Hope as a Strategy (Part V)
[Originally posted in Fall 2003]
So here’s the glass-half-full part. As of this writing rumors are swirling of two attractive all-sports invites (CUSA & MAC) and one BCS FB-only invite (with rumors of rumors of a later all-sports invite). This is what we’ve hoped would happen for the past 5 years. We now have an aggressive AD in Steve Orsini with an articulated vision:
Still, there’s what if? What if we had developed a D-I mindset from the start? What if FTU had decided to work together with USF from the outset (as some suggest we are today) instead of Rollins, Florida Southern, et al? [Well, for one thing there wouldn’t have been “Dribblings”!! ;>) ] What if the ACC hadn’t been coerced by the Governor of Virginia to bring in Virginia Tech and stuck with their original plan? They were our biggest ally for all-sports inclusion in the Big East NOW, despite the obvious disparity of our basketball program. What if we had been able to build our basketball program over the past decade rather than allowing it to languish? Would the Big East have stayed true to its assertion that it didn’t want to further decimate CUSA and chosen us instead?
With today’s situation the Big East needs to add a FB school that plays competitive basketball now, in order to appease the BB-division schools. That’s not us right now. But they also may need 1 FB-only school to round conference FB scheduling. That might be us. And who knows – the rumors of rumors just might be true also. The one that says that once the conference’s current NCAA Tournament payout has concluded in 3-5 years the BB-only schools will split away, giving us a shot at that time. We can use that time to build the Convocation Center, and improve the balance of our athletic programs.
Frankly, I’m astonished that USF – a program in just its 3rd year of D-I and with just 3 conference games to its credit – gets the call. But it wasn’t a FB decision. Give them credit – they put themselves in a position to be in the right place at the right time.
And no, our FB record so far this season has nothing to do with all of this.
[Originally posted in Fall 2003]
So here’s the glass-half-full part. As of this writing rumors are swirling of two attractive all-sports invites (CUSA & MAC) and one BCS FB-only invite (with rumors of rumors of a later all-sports invite). This is what we’ve hoped would happen for the past 5 years. We now have an aggressive AD in Steve Orsini with an articulated vision:
- He wants every sport to have the opportunity and ability to win a national championship.
- He wants to have all sports in one conference.
- He wants every sport to have a new or upgraded facility within 5 years, including a new arena.
- He wants to add 2 new women’s sports
- Etc, etc…
Still, there’s what if? What if we had developed a D-I mindset from the start? What if FTU had decided to work together with USF from the outset (as some suggest we are today) instead of Rollins, Florida Southern, et al? [Well, for one thing there wouldn’t have been “Dribblings”!! ;>) ] What if the ACC hadn’t been coerced by the Governor of Virginia to bring in Virginia Tech and stuck with their original plan? They were our biggest ally for all-sports inclusion in the Big East NOW, despite the obvious disparity of our basketball program. What if we had been able to build our basketball program over the past decade rather than allowing it to languish? Would the Big East have stayed true to its assertion that it didn’t want to further decimate CUSA and chosen us instead?
With today’s situation the Big East needs to add a FB school that plays competitive basketball now, in order to appease the BB-division schools. That’s not us right now. But they also may need 1 FB-only school to round conference FB scheduling. That might be us. And who knows – the rumors of rumors just might be true also. The one that says that once the conference’s current NCAA Tournament payout has concluded in 3-5 years the BB-only schools will split away, giving us a shot at that time. We can use that time to build the Convocation Center, and improve the balance of our athletic programs.
Frankly, I’m astonished that USF – a program in just its 3rd year of D-I and with just 3 conference games to its credit – gets the call. But it wasn’t a FB decision. Give them credit – they put themselves in a position to be in the right place at the right time.
And no, our FB record so far this season has nothing to do with all of this.
