Shelton: Leavitt takes heat, fires back

[Jim Johnson]

Gary Shelton has a GREAT column in the St. Pete Times today:

Leavitt takes heat, fires back

The Bulls score 14 in the fourth quarter, including the winning touchdown with 3:20 remaining.

By GARY SHELTON, Times Sports Columnist

Published September 17, 2006

ORLANDO - His arms were raised. His eyes were aflame. His teeth were bared.

Jim Leavitt ran from the middle of the field toward his fans, punching the air as if he saw imaginary critics everywhere. He moved back and forth in front of them and pushed his fingers toward the sky, defiant and defensive. He stood there for a long moment, looking something like the Rocky statue, as if the noise could somehow cleanse his wounds.

He has been in his job for more than a decade, but you have never seen Leavitt quite like this. He has celebrated a few victories in his time, and he has been beaten up by a few defeats. At times, he has been effusive, disconsolate, combative, controlling and confounding.

This was different. This time, there was an anger etched onto Leavitt's face. His was the look of a wounded man clawing back at his attackers. His was the voice of a hostile witness enraged to find that his program is on trial.

Read More...

---

This is the best quote from the story:

On Saturday afternoon, for instance, the Bulls played the part of the snotty rich kid in the John Hughes teen movie. For years, UCF chased this game, and Leavitt responded by looking down his nose. After all, if you hang out with Muhammad, Jugdish and Sidney, pretty much, you aren't going to get invited to all of the cool parties.

I LOVE IT!!

[South_Florida_Flip]

The last 2 paragraphs are quite good as well.

"Somewhere, even as Leavitt ran toward his fans, a high school tailback was watching. Maybe a linebacker. Maybe a wide receiver.

You wondered what those kids thought of this game. And of this coach. And of this program."

[Guest AstroBull]

Great article

[USF_Grouper]

What a piece of crap article.  I think CJL shows an incredible amount of class in his response to these types of articles.  Yesterday was the first day I got a chance to read the Orlando Sentinel article and I thought it was one of the most irresponsible articles I have ever read.  It embarrasses the paper as a whole and should be embarrassing to UCF fans in general.  

If it was up to me that paper would not get a single media credential at any USF event.  I don't mind papers publishing anti-USF articles, but there is a minimum standard of fact I think should be required.  

It seems to me since GOL started crying about this series at media day before the season, UCF and Orlando media have put on an organized effort to attack and discredit CJL, USF, and our players.  I personally find it sickening.  The only thing I think CJL can be guilty of is not being prepared for this assault.

[smazza]

Great article

ditto

too bad leavitt can't seem to enjoy usf's success

he is one angry guy and it is seen by all but bull fans

[Bull Matrix]

That was a nice article. It shows you that someone from the media understands the pressure that Leavitt is under with the media. We are lucky to be 3-0. Winning games like these should really build some charater with the young players. Grothe has been a blessing to USF football thus far. He seems to make our players relax more which is a great thing.

[USFootball]

Way to go St Pete Times!

[dabull80]

Wrong smazza, I have talked to JL on more then one  occasion and he is loving life.  Don't mistake intensity for anger.  He does have every right to be angry about the cheap shot by Bianchi which in my book is the worst type of journalism you will see.  He uses a freshman type approach of if USF wins they are scum and if UCF wins then USF is just not that good, kinda like the old question "Have you stopped beating your wife ?"  I wish we had a writer in the times or the Trib with Bianchi's passion as long as he doesn't go overboard like Bianchi did.

[Guest]

What a piece of crap article.  I think CJL shows an incredible amount of class in his response to these types of articles.  Yesterday was the first day I got a chance to read the Orlando Sentinel article and I thought it was one of the most irresponsible articles I have ever read.  It embarrasses the paper as a whole and should be embarrassing to UCF fans in general.  

If it was up to me that paper would not get a single media credential at any USF event.  I don't mind papers publishing anti-USF articles, but there is a minimum standard of fact I think should be required.  

It seems to me since GOL started crying about this series at media day before the season, UCF and Orlando media have put on an organized effort to attack and discredit CJL, USF, and our players.  I personally find it sickening.  The only thing I think CJL can be guilty of is not being prepared for this assault.

Man, you totally took that article differently than me... I read it in the printed edition this morning, twice... I thought it was a GREAT column - and really showed why USF doesn't need the rivalry with UCF.

[Bull Dozer]

Guess im the only one who thought he was trying to say CJL was acting like a lunatic about the whole thing and it looks bad on the program....