Not so fast my friend...

George Mason is this year’s Cinderella team in the NCAA tournament and is on a remarkable run, but to consider its run as the best ever throughout the history of the tournament is a stretch.
Despite becoming the second No. 11 seed to make it to the Final Four, George Mason still has two more games to win the national title before it can be put in the category with true Cinderellas such as the 1985 Villanova Wildcats or the 1997 Arizona Wildcats.
Making it to the Final Four is an impressive feat, but many teams have stumbled after capturing a berth in the Final Four. It takes a special kind of team, such as Villanova and Arizona, to reach the annals of college basketball history.
The ’85 Villanova team is the most popular upset-minded team to ever play in the tournament. Center Ed Pickney led the Wildcats to victories over two No. 2-seeds, North Carolina and Memphis State, before taking down the Goliath that was the No. 1-ranked Georgetown Hoyas.
Arizona was just as impressive led by freshman point guard Mike Bibby when the No. 4-seeded Wildcats defeated No. 3 seed Kansas, No. 2 seed North Carolina and No. 1 seed Kentucky to capture the ’97 crown.
The Patriots upset of No. 1-seeded Connecticut was quite a feat, but can’t be put up against Villanova’s upset of Patrick Ewing and the Hoyas. When Arizona upset Kentucky in the ’97 title game, Kentucky was in the midst of three consecutive championship game appearances with two national titles.
The Huskies are a good team, but they don’t have the talent that the ’85 Hoyas or ’97 Wildcats possessed when getting upset in the championship game.
George Mason’s run is impressive and is on a great run, but has a long way to go before it can be mentioned as the best ever.

Charles Gonzalez

Bulls win first Big East series

The Bulls beat the Huskies 4-3 after tying the game on a pinch-hit RBI double by Brian Baisley, then loaded the bases only to have Brad Karns get hit by a pitch to bring home pinch runner James Rowe.
Two out of three games in its Big East opening weekend isn’t bad for USF, considering that all three games were decided by one-run and on go-ahead runs. USF won Friday on a walk-off double from shortstop Addison Muruszak, while Saturday was an 11th-inning home run by Connecticut.
Coach Eddie Cardieri called the series “battle royale” after the game, while Muruszak, a freshman, said he believes “USF has the best pitching staff in the Big East.” Pretty bold statement from the young’en considering Notre Dame comes to town April 7-8 and the Bulls visit St. John’s on May 12-14.

Just a couple other notes:

— If you say USF has no bat strength, consider this: First baseman Brandin Daniel broke his metal bat in today’s game. The sophomore, who hit five home runs in 2005, had to get a replacement after fouling off a pitch.

— Even though he didn’t pitch, I have to mention relief pitcher Raymon Garcia’s crazy pre-mound ritual. When called in by pitching coach Nelson North, Garcia does a slow trot to the third base line, where he continues to do a riverdance before jumping over the line and heading to the mound. There, during the conference, he stands to the side of Nelson and then refuses to take the ball from his pitching coach. Nelson has to lay the ball on the mound, and then Garcia will pick it up. After he takes his warm-up pitches, he goes behind the mound, prays and then jumps up and down about four times. It’s a very strange sight to see. I’ve seen and read about some weird superstitions from major league players; for example, Wade Boggs, whose son Brett plays at USF, used to eat an entire bucket of fried chicken before each game and never washed his socks. That’s 162 games of chicken, which would make any member of PETA cringe.

That’s it for today. I’m watching the women’s basketball game on ESPN2 tonight, 9:30 p.m. game time. I may also go check out the watch party at Clubhouse Bar on Fowler Avenue, but I'm assuming most super fans are actually in Norfolk. Wish I was.

Mike Camunas

Back from break

Good to be back after a few restful days over spring break. Coming to you from the baseball game, the third of the Big East opening weekend for the Bulls. Connecticut and USF have split the first two games, and right now at the top of the second there is no score with Davis Billardello on the mound. Unfortunately, I was not able to attended the women’s first NCAA Tournament game tonight against USC. That turned out to be a real downer early in my week.
A few more game details later, but here’s a few leftover notes I have:

— The watch party for the Women’s Selection Show on Monday was, to put it lightly, a lot of fun to attend. I was at the selection show for the men’s soccer team in November, and while the guys were a little more certain about getting in than the women, the men were still happy to get into the tourney.
The women, on the other hand, seemed to be having the time of their lives, and they were only in the Big East room. Not that I’m trying to take anything away from the men’s soccer team, but the women sang and cheered to celebrate four and a half months of work coming to a fold. Being in that room, you couldn’t help but feel how the women felt. Covering them for the past two seasons now, they are the types of athletes who make covering sports fun.

