I have been a pirates fan for just 3 years yet I grew to love the school and become a life time supporter of ECU, after all they just gave me my degree :) . I have seen and heard it all: the directional stigma, titled as the lesser school, red headed step child.

Today the Pirate nation is proud to be in the American Athletic Conference with some premium members namely UConn, Cincinnati, UCF, Memphis. We all seem to be fighting for the same cause, that ticket out of the conference to green pasture, the "P5." However, I rather enjoy this than being some mid-of-the pack SEC or ACC team. UCF and ECU have shown us the pride that surges playing with a chip on your shoulder. The national recognition since the start of this season has been unprecedented. We will never overlook anyone in the this conference for the rest of the season, and Pirate Nation is alive and well.

We feel accepted and respected for the achievement on and off the field in the American Conference, we feel at home. #AmericanRising

For that reason I want all ECU fans to enjoy the wins but not rub it in to our conference mate's face.

Also, don't sleep on what you think should be easy in-conference wins. We were lucky far too often last season, and despite showing that we clearly deserved to be in the BCS game, we very easily could have left the Temple, Memphis, SMU, USF, and Houston games with an L. While the AAC isn't the SEC, it's not CUSA either, and the middle of the pack is far better than you might think.

Most Pirate fans have been around long enough to see us start 6-0 with wins over top 10 Miami and WVU in 1999 and then lose to 4-8 UAB later on, for the younger ones to have seen us beat top 20 teams like WVU and VT and get as high as 14th only to lose like 5 games after. I don't think anyone is penciling victories. I think most are cautiously optimistic.

I'm personally enjoying it for what it is because I know it's a special time that can vanish pretty quickly. That said this doesn't feel like a 1999 or a 2008 to me. This doesn't even feel like a 1991 where we did hold and win a new years day bowl and finish top 10.

The reason is I don't think most pirate fans are shocked by this or that it's coming out of the blue like those seasons kind of did. This has been building for a while and I really think this team is the culmination of what Ruff has built here in year 5 and they have the depth and character to handle their business. You look around the last 4 years and other than maybe a Bowl Tulane team last year in 3 OT's on the Road he really doesn't lose games we shouldn't.

If we lose they are probably going to be a very respectable or good team and we have only lost to two teams that didn't have winning records under Ruff both early in his tenure and teams with a losing record we usually have stepped on their throat of teams like that.

I think what has been a little shocking to me at least is to see how fast our Defense can be. ECU is 13-4 since Coach Smith took over as Defensive Coordinator. We always knew we could score points but the Defense looks better this year than it has in a long time. The curb stomping UNCheat just took would have looked far worse if you take away the two trick plays that accounted for 14pts and the last throw away TD vs our 2nd team Defense. 70-20 would have put a lot of Hole fans on suicide watch.

I am one of the older Pirate fans that has watched magic turn to tragic and I know the grind is in Conference play. As UCF08 pointed out there was a small margin of error for UCF last year between having a dream season and having a solid season if they had lost close Conference games. You need to be talented and then you just need some luck from the Football Gods.

I will say a big difference between this years team and the Holtz era is I believe Holtz himself was pumped up for those OOC games because he was working on his resume for the next job and knew to get noticed you have to win some big OOC games. I think Ruff knows how important it is to focus game by game. He has these players buying into the ultimate goal of winning a conference championship. If they need a lesson on that they just need to look back to last year and the thumping they gave NCST one week only to get curb stomped by Marshall when CUSA East and a possible CUSA Championship was on the line.

I know having watched a lot of AAC Football last year and this year that there are a bunch of teams left on our schedule fully capable of beating ECU. I was hoping for a 2-2 OOC record and 3-1 was my dream scenario. We control our destiny going into AAC and have the possibility of a very special season but it is going to take a lot of focus by our team and some luck here and there.

(09-21-2014 01:06 PM)AACtopER Wrote:  I have been a pirates fan for just 3 years yet I grew to love the school and become a life time supporter of ECU, after all they just gave me my degree :) . I have seen and heard it all: the directional stigma, titled as the lesser school, red headed step child.

