achiever1911

Maybe some of the bandwagon Bucs fans will jump on the USF bandwagon! GO BULLS!!

2 tickets (Sec 109 Row C Seats 19 & 20) for USF-UCONN game on October 7th. Face value for each ticket is $31, but I'm willing to sell pair for $50. Link of seating chart at Ray Jay: http://www.ticketmaster.com/seatingchart/106526/2034/ Please e-mail bcamp10331@aol.com if interested. GO BULLS!!

That will really increase season ticket sales playing Buffalo, Ball State and Western Kentucky. Again, I hope Doug has something good to come out of this atrocious scheduling decision.

I'm still scratching my head regarding us wanting to play those 3 teams. Hopefully Doug has something good up his sleeve in the near future. Maybe the I-AA opponent we will play home annually is FAMU which wouldn't be that bad. Only time will tell.

http://www.tbo.com/sports/bulls/MGBETNB51SE.html TAMPA - When the University of South Florida ends its football series with Central Florida in 2008, the Bulls will have a very good reason. USF would rather play home-and-home series with Mid-American teams Buffalo and Ball State and Division I-AA Western Kentucky, which could move to I-A by 2009. The Bulls also have future home-and-home series with BCS schools Miami, Kansas, North Carolina, Indiana, Michigan State and N.C. State and are in discussions with Illinois. USF also plans to play an annual home game against a I-AA opponent. Despite USF and UCF being located 98 miles apart, USF has shown no interest in playing UCF. Last year's inaugural game - and the continuation of the series through 2008 - only came about when Conference USA required the Bulls to play UCF as part of USF's C-USA exit agreement. Last year's game in Tampa drew 45,139, the third-largest home crowd in USF history. It was only 135 less than USF vs. No. 12 West Virginia and nearly 12,000 more than USF's first Big East home game vs. No. 9 Louisville. Both of those were last year. However, based on USF's discussions with Buffalo, Western Kentucky and Ball State - and current series with Sun Belt members Florida International and Florida Atlantic - the 2008 USF-UCF game will be the last. "How many Florida schools are you going to play?" USF coach Jim Leavitt said. "We've played Miami, Central Florida, Florida International, and FAU, and where are you going to go with all of it?" USF athletic director Doug Woolard said he works with Leavitt on the schedule. Woolard wants USF to play seven home games when possible. "We seek games that seem to fit for us from a balance standpoint competitively home and away," he said. UCF coach George O'Leary said he welcomes an annual USF series. "I'd like to continue the series each and every year," O'Leary said in July. "I can't get a 12th game better than South Florida. From a distance and fan base standpoint, I think it's an ideal game to play." USF's players agree. "Both cities are off I-4, two teams are trying to get a rivalry like Florida-Florida State, why not play?" USF junior Trae Williams said. "Why it shouldn't be played? I can't think of a reason why." Added USF junior Mike Jenkins: "It's already like a rivalry. A lot of guys know each other, a lot of trash talking. I would rather play UCF than a Sun Belt or Mid-American team." CURRY OUT FOR YEAR: USF's men's basketball team lost another player to a season-ending injury when 6-foot-4 freshman shooting guard Dante Curry suffered an Achilles' injury. Also, senior forward Melvyn Richardson suffered a foot injury and will miss a few weeks. In July, freshman point guard Chris Howard suffered a season-ending torn ACL for a second consecutive season. Reporter Brett McMurphy can be reached at (813) 259-7928 or bmcmurphy@ tampatrib.com.

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bullspen.com got some well deserved pub! GO BULLS!

