michibull

Agreed, they added the best available. The next 2 they should add is USF and Memphis because USF and UCF should be paired together in a conference like that. I will say that we are a better fit for the ACC from a geographic, academic and athletic side of it; and therefore at the moment, I’m happy we are not in the ACC, but would accept if the B12 invited us.

I have to say, the Nicholson Plaza is the dumbest thing I ever seen. They should have their hydrotherapy pools and tanks in the performance center, a grass parking lot with palm trees is all you need for game day. They could have reinvested the money into the stadium with shade, nicer seats, a history center (although there is not much of one, it could be started), or facade. I mean, the expansion and performance center updates are solid, but that lazy river is stupid and gimmicky. The coaches office and club seat are incorporated really well and like that for sure.

Yes, we SHOULD have had a rivalry with Miami, UFvFSU is a natural and we could have evolved the USFvMia into a good one, that never happened and no matter what people say, USFvUCF was a good rivalry. The crap part was that the whole time that we were competing, we knew it was for a P5 spot, therefore it made losing to them even worse. IF we were both in the B12, the rivalry would “feel” different because we would both be in the P5 competing for meaningful conference championships and playoff spots, not our CFB survival.

When it comes to ACC expansion, it won’t be just about CFB, CBB or Baseball. Any team that is part of expansion for the ACC will be an “investment” school. Any plug and play programs are gone now. For this reason, they will probably look at 1. Media Market 2. Academic Standing/Reputation 3. Athletics Budget 4. Facilities. If the foundation is there, they will be considered. That is why I firmly believe we are looking good, but there are still a lot of variables in play that cannot be predicted.

I would imagine that these “academics” have no clue what USF has saved, raised or plan with their money. This article literally means nothing but an effort to paint USF in poor publicity.

If basketball is getting a fair split of the money, there will be a conflict of interest when making decisions. The P5 conferences are football driven and all money and decisions go through them. Once you have more than one chef in the kitchen (football and basketball), it gets messy, it’s a house divided; and divided houses fall eventually. That’s the point I’m trying to make.

Sounds like the Big East all over again, I’ll pass.

There are reports that the ACC was considering Oregon and Washington, rumors are like opinions and you know what’s, everybody has them. People need to chill, VPMK has connections and the USF/Tampa speak for themselves. I am not concerned with Memphis or Tulane rumors.

This is why I can’t see the ACC paying the top teams more than the rest. That’s what got the B12 in trouble to begin with (Texas getting the big piece of the pie and I think so did Oklahoma, then Colorado said f you and Nebraska left too). The ACC would be making the same mistake and that would be foolish, because it will end the same way.

As a side note, if FSU has to stay in the ACC for the next 13 years and remains average; if USF starts winning and gets into the B12 or ACC (next 3-5 years) and is competitive over the remaining 8-10 years of the ACC’s GoR (increasing the fan base), USF would be more appealing (adding in the AAU status) to any conference over FSU.

I have been thinking that for a while, but I actually feel opposite now. IF the PAC 12 stays together, I think the B12 stays together and expands by 2 teams for stability. Those 2 will hold the west down. B10 and SEC will only expand by 2 teams each and they will stay put (adding more won’t make them more money). The left overs of the ACC will add the best of the rest to create the weakest P5 conference. IF the PAC12 dissolves I could see a P3 develop with the B12 and PAC12 merging to solidify the west with the B10 and SEC taking Midwest and South to solidify the east coast. All the rest will be G6 schools. I think we absolutely need the PAC12 to stay together and hopefully the B12 or and good version of ACC come calling. I actually think the B12 is in a more stable position right now.

It’s easier to debate the past, we have data/evidence to discuss, haha. Our current present is our future, we have all new coaches and players, so it’s hard to talk about them, since we haven’t seen anything yet.

Agreed, I feel the same way. The past is the past, USF is learning from it and I can see a difference. I am really hoping CAG is the guy to get us out of this mess from a CFB point of view; same for Coach Abdur-Rahim. I feel if we can hit 6-6 for football this year and .500 for CBB, we will be looking good for a big year in 2024/25.

Very true, but he was able to pivot and turn things around.

I love Leavitt and believe he got a raw deal, BUT, his firing is not the root cause of our downfall and I would even go as far as saying that yes it was a mistake, but we could have been even better without him (Leavitt could win the big OOC games, but at the time he was a .500 coach against conference teams we played every year, which is indicative of game planning; yes, our recruiting was getting better and he may have done better given more time). At the time of hiring, Skip Holtz was close to being the best coach available and most schools wanted him, he was lauded as a home run hire that could take us to the next level (by local and national pundits). Hind sight is 20/20, but let’s not make him out to be a mistake from day one; he was a failure for multiple reasons, some of his doing and some of the universities. CWT worked out, CCS was another coach that was believed as a great hire for us that was a DISASTER and CJS was a terrible hire from square 1. It’s these last two coaching hires that have buried our program. Being a G5 school, it’s a real crap shoot hiring coaches and we’ve been unlucky.

HOF post here!! Everything you said was spot on. It’s a shame, but it is what it is. I also agree with @Bull Matrix on conference expansion. Over the course of CFB, conferences come and go and change periodically. I think we are late to the game, but it’s not over yet and we are getting into a very opportunistic spot. If we play our cards right, we are a large university, outstanding academics and status, large media market, solid athletics facilities (will be better with OCS) and potential for huge amounts of money/investment; which way more than what most P5 also-rans have. Yes, we need to start winning NOW, but we are also in a conference that we can do that; but we are currently dependent on VPMK, which scares me…..

If I were the ACC, I would learn from the Big East debacle and be proactive and aggressive right now. The GoR is good and all, but you can’t take a chance of the B12 snaking a few schools that could help you get ahead of the expansion and provide stability.

Agreed, I still think the ACC holds together fairly well. I think the BigTen goes after Cal and Stanford (for USC and UCLA), maybe GT and Duke/UM, but that would be it. SEC may get Clemson and FSU. ACC would backfill with South Florida, Memphis, Temple and ECU. Still a good conference, with a good name/reputation and we would have less traveling.

I agree with you and everything said said was correct. The only thing I see that could hold us back is history and reputation. Winning wasn’t important to them when they added Rutgers and Maryland, but they do have a lot of history. I believe we are a sleeping giant and IF they added us, we could see 2007 type of support come back fast!

Pitt too, another ACC AAU Penn St will block them like they have in the past. I don’t post in LinkedIn, but I absolutely reposted this!!! I am so proud of our alma mater!!

Ha, me too!! I even had someone walk past me and do a double take at the logo in my polo.

Thanks for the heads up for Paramount +, I have that thanks to the kids, haha.

I have never understood why AAC agreed to a TV contract with CBS knowing most games would be on CBSSN, not gonna reach many people (myself included ).

While I mostly agree with you, especially as I get older, the college atmosphere is special. I see no reason to go to an NFL game, but when you home college team is good, it is a whole other experience being there; ie 07 vs WVU.

The Bullspen made it!!