To truly be a BULL

[whiskeyboarder]

ALL:

I recognize that many others on this forum have acknowledged the lack of student support for most USF athletic events outside of football.  While I would rather not “beat a dead horse,†I posted the following note on Facebook and have been encouraged to also post it here because you all might appreciate its particular message.

More importantly, perhaps you might be able to encourage change in some of the negative details that prompted the note’s writing. 

Thank you. 

MESSAGE FOLLOWS:

“I vow upon my honor to give allegiance to my university…"

To many, a phrase such as this means little.  To those of us with any affiliation to Greek Life on the USF campus, these are the type of words that we pledged via hard work, sacrifice of free time, and extreme toil.  This phrase isn’t a secret specific to any one fraternity or sorority but a statement representative of the promise that everyone in Greek Life promises to uphold in support of their university. 

And, tonight, most everyone in Greek Life (and, certainly, others) failed their university.

Sigma Phi Epsilon, a fraternity of which I am a fully initiated brother (although, admittedly, I am currently inactive), was the worst example of this failure.  Tonight was “Greek Night†at USF’s home basketball game against Seton Hall.  Besides my roommate Charlie Terenzio, there wasn’t one Sigma Phi Epsilon member who found supporting their university’s basketball team as an important principle associated with “allegiance to their university.† In other words, Charlie and I were the only people related to Sigma Phi Epsilon to show to this event.

What does Sigma Phi Epsilon’s absence mean?

For one thing, it means heartbreak to me.  Most of the current members of Sigma Phi Epsilon fail to understand how disappointed I am to be restricted from their activities.  However, looking around the Sun Dome tonight, I was so upset at the lack of support shown by Sigma Phi Epsilon for USF’s basketball team that I, for the first time, felt utterly satisfied not to be associated with the organization.

Why would any person choose to be an active member of an organization in which ALL of its members (but one- Charlie) so lackadaisically break a principle that nearly all members have sworn to live by?

And let me not pull punches. There are, obviously, members of Sigma Phi Epsilon whom I am closer to in friendship than others.  Do not confuse the integrity of this rant; it is not partial.  Rather, IT IS DIRECTED AT ALL MEMBERS.  Current Sigma Phi Epsilon president, Rob Sozio (whom I respect greatly) didn’t find it important to support the basketball team and hasn’t found it important throughout the season.  Nor has my good friend, Jeff Van Zandt.  President-elect Bob Brann wasn’t present.  Nor was Jake Thomas, my big brother (although, for argument’s sake, he makes it to more games than most and a legitimate class probably prevented him from attending). The point is this: I am not calling out individuals; I am calling out an entire fraternity to failing to uphold a solemn covenant.

And, for argument’s sake, “being busy†is no excuse.  I maintain two majors, a 3.85 G.P.A., a Senate campaign, Honors College commitments, participation in a presidential campaign, active membership in a campus political party, and I have been to all home men’s basketball games, two of three baseball games, all of last season’s home football games, and events in locations such as El Paso, Texas and Boca Raton.  If you truly endeavor to “give allegiance,†you can be diligent in attending events.  I (and Charlie) am proof.

Everyone is a Bulls fan during football season when it is convenient to support a successful team.  It is much harder to be a Bulls fan when the team needing support is one less successful; such as our current basketball team.  However, picking and choosing when to display allegiance to our university is not an option available to those of us obligated by Greek Life.  We chose to separate ourselves from the regular student body by joining a fraternity or sorority.  Now, and always, we must behave in the appropriate manner; AND NOT ONLY WHEN IT IS EASY TO DO SO!!!

All that being said, organizations in Greek Life other than Sigma Phi Epsilon are not safe from the distribution of my current anger.  The student section in the lower bowl for tonight’s game was not full to capacity.  Yet, according to the ticket box, tickets to these seats were exasperated. However, a section that was full was the portion of the second level dedicated to organizations from Greek Life.

What does all this mean?

Most of the individuals associated with Greek Life that did show up chose to sit in the second level with their respective fraternities / sororities despite their first-level, student section tickets. And, because of their choices, the student section lacked fullness, passion, and loudness.  The basketball team’s loss was only cemented by a few points.  Worse, we had opportunities to win and Seton Hall had plenty of chances to lose.  A few more fans in the lower bowl could have been the deciding factor in motivating our Bulls to win. But many in Greek Life chose to spite their student section tickets to sit, instead, in the second level and to do so quietly.

But, of course, support and “allegiance to our university†only matters when convenient. 

My rage extends further.  Hardly anyone can challenge my dedication to USF.  I have presented my own credits above.  Yet, today was student government election day.  While I (and my friend, Charlie) am running for a position myself, I am not afraid to say that I am disappointed in all those running whom chose to represent platforms steeped heavily on their passion for USF whom yet failed to show up when the Bulls needed them most.  My entire fraternity supported, in unison, one ticket for student body President and Vice President.  I defied them all by supporting an opposing ticket….

