Fenelly: "USF Dropping The Ball If It Drops UCF"

[BullDoug]

By the fourth game this will be a non-event.  Especially if the Bulls take the first three.  No one will really care about the fourth game.  Just my opinion.

[usfgrad84]

These guys at the Trib really need to understand what USF is trying to do in the big picture and not try to impart their shortsighted, small minded wisdom.  If things were as they wish, we'd still be in the Sunbelt conference.

Well, usfgrad84, if those future schedules come out like we think they might, what USF is trying to do is rather puzzling, wouldn't you say?  Ball State??  Buffalo??  Western Kentucky?!?!?!?!?!!!!!

Why is it puzzling to increase your presence and  exposure within the area of your own conference?  Bowling Green, KY is a little over an hour's drive to UL and a little over 2 hours hours or so to Cincinnati.  Muncie is about a 2 hours drive to UL and Cinci.

Like I said in another post, our exposure in this region doesn't hurt for BB recruiting either.[/

quote]

How far is Orlando again to USF?   ;D

Grand Slam!! Home Run!!!

Wow...never thought a post like that would be SOOOOOO easy!

KL

It's only simple for a simple mind son.

What does this game actually do for USF.  More exposure in Central Florida?????? Big deal!!!!.  I am not opposed to the game against UCF, but I really do not see what it does for USF.  

Ok...understandable if you don't know/see it.

Here's a few that Leavitt mentioned in his Tuesday Press Conference:

1) It makes financial sense. USF/UCF game had approx 20,000 more fans at that game compared to the USF-FIU game. Say 20,000 extra tix X $25 (some costing more, others costing less) = $500,000 difference.

2) It makes financial sense. Yes, USF can just charter the same buses they use for their home games (Friday night to Saturday Night) and have the same expense of a home game (Friday night hotel as usual) as this road game just 70 miles away....save for a few $$$ on gas.

3) Benefit of playing UCF: (Leavitt's quote from Press Conf): "On the benefit of playing UCF … “Probably financially, everybody would look at it, you don’t have to travel too far. You don’t have to get on an airplane. The crowd is probably going to be a pretty good crowd. It will be important for both schools, the excitement there, I think for the alumni, the fans.† 

4) On whether the players a feeling more hyped to play UCF as opposed to a McNeese State … “Well, I don’t think that there is any question about that. I think that those are the things that you get concerned about with playing a team like McNeese. Since you prepare for those two (McNeese State and FIU), and even though McNeese is a pretty good I-AA team, I don’t know how they did last week but I think they are a pretty good I-AA team. Now you’re playing against a team that is supposed to win Conference USA, we never won Conference USA, and they’re picked to win the conference.

5)

On whether there are any bad reasons to play UCF … “Well, I don’t think that if there were a lot of bad reasons, I don’t think we would have gone four games.

6) On healthy a traditional rivalry would be with UCF … “It could. We have them (UCF) four years in a row so we’ll se how it plays out. It could.â€Â

Of course...we can also add some USF Football player comments as well:

UCF coach George O'Leary said he welcomes an annual USF series.

"I'd like to continue the series each and every year," O'Leary said in July. "I can't get a 12th game better than South Florida. From a distance and fan base standpoint, I think it's an ideal game to play."

USF's players agree.

"Both cities are off I-4, two teams are trying to get a rivalry like Florida-Florida State, why not play?" USF junior Trae Williams said. "Why it shouldn't be played? I can't think of a reason why."

Added USF junior Mike Jenkins: "It's already like a rivalry. A lot of guys know each other, a lot of trash talking. I would rather play UCF than a Sun Belt or Mid-American team."

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Add to the fact that USF will be bringing their largest road traveling group to ANY regular season game in your history.

Oh...and how this year's game is on National TV. (Which I'm sure USF will easily get in the future for their games vs Ball St, Buffalo and Western Ky.)

I hope this information helps you with your baffling question on how does this game benefit USF.

