USF lands another recruit

USF has landed another recruit for the 2011 class, Charles Garye Jr., a defensive back from Lincoln High School in Tallahassee, Florida. Garye is 6'3", 203 lbs. and runs the 40 yard dash in 4.6 seconds.

Lincoln High School has slowly become a source of USF players, from Keeley Dorsey, BJ Daniels, and now Garye. Garye is a two star recruit, according to Scout.com but his ratings should increase when his body of work is re-evaluated. Garye is a hard hitting defensive back that has played at both safety and linebacker, but will be a true safety when he comes to USF. He is a tall defender, a sure tackler, and has decent speed to play coverage when needed. He is the 4th recruit for Coach Holtz as his recruiting begins to pick up and he begins to fill them team with his players. Garye should a player to keep an eye when he comes in next season. He will be sure to leave his mark on the team and his opponents.

100th BLOG!!!!

It is a landmark day (can you sense the sarcasm) in the world of Revolution Sports and our readers. Today we posted our 100th blog in our young blogging careers, can you hear the fans cheering across the internet yet? While it does not warrant a parade or a visit to the White House, it is a nice moment for Revolution Sports and the people that work on it and try to make it a good blog site.

Revolution Sports blog was just a crazy idea between a couple of friends and a few rounds of beer. We started talking sports, which is the usual conversation, and got to thinking about putting our knowledge, thoughts, and insights into writing. After another round of drinks, we decided on a blog and blogger was the easiest way to start it up (come on, Google is the best thing on the internet).

The blog has been dead at times, we have had friends who said they wanted to help blog and end up bailing out, our lives have taken over and there has been times when we forget about the page and neglect it. But the blog is beginning to come back alive. We have our twitter account and myspace page beginning to grow and new material coming along each week to the blog. Revolution Sports is by no means a top blog yet but something we are working at building and truly enjoy doing. We thank our readers out there that have been around since blog one and the new fans that are checking out the material for the first time.

Revolution Sports will only continue to grow. We will look back at our original 100 blogs as the beginning stage. Hope to have all of the readers around for the next 100 and beyond!

USF 2011 recruiting update

When it comes to USF football, it is never to early to start looking at the future, especially the first official recruiting class under the Skip Holtz tenure. Holtz inherited during the middle of summer recruiting and was handicapped by the number of scholarships he had, lack of time, and taking over the recruits that the Leavitt regime had been working with. This year it is all Holtz's group and he has added three intriguing recruits early so far.

First is Alex Mut, a wide receiver who is 6'3" and 185 lbs. Mut has shown his skills at the Sling and Shoot football camp that was hosted just last week on campus. Mut is the first commit for the 2011 class and should help provide a tall target, good hands, and decent speed. He is not highly recruited and may not be a major impact for his first year, but the year is young and his stock should rise and other teams will be contacting him soon.

Next is Rontavious Atkins, a 3 star linebacker that comes in at 5'11" and 177 lbs. This speedy linebacker is the first big commit for the class of 2011. Atkins currently plays at linebacker but is undersized for that position. Unless he is able to put on some weight, which he will, he will most likely play either corner or even safety because of his play making ability. Holtz is sure to be excited to have a speedy defender to help bolster his young defense and begins the process of more recruits coming.

The most recent commit is Willie Davis, a 5'11 190 lb. three star running back out of Georgia, who runs a 4.6 40 yard dash. Davis is a quick running back, able to change direction on a dime. He is a bit undersized and is not an every down back but has shown he can run the ball up the middle and take a hit. He could be a slot receiver like Lindsey Lamar has done or could be a change of pace running back. Holtz has said he will use more two back sets this year and having a weapon like this is something Holtz is dreaming about.

So it is early in the 2011 recruiting cycle but it is never too early to start looking at the future Bulls and seeing what possibilities they will be bringing to the table. Go Bulls!

USF 2010 recruiting not done yet

USF recruiting for the 2010 season may not be over yet for Skip Holtz and company. With T.J. Knowles and possibly Spencer Boyd, USF may be the destination for another transfer, defensive back T.J. Mutcherson. Mutcherson, a two star, 5'11 and 190 lb. defensive back was originally recruited by North Carolina and USF, but decided on UNC. But due to academic problems and test score issues, Mutcherson was not allowed to enroll at UNC, ending his chances of playing for the Tar Heels. A graduate of Freedom High School, Mutcherson turned his attention closer to home and USF. USF is the only school he is looking at this point and has already talked to Coach Holtz about enrolling with the team and school this fall.

Mutcherson has posted new tests scores and is waiting for USF to evaluate his results for admittance into USF for the fall semester. Mutcherson would help provide some depth for the rebuilding defense for USF, he would play behind Washington and Webster. There is a chance he could move to safety as well because of his size and recovery speed in open space. He is still waiting to hear back from USF officials but has repeatedly stated that USF is the only school he is wanting to play for now. He could gray shirt if he was delayed this season, which would allow him four years starting next season to play. For now, we all must wait to see if Mutcherson will be patrolling the secondary this year.

Pac-10 Still Looking....

The Pac-"10" Conference was turned down by the rest of the former Big 12 Conference the other day, stopping what could have been a super conference and a money making machine. The Pac-10 is still looking to expand to 12 teams to have a championship game and generate more revenue for the schools, so now they must turn their attention to another conference, there eye is on the Mountain West Conference, the team, Utah.

University of Utah is rumored to have already been offered an invitation to the Pac-10, but Utah is denying all claims, at this point at least. Utah would give the Pac-10 the required 12 teams to have its championship game and a way to great a new television network as well as sell more tickets to extended games.

Utah is a very interesting team and in a conference that is looking to build its reputation by adding Boise State, a BCS buster ever single year. Along with TCU, the Mountain West is a strong conference. So would Utah leave it to move to the new Pac-10? The answer, most likely. Utah is an up and coming program that has been on the national stage and plays against Pac-10 teams frequently, last season it played tough but eventually lost to the Oregon Ducks. Utah is a decent sized television marketing area and combined with the Denver networks with the University of Colorado joining, the Pac-10 will be able to expand into the Rockies and generate more presence there as well as more money.

Will Utah leave soon? Nothing at this point is certain if they will make the move to the Pac-10, but if they do, the changes will not occur until the 2011 season. They will still be in the Mountain West this season and no new network deals will be made until after the season is over. So the Pac-"10" will stay the way it is...for now.

Maddon, STOP IT!!

Coach Maddon, please, please, please stop messing with the lineup card every single game.

Last night Maddon started Kelly Shoppach, the reserve catcher that is fresh of the DL and a minor league rehab stint. Shoppach went 0 for 4 and struggled to keep up with anything Toronto threw at him. While John Jaso, who is hitting over .400 against the Jays, sat on the bench collecting dust. Even Navarro was probably taking nap due to the frequent time on the bench.

Maddon is a smart man, probably too smart for his own good and over thinks everything on the playing field. His lineup has been different for every single game this season and there is no answer for it. He had Jaso leading off against Texas and it worked but in one game he used all 3 catchers, what was the reason for it? Maddon needs to stick with a lineup that has speed up top and consistent power at the bottom, where is Hank Blalock at these days? The lead off spot has been Bartlett's but his injury forced Maddon's hand, but using a catcher to lead off? Fans love Maddon but often question his micro-managing of the team, inning to inning, pitch to pitch.

Maddon, please calm down. Let your players play baseball, its what they are paid for, you are not the one out there pitching. Yes, you are the coach, not the general manager. Pick a real leadoff hitter, decide on a catcher so they can build a routine with the pitching staff, and let the hitters get into a groove in the batting order, instead of dropping them from 1st to 9th in a game! Everyone loves coach Maddon and he has done an amazing job with the team and managing it through the last few years but he just needs to let the professionals do there job, play baseball.

Take it Easy National Fans and Baseball!!

Strasburg, Strasburg, Strasburg. The next Roger Clemens (minus the steriods and lies), the legend in the making, the savior of the Nationals, the MVP and Cy Young award winner, Strasburg can walk on water..... For those who missed is, Stephen Strasburg, the highly regarded 21 year old pitcher, made his major league debut last night and did not disappoint the fans that finally decided to come watch the Nationals play. Strasburg struck out 14 hitters, walked no one, and got the win. Strasburg threw 95 pitches and went 7 innings, 68 of the pitches were strikes, from his 100 mph fast ball to a 82 mph curve ball that seems to have a mind of its own. Strasburg gave up a home run and was behind in hitters counts but came through and battled, the way a 1st round choice should.

Many have been blowing smoke about Strasburg, Curt Schilling stated when he (Strasburg) comes up, he will instantly be one of the top 5 pitchers in the league. Hey Curt, Roy Halladay, Josh Beckett, Felix Hernandez, the Rays starters and others have something to say about that. Now, we are not saying that Strasburg isn't a great pitcher, he is. Last night may have been the beginning of one our generations great pitchers, but take his performance with a grain of salt. Yes, his fast ball and pitch selection seemed unhittable, but he was facing the Pittsburgh Pirates, not exactly the best hitting team in the league. What will happen when he faces the Braves, the Phillies and Ryan Howard, or another team with a legit power hitter in the middle of the lineup. He truly was never in trouble, he had a comfortable lead and was dominating lesser hitters.

Now Strasburg is a great rookie at this point but be careful. If you can remember Mark Prior and Kerry Wood, both prime young pitchers for the Cubs in the late 90s, but they were over worked and their careers came to a sad end. The Nationals have kept Strasburg to a strict schedule to limit his innings, which is a smart move and they must keep to it even though they want to win more games and compete. The Nationals are still a bad team, no run support, and a sad excuse of a bull pen. Strasburg will struggle at times because of the supporting cast around him so the fans should not except him to lead the team to the playoffs.

Everyone who watched last night, your welcome. We should all be grateful to see a bright shinning star being born before our eyes but we should all be careful not to order a statue for Cooperstown quite yet. Strasburg has a lot to learn but took the first big step last night and baseball is better for it. Nationals and sports fans alike should be excited for the making of something special.