We need an OCS like yesterday!

http://www.tbo.com/sports/bulls/MGBOQ3Y5HRE.html TAMPA - They came in droves to the University of South Florida's athletic facility Tuesday. Newspaper reporters from Tampa, Bradenton, Lakeland, Sarasota and Pinellas County along with an Associated Press reporter. Even all the local television stations showed up. They all were there for USF's season-opening football news conference. It was a chance to interview USF coach Jim Leavitt for the upcoming season and Saturday's game against McNeese State and speak with quarterbacks Pat Julmiste and Matt Grothe about their ongoing battle to become USF's starter. Leavitt took exactly 1 minute, 59 seconds to answer seven questions before leaving the room like his game film was on fire. Roger Mooney of the Bradenton Herald, who drove 50 minutes from Bradenton and spent 10 minutes trying to find a parking spot, walked into the news conference at 1:03 p.m., just as Leavitt was leaving. If Leavitt's two-minute drill wasn't bad enough, the quarterbacks never showed up, denying the media their only opportunity to interview them this week. Apparently, they were told by the coaches not to attend. Lakeland Ledger writer Patrick Zier came specifically to speak to Leavitt and Grothe, a Lakeland Lake Gibson product. Zier managed two questions: "Have you named a starting quarterback yet?" "No." "Will both kids play this Saturday?" "Uh, unsure. Unsure." "I think Jim's missing an opportunity to promote this program," said Zier, who has worked at the Ledger for 30 years. "He wants to bring the program up to the level of Florida, Florida State and Miami, but when he limits access and things like that, I think it makes it tougher for him to do that." Since The Tampa Tribune reported Sunday that three USF starters have been suspended for a second positive drug test, Leavitt has been curt in his dealings with the media. He also banned his assistants from talking to the media this season, a first for Leavitt. "Anyone who has spent any time at all with Coach Leavitt understands his intense focus," USF assistant AD John Gerdes said. "He has determined it is in his team's best interest to set all its focus on this week's opening game and if he believes that includes limiting media access, that's his call as the head coach." Leavitt's two-minute drill also disappointed USF fans, who paid $8 for a week of USF's "Press Pass" service, which provided video of Tuesday's news conference. Brad Meyer, of Higley, Ariz., paid $79.95 for a year of USF's "Press Pass," which featured only 22 seconds of Leavitt's interview. "There's some very good archived video and audio, but the news conference today was disappointing," said Meyer, who runs a USF fan Web site, TheBullsPen.com. "I had hoped to hear more from Coach Leavitt." NOTE: USF announced a home-and-home series with N.C. State. The Bulls visit the Wolfpack on Sept. 27, 2008, and host N.C. State on Sept. 13, 2014. Reporter Brett McMurphy can be reached at (813) 259-7928 or bmcmurphy@tampatrib.com.

