# Farewell, Three Rivers. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [December 16, 2000, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/farewell-three-rivers/45938 "2000-12-16T21:02:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Jester](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jester/32/8223_2.png) [@Jester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jester)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2000, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/farewell-three-rivers/45938/1 "2000-12-16T21:02:46Z")
As of today, the career of Pittsburgh’s infamous, bi-purpose stadium is over. It ended with a glorious 24-3 romping of the Redskins. Memories of the Immaculate Reception, Steel Curtain, and other highlights of the 70’s team played throughout the game, and the crowd’s energy was flowing as if we were actually getting into the playoffs. \ I’ll miss the old girl, she’s been good to us. ---
**Author:** ![Le\_Sang](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ee7513/32.png) [@Le\_Sang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Le_Sang)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2000, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/farewell-three-rivers/45938/2 "2000-12-16T21:51:29Z")
\ A beautiful sentiment, Jester… Let us hope there are many more wonderful moments in the new stadium… may it bear the tradition well ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2000, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/farewell-three-rivers/45938/3 "2000-12-16T22:05:47Z")
_sniff sniff_ What really urks me, is that they have all this money for new stadiums, when they don’t have money to keep schools open… ---
**Author:** ![lurkernomore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d6d6ee/32.png) [@lurkernomore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lurkernomore)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2000, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/farewell-three-rivers/45938/4 "2000-12-17T00:22:39Z")
Will the Pirates be in the new stadium this year? I like to go see ballparks. Been to about 8. May have to drive to Pitt to see the new one. (no, I didn’t see the old one, I hate the mid-70s cookie cutters - Philly Vet, Riverfront/Cinergy, 3 Rivers, Busch). Favorite is Ballpark At Arlington (Rangers). ---
**Author:** ![Green\_Bean](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/green_bean/32/1760_2.png) [@Green\_Bean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Bean)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2000, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/farewell-three-rivers/45938/5 "2000-12-17T00:25:09Z")
Well, another good joke now becomes outdated. Here it is, for one last time… Why is Three Rivers Stadium irrelevant? . . . . . . . . . Because it’s beside the Point. ---
**Author:** ![Sapphire\_Bullet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/96bed5/32.png) [@Sapphire\_Bullet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sapphire_Bullet)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2000, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/farewell-three-rivers/45938/6 "2000-12-17T00:35:58Z")
I love Three Rivers Stadium. I spent many wonderful nights watching the Pirates from the 3rd baseline box seats (thanks, Dad! 🙂 ). lurker- have you been to camden yards? how does it compare to the Ballpark? I love going to games in Arlington, but I have always thought Camden was prettier. ---
**Author:** ![Montfort](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Montfort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Montfort)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2000, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/farewell-three-rivers/45938/7 "2000-12-17T01:06:14Z")
I know I’ve caused some agitation with some of you Pittsburghers over the past month or so, but I have to admit, I’m **jealous** that you’re getting your new stadium(s) next year, while the better half of the state is still trying to figure out where to put their new stadiums. Anyway, I don’t know if I’ll shed a tear or not when they play the last game in the Vet (hopefully, it’ll be a playoff game, but I digress…), but I know I’ll be beaming like a BMW when they open the new stadiums in Philly. That said, I have a question: Usually, when a team closes a venue, they play their last home game against a long time rival (Canadiens/Maple Leafs, Detroit/Chicago, etc. are NHL examples). Why wasn’t the last game at 3RS against the Browns? And **lurkernomore** , I believe the Pirates still have one season to go at 3RS. ---
**Author:** ![jab1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ee7513/32.png) [@jab1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jab1)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2000, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/farewell-three-rivers/45938/8 "2000-12-17T01:22:06Z")
The Pirates move into PNC Park next April, exactly two years after construction began. In fact, I think 3 Rivers will be demolished some time in February so they can finish the parking for the new football stadium (called Rooney Field) that’s going up right next to 3 Rivers. Rooney will have real grass. A good website devoted to stadiums is [http://www.ballparks.com](http://www.ballparks.com) ---
**Author:** ![lurkernomore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d6d6ee/32.png) [@lurkernomore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lurkernomore)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2000, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/farewell-three-rivers/45938/9 "2000-12-17T01:36:22Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Sapphire Bullet \* > \*\* > lurker- > have you been to camden yards? how does it compare to the Ballpark? I love going to games in Arlington, but I have always thought Camden was prettier. \*\* ``` I liked Arlington better. Camden is nice, though, been there twice. Has the best concessionaire placing in baseball - the wind blows in the aroma from Boog's BBQ and you HAVE to go down to that little arcade for a sandwich but you can watch from the RF wall. Also saw 3 people helped out after getting hit with fouls. A real fan is like an upper decker I saw in Tiger (Briggs) - caught a foul without getting up from his seat OR spilling his beer. We gave him a good hand. ``` ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2000, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/farewell-three-rivers/45938/10 "2000-12-17T01:41:49Z")
PNC Park…humpf! It SHOULD have been named Clemente Park, IMHO… ---
