Big East coaches think Coach McCullum is building

[TyBull]

'They believe in him'

Fellow Big East coaches think Coach McCullum is building a winner.

GREG AUMAN

Published February 1, 2007

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Whether USF is able to pull together enough wins to make the Big East Tournament, coach Robert McCullum is already drawing high praise from his fellow coaches. "I've always thought he is a great coach," said Marquette coach Tom Crean, who has known him since both were assistants in the Big Ten. "They play extremely hard, they compete, they execute. ... With what he's got, with the talent he has on this team and the way he's building, he's going to get it."

USF is 3-21 in Big East play, missing out on a huge upset against Crean's No. 15 Golden Eagles on Sunday, losing 70-68 on a layup at the buzzer. But Crean said the Bulls have enough to be among the 12 teams that make the conference tournament.

"The way they're playing right now, the way they played against Rutgers, beating Cincinnati, they're going to win games," Crean said. "You know why I love watching his teams? They all do what he wants. That's a great sign of a great coach. They do what he wants and believe in him."

Still going strong

Off to a 16-5 start, the women's basketball team has the consolation that all of its losses are against schools with an RPI of 22 or higher.

Can the Bulls finish strong enough to earn a top-four seed and a first-round bye in the Big East Tournament? Only three of the eight remaining games are against teams with winning records in Big East play, so it would be easy for the Bulls to pass the school record for victories 21 before the regular season is over.

The biggest remaining test for Jose Fernandez's squad will come in a five-day stretch, facing No. 6 Connecticut at home Feb. 20, then traveling to No. 16 Marquette on Feb. 24. Win either of those, and the Bulls will have real confidence entering the postseason.

Quick hits

- Two years ago, cornerback Anthony Henry was the first USF player to earn a huge NFL contract, getting a $25-million deal from the Cowboys. Next? Chiefs linebacker Kawika Mitchell, who could land a similar deal when free agency opens in March.

- Senior Jessica Dickson, a likely first-round WNBA draft pick, will play guard in the pros, but she entered the week as USF's top rebounder in Big East play. She ranks higher in rebounding (9.0 per game, sixth) in conference games than in scoring (15.9 ppg, ninth).

Greg Auman can be reached at auman@sptimes.com and at (813) 226-3346. Check out his blog at blogs.tampabay.com/usf.

[crambone]

Too bad he'll probably not have a job next year.

Don't get me wrong - I like him.  But he's going to lose his schpott.

[tampajo]

Ridiculous article.  Coaching is a fraternity, they all know they're going to be out on their arses one day, so they constantly just offer up props to each other to keep good reps out there in the fraternity.  You NEVER hear coaches saying, "wow, that was the most easily defendable play at the end of a game that I've ever seen" or "wow, sure would be nice to have 10 guys in your rotation, not 6".

Pure folly.  Just give me W's.

[Jewbull]

Two years ago, cornerback Anthony Henry was the first USF player to earn a huge NFL contract, getting a $25-million deal from the Cowboys. Next? Chiefs linebacker Kawika Mitchell, who could land a similar deal when free agency opens in March.

Where is Jim's Dining Hall?

[Guest JulmisteForPrez]

Ridiculous article.  Coaching is a fraternity, they all know they're going to be out on their arses one day, so they constantly just offer up props to each other to keep good reps out there in the fraternity.  You NEVER hear coaches saying, "wow, that was the most easily defendable play at the end of a game that I've ever seen" or "wow, sure would be nice to have 10 guys in your rotation, not 6".

[highlight]Pure folly.  Just give me W's.[/highlight]

Dadgummit, tampajo, now that makes sense!  Why do so many of us have a hard time grasping the bottom line?

I know, I know, E=MC², and therefore, Robert McCullum is a good head coach.  And that's a great argument....it really is.

But tampajo may just be on to something here.  Wins and losses to enter into the evaluation process.....just a tad.

[Jake_Ryan]

Ridiculous article.  Coaching is a fraternity, they all know they're going to be out on their arses one day, so they constantly just offer up props to each other to keep good reps out there in the fraternity.  You NEVER hear coaches saying, "wow, that was the most easily defendable play at the end of a game that I've ever seen" or "wow, sure would be nice to have 10 guys in your rotation, not 6".

