Mike Stuben

Very few games that I link to players. The JR Reed game was the one he played at Memphis. The Pat Julmiste game was the overtime thriller at TCU. The Andre Hall game was at UAB and that video will always be the Amari Jackson game to me.

It's a members only event so, you should call Eric to get a membership form (annual gift required - minimum $100). He got one in the mail, because he told us he has WBB season tickets, and all season ticket holders got the form in the mail.

Ok, I'll take you at your word, but saying this you are saying you daughter was never on the WBB team, you don't have any other personal connections to the team. If that is the case then I applaud your passion, but I still disagree with you. Given the historical context of our WBB program, Jose's success and a brighter future (because of being able to recruit a new Sun Dome and Muma Center), I think USF owes Coach Fernandez at least a 3 year contract.

I would sure like to know who you are. You identify yourself as a current season ticket holder. The demographics of most of our women's basketball season ticket holders are older, over 50 year old fans. But yet you have access to talk to multiple players. I know that on a message board people can hide their names, but I really think you are someone with an agenda more than just season ticket holder who wants to see more wins. I could be wrong, but I would bet I'm not.

As soon as we lose our 7th game (eliminating us from bowl contention) we should look towards developing younger players. It doesn't mean giving them starts over seniors ... but for example, giving Floyd a series each half might be a good idea.

These are college students, not pro athletes. No matter how much you think the bag is a statement about Holtz, it isn't right at a college game. No one likes losing. Everyone wants to win. If an o lineman is getting beat every play, it isn't his fault... it is our coaches fault for not having someone better than the kid getting beat to put out there. Skip didn't do anything wrong signing the contract extension, he has to do what is best for his family. Feel free to heckle, but it should be directed at the coaches and those who put them in this position, not college kids.

I just did the math, USF's all time winning percentage in games not coached by Jose Fernandez, a robust 39%. And he had to overcome the stigma the program received from the scandal that occurred just before he got here.

Most people know I worked for USF Athletics for 16 years. I consider Jose a friend, so feel free to take what I am about to say with whatever grain of salt you want. Next time you are in the Sun Dome take a look at the WBB banners for season accomplishments. We either have 7 or 8 postseason trips (I wasn't sure which one it was). All of those have been in Jose's 12 seasons. We have zero from all the years prior to Jose. Also, USF's all time record is .433 winning percentage. Jose is over 50% and would be higher but he inherited an epically bad team that resulted in dismal records his first couple of years. He just now can recruit with the Muma Center and the new Sun Dome, which are certainly selling features to recruits. To the original poster, everyone wants to win more. Fair enough, but if you are going to analyze what coaches should be on a hot seat based on results, Jose is not near the top of that list.

Tonight, officially Chucky Atkins, Jessica Dickson and Lee Roy Selmon will be inuducted into the USF Athletics Hall of Fame. Chucky was my age. I had a class with him, something like "Geography of Current Events." He was the best player on one of our best USF MBB teams, and sadly he was also the best player on one of the worst. The crazy thing is that those were consecutive years. He scored at will, was lethal from behind the arc, could drive and finish or dish. Far and away the most decorated Bull when it comes to NBA play. Jessica lead the USF WBB team to it's only trip to the dance. She took over games in the second half and scored more points than any other USF basketball player ever has (man or woman). Lee Roy Selmon, I often wonder how redundant his induction is. Not because it isn't deserved, but because the physical USF Hall of Fame is located inside the Lee Roy Selmon Athletic Center. Every story you ever heard about him was true and yet also incomplete. He was so much more than any one memory, he was the perfect sum of all those memories and stories people like to share. It is a shame that future Bulls will only know him as the name on the building. He was so much more than that. USF will honor these three again tomorrow, but officially tonight they are the Hall of Fame induction class of 2012.

Thanks for looking it up .... it feels good when my memory and reality collide.