KL

Yep.  I'm gonna believe every word that comes out of Leavitt's mouth during his game week press conference.  I know he truly believes all those reasons he gave as why we should extend this series.  That's why he has been pushing so hard to keep it going.  Yep, saving those few extra bucks because of the travel distance is going to help USF in the long run.  Well, yeah, you are right, I would hope the players are a bit more hyped to play UCF than they were vs. McNeese State.  I'm also pretty sure we will be more hyped to play Rutgers and UL and WVU than we were to play Mcneese State too.

Hey, you are talking to the wrong guy when it comes to coming out to support USF.  I live in CT and I'm coming to this game, but I also am going next week to Kansas and I go to a lot of the away games.  So for me, I think both teams should bring enough to fill the stadiums each year.  However, like Leavitt said,  there is still a few years to go, so let's see how it all plays out.

Like I said before, I have no problem with the game or UCF in general.  I really wouldn't mind if it turns into a real and healthy rivalry because the geography does lend itself to some fun and fun trash talking.  That's what sports is all about as a fan, but I really fail to see that this series does anything in the long run to help USF get where we want to go.  Just as Leavitt said, there's no bad reasons to continue it.  Personally,  I think what we are trying to do is a little bigger than just trying to save a few bucks because of the proximity of the schools.  At this point I don't see the series hindering us in achieving our goals, but it is not helping us either.

[Guest]

Because they want it to be an annual 1 for 1 series, by definition equal, and we have people demanding that it be known as a rivalry (usually something's rival is? You guessed it, its equal) from its onset.

This actually brings up another issue with the argument on all the incredible revenues this game will bring in. Not only do I think it will be just a modest bump in attendence but it will also only be every other year so the actual benefit to the bottom line will probably be negligable over the 1 and 1 series. One good payday at any BCS school will probably bring in more profit that several go rounds of the little two showdown.

Right, and the fans are just clamoring for those home games against Buffalo and Western Kentucky!!!

Since USF will most likely never schedule a single-game payday again (Oklahoma may be the lone exception because of the ties with Selmon and Leavitt-Stoops), that argument is rather erroneous.

The revenue from last year's game was significantly more than for FIU this year... and I would guess the same will be true next year.  The fact that so many USF fans are staying home says more about our fickle fan base than their real interest in the game.

[Joe]

Hell Lee Corso picked UCF v. UF to be his game to look out for because he thought O'Leary's coaching would keep the game close.

C'mon, Joe, throwing Corso out there as some reference on this is ridiculous. He lives in Orlando. He picked UCF to upset us last year. We saw how that turned out. When he made that remark, Herbstreit gave him a look like "WTH??"

He's part of the center of the college football universe. It's the show that SIDs, coaches, and AP voters have said they don't miss because of the multitude of information it offers. It doesn't matter HOW ridiculous his statements are, people hear it.

[Joe]

As for recruiting, how many recruits did we "steal" from Louisville by beating them last year? How many recruits did we lose after the WVU game? How many recruits do you see switching to UCF if we lose the game? I don't know much about recruiting but I would like to know if a win or a loss really make that much of a difference since that is one of the arguments against playing UCF.

I agree.  Do we really go head to head with UCF for many players?

You can count on one hand the number of players on our roster from the "Central Florida" area.  

I really don't think recruiting is THAT outcome determinative to this game. We offer an ABC/ESPN contract and the chance for a BCS game win or lose UCF cannot take that away.

We do tackle some of the same recruits though.

[BullDoug]

You dont have to be from central Florida to go to UCF.  Im sure there are recruits in south and north FL considering both schools.  Contrary to what most people here see (with their green and gold goggles) our programs are pretty much viewed as at the same level by people nationally, UCF may even be starting to pull ahead there (of course building a OCS and especially having O'Leary help ALOT).  So if a kid knows he prolly wont sniff playing time at the big 3 till hes prolly a senior and wants to stay in state and play soon its us and them.    

