Listen up, chumps,
Bandwagon-itis. The Bulls 'Faithful' seem to be infected with it. Pitt has been posting phenomenal recruiting classes since DW showed up as coach, and the knock on him until this year it seems, was that he couldn't put it all together. Maybe he did? Maybe, just MAYBE, Pitt really was that much better? Why is that so hard to believe?
As for my Bulls...Leavitt teaches nasty, enthusiastic, and passionate defense. When it works, those kids will knock your teeth in and we all love it(you KNOW you do!) When it fails, or maybe when it comes half a second after the whistle, then the bandwagon starts shedding the pretenders and the "fire Jim Leavitt" starts. Senseless aggression from the bandwagoneers flexing their monitor-muscles.
I just can't say it plain enough. Jim Leavitt is not the issue. "Thugs who play dirty" are not the issue. Canales, not yet anyway, is not the issue. The issue is, the Bulls play BCS football, and there just aren't very many teams in any BCS conference that we should be gimme-stomping like clockwork. I'm upset we lost these two games, sure. But Cinci and Pitt? There's no shame there, other than the shame maybe, of being one of you bandwagoneers and listening to the pollsters who put USF at an unrealistic #2 two years ago, and #9 last year, and then senselessly freaking out when we lose a game or two to a couple damn good (and ranked) football teams.
I've been a fan of USF all my life. Not Just Football...USF! I finished my undergrad there, as did my brother and stepsister (who went on to finish medical school as well!) My parents worked a combined 69 years on faculty. I lived on campus 4 years, played in the basketball pep-band, worked for the SAFE team and held a few club offices in my time on campus. As a kid, my summer camp bus would drop me off at the administration building, back in the days before it was named after John and Grace. 6 years ago I was married on campus at the MLK trellis. I'm telling you that because I'm stressing the investment. I'm committed to USF, and I'm completely certain in my gut, that USF-football, Woolard, and Leavitt are doing what needs to be done to move the program forward.
I'm also very pragmatic in observing that it is not an automatic gimme that we become a top 10 program. You guys act like it's a matter of just getting that one recruit, that one stud, and then we'll start stomping everybody. Here's a revelation, guys...there's a stud recruit (or three! or nine!) every year for just about everybody...not just USF. Post Miami-BC-VT Big East is a moving target. You think Kelly-Edsall-Schiano don't sell their programs to recruits with the promise that their programs, just like USF, have a chance to become the Big East big-dog? USF isn't competing against teams that are staying static, you know. With the exception of Louisville, they are all nearly as good or better than they've ever been. Dropping a game here or there to another Big East program isn't as shocking as you guys play it up to be, unless again, you've been buying into the polls hook-line-and sinker.
Do I think that USF will be a national power? Heck Yeah! Do I think the program is growing up into one that can compete regularly for the title, Big East or National? Heck Yeah! Did I ever believe it would happen in 2007? 2008? This year? Not really. It would be great though. But before any of that happens, there's much more work to be done, better recruits to be landed, more upsets of ranked and better teams, and more exciting and nasty and vicious defense to enjoy...with a handful of personal fouls along the way I'm sure. I'm ready.
There's nothing wrong with the program, people. We're right in line with where we need to be. If we stomped Miami tomorrow half you fools would be humping Leavitt's leg like a Chihuahua on a throw pillow.
One more thing...knock it off with calling the kids 'thugs'. That's just plain rude.
Utahdog
Class of '93, '96
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