80mins

Doesn't the Outback Bowl almost exclusively pick a team from the SEC East? The Auburn pick seems strange to me...

I took it as ET presumably catching JFC in a lie, having claimed that he purchased the game when it wasn't purchasable. Seemed accusatory to me, but maybe I'm reading too much into it.

Huh? In other words, the only reason this post was made as an attempt to put JFC on Front Street is because he's a darksider.

If you thought that was great, you need to go to a first round NCAA tournament game or a real basketball school, like Duke. The tournament is a fun festive atmosphere with some great games. Go to a Duke game or UNC game, it is insane. The closest I have seen a USF game to that type of level was last season when we were rallying in the 2nd half against UConn. Can only imagine what it would be liked for a game with a full SunDome. ACC Tourney's in Tampa this year. I highly recommend anyone remotely interested in basketball check it out. They traditionally only make tickets available through member institutions, but calling BC (really any school, but I pick BC because they are the farthest and least likely to travel all the way to Tampa, especially for opening round Thursday night games) or someone to buy tickets would definitely be worth the price of admission. I was caught up in the action of ACC men and women as well as opening round NCAA here in Greensboro last year and it was definitely AMAZING.

Nice to see a conferencemate get one over on Dook.

I definitely hear ya on that, wvulaw. I'm a Bulls fan in NC. Needless to say, we get nothing but ACC coverage as well.

'Preciate the warm welcome!

I'm also that dumb. :-D and yes, I'm rolling up in my green and gold car with USF Alumni sticker dressed in green and gold and blasting The Fight Song, The Bull, March Victorious, and other crowd favorites. ...And I wish a hillbilly WOULD try and stop me! ;D

I think that with all the "ifs" that would pit us, pitt, and cincy against one another, we'd still get the B'ham bid. The northern bowl would take either pitt or cincy (likely pitt) and the southern bowl would pick us. Hmm... I say that now with a bit of trepidation, however, now that I see that 'Nasti's actually closer to B'ham than we are. I never think about the fact that CinciTucky's practically in the south itself.

I'm gonna be there, +1 (my girlfriend) Can't wait!

http://sports.yahoo.com/ncaaf/recap;_ylt=Ar0SjXv79VhqLP1sleVUfMY5nYcB?gid=200611180100 just giving the fans somethin to talk about It wouldn't surprise me if that was the angle the reporter intended to give the story and he/she quoted it in the manner that best served his/her goals. I don't know if that's what he said, how he said it, or what he meant, all we know is how it was reported.

OK, I'm not going to use the R word. But I would certainly state that that game does produce a state of heightened awareness for both teams and their fans. Consider this about the four years in which they have matched up: 2 conferences, 2 wins for both teams--both of their home games, neither of their away games. I think that the next two years could be the crossroads for this series of matchups. USF clearly has the burden of proof--UL has been the "better" team (on the national picture, having been nationally ranked 3 of the 4 times we've faced them). I think that the first team to pull two games in a row in this series--meaning winning on the road, will have their "way". If UL wins at Ray Jay next year, they can go back to viewing USF as "just another conference game". should USF protect home and then steal one at the Pepperoni Palace, I think that both teams may start using the R word.

I am so sick of this comment!!! 10 years is a long time to develop a band. Geez, the band has had almost 3 full classes graduate! OSU, Wisconsin, ND all these bands replace people every year and they seem to be able to teach them what to do and how to do it. It is an excuse that does not hold up. I'm sorry, but the band in college football does make a difference and there are many fans that are more interested in an enjoyable show than how many yards per carry the team averages. The average fan is way more interested in the total experience than the nuts and bolts of the game. Want to attract guys? Attract women. Want to attract women, create an "event" atmosphere. Sure, there are a couple of hundred that are really interested in our offenses line calls, but the most are there for the experience of the event of seeing their school win. Stadiums are not full of die hard fans that know whether #81 pushed off or was interferred with. THey are full of a mix of people of various ages that are there for the event. A USF football game is not an event. It is a football game. The game at Louisville last night, was an event and the place was packed, the band played a big role, and the atmosphere was fun. It is not comparable to RJ, sorry but it is not. How in the world is that NOT a valid reason? One of the primary ingredients of the event atmosphere of which you speak is tradition, and one of the primary ingredients of tradition is time. While we're playing the comparison role, consider for example the Script Ohio that started this post, which came into being nearly 60 years after TBDBITL did. Granted, while amazing, it was innovation that created Script Ohio, and it could have been created 5 or 50 years after the OSUMB. Still, it is the fanatical attention to detail in its execution, combined with the fact that fans hold it in high regard that make it as amazing as it is today. Back in 1936, do you think the fans at that game on that day "Wow, that's amazing!" or "Ye Gods, this is a tradition that will endure for many decades!"? I wasn't there, but I'd wager it was the former--if they saw it at all. After all, it was halftime. They could have just as easily been at the concession stand. Consider some of HOT's traditions/growing traditions at this time: The pregame entrance. #8/The Bull. The downs cheers. The 3rd quarter cadence series. the HOTDL parading out at game's end. Only now are some of these even BEGINNING to be thought of as enduring traditions. I'm not saying you can't create an amazing band in 9 years; indeed, HOT has done just that. But creating enduring, respected traditions takes a good deal more time.

