Here's your chance to party with USF

[ChiTownBull]

http://www.bradenton.com/mld/bradenton/sports/13354834.htm

Roger Mooney College football

You could go ice skating on an outdoor rink. That's kind of a neat holiday tradition in some parts.

I hear The Green on South Tryon is the happening place. Of course, you'd have to go to Charlotte, N.C., to find The Green, but hey, if you're a fan of the South Florida Bulls, you're probably heading there already.

"If you're not going to be in Tampa for New Year's Eve," USF football coach Jim Leavitt said, "there's no better place to be than in Charlotte."

Who can argue?

Leavitt hopes you go for the Meineke Car Care Bowl, the one on Dec. 31 that pits North Carolina State against USF. The Bulls will not only celebrate their first bowl berth but will play in the program's 100th game. How's that for a New Year's Eve two-fer?

Kickoff is 11 a.m., so even if the Bulls and Wolfpack play seven or eight overtimes, you'll have plenty of time to rent some skates and hit The Green.

Or head to the Bank of America Corporate Center Plaza and Founders Hall, where you'll find a 50-foot Christmas tree complete with all the trimmings.

Don't forget the Downtown Countdown at midnight, which is where they ring in the New Year.

Plenty of things to do in Charlotte.

Most important, to Leavitt anyway, is the game.

There needs to be a considerable amount of green and gold in Bank of America Stadium come kickoff.

One, because the place will surely be full of N.C. State red, and Leavitt would like to take some of the homefield advantage away from the Wolfpack.

And two, because South Florida needs to show bowl committees everywhere its fans will travel.

"As a program on the rise, as a program that seriously needs to be considered, you've got to travel really well." Leavitt said. "If we bring up 20,000 (fans), that would really make a statement across the country. That would be as powerful as could be. If we bring up 10,000, that would be a good statement."

A poor showing also makes a statement. It will brand the Bulls as a program that doesn't travel well. That's a tag you don't want to have. That's a tag that keeps borderline bowl teams home for the holidays.

The local chambers of commerce love to see hotels and restaurants filled with out-of-towners during bowl season. Spending money. Enjoying the local sights. Confirming their hunch their city is certainly worthy of holding such a time-honored event as a college bowl game.

USF fans, here's your chance. You've rooted for USF since the program's inception. You bellyached those times the Bulls were bowl-eligible but did not receive an invitation. You wish for the day when the Big Three of Florida, Florida State and Miami will become Big Four of Florida, Florida State, Miami and South Florida.

Here's a chance to show just how big-time USF can be.

Join Leavitt for the New Year.

"I don't know many (fans) we can bring up," he said. "But everybody - their kids, aunties, grandfathers, extended family - get a caravan. Green and gold needs to engulf Charlotte."

And for $3, you can rent a pair of skates at The Green.

Roger Mooney , sports writer,

[EXBULL21]

Wow...great article!!  It's about time someone in the papers rights something to "try" to invoke some emotions from this community to get behind this school.

Now, we need JL, Woolard, Genshaft and crew to get out there and promote this game.  Get on the phones and sell some tickets.

[Guest_Pariah]

Heres a chance to show just how big-time USF can be. LMAO Nice line.

Big time? Powerful statements? Nice quotes now heres one from me:

"If we won both of our last two games, that would have really made a statement across the country. That would have been as powerful as could be. If we at least won one, that would have been a good statement."  - Pariah

Heres a thought: If USF wins at UConn it would have given USF alumni and fans another week to plan because the invitation would have come earlier. Instead we waited on the fence, watch another gruesome offensive display and lost our taste for traveling.

I would apologize for not helping USF make a powerful statement if I thought it would do any good.

In 2006, I will count on USF making a bowl game and will plan accordingly.

Otis is that you?

[dabull80]

My sign at work out side is now "USF vs NC State"

                                                    Dec 31,2005

[___ Eats It]

"If we won both of our last two games, that would have really made a statement across the country. That would have been as powerful as could be. If we at least won one, that would have been a good statement."  - Pariah

Agreed, but it didn't happen.  You can keep crying over spilled milk or you can nut up and support your frigging team for when they are now on December 8, 2005... which is USF's FIRST EVER BOWL BOUND TEAM.

thought: If USF wins at UConn it would have given USF alumni and fans another week to plan because the invitation would have come earlier. Instead we waited on the fence, watch another gruesome offensive display and lost our taste for traveling.

