USF-UCF by law?

[SRQ]

From Bianchi at Mickey Mouse Sentinel  (be sure to read last line)

Legislature should stay out of debate on UCF-USF game

Published August 5, 2006

Running off at the typewriter. . . .

If the University of South Florida doesn't extend its football series with UCF to make it an annual affair, something very, very bad is going to happen: The government may get involved.

"I don't want to get involved, but USF better darn sure play this game," said UCF grad and powerful state senator Lee Constantine, R-Altamonte Springs. "It's ridiculous for them not to play this game. Florida-Florida State needed a nudge from the Legislature to get their series going, so maybe we need to give USF a nudge, too."

A few years ago, Constantine, a big gun in the Senate on higher education, tried to get an amendment passed that would force an annual UCF-USF game. Although the amendment failed, Constantine's constant lobbying is one of the reasons the two schools finally signed an agreement to play a two-game series.

I'm all for UCF and USF playing every year, but I'm against politicians legislating sports. Unless, of course, Constantine wants to work on my pet project: The Grant Hill Protection Act.

Short stuff: Oklahoma quarterback Rhett Bomar, dismissed from the team earlier this week, was making $70 an hour to work at a car dealership. What a travesty. What an outrage. The poor kid could have made twice as much at Southern Cal. . . . Note to readers: If you find a mistake in this column, it wasn't me, it was my masseuse. . . . When an unknown assailant started shooting at Apopka's Brandon Meriweather and his University of Miami teammate Willie Cooper last week, Meriweather ran into his house, grabbed his gun and returned fire. That's almost exactly what I would've done. Except I would have run into the house, locked the door and hidden under the bed. I defer to ex-Magic coach Doc Rivers, who told me once: "I don't know why so many athletes have a fascination with guns. My dad was a cop, and he always told me the best way to get killed is to have a gun in the house." . . .

I'm not saying the Oakland Raiders are in trouble, but their new offensive coordinator is a guy named Tom Walsh, who -- no kidding -- most recently ran a bed-and-breakfast in Swan Valley, Idaho (population 213). I don't know how good Walsh is at dissecting defenses, but I hear he makes a great apple strudel. . . . I actually read something the other day about the New York Yankees' depleted farm system. Give me a break. The Yankees have a great farm system. It's called the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. . . . Barbaro quote of the week: "Hey, nurse, I'm out of baby carrots in here!" . . . At last week's preseason gathering of state college football coaches, Bethune-Cookman Coach Alvin Wyatt said this is the best incoming freshman class he's ever had. When asked by a reporter later why this crop of freshmen is so good, Wyatt admitted he was exaggerating. "I just said that because that's what you're supposed to say." . . .

Bucs defensive end Simeon Rice wonders why he never gets mentioned for the NFL's defensive player of the year. Simeon, babe, it's hard to be the league's best defensive player when you're not even the best defensive player on your own team. . . . Did you see Miami's Cuban population take to the streets this week to celebrate Fidel Castro's mysterious illness and temporary hand-over of power? Sort of reminded me of Orlando Magic employees the day John Weisbrod stepped down. . . . By the way, here's my list of the world's three most well-known dictators: (3) Castro, (2) Kim Jong Il, (1) Nick Saban. . . . Will the last person to leave Channel 2 please turn off the teleprompter? . . . Old joke: How do you get a USF grad off your porch? Pay him for the pizza. New joke (compliments of loyal reader Bryan): How do you get a USF grad off the porch? Challenge him to a football game.

[South_Florida_Flip]

We better play this game? Polticians should have more important things to worry about than worrying who plays football against who else. What a bunch of freaking cry babies.

[The_Reaper]

Better yet Bianchi... How do you get a UCF sportswriter to shut his mouth? Answer, you can't. He's always yapping about hopes and dreams, but fails to see reality. USF doesn't deliver the pizzas, those are UCF alums. The USF alums own the pizzeria!    The Reaper

[SkypointBull]

Lee Constantine is like that kid that lived next door to you growing up. He was a real douche but your mom made you play with him anyways because none of the other kids in the neighborhood would play with him.

Hey Lee get a grip A Hole. The game will played if both sides want to. Until then sit back and take your ass whipping.

[South_Florida_Flip]

Every time they go to the paper and threaten or cry about playing makes them look all the more foolish.

[MavTechKNIGHT2]

When ALL the REAL work is done, THEN start worrying about football games.  I have never liked politicians getting into sports, even with the steroids crap in baseball.

I do believe the game should be played.  We WANT the game.  We certainly don't NEED it.

[KnightsOne]

Better yet Bianchi... How do you get a UCF sportswriter to shut his mouth? Answer, you can't. He's always yapping about hopes and dreams, but fails to see reality. USF doesn't deliver the pizzas, those are UCF alums. The USF alums own the pizzeria!    The Reaper

This is the attitude I was talking about to another fan about you guys. UCF alums deliver pizzas? Hardly, thats just silly, but anyway. I just wanted to tell you guys that as a UCF fan I concede that until we beat you, you have the better team. I would disagree with all this talk of Dominance for ten years! First, college football is a volatile sport with alot of turnover each year. You have to win year in and year out to establish dominance. For you to claim that crown you have to actually play a program. UCF beat top-5 Alabama a while back and I beleive the two teams never scheduled another OOC game. Could we say we dominanted them? No. By the way, most UCFers hate Mike Bianchi. Anyhow, you guys have a great defense and in my opinion it will be a better game than last year. I wish some of you didnt have such a disrespectful and pompous attitude on here, because then we could perhaps talk some good florida football, I am a buc fan, that counts for something.  Its a shame. Anyhow, good luck next year and see you in game 3

[KnightsOne]

Lee Constantine is like that kid that lived next door to you growing up. He was a real douche but your mom made you play with him anyways because none of the other kids in the neighborhood would play with him.

Hey Lee get a grip A Hole. The game will played if both sides want to. Until then sit back and take your ass whipping.

Except Texas, Miami, USC, and Florida think playing this program is good publicity.

[KnightsOne]

Better yet Bianchi... How do you get a UCF sportswriter to shut his mouth? Answer, you can't. He's always yapping about hopes and dreams, but fails to see reality. USF doesn't deliver the pizzas, those are UCF alums. The USF alums own the pizzeria!    The Reaper

Didnt Bianci agree with not mandating it....

"I'm all for UCF and USF playing every year, but I'm against politicians legislating sports. Unless, of course, Constantine wants to work on my pet project: The Grant Hill Protection Act."

[KnightsOne]

Better yet Bianchi... How do you get a UCF sportswriter to shut his mouth? Answer, you can't. He's always yapping about hopes and dreams, but fails to see reality. USF doesn't deliver the pizzas, those are UCF alums. The USF alums own the pizzeria!    The Reaper

BTW, why own pizzeria's when you can own cell phone towers and property. I like the margins and capital gains a little better. No my friend, a UCF Executive MBA is a good degree to have. We dont deliver pizzas.