Gary Shelton Sums Up My Feelings About the 2008 Bulls

[E.T.]

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"Golly gee willickers, Bulls fans.  We’re the bestest rootin’ tootin’ football team in the whole wide world!  Jim Leavitt is a super-duper coach, and a handsome devil too!  Matt Grothe is such a fantastic QB that he will be drafted in the first round next year.  We’ve had a great-diddly-ate season this year!  I love the Bulls...we’re the best, and anyone who thinks we’re even #2 must be a piece of garbage UCF alumnus."

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Silly when some think this is how any fan thinks.

[BullsOnThaRize8]

Sad thing is, there probably are a few who do, but most people try to take the loyalty approach and try to bash people with statistics and prove their fanhood like that commercial. Everyone is going to have different opinions when the expectations are so high. Whose fault is it? Our teams for pulling off some upsets and not belonging in the top 25? Or do we really belong there? Why are we being outperformed by so called non-quality football states compared to florida? There are lots of feelings that sum up my feelings about 2008 bulls football. I just know however high we go, or low we go..anyone who posts with a purpose on this board probably is a real fan of our team. We better get used to the negitive that comes with success because when we show we can win and our team consistantly blows the games that we should win, the excuse of being a young program is going to get stale. We should have won 3 out of the 4 loses we have right now. Rutgers was steamrolling and I consider them a better team right now than usf the way they were playing. If we beat wvu on saturday I think alot of opinions and problems will silence for awhile.

[bullsbucsboltsrays]

If we beat wvu on saturday I think alot of opinions and problems will silence for awhile.

Not for me.  WVU is down this year and for us, the damage is done.  We're headed to the Magic Jack Bowl, win or lose.  This is all when the Big East was down and it was there for our taking.  At one point, we were ranked 10th in the nation.  All I know is, from our reputation of choking, I don't care if we start next season 8-0, I expect NO MERCY from the pollsters and I don't expect any of us fans to cry about not being ranked high enough.  With the way we win our OOC games against Auburn and Kansas but choke in the Big East, we're the definition of a fluke program unless we get over the hump.

[Bruce Blingstein]

If we beat wvu on saturday I think alot of opinions and problems will silence for awhile.

Not for me.  WVU is down this year and for us, the damage is done.  We're headed to the Magic Jack Bowl, win or lose.  This is all when the Big East was down and it was there for our taking.  At one point, we were ranked 10th in the nation.  All I know is, from our reputation of choking, I don't care if we start next season 8-0, I expect NO MERCY from the pollsters and I don't expect any of us fans to cry about not being ranked high enough.  With the way we win our OOC games against Auburn and Kansas but choke in the Big East, we're the definition of a fluke program unless we get over the hump.

Exactly right.  We went from a no name team, to a team who made a name and story for themselves, to an overhyped choke artists team.  Not a good look.  An the pollsters should be very careful where to rank USF next year.  We made them and us look like fools the past 2 years.  not hard to tell. 

And yes way too long to dissect my post, copy pasting, looking up dates to my membership, stats, etc.  But I think I will change my name from Bruce Blingstein to something like UnacceptaBULL.  That fits better for the team I root for. 

[IncrediBULL]

I guess my issue is that through thick or thin, we are all supposed to be college graduates, and supporters of our alma matter.  

This isn't an NFL mentality, or  a bunch of local construction guys supporting the Bucs.

This is more about pride for your school, institution, and "amatuer" athletic programs which bear the name of your school.  

I liked the earlier years.  WHen USF was down, people simply cheered harder.  We all expected to win some, and lose some, but still were ardent supporters of USF.  

Then came bigger success.  Now, a single loss finds people calling for the coach's head.  People are constantly slamming our 18 - 22 y.o. athletes who are trying to juggle classes, a social life, growing up, and playing on the biggest stage they have ever played on.

All the while, arm chair qb's, many of whom have never played the sport, are analyzing what when wrong and who should hang for it.

I truly preferred the day when we were all Pro USF, regardless of whether a win or loss occurred.  Going to a game was always a positive experience then.  Now, not so much (drunks, fights, issues with USF fans taunting opposing fans/players/cheerleaders, negativity, etc).  

To me, what was once pure and enjoyable, is now somewhat tainted mostly due to the fans.  And most of them are "newcomers" in my book.  

I know I cannot snap my fingers and bring back those seasons, but I do miss them.  The new generation of fans are into entitlement, and believe that anything less than a conf title or NC is a terrible season.   It is like attending a Bucs game, which I don't particularly enjoy.  

[IncrediBULL]

If we beat wvu on saturday I think alot of opinions and problems will silence for awhile.

Not for me.  WVU is down this year and for us, the damage is done.  We're headed to the Magic Jack Bowl, win or lose.  This is all when the Big East was down and it was there for our taking.  At one point, we were ranked 10th in the nation.  All I know is, from our reputation of choking, I don't care if we start next season 8-0, I expect NO MERCY from the pollsters and I don't expect any of us fans to cry about not being ranked high enough.  With the way we win our OOC games against Auburn and Kansas but choke in the Big East, we're the definition of a fluke program unless we get over the hump.

Exactly right.  We went from a no name team, to a team who made a name and story for themselves, to an overhyped choke artists team.  Not a good look.   An the pollsters should be very careful where to rank USF next year.   We made them and us look like fools the past 2 years.  not hard to tell. 

