Knight_Light

With Title IX dominating the collegiate athletic landscape right now...its almost impossible to add MEN'S sports to the scholarship level. UCF use to have a collegiate scholarship wrestling program...which was lost to Title IX. Rutgers just slashed a ton of Men's sports programs. LAX is taking off at the FLA HS level...and more and more good LAX players will be coming out of FLA (vs just the "Northeast" where LAX is huge), but its highly doubtful that they will ever be able to reach a scholarship level at a FLA University because of Title IX.

Smart move by Woolard. Even though Coaches usually make most of their non-conf schedule up...getting a home-home deal with a team 70 miles away....with the chance to actually have fans in the stands during games in Nov/Dec...vs saying FLYING to North Carolina...to play a team that just moved up from Div II (Winston Salem St)...it looks like a very, very, smart move. Think Woolard wasn't pleased that RMC scheduled almost every historical black college he could get on his schedule this year (home or away)...as those games did nothing to help attendance. Getting a game vs UCF...a game that will probably interest USF students to attend a non-conf game in Nov/Dec...plus a game in Orlando the following year...in a beautiful building...that their Central FL Alumni base (and maybe some students) would like to their USF play in their hometown as well. Smart move all around.

FYI...Tribune guy has a blog this AM...and said tix are now only going for $30...which means they will drop even more. Here's the blog comment about scalpers this AM as those from losing teams sell their tix for cheap so they can hit the road and go home: http://www.tboblogs.com/index.php/sports/comments/basketball-tournament-finals/ Plenty Of Tickets Available Posted By Nicola White at Mar 11, 2007 at 09:57 AM Updated Mar 11, 2007 at 10:07 AM If you’re looking for tickets to the University of North Carolina and North Carolina State University basketball game, now is the time to come down to the St. Pete Times Forum. Scalpers are lining Channelside Drive waving fistsful of tickets. They have plenty of tickets available. Seller Chuck Brown hasn’t sold any yet. A scalper a block down, who wouldn’t give his name, is trying to sell tickets for $30 each.

"Among the other candidates Selmon contacted about the opening were Holy Cross coach Ralph Willard, Butler coach Todd Lickliter, Florida assistant Anthony Grant, Kentucky assistant Scott Rigot and Maryland assistant Dave Dickerson. " USAToday Link Lickliter...wow! Even though Butler lost their Championship Title Game the other day...being ranked in the Top 20...they are a lock for the NCAA's. Just looking up some stats for Lickliter....129-60 overall, a great 70-13 record at home, and several Top 20 wins. Here's already taken Butler to the Sweet 16 before...and obviously will get another shot to do that again this month. What might of seemed like a reach in '03...obviously looks a little different today. PS. What Grant has done in his first year at VCU and his past great recruiting at UF (especially SINCE '03), Grant's price probably has now gone way UP!

Who else did Lee Roy interview back in '03 when Selmon decided to hire RMC? PS. Did Lee Roy ever give out a 6 yr guaranteed contract to any other coach he hired?

You are probably right. If RMC is fired....Brett was the first to spell out why. If RMC is retained...he would be right again as for any coach to have a 10-54 Conf record after 4 years...but STILL isn't fired...no one at USF can say with a straight face that they are serious about USF Hoops.

Basketball hotbed? KSU has only been to the NCAA's TWICE since 1991!! [highlight]That doesn't sound like a basketball hotbed to me.[/highlight] Maybe you're just too basketball ignorant to understand what that kind of attendance means for a team that sucks...  [smiley=loser.gif] FYI...there are many teams in the country that play (or played) in 1/2 empty arenas. (Well, USF fans wouldn't know what that would be like). Are they hotbeds too?

FYI...if you haven't noticed yet...that is a HUGE part in predicting/achieving success in College Basketball. One could be the greatest coach in the world...but if they aren't good at selling their story to HS kids, they probably won't last long in their position.

