#5

[WWMJD]

To those who are just tuning in, we are ranked as the 5th best college football team in the world right now.

If you don't mind, I just wanted to take a moment to reflect.

Although many of you have been following the team for much longer than I, I have the feeling, as I'm sure many people do, as though I have been a part of this team since darker days.  I remember when we went 9-2 and couldn't get any love for a bowl.  I had just "committed", if you will, to be a USF Bull.

I was there in 2003 when ESPN said Louisville and TCU would be undefeated when they played each other.  We beat Louisville in OT (my first field-storming experience), and almost beat TCU if not for a few questionable calls.  I remember Huey's seemingly 573 ft. vertical leap when attempting (and often succeeding) to block field goals.  I remember thinking that this was the start of something big.

I was there when we lost to Army at homecoming.  It was a painful wake up call that we still had a long way to come as a team, as a program, and as a fanbase.  2004 was a painful year that I have chiefly blocked out of memory completely.  We went 4-7 that year.  And you better believe I remember the postponed game vs. Pittsburgh that left a **** near permanent scar on my psyche.  My friends and I arrived about a half hour before game time and ended up in the front row of the student section.  Imagine that today?

2005.  The year we started to turn heads.  We absolutely trounced Louisville.  Amarri was a god among men.  Boy, I remember that day like it was yesterday.  It was the closest thing to ecstasy and disbelief I have ever experienced.  I remember looking up at the scoreboard every 2 minutes just to make sure I wasn't dreaming.  Not even a year ago we had gone 4-7 and got the **** kicked out of us by Army, and now we are beating a team that many people picked to go to the N.C. by 31 points.  And as for the Car Care Bowl... yes, I was there.  Our first bowl game ever.  I still remember that I was amazed at how cold it was (what was it, 65 degrees when we left Tampa?).  We got our asses handed to us by a defensive line that ended up having two first round draft picks.

Of course, many of us remember 2006 well.  I do remember distinctly that little bastard #1 for FIU.  He was a sneaky one.  Of course, we pulled it out against him, and ended up beating WVU on our way to our first ever bowl win.  A couple bounces one way or another that season, things could have been very, very different.  I guess that's the way the cookie crumbles.

Now here we are, in 2007.  Our best start ever.  Our first ranking ever.  Our first top 10 ranking ever.  Our first sellout.  Our first top 5 ranking.  Our name is being mentioned in the same breath as the words "national championship".

I apologize for the long post, and apologize again if anyone things this is a ridiculous exercise talking just to talk.  There has been plenty said on this board lately, by old and new, good and bad, fans and haters.  I just hope that in reading this, you take just a few moments to sit back and realize that this is an incredible time to be a Bull.  I, for one, have never been prouder.

[glow=green,2,300]GO BULLS[/glow]

[windbane]

Very well said.  I too remember staring in disbelief the whole game at that UL score in 2005.  We had that down year the year before but easily could have played for the Big East title in 2005 (UConn, ugh).  It really is awesome to reflect back at where we were just last year and before.  I was so sure we'd lose to Auburn and probably still wouldn't be ranked right now.

[mikebeau]

  I remember Huey's seemingly 573 ft. vertical leap when attempting (and often succeeding) to block field goals. 

[glow=green,2,300]GO BULLS[/glow]

****, how many field goals did that guy block?  I remember we got penalized alot for the rush up the middle back then but he was almost a guarantee for the block.

[SouthFLoridaMike]

We've accomplished so much this season no matter what anyone says. No one could have thought that this is where we would be mid-season. Tampa is turning into a college town and we're making history game by game.

[DouBULL]

Wow!  I have been there all the way but your post really takes me back to some of the great (and not so great) times past.  The funny thing is that we really don't have that much history to reflect on.  11 years!! For most programs they are lucky to have had consecutive winning seasons in that time.

Oh, I love my Bulls!  USF...USF....USF!!!!

