Will Doug listen to the fans

[flsportsfan83]

March 01, 2007

McCullum back? Tell me what you think

I would have liked to get a post up last night after USF's 77-72 loss to Providence, and I'll try to get more up later today. But first, I want to open the forum and get a better sense as to whether you think coach Robert McCullum has made enough progress to come back for another season. It could be a week or so before athletic director Doug Woolard makes a decision -- he'll be in Hartford for the Big East women's basketball tournament this weekend, then has Big East meetings to attend in New York, so he it could be late in next week before he's able to sit down with McCullum.

There seem to be adamant voices on both sides of the argument on the main USF message boards, and it's what USF fans are talking about right now, so I'll float it here: Do you think McCullum deserves another year? Do you want him back?

March 01, 2007 | Permalink

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Coach McCullum seems to be one of the nicest guys in the world of college sports. I love that about him. I wish him the best wherever he coaches, but as a Bulls fan, I cannot see the wisdom in retaining him after the conclusion of this season.

Mr. Woolard wanted "significant progress," correct? Well, I know there are differing standards as to what that is, but if winning three conference games is significant, then USF has the lowest expectations of any one of the 300+ Division 1 basketball programs in this country.

Buy out the contract, and hire someone like Anthony Grant (VCU).

Posted by: Ryan Roark | March 01, 2007 at 12:36 PM

No and No. We need to start going in a different direction.

Posted by: Dallas Bryan | March 01, 2007 at 12:42 PM

A majority of the non conference schedule was filled with cream puffs. And they still lost to Richmond and UAB. Needing overtime to beat Stetson was also not good. Most of the Big East losses were not very competitive. Basically it was a good win against ND, a close loss to Marquette and two wins against fellow bottom feeders Cincinnati and Rutgers. It should also be mentioned that Cincinnati and Rutgers have 1st year coaches, not a 4th year coach. USF B-Ball is at an all time low. The lowest since I arrived on campus as a student in 1988. It’s going to take a lot to get people interested again. I’m not seeing anything to make me think next year is going to make the team any better. The best shooter (Buckley) and defensive player (Mattis) have graduated and Gransberry can’t do it by himself. I hope they get a new coach who can put the interest back into the program and who can recruit Big East players.

Posted by: Bill | March 01, 2007 at 01:10 PM

he cleaned up the program but i'm tired of the excuses you can win in the big east without superstars with good coaching, west va proved that. too much negativity with the program, too many fans put off by mccullum. he deserves to be fired, he had his shot. the cupboard is not totally bare w/ some high character kids for someone else to come in and get this team to compete.

Posted by: | March 01, 2007 at 01:49 PM

He needs to be fired. He has lost 55 of 65 conference games since he has been here.

You want a thought.

Huggins just won his 20th game at Kansas State and has the wildcats headed to the tourny.

Mac just lost his 55th conference game in 4 years.

How long did it take Huggins to lose 55 conference games? Almost 10 years.

What a horrible mistake it was to not go after that guy last year. Genshaft and Woolard so be ashamed.

Maybe ego won't get in the way this time and we can hire a good coach.

Posted by: Jack | March 01, 2007 at 02:00 PM

Not to mention the fact that Bob Huggins has what many consider to be the number one recruiting class in the country headed to Manahattan Kansas next year..

The management of this program has bordered on negligence in my eyes.

Enough is enough.

Lets move on and hire a top coach.

Steve Lavin comes to mind.

Posted by: Jack | March 01, 2007 at 02:04 PM

Coach McCullum is a great guy and he has really cleaned up the place (MBB). I thank him for that. However, he is not a Big East coach. You need to recruit stars. You can get away with recruiting at other conferences, primarily the mid-majors (including WMU where RMC came from), but not the BE. We are talking about competing in the BE and trying to attract fans to the Sun Dome. HELLO! We are in the same conference as Notre Dame for crying out loud. It's also embarrassing when Syracuse comes to our house and outnumbers us (or close to it) in the stands.

