Leavitt Sending the Wrong Message

[Jim Johnson]

Joey Johnston's column makes for an interesting read...

Leavitt's Tactics Are Sending The Wrong Message

TAMPA - You want irony? The media actually campaigned for USF to step up financially and keep its football coach, Jim Leavitt, when bigger schools were courting him. The new contract pays him $1 million annually (even after a 6-6 season and a 13-17 record against Division I-A teams in three years).

What is USF getting for the money?

A big-time football program with small-time thinking.

Leavitt has positioned himself as the program's only voice. And the message is clear - stay away!

Read More....

[Guest BasketBull.]

Just another dude trying to sell papers.  [smiley=violin.gif]

[Joe]

No, He isn't just about accusations, he does back his points up. Making mindless accusations is what a couple people did last week and it was bad.

I kinda agree with him.

Major programs do not do what Leavitt has done because they know the program (and their salary) is funded by major boosters. You think someone giving $10,000+ to a university sports program each year wants to have limited media access and no player interviews? You think Ohio State, Texas, Florida, FSU, or Miami reporters and fans would wait 2 weeks to even get word that 3 key players are suspended? No.

This reporter's point isn't flawed, Leavitt is making a million a year, and part of that money has to do with a weekly TV show and the media. We as boosters (Though I only gave a little, sorry I just graduated less than a year ago) are part of the people who funded his salary not to mention the $10+ a credit hour I gave while in classes.

I know Leavitt is trying to run a straight ship and I appauld him for that, it should be what every coach wants...but:

WE DON'T EVEN KNOW HOW LONG OUR STARTING RB IS OUT!

I just think he needs to open up to the media more, it is part of his job.

[Guest JulmisteForPrez]

Just another dude trying to sell papers.

If only that were true.

Nobody who has been paying attention to Leavitt's antics over the past few weeks can question the validity of what Joey Johnson said.  Reading that column was kind of cathartic for me.  I've been so frustrated at the attitude he's taken lately.  It's just like Joey said...this aint UF or Notre Dame we're talking about here.  We need all the pub and compelling stories we can get!

[Minotaur]

Leavitt is all good, these guys are all crazy. Leavitt is all good, these guys are all crazy. Leavitt is all good, these guys are all crazy. Leavitt is all good, these guys are all crazy. Leavitt is all good, these guys are all crazy.

Leavitt is all good, these guys are all crazy. Leavitt is all good, these guys are all crazy. Leavitt is all good, these guys are all crazy. Leavitt is all good, these guys are all crazy. Leavitt is all good, these guys are all crazy. Leavitt is all good, these guys are all crazy. Leavitt is all good, these guys are all crazy. Leavitt is all good, these guys are all crazy. Leavitt is all good, these guys are all crazy.

[WoolyBully]

I don't quite follow CJL's line of thinking here. Does he really want to run things that clamped down? There's a world of difference between delegation and a free-for-all, as far as media access is concerned. I just don't see why he's treating the program like it's some sort of ultra-secret, need-to-know type of venture.

I'm certain that, in the event that his boss is not satisfied with this aspect of the program, that he'll make the effort to ensure that Doug & Jim are, going forward, on the same page.

Oh, and the "because I said so" reasoning doesn't really wash. I think this article, along with the ones from the previous week are probably attention getters over on Fowler Avenue.

[Bulls Are We]

Off with Joey Johnson's head!!!

[Dmince]

As long as JL keep winning who cares? Why do we want to micromanage these guys?

[ucfknights04]

When you've had some bad press of late - the best thing you can do is to be open for the good press.

UCF has had an onslaught of articles written about us the last few weeks.  Most of them are because of the UF game and while the common theme is that we're just trying to keep it respectable and that we have no real shot of winning, O'Leary keeps inviting the reporters over.  Knightnation.com has a list of all of the pages that have been written over basically NOTHING.

The point is - you have a game with FIU.  FIU may stink but they are covered by South Florida papers which is fertile recruiting ground.  You may be missing out on the opportunity for several pages of filler that would be positive for your program.  Case in point: USF has found success in 10 years.  FIU is trying to do the same thing.  Angle:  In an effort to show how what is possible for FIU, you have 5-6 articles documenting USFs success and reminding south florida that you're a BCS program.

Turning reporters is bound (and has obviously) to offend some of them and you know they're waiting for the next problem so that they can get back at you.

Just a thought...but I think it's valid.  As I said, we've had a myriad of UCF articles that all basically say the same thing with the same quotes and in the end are junk but it gets our name out there everywhere.

[WoolyBully]

As long as JL keep winning who cares? Why do we want to micromanage these guys?

Well...if we were slaying giants, that'd be a fair assumption. Looks to me like CJL is mirco-managing the players and position coaches.