**Author:** ![Jester](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jester/32/8223_2.png) [@Jester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jester)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2000, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/farewell-three-rivers/45938/11 "2000-12-17T03:17:52Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Guinastasia \* > \*\*_sniff sniff_ > What really urks me, is that they have all this money for new stadiums, when they don’t have money to keep schools open… > \*\* Don’t speak so soon, there, Guin. Last I checked, we were still $32 million in debt from Three Rivers alone. Pittsburgh may be good at alot, but economics are not our strong point. Hey, I just realized, I didn’t get wings from Quaker Steak and Lube at the last game today! No! \ ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2000, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/farewell-three-rivers/45938/12 "2000-12-17T03:43:26Z")
Exactly-we still were in debt from Three Rivers…so why build MORE stadiums with taxpayer’s money? The whole thing is just a big fucking waste of money, if you ask me. ---
**Author:** ![nineiron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/e56c9b/32.png) [@nineiron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nineiron)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2000, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/farewell-three-rivers/45938/13 "2000-12-17T04:17:17Z")
Geez, the place is only 30 years old–how much tradition (worth getting teary-eyed over, anyway) could it have? I’ve never been there, but from what I’ve heard, there’s no use getting nostalgic; the place is a dump. (Yes, I know there’ve been many fine teams playing there, but the arena itself is no prize.) Pittsburgh residents are fortunate to have a new facility. ---
**Author:** ![mouthbreather](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a698b9/32.png) [@mouthbreather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mouthbreather)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2000, 7:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/farewell-three-rivers/45938/14 "2000-12-17T07:17:07Z")
I’m sorry to see the old girl go as well. I woke up at 9am (yes, on a saturday :eek: ) to run downstairs and turn on ESPN Classic, and first thing I see and hear is Myron Cope. Good God, you don’t need any coffee after that, let me tell you. Great show today – interviews with Myron, Franco Harris, Jack Lambert, Chuck Noll, Rocky Blier, and some others I may have missed. Then the ass whipping we handed to the 'skins. 🙂 Then, back to ESPN classic for 150 more minutes of Steeler nostalgia – The 1972 playoff game against the Raiders, and the shows on Superbowls 75, 76, 78, and 79. Of course, by the time those were over, it was 7pm and I had damn near wiped out a case of beer. And I was drooling on myself. All in all, a good day to be a Stihler fan. Now, we gotta hope that Detroit can somehow knock off the Jets tomorrow afternoon. And nineiron: > [@](#): > > Geez, the place is only 30 years old–how much tradition (worth getting teary-eyed over, anyway) could it have? Well, would you like to start with 4 Superbowls teams and 2 World Series wins in a period of 8 years? > [@](#): > > I’ve never been there Well I have, many times. And I like it. > [@](#): > > but from what I’ve heard, there’s no use getting nostalgic; the place is a dump. nineiron, even if someplace is not the greatest, newest, fanciest (pick your word) – After thirty years of emotional highs (we’ve had our share) and lows (we’ve had our share of these as well), you kinda become attached to a place. Is that a tough concept? > [@](#): > > Pittsburgh residents are fortunate to have a new facility. It’s bittersweet. I am sorry to see 3RS go, and I am excited to see the new stadium in August. ---
**Author:** ![Montfort](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Montfort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Montfort)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2000, 7:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/farewell-three-rivers/45938/15 "2000-12-17T07:23:00Z")
**nineiron** , I think I love you. 🙂 (Sorry, Pittsburghers, I really tried to bite my tongue all day.) ---
**Author:** ![Whammo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8dc957/32.png) [@Whammo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whammo)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2000, 7:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/farewell-three-rivers/45938/16 "2000-12-17T07:32:47Z")
For a few years I lived near Wheeling WV, about 2 and a half hours outside Pittsburg. I am proud that I can say that I went to a Pirates game in 3 rivers stadium once. I thought it was a great stadium… it seemed to raised to the sky from all around you (yeah, I had good seats). It was no Kaufman or Arrowhead stadium but it was nice and nostalgic none the less. Hey, nobody’s got the shit like KC does! 😉 ---
**Author:** ![MysterEcks](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f475e1/32.png) [@MysterEcks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MysterEcks)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2000, 7:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/farewell-three-rivers/45938/17 "2000-12-17T07:49:33Z")
**Montfort** said: > [@](#): > > I’m jealous that you’re getting your new stadium(s) next year, while the better half of the state is still trying to figure out where to put their new stadiums. Try Camden. Hey, doesn’t New Jersey deserve a team that last won an NFL chapionship when Richard Nixon was _Vice_President? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Montfort](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Montfort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Montfort)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2000, 7:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/farewell-three-rivers/45938/18 "2000-12-17T07:57:46Z")
New Jersey already has two teams, thankyouverymuch. And, anyway, Camden’s not a bad idea, for starters. After all, the First Union Center (né Corestates Center) got built reallyfuckingquickly after the Sixers threatened to move across the river to Camden. ---
**Author:** ![lurkernomore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d6d6ee/32.png) [@lurkernomore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lurkernomore)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2000, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/farewell-three-rivers/45938/19 "2000-12-17T14:31:55Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Montfort \* > \*\*New Jersey already has two teams, thankyouverymuch. > > \*\* Except they won’t identify themselves as such. The Giants even put the NY back on their helmets this year. Ain’t that a slap in the face. ---
**Author:** ![Rilchiam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2000, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/farewell-three-rivers/45938/20 "2000-12-17T21:21:01Z")
Mr. Rilch and I had our first date at Three Rivers. Opening day, 1993. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/farewell-three-rivers/45938.md?page=2)