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 headquarters in Gilbert, Arizona. 

It's the second time site headquarters have been in Gilbert, Arizona.  After Clermont, Florida (with a satellite office in Owings Mills, Maryland) we established a home base in the rural town of Higley, Arizona before moving to Gilbert, then Chandler, Arizona and then finally back to Gilbert, Arizona.  That probably sounds indecisive and expensive, but for those that know the Phoenix area, you can do all of that and not travel much more than ten miles - you could even add Tempe and Mesa for just a couple miles.  

Yes, I'm coming home to Tampa.  One of the best outcomes of the pandemic is my 55 hour in-office grind became a 60 hour home office grind instead.  I might do that another year or two but it no longer keeps me in the land of haboobs and javelinas.  I'll miss the weather.

Anyway, so in preparation for the season and for an imminent move, I am getting this stuff out of storage, sorting it out and deciding what can be displayed back here for the turnaround season, what goes back in storage, what gets tossed and what do I find a new owner for?  For example, the helmet last post.  Signed by Lee Roy.  Display.  Solved.  The box of 10-12 Sun Bowl Game Programs...anyone?  The Notre Dame pins recently mentioned on the board (are somewhere) and I have a lot of stuff that should be in good shape that might have appeal.  A bunch of those Leavitt signed tickets in lucite - a transparent or translucent plastic, any of a class of methyl methacrylate ester polymers.  Signed of course.  Go to the poll of this thread and let me know if you would have interest in buying or donating for any of this stuff.  There is a poll accompanying this post, please vote early and often.

So I do have a number of game balls.  My fear is that it has been so long since I've had them out of storage, I probably won't remember which is which.  I also have other signed balls and, well, we'll see how that goes.  

In the box with the LRS signed throwback helmet was a football.  Unsigned and unmarked as a game ball, it seems to be mostly just a handsome football emblazoned with the USF logo.  But it is the famous pre-Under Armour, pre-Adidas Wilson GST ball.  It's in really good shape - logo is sharp and strong.  Love that GST to toss around.  Never played catch with this one, but did buy my kids GST balls from USF for them to play with during that era of USF Football.  Those are now jammed in some sewer drain or left behind in one of the headquarters moves.  The kids were young, loved the Bulls and the balls but they were to play with, not admire. 

Did I ever tell you I got Roberto Clemente's autograph on a baseball?  Along with Willie Stargell and the entire 1971 World Series Champion Pirates?  Yeah, you guessed it.  I took that ball outside and played with it in the neighborhood.  Thought it was the coolest ball we ever hit from the empty lot into the orange grove, off the dirt mound and into the streets of San Antonio, Florida.  Second dumbest thing I ever did.

Anyway, nice ball.

Next item pulled I may need some help on.  I remember buying the jersey from USF and was pretty sure it was a Marlon Mack jersey which delighted me like no other of that time.  Marlon was the only "5" so I was pretty confident.  I bought three different jersey numbers and was surprised this was available.  I was surprised to get this one.  It's been in the box a while, so it's a little wrinkly, but it's an absolute beauty of a SoFlo jersey.  Marlon's iconic 5.  

I can't believe I have had it in a box this long.

This should be in a jersey display box.  No autograph.  Just historic.  I loved Andre Hall, his talent and commitment to winning (Hey, I made Andre Hall Heisman bumper stickers).  But, in my mind, there has not been a more talented running back at South Florida than Mack Attack.  Certainly, as expected with these once worn SoFlo jerseys, it's in great shape.  At a minimum, this needs to be on a Lou Hansell garment hanger.  

Here's a quick shot at what it looks like on its way to the end zone, if you'd sort of forgotten:

Back in the 90s, I'd have used my knowledge off BBC code to "marquee" that across the page.  Real animation back in the day.  

Alright, that's all I got right now, but I am falling behind on my box opening schedule.  The Marlon jersey was the first item from the second box.  Looks like another ball is in there and some stuff wrapped in moving paper.  Maybe right after dinner and a check on The Bulls Pen, there'll be more.  Again, don't forget to vote and/or comment, especially if you're a fan of collecting Bulls memorabilia, and so on.