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Brad

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Blog Entries posted by Brad

  1. Brad

    Improving TheBullsPen.com

    By Brad,


    Site Archives
    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 applications and functionality:
     What do you like about TheBullsPen.com? Can you tell me what new things you would like to see at TheBullsPen.com?  What would you like to go away? What suggestions to you have to make it a better place?  Sky is the limit.  Not everything will be available or afforded, but why not throw the idea out? 
    Please take time and five me your input.  Together we can catch the wave of 2016 Bulls Football and hopefully get our more fans talking more Bulls.
  3. Brad

    Subscription option for TBP

    By Brad,


    Site Archives
    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 include going to the site store and sleecting the subscription, seeing it processed through PayPal and ensuring that they have the ad free experience.  Make sure the recurring monthly is happening for at least one month and then ensure it is easily canceled by the board member when desired.
    If you would like to be a lab rat and at least experience an ad-free TBP for a couple months, let me know here.  I would llike to get a handful of test cases moving asap.
     
    Thanks,
    Brad
  4. Brad

    Artifacts

    By Brad,


    Site Archives
    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 efforts towards an OCS and the nearly complete IPF.
     

  5. Brad
    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 will be able to be used in the future for a number of things including games (like Rock, Paper, Scissors), board actions (username changes, signature changes, entry into premium raffles) and lotteries and a betting shop.  The latter two will be around towards football season.  Most of all, you can turn in your points earned as a member of this community to buy USF gear, memorabilia and even donate to USF.  
    There will be more to come on this functionality, but there is a version 1.0 of the points store located here:  Points Shop
    If you look on the main menu under "More" you should see this as well as some other helpful stats and information.  Again, get familiar, more to come on this. 
  15. Brad

    Andre Hall and The Heisman Hope

    By Brad,


    USF Athletics
    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 South Florida fans did.  Below is a limited edition, unofficial and unlicensed, bumper sticker that was distributed to help hype Andre Hall in his senior year:

    ESPN felt a little of the Hall excitement as the Bulls made a historic move to the Big East:

     
    Hall did not get Heisman consideration, but he went down in history as one of 10 Essential Bulls as compiled by Jim Louk in 2014.  What's more, I had a chance to select him in my fantasy football league when he was with the Denver Broncos!

     
    16,026 ADDS
  16. Brad
    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 individuals you can ask questions across the range and I can direct them to the best to answer.  If you do have a specific individual, then feel free to name.  If I don't have them joining us for an interview, chat or Q&A, I'll see if they can.
    Please list your questions here in the response box.  Feel free to ask questions if you have any.  Or, offer solutions on who/what you would like to see.  If you remember Jeff Odom, did a Q&A last season around this same time.  I'll be gathering these questions over the next three-four weeks so keep them coming as guests are scheduled to join us.
    Don't be shy, we'll need dozens of questions if we get the collaboration I am expecting.  Ask away.  
    Thank you.
    Brad
     
  17. Brad

    Invite system

    By Brad,


    Site Archives
    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 automatically includes the invitation code. 
    http://bullsmedia.com/TBPimages/tbpinvite.png
    As your invitees join, they will appear in your invite system.  We will tally the total members "recruited" and it will post in the right hand column on the main page. 
    I will build some type of reward system for those recruiting members.  I'll post that within a few days, but anyone you invite that joins will count in your total.  So don't delay.  You can start inviting today. 
    In fact, the first member to have THREE registrations credited to their account will win a $25 Amazon gift card.  That should get us started.
    I think this can be very helpful in getting other folks involved with the Bulls and the board.
    Please let me know if you have any questions.
     
    Brad
     
  18. Brad

    2001 Article - USF Official Site Problems

    By Brad,


    Site Archives
    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 ideas.   All did chats or Q&A.  In looking back at past interactions, it reminded me of  some of the articles written that mentioned SouthFloridaBulls.com/TBP.  Starting with this blog entry, I'll post those that are available.  Good reading, not just for a TBP reference but to get a better feeling for those days.  
    This first article is pretty eye-opening.  In fact I remember the time period well.  No official site.  I remember talking to the SID at an earlier time about the importance of an online presence.  Back in the early days, communication was typically by fax.  But the web had been around for a handful of years and teams were doing different things.  Ultimately, USF lost its official website.  

    Sun, Aug 19, 2001 – 42 · Tampa Bay Times (St. Petersburg, Florida) · Newspapers.com
     
    Note:  The blog entry cover photo is of the early days of http:/usf.edu/athletics.  Note the story displayed from June 13, 2001.  
  19. Brad

    Ok, now we're ready...

    By Brad,


    Program 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 efforts towards an OCS and the nearly complete IPF.
     

     
  20. Brad
    Back in the early days of USF Football, SouthFloridaBulls.com held chats with different Bulls-related guests ranging from reporters to administrators to former players.  I just came across the transcripts and want to test out displaying - AND this is the transcript with our fellow board member @Dave_Glaser.  It occurred on 6/9/2005.  So, if you want to flash back and see if we were asking questions about uniforms back then or suggesting we fire everyone, you can read for yourself.   Left in the archives for now are chats with Brett McMurphy (yep), Greg Auman, Tony Grier, John Gerdes and more.
     

