We haven't had much of a chance to play our favorite pop schmaltz song ever this year, but a hearty congratulations to USF's most unintentionally hysterical head coach Agustin Moreno and the women's tennis team for their bid to the NCAA Tournament today. The Bulls are ranked #41 by the ITA, and will take on #23 Texas in Coral Gables, with the winner getting the victor between FIU and Miami for a place in the Sweet 16.

The Bulls finished 11-11 on the season, but 8 of their losses came to the top 20, and they booked two wins against them as well. They are the 3rd USF team to qualify for NCAA's this year, and let's add women's golfer Shena Yang to this as well as she qualifies as an individual for the NCAA Championships as well. Yang finished 5th at the Big East Championships last week.

So to all the ladies, we hope you find your keys and your phone. Because you're about to find out what's... going... on... on the floor. Doop do do.

Presented without comment. Well, almost.

• Men's basketball
• Women's basketball
• Baseball
• Softball
• Volleyball
• Men's Golf
• Women's Golf (excluding Shena Yang)
• Women's Tennis
• Cross Country
• Track & Field (outside of a few individual performers like the football sprinters and Denise von Eynatten)

If you're counting them up, that's 10 out of USF's 15 sports. Those better be some spectacular facilities.

But hey, apparently none of those matters because we're halfway decent at football.

The FanShot last night gave you the rundown on the Porche Grant incident at Rutgers after yet another ugly loss in women's basketball. (Seriously, what the hell happened to that program? Guess that's another story.) We realize that it's never OK for a player to go to the locker room with middle fingers blazing. It's been a long slog through the conference season with a lot of close losses for USF, and obviously Grant was frustrated, but that's not a good excuse. The two-game suspension Grant was handed by Jose Fernandez was swift and completely fair. Included in those two games is Senior Night, which makes it even worse.

But when I heard about what happened, I couldn't help but be perversely proud of her. I mean, I know Porche shouldn't have done it. But... it's Rutgers. They have JERSEY POW-ERRRRRRR and Jersey manners to match. What visiting athlete in any sport hasn't had at least a fleeting thought pass through their head, telling them to do what Porche did to some aggro Rutgers fan? What fan hasn't wanted to see an athlete twist off and tell Rutgers fans what they really think? They'd do the same thing to you. Or just to the nearest available camera.

Not to mention... we really need some excitement around here. Anything to spice up writing about these teams is welcome. It's been a pretty boring year, and we're only as good as our material.

This is definitely not a unanimous opinion among the staff. But personally, when this site has been around long enough and we have enough material to justify starting a Voodoo Five Ring of Honor, I think Porche Grant should go in on the first ballot for this. I totally approve of this incident. Now never do it again, Porche.

So what do you all think? TO THE VOTING BOOTH.

For those of you in Orlando, or anyone that wants to make a quick roadie to Orlando this weekend, a quick heads up: The USF All-Girl Cheerleaders and SunDolls will be competing this weekend in the UCA National Championships in Orlando.  If you're in town, and like to look at pretty girls flying through the air and dancing for your entertainment, here's the schedule.  All competitions take place in different buildings at the Wide World of Sports Complex at Walt Disney World.

All-Girl Cheerleading:

Prelims: Saturday 2:09 p.m. at the HP Fieldhouse.  Finals begin Saturday 8:00 p.m. at the HP Fieldhouse.  USF Finals time to be determined based on seed.

Sun Dolls - Hip Hop:

Prelims: Saturday 11:50 a.m. at the Jostens Center.  Finals begin Sunday 2:00 p.m. at the Jostens Center

Sun Dolls - Jazz

Prelims: Saturday 8:05 p.m. at the Jostens Centes.  Finals begin Sunday 4:15 p.m. at the Jostens Center

If you're looking for something to do while the Bulls aren't competing... may we suggest a 12 country international binge drinking extravaganza that's merely a bus ride away?

Tomorrow is a big day for USF Athletics in Orlando. Men's soccer plays its first-round NCAA Tournament game against UCF at 5 p.m., and men's basketball also takes on the Knights at 7 p.m.  Our opinion on UCF around here is pretty well settled, but tomorrow is a legitimate reason to venture out and visit our neighbors to the east.  Sometimes it's easy for me to forget about UCiF because without my glasses I am pretty blind, and I sure as hell can't see that far in a rearview mirror, but tomorrow will be a nice retro day for us old school Bulls fans that remember life before the BCS.  I've made this trip in the past for volleyball, baseball, softball, soccer, and of course football and basketball. Getting two in one day is always a treat.

Anyway Ken and I will be in O-Town tomorrow cheering on our Bulls in both games, and hopefully avoiding confrontations with the natives. If you know of good places to have a beverage or two before and after the games, let us know, since a lot of that area has been completely redone over the past five years and I for one am not nearly as familiar with it as I used to be. And if you're making the trip, say so in the comments. We'd love to meet some of you if you're going to be there.

In reality, each of the things discussed here most likely deserves its own post, but this is the busiest time of year for an intercollegiate athletic department.  The Olympic fall sports are heading towards or are in postseason, basketball is just starting, and football is still football.  But until SB Nation starts picking up benefits and our 401(k), we just don't have the time to cover these the way we'd like.  So start buying some t-shirts, people.

The #25 women's soccer team continues their breakthrough season tomorrow at 1 p.m. AGAINST THE BLATANT CHEATERS OF FSU in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.  Yes, the Seminoles left their starters home instead of bringing them to the ACC Tournament to be more rested for the NCAA's and got their ass smacked down by John Swofford.  And you thought it was just free shoes and academic fraud in Tallahassee.  Au contraire, mon ami.

Edit: And congrats to USF Athletics for getting this match on Sun Sports tomorrow.  Broadcast starts at 1 p.m.

USF's 3-1 victory over Auburn on Friday was the first NCAA appearance and win for the Bulls.  Two goals for Taylor Patterson gave the Bulls the advantage, and a tally from Sharla Passariello put away an insurance goal in the 79th minute to ice it.  Their dream season under Coach Denise Schilte-Brown continues, and with only one senior in the starting lineup, the experience from this outstanding run bodes well for a program with national aspirations in the future.

The Bulls pattern so far in the postseason has been to bend but not break, and capitalize on all opportunities.    Counting Big East Tournament play, in every postseason match USF has conceded more shots (65 to 36 cumulatively), more shots on goal (22 to 13), and more corners (30 to 6) than their opponent, but the Half Hoops have been incredibly efficent with their scoring chances.  Of their 21 shots on goal, seven have found the onion bag. 

In #15 Florida State, the Bulls get an opponent that was 7-2-1 in a tough ACC, and averages 2.00 goals per contest.  They got to Sunday via a 3-0 win over the Sun Belt automatic qualifier Middle Tennessee State.  Senior striker Janice Cayman lead all Seminoles with nine goals on the campaign.  FSU has been a traditional power, with four College Cup (soccer's Final Four) appearances from 2003-07, with three coming under their BLATANT CHEATER AND DIRTBAG OF A HEAD COACH.  There is no pressure on the Bulls tomorrow, so let's hope our ladies play fast and loose, and that the Karma Gods smile on us. 

More on a huge match for volleyball tomorrow, men's soccer's chances for the NCAA's as the selection show comes around on Monday, as well as some information that is AVAILABLE NOWHERE ELSE ON THE INTERNET after the jump:

Continue reading this post »