Mike Stuben

I think a solid goal is $5 million for USF each year. That would be a victory (and more than we get right now). That would take about a $58 million a year deal (assuming a 12 school league with 11 full members and Navy as football only). There are problems. USF went into debt to build all those new facilities and the assumption was $11 million a year from TV will pay off that debt. What I am about to say is based on USF in a mid major league and not success or failure. Right now we pay our MBB Head Coach and top Athletic Administrators at a level that doesn't match our overall revenues. Please listen carefully, I am not saying Stan/Doug do or don't deserve what they make, I am saying that we are paying them in line with ACC/Big 12 rates while we take in C-USA/Mountain West sort of money. (Skip at over $2 million a year would have been in the same category, but Willie Taggart's contract is in line with our revenues). We have facility debt, the desire to improve, payouts to former coaches, and several key staff members with contracts that don't fit our level of revenues. We were looking at a $12 to $13 million a year tv deal just a couple years ago. Now we will get less than half of that. All those problems are solved with a new conference home (that is ACC or better). If we are stuck where we stand today, there are serious money problems in our future.

I have an extra ticket for the Providence game this week. Face value is $40, I am just looking for $20 for someone to get the seat. The seat is literally the front row, center court. Unlimited leg room. Let me know if you are interested.

I made it out to the first 2, thought we looked very sharp. I also looked over the roster and not to get too far ahead, but whatever we do this year, I would bet next year will even be better. Very few seniors on the roster.

Honestly I don't think so. Think about how much money a guy like Geno Smith and Matt Barkley have made for there Universities through jersey sales and ticket sales. You don't believe they deserve any of that compensation? what about the dozens of players who sit on the bench at the bottom of the depth chart who 99% of fans don't know about or care to see? or the non-skill positions who get overlooked by casual jersey-buying fans? (how many OL jerseys do u see at Bulls Outfitter or in the stands?) and who determines how much they get paid? does Geno Smith get paid more than the Random Bum on the bench? what if Geno Smith gets hurt? is payment relative to program revenue? this is and utterly ridiculous idea. There is more problems too, what happens when Ohio State can pay players more than USF, or whoever. I think the next reasonable step is to add a stipend or spending money to full scholarships. Maybe up to $1000 a year per student athlete. That way the have nots can afford to offer the stipend too. The athletes get an extra grand to make their lives a little more comfortable. I think to keep it fair, you would have to not give the stipend to walk ons, and if a kid gets a half scholarship, then they can only get a half stipend (remember, half scholarships still exist in sports other than football and basketball).

Here is my short opinion of this .... if we are in the Big East, we want the NCAA to survive as it currently is. If we get the call up to a power conference, then we want to be one of the power leagues that breaks away from the NCAA. The power leagues breaking away from the NCAA while we are in the Big East is really bad for us, because it widens the gap between the haves and the have nots ... and we would be on the wrong side of that.

I am pretty sure that is no problem, since your relationship with your high school exists not because of your relationship with USF. You can't give money to high schools in the hopes that your donation will influence kids to come to USF ... but that isn't what you are talking about. I also want to say that as a booster of USF, feel free to give a call to 813-974-2125 and ask for the compliance department and ask them directly. (or email them from the staff directory at www.gousfbulls.com) I applied for a part time job this past fall that I wanted to make sure I could still be a booster and a season ticket holder if I got the job. I did get the green light from Steve Horton (who is now retired). Sadly, I didn't get that particular job, but it was a part time sort of thing that I wouldn't have pursued if it meant that I couldn't keep my seats.

Thanks again for the kind words. I had been reading this site for years, so far it has been fun to join in. As for what I am doing now, I have been enjoying some traveling and getting a couple web sites together to teach people how to travel for free or almost for free. Without getting too far off topic, I have traveled the world on pennies, and often share deals with friends on places like facebook and twitter ... but I want to see if I can turn that into a career. I don't see myself working in sports again, but you never know. I spent 16 great years at USF but I couldn't see myself enjoying working for another school or team.

Thank you. I always appreciate the kind words. Please understand I only know a couple people on here in terms of real name and screen name, so be sure to say hello at a game and if you want, let me know your screen name so I can put the two together in my head. For what it is worth, I don't regret my decision to not pursue an opportunity with IMG (who took over the ticket sales); USF doesn't seem to regret the decision they made to go with the new company; and I am enjoying being a fan and season ticket holder. I still have great relationships with my former coworkers (and I enjoy being able to see them at games and saying hello) .... so in the end, everything worked out fine.

Took the words outta my mouth. Somebody needs to turn this guy into the Feds! Oh wait, that would mean our coach gets arrested. Oh Nooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!! I collect autographs, only once did I get a dollar bill signed ... Donald Trump, many years ago, in fact I got OJ Simpson that same day, before he became famous for anything other than acting and playing football. Since Trump was famous for being rich, it seemed like a good fit. I wonder where that dollar is, the signature was such scribble that I bet my parents found it and spent it.

Coming into tonight, the ladies were undefeated against teams with a lower RPI and 0-5 against schools with a higher RPI (credit to Greg Auman). Tonight was first win against a school with a higher RPI. If we beat the 3 teams with lower RPI's and go 3-4 against the rest (which is reasonable) ... we should be in good shape. Wish we could have got that Notre Dame game ... UConn is now the chance for a really marquis win.

