slick1ru2

USF is just totally screwed in NCAA 13 this year in Dynasty mode. I have an early copy. They give things like Athletic Facilities and Campus grades to attract students. In all previous versions, USF had many things rated like TV Exposure in the Bs except for Tradition and Academics which were C+. Now its virtually all D+. Unfreakingbelievable. Campus went from B to C-. Stadium Atmosphere, Academic Prestige, TV Exposure etc are D+. Now I do see where it says to improve them, there are things you can do like, duh, win games. But I bet teams like Florida already have high ratings from day one. There are also ratings by playing style for key positions which change with playing games. USF is rated D- in all of them, but teams like Texas are rated A. Sigh. **** UCFers at Tiburon. Oh, They have UCF with better Stadium Atmosphere, Academic Prestige, Athletic Facilities and Campus Life than USF. Hopefully, playing and winning, these numbers will rise quickly. What a disappointment.

I keep forgetting how the Big East screwed us there. This conference has no love for us. Yeah, well imagine Boise St players coming to Florida's heat and humidity. While it does get hot out there the humidity in the summer is usually 30-40%,

I think that conditioning took a huge hit when Ron McKeefery went to Tennessee. He is recognized on the national level as one of the best conditioning coaches in college football.

I'd almost rather have talented recruits that fly under the radar that end up like Chris Johnson, who was a 2 star recruit, than 4-5 star players. The hype around the highly rated players, the efforts of the school and boosters, etc. can lead to issues that include player ego and performance issues and breaking NCAA recruiting rules. I think the pressure to live up to the hype has been detrimental on more than a few of these hyped players, like Darrell Scott early in his career. And I think some of these players also have ego issues like Robert "Florida's Mr. Football" Marve from their high scout ratings.

I guess everybody has their own definition of "significantly better" but my thinking is that going 4-3 in conference, 9-4 overall is significantly better than going 1-6, 5-7 .... That's just me, though. When you look at the losses though, I see a team that was 5 plays away from being 10-2. I hope this year they get over the hump in those close games and secure the wins. If 7 of those games were blow outs last year, I'd have no real hope for much better than 4 or 5 wins this season. But with 5 being so close, and with the high number of seniors and juniors returning, I think that some of the hype this preseason for USF may just turn out to come true.

2009 was the best recruiting class imo, then Leavitt was gone. I think 2010 would've been even better considering the kids the staff was targeting. 2009 was easily one of our top classes... the 2013 class will have its shot... here is a few sad faces from 2009: Adaris Bellamy - 4 star... never step foot on campus Bradley Battles - 4 star... hasn't done a single thing Leslie Sitrrups - 3 star... kicked off the team for smoking too much Proof that stars mean absolutely nothing. I think Holtz and Leavitt recruit very different players. Leavitt seemed to go after talent at all costs, while Holtz targets players that fit well with his system. I feel like ever since Holtz has taken over our program, we have been recruiting players who stay out of trouble and are high character athletes. We haven't any arrests or off-the-field issues and our APR is still steadily improving. If it's a trade-off between bums who will do more activities off the field than on, and high character athletes who stay out of trouble, but win fewer games, I would always opt for the latter. I would rather win games the right way than compromise the integrity of the program. Having said that, I think our recruiting has been fairly consistent with our new coach. If you want to rate based on stars, this year has potential to be our best recruiting season yet. Chris Johnson, when recruited at East Carolina, was a two star recruit. So I have to agree with stars. They may be correct for some, but not all and can be way off in the long run. With the FedEx Ground Player Of The Year award after becoming the 6th 2000 yard rusher in NFL history and breaking Marshall Faulk's rushing from scrimmage record.

Phil has really liked USF since Holtz came on board. He said that he won back to back championships at E Carolina with less talent than the rest of the conference and at USF he has a ton of talent.

Objectively looking at the season last year and all the 1 score and last minute losses along with the experience at skill positions this year its not a far fetched conclusion to come to that USF is primed to win the Big East. The team has to stay health, execute and have sound coaching. But, really, who knows?

