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

[smazza]

GREAT article. I agree 147%

There is zero downside for this game and USF's arrogance is laughable. The players want it and the FANS want it.

SO TRUE SHOOP

LEAVITT BROUGHT THIS ON HIMSELF

HAVE NO FEAR THE FLORIDA LEGISLATURE WILL MAKE SURE THIS GAME GETS PLAYED

ECONOMICALLY IT HAS TO

IF USF WANT TO GET OUT OF SERIOUS THEY SHOULD BEAT LIVING SNOT OUT OF FTU/OU/OC EACH AND EVERYTIME AND PROVE THERE IS NO REASON FOR TWO SCHOOLS TO PLAY

[Joe]

I don't think we should extend this series just yet. However, what urks me is those that say nothing good comes from this series and we should drop it. Explain to me again how we're sinking to THEIR level, when C-USA or non-BCS teams have several 1 and 1's in our conference (see WVU/ECU series 4 games, Rutgers Army/Navy series,Cinci -Marshall/Akron, etc.)

The positives outweigh the negatives in this game and no one has shown me the sign of a school that has invested well into their football program sinking because they played games or a annual against another school who isn't in the BCS.

[smazza]

"When USF beat UCF in Tampa last season, 45,139 showed, the third-largest crowd in USF history. There'll be another big crowd in Orlando on Saturday, maybe 35,000, provided no other USF players are suspended."

Cheap shots like this one is why I give no credence to their articles.

What does USF suspended players have to do with attendance.

I agree 100% with what usfgrad84 wrote above.  I give you one advantage to playing Buffalo.  Exposure to the area that some of our conference teams recruit.  I know we play conference teams in the northeast for exposure, but we should be able to look pretty impressive against Buffalo, to any recruits in the northeast.

IF USF COULD RECRUIT,  THERE IS ENOUGH TALENT IN A 500 MILES RADIUS OF USF TO COMPETE FOR A NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP

PLAYING BUFFALO OVER FTU/OU/OC MAKES LITTLE SENSE

THE PEOPLE THAT ARE AGAINST THIS GAME WILL LOOK AWEFUL FOOLISH IF FTU/OU/OC BEATS USF

[Joe]

plus the fact that our fans aren't storming the gates to buy tickets for this game.  

I keep hearing this same argument.  But wouldn't you say that's more of a reflection on the type of "fans" that we have rather than on the quality of the school we are playing?  Rivalry or not, I don't see why a true fan, with the time and money, can't make it to Orlando to support USF.

Well said, I dunno why people are using this as a excuse. It's bad for our image. It's a 70 mile drive, people from Orlando and Tampa drive more miles every Saturday to go to FSU and UF home games. I was really hoping we'd have a killer crowd for this one.

That being said, Greg said yesterday that this will be our wnd largest away game crowd after the MCCB.

[Bulls Are We]

I also think this game should be played annually, but agree with Wooly that we don't need to sign a life term contract just yet.

For those who think we have everything to lose by playing UCF I ask you this.  How can you expect to win the conference against the likes of Louisville, West Virginia, and Pitt if we can't consistently beat UCF?

[___ Eats It]

Why not play Buffalo?  Anyone remember the score the last time UCF played Buffalo?  Seems we should take the better of the two programs.

Has Fennely ever BEEN to a USF game?  I got a couple of balls he can drop right here...

[dabull80]

Check out the lines on the game.  UCF is favored.  USF is the underdog.  This is the best chance UCF has for a win against USF and if you think the trash talk is bad now wait till after a UCF win.  If anyone is so blind that they cann't see that this game with UCF is a no win situation for the Bulls then go see your optomitrist.

[usfgrad84]

Yes, that hot bed of talent around WKU is where we need to compete.

Don't be as shortsighted as the Trib writers.  I said we were creating exposure for USF, not trying to create a recruiting trip for USF football.  

Doesn't KY and Indiana have some of the best High School Basketball talent in the country?  Maybe not a hot bed of football talent, but potentially a hotbed for basketball talent.  Maybe a little exposure to the fact there is actually a USF and maybe we can actually get a BB player to look our way.

I doubt that would a primary reason for possibly scheduling something like this, but it sure doesn't hurt in that regard.  Didn't UCONN build their football team based on the success they showed with the BB team.  Why can't we do it the same way in reverse.

Again, if you look at the bigger picture, while there is not a downside to playing UCF, there is a bigger upside to growing the USF name outside of the Bay area region.  I wouldn't mind playing some more Texas teams or West Coast teams myself, but Woolard is midwest guy and has lots of connections there.

If we want to continue with a reputation as a regional/commuter school then fine, let's just keep playing teams within driving distance.  If we want to start becoming known as a school with national reach let's spread our wings a bit.  Right now our football team is our  school's biggest advertising vehicle, let's use it.

[Joe]

_EI,

I'm going on a limb here to say that UCF is a tad bit more committed to their program than Buffalo. They might have lost their last meeting, but Buffalo has a cap on how much they spend whereas UCF is just out there spending like a 13 year old who just got their mother's credit card.

dabull...you think if this series goes 1-3 or 2-2 or 3-1 and we drop it we won't hear it?

I don't think I've ever heard trash talk being a reason to not have a game. If so there would be no UF/FSU, USC/ND, Michigan/ND or any other OOC annual. Go look at the Auburn/LSU or UT/UF boards I'm sure any smack talk from UCF fans pales the smack they're laying.

I'm sorry but I believe the positives outweigh the negatives when it comes to this game!

[Joe]

Again, if you look at the bigger picture, while there is not a downside to playing UCF, there is a bigger upside to growing the USF name outside of the Bay area region.  I wouldn't mind playing some more Texas teams or West Coast teams myself, but Woolard is midwest guy and has lots of connections there.

If we want to continue with a reputation as a regional/commuter school then fine, let's just keep playing teams within driving distance.  If we want to start becoming known as a school with national reach let's spread our wings a bit.  Right now our football team is our  school's biggest advertising vehicle, let's use it.

Again though, we have 5 games OOC to schedule that still leaves 4 to schedule teams around the country which we have done.