We play much better...

[Ghost]

Have to agree. We need to reduce cupcake games to 1 per season, and schedule BCS teams in those OOC slots. Nothing we can do about the BE schedule

[CousinRicky]

Just wanted to point out that the opponent means little if your team has a following.  At the OK v Ball State game the attendance was 84,921.  Their boards must be lit up about the crappy out of conference schedule they play.  Everyone stayed home. :

http://scores.nbcsports.msnbc.com/cfb/boxscore.asp?gamecode=201110010024&home=24&vis=48&meta=true

not sure i would compare an ooc sched of balls tate, and tulsa for cupcakes coupled with the big12 conf schedule t

famu balls tate and utep with the big east conference schedule

My only point is that if you have a large following your team will draw regardless of the opponent.  We both played Ball State.  We drew ~ 41K and OU drew 84k.  Same opponent, better attendance.  Bigger following there and probably a lot less whining about the opponent.  They love their team and they show up.  Eventually I'd like to see us get to that point.

how do you grow a large following? by playing inferior opponents?

they have grown theirs already. we haven't.

it's insane to argue that the way to grow a fanbase is to bring in crappy opponents.

people want to see us play quality ranked opponents. they don't want to see famu, ball state, and utep.

Obviously their fans wanted to see them.  84K worth of their fans. 

Look we could go on and on.  I want to see us be able to draw against every team.  You probably do too.  Can we agree on that?

[Triple B]

it's insane to argue that the way to grow a fanbase is to bring in crappy opponents.

No matter how times you repeat it, nobody is saying THAT'S the way to grow a fanbase ...

people want to see us play quality ranked opponents. they don't want to see famu, ball state, and utep.

So bringing in 4 quality, ranked opponents every year will expand our season ticket base?

[smazza]

when we have a chip on our shoulder.  This has been USF's football for the last 4 - 5 years:  The blue-collar team out to prove people wrong.

I really dislike being ranked early in the season.  For whatever reason, the kids play poorly when they receive more attention.

when competition isnt good

or they opposition doesnt get up for bulls or takes bulls lightly

[smazza]

usf needs to win big east to grow fan base andneed to stop losing big games

[Bull94]

Just wanted to point out that the opponent means little if your team has a following.  At the OK v Ball State game the attendance was 84,921.  Their boards must be lit up about the crappy out of conference schedule they play.  Everyone stayed home. :

http://scores.nbcsports.msnbc.com/cfb/boxscore.asp?gamecode=201110010024&home=24&vis=48&meta=true

not sure i would compare an ooc sched of balls tate, and tulsa for cupcakes coupled with the big12 conf schedule t

famu balls tate and utep with the big east conference schedule

My only point is that if you have a large following your team will draw regardless of the opponent.  We both played Ball State.  We drew ~ 41K and OU drew 84k.  Same opponent, better attendance.  Bigger following there and probably a lot less whining about the opponent.  They love their team and they show up.  Eventually I'd like to see us get to that point.

how do you grow a large following? by playing inferior opponents?

they have grown theirs already. we haven't.

it's insane to argue that the way to grow a fanbase is to bring in crappy opponents.

people want to see us play quality ranked opponents. they don't want to see famu, ball state, and utep.

Obviously their fans wanted to see them.  84K worth of their fans. 

Look we could go on and on.  I want to see us be able to draw against every team.  You probably do too.  Can we agree on that?

obviously I would love for us to be in that position. obviously we are not.

[Bull94]

it's insane to argue that the way to grow a fanbase is to bring in crappy opponents.

No matter how times you repeat it, nobody is saying THAT'S the way to grow a fanbase ...

people want to see us play quality ranked opponents. they don't want to see famu, ball state, and utep.

So bringing in 4 quality, ranked opponents every year will expand our season ticket base?

yes bringing in 4 quality, ranked opponents every year would help us sell tickets.

that's why they sell ticket packages to the quality opponents.

famu, ball state and utep do not help us sell tickets.

I can't believe you guys don't see the difference in demand between a quality opponent and a crappy opponent.

I bet the scalpers could tell you there is a difference.

[Ghost]

it's insane to argue that the way to grow a fanbase is to bring in crappy opponents.

No matter how times you repeat it, nobody is saying THAT'S the way to grow a fanbase ...

people want to see us play quality ranked opponents. they don't want to see famu, ball state, and utep.

So bringing in 4 quality, ranked opponents every year will expand our season ticket base?

yes bringing in 4 quality, ranked opponents every year would help us sell tickets.

that's why they sell ticket packages to the quality opponents.

famu, ball state and utep do not help us sell tickets.

I can't believe you guys don't see the difference in demand between a quality opponent and a crappy opponent.

I bet the scalpers could tell you there is a difference.

While I see Rich's point, I gotta agree with Bull94. When you're trying to build a fanbase among all the Gator and Seminole infected, bringing in big names helps, but the most important thing is to win. We could play OU, LSU, and Alabama, every year but if we lost by 3+ touchdowns no one will think it's a good game. Winning is the most important. We need to start building a tradition of 10 win seasons

[CousinRicky]

it's insane to argue that the way to grow a fanbase is to bring in crappy opponents.

No matter how times you repeat it, nobody is saying THAT'S the way to grow a fanbase ...

people want to see us play quality ranked opponents. they don't want to see famu, ball state, and utep.

So bringing in 4 quality, ranked opponents every year will expand our season ticket base?

yes bringing in 4 quality, ranked opponents every year would help us sell tickets.

that's why they sell ticket packages to the quality opponents.

famu, ball state and utep do not help us sell tickets.

I can't believe you guys don't see the difference in demand between a quality opponent and a crappy opponent.

I bet the scalpers could tell you there is a difference.

While I see Rich's point, I gotta agree with Bull94. When you're trying to build a fanbase among all the Gator and Seminole infected, bringing in big names helps, but the most important thing is to win. We could play OU, LSU, and Alabama, every year but if we lost by 3+ touchdowns no one will think it's a good game. Winning is the most important. We need to start building a tradition of 10 win seasons

And there lies the problem.  Scenario:  We get beat at home opening day by Alabama by 35 points in front of 55 - 60K.  Then LSU shows up next week.  How many of those 55 - 60K are going to show up?  We're talking Bulls fans here. Not LSU fans.  Probably about the same number that showed up to Ball State.

Please don't ask what if we beat Alabama.  We saw how El Paso ran over our D.

Until you have a dedicated fan base (people that show up win or lose, no matter the opponent), you are not going to bring in large numbers on a consistent basis just by having big name schools come in.  That is just a product of time and more grads who have football adding to the season ticket base. 

We can do the two step here 'til the cows come home.  You aren't going to convince me and I'm not going to convince you two.

[Triple B]

it's insane to argue that the way to grow a fanbase is to bring in crappy opponents.

No matter how times you repeat it, nobody is saying THAT'S the way to grow a fanbase ...

people want to see us play quality ranked opponents. they don't want to see famu, ball state, and utep.

So bringing in 4 quality, ranked opponents every year will expand our season ticket base?

yes bringing in 4 quality, ranked opponents every year would help us sell tickets.

This is isn't the NFL ... We need to sell season tickets ... more importantly, the Bulls Club memberships that go with most of those season tickets

I can't believe you guys don't see the difference in demand between a quality opponent and a crappy opponent.

I'm assuming you're a USF grad so you can't be this stupid ...