Rays Dominate, Niemann nearly perfect

The Rays got their homestand off to a great start by beating down AL rival Toronto 9 to 0. Jeff Niemann nearly had a perfect game, giving up only two hits in a complete game victory, he is now 6-0 on the year and continues to dominate his opponents.

The bigger story was the Rays offense and who chipped in the most. Carlos Pena, who we are still calling for his trade, responded with two home runs, including a grand slam last night, bringing his total to 11 (he still leads the majors with 640 strikeouts). BJ Upton led off the game and went 2-3 with a walk and steal, bringing his average up and sparking the offense that was missing Carl Crawford and John Jaso, both had the night off. Jason Bartlett continues to rehab his hamstring and may soon be available to play, but until then, Rodriguez and Brignac are doing well to fill in the gaps left behind the All-Star.

Tonight the Rays send David Price, 8-2, who historically dominate the Jays. Rays hope he continues his dominance and the offense continues to shine, Crawford and Jaso are expected to play tonight, after Shoppach went 0 for 4, Maddon should move Jaso back to catcher and his bat, he is 4-10 againt the Jays this season, including a home run. Go Rays!

Rays Need to Win at Home?

The Rays are limping home after a rough road trip in Texas but still have the best record in the league but returning home is not the best thing for the Rays. The Rays are 15-12 at home this year and face a tough Blue Jays squad that is coming off a strong series against the Yankees and find themselves in the middle of the AL East race.

The Rays will send Jeff Niemann to the mound tonight in hopes that he can continue his dominance of the Jays, who have lost 17 of the last 23 at the Trop. Jays will counter with Brian Tallet who has a strong and lively arm, which will give the Rays some issues.

The Rays lineup is forever changing. During the Texas series, Maddon put Jaso at the lead off spot, started Kelly Shoppach at catcher, and used Navarro later for defensive purposes, 3 catchers in one game? Sean Rodriguez is struggling while BJ Upton is beginning to swing the bat better. Pena sees his average dropping and Blalock can't find the field at all. Maddon continues to puzzle the fans with his constant lineup changes but with the best record in MLB, no one has told him he is wrong yet. The Rays are still without Jason Bartlett, who is nursing the hamstring injury.

Let's hope the Rays continue to pull it together and keep the lead against the rest of the surging AL East.

Bartlett Headed to the DL?

Jason Bartlett, the starting short stop for the Rays may be headed to the DL after straining his hamstring in Saturday's lose to the White Sox. The injury came as he fielded a routine round ball out but seemed to tweak the muscle. He came up for is next at bat and after grounding out, left the game because he felt the muscle was not right. Coach Maddon was hoping he would return by Friday but the injury is not healing as fast as many were hoping and a 15 day DL stint may be in the future for Bartlett who is a solid defender and lead off hitter for the Rays.

The Rays moved BJ Upton to lead off last night in a win against the Jays, in which he went 2 for 4 with a walk and stolen base. Bartlett, who has been the lead off hitter, has been moved around recently in the lineup as he struggles to find his swing, hitting just .240 for most of the year. The Rays have Reid Brignac and Sean Rodriguez they can move around, Brignac is hitting over .300 and Rodriguez had the go ahead runs last night with his double in the top of the 9th. There have been no set backs in the recovery and right now the muscle is 50-50 but a DL stint is most likely in the future for Jason. Let us hope he can recover fast and return to the lineup and field, the Rays need his pressence and glove on the field if they want to continue to lead the AL east.

Breakdown - Defensive Tackle

Time for another break down of the USF football roster, this time we are taking a looking at one the more interesting positions for the Bulls, the defensive tackle spot. Often overshadowed by the great defensive ends that the Bulls have had lately, the defensive tackle is a key spot in anchoring the defensive line and is a priority spot for Holtz who is using a more 5-3 based defense, similar to Ohio State, which relies on the defensive tackles to hold the line, stop the run, and provide pressure on the quarterback. So let's take a look at the defensive tackle and what to expect with this group in the 2010 year.

First we have Terrell McClain, the 6'3" 302 lb. senior defensive (nose) tackle and number 1 on the depth chart coming out of spring. McClain was a starter last year and totaled 25 solo tackles and 1.5 sacks on the year. He is a dominate and physical tackle that uses raw strength to push the line back, but as the starter and nose tackle he will need more skill and will have to become better at stopping the running game in order to maintain his starting role over the course of the year. McClain is a veteran starter and provides a solid play maker and veteran force on the line but he will have to improve this fall and lead by example.

The next defensive tackle is Keith McCaskill, the 5'11" 269 junior defensive tackle and second starter on the line. McCaskill totaled 23 tackles last year, 3 pass breakups and a half sack. He is the second veteran starter and gives Holtz two veterans on the defensive line, something that he will enjoy in his first year. McCaskill is explosive and tough, but lacks discipline at times on the line, failing to help in run protection and leaving gaps for runners to get through. He will have to be much more consistent this season in the new defensive system in order to help keep a young defense anchored.

There are two other listed defensive tackles for the Bulls, but others could see playing time in this position, including defensive ends that Holtz wants on the field. First is Demi Thompson, a red shirt freshmen that is 6'1" and 298. He was injured during the spring which sets him back but will play a key back up role position this season due to the lack of depth and also his skill set. He is a raw rusher and has the size to create problems in the line. The other defensive tackle coming in is the highly recruited frehsmen Todd Chandler. The 6'1" 298 lb 4 star recruit comes in to USF after being chashed by Miami for the entire summer and will look to make an immediate impact in the depth chart. He is a physical monster, running the 40 yard dash in 5.1 seconds and doing 22 reps on the bench press. He will most likely red-shirt, but because of his raw skill and size, could see the field, either in a back up role or on special teams. Holtz is happy to have this highly recruit from the Leavitt era because it helps him build for the future.

The lack of depth and play makers at defensive tackle have us worried. It is a solid veteran group but the lack to production over the past 3 years is reason for concern. The veterans will have to step up and anchor the line and the freshmen will have to age quicly and contribute in the new system to make it successful or teams will be running all over the young Bulls.

Names, stats, and player info is provided by www.gousfbulls.com

Choo Rumors?

So every where we look these days, fans and some reporters keep talking about the Rays and a move they need to make very soon and his name is Shin-Soo Choo, RF/LF for the Cleveland Indians. There are many asking, who in the world is this guy? For the real fans out there, they already now he is one of the better outfielders in the league that no one ever talks about but when they face him, they watch his home runs fly over the fence.

Shin-Soo Choo is a solid outfielder, good arm, and a career .294 hitter. He is hitting .284 this year with 7 home runs on a team that is going no where fast. Right field for the Rays right now is a bit of a mystery, with Gabe Kapler and Ben Zobrist holding the position, but Maddon often will move Zobrist to second base, while shuffling Rodriguez and Brignac around the infield. Kapler is struggling to hit over .200 at this point. Desmond Jennings is the outfielder of the future and may be called up to replace Crawford or even BJ Upton who is still in his slump since 2006. Choo would be a great offensive weapon and solid defender that could play everday for Maddon as well as move to left to give Crawford a day off.

This is only a rumor. The Rays have not said anything about trying to make moves this early and MLB analysts are quiet as well, not saying or hearing anything, this rumor is truly inspired by the fans who want the Rays to make some moves to help the lineup that struggles at times to score and fend of the Jays, Yankes, and Sox who are all still alive and will make some moves before the trade deadline, so come on Rays, make a move!!

Rays Need to Shake Up the Roster

Its been dark lately for the Rays, after coming off an impressive road trip, the Rays ran into a buzz saw at the Trop this week, getting swept by the resurgent Red Sox and saw their lead over the Yankees dwindle to only 3 1/2 games in the AL East. The offense struggled while the starting pitching was shelled, watch Adrian Beltre hit a home run on his knee!

So what is wrong with the Rays? First off, the Red Sox are hot right now, players are coming off injuries and they have turned it around, it is not the same Sox squad that got swept at Fenway earlier this year. But, that is no excuse for the Rays who were the top offense and the top pitching staff in the league coming into the series. The Rays pitching staff has been beaten up and when they are pitching well, such as James Shields only giving up two runs, the offense fails to back them up, the Rays had 1 hit in Shield's start.

So what is the answer? The roster needs a shakeup and those players who are not performing need to either be traded to find a place on the bench. The first player is BJ Upton. Yes, we said it, BJ UPTON!! Ever since 2006, when Upton hit over .300 and had power to all fields, he has not been the same player. He is struggling, barely hitting over .200 right now, no power and only a handful of stolen bases, finding his way to the 6th spot in the batting order. Upton is a fan favorite, a fast and skilled outfielder, and has tremendous talent but he continues to fail. The Rays have a young outfielder, Desmond Jennings, the 23 year old growing star in AAA Durham that is hitting over .300 his season. Jennings has been labeled the heir to Crawford if he leaves in the off season and should be called up now!

We will have another segment about the next few Rays that need to pack there bags, not to give it all away, but some names are Pena, Navarro, Kapler, Cormier, just to name a few!

Tampa looses out on 2014 Super Bowl Bid

Everyone seems to be talking about Tampa loosing their bid for the 2014 Super Bowl. Tampa was in the final running to be the host for the largest sporting event in this country, but fell short to the NY/NJ area and the stadium that has been built for the Jets and the Giants. It will be the first time that a Super Bowl will be played in the elements, meaning snow and wind will become major factors that could effect a team that is not use to those conditions. Many are up in arms about the site for the game and feel that the matchup should be in a dome or in warm weather where there are no factors that could effect the outcome of the game.

For those who think its a bad idea, be real about the situation. The players in the NFL are huge, grown men, who are paid millions of dollars. If a little cold or rain effects the outcome of the game, maybe they don't deserve to win the game. Other jobs, when you fail at something, you are fired. Sports don't have that problem so if a kicker misses, they aren't filing for unemployment. Think about how many teams are not dome teams to start with and those who are not in domes are going to have to adjust to the new playing surface if they played inside one, how is that fair? Plus, it seems that Miami, Tampa, and San Diego are always the spots for the game, why night change it for once? And look, it is only one game, the world will not come to an end for those who are so against the game being played in the Meadow Lands. So it is tough break for Tampa and the surroudning area but be honest, its not like the Bucs would have a chance to even be there, except to help serve drinks!