http://www.sptimes.com/2006/08/23/Sports/Don_t_count_on_it.shtml Don't count on it By GARY SHELTON, Times Sports Columnist Published August 23, 2006 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Another year, another Peach Bowl. Another season, another chance to hope tomorrow looks like yesterday. That’s the thing about college football in the state of Florida: It’s impossible to drive toward a new season without glancing in the rear view mirror. It’s like making pottery two years after the Ming Dynasty ended; it is never too soon to think about the way things used to be. Back in the day, the teams of this state used to be more than pretty good. Time was, and you could ask your father about this, or his father, the Florida teams were a force of nature. Someone was going to win a national title and someone else was going to be close and someone else, usually Florida, was going to have something to say about it. It was as much a part of football as fuzzy mascots. So it is that we are presented with a new canvas and a familiar pair of questions: Will the teams from Florida ever be great again? And can it be this year? If you are searching for clues, last week’s AP preseason poll suggested … “perhaps.’’ Florida was ranked seventh, FSU 11th and Miami 12th. That means the teams are in striking distance, but really, no one expects them to strike. Why would they? It seems like a million years ago when Florida was the throne room of college football. Over a 20-season span, from 1983-2002, Florida colleges won eight national titles. Eight other times, they were in position to win it if they could have won their bowl game. Sixteen title berths in two decades isn’t bad. It was an amazing run, and in today’s game, it was completely illogical. Fans, of course, expect the next 20 years to go pretty much the same. Ah, but the trophies are fading. It has been six years since FSU won a national title. For Florida, it has been a decade. And though Miami has won five national titles, only one has come in the past 15 seasons. The teams haven’t been awful, for the most part; they just haven’t been what they were. In college football, this isn’t rare. Back in the days of flying wedges, Yale used to quite the beast, too. And Minnesota and Army and, heck, even Nebraska. A lot of schools are chasing who they used to be. Southern California has done it, and Oklahoma isn’t far off, and this year, Ohio State might get there. You could make a case that Texas. Notre Dame and Alabama are still chasing. As far as the local schools, here’s the gut feeling: Florida is still two years away. FSU is a year away. If Miami doesn’t do it it this year, it may be a head coach away. As far as a move toward the top of the poll, this is a crucial season for all three programs. And, yes, I think all three of them will be better than they were a year ago. But national contenders? That’s a stretch. He has only been on the job a year, but it’s hard not to be impressed with Urban Meyer at Florida. The first things you look for in a new coach are his ability to recruit (check) and his ability to adapt (check). Meyer came into a situation last year where his personnel didn’t fit his playbook, and down the stretch, he tweaked it to make it fit. Still, it’s a lot to ask of a coach to be a national championship contender in Year 2. The line is too thin and the schedule is too daunting, and still, the quarterback isn’t a good fit. Chris Leak isn’t as terrible as his critics would tell you, but he’s not suited for an offense that wants a quarterback to run. It’s like trying to put a glove on a foot. Give Meyer a chance to get his own quarterback under center, and then give that quarterback a year to ripen. Then we’ll see. As far as FSU, the Seminoles are going to be better because, for the first time in five years, they won’t have a quarterback who plays like a freshman. (Four of those years, it was Chris Rix, who never did get beyond rookie mistakes.) If the line holds up, the offense could be pretty good. For FSU, however, there are too many doubts about the defense. Consider: FSU had three No. 1 draft picks ( Antonio Cromartie also was drafted No. 1, but he didn’t play last year) on last year’s defense, and it still allowed 20 or more points in nine games. Still, if FSU gets past Miami in the opener, the schedule is soft enough to allow its fans to hope. You could say the same for Miami. Opening night is crucial for the Hurricanes. If you check Miami’s schedule  games against Florida A&M and Florida International; one supposes Florida Atlantic was busy  then the Hurricanes could make some noise if they can survive FSU. If not, everyone else is going to make the noise, and most of it is going to be directed at Larry Coker. Put it this way, if Coker ends up with his third straight Peach Bowl bid, it’s going to be a hand-him-his-hat trick. In other words, there is a chasm between what the fans expect and what the nation expects. This is the second straight season where no Florida college was ranked in the top five in the preseason poll. It’s the first time since 1983-84 that the Florida schools have had a two-year absence from the preseason top five. Heck, in 1991 and 1992, all three teams were in the top five. Three other times, all three have been in the top six. Of course, it isn’t where a team starts; it’s where it finishes. By and large, though, the preseason poll has been a pretty good indicator. From ’83-04, the Florida teams were predicted to finish in the top five 33 times. They finished in the top five 34 times. Perhaps that is why the expectations remain high. Perhaps that is why, with every year the schools settle toward the bottom of the Top 20, talking about the glory days sounds more like old folks talking about the Gipper. For Florida schools, this season is the time to take a step back toward college football’s elite. Enough with the “peachy’’ seasons. How about some more great ones?

Good for them!

http://www.tbo.com/sports/bulls/MGBN4P4U5RE.html BULLS COMMITMENT: Wharton right-handed pitcher Derrick Stultz verbally committed to South Florida, the Bulls' eighth commitment for the 2007-08 season. After playing sparingly for Gaither last season, the 6-foot-4, 200-pound Stultz transferred to Wharton for his senior year. As a junior at Gaither, Stultz was 1-0 with a 5.25 ERA. He also was a member of Tampa's Colt World Series championship team in 2005. Stultz said he chose USF because of new pitching coach Lazer Collazo and being able to play close to home. "The pitching coach is good," Stultz said. "I heard he can work his magic and turn me into a better pitcher. I'm glad to get this decision made so I can concentrate on my senior year."