To me, if Mac wants to coach in the BE, then he'll have to be an assistant coach. We need a coach that can fire up the guys!!! Show me some emotion MAC! Show me some excitement USF! Look at the baseball team and what a coaching change can do. It brought excitement and HOPE. Look at the attendance this year (better than last year even without the UF game).

Another example is Coach Fernandez. You can see that he has emotions and fires up the girls. If he doesn't like something, he'll let people know (refer to the poor marketing for WBB games). After every news conference, Mac says the same crap over and over and over. Take blame! Blame someone at least; I’m tired of hearing that “we did our best today.â€Â

I want a guy with PASSION for the SPORT and USF. Dig deep, USF... and don't be cheap. Could you imagine if we supported Seth with the appropriate resources?!?! Look at what he's doing now at VT.

PLEASE help USF basketball, Doug! Enough is enough.

Posted by: Joey | March 01, 2007 at 02:30 PM

No....and...No.....

Posted by: craig crowder | March 01, 2007 at 03:10 PM

See its hard for me because I was a big supporter of bringing huggins and his baggage last year. By the way he now has kstate on the verge of its 1st 20 win season in 8 years. Prob is there are no quality coaches out there right now...I wish kentucky would be stupid and fire Tubby Smith, but he wouldnt come to tampa.If we bring Mac back for another year and he doesnt succeed that would be 5 years with a losing record under him, which is completly unexcusable. So should the fire him now....yes...I'm now starting the Bruiser flint to USF chant/march whatever you wanna call it. He is the former coach at UMass, asst under Caliperi and he has drexel at 22-7 and hes 39 years old. What do you think greg?

Posted by: john nelson | March 01, 2007 at 03:51 PM

The Basketball program started from scratch when they hired Coach McCollum. Greenberg left this program the same way he left Long Beach State, on the verge of collapse with no future. McCollum has taken the program, that could have been erased and no one would have minded, from a joke to a semi-competitive ball club. The football program was able to build itself at its own pace against smaller programs until it was ready to take the next step. The basketball program was thrown into the "deep-end" known as the Big East. Give the guy more time.

Posted by: Believabull | March 01, 2007 at 04:02 PM

I definately think Coach McCullum is a nice person and a good basketball mind. He is well respected by his peers and would probably be offfered an asst coaching job within days of being terminated. However, I am not sure that he is the guy that you want running your program.

True he has had bad luck with injuries, but as others have pointed out the lack of quality depth can be attributed to mistakes he has made with recruits. Some people seem to win despite the problems and others seemed to get consumed by them. Unfortunately Coach seems to get consumed. The program needs to make a change not for change sake but to bring some excitment back to the program.

I think USF will go the way of a young up and comer rather than an established coach. No way USF will pay top dollar for a new coach. **** V calls USF the toughest coaching job in America, I question that logic. I look at what teams like Wisconsin and Marquette can do with few true blue chip players and I wonder why not USF.

Posted by: Mike | March 01, 2007 at 04:13 PM

enough already...got to go in new direction..Woolard needs to loosen the purse strings cause this budget coach idea is not going to get it done.

Posted by: Tbull | March 01, 2007 at 05:00 PM

It's not the he's a bad X's & O's guy but he can never recruit a full class of quality players. Each year there is one or maybe two guys that could help a major program but they keep graduating faster than he is replacing them. As such, my measure of a coach is not one aspect of the game but the overall picture and that is why I think it is time for a change. In the Big East, his record CAN'T be accepted one more year.

Posted by: Thom | March 01, 2007 at 05:16 PM

Greg,

What are your thoughts? And please, don't pull a DW and tell me that you are going to wait until after the season.

The season is OVER!

Thanks!

Posted by: Joey | March 01, 2007 at 06:40 PM

Why don't we try to hire a guy like Carl Hobbs from George Washington..?

A former Uconn player and assitant..

had GW like 25-3 last year...and 18-9 this year.

Just HIRE SOMEONE WHO WINS!

Posted by: Jack | March 01, 2007 at 07:17 PM

What about Bobby Lutz.

What about Steve Lavin

Would we be unable to get a guy like Chris Collins from Duke?

What are the chances of getting the guy from Drexel..

