Ashley Burns SHUTS THE HELL UP!

[BullWriter]

Oh, how refreshing... gone is the bravado from that little punk after we whooped UCF's ass...

http://www.ucfnews.com/media/paper174/news/2005/09/19/News/Running.Of.The.Bulls-988999.shtml

Running of the Bulls

Despite bad game for UCF, rivalry with USF holds plenty of benefits for both

By Ashley "I'm A Punk" Burns

Published: Monday, September 19, 2005

Heading into Saturday's first-ever matchup with the University of South Florida Bulls, UCF football fans were anxious to see what they believed would be the beginning of a rivalry.

USF fans didn't agree. Some of them did, but the majority of Bull nation were convinced that UCF didn't even belong in the same sentence, let alone field, as USF. The Bulls' 31-14 trouncing of the Knights added weight to the USF argument.

Yet there were 45,139 fans in attendance, and if that's not enough to convince the USF brass that this rivalry is beneficial for both sides, thousands of UCF fans made the journey from Orlando to watch the Knights extend their losing streak - as always, the longest in the nation at 17. While the outcome undoubtedly left all of them sour, the experience is one that some see as the beginning of something big.

One of those fans in attendance was Florida Sen. Lee Constantine, who has publicly supported this rivalry for many years and has been quite vocal as far as seeing that it happens annually, far beyond the current two-year home and home agreement that USF was so gracious to accept.

"This is something that is very near and dear to me," Constantine said of the rivalry. "It's something that should happen annually. Every school needs a rival that they can say, 'We hate them or we love to hate them.' USF and UCF are natural. For me, it was imperative for UCF and USF to improve their programs and continue on to the next step and have this kind of rivalry."

Fans from both sides at the game showed respect toward each other, despite being playful with distaste for each other's teams throughout the game. There were fans wielding signs which gave UCF credit for attractive girls and drinking prowess, and others that let UCF fans know that USF jumped the shark by joining the Big East, leaving UCF in its wake. There were painted faces and painted bodies, crazy pom-poms and more. All are part of the rivalry that Constantine hopes to continue and help build.

"This game, in my opinion, will be the largest-attending crowd for each school home and home every year," Constantine said.

Saturday's crowd was the second-largest in USF history at Raymond James Stadium. Although the Bulls have had some controversy in the past with calculating attendance numbers, the debut game's attendance was legit.

Before the game, Constantine expressed his overwhelming devotion to UCF, win or lose. He said it's important for fans to stay behind the players because they need to know the students and alumni believe in them.

"I'm UCF tried and true, black and gold running through my veins," he said. "This is the most important game that we've ever played. This sets the table for the rest of the season. We've gone to the next level. We're in Conference USA, we've got a great coach. Two weeks ago at the South Carolina game, we saw that the players bought into the program and they believe in the coach. We - alumni and students - believe in them. They need to believe in themselves and this is the game that can make them do this."

In the past, USF officials have been reluctant to play UCF because some critics believe they think the Bulls have a better program than the Knights. Because USF joined the not-so-illustrious revamped Big East, the Bulls may believe they hold an edge over UCF in recruiting. While that thought process is certainly valid, the rivalry could hurt either team depending on each year's outcome.

"They think that they have a recruiting edge," Constantine said. "They really don't but they think they do. If they keep maintaining the thought 'we're better that UCF,' then they'll never lose that competitive edge. They will always think it's going to be there. It's crazy. It's really ridiculous. Their coach has dictated this policy for their university for a number of years. Like I told the president of the university two years ago, 'who runs your university - you or the football coach?' This game is good for both of us - win or lose."

It was certainly good for Tampa's economy over the weekend as there were almost no hotel rooms available in the area surrounding Raymond James Stadium. In some parking lot tailgate areas, the UCF to USF ratio was almost 10-to-1. Of course the same can be said for the other lots that were heavily concentrated with green and gold. Either way, Constantine said, that's a good thing.

"Look what it has brought," the Republican from district 22 said. "We're going to have thousands here and they're going to have more than they normally have. This is a rivalry game and there's nothing that can beat it, especially in Florida, the home of college football. Nothing can beat a rivalry game."

Prior to the game, Constantine spoke to the UCF players after practice last Thursday. It was there that he was named an honorary captain for Saturday's game. He also offered Coach George O'Leary's young team some words of wisdom to help get them pumped up.