Cowboys win 30-7, does that answer your question?

More good news........ Third year's the charm for USF to hit $300M After inching close to the $300-million mark for two years, the University of South Florida raked in $310-million in state, local and federal research dollars for the budget year that ended June 30, USF president Judy Genshaft announced Friday. That's $23-million more than last year and 65 percent more than five years ago. Among public Florida universities, only the University of Florida brings in more: close to $500-million. USF also improved its ranking in U.S. News & World Report's annual report on America's best colleges, moving from a fourth-tier institution to a third-tier. Robert Chang, USF's vice president for research, already has a new goal - breaking the $400-million mark. http://www.sptimes.com/2006/08/19/Tampabay/News_and_notes.shtml

I just received 2 of the chairs with the matching logo bag which are awesome. Can't wait to break them in at tailgate! GO BULLS!

He might have jumped off a cliff! ;D

Check out the schools they turned down in committing to USF. GO BULLS!!

I would love to play Georgia Southern as our IAA opponent. I too would like to have another shot at Georgia Southern. Have a close friend that's a GSU alum who is always rubbing their wins in my face. GO BULLS!

Here's another poll to try on for size........ Men’s Soccer Ranked No. 18 In NSCAA Preseason Top 25 Poll Courtesy: USF Release: 08/15/2006 Courtesy: USF TAMPA, Fla. (August 15, 2006) – The University of South Florida men’s soccer team has been recognized as one of the nation’s elite, earning a ranking of No. 18 in the NSCAA Preseason Top 25 Poll as announced today. The Bulls finished 2005 with a 13-6-2 record, including wins over No. 3 St. John’s (1-0 on Oct. 15), No. 16 Seton Hall (3-2 in OT on Sept. 16) and No. 21 Georgetown (3-1 on Sept. 18), while claiming the 2005 BIG EAST Red Division title last season. Picked to win the Red Division in 2006, USF returns 10 starters, including Preseason All-BIG EAST selections Rodrigo Hidalgo, Jordan Seabrook and Yohance Marshall. Four teams from the BIG EAST are represented in this year’s preseason poll – No. 2 Connecticut, No. 15 Notre Dame, No. 17 St. John’s and No. 18 USF. USF will kick off its 2006 campaign on Aug. 25 with a road contest versus in-state rival FIU. Game time is 8 p.m. The Bulls will face three teams listed in the preseason poll this season, including No. 14 Duke (Sept. 3), No. 15 Notre Dame (Sept. 8) and No. 17 St. John’s (Oct. 21). Below is the complete 2006 NSCAA Preseason Top 25 Poll: NSCAA Preseason Top 25 Poll 1. Maryland 2. Connecticut 3. New Mexico 4. Virginia t5. North Carolina t5. Clemson 7. SMU 8. Creighton 9. Akron 10. UCLA 11. California 12. Indiana 13. Penn State 14. Duke 15. Notre Dame 16. Wake Forest 17. St. John’s 18. USF 19. CS Northridge 20. Santa Clara 21. UNC Greensboro 22. UC Santa Barbara 23. Old Dominion 24. South Carolina 25. Washington http://www.gousfbulls.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=7700&ATCLID=542062

Got to love it!!

The Ladybulls should still make some noise this year despite the loss. GO BULLS!

I'm a Cowboys fan and highly take offense to your statement! ;D So, what NFL team are you a fan of? GO BOYS!! GO BULLS!!

Just a footnote, individual tickets for the luncheon are $25 for Alumni Association members and $30 for Non Alumni Association members.

Have had a Bulls plate on all the cars I've had since 93.

There is a God! GO BULLS!!