OhioBull

Guys, don't forget the weak or strong a W is a W. We may not have won big, but we have won. I live in Ohio and a few years back the Buckeyes won the National Championship one game at a time. Everyone in Ohio had rode them off because they couldn't blow out the easy teams. All year long they barely won against seemingly much weaker opponents. As the year went on they just kept finding ways to win against everyone. Don't ride this team off. We have some PTP'ers on offense and defense and when push comes to shove they are making plays. I look for this team to make a real statement this year.

This is exactly right! I was watching the game on CSTV and the entire first half I was pulling my hair out. It was obvious from my DirecTV perspective that Grothe can throw the football and throw it accurately. I couldn't believe the vanilla play-calling and the lack of agressive down-field throwing the first half. In the second half that completely changed and we realistically blew UCF off the field. We scored 17 pts in the second half to their 7. And their 7 was a gimme from a blown punt. If Rod calls the first half like the second half we win going away at something like 38-17 or worse. But I will give him credit for adjustments. Let's just hope he realized MG may be a RSF, but he plays like a seasoned veteran. Let him lead this team to the W's we all want.

1. The coaching staff played very vanilla in the first half but really opened it up in the 2nd half. Had the game been called like that the whole game we would have rolled over UCF. 2. The team played under control today. I don't know what the penalty count and yards were but it couldn't have been real high. The PF penalty was a terrible call. I saw the replay on CSTV and he was in bounds when he was hit and the player just drove through him and planted him in the turf out of bounds. I didn't see anything illegal about that, just a great hit. We need to keep up this kind of discipline. 3. The defense is not playing up to potential but will show when they need to. You could see at the end of the 3rd quarter and the 4th quarter that they got fired up and stuffed UCF. Yes, the last drive was long but there was a long, lucky scramble and a prayer of a throw by the QB that kept that drive alive. Other than that, UCF did NOTHING in the second half. Look for more of this. 4. Grothe is the QB for now and for the future. Don't take a chance on getting him hurt by running him so much. Yes, run him. But not that much. His arm is his greatest weapon, not his legs. 5. We have one heck of a great WR group. Wow! Yes, we had a couple of drive-stalling drops in the first half but they made some nice plays all day. And Grothe spread the ball around wonderfully. Something like 11 different receivers. We are going to be hard to contain with stats like that. 6. This team is only going to get better as the year goes on. 7. We miss Ricky Ponton. Get back soon and keep your head on straight. 8. Get a punter for goodness sakes!

Ponton will be back after the 2-game suspension. No probs with UCF 31-7.

2007.

Sitting in my soccer chair outside Akron getting ready to watch my son plan the first game in his labor day weekend soccer tourney.

I have been trying to reserve an opinion until after the first couple of games...but I can't resist myself. PJ will play but when push comes to shove MG will be the guy. You can just tell by reading between the lines of the coach speak. CJL is just trying to push both of them as much as possible which you can't blame him for. The harder PJ works the harder MG will work and visa-versa. CJL is just trying to get the most out of his players. PJ will play some when it doesn't count in the first couple of games and that is about it. MG will be our stud QB for the next 4 years. Mark it down!

None of this talk means anything. Whoever puts the ball in the receivers hands consistently will be playing regularly. Both QB's will play and both will be on a short leash because of the competition. The first player to step up will win and hold the position. Until then, none of this matters. Leave it for the field gentlemen. It is all about the W's.

The problem with US Soccer is it has become an organized sport. Kids in other countries (yes poor countries) simply play the game in the streets because all it take is a foot, a ball, and a space to play. Not even grass is required. These kids learn how to be creative and they learn technique from playing the game not from soccer dads who think they are doing the talented kids on the field a favor by teaching them to pass the ball instead of taking 3 kids on trying to get the elusive goal. We learn the footskills, the exact moves, and on and on and on. Our kids have creativity stolen from them and instead "technique" is emphasized. We have to do everything "just right". Soccer, like basketball, but even more so is a free-flowing game that requires technique combined with creativity. Another problem is that soccer is primarily a middle to upper class sport that is played in the suburbs. Spoiled kids play the game who don't know work ethic and have things handed to them on a silver platter. These guys in other countries have nothing and soccer is there only way out. They are motivated to play the game unlike our spoiled little wimps we call MLS players. Go to the poor neighborhoods and find the kids and just let them play the game. It is a hoot to play and a ton of fun. Bottom line, we can be a world-class soccer nation...just not the way we are trying it now.

No. MAC turned around a very poor Western Michigan team in 2-3 years. That is good coaching and good recruiting. Look at this guys record since 1996. He made an initial jump but has stagnated since 2001. He is not a winner and won't be one here either. He has reached his potential at Louisville and can be considered an average hire. We will not be better than we were under EC. Don't give me the up north argument. It is lame. A winner wins and an average coach wins sometimes and loses others. That is what this guy is. I agree with Smazza. booooooooo!

