MBB TDS:USF Basketball Alumni are Teaming Up to Play for $2 Million, and They Need Your Help

[Triple B]

Awesome interview from TDS with RAJ revolving around this tournament ...

Excerpts:

To this day, that is the only USF team to win an NCAA Tournament game. How does it feel to be part of that history, of the best team in USF history?

People have asked me this in the past, and I’ll say this: just from my love of USF and what USF did for me, I hope that we are not the best team in USF history for very long. That’s something I’m very adamant about. I want to see the program make improvements; I want to see the program be the best they possible can, and I want them to do better than we did. When I left, I said I wanted this to be the start. I don’t want to be remembered.

To this day, I still think about that last game. I remember that game like it was yesterday. I’ll always remember it. I’ve used it to help me be in the position that I’m in now. It’s helped me to become a better player. For that, I’m grateful.

What does the program have to do to get back to that level?

Really look for guys that are really motivated to win. It’s different— I’m not sure, but I feel like AAU has changed things a little bit, and guys just wanna play for themselves. You’ve gotta get guys who play for the team, because unless you’ve got a team full of NBA prospects, like Kentucky, that’s the only way you’re gonna win.

...

What would you say to convince, say, a casual USF fan who knows nothing about TBT to tune in this summer?

It’s the best Bulls all in one. We’re five years older and five years better, so enjoy.

[Triple B]

Another interview from TDS revolving around The Basketball Tournament, this time with Toarlyn ...

Excerpts:

 

Quote

 

Can you give the fans a rundown of what you’ve been doing since graduating from USF?

Since I graduated school, I started my overseas career in European competition. I started the ‘13-14 season in Belgium, and that was my first professional experience. After that I came over to Greece and had a very successful season. Last season I played in the top league in Germany, which was a great experience. This year I’m back in Greece, and I’m having the best professional season of my career. It might be the best season of basketball I’ve ever had in my life.

...

In a sentence or two, what makes being a USF Bull so special?

Being a product of my city. USF is part of who I am. I’m a Tampa kid.

...

When USF fans think of Toarlyn Fitzpatrick, they think of two plays— I’m sure you can probably guess what they are. The first one, your freshman season against Providence, you’ve completed this absolutely wild comeback (ed. note: If you haven’t seen this, watch it now— USF was down by 9 with 45 seconds left and wound up winning), you’re down three in the final seconds, Dominique Jones gets the ball and passes it to you. You’re a freshman power forward, and you’re about to have to take a buzzer-beater three to send the game to overtime. What in the world is going through your head there?

At the time, I hadn’t really taken many threes in my college career, so I was pretty nervous about that. When I had the ball, that was the best look we had— I had to shoot it. It was more of an immediate reaction to being in that time and place. We got the steal, and they immediately doubled Dominique. The ball came to me, and it was just a reaction. Once the ball went in, I realized how big the moment was. Like you said, it was a very big comeback, so we were just trying to fight and claw our way back into the game.

 

 

Embedded in that last Q was one of the funnest times in semi-recent Bulls hoops history. Can jump to the 6:47 mark to get the last 45 seconds.

[Brad]

The Tampa Bulls have been offering interviews to TBP as part of their promotion.  I've checked with a few of our past contributors - not available.  Would anyone care to launch their blogging/writing career?  Perhaps carry that on throughout the season?

[Ionbull]

3 hours ago, Brad said:

The Tampa Bulls have been offering interviews to TBP as part of their promotion.  I've checked with a few of our past contributors - not available.  Would anyone care to launch their blogging/writing career?  Perhaps carry that on throughout the season?

How you mean?

[beastiebull]

Wait AC transferred for his senior year?  Seems like he was here forever and very successful.  Was it because of the Heath firing? 

[Triple B]

16 minutes ago, beastiebull said:

Wait AC transferred for his senior year?  Seems like he was here forever and very successful.  Was it because of the Heath firing? 

More like he wasn't what COA wanted in a pg. Roddy Peters looked like he was brought in to fill that position so AC moved on ...

[beastiebull]

Just now, Triple B said:

More like he wasn't what COA wanted in a pg. Roddy Peters looked like he was brought in to fill that position so AC moved on ...

That should have been the first clue that COA was not the guy.  Collins was a good PG and led the charge during our tourney run. 

[BallBull22]

Looks as if Dominique Jones, Vic Rudd, Will McDonald and Terrence Leather are joining the team!  They have a solid squad and have a chance to win it looks like.

[Triple B]

2 hours ago, BallBull22 said:

Looks as if Dominique Jones, Vic Rudd, Will McDonald and Terrence Leather are joining the team!  They have a solid squad and have a chance to win it looks like.

They're in 12th place in the South Region, 178 votes out of that 9th and final auto bid spot so every Experience point will help them solidify one of the 6 at-large bids.

If you haven't signed up and voted, it's easy ... and easy to pass it along.

[Triple B]

With about 22 hours to go in voting, the Bulls are in 11th place in fan voting (top 9 get auto bids). Probably not enough time to push them to an auto bid but every vote will help to cement one of 6 at-large bids. Pretty painless to register and vote.