Basketball hotbed? KSU has only been to the NCAA's TWICE since 1991!! That doesn't sound like a basketball hotbed to me. Also, KSU's previous coach during his 6-7 year reign at KSU, the Wildcats never finished higher than 7th in Big 12 Standings and NEVER made it to the post-season (not even a NIT bid). KSU hasn't really made much noise on a regular basis since the Lon Kruger/Mitch Richmond days of the late 80's. Oh...I apologize for not writing down the exact KSU attendance average for this year...went back...looked it up...and after their last home game on Saturday...their season average ended up being 12,479..as I knew it was close to 12,500...and obviously off your 12,100 figure. In regards to KSU getting Huggins, remember, many folks think KSU had to pay a PREMIUM to get Huggins...because of their remote location and all the new rules that hurts their recruiting (no more private/charter jets for recruits to their small airport..most have to fly into KC's Airport, basically 2 hours away! USF might of been able to sign Huggins for less.

Not exactly (in salary terms). See link for Huggins contract...with compensation info starting at the bottom of page 4: http://kctv.static.worldnow.com/images/incoming/news/sports/kstatecontracts/Huggins.pdf Quick summary from the Kansas City Star: The Kansas City Star obtained a copy of Bob Huggins' contract with Kansas State on Monday. Huggins is guaranteed compensation of $800,000 per year the first three years, $900,000 the fourth year and $1 million the fifth year, as well as, two courtesy automobiles, full membership in the Manhattan Country Club, golfing privileges at Colbert Hills Golf Course. -- Kansas City Star

So that Brighthouse can gain more revenue to help pay for their $15 Million donation to UCF for naming rights. PS. Those that don't have DirecTV...its your own fault if you can't get sports channels thru Brighthouse.

That's exactly what happened at Kansas State this year with Huggins...as their attendance sky-rocketed from 7,644 to 12,500 this year. (FYI, just a few years ago, KSU averaged only 5,915 per game...so their attendance has more than DOUBLED in recent years). In addition to much higher attendance, KSU added more expensive "high $$$ floor seats" that sold out as well...and now are looking to add more high $$$ sky boxes/club seating to increase revenue even higher. KSU's #1 challenge now will be "how to hold onto Huggins...since he is now back on the radar screen of many programs". PS. In Huggins' first year at KSU...he lead them to a 10-6 Big 12 record and a first round bye in their tournament...and their highest overall win total (21) since 1988. Also, Huggins signed a Top 5 (a few say Top 2-3) recruiting class this past Nov...even before KSU played their first game with him as Coach. To get THAT good of a class to go to a school in the middle of NO WHERE (Manhattan, KS), that is just simply AMAZING!!

Here's a link to both of their USF Contracts: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/basketball/college/news/2003/06/02/contracts/#sflorida Summarize: Greenberg: $150,000 salary plus $50,000 in TV/Radio $$$$ plus extras. RMC: $200,000 salary plus $50,000 in TV/Radio $$$$$ plus extras for 6 years guaranteed.

This reminds me of your football coach  ;D ;D Hey..you know I'm not a FSU or UF fan...right? ÂÂ

Powerful and somewhat truthful comments from fired Indiana State Coach Royce Waltman taken from an AP interview: He was realistic about his odds of getting another Division I coaching job. "Well, I can't get a head coaching job, because if you get fired for cheating you can get hired right back again," Waltman said. "But if you get fired for losing you're like you've got leprosy. "Young coaches need to keep that in mind. Cheating and not graduating players will not get you into trouble, but boy losing will." WOW!!!!! Full article http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/news/story?id=2787432

I've seen her national championship!  Girls or boys, getting to that level requires something special! She USE to be a good coach. When a person can't recruit players to a TOP SCHOOL like UF (had GREAT NCAA History in Women's Hoops before her arrival), how the heck could she recruit at USF? There is a reason why UF is almost always ranked in the Top 3-5 for the Sears' Trophy...as its pretty EASY to recruit kids for ANY sport to want to go to school there...and as all their sports have/enjoy TOP facilities. She got the FAT contract at UF...and didn't do her job (aka RECRUIT). That's what happens when some coaches get the PAY-DAY.