Today the Pirate nation is proud to be in the American Athletic Conference with some premium members namely UConn, Cincinnati, UCF, Memphis. We all seem to be fighting for the same cause, that ticket out of the conference to green pasture, the "P5." However, I rather enjoy this than being some mid-of-the pack SEC or ACC team. UCF and ECU have shown us the pride that surges playing with a chip on your shoulder. The national recognition since the start of this season has been unprecedented. We will never overlook anyone in the this conference for the rest of the season, and Pirate Nation is alive and well.

We feel accepted and respected for the achievement on and off the field in the American Conference, we feel at home. #AmericanRising

For that reason I want all ECU fans to enjoy the wins but not rub it in to our conference mate's face.

It's exciting to see ECU enjoying some success but your "premium" member comment is baffling considering that USF has beaten many ranked 'Name' programs not that long ago while many of those premium members you named above couldn't get out of their own way.

Every school in this conference has potential to do great things....and ECU fans more than anyone should understand the ups-and-downs of college football. So I would be more careful about some of your comments...especially when you have some hungry programs like USF and Houston who have shown they can play some ball.

ECU should have been in the Big East back when we were invited. I've said it all along. Much respect for them.

(09-21-2014 05:32 PM)CyberBull Wrote:  

(09-21-2014 01:06 PM)AACtopER Wrote:  I have been a pirates fan for just 3 years yet I grew to love the school and become a life time supporter of ECU, after all they just gave me my degree :) . I have seen and heard it all: the directional stigma, titled as the lesser school, red headed step child.

Today the Pirate nation is proud to be in the American Athletic Conference with some premium members namely UConn, Cincinnati, UCF, Memphis. We all seem to be fighting for the same cause, that ticket out of the conference to green pasture, the "P5." However, I rather enjoy this than being some mid-of-the pack SEC or ACC team. UCF and ECU have shown us the pride that surges playing with a chip on your shoulder. The national recognition since the start of this season has been unprecedented. We will never overlook anyone in the this conference for the rest of the season, and Pirate Nation is alive and well.

We feel accepted and respected for the achievement on and off the field in the American Conference, we feel at home. #AmericanRising

For that reason I want all ECU fans to enjoy the wins but not rub it in to our conference mate's face.

It's exciting to see ECU enjoying some success but your "premium" member comment is baffling considering that USF has beaten many ranked 'Name' programs not that long ago while many of those premium members you named above couldn't get out of their own way.

Every school in this conference has potential to do great things....and ECU fans more than anyone should understand the ups-and-downs of college football. So I would be more careful about some of your comments...especially when you have some hungry programs like USF and Houston who have shown they can play some ball.

Congratulations ECU on your much deserved success, however I find the "premium member" comment extremely condescending.

(09-21-2014 05:43 PM)NYCTUFan Wrote:  

(09-21-2014 05:32 PM)CyberBull Wrote:  

(09-21-2014 01:06 PM)AACtopER Wrote:  I have been a pirates fan for just 3 years yet I grew to love the school and become a life time supporter of ECU, after all they just gave me my degree :) . I have seen and heard it all: the directional stigma, titled as the lesser school, red headed step child.

Today the Pirate nation is proud to be in the American Athletic Conference with some premium members namely UConn, Cincinnati, UCF, Memphis. We all seem to be fighting for the same cause, that ticket out of the conference to green pasture, the "P5." However, I rather enjoy this than being some mid-of-the pack SEC or ACC team. UCF and ECU have shown us the pride that surges playing with a chip on your shoulder. The national recognition since the start of this season has been unprecedented. We will never overlook anyone in the this conference for the rest of the season, and Pirate Nation is alive and well.

We feel accepted and respected for the achievement on and off the field in the American Conference, we feel at home. #AmericanRising

For that reason I want all ECU fans to enjoy the wins but not rub it in to our conference mate's face.

It's exciting to see ECU enjoying some success but your "premium" member comment is baffling considering that USF has beaten many ranked 'Name' programs not that long ago while many of those premium members you named above couldn't get out of their own way.

Every school in this conference has potential to do great things....and ECU fans more than anyone should understand the ups-and-downs of college football. So I would be more careful about some of your comments...especially when you have some hungry programs like USF and Houston who have shown they can play some ball.

Congratulations ECU on your much deserved success, however I find the "premium member" comment extremely condescending.