Half the teams who are preseason ranked, are no longer ranked.  It happens every year....  FSU was ranked preseason but not at the end of the season the past 4 years.  Because they love Bobby....  Same with Miami.  Ohio State was ranked 2 and in teh NC two years in a row, but proved they didn't belong in the top 10 after blowouts in the NC game.   

Pollsters are into the here and now.  We go 8 - 0, we will be top 20 no doubt about it, and will deserve to be there.  That will mean we have a couple of wins in the BEAST and are guaranteed a bowl game.  Even if we choke down the stretch with 4 losses, pollsters would have had it right at that time with us in the top 20...... 

That being said, I hope we get zero votes for preseason top 25, in any poll.  I want us to be the underdog all season. 

[Bruce Blingstein]

IncrediBULL, you are exactly right.  I cant speak for anyone else but I absolutely root for USF like a professional team.  I always thought of college football as redneck football.  I watched NFL, MLB, NBA and NCAA bball growing up.  Im from Big East land and no one watched college football, nor cared.  When I came to USF they were the 1st college football program I can honestly say I have been a fan of.  I never expected much, I rememeber beating #25 Bowling Green as one of the best nights i had watching sports.  The problem is USF went Big East and then wants to use the we just came around excuse when we lose.  Or become overhyped and blow it.  Its getting old.  We are here now, act like it and play like it.  

But I wasnt the guy saying Grothe > Tebow when we were #2 in the country. Or the guy saying Leavitt will be to USF sports what Bobby Bowden is to FSU (thats insane).  funny, I play fantasy sports with all my buddies in NY and I want to copy and paste all the messages that were written about uSf at that time.  Me, hyping them up, them saying we are overrated and not as good as I think (happened again this year)....then them being right and me being wrong.  Its weird because here i have the same stance as them but with them I have the same stance as a guy like ET.  Maybe I just like to be the bad guy.  who knows.

[IncrediBULL]

IncrediBULL, you are exactly right.  I cant speak for anyone else but I absolutely root for USF like a professional team.  I always thought of college football as redneck football.  I watched NFL, MLB, NBA and NCAA bball growing up.  Im from Big East land and no one watched college football, nor cared.  When I came to USF they were the 1st college football program I can honestly say I have been a fan of.  I never expected much, I rememeber beating #25 Bowling Green as one of the best nights i had watching sports.  The problem is USF went Big East and then wants to use the we just came around excuse when we lose.  Or become overhyped and blow it.  Its getting old.  We are here now, act like it and play like it.  

But I wasnt the guy saying Grothe > Tebow when we were #2 in the country. Or the guy saying Leavitt will be to USF sports what Bobby Bowden is to FSU (thats insane).  funny, I play fantasy sports with all my buddies in NY and I want to copy and paste all the messages that were written about uSf at that time.  Me, hyping them up, them saying we are overrated and not as good as I think (happened again this year)....then them being right and me being wrong.  Its weird because here i have the same stance as them but with them I have the same stance as a guy like ET.  Maybe I just like to be the bad guy.  who knows.

I was a gator fan in the 70's and 80's, and used to watch/llisten to, and even attened a bunch of games in the 80;s and early 90's.  Granted, I have never been to the UF/FSU game, but I always found the crowds to be very positive, even when teh gators were losing.  ANd they were generally cordial to visiting fans (no, didn't go to Jax for UF/UG game either, I know that one can get ugly).  So I guess I have always envisioned college football as being a little more civilized, and a bit more collegial and supportive of the home/alma matter team.  I have seen it at UF (still a fan, btw), and also in the early days of USF. 

I am not so sure I like where the fan base has turned in the past few years, and also with the way the board has turned in the past few years.  You'll see that I've been on this board for 7 years.  Also used to own the domain incredibull.com (though I let it expire).  I guess for me, I have put my personal time and money into helping this program grow over the years.  They have come up a bit short for me a few times, but I am still an avid fan and supporter.  Not saying that all is well, I wnat to see some changes in the off season, but as a logical thinker and after some analysis, I feel that blame for this years drop off can be distributed into about 10 buckets. 

Yes, the head coach is ultimately responsible - but what are you blaming him for.  Possibly for a 9 - 4 season with a bowl game?  There are a lot of teams who would sign up for that in a heartbeat....  I think 10% of the people on this board think this season was crap.  I think another 40% feel that it was okay.  I believe that the remaining 50% were here when USF wasn't anything and feel that a winning season with a bowl game is a success....  It is really a matter of perspective...    And those who can truly peel back the layers realize that these are 18 - 22 yo kids playing to the best of their ability.  We lack a few superstars that would set us over the edge, but clearly they are doing all they are capable of.  Given a few good years of recruiting, I think we will get over that hurdle.  Remember, our current redshirts are the first products of last years top 10 ranking. We will get more this recruiting cycle, and hopefully next.  If I were to predict, things will come together in 2010 season.  Did I mention we need some beefy linemen on both sides of the ball?    Just my opinion though.

[BullsOnThaRize8]

I think it is more  about who cares about ooc games,honestly they look good..but we are under 500 in confernece play. We were not willing to accept 4-3, so how can we not think of this as crap?, We should have won those 3 games and we would have been in lala land right now.

[IncrediBULL]

I think it is more  about who cares about ooc games,honestly they look good..but we are under 500 in confernece play. We were not willing to accept 4-3, so how can we not think of this as crap?, We should have won those 3 games and we would have been in lala land right now.

You'd be that 1 out of 10....