An Open Letter To My USF Friends

In a little over twenty-four hours from now a rivalry will officially begin. The long wait for the University of South Florida Bulls and the Florida State University Seminoles to meet on the gridiron will come to an end. Growing up in the shadows of the Sun Dome I have always had a respect and liking for the Bulls. I have cheered for them at many a basketball game and was excited to hear they were getting a football program. Although I was a fan of the Bulls, they were never my number one -- that team resided four hours north in a little town just off of I-10 where I now call home. 

Tomorrow, you Bulls will get a chance to meet that team face to face. They are excited about your visit I am sure. But don't expect a nice southern welcome from them. No, they have been a little cranky as of late. You see, they are used to -- deservingly -- being the center of attention. Over the past twenty years they have enjoyed their ride at the top. I mean ending a streak of top five finishes that lasted fourteen seasons in a row is a hard pill to swallow. Sure, they have lost their swagger and teams don't fear them like they once did. 

However, since FSU's scary escape of Jacksonville State University I have been hearing talk about USF coming up to Tallahassee and whipping up on the Noles. Here is one example of many recent expressions -- I saw this posted on someones Facebook today, GO BULLS... Who is going to win this Saturday???? Just spell FSU backwards............. 

Cute.

I don't know if you are blinded by your overwhelming wins against the three junior colleges you have played this year. Or maybe it was the memory of your number two ranking you held for an impressive five days two seasons ago. Or is it that we have already lost a game this year? 

You are young and naive. I understand. You look up and the pretty new girl in class is looking your way smiling and you think you have arrived -- that you belong. When in reality she is smiling at that stud behind you. She is just waiting for him to make his move, which is coming soon. You may trip him up along the way, but you see, he used to date girls like her every year. A few DUI's and free shopping spree at Dillards later, the stud has gotten off track, but he has refocused. He knows what he needs to do to get the prize.

I want you to know I do care about you, but I don't want you to miss the forest for the trees. The field you are about to walk onto Saturday has a lot of history. It's very name is that of the head coach that still walks it's sidelines. That same head coach has lead two heisman trophy winners, over dozens upon dozens of NFL players and has hoisted the American Football Coaches Association Trophy (that's the national championship trophy by the way) -- twice. 

You may win tomorrow -- I doubt it -- but you may. If you do, then let me be the first to congratulate you on a huge win for your program. I truly hope your visit is a pleasant one. Well, until noon tomorrow anyway.

Welcome to Tallahassee.

Greg.

Comments

[Tom]

"You are young and naive". And you are an idiot! SCOREBOARD!!!

[Evan]

So, please do tell your post game comments. Did those Nation Champ Banners help you win this game?

[USFAlumni]

HA!!!I want see your apology tough guy!!

USF owned FSU all they long!!They laid the smack down at the DOAK!!!!

[Rob]

[[ USF may want this to be a rivalry, but FSU doesn't need USF. And after they send the Bulls back home with a spear sticking out of their back, USF will just be another notch on Bobby's belt.]]

How'd that work out for you guys?

[Ryan]

Greg-

Wow. Sounds like a guy that has forgotten (or doesn't realize) how far FSU has fallen. You may not know that we beat AT LEAST ONE TEAM every single year that people don't give us a chance against. Louisville, West Virginia, Auburn, Kansas, etc. and unfortunately for you, it's usually in the first half of the season. I know you think FSU cannot be touched since they have more than 100 years of football history, but so did everyone else that we stomped on getting to here. Please keep in mind that we have only been playing 'big boy football' for a little more than a decade but I do know that you need to keep an eye on USF now and in the future. USF fans are crazy about their team and we have heard all of your garbage before...right before we win and shock college football again (year after year.) I graduated from USF in '06 and I have seen pretty bad South Florida football get a heck of a lot better. It's scary how much we have improved in that short time. Remember, us beating you will do WAY more for us than losing it will do to help you. I know...I know...we can't ever keep it together long enough to make it count in the end. I'm not even saying that this year will be the year. What I am saying is that USF is no joke. You will see tomorrow. You will say to yourself at least one time, "Man, they are better than I thought." It's ok, they all say that. Sorry about the extra long post. Hope you have fun at the game and leave it with a new respect for the University of South Florida.

[GoBulls]

Stop living in the past.

[Kevin]

Greg,

Very well said. I'm a USF Alum, and i'll be traveling up to Tally with my wife and daughter to hopefully witness an inprobable win. Like your last paragraph, we could win, i doubt it, but we could.
Since I was about 10, i've been a Nole fan. And I still root for them every week but this one.
As I see from your current tunes and books, you're a Christian...which is apparent in your tactful post. Thank you for being objective, and sharing the love that Christ would want you to, especially with a future rival stampeding into town. Week in and week out, I often stand alone balancing being a college football enthusiast and a believer. It seems to be an oxymoron, being sensible and a football fan at the same time, as I see numerous arrests at RayJay every week.
Anyways, just extending an olive branch to fellow brother. Thanks for the welcome into town.
Blessings.

[Mack]

Carlton Mitchell and BJ Daniels are going to walk all over FSU

[FSU_Turd]

Point taken David, but if it can't be a rivalry with only one side winning--maybe we should wait until FSU comes to Tampa to make that determination.

[Evan Kraky]

Man, if all that history only won you some more games this year...or last year...or the year before.....you guys would be mythical national champs again! So much history....but that's all it is....

[Fred]

You used to be an all-girls college, and your coach is a old fart that should have retired years ago.

We have beaten tougher and higher ranked teams than yours in their stadiums.

[Broseph]

Cool story, bro.

[David Staples]

I have a passing interest in both teams, but I don't call myself a fan by any stretch. I take issue with one point. It is not a rivalry if only one team wins. That is the painful lesson I learned from the UCF vs. USF matchups. UCF wanted it to be a rivalry. USF didn't need it. And when they beat UCF 4-0, well there is no rivalry there.

USF may want this to be a rivalry, but FSU doesn't need USF. And after they send the Bulls back home with a spear sticking out of their back, USF will just be another notch on Bobby's belt.