piper’s Pub on East Carson Street on the South Side. That was my go-to spot in Pittsburgh to get food that reminded me of home. I’d often go there on a Saturday or Sunday morning during the winter months when we had time off from the soccer season and watch all of the soccer games from back home in England and grab some food. Piper’s Pub is a very authentic British restaurant. I love it there and always try to go back when I’m in Pittsburgh. How did your time as a student-athlete set you up for success in your career? It was really helpful in terms of knowing the time you have to put in if you want to make a success of your chosen career. Time management has been so important for me in my career. We had such busy schedules as student-athletes, so it meant that you really had to spend your time wisely, whether it be with classes, practices, studying on the way to games, completing internships late at night or making sure you could be the best version of yourself every day. Being a student-athlete at Pitt definitely helped me so much with the high levels of focus and organization I need in order to do my job every single day. Tell us what you have been doing since leaving Pitt. After graduating from Pitt in 2011, I worked at Major League Soccer in New York City for one year as an editorial assistant and worked for the likes of The Guardian, ESPN and NBC Sports in freelance roles. I then moved back to the United Kingdom in 2012 to continue to play soccer, playing in the Scottish leagues. After that, I took a full-time position with NBC Sports as the lead soccer writer and editor of their soccer website, Pro Soccer Talk, when they acquired the rights to show the English Premier League soccer games on TV in the USA. Over the last decade, I’ve been so fortunate to be working at Premier League games in stadiums across England and Wales, interviewing world-class players and managers, attending some of the biggest events in world soccer across the globe and getting to call it my job. This is exactly the kind of job I dreamed of when I arrived at the University of Pittsburgh nearly 20 years ago. How did you decide to go into journalism, and what do you enjoy most about your career? It is something that I always wanted to do. I started writing columns on soccer for my local newspaper in Southampton, [England,] when I was 14 and kept going back there and absolutely loved it. As much as I loved playing soccer, writing and talking about it is my true passion. I love being able to dig deeper on analysis and explaining why something has happened, and I’m fortunate that I now get to interview some of the best players and managers in the soccer world to discuss all of this with. I enjoy that every single day is different. There is always a new piece of news, a crazy game or an exciting project to work on, and I’m very grateful to all of my wonderful colleagues at NBC Sports, because I work with so many talented people in a great team, and I learn so much all of the time. Describe your experience as a Pitt student-athlete. It was such an influential experience in my life. I grew up massively in my four years at Pitt. I was lucky that some incredible people who worked at the athletics department and certain academic departments really went out of their way to help me out—people like the head soccer coach at the time, Joe Luxbacher; Penny Semaia, John Gareis in the communication department, Jen Tuscano in academics. And EJ Borghetti, was really key in helping me get on the road to working as a journalist after I graduated from Pitt. EJ is someone I really admire and personifies what Pitt is all about. Prince-Wright (# 8) playing against Robert Morris, against Villanova (#22)40 UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH ATHLETICS There were so many wonderful people who went above and beyond to help me every single day, and I will be forever grateful for that. It was also a huge help that most of my teammates were from the Pittsburgh or Pennsylvania region, and they really took me under their wing and helped me adapt to life in the USA, and I truly feel like Pittsburgh is my second home to this day. It was hard being a student- athlete at times, but pushing myself to my limits academically and athletically meant it was such an enriching experience I wouldn’t change it for the world, and graduating with honors is something I’m very proud of. What were some of your favorite places on campus during your time as a student-athlete? Do you have any new favorite places now? So many! I’d hang out in the Cathedral of Learning a lot, as my classes were mostly there, plus Hillman Library (Club Hillman!), and would often have a wander around Schenley Park. Obviously, I spent a lot of time in the [Fitzgerald] Field House and at the Pete, and