USFCollin

If someone interpreted my Tweet about "the other shoe," and assumed those shoes were of equal weight... well then yeah I guess that's my fault. What I had heard was both things would come out about the same time. That's all I meant. I'd like to point out that this is all due to a Tweet I made yesterday. Here's the Tweet: "So all that subtweeting I did yesterday… this was only one half of it. If true, the other shoe is dropping next week. And wow." I put in there "if true," meaning I have no idea if it's true or not yet, and by implication the severity of it either. You guys started monster threads about this, not me. Including Brad, who just took to speculating it was about the NCAA and men's basketball but otherwise had no idea. At least I waited until I got some facts that contributed something to the conversation. Granted I certainly don't have all the answers yet... but maybe by writing what I do know, someone else can build upon that and write what they know. And maybe we can start to get a clearer picture. Isn't that what we all want here?? As for the "and wow..." If you follow me, you know I write like an internet nerd. The end of our FB post yesterday about Woolard was "just... wow." Sorry for basically using a spelled version of an emoticon to express shock at the days events. You can have your sandbox back now.

Had no idea how big or small it was, which is why I wrote it when I did and the way I did. And I agree it's not big right now at all. Why does everything have to be either super-huge or total non-story??

USF just sent me this statement on the matter: “We have been contacted and are aware of concerns involving one of our student-athletes. We have initiated a review of the matter and have asked the NCAA to assist us. The student-athlete was completely certified and cleared by the NCAA Eligibility Center prior to enrolling. “

There's of course more I could say here, but I think it's better to wait and be sure. My story says that USF is being investigated by the NCAA, and that is true. I figure that's relevant news if you're a USF basketball fan. If some of you disagree with that, let me know. Also as you can see by what I wrote, the source of this investigation certainly has some credibility issues that will need to be hashed out by investigators. As far as the Letter of Inquiry: Looks like that was a semantics misunderstanding between myself and a source. Usually Letters of Inquiry come much further down the line, and this investigation isn't that far along yet. This was "the other shoe" I referred to in a Tweet yesterday, but as I dug further, less and less of it seemed to be that damming. But anytime you're investigated by the NCAA, everything you've done as a program (not just men's basketball) is fair game for the investigators. Thus news of any investigation seems newsworthy to me.

V5 is too biased to cover a beat. At least they provide something to read. The bias would subside if they were face to face with coaches and administrators on a near daily or weekly basis. It's hard to call someone a rat everyday and look them in the eye and rely on them for information. We have the same credentials the Joey's and Jeff and everyone else does. And I stand there and look everyone in the eye each and every time. We have opinions, we back them up with facts... and we can disagree with people without being disagreeable. As to us being biased... Brad all I can tell you is I'd say history has proven us right. Except about men's basketball this season (which we thought was going to be outstanding, and clearly isn't), we've tried to be as honest and unfiltered as possible. That's both good and bad.

When he sees some traffic to V5 via Google Analytics from here... sure I'll post something If anyone ever has questions about what we write or why we write it, shoot me an email or leave a comment on our site anytime. I don't check in here as often anymore as running my own site is plenty enough USF for me on the whole.