FYI...believe that was Brett's Blog that he wrote up there in Chicago (don't think Greg from the St Pete Times traveled up to Chicago for RMC's potential last game). Here's Brett's Game Report which is in today's paper...(has some more background info): http://www.tbo.com/sports/bulls/MGB0WJUVUYE.html DEPAUL 70, BULLS 54 Latest Loss Could Be McCullum's Last At USF By BRETT McMURPHY The Tampa Tribune Published: Mar 4, 2007 ROSEMONT, ILL. - For the 76th - and expected to be final - time in Coach Robert McCullum's University of South Florida career, McCullum walked over to congratulate the winning coach after the final buzzer. This time it was DePaul's Jerry Wainwright at Allstate Arena. The Blue Demons defeated USF 70-54 Saturday despite Kentrell Gransberry's 26 points and 23 rebounds, only the ninth Big East player to record at least 20 points and rebounds. With speculation increasing that McCullum will be fired, USF athletic director Doug Woolard continues to remain silent. Woolard turned down multiple interview requests Saturday from Hartford, Conn., where he watched USF's women's team in the Big East Tournament. (See free link for complete article) http://www.tbo.com/sports/bulls/MGB0WJUVUYE.html

A Coach's job is never over. A good coach ALWAYS teaches...and it looked like RMC was still TEACHING an important lesson, maybe even in his final game as USF Coach. Class or team status doesn't count if a Coach notices a player NOT giving 100%. It's a very important lesson to learn...and maybe even the underclassmen, regardless who their coach is next year, will take that valuable "lesson", learn from it, and they will be a better person for it...on and off the court.

I'm guessing Brett got it from this fact: In McCullum's four seasons, the Bulls have recorded three of the five lowest season home attendance averages in the 27 years they have played in the Sun Dome. That's a pretty good starting point...when 3 out of your 4 years...you make the lowest of the low in regards to announced attendance.

So did ya answer yes or no?

FYI, here's Greg's St Pete Times article on RMC's possible last game. http://www.sptimes.com/2007/03/03/Sports/McCullum_intent_on_ke.shtml

Did the team improve or did the non-conf schedule get much easier this year as compared to last year? Last year...USF played Iowa St and Oregon St in Hawaii...plus Michigan and a very good UAB team. This year....USF played a down UAB team, a very down Wake Forest team, plus almost any historical black college that needed a game (South Carolina St, Winston Salem St, Norfolk St, Bethune Cookman), and the every laughable East Carolina squad. Scheduling has a lot to do with overall wins/losses, especially in Hoops...but didn't USF win 2 or 3 more BE games this year vs last year...and was that enough to save RMC's job? That should be and might be the question...but does Woolard want to pay someone TWO YEARS worth of a contract for NOT Coaching...and have to hire someone at a much higher pay-scale to replace said coach? That's the $64,000 question. (Actually, it probably will come out to about a $2-$3 Million question when its all said and done with). PS. One might find similar scheduling philosophies this year with USF and UCF Hoop Coaches...who both knew they would be on the hot seat this year. Non-conf wins are nice...but AD's know its about what you do in-conference that counts (and also other things such as recruiting, grades, attendance, etc...).

Yeah...the Predators have always done well in regards to marketing and building up a solid, PARTY-HARD Fan base. I've been to both Pred and Storm games...and while the Storm games are fun...it is more of a family like environment...while the Preds openly promote their almost "R" rated home game atmosphere....which obviously tracks well with a certain clientele. Yeah..Gramatica missed 4 PAT's and a FG last night (he did make ONE FG though), so obviously NOT a good night for that former Bull...as D-Rube was off the hook last night.

