Bullsfan

WOMEN'S BASKETBALL: Ashley McCray, a 6-foot-4 center regarded to be one of the top recruits in USF's freshman class, failed to qualify academically. Big East schools don't accept nonqualifiers, and McCray, who averaged 15.6 points and 14.1 rebounds at Sanford Seminole last season, can sign at any Division I school that does.

http://www.sptimes.com/2006/08/15/Sports/Gator_guard_has_broke.shtml

This might be the best website for USF merchandise out there right now.

Even if we had a healthy Chris Howard and the other PGs, one thing we have learned in the past with USF bball, you can never have enough depth.  Take the kid in and he will bring great PR to the team.  

Washington to South Florida via Memphis?

Posted August 10, 2006 by Brett McMurphy

The title of this blog isn’t a bad connection on Delta Airlines, but rather an improbable but true transfer possibility that nearly happened: former Memphis point guard Darius Washington coming to the University of South Florida.

Weeks before the deadline for underclassmen to remove their names from the June NBA Draft, an “associate†of Washington’s told a Memphis reporter that Washington, who already indicated he wasn’t returning to Memphis next season, was interested in transferring to USF.  Apparently Washington, an Orlando Edgewater graduate, was intrigued about the chance of playing close to his hometown and in the Big East. Washington was serious enough about USF that Washington’s “associate†contacted USF coach Robert McCullum.

The “associate†told McCullum they needed to know immediately if USF would take him. At the time, USF had a healthy Chris Howard (although a month later he tore his ACL) and incoming freshman Solomon Bozeman at the point. Also, Washington hadn’t removed his name from the draft and there were some concerns about Washington’s academic situation. So McCullum told Washington’s “associate†at that time he was not interested. Washington’s “associate†did not contact USF again.

There’s no guarantee, of course, that Washington would have come to USF even if McCullum had said yes. Also, Washington would have had to sit out the 2006-07 season at USF and likely have played only one season before turning pro. But, if Washington had decided to come to Tampa, USF’s “Team Transfer†would have had a pretty impressive core group for the 2007-08 season: Washington, Jesus Verdejo, Kentrell Gransberry and Aris Williams.

Saturday the Bulls leave for Italy for their 12-day foreign tour. USF senior PG Chris Capko will write an exclusive blog for TBO. Capko is one of seven Bulls making the trip along with senior F Melvin Buckley, senior F McHugh Mattis, senior G Eddie Lovett, senior F Melvyn Richardson, sophomore F Aris Williams and freshman F Zaronn Cann.

However, Cann will not play because he still hasn’t been cleared after injuring his knee last season, leaving USF with only six players for five games - Rome Select (Aug. 14), Firenze Select (Aug. 17), Giants Marghera (Aug. 18), Vern Sisterni Basket Forli (Aug. 20) and Omegna Basket (Aug. 21). I’d hate to think what would happen if USF suffers any injuries over there.

If you want to comment on whether USF should have taken a chance on Washington, the upcoming Italy trip or anything else, please remember there is a new policy about posting on the Tribune/TBO blogs. Comments will not be posted unless a first and last name is given. I realize some people want to remain anonymous, so if you choose to use your own first and last name that’s up to you. Ciao!

http://www.tboblogs.com/index.php/sports/related/C127/

I don't know if this was written in this thread or not but this kind of a slap in our faces.  Brighthouse has a field out in Clearwater, if anything they should sponsor something of ours and not UCF.  

http://www.philly.com/mld/dailynews/15230869.htm

John Smallwood | Reed clears this hurdle just fine

BETHLEHEM - I've never been bothered by athletes invoking spiritualism as a reason for their triumphs.

I understand why some people are offended or taken aback by it, but personally, if I were a fan and a player on my team said God helped him score a touchdown, I'd probably just say,

"Hallelujah" and "Amen."

But even if you don't believe in a higher being or feel it's just not worth his/her time to worry about the outcome of sporting events, sometimes something happens in someone's life that convinces that person that a higher authority is guiding things.

If you've paid any attention to the saga of Eagles kickoff returner and backup safety J.R. Reed, you can't fault him for believing that his astonishing and ongoing comeback is "literally a miracle from God."

A year ago at this time, Reed's career was in limbo due to a freak accident. As he was scaling a chain-link fence to elude a dog, a metal spike caught his left calf, and left him dangling and bleeding profusely. He sustained damage to the peroneal nerve in his left leg, which affected the use of his lower leg and foot.