[RSSMOOTH]

Very well said.  I too remember staring in disbelief the whole game at that UL score in 2005.  We had that down year the year before but easily could have played for the Big East title in 2005 (UConn, ugh).  It really is awesome to reflect back at where we were just last year and before.  I was so sure we'd lose to Auburn and probably still wouldn't be ranked right now.

I remember listening to UL game in 2005 on the radio. I couldn't make it to the game unfortunately. I almost wet my pants as clock ticked to zero. That was an amazing feeling. Beating WVU last year was truly fantastic and this year has been nothing short of magical. We have grown exponentially each year in success. Coach Jim Leavitt is a special coach and is building something truly special here. I didn't think this year would be our year, I was thinking more like 2009 but we really have a chance to do something remarkable.

GO BULLS!!!

E.T.'s comments about 12-0 are looking less and less ridiculous each week

[Orlando Bull]

Wow, awesome. You picked up right after I graduated. Funny that someone mentioned listening to UL game on the radio. I was driving home from not doing much that day, thought about heading down there, but for some reason talked myself out of it. I had just bought my house, and moving in kind of took it out of me. I sat on the edge of the chair, on the floor next to the radio, and everywhere in between while listening to that game. Couldn't believe it. I haven't missed a home game that I was able to make since. It was a horrible decision for me not to come down for that one.

I was at the army loss, at the let down WVU loss in '05. I remember before the UConn game, we had a shot at the Big East Championship. We had beaten UL, had WVU at home, and just needed to knock off UConn to come home and have a chance at a share of the championship. Was sitting with Leavitt haters at that game, people actually hoping he would leave for any job that wanted him. By the way, I paid $20 to watch that UConn game on paperview, it was heart breaking.

Thanks for the post, we have all been through a lot with this team. I will be a Bull until the day I die. I wouldn't trade what we are getting to experience for 1000 years of tradition. We are making tradition. We are part of the beginning of this program. No gator/nole/USC/etc. fan will ever have this experience they will always have the stories of what happened way back when, we will not have to have stories, we have memories.

Go Bulls!

[Mag Pie]

I was there for all of this too... brings back so many memories.

UL 2005 was crazy!  I'm still angry no one has it on DVD!

I was there for the winning streak, and there when it was broken.  Against TCU on ESPN I believe, my friend said the camera went straight to me and 2 friends of mine and he said we all looked like we were going to cry, lol.

The Army game really hurt, I was one of the Homecoming Directors that year, and the entire week was going perfect after months of planning...til that **** game.  It was the first homecoming loss..it still stings when I think about it.

I am so proud that I have been through so much with this university.  And to think, there's so many more memories to come...

[RSSMOOTH]

Thanks for the post, we have all been through a lot with this team. I will be a Bull until the day I die. I wouldn't trade what we are getting to experience for 1000 years of tradition. We are making tradition. We are part of the beginning of this program. No gator/nole/USC/etc. fan will ever have this experience they will always have the stories of what happened way back when, we will not have to have stories, we have memories.

Go Bulls!

I couldn't have said  that better myself. I try to explain that very same thing to people but they will never understand what it means to have memories and to be a part of building tradition.

[dantheusfman]

I remember Homecoming vs. Army not just because of the game, but because that is how I celebrated my 18th birthday... watching my newfound favorite team lose to them was tough. But the next year... Oh, the next year against Louisville was oh so sweet. I'll never forget sitting in Magnolia watching us blow a shot at a Big East Title game at RayJay against UConn, and I'll always remember the Cincinnatti game last year.

But the good times:

-The opening second-half kickoff return against Louisville that sealed the deal. I thought to mysveelf "We aren't going to blow this...."

-Trae Williams making the interception to beat West Virginia

-The first five minutes of the Papajohns Bowl. 14-0 USF, the beginning of a long day for ECU

-Grothe to Hester. Hundreds of residents on Holly Drive within five minutes

-The sound of 60,000 people cheering the Bulls out of the tunnel (That literally gave me goosebumps)

Ahh, it's great to be a Bull