Ummmm, I'm a recruit.  CUSA championship game or chance at a BCS bowl?  Dang I'm stumped.  Now which is better - coach dedicated to his university for life b/c he's from that area plus he started the program from scratch vs a coach that would lie on his resume to coach at a top flight BCS school?  Don't fool yourself either.  If VA, UNC, Arkansas, CO or TX Tech offer, he'd go.  I use these schools 'cuz the are competitive in thier BCS coonference.  The conference elite would not consider GOL.  The ones mentioned might.  Last one, play in a tinker toy 45K OCS or a 60K+ NFL stadium?  Sorry, I know my selection.

[BULLheaded]

I have this question.  Besides UCF and USF fans who will care if we beat USF?  I say no one.  Which means we don't have a lot to gain by beating you all.  If we beat UF yes, but beating USF means little.  UCF isn't going to go bragging to everyone how we beat a BCS team, because as soon as we tell them who it was they will laugh.  No one would care if UCF beat a Rutgers or a Duke, just like no one will care if we beat you all Saturday.  People care when you beat Top 25 teams as you all did last year, but not when you beat the 50th ranked team in the nation who happens to be BCS.

Here's the thing, there are the big 3 and a handfull of other florida teams all fighting to make it the big 4. We caught a break a couple years ago getting the "BCS" tag, right or wrong it gave us a slight edge in recruiting over the rest of the non-big 3 florida teams. IMO it is in our best interest to use that advantage as best as we can without giving any ground to the others in the state. A rivalry can have some minor benefits to BOTH teams but ignoring you benefits only OUR team, if the tables were reversed and the luck of the draw went to UCF I bet we would be having this exact same debate with the roles reversed. I would certainly not claim to be on the level of the big 3 and frankly I think giving you any opportunity to prove that your as good as us on the field is a mistake for our program. It's in our best interest to let the BCS perception take hold and do our own thing to capitalize on that and not bend to what UCF wants.

[Jamie]

Boise State - They got smacked as bad as UCF did to UF at UGA in 2005, yet the media loves them

Fresno State - Hasn't won their conference in 7 years...still considered a good win by the media.

TCU - Probably the best non-BCS team out there.

UTEP - They lost to TExas Tech and are still receiving votes

These would all be better opponents on the field than Indiana, Illinois, etc. Especially TCU since we have a history with them. But everywhere else they would be a flop. Their fan bases are even smaller than USF's, no one would travel here or there, and except for TCU none of them are in a fertile recruiting area. If you want to build a national image, you don't go play in Boise or Fresno or El Paso. Even playing here in Fort Worth is borderline because almost no one here cares about the Frogs.

And again I point out that the ONLY BCS vs. non-BCS rivalry played every year is Colorado-Colorado State. I don't see Illinois and Illinois State playing very often. How about Ohio State and Bowling Green/Toledo? North Carolina and East Carolina? West Virginia and Marshall? Ole Miss and Southern Miss? LSU and Tulane? I could go on and on.

[BULLheaded]

I have this question.  Besides UCF and USF fans who will care if we beat USF?  I say no one.  Which means we don't have a lot to gain by beating you all.  If we beat UF yes, but beating USF means little.  UCF isn't going to go bragging to everyone how we beat a BCS team, because as soon as we tell them who it was they will laugh.  No one would care if UCF beat a Rutgers or a Duke, just like no one will care if we beat you all Saturday.  People care when you beat Top 25 teams as you all did last year, but not when you beat the 50th ranked team in the nation who happens to be BCS.

Exactly nodody cares, ie....not a heated rivalry, nothing more than a game between teams near each other. I'm glad you pointed out how this game serves no purpose  

[Joe]

BullHeaded why play at FAU or FIU then? We stand to lose A LOT more if we were to lose to them. And if anything, the game this past weekend shows it's not out of the realm.

Those are 2 schools that aren't even fully D-IA teams, they are on a trial membership that runs out at the end of next season. They don't bring fans to our stadium, and the 2 for 1 deal with them just creates problems if either team is demoted because they don't fulfill their deal.