Back then, the primary concern was whether Reed would be able to walk normally again. He still has a slight limp.

Yet yesterday, Reed was back at practice, 2 days after playing in his first NFL game since

Super Bowl XXXIX.

Rarely has a meaningless

preseason game meant so much.

The self-motivated workouts, the minicamps, even the practices during the first 2 weeks of training camp mattered - but they didn't really matter.

Sunday's Hall of Fame game against the Oakland Raiders was always going to be the true test.

Up until then, everything about Reed's comeback was

little more than speculation.

The only way to find out for sure if he would be capable of again playing in an NFL game would be his actually playing in one.

Now, that is done.

Yesterday, Reed went back to practice knowing he again is physically capable of playing in the NFL.

Now, he's just like every other player in Eagles camp - a guy trying to prove he is good enough to make the team.

And, yes, Reed feels that is a blessing from above.

"This has brought me that much closer to God," Reed said. "If it doesn't kill me, it's going to make me stronger. Nobody thought I could do this. It was just me, my fiancee, and God. This has been the hardest thing ever. It's gone from depression to getting back out here, trying to get it strong again. It's been fighting the odds.

"Everyone keeps asking me about my leg. What percentage is it at? I'm out there playing, so what percentage does it need to be? It's all mental for me now."

Of course, there is a long way to go. Reed still has to earn a spot on the roster. But that's no different than in 2004, when he was drafted in the fourth round out of South Florida.

To that extent, Reed was glad the Eagles coaches didn't treat him like a guy coming back from an injury Sunday night. He got plenty of action on special teams and in the defensive secondary.

For a player like Reed,

someone who has to prove and reprove himself each training camp, preseason games are about more than just knocking off the rust.

"I knew," Reed said of the amount of action he saw against Oakland. "They always put the younger guys in there to see what they can do. They're going to throw you in the fire to see how you react."

As a rookie in 2004, Reid returned 33 kickoffs for 761 yards (23.1 average), with a long of 66 yards. He averaged 20.5 yards on four kickoffs in Super Bowl XXXIX.

On Sunday, Reed returned a kickoff 19 yards, played on the coverage unit, went back for some punt returns and played in the secondary.

Said special-teams coordinator John Harbaugh, asked his

impressions of Reed against the Raiders: "I'd say favorable. He played really fast, aggressive.

"As a return guy, he has the one return where he really hit it up in there well. There wasn't much room, but he got some good yards. He didn't get a

returnable punt, but he made good decisions."

Harbaugh said that so far Reed looks as good as he did when he showed so much

promise as a rookie.

"Maybe something will show up as we go along, but based on that game he looks like the same player. I think any rational person would have kind of counted [Reed] out, based on that injury.

"It's a great story. I hope it's yet to be played out."

For J.R. Reed, it's a story of faith - whether you approve of him saying that or not.

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

That Amari Jackson is not in the picture with the other WR???

I don't know how to post the picture from Mike G's Gallery from yesterday's media day.

My problem with the band is that they play at the worst possible time (when our offense is in the huddle or going to the line of scrimmage)

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=2544174

Pretty interesting article as far as rule changes.

what's the website again for this place?

W Volleyball - 2006 Schedule & Results  Season

Date  Opponent  Location  Time (EST)  Results  Media  

Aquafina Invitational  

Fri, Aug 25   Florida  at Gainesville, FL    7 p.m.      

Sat, Aug 26   vs. Arkansas State  at Gainesville, FL    5 p.m.      

USF Best Western Invitational  

Fri, Sep 01   Illinois-Chicago  Tampa, FL    7 p.m.      

Sat, Sep 02   UTEP  Tampa, FL    12 p.m.      

Sat, Sep 02   Towson  Tampa, FL    6 p.m.      

USF Smoothie King Invite  

Fri, Sep 08   Jacksonville  Tampa, FL    7 p.m.      

Sat, Sep 09   Wright State  Tampa, FL    12 p.m.      

Sat, Sep 09   Texas Tech  Tampa, FL    6 p.m.      

Regency Suites Midtown Classic  

Fri, Sep 15   vs. Stetson  at Atlanta, GA    12 p.m.      

Fri, Sep 15   Georgia Tech  at Atlanta, GA    7:30 p.m.      

Sat, Sep 16   vs. Sam Houston State  at Atlanta, GA    2 p.m.      

Tue, Sep 19   UCF  at Orlando, FL    7 p.m.      