Expansion Talks, What Does It Mean For USF?

We wanted to take some extra time to look at expansion talks through the eyes of the USF Bulls and what all the talk means to the program. The talk is that the Big Ten is going to come in and take away several teams from the Big East to expand their so-called "great league" and leave the Big East searching for new members, much like it was after Va Tech, Boston College, and Miami left only 4 years ago. So what does this mean to the Bulls? We can't seem to win in this league and if the talks continue there might not be a league anymore.

As of right now, the Big East and the Big Ten aren't saying much, there have been a few rumors but no major steps taken by either party but USF must be ready for anything because eventually it will happen, the Big Ten will make their moves and most likely after this upcoming season. The Big Ten wants Rutgers and Pittsburgh, or Notre Dame, no one is sure at this point. If the Big East lost those teams it would have to replace them quickly, which means they would look at Conference USA for new members, maybe ECU and UCF (that would be interesting). USF has been mentioned as a potential Big Ten member, it would open the Big Ten to the Florida region for both TV revenues as well as recruiting for the other large programs. This is not going to happen. The travel arrangements all of the programs would have to make would but nightmares, USF does not want to play in the cold and the Big Ten teams would not be so happy to travel that far for a game against a team that has a history of falling apart. Our fan base is growing, but it doesn't have the tradition of the other programs or following as say Michigan has (we leave if it rains, Michigan stays through snow storms and Rich-Rod offensive plays).

So USF won't be joining a new conference, we don't have the wealth, facilities or the history that the other long established programs have (we are trying though). USF must watch the Big East and what moves they make, USF could end up the loser in this whole shift that will happen down the road, the Big East could loose its luster and possibly its BCS bid and this could crush their chances at the big time that we are hoping for while being in this conference. At this time, only the powers in the Big Ten and Big East know our future, which they would share though...

Break Down - Quarterbacks

As stated in an earlier blog, we will be breaking down every position for the USF football team for the 2010 season. We know we did this earlier but we are re-examining the positions and players to bring you the best information available plus the stats from the spring game and practices have shifted things just slightly and it will get you geared up again for the upcoming season. So, for the first break down, we are looking at the leader of the team, the quarterback position. This is a very thin position for the Bulls, with injuries and lack of depth, it could be the boom or bust for the Bulls and Skip's first season at the helm, so what does the team have to offer, let's take a look at the position.

The first quarterback we will look at is the incoming freshmen Jamius Gunsby. Gunsby is a strong athlete, measuring 6'3" at 195 lbs, runs the 40 yard dash in 4.5 seconds and has a quick release with the ball. Gunsby is a 3 star recruit, according to Rivals.com and was highly recruited by UF, but Gunsby decided he would have a better career in Tampa with the Bulls. Gunsby just graduated high school and will enroll in the fall, meaning he was not at the spring practices, which puts him behind in the offensive schemes. Gunsby is an tremendous athlete and Holtz has already stated that Gunsby will see the field this season as the backup if he proves himself in practice. With the lack of depth and his ability, he will be the backup and may even be used in schemes with Daniels on the field. He is a very interesting player to keep an eye on this fall.

Ryan Eppes, the 6'1" walk on freshmen is another quarterback on the roster. To be honest, he probably won't see the field this year, but he has impressed the coaches in spring and has locked up a roster spot with the squad and has been running the
second team offense with precision. He ran track in Largo High School and has a decent arm, able to deliver with accuracy but not range. If needed, he could run the offense, but it is not likely unless there are a run of injuries that he will play this year.

Evan Landi, the 6'3" 214 sophomore, is probably the most interesting player at this position because he isn't a QB, yet can play the position very well if needed. Landi was recruited at quarterback but after Daniels won the starting job, Landi was moved around from WR to Safety because the coaching staff wanted to get him on the field as much as possible. He has moved over to receiver fully this season but if needed can play QB. He has a strong arm and is highly mobile, able to make plays with his legs. When he is on the field with Daniels, it is a major headache for defenses because he can throw if needed, giving Holtz more weapons and schemes he can run, Wildcat anyone?

BJ Daniels, our sophomore starter, is listed at 6'1" and 210 lbs., the Tallahassee native became an instant legend in just his second career start when he led the Bulls to a 17 to 7 victory against FSU and brought the program to national attention and put us on the map. Daniels threw for 1983 yards and 14 touchdowns and 9 interceptions, he alsoran for 772 yards and 9 touchdowns. Daniels at times was brilliant, running away from defenses and making impossible escapes, flashes of Grothe and his foot work. He has a strong arm and a fast trigger release, able to get the ball out of his hands quickly and on target. But he also drove fans insane. He would run too often (blame the coaches) and his field vision and decision making was not always the best, even late in the season (he took a physical beating as well), but he was only a freshmen and still led the team to the International Bowl victory, 5th straight bowl appearance. Daniels was limited early in spring drills while recovering from a non-throwing shoulder surgery, but he quickly picked up the new schemes and shined in the spring game, throwing for nearly 400 yards. He is still learning the system but Daniels is primed for a great season. Daniels will not run as much this year, instead relying on his stable of running backs and veteran offensive line to protect him while he throws down field, it should be fun to watch.

Lima Time Comes to an End

Yesterday, one of the kindest and great people in baseball, Jose Lima, died of a massive heart attack, he was 37 years old. Lima was a once 21 game winner taking Houston to the playoffs, ending his career at 89 and 102. Lima was not always the best pitcher on the mound but he was one of the most charismatic out there and off the field. From his bleach blond hair, to yelling at himself for getting a strikeout, Jose always called it "Lima Time." Stories begin to surface about how he would light up the clubhouse after a game, would joke around with teammates and fans alike. A story has come out, Lima was in the bullpen and asked a fan for a beer, which the fan was more than happy to help him get, in which Lima autographed whatever the fan needed and talked with him for a period of the game. This was Jose Lima, one of the good guys in baseball, our prayers and condolences go to his wife and five children. Rest in peace, Jose.

We will always remember "Lima Time!"

Big East Expansion or Collapse?

Expansion, every one is talking about it, so it's our turn now, even though there isn't much to report except to speculate and dream what could be.

By now, everyone has heard that the Big Ten wants to expand, create an East and West division and have a championship game, like the ACC, Big 12, and SEC already have. An expansion would mean more revenue, more televised games, more exposure, everything the Big Ten already has and wants more of. The Big Ten already brings in millions with its tv contracts, websites, and marquee games on the major cable networks. Big Ten officials have only mentioned they are in discussion for expansion, according to records, no school has been contacted, only media and fan speculation is running around, but one has to think, where there is smoke, there is fire.

So how will the Big Ten expand? The first team they would take is Notre Dame. Right now ND is in the Big East for basketball and Independent for its football team. They have a massive contract with CBS and Adidas and drawn large revenue sums, look at how much they paid Charlie Weiss to win 6 games a year. Notre Dame would not only draw huge revenues for the Big Ten, but also increase their prestige and chances for the big paying BCS bowls at the end of the season. The TV contracts would be huge, the matchups, like Ohio State and Notre Dame would draw large audiences and bring in even more revenue. There is just one problem, ND doesn't want to move. ND has huge revenue shares now and all of the media to follow them, there is no gain for them to move to the conference or to bog down their schedule with conference games, they can currently schedule whomever they wish. They also gain large tv revenues from being in the Big East basketball league, the Big Ten does not draw nearly as much fan fare or revenue. Notre Dame would have to be pushed into the Big Ten or it will simply remain as it is now. An interesting factor is the Big East. They have stated, in the football realm, that ND should either join the Big East or leave completely, not having one sport in the league and not football. This was Randy Edsall of UConn and other Big East teams calling out to ND, hoping the money making giant would join the Big East football, but it is left to be seen if this will even be an option.

The Big East may not have to worry about ND, instead, they should pay attention to their own teams. Rumor has it that Pittsburgh and Rutgers, maybe others, could leave to the Big Ten, killing the Big East. The Big East would have to bring teams from Conference-USA, maybe ECU and UCF, to salvage the conference and then their automatic bid to the BCS Bowl games would be in great doubt. Teams like USF and Cincinnati would be in trouble and the growing programs could loose large profits as well as top recruits that could go to larger teams in their respective areas.

Another scenario, is the Big Ten taking teams from the Big 12, such as Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma or even Texas. These big teams would bring in large revenue and create the mid-west rivalries that the fans love to see. But will the Big-12, which is a power, BCS conference, allow this to happen, or will they attempt to expand? They currently do not have the same revenue and do not have the right teams in the area to expand too, this could be a major problem.

So this should get the conversation started about the expansion rumors, until someone says more, they are all rumors. This season, no team will change conference, but next year, it could get interesting.

Big series for the Rays starts tonight

The Tampa Bay Rays are turning home this week after a successful road series in which they swept the Yankees in a key AL East matchup in New York and took 2 of 3 against the beleaguered Houston Astros. The best record in the league, at 32 and 12 now return home to the Trop to take on the surging Red Sox that took 2 of 3 against the powerful Phillies and return Mike Cameron and Jacoby Ellsbury to the lineup.

The Rays are on a hot streak, with offense beginning to click again, Zobrist hit two homeruns in the Houston series and Blalock hit his first as a Ray, which is half of what Burrell had hit all season long, seems like an upgrade to me. David Price improved to 7-1 on the season and Rafael Soriano is a perfect 12 for 12 in save chances this year.

The Rays are 20 games above .500. The last two teams that had this record in May were the 1998 Yankees and the 1984 Tigers, both teams went on to win the world series, it is way to early to take any bets or to dream that far, but history appears to be on our side and a playoff birth is in reach if they continue to dominate and win games.

Tonight, rookie Wade Davis (4-3), coming off an impressive win against the Yankees where he struck out 7, will take on John Lester, the ace of the Red Sox staff and dominant left hander. It will be a tight game as both teams struggle against the left handed pitching, hopefully the Rays will be able to jump on Lester early and get to the Boston bullpen that is often shakey. Wade will have to be in control to handle the hot hitting Red Sox, especially Youkilis, who is hitting over .400 the last few games. So, get out to the Trop and cheer on the Rays!

