Those who want UCF series are shortsighted

[Bull Dozer]

ill be glad when this game is over and we can move on to normal football discussions.

it seems like every thread turns into the same crap.  i am getting sick of reading these threads over and over again.

I understand, man.  Once the game passes we can talk about the results and let the "rivalry" issue die down for at least a year.

By then we may have better news about future schedules that could render this discussion moot anyway.

hope you know that can only happen if we win.  

[Guest]

 I don't see any positives to a Ball State or Buffalo.  To me, those games are ALL downside.

UL played at Temple this year, that didn't hurt them any.  These games aren't the greatest, we can schedule better games, but they will beef up the record and that is a positive.  Plus, don't be so sure more teams the caliber of UM, Auburn and FL won't be added as well.  You can't play all tough OOC games.  Right now there is a decent mix of lower level, mid level bcs and upper level bcs teams.  I wouldn't be opposed to a few more good opponents.

Right, but these teams are REPLACING UCF on our schedule.  So all the reasons that UCF is a bad idea apply to these other teams: if we lose these games recruiting will suffer, if we lose these games our image will suffer, if we lose the games we won't be part of the Big 4.

You don't want UCF?  Fine by me -- give me, as a fan, something better.  Something that, at the very least, makes me think you have a plan to get us to the promised land where USF is always in the Top 5 and plays Top 5 opponents.

The road to the top may not go through Orlando, but I don't see it going through Buffalo either.

As for UL -- they won, but it was "Temple".  That's the kind of response they are getting.  Imagine what would happen if Temple had won.  The claim was that UCF is bad for our program for several reasons - fine, let's say those are all true - why don't the same things apply to other, even lesser teams??

[Guest]

If USF supposedly risks's something by playing UCF, don't we risk EVEN MORE by playing teams WORSE than the Knights?

no, the knights would make sure to squeese every last bit of negative press for us that they possibly can. They would use it in the media, to the recruits and the fans. If they could find any angle at all to bring us down they will. I don't believe the other teams would have this agenda.

Point taken.  UCF will use every edge they can...

[Brad]

Sorry, I don't see where the "Little Two" came from the media... I saw that from the post.

"This one's for all the parking permits. USF-UCF. Forget the Big Three. It's the Little Two showdown. Fenelly column."

http://www.tbo.com/sports/bulls/ - in the caption right under the picture of the UCF player.

and in the first paragrph of the gopher's article"

"Forget the Big Three. It's the Little Two showdown."

Pathetic.

I have said that I no longer think this series should be one that we play every year... but it is MORE shortsighted to replace a mediocre team with two or three really bad teams.  Give me Southern Miss.  Give me Tulane.  At the very least give me Vanderbilt or Duke or Baylor, at least they are technically BCS.

But if anyone thinks we can get into the Big Three by playing crappy teams, then you may be as deluded as I.  To do that we need to play - and beat - Top 50 teams, not Bottom Ten teams.

If the Bull Brother in the Lone Star State wants us to dream, at least make our opponents better.

I don't think anyone has argued that the proposed  "two or three really bad teams" are the end all of USF scheduling.  We'd all like to see the best possible for USF, and that is not UCF either.

[ucfjay]

Sorry to jump in here...I'm sure you aren't interested in another UCF fans opinion, but well suck it up!

Reading some threads on this board I can't help but make the following observation. I have to question whether some of your fans are so absolutely fixated on making USF a national power that they aren't going to fully enjoy the ride to getting there. I'm not saying you shouldn't worry about how your school can get to where you want it to be the fastest, I feel the same for my school- but at the same time don't lose site of why you love USF and college football to begin with.

To me at least, college football is all about passion, tradition, rivalry, and school pride. For me playing a school that is <100 miles down the street, one in which I have friends and co-workers who have attended, is one way to bring out the best things about college football. Then add to that it makes for an easy roadtrip, one in which I don't have to spend $1000 to go to so it means another game I get to watch in person- BIG BONUS. That is how I feel and although I could be wrong I suspect that is how more of you might feel if you weren't so worried how this game will affect your national standing.

Obviously I don't think playing packed stadiums on national TV will do anything to hurt your school's image, but let's just use your arguement and say it does. With a 12 game season, can one game do that much damage? In other words regardless of whether or not you play UCF if you take care of business in your other OOC games and more importantly in your conference games don't you think all that you want for the program will take care of itself? Then you get the best of both worlds because the fans get what they want (regardless of what is said on here all the USF fans I know want this game and then look at the USF student tix) and your program achieves what you've always hoped for. I guarantee if you beat the 2 BCS OOC opponents and go 7-1 in the BE with a victories over UL and WVU then no one is going to say...that USF program is BIG TIME-- oh wait nevermind their rival is UCF. Am I wrong?