Sun Bowl and Capital One Bowl are played in dumps, that's why they won't be included in the rotation of six. I think it comes down to the Peach Bowl (aka Chick-Fil-A Bowl) and the Gator Bowl. I don't see the Outback Bowl getting in because of the smaller stadium capacity. The wildcard pick might be the Holiday Bowl in San Diego. I meant a non-rotation bowl that the Big East can sign a deal with that lends prestige to the conference.

Well if the Cotton bowl is in the new rotation, which even with Jerry Jones couldn't get into the BCS, then I guess of the bowls not in the list, that the Sun Bowl is the most prestigious and perhaps next the Capital One Bowl which is one of the oldest non-BCS bowls. I think the bowl games are surviving the BCS collapse because ESPN is behind them and uses them to bump up advertising revenue at the end of the year due to the nation's seemingly insatiable desire to watch college football no matter what two teams are playing.

To me, the Cotton Bowl is the most prestigious non-BCS bowl. People in Texas love football. I think that its a venue to look at for a neutral venue east/west Big East championship game.

It will be better IF they redo it because they said they are doing it right IF they do it. As it is there are problems with potential in Madden. I read that all 7th round picks have F potential. But this year, they are getting rid of potential. Here is the thing that is going to make it hard to get into Madden. They have an all new recruiting system in Madden that includes fake social media. So you scout a hot QB one of a dozen reporters are going to Tweet it so in an online dynasty your fellow players will know you are checking that player out. Its to make it more realistic, I guess. So, they may have these ratings and tweets already to go. You introduce files of players adjusted from what's shipped from NCAA it may screw that all up. Right now, going into 2013, I have BJ as a potential 6th round in Madden and the highest estimated round that has a Bull in it is 4th with Lejiste.

Really disappointed about no import to Madden. I like seeing the recruits in Madden and progressing into NFL stars. But I like the new passing and more realistic DB and WR system where they have to be looking back to see the ball so no more magic catches and interceptions in this year's version. They barely got the new physics system into Madden this year so it will be in NCAA next year and hopefully they figure out how to correctly put import back in so yeah, I am always excited to see a new NCAA or Madden but next year, I think, is going to be the year.

From what I read the playoffs start in 2014 so USF has this season and next to pull out all the stops and win the Big East and make it to a BCS bowl.

You can tell when you are talking to someone who is not around young kids. Oh and the Special Olympics also gives out prizes to everyone that participates. BTW, my 9 year old daughter, I picked her up from basketball camp on the last day this summer, all teary eyed. She didn't get a participation certificate and said, "They didn't give me one, I wasn't good at anything". My wife, who went to college on a basketball scholarship said prior that my daughter was doing great so I know that wasn't true. So I go in and of course, they just forgot to print one out. The coach also gave her a sweatshirt from the high school the camp was being played at to help cheer her up. You don't screw with kids psyche at certain ages, especially at age 4. You try and give only the winning team a trophy at that age and you don't want to be around to see/hear what the other kids (and parents) reaction is going to be.

This isn't my video but you can see how this can be entertaining. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VAPcrY2QwIU

Video games have kept me sane with the chronic pain issues I have had for a decade. Plus its infinitely cheaper to shoot automatic weapons in a game vs the range. And saying you played a video game 20 years ago when you were 14 and don't get how adults play them now is like saying you raced Model A Fords when you were a teen and don't see the attraction of racing Formula One as an adult because the technology and visual differences are about the same. I have learned an incredible amount about coverages, blitz packages, line shifts, substitutions, player styles, techniques and limitations etc, playing football video games that when I watch real games I have a much deeper understanding of what is going on. Madden 1988 screen shot. Compare that with the first posts in this thread.

I am hoping that Athlon and Phil Steele are correct in that this is the year. The physical talent seems to be there but is the coaching and discipline? After last year luck seems to be a factor too, being on the right side of when things go wrong at the last minute. 5 games lost by 1 score and several on the last play. It was a heartbreak of a season that started so good and went south.

