USFFan

Just like we forced Army to pass the ball to beat us?

And still Army didn't rush for over 400 yards against us.

Hopefully this year we're teaching our players to actually tackle instead of just hitting...

USFFan

I just don't see any way in which USF is going to give up 400+ yards on the ground to anybody.  We've never done it before, and we're not going to start with the Mountaineers.  If they're that 1 dimensional, we'll force them to pass the ball to beat us.  

USFFan

Re: the golf

I think it should be known that the golf aspect is a big moneymaker...Charging $30 for a dinner is not as big a money maker.  I think there has to be a delicate balance, and allowing non-golfers to attend the dinner was one way to do so.  Golf often attracts funds in excess of the $125 tournament fee, there are hole sponsorhips, and likely other raffles, etc. that generate funds.

While not all play golf, it is still a way to bring in new funds at a good margin.

Not to mention 4 hours with a USF coach and some friendly banter ("nice putt, Alice...").  I wish I were there to participate.

USFFan

While I don't necessarily disagree with you or Brad, consider this...

First, there are only about 3,500 season ticket 'holders' out there (obviously they buy multiple tickets to get us up to the 16,000 season ticket number)... So there really isn't a HUGE outpouring of support for USF, yet.

Second, the issue is one of priorities.  Work, family, and other things take precedent for a lot of USF fans ... especially during the 'off' season.

Finally, is the university offering something that people really want? I mean, why a golf tournament/outing?  I know there were dinner-only tickets... but the event was pitched as "hey, come play golf with USF's leaders"... why golf?  Do UF, FSU, and UM play golf as part of their coaches tours? (If they do, I didn't see it).  I know we want to be different, but maybe there is a reason why they don't include golf...

In some ways, though, you help make my point.  According to our own alumni website, "more than 90,000 of the 175,000 graduates of USF still live in the Tampa Bay area."  If we have 90,000 local alumni and only about 3,500 season ticket holders, that's deplorable.  Moreso because of the fact that a fair number of our season ticket holders don't even live in the Tampa Bay area, which means far less than 4 % of our local alumni are season ticket holders.  We can't get much more apathetic than that.  

USFFan

FYI - I asked on a Big East board about artificial noisemakers, and there doesn't seem to be a rule against them (although there wasn't alot of love for thundersticks...).  If this isn't a Big East restriction or a Raymond James restriction, then we definitely should pursue it...

USFFan

Seems like a great question for Tom Veit.  Maybe somebody could ask him that on Thursday...

USFFan

I assume so. Homecoming was warned by athletics not to get anything that makes noise as give-away items this year.

I don't think this is a conference thing.  I think this is a Glazers/Raymond James Stadium thing.  I truly would like to see it changed.  At Texas they use cowbells all the time - it's a great tradition.

USFFan

Yeah, Around the Horns was advertised on the official site and on the calendar here (for each individual Around the Horns event), in addition to posts...

This is what was on the calendar at TheBullsPen.com:

The "More Information" link at the bottom of the entry was a direct link to the official site's .pdf file.

It's a **** shame we only achieved "moderate success."

This is what really fries me about USF fans.  We want everything like the Big Three have - but too many sure as hell find it hard to get out of their routine to go support it.  There is no way, something as forward looking as this Around the Horns event should not be sold out.

We are making strides in many ways including the hiring of personnel, facilities improvement and athletic accountability.  But people continue to ask for things they'd like to see.  Well if "moderate success" is any indication of people actually showing - you can just about forget more events.

I can't figure it out.  I can't understand why people don't go to these events.... As Bulls fans EVERYONE needs to put their money, action, and follow through where their mouth is.  Start showing up to what is already planned and I am sure more will be planned.

Can we get a little more enthusiasm injected into our support for the Bulls?

End of rant.

Without a doubt, this is our biggest problem.  The apathy seen from the majority of our students spills over to their willingness to give time and money as alumni.  It really pisses me off...

USFFan

Just out of curiousity... is there any reason SFB.com couldn't get this kind of access??  We had two columnists last football season... it would be nice to have them do some off-season reporting... like maybe a Q&A with Rod Smith...  ??

Any chance ??

Don't know if you were being funny (or glib, Mr. Lauer), but BullsEYE did one:

http://www.usf.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=427923

USFFan

if true....it begs the question, who the hell is giving this kid advice??

All joking aside, take a look at how many Nebraska alumni are playing in the NBA and compare it to how many USF alumni are there...

USFFan

we have been  terrible on the field the last 2 years and i haven't seen any benefit of "a top 3 recruiting classes"

psu will slaughter us

the world knows about hall  

usf doesn't have a plan b

I don't personally think .500 qualifies as "terrible."  We are .500 over the last two seasons, both in conference and overall.  

Gee, maybe we should just shut the program down...

USFFan

If you never had enough reasons to quit - you do now!!!

There will be a transcript later.

Is there going to be any kind of organized get together for people who post?  I know we'll recognize smazza by the muscle shirt...  ;D  but what about the rest of us?  A 3:30 game leaves time before or after the game...

