CUSA baseball budgets for 03-04

[USFFan]

Im not saying we couldnt have done better.Yes we are in a talent rich area BUT so are UF,FSU,UM,UCF,Stetson,FAU,FIU, ALL of this schools have better facilities than USF and have better fan support. Go ask the baseball players in our team if they wouldnt have rather played in a nice stadium with more fan support.

Now with the new athlertic facility we have improved a bit BUT we are still behind ALL of those schools i mentioned.

I see, so now it's fan support (a problem that's not exclusive to baseball).  We don't draw flies to softball, but they're doing quite fine, thank you very much.  Same can be said for volleyball or women's basketball.  If you want fans, you have to get out there and show some interest and give them a reason to come to the ballpark.  Facilities alone don't draw fans - look at the Cleveland Indians, Milwaukee Brewers or Pittsburgh Pirates.  

Let's face it, Cardieri has coasted for the past several years, and it's clear that "if we don't get him some new facilities," we're doomed to do no better.  We also know that we won't be getting new facilities for some time (Brent suggests no sooner than 2009 on the TBO site).  Do we just sit around now for the next four years to see whether Cardieri can possibly recruit once a new stadium is built, or do we go out and find somebody who's actually driven enough to try to win with what we have?  

USFFan

[USFFan]

By the way if you look at our standings you are right

LAST FIVE Years in CUSA: 3-7-6-9-6

FIRST FIVE years in CUSA: 1-3-8-5-5

So last Five years: 1 Top Five finish

First Five Years: FOUR top five finishes

Look around the state and look at when those schools got their new facilities and when was the last time USF did ANYTHING to improve baseball facilities i believe youll see a very CLEAR pattern.

Im NOT a big fan of Cardieri BUT i also can see that he is at a BIG dissadvantage with what he can offer to recruits and others in the state can offer.

I don't consider not doing something once in the last four years "consistently achieving" that which I failed to do.  

In our 10 year Conference USA history we have an overall winning percentage of .545.  Take away our first two seasons in Conference USA and we're under .500 for the last eight.  That's consistency alright - consistently mediocre.  I personally believe we can do better.  

USFFan

[Cubanbull]

Once again i NEVER said that Cardieri was doing a good job BUT the FACTS are that our facilities,budget and fan support for baseball would not even rank among the top SIX in our own state.

USF needs to do more to improve all facets of support for many of its programs and yes volleyball was successful and our coach took off, Softball Ericksen last year just about said he would leave and i wouldnt be surprised if he doesnt in a few years