Wikipedia Article Speculates about USF Rivals...

[USFMikeB]

Local media has done an excellent job of trying to sell a rivalry.  I'm not some stoner from Theta, and I prefer to use logic for my arguments.  Logic tells me that when you look at the rivalries that exist in college football, the one game we've played against UCF does not make provide any sort of scope to other rivalries.  If you think its a rivalry, that's fine, that is your prerogative.  However, that simply tells me that you have no comprehension of what a real rivalry is.

[USFreak]

What you don't seem to understand is that it isn't a matter of liking or disliking a potential rivalry with UCF.  In fact, if attendance like the first game can be sustained, then it makes sense.  However, it is the matter in which people are trying to force its existence.  Reality is that rivalries take time to build, and can't be created by a group of online fans that want to see it happen.  Reality is that we've only played one game, and discussion of a rivalry as anything other than potential is rather premature.  Yes, there are fans on both sides that want it.  However, it has not reached the level where it is a real rivalry.  Budding, possibly; true rivalry, definitely not.

OK, so I'm to assume ALL these newspaper writers and everyone else decided it was a rivalry because they happend across this board (and the State of Florida board) and saw 35 or 40 people fighting over why this is a rivalry.

Yeah, I'll go with that.

Geography, the similarities of the schools, the fact they were founded relatively around the same time, have competed for similar recruits, competed against each other to get in the Big East (at least via posturing), have actually played a game together, both are struggling to find identity in big college football, both reached their first bowl game, both want to be the 4th member of the Big 3, etc. has nothing to do with it.  

Where do these writers get their crazy ideas?  I thought it was against the code of journalism to print fiction.

I guess what I'm missing is why people are not seeing that these programs have historically competed.....USF's sole lot in life was to leapfrog UCF to get where they are.   UCF fans feel slighted.  USF fans feel they've passed UCF and can rub their noses in it.

[USFMikeB]

By the way, you'll note that most of the quotes you provided discuss the potential of a rivalry, not the existence of one.  The media likes to sensationalize, but they at least know what a real rivalry entails.

[USFreak]

Local media has done an excellent job of trying to sell a rivalry.  I'm not some stoner from Theta, and I prefer to use logic for my arguments.  Logic tells me that when you look at the rivalries that exist in college football, the one game we've played against UCF does not make provide any sort of scope to other rivalries.  If you think its a rivalry, that's fine, that is your prerogative.  However, that simply tells me that you have no comprehension of what a real rivalry is.

Jr. Rivalry.  It clearly isn't Texas/Oklahoma, but when both schools struggle to put their own fans in the stadium each week anyhow it is tough to call it a rabid rivalry.  USF is a mere 8 years old.  Some games we only put 25k in the stands on our own.  I'd call the UCF game very rivalry-like.  Closest thing I've seen to one so far.  

I agree that the media will continue to hype it.  And why not, there is no shame in calling it a rivalry.  USF fans can have a game a year like that OOC.

I think Leavitt calling it a natural rivalry is probably all the logic I need.  I'd figure he'd be the last one to give any sort of endorsement to it.  I imagine the energy and attendance sort of pointed out that for a school that doesn't really pack them in....not a terrifically bad thing.  Good opportunity for a close roadie and a nice revenue stream if it builds.

[USFMikeB]

Oh yeah, and the Wikipedia article that started this thread says that Miami is our rival, and that we have a "blossoming" rivalry with Louisville.  Since it is an online encyclopedia, it absolutely MUST be correct right?  I mean, encyclopedias don't present fiction as fact right?

Yea, someone now tells us that Miami is our rival, it must be true!  Woohoo!  Down with Miami, our rivals to the death!  Woohoo!

[USFreak]

By the way, you'll note that most of the quotes you provided discuss the potential of a rivalry, not the existence of one.  The media likes to sensationalize, but they at least know what a real rivalry entails.

Sure, but there are very few teams on our schedule that have appeared year after year.  There was some recruiting history and 'snubbing' from USF (towards UCF) that happened in the early years that clearly got their coach (Kruschek) and their fanbase hot.  They wanted to play us and the fact USF didn't got their blood boiling.  So they have that.....USF doesn't have anything to truly hate UCF for yet, but if a loss ever comes that would probably escalate it.

I don't deny it doesn't exist at crazy levels yet, but the atmosphere at RJS was the closest I've seen to a rivalry for this team.  Rivalry Private First Class....in training.  If the game is a constant the rivalry will be a constant.  

[USFreak]

Oh yeah, and the Wikipedia article that started this thread says that Miami is our rival, and that we have a "blossoming" rivalry with Louisville.  Since it is an online encyclopedia, it absolutely MUST be correct right?  I mean, encyclopedias don't present fiction as fact right?

Yea, someone now tells us that Miami is our rival, it must be true!  Woohoo!  Down with Miami, our rivals to the death!  Woohoo!

If Wikipedia had any actual integrity it would.  Smazza could have made that entry 15 minutes ago and SirGalahad could change it 2 minutes later.

[USFMikeB]

If the game is constant, it will likely become a rivalry.  If we do not play them on a regular basis, you can chalk it up to nothing more than the electricity of playing a game against the school closest to us and they brought a lot of people to the stadium.  You can make up your own classification system for rivalries, but it doesn't change the fact that there is nothing more than potential for one at this time.

[USFMikeB]

If Wikipedia had any actual integrity it would.  Smazza could have made that entry 15 minutes ago and SirGalahad could change it 2 minutes later.

And journalists can print anything they want nowadays, so there's no difference.  You'll notice that your sole quote outside of the local area was that there is the potential of a rivalry.  People here can hype it all they want, but the national media doesn't view this as a rivalry.  Local media is just trying to sell the paper.

[USFreak]

If the game is constant, it will likely become a rivalry.  If we do not play them on a regular basis, you can chalk it up to nothing more than the electricity of playing a game against the school closest to us and they brought a lot of people to the stadium.  You can make up your own classification system for rivalries, but it doesn't change the fact that there is nothing more than potential for one at this time.

I'll agree 100% with that.  If the game stops (on a yearly basis) all the rivalry talk immediately stops.  If USF plays them 3 times in a 10 year period it is hardly a rivalry.<p>Rivalries are played every year.