..YET NEITHER TICKET (NOR THEIR OPPONENTS) FELT THAT TONIGHT’S GAME WAS WORTH SHOWING UP TO.

However, when sporting events were more vital to their campaigns (say, every other sporting event in the last two weeks), every candidate from every ticket made their presence well known.

So, that’s it.

This is a tirade against all that didn’t show to tonight’s game.  Most pointedly, my anger is directed at Sigma Phi Epsilon and the Greek Life community whom vowed to support their alma mater in all its efforts.  They failed.  So did many others

And all of you should be ashamed.

[BullDoug]

15 yrs after my undergrad degree was complete and its still the same ole, same ole for USF Greeks when it comes to supporting basketball.

[The Sheriff]

Great post... I have nothing else to say... my sentiments exactly.

[IHuckItDeep]

good post my friend....the greek system at USF needs improvment no doubt about that....

[Guest]

not going to a basketball game = failing the university ??

I admire the passion and wish more people had it...

Attending a few games this year and watching more on TV, it's obvious that all USF fans don't behave the same at football and basketball games...

And BullDoug, I'm not sure what you mean about the Greek system -- when I was first in school in the early 1990s, Fraternities and Sororities were at games in force.  I noticed things changed when football started... and that is a shame.

[mutt]

You guys hit it on the mark...  A person is either going to involve themselves or not...  BUT, there are people like you out there. Pointing fingers is an easy path to follow, but saying it's someone else's fault is just a cop out. What YOU need to do, is apply yourself more. What's stopping you from passing out flyers at the dorms about B-Ball games? What stops you from getting off of campus to drag people off of the street? If you believe in something with passion, do something about it. When everybody else sees you having fun, they'll want to join in.

This just doesn't stop with B-Ball. It affects all walks of life. If you want to see USF Merchandise at a certain store...  ***** about it.

If you want to enact national Green & Gold day...  Get together and DO IT !!! 

Wanna fight the TSA...

Elect Jim Leavitt President...

ect...

[crambone]

It's the same old song and dance for the Greeks.  Year after year.

They'll smash a car for charity, but please don't ask them to give up drinking time to go to a losing basketball game.

[usfgrad84]

Extending this to more than just frats and sororities, what else is so exciting and captivating around campus and around Tampa on a Tuesday night that would keep people from attending a game?

Although we haven't been winning, this team has been playing some **** exciting ball lately and have been in the last several games with a real chance to win right down to the wire.  That's all I asked for this season. 

[af_bull05]

Whiskey and USF Students/Alumni,

     Very strong post.  Thanks. 

As a proud USF alumni I would tell you the same lack of apathy exists in the alumni community.  There are 209,000 USF Alumni worldwide yet only 14K USF Alumni members.  I hear the same old thing, 'what's in it for me', 'what do I get in return'?  Lots of benefits, connection to an outstanding university, networking with ohter USF alumni, and most of goodwill to a university who helped give you a foundation to be successful!  Beyond that, nothing!  Sometimes in life you must not ask what's in it for me, but I'm just going to give and expect nothing in retrun.  The USF Alumni Association aides in increasing the value of your degree everyday as do the alumni in careers across the globe.  My degree hangs in my office and is ever present in my life.

     I would encourage all USF alumni to join the USF Alumni Association, check out a great website at www.usfalumni.net, attend a local alumni event, or just stop by the USF alumni association and take a tour of a wonder facility.  Students, I would ask that you join the USF alumni association the day you graduate and visit the USF alumni center on campus.  I know you've driven, walked, or ridden your bike by the USF alumni center 1,000 times.  Stop in and say hello and take a look around.  No harm can be done and you may just learn something you didn't know.

Go Bulls!

I've been considering joining the Alumni Association for a while now, but just kept putting it off for various reasons.  After reading this thread, I decided what the hell, I need to support my school.  So I signed up for the lifetime membership.

[Da Bulls]

I also understand what whiskey_boarder is saying in this thread (as I was probably one of the main reasons he wrote it.) I am the one mentioned in that rant several times, and I know we cannot clump all students and alumni together in a rant, but this is on the USF spirit overall. I, myself, am a member of a fraternity on campus, I am running for USF Senate, I maintain good grades, intern with the athletic department, and still manage to attend most USF Athletic Events (Football, Basketball, Baseball, Softball, etc.) We are building something huge here at The University of South Florida, and if some choose not to be a part of it, forget them. I, for one, will be there every step of the way, and I hope I am joined by you true fans, the members of Bullspen.