With all due respect to the HOT, that's like watching a team win the national championship and saying, "Why can't we do that?"

Hmm... a 3:30 start'd change my day a little bit, since the WVU game is one stop on a busy Thanksgiving weekend of travel, but hell, we'll make it work!

Thanks, MikeG. I think that's kinda what I was trying to say, but you put it more eloquently. I'm also not trying to stereotype, but speaking for myself personally, I only became a sports fan BECAUSE I was/is a band dork and I know there are plenty more of "us" who didn't encounter the same.

all except for the nature of the language (being known as potty mouths isn't exactly the classiest rep), I'd say GOOD. They need to know that Tampa is a tough place to play! You don't come up in the OB talking smack!

My vote's for attempt to take anger out on USF, but STILL get schooled in their own house by the Bulls.

OK, two qualifiers: One, I'm a band dork and **** proud of it. Two, I'm an alum, so I haven't been to basketball games in over a year and so I don't know the specific incidents in question. that said: What it sounds like to me is something that I know we as band dorks are sometimes guilty of: Trying to get in the spirit and affect the game while simultaneously not knowing a daggone thing about the game. I'm reminded of a girl who was in my pep band in undergrad who never had anything more constructive to say than "Get the ball!" when we were on defense. Yeah, thanks, that helps. I'd say in general, make sure you are contributing to, not taking away from the game when being spirited. But that said, props for taking initiative, livening up the crowd, and making some noise! To those who are less than pleased, remember, everyone's working towards the same result--victory for our Bulls!

Who wants to charter the Bull Ship to sail from Tampa Bay across the Gulf to the Texas shore? ;D (No, seriously. That would be realy cool.)

Another plus to the Texas Bowl--they seem to have their stuff together moreso than B'ham. They already have a full website and listing of various events--which sound pretty appealing--vs. the storefront-only over at BirminghamBowl.com.

TCU is 7 - 2, with upcoming games vs. San Diego State, at Colorado State, and vs. Air Force.  They have beaten Baylor, UC Davis, Texas Tech, Army, Wyoming, UNLV & New Mexico. The lost to BYU at home and at Utah. so wont this game be a Big 12 team vs. TCU? Not sure. MWC has 4 bowls without this one, and currently 3 bowl eligible teams, with 5 maximum possible, 4 more likely. It all depends on where the Texas Bowl is in the MWC pecking order. the Armed Forces Bowl is right at home in Fort Worth for them.

True, but if USF beats a Big XII team in the Texas Bowl and no one is there to see it, does it make a sound? You're right though. I go both ways on this matter; beating up on CUSA does diddly for us as well.

I"d still rather we go to B'ham mostly for the fact that the average sports fan can view that game on TV. I don't know if I'll make the bowl or not, but I'd much rather have the option to watch it on TV if I can't. Casual sports fans will often watch bowl matchups because you're at home on vacation, it's on, what the hell. Being on NFL Network doesn't give casual fans that option, thus hurting our overall audience.

during the Wake-FSU game, they did a most Wins by a Freshman QB graphic. They mention Colt McCoy at Texas with 9, Billy Conner @ Wake with 7, and Mitch Mustain at Arkansas with 7. We've got 7 wins--did one of those not get credited to Grothe or are we just getting the shaft once more?