I know the stage is bigger now, but I'll throw out a couple from back in the day: 1997 losing to Drake (non-scholarship) 1998 - Willie Taggart bringing WKU back in Tampa at James Madison I think was 1999, when it seemed like we racked up about 100 yards of total offense. Losing at hapless Baylor in 2000, which saw the beginning and the end of Anthony Henry being a two way player.

I could be off, but I thought Oklahoma in 2002 was #2.... at least they were #2 at some point that year.

I quoted Bulliever because Paul Griffin does not get the credit he deserves in the public eye. Forget about the Big East, we almost didn't get into Conference USA (remember, we didn't have football back then). Without the invite to C-USA, there would be no Big East and maybe no football. At least not big time football. We could be playing our rival Jacksonville this week and Samford next week (note that I didn't say Stanford). Mr. Selmon was a man who lived his life in the public eye who wanted to keep parts of his life private, which included his health. He told us that he stepped down from the AD role at USF Athletics because of his health and asked for respect for his privacy beyond that. He certainly has the right and reasonable expectation that his health does not belong in the public domain. I have no reason to doubt what he said. He passed away much too early (and statistically young) - that would seem to give further credit to his reasons for stepping down.

Mike, good article. Glad to see you are still out there lurking. Thanks! I have read the Bulls Pen for many years, I don't post a ton, but will from time to time (and not just to self promote, I promise). I am trying to write about travel the most, but I have picked up a few USF assignments from time to time.

Here is the list of Bulls in the NFL I wrote for Yahoo. http://sports.yahoo.com/news/complete-list-south-florida-football-players-nfl-215900474--nfl.html

I was there. Went to the game with one of the VooDoo Five writers (Collin). That photo is taken at a weird angle. I was sitting in 205 J, and saw thousands of empty seats. They announced 40K, but I bet the turnstile was about 30K. The angle of that photo looks back on the home side, and make the second level on the visitors side hard to see. Now - The stadium UCF has was a good move for them. To get out of the Citrus Bowl onto campus was a good move. I applaud it. But... It would be a horrible move for USF ... because our home field is so much nicer than the Citrus Bowl or the oncampus stadium that UCF has. In order for moving on campus to be a good move for USF, we would have to spend so much more and build a stadium that is so much nicer. The simple benches without backs that UCF has on over half of their seats simply won't do (or benches with back on the prime seats). This is not meant to be a flame, but everyone puts on their goggles and fails to see reality. I dont see any empty seats with the exception of that one section in the far back there. Not sure what that is. The rest of it looks entirely full. Not sure how an angle of a photo makes more people appear in the stands. Perhaps we should use some of this technology ourselves. I am not getting sucked into this arguement ... one last time, the right side of the photo is half the stadium, shrunk down. Huge holes in the crowd, even on the 50 yard line . behind the FIU bench. The whole visiting side 200 level was about half full from goal line to goal line. That photo is taken in the student section (which was full) .... where the visiting sideline is distorted and you can't see the empty seats. Its not a trick or a photoshot, just the angle of the photo. I enjoyed the game, got my ticket outside for $15. Got to see a friend I don't see often. The tailgating on campus is outstanding, the campus is beautiful ... I am not trolling ... just being honest. I won't get back into the banter about the photo anymore ... time to rise above this garbage. By the way, the empty section you see is the FIU band, photo must have been taken in 2nd quarter when band went below the stands to prepare for halftime.,