Also I'd like to refute the arguement I've seen on here that if the shoe was on the other foot UCF fans would feel the same. Well I can only tell you with 110% honesty that is not the case for this UCF fan. I don't care if UCF got an invite to the SEC tomorrow I'd still want to play...heck I've wanted to play you guys every year since you started playing 10 years ago- even though at first we were "ahead" of you at that time. My wanting of this game has nothing to do with using it as a way to elevate our program, instead it's all about rivalry, bragging rights with friends, and school pride. It's just such a nature fit...

Lastly I just want to say I think both our fan bases are very lucky because we get to watch our programs grow from the ground up and that will help us to appreciate things SO MUCH MORE than fans of the Big Three who've only known winning from the start. That is why the ride to the top is going to be such fun, just don't get too caught up with your ambitions to enjoy the journey there!

Looking forward to Saturday, safe travels for those coming over.

[ucfjay]

Don't you dare settle for a long term series with a CDOA team, no matter how many butts it puts in the seat.  Whether 65K fans show up at every game.  

You are entitled to your opinion but not sure I understand how this statement helps your case. Don't you think having 65k fans in the stadium will help elevate your program faster than having 30k for Buffalo? If we got crowds like that I'm sure it wouldn't be long before ESPN started picking it up, what other non-BCS team could you play OOC and get national TV coverage?

[JoeB]

I couldn't agree less.  

Who wants a series with 1AA Georgia Southern????????  We're a 1A football team.  Georgia Southern is and always has been a 1AA team.  Get a clue.  Please don't speak for the rest of fans that know what we're talking about.  

Georgia Southern.  Please.  Just a guess but you went to school after USF had a team.    

Play the Game.

[Guest]

I have said that I no longer think this series should be one that we play every year... but it is MORE shortsighted to replace a mediocre team with two or three really bad teams.  Give me Southern Miss.  Give me Tulane.  At the very least give me Vanderbilt or Duke or Baylor, at least they are technically BCS.

But if anyone thinks we can get into the Big Three by playing crappy teams, then you may be as deluded as I.  To do that we need to play - and beat - Top 50 teams, not Bottom Ten teams.

If the Bull Brother in the Lone Star State wants us to dream, at least make our opponents better.

I don't think anyone has argued that the proposed  "two or three really bad teams" are the end all of USF scheduling.  We'd all like to see the best possible for USF, and that is not UCF either.

Brad - We have some great programs on future schedules... Auburn, Miami, Florida, Michigan State, NC State... and some solid BCS programs in Indiana, Kansas, and North Carolina.

The problem is that instead of replacing UCF with "the best possible" non-BCS teams, DW & Co are replacing UCF with some of "the worse possible" non-BCS teams.  That is the only reason why I continue to harp on this - and I can't imagine why on earth anyone in their right mind would rather play Buffalo or Ball State than UCF.  The choice isn't UCF or Oklahoma --- it's UCF or Buffalo.

I will concede that a long-term series with UCF is not good for the program; however, if we are supposed to be improving our competition - how does that happen in a year when USF will play a I-AA team, plus games against Buffalo and Western Kentucky?

Does anyone at least understand what I am trying to say??

[BDYZR]

I may be short sighted, but as of now, there is not another game on our schedule with more interest than UCF.

Good, bad, right, or wrong. Like it or hate it. Doesn't matter!

FACT - this game creates hype and the college experience that I think everyone wants is HYPE. College football Saturday is what we all want to experience at the highest level.

Why does our RIVALRY have to be considered UCF? Why do we THINK we have to create a rivalry with anyone?

We want exposure on a national level and playing UCF will bring some of that. We want respect on a national level??  WIN!  Win a game that some one outside of Florida even knows is being played. They may not care that it's played, but they know.

FOR NOW this is a good game for both schools. In five years? We don't know.

Someone asked how many are going to WKU? Not me, but we'll be in Orlando tomorrow!

GO BULLS

[Triple B]

I may be short sighted, but as of now, there is not another game on our schedule with more interest than UCF.

See, this is where I disagree. To me, the UNC and KU games are a helluvalot more interesting games. We have historically not been very good in away games against OOC BCS teams. We did OK at PSU last year and had the win at Pitt in 2001 but these two games this year will interesting from that perspective ....... at least to me anyway.