That's a good opinion Collin. if I showed the emails I received from players planning their statements and what stories they would tell, starting with some key players in USF history, you might be surprised. There was one specific player who would hate to be mentioned, that on a daily basis reported how many others he got to tell the same story. This is all because he was angry at Leavitt. You can probably figure it out. you're a smart guy. But wrong on this one. Very wrong. Brad, are you alleging a Nixonian level of conspiracy to get Jim Leavitt fired was engineered by his players? Or are you implicating the administrators, lawyers, and athletics personnel that handled the investigation as well? How high up the food chain does this witch hunt go? Judy? The Board of Trustees?? Slick1ru2 makes my point as well, which is even if he didn't hit Miller (which I can't or won't ever believe because of the stories that have been told to me by highly credible people I respect), he absolutely interfered in the investigation which is grounds for termination. And if he didn't do anything wrong, why would he feel the need to interfere in the investigation in the first place?? As Brad can recall I was once the subject of a university (and NCAA) investigation myself, and going through it totally sucks, but I sure as hell never conspired with anyone to make sure all the stories were straight. I just told the truth, and it worked out fine. Jim Leavitt clearly didn't do that. It's possible his due process rights were trampled during what might have been a sub-par university investigation, and that's an argument that might hold some water. But what you're alleging, at least on the surface, sounds like tinfoil hat stuff. I have great respect for what Leavitt did for our university and our football program, but he put the administration in a completely untenable situation. And if you know differently and can prove it, I think you have some responsibility to do so. Also, and this isn't a knock Brad as you live where you do because of your family and your employment, I'm on the ground here in Tampa every day. I write things that are quite tough for many people to read and hear, and are often pointed at certain members of the university community. But I show up at every game and event I can, look them in the eye, shake their hands, and take their feedback directly. You're over 2000 miles away and are trying to ascertain truth from over a keyboard most of the time. I've tried to do that before too (when I lived in Philly & Vegas), and it just doesn't work. The things you'll be told face to face, as opposed to over a phone line or email, are night and day. It's the personal touch in relationships that makes the difference in finding out what's really happening. It's also the reason we've been so critical; because we knew how bad it really was. The official party line never worked on me, because I would go right past it and ask the people involved directly. Those people were my former co-workers, colleagues, and friends, and they knew our reckoning was coming. It's here. Exhibit A is basically everything right now. A completely undertalented football team in a marginal conference with a shrinking fan base. And we knew this was going to happen, so we screamed from the top of our lungs that it was all a house of cards. We got called haters, turncoats, or even "former Athletics employees... arrogant,... having a constantly negative view... making a market out of bashing their former employer - even if short on facts." I stand by everything we've said. And if the time and place comes again, I'll say it again if necessary. But I'm sure as hell not alleging that basically the university conspired to fire Jim Leavitt.

Jim Leavitt lied to a university investigation about his actions. When he was given an opportunity to recant, he didn't. He also interfered with a university investigation. This isn't opinion, these are facts. I've talked to at least eight people that were in the locker room that night, and (off the record of course) they'll tell you he hit Joel Miller. Joel wasn't a saint himself, and honestly no one in the entire investigation availed themselves well on any side, but he lied to his bosses and investigators repeatedly. Jim had to go not for his on-field performance, but how he handled a very serious matter away from it. If he had fessed up, apologized, and dealt with what would have been rather inconsequential consequences (something akin a one-game suspension and a fine most likely), he might still be here. But why we're still talking about this four years later is mystifying. Here's the report. Read it. Scroll to Page 27 Paragraph 5. That's why he's not here anymore. As to the original topic of this thread: I'd answer that, but then I'd get blamed for being too negative about USF because I guess everything is just hunky dory. Or maybe I was supposed to act like everything is fine even though I could clearly see Rome burning all around me. Read what I and my partners have written for the last three years, and see the status of USF Athletics presently. Now tell us we were wrong.

Wags we got you listed as a sophomore... don't you have a few more years before you plan on joining those of us who lack talent for anything but eating free nachos and sunflower seeds in the press box? I'm sure our sports information and marketing departments would love to have you, as we get a great deal of our help from former s/a's... but don't you plan on flying to Omaha by the time your a senior?? 8-)

If you really want to nerd it up... I don't have it in front of me, but I had his OPS before last night (on base pct. + slugging pct.) at 1.170. That's a basically ridiculous number Barry Bonds at his juiced up peak would envy. It did lead the team. Again, small sample size for a guy who only has a few starts... but with his rather small strike zone, he can really work counts and get on base. Once there, he's a threat to move all the time. My question is can he earn himself a leadoff spot, and put Walter Diaz (another guy who really knows how to work an AB) in the two hole?

