Grateful Dad

Rocky, your tagline quote reminded me of something I have been mulling for a few weeks. Now, I have already admitted to low football acumen, BUT: This conference is killing us (moreso, UCiF). Lack of continuity in coaching (AAC good coaches will continue to get P5 pilfered). Weak scheduling negates any exceptional performances. No one cares or knows about AAC. It's just CUSA 2.0. So, and realizing there are probably many reasons we can't, can we go independent in football? I don't believe that any P5 conference will expand and choose an AAC team any time soon. There is a stigma. But choosing an Independent school might be less stigmatized by the other P5 conferences. Anyway, I guess it shows my despair with our current conference affiliation.

What a great night! God, I remember nights like that. Truly, I don't know how I survived. God protects fools and children. Thank God that was 40 years ago. Now, it's back to Mother Nature. Good memories, though.

The Debbie Downers have been defeated. It's USF Football! I feel like:

I have always hated Central State's fans. Rude, immature, delusional. Friends don't let friends go to UCiF. I understand that. But, I swear if you go back to the Central State's football message board during their last winless streak, you can read the same posts as we are reading here. Without first hand information, people are filling in the information void with their own speculation and it spirals as others detect the blood in the water. Fire this one, fire that one. This young man sucks, this one has no talent. This coach is too old to be any good. Personal insults and ridicule leveled at our own people. We are eating our young. If I were a rival, I could find more ammunition to use against us reading this message board than I could ever think of myself. I wonder why our fans watch our games (yeah, I know, not enough fans for our liking). Is it like most of Florida, where most fans have never set foot on their chosen team's campus (or any campus, for that matter) but get to ridicule other fans because someone gave them a T-shirt? Or is there a true emotional attachment to the university? If one is thinking of the long term progress of USF, I think a different approach is warranted. Just take a breath. For those of us who have been watching this team for years, we can't forget the good times and the bad times. Bad times fade upon the next success. We should be able to absorb seasons that fall short of our expectations without losing our upbringing. I sure would never insult a man to his face the way that some on here have done with the beloved anonymity that the internet affords. I can't imagine reading those things were they written about me. To be a good investor, one must be mature and have a long term view, not being thrown off track by a temporary setback. Same here. Stomping our feet, calling for the end of people's careers, wanting it all NOW - this is not the action of someone concerned about the long term health of our team, but rather of one who cares about their own immediate satisfaction. Some hide their foot stomping behind "Well, I just have higher expectations than you (making me a better fan). You suck as a fan if you: Like RJS and don't think we should build an OCS right now without the money and a bunch of other needs not met Don't stand the whole game Don't go to every home game Don't go to every away game Don't stay to sing a song that no one knows the words to Don't want to fire a coach with a winning record Don't believe that every sports writer's biggest career moment is the opportunity to slam USF Don't believe our ADs don't try to schedule major teams because of course, everyone want to play USF I don't have the football acumen that many on here have. So, I try to (and this may be foreign to some of you) enjoy my team's games realizing that we won't win them all. I remember when there was no football at USF. I remember the great years of sell out crowds and exciting plays. I tore my MCL watching one game by jumping up every good play. Remember, our expectations are not reality. We don't play the game. We don't coach the game. We are consumers of entertainment. When your team's performance affects your life so negatively, you might have to work to re-prioritize. But no matter your approach, you don't have the skin in the game that the players and coaches have. If you make a bad call, if you call for other's firings, if you are just plain wrong, there are no consequences. If some here were held to the same standards that they hold others to, there would be a lot of fired fans. But since these fans know that they will not be held to the same standard, it is easy to be harsh and label it as "high expectations". If you can't change your circumstances ( and we as fans can't), you must change your thinking. Love your university and enjoy the entertainment that these kids and coaches are trying to provide you. After all, it really isn't all about you. Let's keep our maturity and class. Get through the storm with dignity. But quit yer bitchin'.

This seems to be the point of your post. I agree that Charlie may not get fired this year, and if it weren't for the buyout, I would want to give him more time. However, (and acknowledging that you are a Bulls fan) your post comes off as some P5 elitist daddy correcting his child. At exactly what point does a team that "hasn't won chiit" make every move possible to improve? Are there "Big Boy" moves and "little boy" moves? What does our history, tradition, alumni base, etc. have to do before they are permitted to do everything they can to improve their team? UF's fanbase has been humbled recently. That is the best thing to happen to them as I totally agree with your assessment of their lack of humility. You might welcome them once again. This is not a slam against you; you seem like a good guy. It is however, a slam against your post and my perception that it is borne of P5 hubris.

What is a DM? I'm old...

Abled bodied people sometimes assume everyone can do what they do. You get used to it after a while.

When Julmiste went down, we got Grothe. When he went down, we got BJ Daniels. You can't tell. Hope he can resume his career soon.

Memphis looked great. Keep it going!

USF 24-17 Cronk McCants 399 

Really? Storm the field for UCF? You guys have lost it.

Wait until we play Central State! I like our defense against them

Hampton is really stepping up

This is fun again! Something changed. Team meeting, player meeting...something is making it fun for the players again

If our defense could have played like this all year...

Calling us UCF

I've never seen so many fans argue with success. Enjoy the game

And it worked

It's exciting to watch again!

Good time for a TO to establish momentum

Nice tackle from Boyce

Did Strong or Gilbert have a QF moment and listen to the players?

Ok defense. Let's see what you have