since leavitt's contract extension

[smazza]

leavitt hasn't made area residents,children welcome

until he opens practices and welcomes the community,usf football will be a mystery

[USF03]

I have serious doubts that open practices would really help our image, besides making the people on this board happy (die hard fans).  

USF can only do so much advertising in the community.  In fact I think we should do less in the community... and start working on our STUDENTS!  The students are the university, therefore the students must back the athletic programs.  The STUDENTS need to care more.

The H.O.T. can't just roam around to every local event and perform (hello... the band costs how much to send somewhere /HINT:$XXX,XXX).  The Show Band has done Gasperilla a few times, but that doesn't ever get anything more that drunk people in our faces.  They won't even remember the band was there.  The Show Band and other Athletic Bands perform at UNIVERSITY EVENTS... and we try to get, what should be our TRUE fan base "OUR STUDENTS," pumped up and excitied.  

WHERE HAS THE SHOW BAND PERFORMED?

The Grand opening of the USF Athletic Building, Tampa Campus

Festival of States, St. Petersburg

Gasparilla Day Parade, Tampa

USF Day, Tallahassee

USF Parents Day, Tampa Campus

Tampa Bay Storm Football Games, Tampa

School of Music Taste of the Arts, Tampa Campus

USF St. Petersburg Homecoming, St. Petersburg

USF Lakeland Day, Lakeland

Desoto USF Parade, Desoto County

N.C.A.A. Tournament Site Selection at the St. Pete Times Forum, Tampa

And many many others...

I could care less about 66 year old Bob and Mary Joe who just happen to have $120 bucks a game to play around with.  THEY DONT GET INTO THE GAME LIKE A YOUNG STUDENT SHOULD!

I'm not downing Alumni, just people on this boards efforts to drag random tampa folk into our problems.  

We, students & alumni, need to fight for our team.  Don't force the blame on ANYONE else.  

[Guest BullsFans]

You have a lot to learn there Billy Bob.

[USF03]

Well, I know I have alot to learn... thats why I'm in college.

Although, in this case... I do know that it will take the caring support of our students to take us to that "next level."  Only then will we be able to do more.  

Can you honestly tell me that USF's goal shouldn't be to put all 43,000+ students in Ray Jay?  The SCHOOL should be behind the SCHOOL'S TEAMS!!!!!

Obvoiusly, I am saying this with complete disregard to normal facts of life (cough cough... MONEY!).  We need the community too, but we need the students first and formost.  After all, it's college football.

If we had 43,000+ students acting the way the 5,000 students/alums were at the bowl game... WOW.  People would take us seriously AND our team might have more motovation (knowing the student body loves them).  

[Guest BullsFans]

Well, I know I have alot to learn... thats why I'm in college.

Here's a lesson for you to learn....."alot" isn't a word in the English language.

43,000 students in the stands is not a realistic goal...short of making attendance a requirement for graduation ....I believe that would be considered cruel and unusual punishment by the courts.

[Apis Bull]

Especially since they'd never have that many student tickets available.

[USF03]

Yea, I can't spell.... what else is new.  That isn't the worst spelling error on this board by far.  

Of course they haven't made room for more students, we don't have an increase in student attendance!  I think SG and Athletics needs to work on getting more students to these games.  

That of course goes for community members and Alumni, but I see an effort to get them there... and less of an effort (if any other than free tickets, which SHOULD be enough effort) to get current students out.  

I don't believe that we would have 43,000+ studentts in the seats... but I DO believe we need to start getting the student body invloved more.  We need as many of them as possible!  THAT IS WHAT I AM GETTING AT HERE.

Are you seriously about to tell me that the student body isn't a factor in USF Athletics?  ...or shouldn't be?

[Joe]

HOTPR that has been a big argument on here. USF students outside the regular 3-4k are NOT commmitted to this team. We averaged about 7k a game in students I believe (still havent gotten a solid number) but that is not enough for a school our size. I know we are not UF or FSU yet, but they have students lining up for tickets (UF charges, FSU doesn't) and ring more than 20,000 students to each game.

I think a lot of people overlook the fact that right now our games are often more like bad NFL games (see Arizona Cardinals) the crowd can be loud, but only when they feel the need to be. Most people sit the whole game, there is an emptiness feel in the stadium at times, and they occasionally blash arena rock ove rthe loud system.

Our band has done great, youy've done all you guy can!

Yes we need to bring the casual fans in BUT REMEMBER the students will be the DONORS in years to come. The casual fans will give, but you cannot tell me it will be to the level that the studnet could.

[nukebull]

The main thing that seperates CFB from NFL is students at games creating college atmosphere. I went to rutgers game and they had great atmosphere because they had good student turnout. Hey UCFbulls clown UCF did not win C-USA. You correct spelling how about doing a little fact checking before you type. Hey Smazza USC did not win championship, fire Pete he is under acheiving he must go.

[Joe]

I agree Nuke, the students make a college atmosphere, not only by showing but THEIR noise spreads throughout the stadium! When other fans hear the students they feel compelled to join in.

(I am going on my expiereces at UF football games, where my parents have been season ticket holders since I was a kid. I havent been to a game in 2 years, but at FSU in 2003, not one person in the stadium SAT the whole game. Well except for the handicap fans.