I think the guy is too much of a risk. He is not a proven winner. I would feel better about the UT coach than this guy. This guy may work out fine but right now he is just a wannabe. I think we can do better.

Ty, you have no idea what you are talking about. The World Cup is the world's ONLY true all-around competition. The winner can truly say they are the World champion. The athletic ability, stamina, and thought that is required to play soccer far exceeds any other sport that we view as important in the states. Get with the program people. THIS IS THE WORLD CUP!

UAB!  What?  Why would a player choose UAB over USF?  That is the question.  Wow, we wiffed on another descent basketball player it looks like. http://sports.tboblogs.com/index.php/sports/related/C127/

Exactly! I could not have said it better myself.

I for one do not believe that GrothE will be a backup. I think he comes out as the starter in the fall. From what I have seen of PJ and Hill, GrothE will be the man and Hill will play QB in specialty situation and will get the ball in other ways like Fisher.

Too many personal fouls...that has always been a weakness of his IMHO.

I get the impression that a lot of this is coach speak. I believe that Grothe is much better than Leavitt originally thought and he doesn't want to tip his hat too soon. Carlton was orignally named the starter and if Grothe wasn't up to the task he still would be the declared starter. I do not believe that Leavitt will go back to PJ as the starter. What I am saying is this...Grothe will be the starter.

Smazza, you are wrong. I wouldn't accept Bonds on my 11-12 year old team that I coach. He is a disgrace to himself and the game. Baseball is a good game that can teach kids many good things...one is that cheating is not good and that hard work and team work are rewarded. I am glad he is busted. He will reap what he has sown.

I thought Bonds was the freak, but Smazza and anyone else who supports him is a bigger freak. How can a cheater continue to be lifted up in our society to some level of greatness (or worse yet a role model in some eyes). I am sorry, but this is a sign of some horrible things in our culture!

http://www.sptimes.com/2006/02/24/Sports/Bulls_talk_to_ex_Miam.shtml Bulls talk to ex-Miami star about coaching position By GREG AUMAN, Times Staff Writer Published February 24, 2006 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- TAMPA - Bernard Clark, a former Miami and NFL linebacker who has been Florida International's defensive coordinator the past two seasons, has been offered a position as USF's defensive line coach and could return to his hometown as early as today. "Ordinarily, you wouldn't consider going from a coordinator to a position coach, but the fact that it's back in Tampa and a chance to be in the Big East, I'm definitely interested," said Clark, a Tampa native who graduated from Leto High and was part of two national championship teams at Miami. Clark, 39, interviewed with USF coach Jim Leavitt on Tuesday and Thursday and said Thursday night he would discuss the job with his wife, Tammy, before deciding. Clark said the chance to be close to his parents and his wife's family in Tampa appeal to him. "To me, it's never about the money," said Clark, whose experience in Tampa and Miami would give the Bulls another tie in two key recruiting areas. The Bulls are seeking to replace Earl Lane, who had been USF's defensive line coach for the program's nine-year history. He resigned two weeks ago and holds the same position at LSU. Clark, who spent two seasons with the Bengals, coached linebackers at FIU, but his first college job was coaching the defensive line at James Madison in 1998-99. He coached linebackers at Liberty (Va.) from 2000-03. FIU's defense shined in a 52-6 win against rival Florida Atlantic last season, tying a Division I-A record by returning four interceptions for touchdowns. If Clark joins the USF staff, he won't have to wait long to see his former school. The Bulls' second game of 2006 is at home against FIU on Sept.9. The Bulls also have a vacancy for a defensive backs coach, which came open after Rick Kravitz left to become safeties coach and special teams coordinator at N.C. State. Sounds like a good fit to me. OhioBull

I agree with dabull80. I sat through that 87-88 year and never missed a game. I also cheered for Matt Yobe and it was a total embarassment. This team would have absolutely destroyed that team by 30+ points. There is no comparison, despite what some people say about this years team.

Give it a rest guys. The fact of the matter is that we will not know how good of a coach RMC is until he has a full bench. Just drop it for now...personally I am sick of all of this bashing. He is probably the best motivator and X's and O's coach we have ever had as far as I can tell. But you naysayers just want to keep going on and on and on. Why don't we all just agree to disagree until a later date...huh! :-/

Wait a minute. How many coaches do you know of that could be this close in so many games with no bench in the most competitive basketball conference in history??? I think you need to put down the pipe and start having realistic expectations. I will repeat what I have said before. When CRM gets a full bench he will make all of you naysayers look like fools and I will be the first one to come back and post and make you eat crow. If he doesn't work out...I will be the first to admit it. But for you to say he hasn't gotten these boys to play above their heads is crazy.

Foolish arguments by people who don't understand big-time college bball. No team is going to "wait until the end" to beat another team at this level. Ridiculous. : Some people just don't want to admit that CRM is a good coach and our players are better than they previously posted...would make them more foolish in their own eyes...trouble is that they already look foolish in everyone elses eyes.

Your right Triple...I will stop. "A man persuaded against his will is of the same opinion still". Oh well. ;D