Posted by: Jack | March 01, 2007 at 07:19 PM

I'd have to agree with the majority here. He's a great guy and he's done a great job cleaning up the team's image AND he has been brought down by injuries to key players during his tenure.

Alas, it is time for a change. We need to remind everyone that we do have a Men's Basketball team in the Big East. I say he needs to go.

Posted by: Andy | March 01, 2007 at 07:33 PM

NO!!! and NO!!!

Posted by: Dave | March 01, 2007 at 08:21 PM

I just hope Woolard doesn't make the same mistakes that Selmon did. Selmon hired a coach that no one in Tampa had heard about except that he was an assistant at Florida. Selmon then did not pursue legal charges against Greenberg for stealing recruit Zabian Dowdell to Virginia Tech with him and look at what Dowdell has done. If McCollum takes recruits with him, I hope USF would not be so passive this time.

Posted by: AnhVu Nguyen | March 01, 2007 at 09:06 PM

[flsportsfan83]

McCullum’s final game in Sun Dome?

Posted By Brett McMurphy at Mar 01, 2007 at 01:08 AM

Updated Mar 01, 2007 at 01:29 AM

If Wednesday night’s loss to Providence was indeed the final home game for University of South Florida coach Robert McCullum, you certainly wouldn’t know it by his post-game press conference.

Despite a sixth consecutive loss, McCullum, as he has all season, was candid, honest and professional afterward. He answered every question thoroughly, no matter how many times he’s already answered the same question or how stupid he may have thought the question was. Unlike some current and former USF coaches, he didn’t drop F-bombs or storm out after a couple of minutes because he didn’t like something written about him or his program.

When asked if the club had shown “significant improvement†- what AD Doug Woolard said was necessary this season - McCullum said: “Well, all I’ll tell you, I think the wording of itself - significant - is a relative term,†he said. “So how one person defines significant could very well differ from another. So obviously it’s not my decision to make, so it’s a question you should probably ask [Woolard].â€Â

When asked about the disappointment of not reaching the Big East tournament, McCullum gave a 4 minute, 5 second answer that ranged from him mentioning: all of the league’s coaches believe every team should make the league tournament; all of the injuries and obstacles the Bulls have battled this year (he didn’t get specific on this subject, except mentioning the loss of Aris Williams); he thinks the Big East is a better overall league this season than last season; and the nucleus of young players on the roster.

Woolard won’t address McCullum’s future - he has one game and two years remaining on his six-year deal - even though Tampa Tribune columnist Joe Henderson gave him the opportunity Tuesday to squelch the speculation by simply saying McCullum would return next season. Woolard, though, maintained his policy of not commenting on a coach during the season.

So the wait continues. And the speculation continues to build. Was this the final Sun Dome appearance for McCullum and seniors Melvin Buckley, McHugh Mattis, Melvyn Richardson and Chris Capko?

BULLLLLLS LOSE: That’s six consecutive Ls for USF. In program history, there have been 15 losing streaks of least six games or more. Five of those have come under McCullum, including last year’s school record 17 consecutive losses.

“The losses start to build on you,†said Capko, who added he absolutely believes McCullum should remain USF’s coach. “We have to do a better job of taking care of the situation.â€Â

Send Us Your Comments

Posted by  john nelson, DC on 03/01  at  03:53 PM

See its hard for me because I was a big supporter of bringing huggins and his baggage last year. By the way he now has kstate on the verge of its 1st 20 win season in 8 years. Prob is there are no quality coaches out there right now...I wish kentucky would be stupid and fire Tubby Smith, but he wouldnt come to tampa.If we bring Mac back for another year and he doesnt succeed that would be 5 years with a losing record under him, which is completly unexcusable. So should the fire him now....yes...I’m now starting the Bruiser flint to USF chant/march whatever you wanna call it. He is the former coach at UMass, asst under Caliperi and he has drexel at 22-7 and hes 39 years old. What do you think brett?

Posted by  craig crowder, sebring,fl on 03/01  at  03:44 PM

The party is over.....time to go....USF Grad class of 1974....GO BULLS....