I was there. Went to the game with one of the VooDoo Five writers (Collin). That photo is taken at a weird angle. I was sitting in 205 J, and saw thousands of empty seats. They announced 40K, but I bet the turnstile was about 30K. The angle of that photo looks back on the home side, and make the second level on the visitors side hard to see. Now - The stadium UCF has was a good move for them. To get out of the Citrus Bowl onto campus was a good move. I applaud it. But... It would be a horrible move for USF ... because our home field is so much nicer than the Citrus Bowl or the oncampus stadium that UCF has. In order for moving on campus to be a good move for USF, we would have to spend so much more and build a stadium that is so much nicer. The simple benches without backs that UCF has on over half of their seats simply won't do (or benches with back on the prime seats). This is not meant to be a flame, but everyone puts on their goggles and fails to see reality. I dont see any empty seats with the exception of that one section in the far back there. Not sure what that is. The rest of it looks entirely full. Not sure how an angle of a photo makes more people appear in the stands. Perhaps we should use some of this technology ourselves. I am not getting sucked into this arguement ... one last time, the right side of the photo is half the stadium, shrunk down. Huge holes in the crowd, even on the 50 yard line . behind the FIU bench. The whole visiting side 200 level was about half full from goal line to goal line. That photo is taken in the student section (which was full) .... where the visiting sideline is distorted and you can't see the empty seats. Its not a trick or a photoshot, just the angle of the photo. I enjoyed the game, got my ticket outside for $15. Got to see a friend I don't see often. The tailgating on campus is outstanding, the campus is beautiful ... I am not trolling ... just being honest. I won't get back into the banter about the photo anymore ... time to rise above this garbage.

I was there. Went to the game with one of the VooDoo Five writers (Collin). That photo is taken at a weird angle. I was sitting in 205 J, and saw thousands of empty seats. They announced 40K, but I bet the turnstile was about 30K. The angle of that photo looks back on the home side, and make the second level on the visitors side hard to see. Now - The stadium UCF has was a good move for them. To get out of the Citrus Bowl onto campus was a good move. I applaud it. But... It would be a horrible move for USF ... because our home field is so much nicer than the Citrus Bowl or the oncampus stadium that UCF has. In order for moving on campus to be a good move for USF, we would have to spend so much more and build a stadium that is so much nicer. The simple benches without backs that UCF has on over half of their seats simply won't do (or benches with back on the prime seats). This is not meant to be a flame, but everyone puts on their goggles and fails to see reality.

Sorry for the shameless self plug here, thought the board may want to see (and disagree with me) this list I did for Yahoo. http://sports.yahoo.com/news/top-10-time-nfl-players-university-south-florida-205100445--nfl.html and since I am already self promoting, I wrote this about my trip to Reno for the game: http://voices.yahoo.com/on-road-usf-football-reno-nevada-11755514.html?cat=16

No offense, but the game after Rutgers will prove you wrong. Opponent, day of the week, time are all big factors.

Southshore - I don't have any real info on this, but please remember that what you see on Ticketmaster is just what USF wants you to buy and not all seats that are open. Since the game in on national TV, I would assume USF would block all West seats (since that is the non-tv side) .... plus many seats are set aside for different offers or promos, or simply not opened up until needed. Lets be realistic, two unranked teams on a weeknight. If we get to 45,000 or so ... then USF deserves a pat on the back for the crowd. Rutgers isn't a draw to a local casual fan.... and because it is a weekend they won't travel many fans down here. What I really hope is that the students are out in force, that will create a good atmosphere for the game.

Not just the altitude, but we have gone West 3 times and been blown out 3 times..... El Paso, Utah and San Diego State. But those were different players playing for a different coach. I think we will be ok, I really believe that there is a talent gap from the Mountain West to the Big East and even if they are one of the best in the Mountain West, if we are really one of the best in the Big East, then we should have more talent on the field, and that will overcome altitude and jet lag.

One more thing, row Z in the first level on the aisle. I can use the bathroom and get a refill and back to my seat without missing a play if I start walking at the very start of the tv timeout.

What is a shame for Bulls fans is that the same sized cup with the free refills at a Bucs game is only $5.75 for a Bucs season ticket holder because Bucs season ticket holders get a discount on concessions at Bucs games. (I understand why the Bucs can offer this, and USF can't, but it is still a shame) My goal is the original plus 6 refills per game, that way I feel good about paying a buck a soda.

Sorry to post twice in a row, but I'll also mention that there are a couple more articles out there with USF themes. I wrote a piece ranking the 8 Big East football cities by their food: http://voices.yahoo.com/ranking-big-east-conference-football-cities-by-11703082.html There is one more in the editing/approval stage now that I will share when it goes live.