AJ Wants to Play

Late in the 2010 Spring Game, the USF receiving core took a major hit when senior receiver AJ Love tore his ACL in his right knee and was forced to have surgery. Love was penciled in to be the starting slot receiver and was expected to have a career season in Holtz's new offense.

Love, who has been at off season workouts on crutches, is still working out his other muscles and beginning rehab in hopes of returning this season to play. Usually, an ACL tear takes about 6 months to recover from and rehab, AJ, when he tore his other ACL, was only out 4 months because of his intensive rehab work which is undertaking again. But a complication has arisen with this injury, a deep bone bruise on the crown of the knee cap. This is a very serious complication that will limit his movement and causes severe pain, which will slow everything down and because it takes a long time to heal completely, it may linger into the season.

Love is a major factor for the USF offense. He is a productive receiver and in the young group coming into the season, he is the senior leader, playing in 33 games and starting in 19 games for the Bulls. Love is a strong receiver, good hands, and above average speed. If he played in the slot position, he would be able to take advantage of his agility, but with the ACL and knee bruise, this is all up in jeopardy. The Bulls could use him, let us all pray that knee heals fast.

Jamal Taylor Leaves USF Program

Jamal Taylor, one of the most intriguing players for USF football the last 3 years has decided to leave the program, according to sources close to Taylor. The junior running back has been dealing with both physical (knee) and academic issues all off season and his decision is in his best interest to allow him to recover and sort out any other personal business he needs to attend to.

Taylor was an interesting running back ever since he transferred to USF from Alabama in 2006. The former Lakeland prep star showed signs of brilliance at times on the field, gaining over 400 yards and 7 touchdowns in his career. Taylor was a physical runner but also had break away speed. He was a nice complement behind Mike Ford, who was dismissed from the team earlier this year. But at the end of the 2006, Taylor suffered a serious knee injury that sidelined him all most all of last year; he was even working out at linebacker in order to take less of a beating on his knee caps during the season. The knee never fully healed, limiting Taylor in the spring conditioning and putting him behind the already crowded backfield. Along with academic issues that may have led to a suspension, Taylor decided to end his career with the Bulls. It is sad to leave such a promising running back from our transitioning program but sometimes players must make decisions, such as Zach Hermann for health reasons. Best of luck to Taylor and his future.

Heath's Son Walking On

Coach Heath has picked up another recruit in this years upcoming recruiting class, this one though he didn't have to travel far to recruit. Jordan Heath, a 6' guard will be walking onto the USF basketball team. Jordan Heath, a left handed guard, who averaged 3.9 points and 2.3 assists per game for the Terrapins, the Class 2A state runner-ups this year decided it was the best fit for him due to the lack of recruitment for him and the chance to play for his father.

So what does this mean for USF basketball? It is a great story and must make the Heath family very happy to know that father and son will be able to spend time and share great memories together. On the court, not much is to be expected from Jordan this upcoming year. He is not a physical player and with the lacking of playing time and performance on the court, he may see a lot of bench time this year. But being left handed gives him a unique shooting style and the lack of guards on the current depth chart means he will be able to compete with the incoming recruits and may impress the coaches, especially father, and earn some valuable playing time. It is a great story and we are glad to welcome Jordan to the USF family.

Rays Win Again

The Rays won another heart stopping game last night, 4 to 3 in extra innings over the hapless Cleveland Indians after a strong performance by Jeff Niemann and the bullpen, which pitched 5 innings and struck out 10! The game was won by catcher Jaso running out a ground ball and beating the throw, many in the Indian dugout thought he was out (watch the replay, he was). After two fly outs, Jaso moved over to third and Maddon started his magic, giving the signs to the hitter Jason Bartlett to put on the squeeze bunt, a typical Maddon play. The squeeze worked to perfection as Jaso beat the throw home and the Rays celebrated another close but critical win. The Rays are winning, close and gut-wrenching games, but they are winning none the less. Hank Blalock seems to be solid playing first, going 2 for 4 last night. The pitching staff has been outstanding and the bullpen has been solid, even without J.P. Howell who stopped his minor league assignment due to discomfort in his elbow again, a minor setback for the beloved reliever. At the same time, the Yankees pounded the Red Sox and won it dramatic fashion with a walk off home run by Marcus Thames, they sit two games behind the Rays who send out David Price to the mound today, let's hope they continue to play hard and keep the lead alive in the AL East.

USF Basketball Legal Trouble

It might be the off season but the USF mens' basketball squad is active and not in a good way. Last Saturday, sophomores Toarlyn Fitzpatrick and Mike Burwell were arrested as they left Village Inn on North Dale Mabry after not paying for a 29.12 bill for their food. Two officers who were at the restaurant noticed they did not pay, followed them as they left and arrested them after. They were charged with 2nd degree misdemeanors and released on $250 bonds.

Coach Heath is furious at this point. The Bulls came off a 20 win season and a birth into the NIT Tournament, something the program has not done in over 20 years. With a record setting season, new and exciting recruits, and a brand new training facility, the Muma Center, the USF basketball program is rising, then this stupid stunt occurs. Burwell was suppose to contend for big minutes this upcoming after sitting behind Chris Howard and Dominque Jones all season. He is a highly regarded shooter and could be a great weapon in the Big East. Fitzpatrick is even more important for the Bulls, staring several games for the Bulls, at 6'10", Fitzpatrick proved a valuable weapon in the paint, gathering up hard rebounds and dominating on defense, leading the team with 32 blocks, he was penciled in as a starter for next season. It is undecided on what the punishment will be for both of them, Coach Heath states that is still awaiting all the information in the case before making a decision. Most likely they will be suspended for a handful of games. It is a foolish move they made, poor decision making.

UCF Picks Up Oregon Transfer

The hated "rival" of USF, the UCF Golden Knights have picked up a very unique transfer, a home state of one of our bloggers, the Oregon Ducks.

Joshua Crittle, a 6'8" sophomore forward stated on Saturday that he will be transferring to Orlando to join new head coach Donnie Jones. Crittle decided after meeting with the new Oregon head coach Dana Altman that he would have a better career if he left, factoring the Altman's style of coaching and his fear of not having enough playing time for the upcoming season. So who is Josh Crittle? Crittle is a small forward, decent body size and ball handling ability. He is not a pure shooter, more of a drive to the basket type of player that can impose his frame against bigger centers and compete for rebounds. Crittle does have range though but will have to improve his shot in order to become a complete threat on the court. Crittle averaged just 1.9 points this season and 1.3 rebounds a game, battling for playing time and early season knee issues, which have healed now.

Crittle should be a solid player for the Knights, he has two years experience, although he will have to sit out the upcoming season, he will still have 2 years of eligibility left. Crittle will give the Knights a solid shooter and a good strong post presence in the paint that will provide a nice lift for a building program. USF should take note of the Crittle transfer, he could be a person to keep an eye on the next few years because of his ability to create.

USF Football Series Coming

We will soon be unveiling a new series of blogs where we will be looking at all the positions on the USF football team, breaking it down player by player, who will be the starter, who will emerge and what we can expect from the players. We earlier had this section going but did not have time to incorporate the freshmen that are coming in and could have an impact as well as the recent JUCO transfers and players leaving the team, so the series will get a fresh start and be better than ever.

We will then begin looking at all of the opponents on the upcoming schedule, from the season opener against Stony Brook to the much anticipated game against the Gators and Miami, we will look at every match up, where they are playing, who to watch out for, and how our team will fair in the game, win, loose, or draw.

We know, its a little early to start gearing up for football season, but lets be real honest here, this is one of the most anticipated years in USF football, a Holtz new era is beginning and the change is greatly embraced by the USF faithful, so we are hoping to get a great series going for this special and ground breaking season for the Bulls. It is going to be a difficult but exciting year for the young Bulls and will be there every game, breaking it down so you get the latest on your favorite and greatest team in the world, Go Bulls!

Great News

For the Ray fans out there, one of our many prayers (other prayers include the Yankees go bankrupt and we sign Carl Crawford til he is 80) has been answered, Pat "forgot his bat" Burrell has been designated for assignment, finally. Burrell, who has been placed as a platoon player to handle right handed pitching was hitting just .204 this year with only two home runs, hitting .054 against left handers. Rays fans were excited at the end of the 2008 season when they signed Burrell out of Philidelphia, believing they had found a legit power hitter that could DH and play some outfield for the Rays, it was one of their first big off season moves in which they put money out there for a free agent to better the club and help them win. But the Burrell signing may have been one of the worst possible moves, never hitting over .220 in his two years here, Burrell proved that he was aged and he could not handle AL pitching.

The Ray fans now should look forward to 29 year old Hank Blalock, a two time all star. Blalock has had numerous injuries in his short career, but when healthy he has proven to be a power threat in the AL, look at his previous years with the Texas Rangers. Blalock signed a minor league deal with the Rays in the spring and he stated that he would leave if they sent him to the minors but he decided to change his mind and was optioned to AAA Durham where he is destroying pitchers, hitting .354, second in the minors is fully recoverd from shoulder and knee issues that hampered his season last year. Blalock can play both 1st or simply DH, allowing Coach Madden to give Pena a break at first or allow him to focus on hitting, where he is struggling again this year. They Rays offense has been struggling lately after destroying everyone in April. Blalock may be the spark they need to the lineup to start producing some more runs and cause even more problems in the AL east.

Rays Tonight

We know that our focus is primarily on college sports, especially on the USF Bulls, but living in the Bay area, we have to do special blogs to the great teams around the area, this one is about the Tampa Bay Rays and to their hiding fans.

The Rays return tonight after a successful 6-3 West coast road trip and sit atop the AL East with 24 wins and only 10 loses. The pitching staff, led last time out by David Price have been incredible and the bullpen, anchored by Soriano have been clutch, closing down games and securing wins to make the Rays the best in the MLB.

The Rays finally return home to take on the Seattle Mariners who are reeling right now with both on and off the field issues (I wonder is Ken Griffey Jr. will be awake or not for this one?). Seattle is still a dangerous team though, led by Ichiro, one of the most dangerous hitters in the game today, who is batting .348 this year (just a normal year for him) and a solid pitching staff, the Rays can not take this game or series lightly. With Boston and the evil empire lurking in the division, games like this one are critical to keep the hot streak going and keep the dreams of October alive.

