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About this blog

A blog to discuss site issues and ideas as well as some occasional rambling, reflecting and repeating old USF stories.

Entries in this blog

Improving TheBullsPen.com

Since we are still in the slow months and there is time to get ready for the season, I'd like to get some things done around here.  We've been on this board software for about three years now.  There is a lot of flexibility and functionality, but I'd say we don't use a majority of it.  I've been out of commission with a bad back the last few days and have been looking over some possibilities.  Being immobile left me staring at my screen longer than usual. Regarding board applicati

Brad

Brad in Site Archives

Subscription option for TBP

A few months back some members asked about a subscription option for TBP that would include primarily an ad-free experience.  I think I have it set up to function that way now with an introductory cost of $4.95/month.  Please see the poll to help determine that ultimate price. I can certainly have the ads blocked for the subscribing user group.  I am also looking at some other possibilities to go into that package. I am looking for 4 or 5 volunteers to test the functionality that would

Brad

Brad in Site Archives

Artifacts

Not too long ago, someone suggested posting some of the old stuff from the early years.  I have probably 5 hard drives of stuff, but three of those hard drives don't seem to want to work.  Anyway, a more recent one had a mini-trove of interesting stuff I thought I'd toss out here to get it started.  Please feel free to add your own and to comment so I know someone is seeing this stuff! First, I have a circa 2005 Athletics Master Planning image you'd probably enjoy seeing considering today's

Brad

Brad in Site Archives

Points and the Member Shop

We had a couple threads on the new "Points" economy, this being the initial one: The points collecting has been in place for about a month, there is plenty of experimenting to do, but the possibilities are pretty entertaining.  I don't think it's a good thing to identify what adds points to your count (you'll figure it out), but I can tell you one key source of points is being online everyday, multiple days in a row at the least.  Starting quality topics is rewarding as well. Points w

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Brad

Hey Bulls fans, what to you want to know about Bulls Football?

Hey Members and Bulls fans,  I have been in touch with some of the folks in the media that follow and report on our USF Bulls.  Looks like we'll have a handful with interest in being introduced here and getting to know us while we get to know them (better).   For the group, it's looking like the range of questions can cover a lot of ground.  I have asked for collaboration with a broad range from beat writers to USF Administrators.  Instead of asking you to provide questions to specific

Brad

Brad in Site Archives

Andre Hall and The Heisman Hope

It's been a long time since the word Heisman and Bull was mentioned in the same conversation.  In 2017, Quinton Flowers has been referred to as a candidate for the honor, even if just a "dark horse".  The first ever chatter around a USF Bulls player breaking into that club was with RB Andre Hall.  Hall was an offensive MVP and 9th in the nation in yards per game as a junior.  He was hyped as a potential All-American and yes an outside shot at the H trophy.  USF never took that leap, but many Sou

Brad

Brad in USF Athletics

Invite system

I am very pleased to announce that I have purchased a member invite system that is now integrated into the board.  You will see the changes if you look in the upper right section of the screen.  You'll see something that looks like a ticket.  If you click that, you can enter into the app and invite people you know to TheBullsPen.com.  You simply enter email addresses and the system sends out an invite (pictured below, looks better live) that allows the receiver to click to go to TBP and aut

Brad

Brad in Site Archives

2001 Article - USF Official Site Problems

In a recent discussion about local coverage of the USF Bulls football program (What’s with Knight and the McNeese State references?) I mentioned some of the involvement of former beat writers Brett McMurphy, Greg Auman and Jeff Odom having interaction with TheBullsPen.com.  In fact, I recalled how the relationship benefited both parties as TBP promoted McMurphy and Auman in the days of USF's rise to national awareness.  Both McMurphy and Auman frequented the board and from it gathered story idea

Brad

Brad in Site Archives

Visit #1 to the 24 hour secured, climate controlled USF Bulls memorabilia cache

Well, over the weekend, I was thinking about the other blog I post to and decided to go to the storage center where I have most of my by non-essential belongings after we downgraded to a small ranch near the town's restaurant/bar district. I was looking for some of my hard drives, they're probably destroyed by now.  The family doesn't enter the storage unit with the diligence and carefulness that I do.  It's more like their trapped in a fun house and just sort of create a way in and out.   

Brad

Brad in Memorabilia

Second Box Opening Tonight!

Yep, it's back here in my man cave, er Bulls cave, getting ready for the season and opening up boxes of memorabilia and merchandise that I always thought I would have in my man cave.  But my travels over the years, due to work, have landed me in multiple towns and houses.  It seems now I am finally in a "forever" home (until I move to Florida in the very near future).  Either way, I'm going through the stuff in storage and determining what is going to be in the short term cave here at site headq

Brad

Brad in Memorabilia

Things to do in the offseason, Part I

Hey, part of our community has been the fun of prediction contests and other things....most recently, raffle style giveaways and bracket contests.  In order to make it a more easily manageable situation for your humble host, I am asking that you complete the Name and Address profile fields added to your Profile.  This will make it much easier for me to get winnings out on time.  It's all private, but saves me from having to ask and then being delayed because I do not want to make mult

Brad

Brad

Using the Calendar Reminder

The calendar function has been around since The Bulls Pen was a forum on SouthFloridaBulls.com. It doesn't quite get the community use it could, so I'll invite you to visit and see if it can help manage yours and our Bulls life. First of all, there are two calendars that combine as one: Bulls scheduled games Bulls events Only the Admin can add scheduled games, but we can all add events - such as BULLRALLY I added a week or so ago.  Events can have RSVPs attached so me

Brad

Brad

Social Integrations

It is easier than ever to join the conversation at The Bulls Pen.  And the giveaways, quizzes, galleries, downloads, Member Shop, etc., too. I have recently completed a revisit of the social integrations functionality after finding some had been broken by our software as well as that of Facebook and Twitter. The integrations are important for a number of reasons, but I'll stick with the top two. New members - Anyone with a Facebook, Twitter, Google, Linked In or Windows account c

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Brad

Why not - the TBP Points Lottery

Just to have something else fun to do with your member points, now you can play the lottery.  Initially, it will be a weekly lottery with pots of various sizes.  You can see this week's lottery (just started today) here: https://www.thebullspen.com/lottery/ It will end tonight, as it is mostly a test run.  But if you like games of chance like lotteries, feel free to play weekly.  You can buy as many tickets as your points will afford. You should already be aware of the Member Shop

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Time for a TBP Survey

It's the offseason, so maybe not the best time to be asking for feedback, but it provides us time to analyze and evaluate feedback before the 2019-20 USF Athletic seasons.  So, whether you are a new member, or a founding member, please share your insights with us in the site survey.  You can find it and other discussion on this thread:  

Brad

Brad

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