Columns

Heeere come the Bulls, and critics

By JOHN ROMANO, Times Columnist
Published October 15, 2007

ADVERTISEMENT [Times photo: Ross Mantle] USF Football Coach Jim Leavitt fields media questions following a closed evening practice at the University of South Florida on Sunday. Related content BCS ranks Bulls No. 2 Bulls rediscover dominant Grothe vs. UCF Photos: Fans | UCF game Blog: USF Sports Bulletin Bulls coverage

TAMPA - Today, they are seething in Baton Rouge.

They are incredulous in Los Angeles, and skeptical in Blacksburg, Va.

Today, the story that has won so many hearts in Tampa Bay is about to entertain scorn just about everywhere else in the college football world.

The University of South Florida is No. 2 in the initial BCS rankings of 2007, and I doubt the polls have ever seen a more preposterous tale than this.

You do not just stroll into Division I-A football, and walk to the head of the class. You do not set up shop in a trailer in a vacant field, and flirt with history 10 years later. And you most certainly do not cut in front of the zealots in Oklahoma.

Folks, it's about to get ugly. If you were offended when Nick Saban campaigned for village idiot a couple of weeks ago, if you were annoyed when Jimmy Johnson got critical on the air last week, prepare for an onslaught of backlash soon.

A few weeks ago, USF was hailed as the prime example for dreamers everywhere. Ah, but that was before anyone considered the Bulls a real threat. Now that they stand between some traditional power and the BCS title game, the Bulls will be ridiculed as everything that is wrong with college football.

There will be criticism of the computer rankings. There will be snide remarks about the coaches' poll. And, yes, there will be more jokes about USF's parking lots and SAT scores.

The Bulls need not take it personally. They need not lose sleep.

They need only win.

It is the one argument that has no rebuttal. Should the Bulls beat Rutgers on the road in a nationally televised game on Thursday, they will convert a few more doubters. If they take down Cincinnati and Louisville, their reputation will grow accordingly. And if they make it to 12-0, they can flip off Saban and every other naysayer.

There will always be critics. And, if we're being honest about it, they may even have some legitimate points.

It is true the Big East is not the most formidable league in the BCS. And it is true USF does not have a win against a Top 15 nonconference foe. It may even be true USF has had its share of breaks.

Yet, while all of that makes for a lively debate, the bottom line is the Bulls have done everything necessary to put themselves in this position. It's not their fault Auburn has lost some luster this season. And it's not their fault the Big East does not look as strong today as it did a month ago.

If you want to get technical, you could make some of the same arguments about Ohio State a year ago. The Big Ten was not overly robust in 2006, and Ohio State's best nonconference foe turned out to be less scary than expected.

The difference here is in pedigree. The Bulls have none. And that opens the door for every backwater snob to complain USF is a phantom team that has risen near the top on the backs of so many lightweights.

What those people do not realize is Matt Grothe has the heart of a champion. He may not fit the physical mold of a big-time college quarterback, but he plays with a fervor more valuable than any 40 time or height chart.

What those people do not see is the explosiveness of George Selvie. Recruited by almost no one as an offensive lineman in high school, Selvie has switched to defensive end and become the best pass rusher in the nation.

What those people do not understand is Jim Leavitt's passion. Almost anywhere you look, you can find a college football coach who leapt at the chance for a bigger payday and a higher profile. Not Leavitt. When Alabama came calling, he decided to stay at USF and finish what he literally started. Now he has the Alabama contract proposal in the drawer of his desk, and he has the college football world in the palm of his hand.

Of course, it is entirely possible all of this is moot. With so many high-ranking teams having fallen, it would seem likely USF will eventually stumble too.

The Bulls lost to Rutgers last season. They got manhandled by Cincinnati and trounced by Louisville. The idea that USF successfully maneuvers past all three in the next five weeks, with the pressure mounting daily, is iffy at best.

So why not enjoy where the Bulls sit today? Why not look at them as you would a Cinderella team crashing the Final Four at the NCAA basketball tournament? Why not appreciate what the Bulls have become, instead of pointing out what they have never been.

Today, USF is No. 2 in the polls.

And probably No. 1 in jealousy.

John Romano can be reached at romano@sptimes.com.

[Last modified October 15, 2007, 00:28:50]