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Griffin's biggest score: joining Conference USA
By SHARON GINN © St. Petersburg Times, published August 23, 1998 And it may surprise you. "In my 12 years there is one occurrence that is set aside as being the most important ... and that is membership in Conference USA," Griffin said. "It's far more important than the start of football, far more important than (hosting) the Final Four." Conference USA membership has been a boon, especially in basketball because the Bulls share league revenue and enjoy far more national attention than before. Griffin is working on getting similar exposure for his second-year football team. The ultimate goal is to begin play in C-USA the same year USF football joins Division I-A, a jump planned for 2001. The Bulls can be accepted into membership for football at any time. For example, Alabama-Birmingham was accepted into C-USA for football in November 1996; the Blazers, who joined I-A in 1996, won't begin league play until 1999. The sooner USF knows when it will start conference play, the easier putting together schedules will be. Griffin believes USF may be accepted by the end of the year. That's possible, said league commissioner Michael Slive, who was impressed by USF's average paid attendance of more than 33,000 in 1997. "We're anxious to see the fan support and the continued development of the program during the season," Slive said. "Whether two seasons are enough is another question. But from what we understand, the interest in the program (this year) is (similar), if not increasing." Near the end of this year, USF will submit a report on its second season to the conference's board of directors, which is composed of the school presidents. The board will discuss the issue and vote, Slive said. "That could happen at any given meeting," he said. The board meets in person three to four times a year and regularly via telephone. "There's no formal application," Slive said. "The issue simply is one of whether or not the conference believes the program is ready and that it's in the best interest of the conference to expand its football membership." One factor in USF's favor: The league's five-year television contract with Fox expires after the 2000 season. Adding a team from a market such as Tampa Bay likely would be considered a plus. "Clearly, the Tampa market is an important market," Slive said. "And the intense interest in the sport of football in the state of Florida and in the Tampa area is not lost on us." The football makeup of C-USA Army (football only)Cincinnati East Carolina (football only) Houston Louisville Memphis Southern Mississippi Tulane Alabama-Birmingham (joins in 1999)
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AMPA -- Paul Griffin is pleased with the strides South Florida has made since he became athletic director in 1986, but one achievement stands out as his favorite.