I call BS on this argument right here.

If we won at UConn, we wouldn't know WHICH Bowl we were getting invited to, since the Sugar Bowl team would still have been up in the air at that point.  So you'd still need to wait until the WVU game to know WHERE USF would be travelling.

Once we lost to WV, we were destined for Meineke unless UConn won... and Louisville defeated them about an hour after our game ended.  So, in reality, you would have needed to wait until the end of the USF-WVU game (had we beaten UConn) or for an hour after the USF-WVU game (to see the result of UL-UConn) to know FOR SURE where we were going.

The only thing that would have been decided by beating UConn would be that a bowl was a certainty, but travel location, etc, would still be unknown.  So you'd have a week more to prepare to travel to a bowl location that wouldn't even be decided until the WVU game.  

Bottom line... that's a pathetic excuse from a pathetic fan.  Save it, pal.

I would apologize for not helping USF make a powerful statement if I thought it would do any good.

Sorry you're not real happy about the bowl game we got.  Next time I'm sure USF will be sure to contact you to make sure they win enough games so that Pariah's travel planning isn't disturbed too much and that he approves of the bowl we get.   :

Even if you can't travel, you could buy tickets from USF to support the team.

In 2006, I will count on USF making a bowl game and will plan accordingly.

Don't bother.  USF needs real fans that will travel when travelling is expected, not fans that stay home because they don't like the bowl we got.  Besides, with people like you staying home to pout, we probably won't get another invite.

"Fans" like you are pathetic.  Assclown.

[ChiTownBull]

AEI nicely put....

[cophbulls]

A) I love that article, need to get it posted in the Tampa Trib or SPT

STOP F"""ING WHINING - WE DIDN'T GET INTO A BCS SO F***ING WHAT? Neither did over 100 other universities, hey Duke would have gotten into a BCS if they just have won 11 more games. How about Va Tech, what a great season they had and they lose to FSU so they don't get a BCS bowl bid.

I think it's great that we as fans and THEY as a team (note these are two seperate identities) get to cut our teeth on a bowl that no one will be watching. Maybe next year we don't go to a bowl or maybe we don't see a bowl for ten more years. All of you whining babies will be looking back on this, ten years more mature, and be thinking **** I wish I had just shut the F up and gone to that bowl.

Stop complaining about the BCS, stop complaining about the OC, stop complaing about PJ, just have fun, enjoy the bowl season, it's a great time of year with or without USF in it. There is plenty of time to whine and gripe about the state of a team,  that BTW doesn't give a crap whether you as an indivdual exists or not, in the offseason.

Lighten up, have a drink, raise a toast to your team, there are 50+ other teams sitting at home right now getting ready for Christmas instead of a bowl game.

[Guest_Pariah]

What was I thinking? 6-5 is a great year, having a pass oriented offense that ranks as the 108 passing offense in the nation is super. There are 9 teams behind us!!

You're right its all great and I am to blame if they cannot get a guarenteed bowl bid next year.

BTW - Thank GOD we didn't get the BCS bid. It would have embarrassed the program for all eternity. I was just a bit sensitive to being called upon to make a statement that should have been made on the field.

[Big_Hairy_Bull]

What was I thinking? 6-5 is a great year, having a pass oriented offense that ranks as the 108 passing offense in the nation is super. There are 9 teams behind us!!

You're right its all great and I am to blame if they cannot get a guarenteed bowl bid next year.

BTW - Thank GOD we didn't get the BCS bid. It would have embarrassed the program for all eternity. I was just a bit sensitive to being called upon to make a statement that should have been made on the field.

If you are not proud of a USF team going to a New Year's Eve Bowl game after all critics and fans predicted to come in last or 2nd to last, then don't be a fan of USF! We don't need you.  

Jump on someone else's bandwagon and then you won't have any problems next year if the Bulls don't go undefeated!

I am very proud to being going to the Bowl and will be representing my school regardless win or lose!!!!!

[Sitting_BULL]

BTW - Thank GOD we didn't get the BCS bid. It would have embarrassed the program for all eternity. I was just a bit sensitive to being called upon to make a statement that should have been made on the field.

First you complain we don't win out and go to the BCS, now you're glad we didn't.

WHAT EXACTLY IS IT YOU WANT WOMAN?