USFFan

I'd love to be there, but I can't access chats at work.   :'(

USFFan

#279 (9th round) to Texas

USFFan

Glowing reports from the IOC inspection committies for both Paris and London, Paris got slightly the better.  This lack of a confirmed stadium was a major downer for NY, and every stumble like this lessens its chances

Currently the bookies have NY in 4th behind Paris 6-1, London 7-2, Madrid 16-1, New York 33-1, Moscow 100-1

Basically there are better bids out there.  Iraq, GWB jr might come into it but not very much.  Also there might be some hangover from the Atlanta games which were widely felt to be the most commercialised olympics that were quite poorly run olympics. But they will vote on the strength of the bids and it seems the NY was not as well recieved as the others

Also news just in...

New York could withdraw 2012 bid  

New York's 2012 Olympic bid is under serious threat

New York Olympic bid leaders are to discuss whether to pull their city out of the race to host the 2012 Games.

The move comes after a state government panel refused funding for the Olympic stadium near Madison Square Garden.

New York mayor Michael Bloomberg said he would "consult with the United States Olympic Committee" on the prospect of withdrawing the bid.

He had earlier admitted that rejection of the stadium would "seriously damage" New York's chances of victory.

Bloomberg said on Tuesday that New York had "let America down".

"The [uS Olympic Committee] selected us, New York, to represent the country. Other American cities wanted to have the privilege of competing at the world level," he added.

USOC chairman Peter Ueberroth has insisted that the New York bid cannot survive without a stadium but the organisation has the final say on whether or not New York pulls out.

International Olympic Committee members would find it impossible to support a candidate who could not even guarantee the venue for the opening and closing ceremonies and the athletics events.

If New York does not go forward for the final vote against London, Paris, Moscow and Madrid in Singapore in July, it could damage US hopes of hosting future Games.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/other_sports/olympics_2012/4071332.stm

The San Francisco Bay area was the runner-up for this potential bid, even though it had all of the stadiums and necessary facilities in place, an Olympic-style village just about ready on Treasure Island and was the favorite of the original committee.  New York got it because of the sentimentality factor and because they assured the IOC that these stadiums would be approved.  San Francisco would do a much better job with the games than New York, anyway.

USFFan

Let's see, how do the Huskies own the Bulls? Hey, say what you want about the Huskies being newbies. So what if you won two games against a sorry arse squad of Huskies back in the stone ages. USF had a good Div 1AA program and were far better than anything Uconn could put on the field as a 1A team - seeing we were in tansition and did not have a full 1A roster yet. Hats off to you all and those wins do count and you SHOULD BE VERY PROUD of them. Any team that can beat my beloved Huskies has the right to be proud

Let's see.  For starters, it's hard for anybody to "own" anybody else if they've never beaten them.  You say we beat you "back in the stone ages?"  You do realize that your entire senior class from this past season (you know, the one you'll be trying to rebuild from) was on that last UConn team that we waxed 40-21, don't you?  You also realize that we not only beat you down here, we beat you up there, right?  If anybody has a right to claim ownership, it's the team that's never lost to you on the football field (ever).  

WE own YOU until you can come in to our new home and and prove you belong...

Now that's great logic.  I guess we "own" Miami, Florida State, USC, Syracuse and every other team that's never come in to our new home and proven to us that they belong.  Hell, we own the New England Patriots!

We'll let our team do the talking on the field.  Good luck with finding a new quarterback.

USFFan

Well, I would not call November 5th "winter conditions" in New Jersey... (U Conn, on the other hand, will be a cold day for us)... It will be about 60 degrees or so...

(Source: http://www.weather.com/activities/other/other/weather/climo-monthly-graph.html?locid=USNJ0348&from=search)

As for underestimating Rutgers...

They went 4-7 last year with wins over Michigan State, Kent State, Vanderbilt, and Temple (none of whom went to a bowl game , a combined 14-31)...

USF went 4-7 last year with wins over Tenn Tech, TCU, UAB, & ECU (one bowl team, and a combined record of 16-19)...

Well, the winter conditions was more of a general statement.  I lived in New Jersey long enough to know that early November is more fall-like than winter.  However, I still think that it's a stretch to say that we "probably will win" at Rutgers, when we're playing a Penn State team that had an identical record to both of us and you consider that game much more of a toss-up...

USFFan

By the way if you look at our standings you are right

LAST FIVE Years in CUSA: 3-7-6-9-6

FIRST FIVE years in CUSA: 1-3-8-5-5

So last Five years: 1 Top Five finish

First Five Years: FOUR top five finishes

Look around the state and look at when those schools got their new facilities and when was the last time USF did ANYTHING to improve baseball facilities i believe youll see a very CLEAR pattern.

Im NOT a big fan of Cardieri BUT i also can see that he is at a BIG dissadvantage with what he can offer to recruits and others in the state can offer.

I don't consider not doing something once in the last four years "consistently achieving" that which I failed to do.  

In our 10 year Conference USA history we have an overall winning percentage of .545.  Take away our first two seasons in Conference USA and we're under .500 for the last eight.  That's consistency alright - consistently mediocre.  I personally believe we can do better.  

