Sleeping Giants per CFN.com

[Joe]

http://www.collegefootballnews.com/2006/TQ/Tuesday_Question.htm

[Minotaur]

Richard Cirminiello        

Q: Who are the “Sleeping Giants†of college football?  Teams based in fertile recruiting grounds in good locations that put together some good seasons, but could really be dominant if the chips came together?

A: 1. South Florida – The Bulls are uniquely positioned to become a perennial Top 25 team in the not-too-distant future.  They’ve made nice strides since starting the program only a decade ago, but got on the launching pad a year ago when they joined the Big East.  Now there’s one less reason for a local recruit not to choose USFâ€â€like Florida, Florida State and Miami, they also earn an automatic BCS berth with a conference title.  And unlike the competition, there’s a good chance that recruit will play early in his career.  When he’s sitting in a kid’s living room, that’s a juicy angle for Jim Leavitt, the literal architect of this program.  They’ve got a great campus in Tampa, a state-of-the-art stadium to call home, continuity in the coaching staff and now a major conference to help with bowl berths and television exposure.  The sky is the limit for Leavitt and the Bulls.

The preseason/early voting is a popularity contest and calls for a steady climb through the ranks of the reporters/voters and goes something like this: Talented Group of Youngsters, Diamond in the Rough, Sleeper, "Our Pick," Underachievers, Defending Conference Champions, Ranked for Ever.

I think in their eyes we are still a bunch of youngsters. When we win two big games in a single year we may move up to diamonds.

ALRIGHT WE ARE SLEEPERS ALREADY!! THE SLEEPER HAS AWOKE!

[Joe]

ALRIGHT WE ARE SLEEPERS ALREADY!! THE SLEEPERS HAVE AWOKE!

Is that why major sports publications have us playing that big showdown in Miami? USF has a little way to go before they're a sleeping giant that has awaken.

[applepj]

Perhaps it was the publishers that were sleeping and not checking their geopraphy skills.

[JoeB]

I agree.  I don't think USF is a sleeping giant.  Florida in the mid '80s were sleeping giants, because they had done so little in the years prior to their meteoric rise.  I also think Virginia Tech was one prior to the Vick years.  The Bulls haven't really been sleeping, we just haven't been around a long time.

[80mins]

I agree.  I don't think USF is a sleeping giant.  Florida in the mid '80s were sleeping giants, because they had done so little in the years prior to their meteoric rise.  I also think Virginia Tech was one prior to the Vick years.  The Bulls haven't really been sleeping, we just haven't been around a long time.

Good call, Joe--less a sleeping giant and more a newborn giant.

[Bullpride08]

Is that why major sports publications have us playing that big showdown in Miami? USF has a little way to go before they're a sleeping giant that has awaken.

Baby steps Joe...you don't need to be some voice of reason on every **** thread.   I mean rivals news called UCF a 'sleeping giant' two days ago.  Does it really matter and why does anyone have to qualify it?  

THE REAL POINT is that a few media personalities (outside of the Tampa Bay Area and in major publications) are actually talking about us in the pre-season.  The writers are voters in the polls, they've got the power to write more articles (which they tend to do for personal gloating when they get a pick right) during the season, so I don't care if they call us 'sleeping giants' 'newborn babies' or the bovines from southern florida....at least they're talking about us.  The more they talk, the more people read and listen, the more we prove them right the louder their roar becomes- and they will improve the accuracy of their information.  

Why label it?  Just be glad our name is out there.  For those guys wondering if we went on a long winning streak if we'd get ranked.  Well part of the battle is getting media personalities for national publications like Dodd, Cirminiello, or Fiutak to talk you up during that run, make you media darlings...looks like a baby step to me.   Sleeping giants for sure, win the first 7 games and watch that giant awake.

[turkeysoup]

Sleeping Giant!!! Perhaps they were referrring to Rod Smith.

[smazza]

usf was a sleeping giant in 2001.our opponents are ready for us now

usf simply hasnt recruited like a top program and has regressed not progressed over last couple of years

[BULLfreak]

usf was a sleeping giant in 2001.our opponents are ready for us now

usf simply hasnt recruited like a top program and has regressed not progressed over last couple of years

:   hell we could have had Reggie Bush on our team and you would still ***** about our recruiting. Some times you sound like a old woman ***** ***** ***** *****