I really got into watching as many American sports as possible and became hooked on basketball. In terms of food, I went to The Original Hot Dog Shop, Primanti’s, Joe Mama’s, Fuel and Fuddle and Lulu’s Noodles a lot, while in my senior year, I enjoyed going to Bootleggers, Hemingway’s and Peter’s Pub for the occasional pint. I haven’t been back to Pittsburgh in a few years, but the last time I visited—with my wife, who is a Pitt grad (we met in class in the Cathedral of Learning and now live in England together and just celebrated our 10-year wedding anniversary!) —it was great to go to Pamela’s on Forbes Avenue. What does being a Forever Panther mean to you? Pride. When you say you played a sport at Pitt, people are not only impressed, but there is a high level of respect you receive because they understand that the University of Pittsburgh does things the right way. It is a very special place full of people who really care about you and want you to succeed. And I want everyone connected with Pitt—past, present and future—to succeed, too. Because of everything I mentioned about my experience as a Pitt student-athlete, I will always be so grateful that I had the opportunity to attend the University of Pittsburgh and become part of the Forever Panther family. Have you been following the success of the Pitt men’s soccer team and kept in touch with the coaches, players and alumni? I have! I was lucky enough to meet briefly with [Head] Coach Jay Vidovich and his staff a few years ago on my last trip to Pittsburgh, and he has done a wonderful job to elevate the program to be among the best in college soccer in the USA. I am so proud to see all of the wonderful players who have passed through the program over the last few years and watch as many games as I can from over here in England. One day, I’d love to come back and watch a game at the beautiful stadium, as I only played in it once, as it was completed at the end of my senior year. I do keep in touch with a lot of alumni who are close friends. Living back in England, it is tough to see former teammates that often, but in just the last year, I’ve met up with so many former teammates in London, [in] Europe and across the USA, and that bond of representing the soccer team and the University of Pittsburgh will always be there. We have so many great stories and memories, and it is so much fun to meet up with former teammates whenever I can. It really is a special bond. What professional accomplishment have you earned that has made you proud? I have received some Sports Emmy nominations for my work with NBC Sports on our Premier League coverage, and that is something I’m really proud of. It feels great to be part of such a talented and hardworking team, and I’m happy and proud to contribute any way I can. What is one piece of advice that you would give a current student-athlete? Be positive in everything that comes your way. Some days it may seem like practice, games and classes are tough and everything is getting on top of you, but just step back and take a minute to focus on how lucky you are to be in this position, to represent such a great university and [to] have experiences competing against the best collegiate athletes in the USA. In years to come, you’ll look back on these years with such fondness, so try your best to enjoy it while you’re in the moment, too. Who is the best player you’ve ever seen play in person? Well, I’m really lucky to get to see so many wonderful players, and having seen both Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo live on multiple occasions, I have to say them, as they’re probably the two best players to ever play soccer in history. Also, a shoutout to Harry Kane, England’s all-time leading goal scorer, who I’ve been lucky enough to interview; he’s a lovely bloke as well as a very special player. What is your favorite stadium in terms of atmosphere? Oh, that is tough. It has to be Anfield; Liverpool’s home stadium is just different. The passion, the pride and the history there just can’t really be beaten, and I’ve been lucky enough to go there a lot over the last few years when they’ve had such a great manager and team. But in all honestly, I enjoy the atmosphere at basically every game I go to because I’m a soccer fanatic! The 2026 FIFA World Cup will be held in the United States. Will you be visiting us, and do you have any predictions for early favorites? Definitely—I will be there! For me, it will be almost 20 years since I first arrived in the USA, and to think about how far the sport of soccer has come in the USA over the last two decades is remarkable. I wouldn’t miss seeing the World Cup on U.S. soil for anything. As for predictions, well, I have to say England are the early favorites. They lost in the final of the