Wow did we miss out....

[USFMikeB]

Yes, but there has been lean years. Just as all sports in Tampa have had lean years.

I think it's silly to say Tampa isn't a basketball town, especially when this city has proven to not draw much interest when teams have consistently not done well.

I think it is silly to say that Tampa is a bball town when it clearly isn't.  I think it is silly to suggest that the dome would sel out every game if we had a winning team.  I think the fallacies have gotten so deep around here that nobody knows what reality is anymore.

[Held_AccountaBull]

Yes, but there has been lean years. Just as all sports in Tampa have had lean years.

I think it's silly to say Tampa isn't a basketball town, especially when this city has proven to not draw much interest when teams have consistently not done well.

I think it is silly to say that Tampa is a bball town when it clearly isn't.  I think it is silly to suggest that the dome would sel out every game if we had a winning team.  I think the fallacies have gotten so deep around here that nobody knows what reality is anymore.

What's silly is your way of thinking. 10 years ago Tampa wasn't considered a football town. The Bucs never sold out games and opposing teams would be 20,000 fans of their own and now look at it. The Bucs have sold out every game since. Look at what winning can do. Go away. I can't take your know it all attitude when you clearly know nothing about the city of Tampa

[Triple B]

I think a winning basketball team would draw fine.

I'm not sure what your definition of "fine" is but Seth had winning seasons his last 6 here. Check the attendance levels and see if those fall under your definition of "fine".

[USFMikeB]

Go away. I can't take your know it all attitude when you clearly know nothing about the city of Tampa

What a whiner.  Here, I'll give you the same line that your fellow ignorant darksiders give everyone that is tired of seeing the same old posts over and over and over agains:  If you don't like my posts, don't read them.  Reality is that Tampa has never supported bball, even when a winner is in town, thus, Tampa is not a bball town.  You don't like that?  TOO BAD.  I'm here for reality, you must be part of the "if" crowd, so mosey on over to UCiF where you belong.

[Joe]

I think it is silly to say that Tampa is a bball town when it clearly isn't.  I think it is silly to suggest that the dome would sel out every game if we had a winning team.  I think the fallacies have gotten so deep around here that nobody knows what reality is anymore.

In 1994 the Bucs were coming off of averaging less than 50,000 fans a game, near the bottom of the NFL. There was talk about the viability of professional football in Tampa and ever conversations about moving the team to Orlando/Osceola County if a new stadoum deal wasn't reached. I think you would have been crazy to say Tampa was a football city at the time. In fact I think most the excuses center around the fact that more people had interest in the college game (namely UF and FSU).

In 1999-2000  there were discussions as to whether Tampa was a hockey town, they couldn't give away tickets to games at the Ice Palace. Many were discussing the long term viability of hockey in Tampa, the team was coming off several disappointing seasons and hockey in Florida was hurting. Flash ahead and right now the Lightning are THIRD in hockey attendance with almost 100% sellouts nightly. Tampa wasn't a hockey town then, but for some reason it is now...

There is no doubt in my mind that a winning basketball team would draw well in Tampa. I'm not saying sellouts nightly, but well. To suggest that it cannot because a team that is 55-87 the last 5 years isn't drawing well is ignorant.

[Joe]

I think a winning basketball team would draw fine.

I'm not sure what your definition of "fine" is but Seth had winning seasons his last 6 here. Check the attendance levels and see if those fall under your definition of "fine".

I'm not talking the typical Seth Greenberg 16-14 year. Winning meaning at least sniffing an NCAA bid. I know this porgram has a lot to do before it's at that level (and please don't group me with the Huggins people)

However, Tampa loves a winner. I believe basketball would draw well if this team were at that level.

[Joe]

Reality is that Tampa has never supported bball, even when a winner is in town, thus, Tampa is not a bball town.

Please tell me when Tampa has had a big time winning basketball program? Even when were were making the postseason it was still with double digit losses...

I think an upper half team in the BE would draw well.

Unlike the darksiders on this board, I also understand it's going to take time for that to happen. It's not going to happen by hiring some shady coach who has won a few games.

However, I really disagree that a good BE team would have trouble selling well in Tampa.

[Herman_Momart]

I think it is hilarious a certain someone is talking how tampa does not support basketball when there is ZERO proof to that statement, but arrogantly acts like he is right, too funny.  Then says Hockey gets support because so many people from the north are down here.  Where do you think the biggest market for the NBA is?  Its New York, which i believe is in the north and has plenty of people in tampa.  I dont see why tampa would not support a basketball team (and not for the northerners reason either).  

I also love how so many are so quick to call huggins a bad person and someone we wouldnt hire at usf.  Get over it, like USF football is a bunch of angels.  USF is not nation known for their scholar athletes, sorry to inform you.  You think the fans at Kansas State (even the ones who may have once had doubt) are regretting the hire now?  Not one.  Not even your top good samuritan citizens.  I KNOW FOR A FACT if Huggins was here this year and that was our crowd sold out, on national tv, with a winning record in his first year, not ONE person wold be calling Huggins a bad person.  you would be kissing his a$$.  Dont lie, you know you would.  

[BigGameBulls]

Go away. I can't take your know it all attitude when you clearly know nothing about the city of Tampa

What a whiner.  Here, I'll give you the same line that your fellow ignorant darksiders give everyone that is tired of seeing the same old posts over and over and over agains:  If you don't like my posts, don't read them.  Reality is that Tampa has never supported bball, even when a winner is in town, thus, Tampa is not a bball town.  You don't like that?  TOO BAD.  I'm here for reality, you must be part of the "if" crowd, so mosey on over to UCiF where you belong.

You have no clue buddy...

[windbane]

Go away. I can't take your know it all attitude when you clearly know nothing about the city of Tampa

What a whiner.  Here, I'll give you the same line that your fellow ignorant darksiders give everyone that is tired of seeing the same old posts over and over and over agains:  If you don't like my posts, don't read them.  Reality is that Tampa has never supported bball, even when a winner is in town, thus, Tampa is not a bball town.  You don't like that?  TOO BAD.  I'm here for reality, you must be part of the "if" crowd, so mosey on over to UCiF where you belong.

You have no clue buddy...

so true, but he'll just say:  "what a fallacy"