The Rays need some help out there though. They are ranked 28th in attendance this year, which is sad considering they are one of the best teams around. Ray fans need to fill the empty seats and inspire the Rays to play hard. Remember the world series run and the atmosphere that was the Trop? Now it is an empty shell of its past glory during the great run and this years team is even better than before. The Rays need the support, we will have another blog up soon about this troubling trend with attendance for the Rays, so get out to the Trop this weekend and enjoy a sweep!

More Receiver Help?

Donald Bowens,a 6-foot-3,195 pounds receiver, a former St. Petersburg High School and recent N.C. State graduate is looking at USF to play his final season of eligibility in the NCAA. Bowens missed the 2008 season and the early part of the 2009 season with back and leg injuries. In 2007 he lead the Wolfpack with over 500 yards receiving and 7 touchdowns, including a 200 yard performance in one game.

Bowens would add a new dimension to the USF receiving core and pick up the yardage where AJ Love and Carlton Mitchell would usually do. He is prone to injuries which raises a red flag for Coach Holtz and the coaching staff, but he has shown he has down field and big play ability. He could fill in nicely for AJ Love who is down with an ACL tear from the spring game and could big a huge playmaker in the slot receiver position, giving BJ Daniels another weapon at this position, along with Lindsey Lamar, having two speedy inside players would cause headaches for all defensive coordinators in the Big East.

Bowens is also looking at North Alabama because of Coach Terry Bowden. It is unsure when or if Bowens will transfer to USF but the prospects of him signing and coming to Tampa appear fairly high and he could a great asset to Holtz and Daniels as they begin a new offense that focuses more on down field passing and quick routes, a system in which Bowens would thrive and create a spark in a somewhat depleted receiving core.

Bulls Land "Big" Receiver

Coach Skip Holtz picked up a late recruiting suprise last week with the signing of T.J. Knowles, a 6-foot-8, 245-pound receiver from Las Vegas who played last season at Saddleback College in California. Knowles had also been contacted by Oregon State, Washington and most recently Boise State. Knowles is a raw player, excellent hands and smooth route running abilities, he is able to fight for the ball with his frame and height and runs the 40 yard dash in 4.57 seconds (might be a little slower with pads on). Knowles will have three years of eligibilty left once the season begins and he looks to lock up a starting spot with the recent injury to A.J. Love with an ACL tear in the spring game, the second injury in as many years.

Knowles should be a quick contributor to the Bulls more balanced passing attack and a weapon of his size is a match up nightmare for defensive backs. He is still learning the position and at times on tape looks a little lost out there, he still has much to learn in passing routes, run blocking and the flow of the game but his physical tools make him a prime target for BJ Daniels, especially in the red zone. Many though look at Knowles and think about Amarri Jackson, the much talked about 6'5" receiver the Bulls had back in 2007. Jackson had the size and frame to punish any defense but has lengendary butter fingers (plus a track record of injuries then later that night being spotted in Ybor dancing in the clubs). Knowles appears not to have those catching issues and under Holtz and the new offense he should find himself a good spot in the roster.

Promotion for USF Spring Game

2010 USF football season is coming up and the excitement is growing everyday as Skip Holtz prepares to take the program to a new level. The first step in the process is the spring game, April 17th at 6pm at Raymond James Stadium.

Students of USF can get into the game free by simply going to www.gousfbulls.com and going to the student ticket section and simply getting your free ticket, no waiting list for that. Students who go to the game get 75 loyalty points which will help in getting season tickets later on so it's a sweet deal. Prior to the game there will be live music, food and give-aways at the South entrance of the stadium, near the Pirate Ship. It will be a great way to get into the mood for the game and rally the fans.

There are also a few promotions going on before the game and during. Fans who follow USF football on Twitter, can send in why they should call a play during the game. If you don't follow them already, you can find USF football by following our twitter feed, revol_sports and find them on there. Simply "tweet" back to USF football with your reason and they will decide who will win. The winner will join the offensive coaches and call a play in both the first and second half. If the coaches are impressed with you they will allow you to call your own play! Great way to connect to the fans and its as easy as sending 140 characters on twitter.

Another fan promotion is the on-field contests that USF is sponsoring between each quarter, fans can register at www.gousfbulls.com and the winning competitors will win tickets to the Miami game. Students can also submit their ideas for the "beat Florida" shirts, the winner will win tickets to the UF game and have their shirt autographed by Holtz! It's going to be a great game and a chance to see the new exciting era of USF football, GO BULLS!

BJ Will Play

BJ Daniels, the starting QB for USF, will play in April 17th Spring practice game at Raymond James Stadium. Daniels, who was not to participate in practices since having surgery on his non-throwing shoulder, has progressed faster than anyone expected and has been suited up and throwing with the first team offense.

Daniels will wear the red jersey, meaning hands off for the defense. The referees for the spring game have been instructed to quick whistle if the defense gets close to Daniels, meaning a sack will be called. If the defender is able to get an open shot and the referees don't react fast enough, Holtz has instructed them to use a two-hand touch on Daniels, no need to get the only scholarship quarterback and leader of the team injured in a practice game.

Daniels is picking up the offense fairly quickly and getting use to the new signal calling. He has been solid throughout the practices and has been building a strong relationship with his receiving core, including Lindsay Lamar, the new slot receiver and track start. It should be fun to see what Daniels is able to do with the new offense and a chance to see the future of the program.

Leslie Stirrups Dismissed

Senior defensive tackle, Leslie Stirrups, has been dismissed from the USF football team, according to Coach Holtz, for not adhering to team rules, the actual cause is not known exactly.

The 6'3" 275 senior has had a rough career at USF, rated as a 4 star recruit coming in, he was arrested while working as a valet as Tampa International Airport and stealing a camera. He was a backup last year playing in nine games and racking up nine tackles. He was listed as the third string defensive lineman behind McCaskill.

The defensive line at the moment has at least a 12 man rotation, something Holtz sees as the strength of his defensive and what he is building around so the loss of Stirrups is not a major one but shows that Holtz and staff will not tolerate any kind of adverse behavior around the program. They dismissed running back Mike Ford earlier this year due to similar reasons.

Hermann Leaves Program

First official blog, we are back in the game but the same can't be said for Senior offensive lineman for USF, Zach Hermann. Hermann came into spring practice as the most experience Bull on the line, 26 starts in 28 games and was slated to be a starter this year. But he missed nearly all of the practices as he continued to recover from neck surgery to repair a bulging disk that had caused him to miss most of last year and has been a lingering injury since the surgery.

Hermann had been cleared by doctors to practice in the spring practices but after meeting with USF medical staff and coaches, Hermann and Holtz both agreed that he should end his career due to fears to a worsening of the neck injury. Hermann stated that is was a hard decision to make due to his love for the team and the game but it was the best and his health.

Hermann leaves a void to fill for the Bulls, who now loose a projected starter and senior leader on the new line and new offense but the Bulls have tremendous depth on the line and many new faces can fill in for him. The Bulls recruited five freshman offensive lineman, along with returners like All-Big East freshman Popek, the Bulls have plenty of excellent players that can come in and fill in for Hermann as he continues to recover. We wish him the best and thank Zach for his dedication and hard work he gave while at USF.

WE ARE BACK!

Revolution is returning to the blogging and sports world, we have had a few changes and shake ups in the past month and are just now starting to get back to a normal routine with our coverage and media, we thank you for waiting for us. Revolution Sports's coverage will focus on USF athletics and in the upcoming weeks begin to cover the bay area teams, such as the Rays and Bucs. We will be looking to expand to big topics but that will take some time until we do so, we want to focus on our audience and fans right here in the Tampa area and work with the great athletics that are in our backyard already. Spring practice for USF football, Rays begin a huge season and the Bucs draft are all coming up so we are getting to work and will begin reporting on all of these topics and more coming soon.

We are also making some other changes, like our symbol, which has only been around since January, we believe we need to change and update the symbol, something that reflects our group so keep an eye out for that change as well as the Myspace page will begin to grow soon as we invest more time with it, the Facebook group and page are in discussions and will soon be up on the web and our twitter feed, Revol_Sports (follow us!) is up and running and working with USF athletics and TBO Sports for news and updates, so make sure to check that out as well.

The Revolution is back and working hard, even our blog page is going to change in the course of the next few weeks, we follow our name. Thank you for waiting, you won't be disappointed.

Still working on some things

Did you miss us? Revolution Sports is still around and still working on becoming an even better sports blog. We are still evaluating writers, material we will cover and what and when the stories will come to you. Trust us, we are taking our time to make sure that Revolution is everything you expect is should be. We will still be all about the USF Bulls and Tampa Bay area teams but will expand into the NFL, NCAA, MLB, NBA and others. We will have multiple writers and they will identify themselves in the blogs so you know who is writing the reports and make it easier to communicate with us. We are also about to start up a marketing campaign as well. We now have a myspace page (for those who still have a myspace out there) http://www.myspace.com/revolutionsports09 is the site to find us at. We also have a Twitter account http://twitter.com/Revol_Sports so add us on there, we will be trying to update this and will soon have a facebook page as well, stay tuned for that as well. So we wanted to give you an update of where in the world Revolution Sports was, rest assured, we are still alive and are working hard to get the blog back up and running and make it even better than before.

Major Changes Coming

To the fans we have out there and anyone new viewing the world that is Revolution Sports, some major changes are on the way. As you know by know Revolution has been a Tampa based endeavor, with the primary focus on the USF teams. Well, we are going to be expanding the news coverage, beyond the bay and the state of Florida. We are working with some other writers and supporters and will soon be bringing you news from across the nation, from Oregon Ducks arrest problems to how bad the New Jersey Nets really are, we will be covering a broad range of topics but don't worry USF is still the primary focus coverage and we won't leave you in the dark about the Bulls as they prepare for a new year.