— I’ve been reading Jessica Dickson’s blog, which is available to everyone on the USF Athletics Web site. She’s posted for the past two days the women have been in Norfolk, Va., and I’ve got to say, she laughs out loud (LOL) at lot. It’s actually pretty interesting, especially the note about the team getting quizzed on the game film they watch daily. Makes you wish she’d been blogging all season or that another athlete — possibly a football player — will do one for a season.

— Been reading the messages boards (big shocker) and blogs, including my buddy Collin Sherwood, all coming from Virginia. The note that really stands out in my mind is everyone getting upset that no one outside the Southeast knows USF teams. To me, it’s not surprising that many people on the West Coast don’t know who the Bulls are. You’ve got to believe there were many fans for most of the northern schools of the Big East who didn’t know about USF when they first joined the conference, especially those, say, in Villanova or Georgetown.
For example, when I went to Penn State for the football season opener, I meet many people from a small town called Scranton who insisted USF was in Orlando and “we had that coach who lied on an application.” I even had the guy guarding the keg at the party I was lucky enough attend ask me, “What part of Miami is Southern Florida in?”
While USF is only in its first decade of football, it’s in its 30th year for both basketball teams. Football will make USF nationally known. Teams such as USC have these storied histories and fans who grew up watching the Trojans, but those fans in California are going to think of the University of San Francisco before they think of South Florida.
Unless USF gets its first-ever tournament win tonight.

That’s it until after the game, in which the Huskies have taken a 2-1 lead. I’ll post the results later.

Mike Camunas

Dancing in Virginia

The women’s basketball team is in the NCAA Tournament for the first time ever. The No. 9-seeded Bulls will face the No. 8-seeded University of Southern California (18-11) on Sunday in Norfolk, Va.

The team went 9-7 in its first season in the Big East and dropped out of the first round of the Big East Tournament after a loss to Notre Dame. If the Bulls beat Southern Cal and Duke beats Southern University, the Blue Devils, a No. 1 seed, and the Bulls would meet up for only the third time ever. USF is 0-2 lifetime against Duke with the last meeting being a 82-50 loss at Duke on Nov. 14, 2004.

More Watch Party notes to come soon.

Mike Camunas

‘Pro’bable ‘Pro’fessionals

Pro Day for the seniors leaving the football team was today. NFL scouts on campus, all but about three seniors running drills, open to media and close family members. Here’s some of the interesting things that came up:

— Most of the talk will be about Hall. Arguably so, since he was the only Bull at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis a couple weeks ago. He’s got an agent, Jonathan Kline, who also represents former USF player J.R. Reed. Very professional with a fancy player profile: It’s a Kinko’s binded package with every picture ever taken of Hall and a DVD of all the best play’s he has ever had. Oh yeah, and the whole thing is called “Andre Hall On Fire.” Personally, I like Andre Haulin’ better, but I guess that’s just too much self promotion.

— Of the various teams there, including a group of six NFL teams that have a consolidation group to evaluate players, the Atlanta Falcons gave Hall the most attention. Their scout had Hall run the shuttle and did various screen pass plays to Hall. Oh yeah, he didn’t drop one ball.

— Also getting a solid look was offensive lineman Frank Davis. The New Orleans Saints spent close to 30 minutes running through blocking drills and shuttle runs. He has a profile that’s not quite as big as Hall’s, even though Davis was one of his primary blockers and clips on the DVD don’t lie, which claims he’s the strongest player on USF. He pulled off 36 reps in the weight room earlier in the day, and he maxes out at 525 lbs. At 6-foot-4, he’s a tiny bit smaller than most NFL lineman but looks like he has potential to continue player.

— Speaking of potential, defensive lineman Terrence Royal has tons of it but certainly looks like a project for most teams. Not that it’s a bad thing, but it’s tough to tell how much time and money a team would invest in Royal. Keep an eye on him in Arena League if things don’t pan out for the Wharton High graduate, who is being represented by Prestige Athletic, Inc.’s Glen Lansky. He is also representing Johnnie Jones and Chris Carothers.

— There were a few familiar faces among the players at Pro Day: former Bulls running back Clenton Crossley and quarterback Marquel Blackwell. Crossley is playing for the Florida Firecats, an Arena Football 2 team down in Ft. Myers, while Blackwell is on the roster for the Birmingham Steeldogs, another AF2 team. Today, Blackwell was attached to the hip of former USF defensive back coach Glenn Davis, who now coaches the Steeldogs. Maybe he’s considering a comeback special, but he claims he won’t play for them. Decisions, decisions.

— That’s it for Friday, but with the Oracle not printing for a week, there won’t be much of anything else on campus except for the Watch Party for the women’s basketball team in the Big East Room on Monday. They’re on the bubble after the early exit from the conference tournament, so Tony and I will try to include a couple of blogs each this week. Oh yeah, it’s spring break. That should make working easy.

