"The Red" Excuse Is Officially Moot (Article on Pitt's Trees Field)

[Jamie]

One set of bleachers. A left-field fence that's 280 feet from the plate. A half-grass, half-AstroTurf field. An outfield with divots all over it because the marching band and the soccer team use it too. Oh, and they're in Pittsburgh. When USF started practicing for the season, their field was under three feet of snow. (Not a made-up number.)

Pittsburgh has been playing at this pile of crap all this time, and they have a higher seed to the BIG EAST tournament than USF does.

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10140/1059456-142.stm

[SattyBull]

I already knew their field was that bad, but it really is embarrassing for USF...

[outrunner]

"The Red" Excuse Is Officially Moot

You're right, we don't play there any more.

Plus, I don't think people were using the stadium as an excuse for losing, but as a reason for losing Florida recruits.

[SattyBull]

Plus, I don't think people were using the stadium as an excuse for losing, but as a reason for losing Florida recruits.

THIS

[usfbulls2004]

can't wait till the new stadium is built and ready to go.

[lerbut23]

Although Lelo has really tried, with success, to upgrade the schedule, I suspect top players would rather compete in the SEC and ACC than play Villanova, Georgetown, Seton Hall, etc. in baseball.

[Donno]

Although Lelo has really tried, with success, to upgrade the schedule, I suspect top players would rather compete in the SEC and ACC than play Villanova, Georgetown, Seton Hall, etc. in baseball.

The schedule was not upgraded!  It did take a dip due to the weak big east but USF's out of conference is as strong as anyone's.

USF had good players, I really can't think of any TOP players ever.  Ross Gload, maybe the most decorated of all time, was doubted very heavily coming out of high school.  This is what USF, at least under Cardieri, used for success.  There were a lot of good players who turned into very good/great players that were overlooked by other schools.

Why this is no longer the case is beyond me.

[jg]

They should have the best hitting team in the country with that short porch. 

[jg]

They should have the best hitting team in the country with that short porch. 

.363 Team Average and 5.92 ERA yep that sounds about right. Pop fly to left errrrr I mean bomb into the trees in left.

[tampabull]

Although Lelo has really tried, with success, to upgrade the schedule, I suspect top players would rather compete in the SEC and ACC than play Villanova, Georgetown, Seton Hall, etc. in baseball.

The schedule was not upgraded!  It did take a dip due to the weak big east but USF's out of conference is as strong as anyone's.

USF had good players, I really can't think of any TOP players ever.  Ross Gload, maybe the most decorated of all time, was doubted very heavily coming out of high school.  This is what USF, at least under Cardieri, used for success.  There were a lot of good players who turned into very good/great players that were overlooked by other schools.

Why this is no longer the case is beyond me.

I think there biggest problem this year was the bad start.  They had a tough out of conference schedule.  It seems they never recovered from the bad start although they did make a bit of a run.