     
  21. Brad

    Brett McMurphy On Bulls in Auburn Pregame Feature

    By Brad,


    Program Artifacts
    Brett discusses the Bulls on local Tampa radio prior to the trip to Alabama and the huge win against Auburn, take a listen:
    It's eleven minutes long, feel free to open up the Bulls at Auburn gallery and look at some images from the game.  You can find them here
  22. Brad
    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.   My box separated paths look like overgrown trails in the woods.  Boxes have fallen or are leaning into the way. 
    I'm sure I'll find the hard drives smashed, likely stepped on or crushed under the weight of 5 boxes of books that no one will ever again read.  Not that we don't read anymore, we go the e-book route.  Actually boxes like that probably hold my game programs, Tony Grier's "A Raging Bull: Chasing the Big Time" (three copies, I think) and other bovine related matters of print.
    Anyway, it is literally dozens, maybe 3 dozen boxes of stuff.  I brought ten boxes back here to the man cave since that is where my desk is. 
    I was also looking for a jersey for the chap on our merchandise board that asked about one.  I would estimate I have somewhere between 8-12 jerseys.  My jersey acquisitions really dissipated after I did the Bay Made, Bay Left  foolishness I pulled about 17 years ago.  Man time flies.  I miss home. 
    I was already out of town when the Athletics Department started having those yard sales of Bulls gear.  I lament missing those.  All my stuff had to be acquired one at a time from an online site or that rare and usually unscheduled/unannounced auction on the Athletics site.  I still check that routinely, even though they probably haven't listed an auction in five years or more.  I get attached to tabs on the board index too.  I get it.
    I've made it sort of ceremonious for myself back here.  I haven't cheated and looked in the boxes, but I do know from the sound they make, there may be no hard drives.  Regardless, it's going to be like opening a pack of baseball cards, I am sure there are things in there I have forgotten about.  It'll be new all over again.  I also have collections of vintage golf gear, but I won't bore you with that.  Those items will be on my vintage golf gear blog launching in summer of '23.
    So Box #1 had an awkward, unbalanced feel to it and through the handle slots in the banker's box it seem like it had to be a helmet - a full size one.  I don't have many that I can recall, although in recent auctions I wish I would have picked up some newer ones.  I'm blaming my purchasing slump on the Bulls downturn in football and I'm already paying a fortune for storage.  Add more helmets, add more storage.  As soon as I get relocated it's all coming out for good!  For display.
    Well, it was a helmet, and it did come back to me where I got it.  It is a style many Bulls fans (that have been around) reminisce about. @Triple B probably still thinks privately about it when he's alone.  Also, it has the autograph of one of the greatest ever to be associated with the Bulls.  Certainly the greatest person, Lee Roy Selmon.
     

     
    No sign of hard drives.  So far we can assume they are safe.  But nine and a half boxes to go in this round. 
    There's a lot of history on those hard drives and some pretty damaging comments over the 23 years of the sites.  At this rate, I'll be blackmailing some of you when I'm around 87.  They've been boxed up for some time. So, hang on as long as you can.
  23. Brad

    Second Box Opening Tonight!

    By Brad,


    Memorabilia
    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.  
     
     
  24. Brad

    New Members To-Do List

    By Brad,


    Site Archives
    I've noticed quite a few members that have joined recently (and some members that have been so for longer periods) have not personalized their profile picture.  Using the default profile image is okay:

    Those are some nice horns, but take a little time and you can break from the herd with your own image. 
    If you look in the upper right corner you'll see your screen name.  Click on the arrow next to it and select Profile, under Content.
    On your profile page, you'll see an icon to change your profile avatar.  I have included a look at mine below:

    The highlighted picture icon is how I added that BRAHMANS logo patch as my avatar.  There are multiple choices to add your own avatar, including the two most popular, adding via a URL (image already hosted on the internet) or uploading from your computer.  Both work just fine.
    Try updating your profile picture and give yourself an image others will come to recognize you by.  If you have any questions or need any help whatsoever, please reply to this blog entry.
  25. Brad

    Dog Days of Summer, Part I

    By Brad,


    Site Archives
    As we await fall practices, one thing always gets lost in the shuffle - the message board's birthday on August 31.  Founded in 1999 (between my sons born in '98 and '00 - now you know why I looked tired going to Saturday games, it wasn't the kids), the site will be celebrating it's 17th birthday next month.  It's been a pleasure and a struggle establishing and maintaining a site throughout the ups and downs of the program and the rudimentary technology available back in the day. Oh, and the summers when no one would post for weeks at a time.  We're still off of peak by a large margin, but it looks like Willie and Company might be re-igniting the program and the community.
    It's the latter that I have been committed to.  We didn't even run ads until about 7-8 years ago, around the 2007-08 seasons when we were reaching more than 1,000,000 page views monthly and between the software glitching and the hosted web site package locking up, we had to pay for our own server, hosted at Velcro's place, then later our our own managed server.  Who remembers the days of having to shut the site off to non-members because we were running the machine too hard?  We paid for a lot of ads though, in the Oracle, the USF Magazine, on Bay area radio stations, Google, etc.
    The dropoff since 2010 has helped with the server costs as we have been able to downgrade while we wait for the uptick.  We're on a flexible cloud plan now and that helps a lot.
    But what this is about is what we need to do.  We need to repeat the stuff the old hands on this site did back in the years of 1997-2005 and that is get others involved, no matter how hard the work.
    Today's tip is the obvious, some have heard it before.  A couple real simple things are:
     Word of mouth.  Tell your friends to join up and engage now, get woven into the Bulls community  Use the Twitter and Facebook (and other) buttons to share with your friends on those social platforms  Where you can, use the referral buttons the site "handcrafts" for you in the main title bar.  If you are on another social platform or message board where it would be acceptable, you can grab the referral code - image or text - and put in your signature elsewhere.  You can use it many places and if others click on it they will be brought to TBP. Just do what you can to help others get involved and get connected to other Bulls fans.  We have a chance this season to build on a solid second half of last year.  It would be nice to see us hitting back into the big boy league with page views and members and a lot of activity.
    I'm working on a couple other things to try to drive engagement.  I also welcome your thoughts and opinions on ways to do so.
    Thanks for being a member here and many more thanks for supporting the Bulls.
    Brad
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