Sports Mailbag, Tampa Tribune, Sunday (Sports Section, p. 16, cols 1 &2)

[WoolyBully]

I don't make the news, I just report it. In this instance there's no link to these on TBO.COM

USF, Mayor Are Just Being Bullies:

I am a FSU alumnus who has the utmost respect for the USF football program and its great economic impact on this area. Still, having the Atlantic Coast Conference championship in Tampa would be a treasure and provide greater economic impact than USF games ('USF's Scheduling Pursuit Has Caused Strife", Feb 13). With FSU and Miami being perennial contenders in this elite league, the state of Florida would also benefit greatly. USF and the Tampa mayor are being bullies. The ACC had a contract to host its title game before USF pursued a prime-time game two days earlier. USF could move the Rutgers game to another

Thursday night or perhaps play it at Tropicana Field. It certainly would be different, and it would have bowl atmosphere.

Claude Kehler (via email)

TSA Should Call Genshaft's Bluff

Myaor Iorio ordering the city brass to not pursue any more ACC Championship Games past 2009 is the silliest thing I have ever heard of. I'd bet it would created double or triple the revenue a USF game brings to the City, and I'm sure many locals would like to see some big-time program come to Tampa for the event.  In fact, it wouldn't be a bad idea for stadium officials to pursue the SEC title game as well. The Tampa Sports Authority should call Judy Genshaft's bluff - let USF's current lease expire and force the school into a situation where it would have to build its own stadium. UCF did it. USF has been freeloading off Raymond James Stadium and the Bucs for too long. The next thing you know, USF will be asking the Yankees for permission to use Legends Field for its home baseball games.

Guy Sheppard, Spring Hill

Mayor Iorio Should Stay Out of Sports

Please let Pam Iorio know she should stay out of sports issues. She has no authority to tell city officials not to pursue the ACC Championship Game on a permanent basis, which could eliminate scheduling problems for USF. This is another example of government getting involved in sports for no reason, as it has in the cases of Roger Clemnes and of the New England Patriots.

Paul Noto (via email)

See...now that's the great thing aobut OP.ED. No background info required. I'd be interested to see who else thinks we've been 'freeloading off of RayJ & the Bucs'.

[USFMikeB]

TSA Should Call Genshaft's Bluff

Myaor Iorio ordering the city brass to not pursue any more ACC Championship Games past 2009 is the silliest thing I have ever heard of. I'd bet it would created double or triple the revenue a USF game brings to the City, and I'm sure many locals would like to see some big-time program come to Tampa for the event.  In fact, it wouldn't be a bad idea for stadium officials to pursue the SEC title game as well. The Tampa Sports Authority should call Judy Genshaft's bluff - let USF's current lease expire and force the school into a situation where it would have to build its own stadium. UCF did it. USF has been freeloading off Raymond James Stadium and the Bucs for too long. The next thing you know, USF will be asking the Yankees for permission to use Legends Field for its home baseball games.

Guy Sheppard, Spring Hill

Gotta love how uninformed those obsessed ucIFers are.  Freeloading?  It's the other way around.  The Bucs and RayJay have been freeloading off USF by charging us to use the "community stadium" paid for with tax dollars, and taking all the concession dollars as well.  It never ceases to amaze me how stupid ucIF fans are...

[Kyle]

So...did any pro-usf letters make that page?

[WoolyBully]

Interestingly no.

The 'pro USF' letters were in the "Letters to the Editor" a few days back.

I'm guessing these guys directed their letters directly to the sports page.

[bulls96go]

tsa was stupid not to talk to usf before signing this deal

acc was unreasonable after the fact.

this is about $$$ and the tsa and acc took $$$ out of usf's pocket.

i wish this subject would stop

[nobull.Bulls]

I dont see a shred of intelligence or reason in those letters to the paper

[Jihme]

huge economic impact?  wasnt the acc game in jax like 1/2 empty?

[Triple B]

huge economic impact?  wasnt the acc game in jax like 1/2 empty?

2/3 empty...

[Economics_Nerd82]

A professor of mine once did a study on the super bowl's effect on local economies (particularly Tampa). He found that it didn't generate anywhere near the amount of money that the NFL states it does. (Note: he testified before a court of law with these findings). He showed that most of the money went to large companies (Hyatt, Holiday Inn, Bank of America) that aren't located in Tampa. He showed that hotels and restaurants don't serve more people and generate more $$$ (since they don't grow in size actually to accommodate more people). He found that having the Super Bowl in town generate about the same amount of $$$ as a new large supermarket would generate.

If the Super Bowl isn't really bringing in the large amounts of $$$ then I doubt the ACC championship game won't either. Especially!, if FSU and UM are in the game.

[Brad]

BLASPHEMER!