We will be experimenting with new writers, new discussions, topics, ideas, all of which we want your feed back on how the blog can improve, cover more ground or simply connect to more people in the world of sports. Revolution is in a state of flux but rest assured that it will all come together and the blog will be better than ever (even the symbol is going to change, when we said change, we mean it). Revolution is now on Myspace and soon will be joining Facebook to connect and spread the word of everyone even more. This is a big change for Revolution and a big step towards creating the ultimate sports blog on the web! We love the support and the readers of the blog and hope you enjoy the changes that are coming and feel free to give us your thoughts on this new process.

Tournament Over

Yesterday the Bulls got the taste of pay back from Georgetown as they were beaten down in the quarterfinals of the Big East Tournament, 69 to 49. The Bulls were cold from the field, going 8-27 in the first half, Jones got his 20 but only 3 to 17 shooting and having to live at the free throw won't win a game. Famous disappeared in the game and was over matched by center Greg Monroe. Gilchrist could get nothing going from the field except for a few dunks, Howard was effective but foul trouble limited him towards the end, Crater and Mercer struggled and did not contribute to the game.

With the lose the Bulls are now off the bubble, according to Joe Linardi of ESPN, but most did not think they had a chance to make it to the tournament to begin with (except the dedicated fans). The Bulls finish at 20-12 and 9-10 in conference play, the best season in the past 20 years and a sign that the team will continue to grow and build from this success. The Bulls will have to wait til Sunday to find out if they will play in the NIT this year (most likely will). Until then they should be proud of what they were able to accomplish this year and get ready for the challenges ahead of them.

Muma Center is a Big Deal

The new Muma center broke ground the other day next to the USF Sun Dome with President Genshaft, Mr. and Mrs. Muma, Coach Fernandez and Coach Heath, players, fans and their cousins came to witness a turning point in USF athletics. They all came to witness the ground breaking of a brand new basketball practice, conditioning and office complex for the mens and woman's basketball teams. The facility will have two full size practice courts, office, weight and training rooms, film study rooms, locker and shower complexes and equipment and medical trainer rooms as well. This is the first complex devoted to the basketball program, a program that has been on the rise for the past few years and has not had their own space. They weight train at the Campus Recreational facility, open to all students and practice in the Sun Dome. For the first time, both teams will have their own equipment, own study rooms so they can prepare better and even the coaches will have their own own offices.

This is a step in support of the basketball teams as well as the players that have worked hard and deserve the facilities. The ladies won the WNIT last season and have made the post season the last 6 years. The men improve every game, with upset wins each year and this year finally breaking through and finishing the regular season with a 19-11 record, the first winning record since 1992 and poised to make a post season bid. They both play in the toughest conference in the nation, the Big East and compete and recruit against power houses like Uconn, Louisville, Syracuse, Marquette, Georgetown and the list goes on. This new facility is a statement, we are here to win. USF is dedicated to its athletic programs and wants to continue to help them grow, compete with the other schools and above all else, win. USF has not been a major sports school for very long but within the last 10 years that has changed, with programs winning, new coaches, joining the Big East, USF has become a force to be reckoned with in the Big East and the nation. The Muma center is a symbol of how far we have come and the bright future ahead.

USF Faces Big Test Today

We are back, Revolution Sports has been quiet recently (we have lives like you) but we are going to work hard to catch everyone up on what is going on with USF athletics. The big news is the men's basketball team and its Big East Tournament win yesterday. They held off Depaul, the first victory in tournament history for the Bulls with a 58 to 49 win. Jones had 20 and the team played well, even though they did not attempt one three point bucket, showing they were able to dominate inside and get Jones going underneath the basket, instead of taking the jump shots, something we struggle with. The win is huge for the team as they continue to build momentum and build after during this record breaking year. With UConn loosing yesterday to St. Johns, the Bulls may be back on the bubble as Uconn has its hopes dashed away.

Today the Bulls face #17 Georgetown, the team that USF upset at their house during the 4 game win streak. Georgetown has been up and down, but with PG Freeman back(diagnosed with diabetes) they are strong and with Monroe in the center, the Bulls won't sneak up on them this time. The Bulls tip off at noon in MSG and on ESPN so make sure to catch the game! GO BULLS!

Going Live

Tomorrow's USF vs. Uconn game is a big one, for school pride, record and post season dreams. For that reason Revolution Sports will be at the game! Yes, you heard me right, we will be at the game, taking notes and watching live from the student section. Once the game is over we will bring you a new and fresh blog straight from the perspective of the Beef Studs and roaring student section. It should be a very interesting and fun blog tomorrow and hope the Bulls win the game as well. If you are going to the game please leave us your insights from your point of view at the game in the comments so we can all share the experience about the game and the last game for the seniors. GO BULLS!

Skip for President!

Skip Holtz, the head coach of USF football, a man who hasn't been in Tampa a whole two months and still living at the Embassy Suites hotel on USF campus has become the man of the town and practice hasn't even begun. Last night was the first "Inside Skip" segment that Holtz and the athletic department put on for fans, alumni and everyone. The pep rally themed hall meeting allowed Holtz to interact with everyone, answer tons of questions and get to know people in the area much better than ever before. Fans could ask questions live, on twitter (Holtz says he will be active on it forever!) and set out plans for the team this year and truly inspire the Bulls Nation.

Holtz is the media darling for the Bulls, a far cry from the cold and distant Leavitt who almost seemed to hate the media and take it personal, Holtz on the other hand wants to shake their hands and sit down with them. He has already done more media events than Leavitt did during his entire tenure up to this point and he isn't stopping there. His "Inside Skip" is going across the day to other stops and the fans are following him there, or simply going onto twitter and asking him questions or just hearing the important news from him. Holtz has said that he wants to win over the fan base, one fan at a time, it seems that he has already won thousands and the Bulls aren't even on the field yet. Holtz for president in 2012!

Big Game Saturday

USF men's basketball finishes the regular season at home Saturday at 2pm as they take on the UConn Huskies. The Huskies are coming off a terrible offensive showing against Notre Dame, only scoring 50 points, the 2nd lowest of the season for them. Kemba Walker and Jerome Dyson were careless with the ball as the Irish were able to run up and down the court and get a much needed win without senior Harangody and may have burst UConn's NCAA Tournament bubble.

The Bulls on the other still have a slight chance at making to the NCAA tournament (with a bunch of help) or most likely the NIT tournament. A win over UConn, which has dominated the Bulls over the last 4 years, would be huge in league standings, moving the Bulls to .500 in conference play and boost the resume. The Bulls are having one of their best seasons, only 9 wins last year, Heath has put together a strong team but on senior night will see many of the parts leaving, Mike Mercer and Chris Howard are the two starters leaving and maybe even Dominique Jones if he decides to leave for the NBA as some have mentioned before. It is a critical game as the Huskies have their backs against the wall and the Bulls fighting for a birth and to cap off a great season. Hope everyone makes it out to the game and as always GO BULLS!

He's Back...Again

USF running back Moise Plancher has been granted a 6th year of eligibility by the NCAA. Plancher was the starting back for most of last year, rushing for over 500 yards and 7 scores, he has over 900 yards and 12 touchdowns in his career. A career that has been riddled with injuries, 2005 with knee issues after just one carry then in 2006 with an ACL tear took him out for the season.

Plancher has dealt with off field issues as well, loosing his younger cousin who died suddenly while in a work out session at UCF. With the dismissal of Mike Ford Plancher should be the starter or at least the favorite for the next season. He is a team leader and has years of experience, something the other 9 running backs do not have at this point. It is nice to see the NCAA and athletic department work hard for a good player and a better person and give him another chance after most of his playing time was taken away from him.

Good luck Mo' and stay healthy for us!

Ouch....

USF baseball, one of the favorites to contend for the Big East title this year took a beating last night, a true beat down. With a 15-2 lose to the Miami Hurricanes in the Big 4 challenge at Steinbrenner Field, the Bulls are now 1-6 to begin the season.


The Bulls offense is struggling, unable to score more than 4 runs or more in their last 4 games. The defense is struggling, giving up 2 runs in the first inning last night and failing to help the pitching staff which has been solid enough but without the offense and defense to help support them, the team is continuing to struggle and the record is showing it. The Bulls continue this series against FSU and UF, the gators swept the Bulls to begin the season and FSU is always a powerhouse in the nation so it does not look good for the Bulls. The season could slip away from them early if they are not able to rally and steal a win or two this week and try to right the ship before entering the tough Big East conference. They may need a miracle at this point.

A win is a win

Ugly, shameful and nail-biting, all the words to describe USF's victory over DePaul last night. The Bulls rise to 18-11 and 8-9 in conference play and a chance for a first ride bye if they win Saturday and get some help from other teams. Last year USF won a total of only 4 conference games, they have doubled it this season.

The game was beyond slow and the defenses and poor offenses dominated the first half, USF not breaking the double point mark until 10 minutes into the first half. Jones continued his offensive struggles, going 4-20 from the field and having to live at the free throw line. Heath got under his players at half time and they responded, Famous with 8, Howard with 13 and Gilchrist with 11. Gilchrist is seeming to get it together and looks healthy for once. He is coming off the bench in the last few games but has been an effective force in doing so and seems to add a spark to the offense. USF is lucky to escape DePaul, most Big East teams do not want to face the Demons because of their defense, even if they are 1-15 in conference play.

USF's next game is on Saturday against Uconn. The Bulls will need their best effort when facing a desperate Uconn team that is also on the bubble just like USF. It should be a great game, hope everyone makes it to the Sun Dome to watch, GO BULLS!

Baseball already?

Time to give a shout out to the USF baseball team, they had a rough weekend against #4 Florida, getting swept at the Swap, 3 to 0. They are back home tonight in the Big East/Big Ten challenge. Should be a good matchup with the first game against Ohio State. Bulls need to get on track, a favorite to win the Big East conference this year.

The ladies softball team (5-4) is in the desert as they take on #4 Arizona, it might be a rough trip as the Cats of Arizona are a power house and USF hitting has not been consistent yet, but hopefully they can steal a few victories before they return home. Go Bulls!

Any Fight Left?

Saturday night at 7, the men's basketball team takes on Providence in the Sun Dome. The Friars are reeling, loosing 5 straight by an average of 15 points a game. They were defeated by USF on their home court in double overtime when Jones went for 47 points against them and led USF on a school record 4 straight Big East victories and had the nation taking notice of that team in Tampa.