USFFan

Im not saying we couldnt have done better.Yes we are in a talent rich area BUT so are UF,FSU,UM,UCF,Stetson,FAU,FIU, ALL of this schools have better facilities than USF and have better fan support. Go ask the baseball players in our team if they wouldnt have rather played in a nice stadium with more fan support.

Now with the new athlertic facility we have improved a bit BUT we are still behind ALL of those schools i mentioned.

I see, so now it's fan support (a problem that's not exclusive to baseball).  We don't draw flies to softball, but they're doing quite fine, thank you very much.  Same can be said for volleyball or women's basketball.  If you want fans, you have to get out there and show some interest and give them a reason to come to the ballpark.  Facilities alone don't draw fans - look at the Cleveland Indians, Milwaukee Brewers or Pittsburgh Pirates.  

Let's face it, Cardieri has coasted for the past several years, and it's clear that "if we don't get him some new facilities," we're doomed to do no better.  We also know that we won't be getting new facilities for some time (Brent suggests no sooner than 2009 on the TBO site).  Do we just sit around now for the next four years to see whether Cardieri can possibly recruit once a new stadium is built, or do we go out and find somebody who's actually driven enough to try to win with what we have?  

USFFan

I think we're an anomoly.  The fact we're consistently top 5 in C-USA despite one of the worst budgets, and the worst baseball facilities is rather amazing.

Over the past four years, USF has finished in 7th place, sixth place, ninth place and tied for sixth place.  Not only is that not "consistently top 5," it's not EVER top 5.  That's for an entire class of USF students.  Over that time span, USF has a record of 58-59 in conference (under .500).  In fact, in our entire history in Conference USA, we've only finished in the top 5 half of the time (five of the ten years).  Is that consistent?  

Over the past 8 seasons, USF has a winning percentage of 0.510.  In our Conference USA history we've only ever made the championship game once (in 10 seasons) and we got our asses handed to us in that one.  This despite being in one of the most talent-rich areas in the country.  

We're an anomaly, alright...

USFFan

I would break down our schedule like this - from Hardest to Easiest

GAMES WE PROBABLY WON'T WIN: Miami & Pittsburgh

---------------

GAMES WE COULD WIN: Penn State, Louisville, & West Virginia

---------------

GAMES WE SHOULD WIN: Syracuse & Connecticut

---------------

GAMES WE PROBABLY WILL WIN: Rutgers, Cincinnati, UCF, & FAMU

So, I figure - last year's team could go 4-7 against this schedule.

With a little improvement, we should go 6-5...

With a little luck, we could go 7-4, 8-3, or 9-2...

With God playing for us, we could go 10-1 or 11-0...

JMHO

I think you're highly underestimating Rutgers.  Let's not forget that this is the first year we're likely to have to play outdoor games under winter conditions...

USFFan

Not sure what the criteria is. We beat #1 Tulane once and lost to them twice in extra innings. We sweep #7 seed UF at home. One team in the bracket has a losing record. I don't get it. We are better than at least half the teams in the tourny.

I guess a few more wins next year and we're in.

Dropping 2 out of 3 to Eastern Michigan at home along with home losses to Army (who managed to get in the tournament) and Kent State as well as a losing record to UCF (who won 42 games and also didn't get into the tournament) probably had a lot to do with it.

Oh, and next year, our strength of schedule will drop like a stone.  

USFFan

Nobody has explained to me how a new coach with terrible facilities is going to do much better.

Naturally, I would expect the new guy to have USF in the super regionals and Omaha every year, b/c EC has as recently as 3 years ago been to the NCAAs. :

People should be careful of what they ask for. Everyone wanted a new Offensive Coordinator. We all know what happened.....

Oh btw....was Hobby that terrible a coordinator? Were he and Smith handcuffed by lack of talent at the QB position? Did Leavitt become a bad coach overnight? Did properly recruiting the QB position have anything to do with facilities, or lack thereof?  How did USF go from zero QBs to a potential QB controversy between Julmiste, Grothe, Hill and perhaps Schaefer? Could good facilities actually play a big factor in attracting talent?

That's nice, but it has nothing to do with what I said, which is that Cardieri's done nothing to improve the situation here at USF.  We can all carp about Erikson, but at least he showed passion in trying to change things.  You also never addressed the fact that the new facilities do indeed include a very nice baseball-only locker room...

If Cardieri showed 1/10 the passion for USF baseball that you're showing in defending him, we wouldn't be having this conversation.  

USFFan

Well since you asked.....EMU's stadium looks very nice.  

Hmm... well, like I said, the stadium's only a small portion of the "facilities..."

Look I don't care who the coach is, and maybe EC and USF need to part ways at the conclusion of this season....however I take issue with people who make him the scape goat for everything that ills USF baseball. It is unfair to pin our lack of success solely on EC.

EMU has the latest in high tech equipment like a phone in the press box ;^)

http://www.emich.edu/goeagles/facilities/oestrike.html

While it may be unfair, it's what comes with being a head coach for two decades.  Ultimately, he's the one who gets the credit and takes the blame.  I am certain that somebody else would be willing to do that, and might also go out and russle up some fans to sit in the stands, too.  When I was an undergrad, the Red was practically full with fans rooting for the Bulls.  Now, not so much.

USFFan