On the origins of USF football

[bulls96go]

HOF post

we had very moderate - PAID for - expectations and exceeded them greatly.

i am happy we started football when we did, it was a very measured comprehensive approach of let's do this the right way: endowment, women's sports, community involvement, inclusion of critics, a stepwise plan of growth.

I want to repeat a statement: we owe a LOT to Paul Griffin and his vision for this great university.

he has laid a great foundation that allowed us to build and grow so quickly with so few growing pains. Our rapid growth has never outstriped our resources and that is a testament to forethought and continued committment.

the ENTIRE university  inclusive of critics needs to take a collective bow for a job well done.

last question, do we have Phi Beta Kappa honors program now?

go bulls!

[deathrow95]

 The reason we would have played at the soccer  stadium was because the Knight foundation report modeled our program after UAB and suggested that we start at club level.  That quickly went out the window after we figured out interest would be so high and a club team was a sure loser.  They even suggested that we start at D1 aaa a division that the NCAA later dropped.  I remember go to those meetings and watching Paul get pounded by the faculty especailly the older faculty that were brought in under Allen who were dead set against.  You have to give Kudos to Paul for hanging in their and really selling it to Castor to get it done.  

[Triple B]

Wow, those coaches would have been a mess.  Fran Curci and Galen Hall??  Glad we got the Jim.

Fran wouldn't have been horrible. Tampa roots ... big time college head coaching experience.... but CJL was the perfect pick.

[E.T.]

I found a nice little gem on eBay a few months back:

A press pass from USF's first ever football scrimmage back in 1996.  I even got the guy who worked at the ABC affiliate in Sarasota whom I bought it from to have a copy of his card and sign it to prove its authenticity.

I framed it and gave it to Tampa Bay Ray, the only bigger USF fan than I.

DANG !!!  

Wish I would have seen that . . .  :'(

[crambone]

Yeah, I won it for only like $7.00, too!  

I only wish I could've kept it for myself, but I know it's in a great place!