True. As most know, each Big East Team has to fill FIVE non-conf dates on their schedule...while all the other conferences except the Pac-10 have to fill 4. (FYI...Pac-10 plays NINE conf games now...and only need 3 non-conf game dates). Believe the Big East only beat 1, maybe 2 ranked non-conf opponent during the regular season out of those 40 games...and one of them was Miami earlier in the reason...before they dropped from the polls. With 5 non-conf games to schedule...Big East teams sometimes have to schedule someone/anyone to fill a date. At least USF is doing their part next year with a tough game at Auburn. One Big East Newspaper already wrote an article about how next year's Big East non-conf schedule isn't much better: -------------------------------- http://www.dailymail.com/news/Sports/2006120616/ Schedule thud in 2007 not good for Big East football Jack Bogaczyk Daily Mail Sports Editor Wednesday December 06, 2006 The Big East Conference has three football teams with at least 10 victories for the first time. The league is favored to win all five of its 2006 bowl games, four of those by at least a touchdown. The conference, emerging from a loss of power teams in 2004 and ‘05, enjoyed a league record 21 home-game network TV appearances (ABC, ESPN, ESPN2). The Big East had two of the top three and three of the top eight games in the ESPN college football ratings this season. So, how will the Big East follow up such an impact, profile-altering, historic season? It will do it with a scheduling thud. On the eight Big East non-conference team schedules for the 2007 season, there is only one game against a team that is currently ranked in the Associated Press poll. South Florida plays at Auburn. The Big East will play 40 non-conference games and 39 are scheduled. Louisville still is in need of a home game. Of the 39 scheduled games (see accompanying chart), the Big East has only 14 against Bowl Championship Series conference schools -- and only four of those against BCS teams with winning records in 2006 (West Virginia-Maryland, USF-Auburn, Maryland-Rutgers and Louisville-Kentucky). On a recent conference call with Big East media and coaches, Commissioner Mike Tranghese mentioned potshots at Big East schedules (the league was 1-3 against AP-ranked outsiders this season). "Every time you hear a piece of criticism, just stop and look ... everybody has an agenda," Tranghese said. "That's what the BCS has done. The BCS has driven coaches to complain about other programs and other coaches. I just don't think that's a healthy thing. I think people ought to worry about themselves. "I think if you're undefeated in this league, you're going to have as good of a chance as anybody else of playing in the championship game. I hear people talking about non-conference schedules. People ought to take a look in the mirror and look at their non-conference schedules as well." The Big East looked in the mirror on Monday at the conference's athletic directors meeting in New York. "There's no question that non-conference scheduling is something we talked about for subsequent years," said Nick Carparelli, the Big East associate commissioner for football operations. "It's up to the individual institutions to schedule; all we can do is advise and encourage them. "We continue to emphasize the importance of getting quality in the non-conference schedules. It's important for several reasons, especially television." Carparelli said he wasn't going to comment on other conferences' non-league schedules, but said he does feel that "on average" the Big East teams' non-league schedules are no weaker than other BCS leagues. However, the Big East is trying to rebuild its stature since the exit of Miami (Fla.), Virginia Tech and Boston College to the ACC. Tranghese has said, repeatedly, in the past that the best thing the Big East can do "is schedule games and win our share of them." The Big East also has more non-conference games that can make an impact, because as the smallest BCS conference (eight teams), only seven league games are scheduled. "There's no question it's a down year (2007)," Carparelli said. West Virginia plays two out-of-conference games against BCS opponents next season -- home against Mississippi State and at Maryland. Cincinnati, which played toughies at Ohio State and Virginia Tech this season, has no BCS league teams on the 2007 schedule. Syracuse, with three, has the most BCS non-league opponents. Rutgers, coming off a 10-2 regular season and Texas Bowl date against Kansas State (7-5), has only one non-league road game, against weak Army. The four home foes are Navy, Maryland, Buffalo and Division I-AA Norfolk State. Here's another reason the Big East programs should want to play BCS non-conference foes. The Big East pays its schools $101,694 per network TV appearance in road games -- but only for visiting a BCS school. So, WVU had an ESPN2 game at East Carolina, but no check. Only one Big East road date with a BCS foe got onto ABC, ESPN or ESPN2 in 2006 -- Rutgers' opening win at North Carolina. Beginning in 2008, Carparelli said the future of the Big East teams' non-conference scheduling is more to the league office's liking. That includes WVU's home-and-home series with Maryland, Auburn, Michigan State and Florida State between 2008-13. Pitt has an eight-game series through 2015 with Notre Dame, which also plays Rutgers annually starting in 2010. The Panthers meet Miami (Fla.), Virginia Tech and Clemson. Syracuse has Penn State, BC and Virginia Tech. Louisville faces Georgia and Georgia Tech. Cincinnati has home dates with N.C. State, the Buckeyes and Hokies. South Florida plays Michigan State, Miami and North Carolina. Connecticut meets Iowa, N.C. State and Virginia. "What we've asked the schools to do is play two quality BCS schools a year -- one home and one road," Carparelli said. "I can tell you that some of our schools, like West Virginia and Louisville, for example, want to play people, but not many teams are willing to come to Morgantown or Louisville to play because they might get beat. "We're a BCS conference. Our teams aren't going on the road and not get home dates in return." No one expects that, but much of the positive the Big East gained in 2006 could be drained as teams play non-BCS opponents. That will diminish telecast opportunities and could become an issue in the strength of schedule factor in the BCS computer ratings.

Prayers go out to Javon, his family, and the USF community. May God watch over him and his family at this sad time.