strength of schedule has always been a component. even if they officially took it out of the computer rankings, the voters always took it into account. why do you think the undefeated SEC teams always ranked better than any other undefeated teams. heck even their 1 loss teams were ranked better. LSU had the same record as houston last year. one of them finished #2 and the other finished #18. don't you think that had something to do with their strength of schedule? the fact is our schedule last year ranked in the low 60's according to sagarins. the top teams in the big ten ranked in the low 40's and the top teams in the pac 12 ranked in the mid 30's. if we replaced FAMU, Ball State, and UTEP with teams ranked anywhere from 30-60 then we would have a schedule that is on par with both of those conferences. I am talking the former BCS bowls, not the NC. Conference championships were more important than strength of schedule to get into them. You win a conference championship in an auto qualifier conference, you go to a BCS bowl. Now, conference championships mean nothing. Strength of schedule is EVERYTHING. It appears that NO outside conference will be going to the BIG bowl games, the ones that pay out well over $10 million and are windfalls to the teams that get invites. actually you need to do some research on those bowls. UConn lost $2M going to the fiesta bowl. WVU lost over $1M when they went to a BCS bowl. they are not financial windfalls for the schools invited. Recruiting, prestige, invites to the Big 5 conferences, merchandise sales boost, increase of donations from boosters etc... Trust me, its a windfall.

USF is 81, UCF us 85, FSU is 97, UF is 91, FIU is 85 and FAU is 60. So I had that wrong, FAU is the lowest rated, not USF. But FIU, in the Sun Belt 85, ROFLOL. Rest of Big East, Temple, 81, Cuse 81, Louisville 87, UCONN 83, Rutgers 87, Pitt 85, Cincy 89 Luv said he is definitely doing his rosters, it will just take longer. The new Team Builder is up, you can build a better USF and import it into the game, http://www.easports.com/teambuilder#/home

strength of schedule has always been a component. even if they officially took it out of the computer rankings, the voters always took it into account. why do you think the undefeated SEC teams always ranked better than any other undefeated teams. heck even their 1 loss teams were ranked better. LSU had the same record as houston last year. one of them finished #2 and the other finished #18. don't you think that had something to do with their strength of schedule? the fact is our schedule last year ranked in the low 60's according to sagarins. the top teams in the big ten ranked in the low 40's and the top teams in the pac 12 ranked in the mid 30's. if we replaced FAMU, Ball State, and UTEP with teams ranked anywhere from 30-60 then we would have a schedule that is on par with both of those conferences. I am talking the former BCS bowls, not the NC. Conference championships were more important than strength of schedule to get into them. You win a conference championship in an auto qualifier conference, you go to a BCS bowl. Now, conference championships mean nothing. Strength of schedule is EVERYTHING. It appears that NO outside conference will be going to the BIG bowl games, the ones that pay out well over $10 million and are windfalls to the teams that get invites.

So the 5 conferences still get to go to the former BCS bowls, just now the Big East is left out. Strength of schedule is of utmost importance so now the 5 conferences will pretty much just schedule each other, no more cupcakes or 1aa teams. So how does this allow any undefeated team from outside the 5 conferences to get into the playoff game? Because they are perceived as being weak and no one in the 5 conferences is going to schedule them, an undefeated team will never get in because they beat cupcakes. How many seasons will this farce be allowed to go on?

That's awesome. I never knew the whole story behind the axe. One of my favorites is the USC-UCLA tradition of trying to paint the opponents statue. I could see USF-UCF doing that with our Bulls in front of the Marshall Center and their Knights (one in front of the Alumni Center and one in front of BHN Stadium). For example...... ....it would be awesome to go and paint the base of that statue Green and Gold. (I also have no problem if they want to take out Chia-Bull-Giraffe) I can not read that axe story without busting out laughing. Its hilarious at so many different points. And yes, that knight just screams, "Paint me GREEN AND GOLD!"

Rivalries should be healthy, respectful, with some crazy college kid antics mixed in. Not full of hate and resentment . Why? Because it leads to nasty things like the historic trees killed in Auburn. Or the way some visiting fans are abused at Ray Jay. I love this rivalry story. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Axe

There are two kind of rosters. The kind you can use for online ranked play that has edited just the roster names but not the ratings. And then there are the ones that do both and many use for dynasties and offline player v player. Luv has what people generally agree are the most accurate rosters. He has a forum where you can critique and input on the rosters for every team. BTW, I went to that website and I only saw rosters through NCAA 11. BTW, the lawsuit against EA Sports, filed by former student athletes who charged that EA makes money off their likeness, was dismissed in 2011.