Sun, Sep 24   Seton Hall *  Tampa, FL    2 p.m.      

Fri, Sep 29   Syracuse *  Tampa, FL    5 p.m.      

Sun, Oct 01   Marquette *  Tampa, FL    2 p.m.      

Sat, Oct 07   West Virginia *  at Morgantown, WV    2 p.m.      

Sun, Oct 08   Pittsburgh *  at Pittsburgh, PA    2 p.m.      

Wed, Oct 11   North Florida  at Jacksonville, FL    7 p.m.      

Sat, Oct 14   Georgetown *  at Washington, DC    1 p.m.      

Fri, Oct 20   Villanova *  Tampa, FL    7 p.m.      

Sun, Oct 22   Rutgers *  Tampa, FL    2 p.m.      

Fri, Oct 27   Connecticut *  at Storrs, CT    7 p.m.      

Sun, Oct 29   St. John's *  at Queens, NY    2 p.m.      

Fri, Nov 03   DePaul *  Tampa, FL    7 p.m.      

Sun, Nov 05   Notre Dame *  Tampa, FL    1 p.m.      

Sat, Nov 11   Louisville *  at Louisville, KY    2 p.m.      

Sun, Nov 12   Cincinnati *  at Cincinnati, OH    2 p.m.      

BIG EAST Championship  

Thu, Nov 16 -

Sun, Nov 19   TBD  at Cincinnati, OH    TBD      

Sat, Nov 25   Florida A&M  Tampa, FL    5 p.m.      

European Tour Practice Report: Senior Guard Chris Capko  

Courtesy: USF

           Release: 08/08/2006

http://www.gousfbulls.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=7700&ATCLID=533652

 Courtesy: USF

Senior guard Chris Capko recaps the team's practice sessions to this point for the upcoming European tour to Italy (August 12-23).

Practice is finally here! We have started practice for our foreign tour to Italy and the players and coaches couldn't be more excited.

The first day, coach McCullum had us going full throttle, playing against former Bulls Terrence Leather, Will McDonald, Solomon Jones, Marlyn Bryant and coach Reggie Kohn. We started off slow, but got better as the practice went on - which is normal for a first day.  We still have a couple of guys trying to get acclimated to the offense, but their effort has compensated for any inexperience.

As for the trip, most of the players have never been to Europe and can't wait to take off.  I'm really looking forward to all that Italy has to offer and partaking in this once-in-a-lifetime experience. We will visit several cities throughout our tour and each city will add its own special touch to the trip.

The games will be even more fun and will do nothing but help for the upcoming season. Many teams that have taken foreign tours have benefited from these trips and we expect the same success with our trip and season.

Imagine if we had those five guys on the court at one time, what kind of season we could have had?

Yeah the manager said they were sold out of USF stuff, the place was huge inside, couldn't believe it either.  But once they have USF stuff in there, can't beat a tshirt for 7 bucks, wear it for football season, and its well worth it.

Saturday I hit up Bullsheaven, the USF golf course, the bookstore on campus and Steve and Barrys.  The best selection I would say was Bullsheaven, Bookstore prices seemed a little higher.  

Steve and Barrys has a great concept, sell stuff dirt cheap, although they were all out of USF stuff, which really sucked.  Everything in the store was $6.98 or less.

Did you USF change Logos?

The difference is that Wofford,Samford and FAMU are giving us a HOME game without a return game. FIU gave us a 2-1.

So in reality you cant compare the deals unless we are turning down UCF on similar deals.

But how much money are we possibly making by playing McNeese St, Wofford and Samford?  Ray Jay will be empty for those games.  I'm just saying, from a money making stand point, I think it makes more sense to play UCF vs those teams.  It gets our players ready for Big East play.  

between playing UCF every year or playing these D2 schools?  Is there an advantage of playing the McNeese States or Woolford?  Do we not play those type of schools each year?

thanks, couldnt' remember.  I went onto NC State's website and they have a little ad pop up with a pre-order for a football jersey.  I don't understand why USF doesn't do this.

Have we filled the hole's on our football staff yet?  Can't remember.

If he injured it again on the Sun Dome floor that would be like the 8th season ending injury that the new floor has caused.  

I read his article in this weeks SI and couldn't stop laughing, looking at those pictures really help explain what he was writing.  Looks like a brilliant invention.

Gotta give some love to the Jamaican Bobsled team in Cool Runnings.

Winning solves all problems.  We win, they will cover.