Posted by  Jason Faulkner, Chicago, IL on 03/01  at  03:41 PM

I don’t know who is more incompetent, McCullum or Woolard.  McCullum is an utter failure no matter how many excuses he tris to come up with.  Woolard is a failure of a director.  How is a new coach going to have enough time to recruit for the next season if Woolard waits until the end of the season to make a decision?  Woolard is setting USF up for more failure because he has waited FAR too long to fire the idiot sitting in the coach’s chair.

Posted by  ryan feiss, palm bay on 03/01  at  02:09 PM

I not gonna blame the teams failures solely on recruiting, as Gransberry is a solid player and I believe Mattis may even get drafted in the second round (with his athletisism and energy).  However, with that said, why is it that we continually play games with eight scholarship guys or fewer.  How many players are on a basketball team and why is it that injuries (for at least the last few years) continue to be the number one excuse for our depth problems?  Are we under some unknown sanction?  I see two guys over 6’6†coming back for next year.  That sounds like a recipe for more success.

Posted by  Brett McMurphy,  on 03/01  at  10:05 AM

Ellis, is recruiting the coaches’ fault? Absolutely. For whatever reason they have not succeeded on the recruiting trail and it’s shown in the win-loss column. To paraphrase an old football coaches saying on how good a coach is: “It’s not the X’s and O’s, it’s the Jimmy’s and Joe’s.†Right now, USF’s Jimmy’s and Joe’s aren’t as good as the rest of the Big East.

Posted by  Ryan Roark, Richmond, VA on 03/01  at  09:30 AM

Ugggggggggh (times 6).

This is just depressing.

Mr. Woolard, I hope you’ll look into the possibility of luring Anthony Grant away from Virginia Commonwealth University.  I’ve enjoyed watching him coach here in Richmond this season.  He’s a guy who can definitely recruit (especially the state of FL), and seems to be a very good tactician as well.  

Somebody will offer him what he wants very soon.....why not us??

Another season of this, and it will be clear that our university is not interested in the men’s basketball program.

Posted by  Ellis L Crawford Jr, Tampa, FL on 03/01  at  03:43 AM

I have a season ticket, and for the 2nd year, I have watched a team that does not seem to have an offense.  They have played hard on defense, every game, and that is a credit to the coach and his staff.  Nothing bothers me more as a fan, than for the coach to call a time out having the ball.  And then come out of the time out, and not run anything close to a set play, or even get off a decent shot.  I am sure the coach is a good man, a stand up guy.  But if he is not an “X’s and O’s person, maybe he should hire one for his staff if he is going to return.  For me a northern transplant, I find it hard to believe that Tampa’s weather, can not help in recruiting quality ball players.  .  Is it the Coaches fault?

[Triple B]

Here's my favorite:

Posted by  Jason Faulkner, Chicago, IL[highlight] on 03/01  [/highlight]at  03:41 PM

I don’t know who is more incompetent, McCullum or Woolard.  McCullum is an utter failure no matter how many excuses he tris to come up with.  Woolard is a failure of a director.  [highlight]How is a new coach going to have enough time to recruit for the next season if Woolard waits until the end of the season to make a decision?[/highlight]  Woolard is setting USF up for more failure because he has waited FAR too long to fire the idiot sitting in the coach’s chair.

Yeah, those three extra days he'll lose will make or break next year's recruiting.

;D

[Herman_Momart]

Looks like the fans are having the same feelings as they did last year.  Very very anxious to see what happens.  Cant turn your back on the fans 2 yers in a row, can you???

ps doesnt that jack guy look like Ari's rants.  Oh yea trip, i'll save you the post, Ari and I are the same person *wink wink, thumbs ups*

[Triple B]

Looks like the fans are having the same feelings as they did last year.  Very very anxious to see what happens.  [highlight]Cant turn your back on the fans 2 yers in a row, can you???[/highlight]

You can't only if those fans you speak of are money boosters, with a capital M. If DW makes his decision in any way, shape or form based on some yahoos posting on an Internet message board, he should immediately be relieved of his duties.

ps doesnt that jack guy look like Ari's rants.  Oh yea trip, i'll save you the post, Ari and I are the same person *wink wink, thumbs ups*

I pick my spots better ... Timing is everything.