USF has fallen flat, loosing at home against lowly St. Johns and being pounded by Villanova, all tournament hopes are gone by now but it will be interesting to see how the Bulls come out and play. Will Heath fire up his team and wake them up and try to get them to play for a better record, the first winning one since 1992 and defend the home court? Jones needs to take over like he did earlier and call his team out. Gilchrist is not the game, Famous is quiet, Howard is not as vocal and the bench is struggling to help produce, it is time for the hopeful all-American to rally his team and finish the season strong and hopefully make some news in the Big East Tournament.

Providence would like to come into our house and upset the Bulls and the way they are shooting and protecting the ball (22 turnovers against Nova) it just may happen. I hope the team rallies, Heath instills some hope into them and the student section is rocking as the Bulls try to get back to the winning ways to end the season.

Bowens to USF?

With Carlton Mitchell leaving USF to the NFL, the receiving core is missing a vital piece but is still a great unit. Griffin, Love, Bogan, Alcin and others are a nice mix of speed and size for Daniels, even Landii can be a great target if he doesn't have to be a quarterback this year. So do the Bulls need another wide receiver? It appears so. News is circulating that former NC State receiver Donald Bowens will make an unofficial visit this weekend to scout out the school. Bowens missed most of 2008 and the start of the 2009 seasons with knee and back injuries, limiting how explosive he used to be while playing high school in St. Petersburg.

Bowens is a 6'3" 198 lb. receiver that had over 500 yards receiving two years ago, leading the Wolf Pack and only 198 last season due to injury. He had 5 catches for 98 and a score against Holtz and ECU back in 2007 in a victory. He is a USF fan, likes the area and wants to end his career at home. Holtz is open to the idea and they are to meet Saturday. But the question is, what can Bowens actually bring to the field other than a name?

Bowens is a big receiver so he could play in the slot if need be. USF's record with transfers hasn't always been great. Pierre-Paul was great, Tyrone McKenzie, and Ian Randolph all come to mind then there were bust like Amp Hill, so who knows how he will do in the system. He is not as explosive as he was before and injuries are a major problem with him. He could add some much needed depth to the core and give Daniels a big receiver, if he can keep his body in one piece. He will most likely come to USF but the jury is out on what he can bring to our team.

Reality Hurts

USF basketball got a real dose of reality last night as they were dismantled by Villanova on their senior night, 74 to 49. Senior Guard Scottie Reynolds had 21 points as the WildCats have won 37 straight home games. The Cats were coming off back to back loses are were not about to send the seniors off with another lose, especially to a reeling USF squad that has seemed to fall flat after is short run in the conference.

The Bulls offense was terrible, 22 turnovers, against the #7 team in the nation led to only 49 points and 3 of 13 from 3 point range. Jones has cooled off and defenses have begun to pressure him and make him give the ball up. Even in the double team, Jones has seen his numbers decrease and the team struggle, he had 12 points last night, not enough from the leader of the team.

Howard is not a scoring threat but has been solid, Mercer and Crater and cold and hot and have gone cold at the wrong time. Gilchrist just isn't healthy, he had 8 rebounds last night but his shooting touch and ability to take it to the basket are gone, the jump in his step is missing. The ankle must still be hurting him. Famous is knicked up and is not playing with the same passion as earlier in the season. It may be that the team has hit the wall finally, only able to go so far with this talent and group. Hope they get it together before they face Providence on Saturday.

Ford Dismissed

Junior running back Mike Ford has been dismissed from the team due to an unspecified violation of team rules, according to coach Holtz. The violation will not be released but Holtz hopes that Ford can get his life on track. Ford has apologized for disappointing the fans, school and coaches and will stay in school in order to obtain his degree next year.

Ford, a highly recruited player by USF became a fan favorite in just his freshmen year, going for over 600 yards and 12 touchdowns, many thought it was the second coming of Andre Hall, but it was not to be. Ford never ran for over 500 yards in a season again, battling injuries and academic issues, as well as off field problems. In the International Bowl game, he put the team on his back and ran for over 200 yards, showing how good he could be, if he ever got his head on straight.

Ford leaves and it might be better for the program to do so. He could have been the feature back this year but the depth behind him is great, Lamar, Taylor, Hayes, and the list goes on, even Moe Plancher might be back for a 6th year, so the team will be fine and hopefully Ford can get his life in order and succeed with his degree, good luck Mike and thanks for your hard work with the team.

Breaking it Down - Safety

Getting tired of the secondary? Never of course and now the final spot, the true safety position. This is a hybrid area that sees the defensive backs come in and play at times or switch to defensive back depending on the scheme. Holtz's new system should have a more standard defense with two safeties for standard defense, so who will be in the secondary anchoring it down. The Bulls loose the great Nate Allen who is a possible first round pick but their is talent here, just not much depth though.

First we have JaQuez Jenkins, a 6'2" freshman that was ranked as the 73rd best prospect in the entire state of Florida, another one of those under the radar talents that Leavitt brought in last year that red shirted. He is eligible to play this year and should see some game time, either on defense or special teams. He played qb, rb, and defensive back in high school, has blinding speed and a hard hitter as well. With the lack of depth he could start but defensive backs may take over that spot because of his youth but he should play this year and will be an instant success because of all his great talent.

The other safety is Jarrell Young. The 6'2" 198 lb. junior missed 3 games last year with a wrist injury but came back and finished the season strong with 29 tackles and two passes defended. He has average speed but is a very intelligent player, able to read plays well, understand changing schemes by the offenses and his fundamentals such as tackling and reading the ball are sound. He won't have huge tackle numbers or interceptions but the the stat that will show up is the lack of yardage given up on his side of the field. He is a solid defender that will start this season, he has the experience and ability to play anywhere on the field, he just needs to stay healthy for a full season and show everyone what he is capable of.

So only two safeties listed on the depth chart but the defensive back position often rotates here so there are plenty of players at this position but only two true safeties here. They have big shoes to fill as Nate Allen leaves and a new system to pick up quickly in the spring but with the talent here they will figure it out fast and be ready to take to the field in the fall.

We Love Skip

Skip Holtz has yet to coach one game for the Bulls and in fact does not even have a house yet, still living at the Embassy Suites on campus, near Fowler Avenue, yet in a short time he has become a local celebrity and beloved by everyone.

Holtz is starting a new series, the Inside Skip, which will be tonight at 6 til 8 at the Sun Dome. This is a town hall style meeting with alumni, fans, boosters and anyone can come, listen to Skip and his ideas and then ask him questions, get autographs and simply mingle with everyone. It is a great atmosphere that Holtz has brought to the program. He is also a great change of pace coach compared to Leavitt. Leavitt was distant, keeping everything to himself, not public on campus, never mingling with the student body. He was almost cold to the student body at time, using the us against the world motto to motivate the team to fight for every yard in the games and pushing them til they broke down.

Holtz is not using that, he knows the program is beyond that point, the nation knows we are here and the Bulls must begin to grow as a team and take it to a new level, but to do so you will need the support and Holtz has done that. Holtz is at the basketball games, radio shows, community meetings and even on Twitter chatting and updating. So come out tonight and meet Holtz and get a new look at the football program as it gets ready for even more accomplishments.

The Flame Begins to Die

The Big East conference, the toughest conference in America for college basketball, the Bulls know all too well about this and the conference once again has dimmed the flame that was burning brightly for USF basketball. Just two weeks ago, USF was the darling of the conference, rising to the middle of the pack, being a bubble team after two huge upsets and the amazing play of Jones. But as soon as the fame came, it has been taken away.

The Bulls lost to Notre Dame after a four game winning streak, then traveled to Marquette, another bubble team and were shot out of the building. The Bulls limped home and got Gilchrist back, who hadn't played since later December with a high ankle sprain. They defeated Cincinnati and everything seemed to alright, but a lose to lowly St. John's has all but doomed their hopes in the NCAA Tournament. They sit at 16-10 and 6-8 in conference, not in the top 8 anymore after being there for a short time.

Jones has cooled off, facing constant double teams and putting a body on him constantly has made his average drop and forcing him to find other options. Mercer and Crater are doing well, along with Howard, who is having a career year but each one has a good game then a quiet one, not consistent enough yet to carry the load. Fitzpatrick has found the bench recently as well. Famous has disappeared, limping with injury and being dominated inside, he can't handle the pressure and Rivas is not a scoring threat at all for the Bulls, looking lost in the paint. Then Gilchrist is just not the same all-star he was before the injury. Gilchrist is slow up court, shots are flat, and is still injured. When he was out, USF came together after Jones called them out and now they are falling again.

Now they must face an angry Villanova team that is trying to win the Big East and a possible 1 bid in the tournament. It would take a miracle for the Bulls to get to the dance but the season is still a success. The team is growing, young and has a winning record for once. So while the flame dies and the hopes of making the big dance begin to fade away with each lose, remember, this team is a good one and will be a force for years to come. Well done Stan Heath for getting us this far, what will you be able to accomplish next year?

Breaking it Down - Cornerback

Here we go again with the secondary break down, we have looked at safety and defensive backs already, both are interchangeable and many will take different roles, some will even play corner or nickel. This segment though is dedicated to the true corners on the rosters, the guys that line up on the outside one on one with wide receivers and match them step for step down the field. So, no more waiting, let's look at our corners.

First we have George Baker, the 5'll" sophomore. He did not play much last year on defense but did play on special teams, totaling 9 tackles for the year. Most likely will be in the same role next year unless he proves himself in spring practice but the depth in front of him will put him in a reserve role again.

Next is Tyson Butler, the 5'll" junior and starter from last season. Butler was a solid corner with good speed, getting one interception last season but missed the final 5 games of the season with injuries. Butler is a good corner, good speed and high football IQ out there but he needs to stay healthy. Many think you can pencil him in as starter but with new comers like Terrence Mitchell lurking to start, Butler might have a reserve role unless he can stay healthy and produce. Hopefully he will be healthy and continue to grow as a shut down corner he showed he could become last year.

