Contest: Are you the #1 Bulls Fan?

[Guest BasketBull.]

It's the off-season, so we need something to keep [what's left of] our sanity.  

Here goes:

Make your case for why you should be voted as the #1 Bulls Fan. We'll try to get a top 10 list at the end, democratically.

It would be good if you could list the reasons why you think you are the #1 USF Fan. How long of a list is up to you. Also, past efforts also count -since the day you became a Bulls fan up to now. You can use pitures, anything at all, to help get you votes. Once everyone posts, we'll make a list of candidates so that voting can begin.

Format:

1) Handle, bio (how long you've been a USF fan, fan of what sports, USF status...)

2) List of activities, etc., that you can claim to as the #1 Bulls Fan

3) Fan statement: write a brief statement to tell us why you are the #1 Bulls Fan

*Prizes: Depending on how everyone responds, I'm sure we'll come up with some prizes. Also, I'm sure Bulliever wouldn't mind putting you into the Hall of Fame Forum!

C'mon, let's have some fun!  8-)

[E.T.]

Everyone on here should fight to be in the Top 10 ! I do not nominate myself to be the #1 BULLS fan, but am applying for Top 10 status as a FootBULL Fan.  8-) There are many on this board that I would vote for #1 BULLS fan.

:GoBulls

1. E.T. I became a USF Football fan in 1996 when USF announced they were gonna have a program. I never attended classes at USF, just wanted to be on the ground floor of a new program and help them build a winner.

2. Co-founder of the Bull Backers(originally named The 12th Bull Club); attended first ever football game; attended first ever bowl game(flew from Rio de Janeiro), sponsored a locker in the athletic facility(currently used by George Selvie); season ticket holder.

3. I constantly preach USF Football and always wear something "BULL". At work they describe me talking about USF football when college football comes up as my "press conferences".

:GoBulls

[Rabbi Bull]

1)Bullzfan4life, I have been a USF fan since I got accepted here in the second part of my senior year of high school in 2001, I am a huge fan of football, mens and womens basketball, growing fan of baseball, softball, volleyball and soccer.  I am currently finishing my B.A. in Religious Studies here at USF in August.

2) While at USF I was part of three organizations, a fraternity, religious organization, and Student Bulls Club (which I was one of the original members of).  I was voted Member of the Year in Student Bulls Club last year.  I have only missed three home football games in 6 years of being a student, I have also traveled to Miami, Southern Miss, UNC, and to both Bowl games.  I have also traveled to see the mens basketball team take on UF and UAB, have also traveled to UF this year to see our volleyball play vs the gaytors.  I have been apart of three campouts for the mens basketball team, I have stayed at the Sundome gates all day twice to see the mens basketball team play.  I am usually at the gates for mens basketball and football about an hour and a half before the gates open.  Everybody in athletics knows me as one of the best student fans we have, I walked away after every mens and womens basketball game with either a headache, not being able to talk or both due to me getting so involved in the games.  I also cut my thanksgiving short to come back here to watch our mens basketball team play one year, just made it here by 30 minutes.  My car is covered with Bulls stuff, I work at USF in the bookstore and constantly am talking to in coming freshman and their parents about USF.  I usually wear something that is USF related.  I have attended a game for almost every sport here except womens soccer, track and field and golf, and mens tennis.  

3) If you want to know more about me just ask alau, magpie, rizzo, andythebull, collin, eric, vicky, and many other people who can vouch for me being the #1 fan here.

[Mag Pie]

I don't think there's one #1 fan.  There are many of us, many on this board.

[Guest BasketBull.]

Keep them coming!  8-)

There's at least $50.00 in prizes!

We'll get a top 10 list, and of course, crown the #1 USF FAN based upon the votes.

What sacrifices have you made to be a USF Fan?

I recall USFreak lost an automobile...

The Sheriff slept in the Sun Dome parking lot and also got introuble with the law...

Bulliever has spent a ton of time and money to keep this site running...

GIVE US YOUR STORIES!

You can also nominate someone.

[___ Eats It]

I left my wife in the hospital a mere 14 hours after our daughter was born to attend the first half of the UConn game last fall.  =)

[AndytheBull]

I don't think there's one #1 fan.  There are many of us, many on this board.

I agree with Mag, not sure how you determine who is "the #1 fan". Somebody who donates more money than most people? A student at every game? Somebody who dresses up at games? Ryan Hamilton for keeping us laughing in the offseason? Good way to tell stories, like mentioned about the Sherriff, etc.