This is everything through last night. I'll see if I can get the splits and fielding stats posted somewhere as well tomorrow: http://www.gousfbulls.com/pdf4/67824.pdf?ATCLID=236661&SPSID=36644&SPID=2917&DB_OEM_ID=7700 Amy is our SID, and thus arbiter of all things statistical. I do the scoreboard, but have been helping call games as well as we get Amy caught up on how to score an NCAA game (and she's doing a great job). The minutia of figuring out which runs are earned and unearned is the coolest nerd task ever. I believe we had 31 errors going into last nights game (which frankly isn't too hot), and we do have a tendency to kick it around in bunches. We looked good last night with the glove however, and it'll get better as the season goes along and guys settle into their positions (Maruszak at 3rd, Butler at 2nd). And remember, I'm a tough scorer... I pass out errors like candy . I know Wags appreciates that, or at least his ERA will. Keep in mind the error is possibly the most misleading statistic in sports. You can commit one making an incredible play on a smashed ground ball, then pick up an E5 for making a bad throw you really shouldn't have been making in the first place. Yet you don't receive an error for a infield pop up that lands between two fielders because neither one of them called for the ball. That's a hit because there's no place in baseball for the needed statistic of a "team error," and errors of omission (like throwing to the wrong base) aren't considered errors either. Basically I'm saying fielding statistics lie, dammit. Our late inning ERA isn't going to be great if you look at the season long stat as well (don't have it in front of me). The Gator game alone would blow that of proportion, and even 18 games in the sample size would be too small. The bully for sure passes the eye test however Brad, they're deep and have plenty of options you feel comfortable going to late in a game. And as Wags said, 1.50 the last 6 is a good number. Higgins pitched 2.1 very well last night, including working out of a jam in the 6th, but hit a wall starting the 9th. Sanford came in with two on and a two run lead with none out and got the save. That's how you have to do it in college baseball... go with who's hot, then go with who's next when hot runs out of gas. You can do that when you've got plenty of arms and only play 4 games a week.

Looks like we have plenty to sweat tonight night. ESPN Bracketology has the women's team as one of the last two in, a 12 seed playing Baylor in Los Angeles on Saturday. Everyone think good thoughts, and say a small prayer to your favorite deity. Let's hope we get there!

Jim, He had coached more consecutive seasons at the D-1 level without an NCAA appearance before today. Sorry if I phrased that wrong. And congrats to him for the nod today, Va Tech is a dangerous team that's for sure.

You're right. My fault.... the latest win we have in the NIT was the Elite Eight in '95, where we lost to Marquette under Paschal. We joined C-USA that Fall. Whoops.

OK I can't take this anymore... We're not hiring one of the best coaches in college basketball who's father built the program, who grew up as a ball boy for the team, and who's set to double his salary in DC, to come to a competing Big East school. That's setting us up for failure when we do make a hire, and a ridiculous proposition. Let's be clear about a few things here: Only one person who has ever coached this program has coached another college basketball game in his career after leaving USF (Seth Greenberg). He's a four seed this weekend, but before today was the longest-tenured coach in D-1 without an NCAA appearance, the majority of that tenure with us. And it's not because he can't coach. Since we moved to "major" conference basketball in 1995 (and I count the old C-USA as a major league, as constituted it certainly was), we've finished in the top half our our league twice, and never in the top third. We have appeared in a conference tournament semifinal once (2004 in Memphis). We've appeared in two NIT's, with one win. We're not getting a currently winning high major coach to step into this situation. Why would one? The ravenous basketball fanbase we have? The outstanding facilities? The deep and storied tradition? The great way this area supports college basketball (worst attendance for an ACC Tournament ever this weekend)? The buckets of money we're able to throw at a potential coach? I don't know what some of you are thinking here, but I would encourage you to be realistic. The assets of great weather and the opportunity to build something without the media microscope in a major conference are for sure assets. The patience of the fan base, by the indications of this board and the way our previous coach was treated, certainly aren't. We will get a good coach, and I look forward to seeing who it is. I don't mind guessing as to whom it might be, as I'm doing the same. But to paraphrase a current Big East coach during his tenure in the NBA: "John Wooden isn't walking through that door. Roy Williams isn't walking through that door. And Al Maguire isn't walking through that door."