I was just surfing around on ebay, and I came across this auction that made me chuckle. http://www.ebay.com/itm/Arkansas-Razorbacks-Autograph-Stan-Heath-Dollar-Hogs-BB-/280496227590?pt=US_Autographs&hash=item414ee0c506 First, clearly an Arkansas fan ran into coach Heath out to dinner or somewhere around town and wanted an autograph, but didn't have any good items to get signed, so he went with what he had. Second, always weird to see our coach with a signature that says "Go Hogs" ... and yes, I completely get the fact that he would have signed it while he was head coach at Arkansas. Third, the Razorback's fan kept that dollar all these years, and just now is trying to cash in on it. I am tempted to offer him 75 cents for it (with free shipping) ..... with no disrespect to Coach Heath, but that really isn't a collectible, but it is still worth a dollar.

They played great defense. Awesome night rebounding. That was a top 100 win and a team with a higher RPI than USF ... so a good win!!!! On a sad note, they scored 58, so just one basket away from everyone getting free movie tickets. (they get the 60 almost every game.)

I have thought about this too. I think the answer is that if someone wanted to spy on USF's practice, then the windscreen really wouldn't stop them. I think the real risk is either someone from the media (not Greg, but a fan blog type site) or even just a fan posting on a message board (like this one for example), how they were checking out practice and USF was working on a really cool trick play/fake punt/fake field goal/whatever .....

Brett Dulaney, who used to work with ISP at USF (selling sponsorships) and now runs the St. Pete/Beef O Brady's Bowl had a great quote when asked about there being too many bowl games. I am paraphrasing, he said that the marketplace will take care of it, if there are too many bowl games, then some will start losing money, and when they lose money, they will simply go away. I saw a rating comparison for ESPN, low interest bowl game drew significantly more eyes on tv sets than a top notch men's college basketball game being shown in a similar time slot. The key is that bowls need to be done where the schools who play in them don't lose money (breaking even is perfectly fine for a low interest bowl game).

Looking at Ticketmaster.....it appears that the ND game is very close to being sold out, so Gasparilla won't be cutting into ticket revenue. I would be thrilled if we had 6.5k at the game. For noon on a Saturday against Gasparilla, that would be a huge win.

One more thing ..... when encouraging students to make signs. Don't put anything on those signs you wouldn't say to his face. And the reason I say this ... last I read Manti was training for the draft at IMG in Bradenton, so he might be at the game. Nothing wrong with having fun, but have it with class.

I wish we would tell the Big East that our arena is booked for Gasparilla day, and thus unavailable to host home basketball games on that day.

Hello all .... USF sells baseball and softball season tickets for $55 each or $105 for a 4 pack (includes service charge). So, I overbought and got a 4 pack for each, hoping to split them up. I have 3 of the baseball spoken for and 2 of the softball (including 1 of each for me). If anyone wants a season ticket for baseball or softball, I am glad to sell the remaining 1 baseball and 2 softball for $26 each. So I am clear, you would be buying them from me, and you would not be on record as the season ticket holder, so if priority points are a concern, then you may want to get them directly from USF (either paying more per person or getting your own 4 packs). Kids are free, and you can trade in tickets for other games. So, in reality you could use all of your season ticket on 1 game and bring a bunch of people. If anyone is interested, reply to this thread or send me a private message.

Wow, how about those odds. If I were you, I'd stay out of Asia, South America, Africa, and Antarctica ... since it always seems to happen on a different continent.

Take a long nap, I'll wake you for a USF vs. Tulane gameday, then it will be up to you to figure out if it is a conference game or a non-conference game. Regardless, we can all party hearty in the French Quarter. NOLA FTW!!!! First time I ever got hit by a cab was in the French quarter First time? I assumed the "first time" referred to visiting New Orleans and not the getting hit by a cab (I really hope)

Take a long nap, I'll wake you for a USF vs. Tulane gameday, then it will be up to you to figure out if it is a conference game or a non-conference game. Regardless, we can all party hearty in the French Quarter. NOLA FTW!!!! First time I ever got hit by a cab was in the French quarter I'm going to New Orleans next week (and no, I don't have game tickets) .... but I don't have to worry about cabs.... they are scared to hit me ... I'd dent the hell out of them. And I promise this is the end of my non-topic chatter in this thread.

Take a long nap, I'll wake you for a USF vs. Tulane gameday, then it will be up to you to figure out if it is a conference game or a non-conference game.

The real winners in this whole shake up will be Boise, SDSU and probably BYU, because if the PAC 12 is going to get to 16, and they can't pry away Texas/Oklahoma, them some schools out west will get a huge step up, just because there aren't any other choices ... thus leaving deserving schools in the East out of the power 64, because of the geography. If 4 schools leave the ACC this week, (including FSU) then we are getting the call up, may even be UCF too. But, we are still in the best of the rest conference .... but that is better than not getting the call, which would leave of in the second best of the rest.

I want to add to the good list ... you talked about crowd noise, but I want to add the number of people in attendance. Lightning opening night, Kids parade, and Monster Jam, and recent losses were all reasons for fans not to show up. I thought the crowd was great.

Assuming no more big conference shake ups, our league is about to get a whole lot tougher in baseball.