[flsportsfan83]

I vote for Brandon and Brit as the co #1 fans

[Bulls 8_va]

To be honest, it would be extremely hard to truly figure out who is USF's #1 Sportsfan...

Lets me be honest here, and start from the beginning (this could get long)

I started at USF in the Fall of 2002.  And I remember going to the USF Festival of Winds Music Festival in 1999.  The first time I saw the USF HOT Band (it was their first year), and heard the "Call of the Bulls", I said to myself, "I HAVE TO DO THAT!!!"  

In fact, if it weren't for my band director (USF grad), I wouldn't have known USF even existed.  Most of us were all hyped about FSU and their School of Music/Marching Band, our previous director was an FSU grad and pushed them strongly on us.  However, a change of Band directors (going into my sophomore year) changed people’s perspectives.  All of a sudden there was a “new schoolâ€Â...USF!!!  She brought us to USF every chance she could, and the entire band program (all 300 of us) fell in love with it.  In fact, she single-handedly changed the lives of approx. 20-30 people in the band regarding where to go to college...including myself.  Let me flip ahead...

While at USF, I did do the Marching Band, and became the leader of “The Call of the Bullsâ€Â.  Of course we had the emotional highs such as, the Bowling Green game, the Louisville game; and the heartache that was the TCU game and...the UAB game (eesh).  But I still broadcasted the Bulls proudly wherever I was (especially in Gainesville when visiting some friends, those Ron Zook years were fun...lol).

After my third year at USF, I left for a tour of the U.S. and Japan with a Broadway show.  It became extremely hard for me to view any USF sporting activity.  Since then, I’ve found out about ESPN Gameplan and have a laptop specially suited to view games well.  But, How about staying up until 4am in Niigata, Japan listening to the UNC game in my hotel room on the radio, while my roommate tries to sleep?(lol)  How about waking up at 6am on a day-off in Osaka to listen to us get beat by Kansas on the radio!!!  Shesh, freakin’ Kansas!!!  How about skipping a sound-check to listen to the final minutes of the Rutgers game…It seems to me that distance has brought me even closer to USF athletics.  

After I arrived back from my tours in November of last year, I was so hyped about the season I had to drive to Louisville.  I called a few friends of mine and said, grab plenty of warm USF gear if you have it…we’re GOIN’ TO LOUISVILLE!!! What an awesome trip by the way!!!  Nothing like driving up and down the streets of Papa Johns Cardinal Stadium all morning with the windows down blasting the Fight Song and “#8†to all the Louisville fans.  I think they were having an outdoor Alumni reception at like noon and we drove up to it and just sat there in the street with the sun roof down given ‘em the horns and chanting “USF†“USFâ€Â…I think the Cardinal mascot gave us the finger…oh well.  That trip was crazy, so was the $350 ticket I received in Georgia on the way home…oh well.  F Georgia!

Basically, what I’m trying to get at here is that my time away from school has definitely drawn me even closer as a fan.  AND, being a #1 USF fan can have so many meanings.  Starting to use this message board kept me in the loop.  Even though I was a self proclaimed #1 USF fan, after meeting all of you on here, I see that I have some competition, lol.  This semester I made it possible to attend EVERY home basketball game (women’s and men’s), and almost every home baseball game.  I dread the fact that I will be going back on tour and will have to miss the first 4 games of next year’s football season…

I just want to express that we can all do our part to be our own version of a #1 USF Fan.  

If you have money, donate it!  

If you have the means to travel, go to away games!  

If you want to sit through an entire USF Basketball game with opposing fans cheering “Lets Go Orange, Lets Go Orange†so loud that it practically brings you to tears, sit through it!

But…the fact that you feel so strongly about your alma mater to be moved when things aren’t going so well is (to me) the definition of a #1 fan.

Sincerely,

Bulls_8va

GO BULLS!!!

[E.T.]

Now this is the kinda stuff I LOVE reading on this board ! Thank You !!

Of course there is no #1, this thread is to give all of us a chance to tell our USF story.

Let's get to know more about each other. And there are #1 fans that do not even visit this board. When you see and chat with a fan, be sure they know about TheBullsPen.com

And Matt, I have to nominate your wife for being at the UCF game ... a trooper of an expecting wife !

Go BULLS !!!