[highlight]Pure folly.  Just give me W's.[/highlight]

Dadgummit, tampajo, now that makes sense!  Why do so many of us have a hard time grasping the bottom line?

I know, I know, E=MC², and therefore, Robert McCullum is a good head coach.  And that's a great argument....it really is.

But tampajo may just be on to something here.  Wins and losses to enter into the evaluation process.....just a tad.

What was it, 7 wins last year and already 11 this year.  There is progress.  

He has brought in some better talent and fixed Seth's mess and instilled discipline.  If he can land a couple of bigs, then there is even more hope.  I'm willing to give him more time.

[80mins]

they're blowing smoke in the open so maybe, just maybe, someone'll hear/read it and keep him around and they can keep putting the W on their schedules.

[tampajo]

Ridiculous article.  Coaching is a fraternity, they all know they're going to be out on their arses one day, so they constantly just offer up props to each other to keep good reps out there in the fraternity.  You NEVER hear coaches saying, "wow, that was the most easily defendable play at the end of a game that I've ever seen" or "wow, sure would be nice to have 10 guys in your rotation, not 6".

[highlight]Pure folly.  Just give me W's.[/highlight]

Dadgummit, tampajo, now that makes sense!  Why do so many of us have a hard time grasping the bottom line?

I know, I know, E=MC², and therefore, Robert McCullum is a good head coach.  And that's a great argument....it really is.

But tampajo may just be on to something here.  Wins and losses to enter into the evaluation process.....just a tad.

What was it, 7 wins last year and already 11 this year.  There is progress.  

He has brought in some better talent and fixed Seth's mess and instilled discipline.  If he can land a couple of bigs, then there is even more hope.  I'm willing to give him more time.

Naw, the more wins are just a function of a MUCH easier earlier schedule, check out the RPI for all the teams we beat, it's embarassing. Woolard is the first quarter of the year's MVP for scheduling such cream puffs.

[Guest JulmisteForPrez]

Ridiculous article.  Coaching is a fraternity, they all know they're going to be out on their arses one day, so they constantly just offer up props to each other to keep good reps out there in the fraternity.  You NEVER hear coaches saying, "wow, that was the most easily defendable play at the end of a game that I've ever seen" or "wow, sure would be nice to have 10 guys in your rotation, not 6".

[highlight]Pure folly.  Just give me W's.[/highlight]

Dadgummit, tampajo, now that makes sense!  Why do so many of us have a hard time grasping the bottom line?

I know, I know, E=MC², and therefore, Robert McCullum is a good head coach.  And that's a great argument....it really is.

But tampajo may just be on to something here.  Wins and losses to enter into the evaluation process.....just a tad.

What was it, 7 wins last year and already 11 this year.  There is progress.  

He has brought in some better talent and fixed Seth's mess and instilled discipline.  If he can land a couple of bigs, then there is even more hope.  I'm willing to give him more time.

Naw, the more wins are just a function of a MUCH easier earlier schedule, check out the RPI for all the teams we beat, it's embarassing. Woolard is the first quarter of the year's MVP for scheduling such cream puffs.

Exactly.  Most of those 11 wins are against some REAL heavyweights!  Impressive stuff.

By the way....as a new resident of Richmond, you should hear the way the Richmond Spiders have become the laughing stock of this town.  They are the worst team in the A-10, and were destroyed last night by Temple, the second worst team in the A-10!

And this illustrious "progress making" head coach of ours lost to this HORRIBLE Richmond team AT HOME!!!!

If some of you guys want to throw around a few wins against crappy opponents as proof of progress, don't be surprised if others of us throw around a few losses against crappy opponents as proof to the contrary.

[Guest Rueben_Horowitz]

Someone please show me ONE article where a coach says something bad about another coach in the same conference.

Show me one time where a coach was like "Yeah, they suck; but it's an easy win for us." or "Our bench played great against their starters". Or "Their program is in shambles, someone's a$$ needs to get fired."

Never going to find it. It's always - "They play hard for him", or "His team is always ready to play", "he's building something there". -- All generalizations...All insincere.

Rueben ~ The voice of reason.