Mike Camunas

It's a beautiful day

At the baseball game today, in which Illinois is looking to sweep the Bulls through the weekend — USF is already down 1-0 in the third — and it has to be the most gorgeous day at least this year. Absolutely clear. Perfect mix of wind, sun and warmth. Basically March baseball weather, which is meant for spring training.

— Speaking of spring training, just spoke to Jeff Baisley, who was hanging out at the game watching his brother, Brian, who is 0-for-3 in the game. First-pitch swinging for the younger Baisley has got him two outs on two pitches. As I’ve said before on this blog, Jeff is reporting to the Vancouver Canadians, the Oakland Athletics single A affiliate, on March 11. He batted .252, had six homers, 38 RBI, 28 runs, 15 doubles and a .413 slugging percentage through 61 games with the Canadians and was named the team’s MVP.
I know what you’re thinking: I’m repeating myself. But Jeff said he feels he needs his average to rise before moving up to the Kane County Cougars. However, ahead of him at Kane County is former USF shortstop Myron Leslie. The team moved him to third base, same as Baisley, but the rumor mill is turning that Leslie may move to first base this season.
Baisley, on the other, trained in Tampa over the summer and for the past month has been working with his dad, Calvin, and his former high school team, Land O’ Lakes.

— Bottom of the sixth inning, Bulls still down 1-0. Freshman shortstop Addison Maruszak is 2-for-3 and winning me the press box game: Pick to Click, Pick to Clunk.

— Also, new at the baseball game is a target out in right field with the Bulls’ iconic ‘U’ in the middle. If a batter — probably needs to be a left-handed batter — hits the target, the average attendance of 200-300 people at the baseball game each receives a free Sonic burger. Must be a nice new contract for the Athletic Department with Sonic. They were willing to give the burgers away at the men’s basketball game against Connecticut on March 1, even though the contestant didn’t make the three-point shot, but with the position of the target at Red McEwen Field, the home run shot needs to be laser-guided to hit a target about the size of a basketball backboard. Not to mention it sits right next to the foul pole.
Honestly, I promise, from here on out, Tony and I won’t make fun of anymore contests the Athletic Department concocts.
Seriously, we promise. Unless a new contest involves singing, then the gloves come off.

— Update time: Bulls take the lead as designated hitter Brad Karns drove in the go-ahead run on an RBI single, after a bloop single by second baseman Nick Cardieri brought Maruszak home for the first run. Top of the seventh, Bull 2, Illinois 1.

— Game is moving faster than I can type. The Illini took a 3-2 lead on a sac fly by Kyle Hudson that brought home Dominic Altobelli after his RBI triple, which tied the game.

— Well, that’s it until after the game. And FYI, I wasn’t present for the men’s basketball team’s first Big East win last night. A rare night off for the sports editor. When Tony called me, I could hear the electricity — can you actually do that? — over the phone. Amazingly enough, I missed the upset over Charlotte last season as well. Managing Editor John Calkins and I were at the women’s C-USA tournament covering the Bulls. In retrospect, I’ve seen many more wins for the women than I have for the men.
I think I’m bad luck. Maybe I should start skipping the games.

Mike Camunas

The sign of the goat, nameless Bulls, and Kool and the Gang

The score of the women’s game Big East Tournament game against Notre Dame is occupying most of my time in the first half of the men’s game. I might have to do a straw poll to decide what would mean more to USF athletics: a men’s Big East win or an NCAA invitation for the women. Apparently I’m not the only one: The announcer gave the score of the women’s game to the Sun Dome crowd, 31-31 at half.

— It’s been hard to pinpoint at what point it exactly goes wrong for USF in a game. Ignoring their record, the Bulls moved the ball better (10 assists to six assists), shot better (12-for-21 compared to 10-for-18) and had a turnover margin of minus-3, yet they trail 31-30 at half.

— Time out. Time for a news story. USF convicted of “Metal Hand Sign” abuse. Not really, but I found this article in The Onion, which is a fake newspaper, and it’s worth the read. Something to think about next time someone flashes the “U.”

— Second half, Chris Capko missed a layup off a rebound and went barreling head first over a cheerleader and into the seats. After a few seconds, Capko appeared unharmed; then, as if the mere sight of him startled them, the Hoyas, on a 5-4 fast break, turned the ball over.

— Walk-on guard Eddie Lovett, still with a nameless jersey, checked into the game.

— Bad news: The women’s team lost to Notre Dame, and its NCAA fate is out of its hands and into the hands of tournament selection committee. Good news is that the men are in the middle of a bizarro game. What would be turnovers in the past are now assists, missed shots are swishes, and the Hoyas are making all the mistakes down the stretch.

— The Bulls are in unfamiliar territory. Georgetown is desperately fouling just to have a chance to win. I think Hoyas coach John Thompson III needs to take a look at the stat sheet as his team is fouling Solomon Jones, USF’s best foul shooter at 80 percent.

