InsideBayArea.com: Take that, Tampa: The USF's in S.F.

[MarketingGuy]

By Jeff Faraudo, STAFF WRITER

Article Last Updated: 10/18/2007 02:35:26 AM PDT

AS RIVALRIES go, this one is more like "Spy vs. Spy" than the Yankees and the Red Sox.

In other words, it's not real.

But the folks at the University of San Francisco would like to make one thing clear: "We're THE USF."

The lines are being blurred a bit these days as the University of South Florida  the other USF  makes headlines as a burgeoning college football power.

The Bulls of Tampa's USF are 6-0 and ranked No.2 in the first Bowl Championships Series standings heading into tonight's Big East Conference game at Rutgers.

USF no longer is the sole domain of the school up the street from Golden Gate Park.

Dons basketball coach Jessie Evans has been surprised more than once by which USF folks recognize.

He was in Memphis recruiting last year when a man in the hotel elevator saw his USF shirt and immediately made reference to San Francisco. "That made me feel good," Evans said.

More recently, Evans was wearing a USF shirt at the St. Francis Hotel in San Francisco when a tourist asked him about South Florida. "So you get humbled like that," he said.

Jeff Wuerth, who works in South Florida's sports information office, lived in Columbus, Ohio, until last year. Asked which school came to mind at that time when he heard a reference to "USF," Wuerth admitted, "I didn't think either, to be honest."

Historically, there's little debate. USF West was founded in 1855  101 years before USF East came on the scene.

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The Dons fielded a 9-0 football in 1951 that spawned three Pro Football Hall of Famers, then won back-to-back NCAA basketball titles on the shoulders of Bill Russell in 1955 and'56.

The Dons no longer play football, but sports information director Ryan McCrary suggests the two schools meet on the basketball court to settle things.

"The winner gets to keep USF, the other has to change," McCrary said.

Evans is willing to share  to a point.

"During the football season they can be USF. During basketball, there's no mistake," he said. "We have a little more tradition. We're the USF."

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LOL..Amusing.

[TRUTH D. Antagonist]

yeah yeah...

so which team is USC?  Southern Cal or South Carolina?

OSU?  Ohio State, Oklahoma State or Oregon State?

UT?  Texas or Tennessee?

that **** is dumb.

[Velcro]

Tradition... thats nice.  But recent years, they've had the same success as we have in hoops, which isn't saying much.

[mikebeau]

You can take your tradition and shove it...well, you know where I'm going.

[80mins]

yeah yeah...

so which team is USC?  Southern Cal or South Carolina?

OSU?  Ohio State, Oklahoma State or Oregon State?

UT?  Texas or Tennessee?

that **** is dumb.

UT is actually the University of Tampa  ;D

www.ut.edu

[kastofsna]

there's no trademark or copyright or anything, so who cares

[TRUTH D. Antagonist]

yeah yeah...

so which team is USC?  Southern Cal or South Carolina?

OSU?  Ohio State, Oklahoma State or Oregon State?

UT?  Texas or Tennessee?

that **** is dumb.

UT is actually the University of Tampa  ;D

www.ut.edu

good one!

;D

[slbpsi63]

Wasn't there a lawsuit on this already. When I was a student I remember someone saying that we won the right to use USF for academcis only, ( the is why we have www.usf.edu) and San Fran got to use USF for athletics ( that's why our BB uniforms always said South Florida). I am probably wrong though.

[Matt]

More recently, Evans was wearing a USF shirt at the St. Francis Hotel in San Francisco when a tourist asked him about South Florida. "So you get humbled like that," he said.

WOW, i know this might sound crazy but he might of been talking about me.  I recently got married and we went to San Fran on our honeymoon and was at the St Francis Hotel when i saw someone wearing a Green USF shirt and I asked him if he was a Bulls fan (didnt realize U of San Fran's colors were green too at this point) and he said "bulls?  this is a Univ of San Fran shirt and he mentioned that he worked for the university.  does anyone have a picture of this basketball coach?  that would be funny if i was sort of mentioned in a news paper article from San Fran

[usfgreg]

We own USF.edu, you own USFCA.edu. We are #1 in google when you search for "usf" you are #2. Thus. You have been corrected SF news writer. We are USF.