"I told them the history," Constantine said. "I told them that I was at the first game back in 1979 and I've been going ever since then. I told them how much the 150,000 alumni are looking at them. We believe in them. The students believe in them. The coaching staff believes in them. I know they believe in the coaching staff. All they need is one more step - to believe in themselves. I also told them how hard it was to get this game. USF does not want to play us."

If Saturday's game was any inclination of what the future may hold, the Bulls may want to play UCF as often as possible.

[Metro_Retro_Bull]

Saturday's crowd was the second-largest in USF history at Raymond James Stadium. Although the Bulls have had some controversy in the past with calculating attendance numbers, the debut game's attendance was legit.

Huh?

[BullGrad95]

This Constantine guy is a complete tool.  If he's wasting his legislative time worring about UCF/USF, his constituency needs to rethink who they vote for next time he's up for reelection.  Who does he think he is questioning CJL's authority within USF's athletic department?  Fans showed respect for each other?  This guy obvisouly didn't walk through lots 6 and 8 on his way out of the stadium.

[BullWriter]

All his comments were BEFORE the game, I believe... before we laid a can of whoop-ass on his team and sent him back to Altamonte Springs with his tail between his legs...

[puc86]

It is pathetic how hard they are trying to be our rival, it's like the nerdy kid in school trying to do anything to be like the cool kids. Why would someone be so vocal about how much they wanted a team that wants nothing to do with them is beyond me. If I were Constantine I would save what little self respect he had by STFU! We are better than you and if you need legislation to prove it that is fine, but if I were you I would long for the days when we did not play and at least you could pretend you were on our level.

Of course we have a recruiting advantage we are not 0-17, we have a better conference, better staff, better facilities and we just stomped you; what is left to sell?

[TripleB]

I'm willing to bet anything that our little Guest poster "Jay" is really Lee Constantine ............. What a bafoon.

[Guest Guest]

That constantine guy sounds like an idiot.  So he's going to try and tell USF who they should develop a rivalry with??  I think we'd rather set our sights a little higher and get a yearly game with one of the real Florida schools.  Sure we might get beaten quite a few times before we finally win, but I think as we attract more and more talent, we will compete with schools like Miami, UF and FSU.  Look at what Miami did early on.  They got a yearly game with UF and look at them now.  Let UCF play the FAU's and FIU's of the state.  We need to look ahead not back.

[Sitting_BULL]

That constantine guy sounds like an idiot.  So he's going to try and tell USF who they should develop a rivalry with??  I think we'd rather set our sights a little higher and get a yearly game with one of the real Florida schools.  Sure we might get beaten quite a few times before we finally win, but I think as we attract more and more talent, we will compete with schools like Miami, UF and FSU.  Look at what Miami did early on.  They got a yearly game with UF and look at them now.  Let UCF play the FAU's and FIU's of the state.  We need to look ahead not back.

Exactly!  That whole program is a bunch of tools.  Using legislation to force a game?  Geeze could they be more pathetic?

Why don't they develop a rival on their level?  Do they really want a rivalry with a program that is always going to pound their a$$es?  Are they closet cases?

[Guest usf-ru]

Does she know what "jumped the shark" means?

[BullDoug]

That constantine guy sounds like an idiot.  So he's going to try and tell USF who they should develop a rivalry with??  I think we'd rather set our sights a little higher and get a yearly game with one of the real Florida schools.  Sure we might get beaten quite a few times before we finally win, but I think as we attract more and more talent, we will compete with schools like Miami, UF and FSU.  Look at what Miami did early on.  They got a yearly game with UF and look at them now.  Let UCF play the FAU's and FIU's of the state.  We need to look ahead not back.

Your opinion is the same as the UCF fan.  Read your post.  You want UF, FSU or UM to be a rival but they don't care about us.  UF will never play USF annually.  FSU dropped USF in basketball...wusses.  You will never get a 2n2 from those schools.  There is no way USF can break up the UF-FSU rivalry or the UM-FSU rivalry.  They don't need a rivalry 'cuz UF has FSU, GA n TN.  FSU has UM, UF and Auburn if they wanna play.  UM has FSU & VATech.  USF must create a conference rival with UL since there is history.  They need to win Sat. so UL fans will hates our team.  UCF is like that easy girl in HS you know will go to the prom with you if you just ask but you wanna take a cheerleader that doesn't care that you exist.  Saying that I prefer not to drop $100-$150 on the easy girl at the prom when I can do that any ole day.  Are you getting my drift?