last two Euros (UEFA European Football Championships), and I think we’re due to win something and have a great group of young players coming through. But Argentina, Spain and France will be right up there. And I’m all for a USA vs. England World Cup final. That would be quite something! Prince-Wright conducts an interview in his role for NBC Sports on location at a Premier League stadium.H2P MAGAZINE FALL 2024 41 ROBERT “BOBBY” GRIER 1933-2024 Written by E.J. Borghetti and Ervin Dyer Robert “Bobby” Grier Sr., who as a member of the University of Pittsburgh football team generated national headlines during the Civil Rights era when he became the first Black player in the Sugar Bowl, passed away on June 30 at the age of 91, in Warren, Ohio. Grier played fullback, linebacker and defensive back for the Panthers, lettering in three consecutive seasons (1953-55). As a senior, he led the team in interceptions to help Pitt to a 7-3 regular season and receive an invitation to play Georgia Tech in the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans. The governor of Georgia, segregationist Marvin Griffin, vehemently opposed Grier’s participation in the game. The prospect of Grier traveling to the Deep South to break the color barrier of one of college football’s highest-profile postseason games sparked nationwide discussion the same month that Rosa Parks was arrested in Montgomery, Alabama, for refusing to surrender her bus seat to a white passenger. However, Grier had the strong support of his teammates and University leadership, who vowed “No Grier, no game.” And so, Grier took the field against Georgia Tech on Jan. 2, 1956, rushing for a game-high 51 yards. Pitt lost 7-0, with a disputed pass interference penalty on Grier looming large in the final result. Photographic evidence later strongly indicated the referee’s call was incorrect. Following the game, the Pitt and Georgia Tech teams were invited to a banquet in New Orleans at the St. Charles Hotel, which served only white patrons. As Grier stepped into the hall, he received the loudest ovation of any of the Sugar Bowl participants. “That made me feel good. Made me feel special,” Grier said. More than six decades later, Grier again stepped onto the Sugar Bowl playing field when he was introduced as a member of the Sugar Bowl Hall of Fame on Jan. 1, 2019. Grier is a member of the Pitt Athletics Hall of Fame, Western Chapter of the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame and the Wall of Champions at Massillon (Ohio) High School, where he led the Tigers to a pair of state championships. Grier earned his Bachelor of Business Administration from Pitt in 1957. He served in the Air Force for 12 years, working primarily on radar and missiles, and left as a captain. Grier then worked as a supervisor for U.S. Steel and as an administrator at the Community College of Allegheny County until his 1998 retirement. In his later years, Grier served the Elizabeth Dole Foundation to help provide caregiving for veterans. In addition to his daughter, Grier, who was a devoted husband to his late wife, Dorothy, is survived by his son, Rob Jr., and a granddaughter, Camille. As a tribute to Grier, the Pitt football team will wear a commemorative helmet sticker throughout the 2024 season.42 UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH ATHLETICS Reconnect with more. Delta is proud to support Pitt Athletics. MORE SPIRIT, MORE TEAMWORK, MORE WINS .H2P MAGAZINE FALL 2024 4344 UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH ATHLETICS MEMORIES Beano Cook Carroll H. “Beano” Cook, the iconic University of Pittsburgh sports information director who became known as “the pope of college football,” was posthumously inducted into the College Sports Communicators Hall of Fame. Cook, who passed away in 2012 at the age of 81, was selected as part of the Veterans Committee nominations. Veterans Committee Hall of Fame inductees represent former sports information professionals of distinction from the past whose professional and personal deeds and accomplishments helped make possible the stature of the athletics communications profession today. Cook graduated from Pitt in 1954 with a Bachelor of Arts degree. After serving 21 months in the U.S. Army, he returned to campus and served as his alma mater’s sports information director from 1956 to 1966 before going on to national prominence with CBS Sports, ABC and ESPN. Cook was inducted at a June 10 ceremony during the 2024 College Sports Communicators annual convention in Las Vegas, Nevada.Department of Athletics Petersen Events Center 3719 Terrace St. Pittsburgh, PA 15261 JMI Sports is proud to be the corporate sponsorship and multimedia rights partner of Pitt Athletics. 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