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.