Next, Ricardo Dixon, 5'11" freshmen that red shirted last season. Ranked the 13th best corner in the 2009 draft class in the state, the 3 star recruit is a play maker waiting to emerge. He has 4.4 speed (40 yard dash) and is a physical hitter. He is a highly recruited player, getting offers from Tennessee to FSU and USF was able to snag him and bring him into the mix. Not sure if he will be a starter this year but will play either as a reserve or special teams because of his speed and raw ability. Many are excited to see what he is capable of and should push the starters every day for their job.

Last but not least is Quenton Washington, 5'10" junior who had 29 tackles and two fumbles recoveries on the year. He is like Butler, a solid defender and the most consistent from last year. He earned the starting job and should retain it this year barring something bizarre happens. He is a good player and should improve greatly with the experience from last year and the bowl game.

So there you have it, the corners that are on the 2010 roster. Many will play this year in the new defense that Holtz is putting into play along with new coaches, good bye Tresey. It should be a good, solid defense. Everyone on this roster has tremendous speed and athletic ability that could make this a great unit, but youth and injuries could catch up to them, let's hope not.

Another one...

So another kicker is walking onto the USF squad, Marvin Kloss, after not getting a scholarship he hopes to walk on and win the job, that gives USF 7 kickers and punters. He may replace Schwartz because he has a stronger leg than he does but its up in the air. It is nice to see that Holtz is finding humor in having 7 kickers and only one quarterback on campus at this point. Holtz recently made the comment that he feels as if he has half the team on scholarship to kick, making a little stab at the inept recruiting that Leavitt and company had a part in. Welcome to the USF family Kloss, hope you do well.

Big Game Tomorrow

Tomorrow, get up and get to the Sun Dome as USF men's basketball plays host to St. John's at noon. This is a huge conference game for the Bulls as they try to stay in contention for an NCAA birth and not have their bubble burst. Notre Dame and Marquette have been loosing of late, this is a perfect opportunity for the Bulls to clinch a few remaining games to make a push for the tournament.

Last game the Bulls defeated a tough Cincinnati team and over 6,000 were there to cheer on rock the Sun Dome, we need that effort again. The Bulls are a great team and now is the time to support them as they make a final push for the NCAA and prepare for the Big East Tournament. GO BULLS! Should be a great game, don't sleep on St. John's, they defeated Louisville a few weeks ago!

Breaking it Down - Defensive Back

Back again looking at the secondary, this time at the defensive back group. I know what what you are thinking, isn't that just another term for corner back, not exactly (we will have another segment on the true corners later). The defensive backs are an interesting group, they line up at corner and coverage, come up to play the run and play the nickel position in the secondary and sometimes play safety if called upon. They could challenge for safety or corner time, it depends on the system that Holtz uses as his primary basis, you might see two or even 4 DBs on the field. They are play makers and great athletes, all of them should see playing time this year, let's take a look at them a bit more closely.

First on the list is Mark Joyce, the 6'1" freshman from DeLand (hometown!). Ranked the 57th best safety in the nation and a 3 star recruit according to Rivals, Joyce led DeLand to a state title game, popping people along the way. He is a physical tackler but with average speed but athletic enough to cover anyone in the passing game. We see him either playing special teams or red shirting this year because of the depth in front of him, might be a good idea to sit back and learn but if he proves with worth might see more playing time. Senior Chris Lane, at 5'8" is not expected to see much playing time. He is a walk on that has been a special team player his whole career and only recorded one tackle last year, he should be in the same role this year unless injuries happen or somehow he beats out everyone else, don't get your hopes up to high for that though.

Then there is Jon Lejiste, the 6' 197 lb. sophomore who became a fan favorite after his game changing hit at FSU that changed the momentum for the Bulls as they went on for the upset. Lejiste played both in the nickel and at safety as well and proved to be a vicious hitter. He missed a few games with injury but finished with 29 tackles and showed this ability on the field. He will be a starter at either nickel or safety this year, his play making ability is too great not to have out on the field no matter what package system Holtz uses on defense. He does not possess the greatest speed but athletic enough to recover, turn and defend against the pass but is best at coming up and stopping the run in support. He is a great player and glad he is only a sophomore and will be around at least two more years.

Then there is Terrence Mitchell, the 5'10 freshman from right here in Tampa. He has a highly regarded recruit, many teams offering the 4 star player, he decided on FSU but at the last moment decided to go to USF after his cousin, RB Lindsay Lamar convinced him to stay home and play with him, great news for the Bulls. Mitchell is a great cover corner with 4.4 40 yard dash speed but can also play the nickel or even safety. Holtz has said he is not sure what spot Mitchell will eventually play but he will be on the field this year. He is too talented just to sit on the bench and his ability will give the Bulls a new weapon in the secondary last year that was gashed for big plays and seemed to wear down as the season went on. He is fresh and fast talent that should bring energy as well as great plays with him this year.

Mistral Raymond, 6' and 185 lbs. is one of the best stories for the secondary. A walk on that did not play much his first few years but continued to push and excel and finally saw major playing time last year and did not disappoint with the opportunity. Finishing the season strong at both nickel and safety, Raymond proved to be a solid defender and a crowd favorite knowing how he has earned his way to playing time. He will see more of it this year because of his dedication and hard work, a nice way to end his senior season as well. Look for him to continue to contribute and make smart plays on the field as he did all 2009.

Then there is Charlton Sinclair, 5'll" junior, who was highly recruited but has not seen much playing time the last 3 years, usually on special teams or just ridding the bench. He has a ton of ability but hasn't seemed to be able to break through and see playing time. That might change with the new defense and a new coach at the helm as well. Finally we come to Kayvon Webster, at 5'11", he is a key part to the defense. Playing at both nickel and corner, he is a versatile defender that had 30 tackles and an interception taken back against Syracuse. He has shown the potential he has and has the coaches excited for him to play this year. Look to hear his name to come up often this year.

Well there you have it, our defensive backs. Its a mixture of experience and raw talent. They should play a big role this year in a new defensive scheme and the lose of a few seniors. Let us all hope they can anchor the defensive secondary this year and make some big plays for us.

What a Game!

The Sun Dome was rocking last night as the USF Bulls beat their bubble opponent Cincinnati 65 to 57 in front of the largest home crowd to date this season, over 6,00 came to cheer on their Bulls that are fighting to make the dance, something they have not done since 1992. USF and the athletic department worked hard to advertise for this game and it paid off as the home crowd energy fueled the Bulls as they dominated defensively, holding a powerful Cincinnati game to only 9 points in the first 9 minutes of the game. Jones was quite with only 12 points but made key free throws and assists all night long to help the Bulls find offense from players like Mike Mercer, who had 12 points.

The Bulls were without center Jarrid Famous who is battling a knee sprain, he could return by Saturday so the Bulls went with Rivas who is still not in shape after surgery in the off season and mixed in Fitzpatrick the freshmen to add size down low. Even with Famous out, USF dominated the boards and forced Cincinnati to take bad shots all night.

This win is huge, USF is now 6-7 in the Big East and tied with Cincinnati and Notre Dame now, with tie breaker over Cincinnati now. Cincinnati is a bubble team and this is a huge win on our resume as we now move in front of them for tournament consideration. The next game at home Saturday against St. John's is a must win for USF. St. John's is a scary team, pushing West Virginia and Louisville to the breaking point. If the Bulls take care of business and gain a win they will be 17-9 and 7-7 in the Big East. They need this to convince the selection board to get into the tournament. The crowd needs to be electric again and it was great seeing the student section full and many fans coming in to cheer on the team. The community is enjoying it, even CF BJ Upton of the Tampa Bay Rays was in attendance, great to see but let's keep it going. GO BULLS!

Happy Valentine's

Hope everyone has a great Valentine's Day with your girlfriend, wife, friend or whoever else you spend the special day with. Remember you shouldn't do romantic or caring stuff just one day a year, it should be every year, maybe not a box of chocolates every day but something to show you care. Revolution is taking the day off but more blogs are on the way, Happy V Day everybody.

Breaking it Down - Kicker

Here we are, just like the punter situation, we will painfully look at the kicker position for the Bulls and figure out who will be kicking for us in 2010, relax, Alvarado is not a candidate. After loosing his job multiple times (for a good reason, couldn't hit the broad side of a barn) the job was inherited by Maikon Bonani, the sophomore became a legend after nailing a game winning 46 yarder against Kansas in 2008. But during the summer he suffered a spinal injury at Busch Gardens while at work and was forced to medical red shirt last season. He is recovering well and has been at conditioning as he prepares to return to the field. The question is will he be ready for the season? The answer, no. His injury could have killed him, luckily he is doing well but will most likely not be the starter entering game one. He is beloved by the fans and many want him back, his strong leg and accuracy were a nice change from missing 20 yard field goals or six in one game...Alvarado.

His replacement, Eric Schwartz, did well last year. The walk on proved accurate but does not have the strongest leg, making only a handful of field goals over 40 yards. He might be the starter entering week on depending on the health and ability of Bonani. It should be interesting to see who will get the full time job, you might see Schwartz on kickoffs and Bonani on the field goals until he is at full strength, its a wait and see for now.

Believe it or not but there are 3 other kickers now on the roster, I know, where were they all two years ago? There is sophomore Austin Atkins, a walk on that was nearly our kicker but we stuck with Schwartz. He is still on the roster and will compete for the job, chances are he won't win the job and may even leave the team, its up to him to prove his worth. Renato Proja, another sophomore walk on is also a goalie for our soccer team. He has a strong leg but not sure how dedicated he is to the team and probably won't win the job. His leg is not strong enough and he does not have any experience. Let's be honest, did anyone know about these two? Unless your a true fan these names are breaking news to you :)

The last kicker is Chris Vernon, the freshmen in this years recruiting class, ranked the 67th best kicker in the nation by Rivals. He is a former soccer player with a strong leg. He might red shirt this year and wait his turn behind Schwartz and Bonani and the vie for a chance next year.


So there you have it, our kicking situation. Painful as it usually is, its going to get better. We have talent and depth and the shadow that loomed over us the last four years has graduated. So look for the Bulls to be solid on special teams this year, at least at the kicking game.