— It’s all over. Now for the first time in two months, the fans get to hear Kool and the Gang, and look at the “Bulls Win” graphic on the Sun Dome screens.

Tony Marquis

Just another wild Wednesday

Before making my way to the Sun Dome for the men’s game against Connecticut, I stopped off at USF softball’s televised game against Florida. That’s right, televised. The game was televised because of a contract between USF and Catch 47, and there are plans to do more telecasts of other USF sports in the near future such as baseball.
From what I could see, the USF Softball Complex was ill-equipped to handle the game as cameras were set up on top of each dugout.
Coach Ken Eriksen was pleased with the television crew being at the game. For Eriksen, the television crew, along with the team’s arrival in the Big East proves to him that his program is entering the upper-ranks of collegiate softball. The only thing Eriksen said is missing: a nice new stadium…

— Speaking of renovations. Forget screens. Forget powerwashing or getting a new arena. What the Sun Dome needed all along was bodies. The 25-year-old structure looks like new with the addition of more people.

— The score started off 18-0 and four out of the five first baskets for Connecticut came by dunk, including two by alley-oop. I feel like I’m watching NBA Jam — I’m just waiting for Huskies sophomore Rudy Gay’s shoes to catch on fire.

— With 12:17 left in the first half, forward Melvyn Richardson scored the Bulls first point on a free throw, then 30 seconds and a putback later, Richardson scored USF’s third and fourth point. The score was Connecticut 18, Melvyn Richardson 4.

— Four guys calling themselves the “All-Star Dunk Squad” performed at halftime. Problem is, they looked more like people who hang out in a tattoo parlor than “stuff” specialists. The kind of guys who know more about the subtleties of Pink Floyd’s “Dark Side of the Moon,” than the intricacies of the slam dunk.
Hijinks from this crew included some sort of stomp routine and leading the crowd in the Y.M.C.A. The four “dudes” with the aid of a small trampoline, made about 23 percent of assorted jams then would meet at different areas of the court to have impromptu dance sessions with each other. The grand finale featured the quartet lying down at midcourt in some sort of plus-sign formation. If you would like to experience the All-Star Dunk Squad in person, they can be found performing at the corner of Nebraska and Fowler for spare change.

— I spent at least 20 minutes chasing down a Bob Huggins look-alike. Turns out, his name is Bernie and he is available for Bar Mitzvahs and weddings.

— On that note, former Georgia coach Jim Harrick was in attendance. The same Jim Harrick that has been mentioned for the USF job that Athletic Director Doug Woolard said is not available. The former Georgia coach was pulling double-duty as an employee of an USF sponsor and a scout for the Denver Nuggets. Despite his rare appearance, Harrick told me he has no interest in returning to coaching.

I’m closing up shop with one final question/comment. I know there is only one game left, but can someone put walk-on guard Eddie Lovett’s name on the back of his jersey?

Tony Marquis

Woolard speaks: McCullum will be back next season

Editor's note: Athletic Director Doug Woolard released this message early Wednesday afternoon, announcing coach Robert McCullum will be returning for his fourth year at USF. This statement, in full below, was emailed to the media outlets and can also be seen at gousfbulls.com.

It’s unusual that we find ourselves addressing an issue of this nature at a time when our student-athletes and coaches are trying to stay positive and focused prior to the final conference home stand, concluding a difficult season full of unique and unprecedented adversities. To put to rest any ambiguity that may have been caused by reports and innuendos directed toward our men’s basketball coach, it is important to set the record straight so our student-athletes and coaches can focus on the task at hand.

It has been our practice to thoroughly evaluate programs following the conclusion of their season to objectively review the full body of work. We realize speculation of the nature that surrounds our men’s basketball program is common today. Nonetheless, the resulting scenario is unfortunate, unfounded and irresponsible. Our student-athletes, coaches and true supporters deserve better than this.

We knew our inaugural season in the Big East would be quite a challenge even before several circumstances beyond the control of the coach exacerbated that challenge. The best returning three point shooter Marius Prekevicius left one week before school started to join a professional team in Europe, leaving no time to sign a new recruit. Bradley Mosley, the second leading scorer from 2003-04, passed away in October after a year-long battle with cancer. Probable starting point guard and promising freshman Chris Howard tore an ACL before the season started and missed the entire year. Zaronn Cann, another talented freshman, played in four games before re-injuring a knee and was forced to redshirt. Regardless of these circumstances, the team has remained competitive throughout the Big East season and the program appears to have a good mix of experienced veterans and talented newcomers next year.

We are making a break from our normal evaluation procedure to clear the cloud of negativity imposed on this program and its student-athletes so they can continue building this program to levels we expect. Robert McCullum will remain our head men’s basketball coach next season.

Mike Camunas