Apologies but I didnt mean it any way. Since the inception of the conference, whether it be in basketball (uconn) , football (ucf) or both cinncy and memphis all have been pulling their weight.

ECU who just started has a long way to go before we call ours premium. You bring good name to AAC you are a valuable member to the conference

(09-21-2014 05:32 PM)CyberBull Wrote:  

(09-21-2014 01:06 PM)AACtopER Wrote:  I have been a pirates fan for just 3 years yet I grew to love the school and become a life time supporter of ECU, after all they just gave me my degree :) . I have seen and heard it all: the directional stigma, titled as the lesser school, red headed step child.

Today the Pirate nation is proud to be in the American Athletic Conference with some premium members namely UConn, Cincinnati, UCF, Memphis. We all seem to be fighting for the same cause, that ticket out of the conference to green pasture, the "P5." However, I rather enjoy this than being some mid-of-the pack SEC or ACC team. UCF and ECU have shown us the pride that surges playing with a chip on your shoulder. The national recognition since the start of this season has been unprecedented. We will never overlook anyone in the this conference for the rest of the season, and Pirate Nation is alive and well.

We feel accepted and respected for the achievement on and off the field in the American Conference, we feel at home. #AmericanRising

For that reason I want all ECU fans to enjoy the wins but not rub it in to our conference mate's face.

It's exciting to see ECU enjoying some success but your "premium" member comment is baffling considering that USF has beaten many ranked 'Name' programs not that long ago while many of those premium members you named above couldn't get out of their own way.

Every school in this conference has potential to do great things....and ECU fans more than anyone should understand the ups-and-downs of college football. So I would be more careful about some of your comments...especially when you have some hungry programs like USF and Houston who have shown they can play some ball.

comparing USF and ECU in football in incredibly insulting. We ve never had any help, in fact we ve been blocked every step in of the way by the NC schools, legislation etc. We ve earned every thing we ve ever got and USF is the LUCKIEST school in the history of college football. You never earned a thing. Not only have you only had a football program for 15 years you got a BCS league invite after 2 seasons of division 1 play!! You didn't even have to build a stadium...Im still amazed that the big east did that (that decision alone was the single most important reason the big east broken up imo) the power league schools didn't respect you guys due to the lack of a college football culture. It s so ridiculous to me the Tampa bay buc stuff, pirate ship ----we re the pirates, you re the bulls--NFL crap when watching a college game. I don't care what anyone says, I'll never back down when a USF fan criticizes ECU. USF is a hungry program??? A "hungry program" builds a stadium. A hungry program has fans show up to the games

I think most ECU fans that have been around awhile know our history. Yes, we have had some great wins, some top 25 seasons but have not pushed through to a major bowl; we know it is not easy. Not sure who the op was addressing - bandwagon fans or the 20 year old something fans. One loss and you where out of the BCS bowls at least now it seems possible to go to the access bowl with one loss and we already have one loss...it is going to be tough; as it should be. Team looked like world beaters Saturday and I will give them all the credit for that...but it was UNC maybe they will prove something the rest of the season. Saturday they will play at Clemson.

Something feels different about this year. I'm not penciling in victories by any means. I think what is different is the fact that we have a coach that LOVES this place and won't leave. He has the pieces in place an it seems that each year is building upon the previous year. Recruiting has been good and I've never seen the kind of depth we've got right now, especially on offense. Most of all though, I truly believe that Ruff has a program full of players that would run through a brick wall for him if he asked. They've really bought into what he's selling and that can be really dangerous for opponents.

(09-21-2014 01:06 PM)AACtopER Wrote:  I have been a pirates fan for just 3 years yet I grew to love the school and become a life time supporter of ECU, after all they just gave me my degree :) . I have seen and heard it all: the directional stigma, titled as the lesser school, red headed step child.

Today the Pirate nation is proud to be in the American Athletic Conference with some premium members namely UConn, Cincinnati, UCF, Memphis. We all seem to be fighting for the same cause, that ticket out of the conference to green pasture, the "P5." However, I rather enjoy this than being some mid-of-the pack SEC or ACC team. UCF and ECU have shown us the pride that surges playing with a chip on your shoulder. The national recognition since the start of this season has been unprecedented. We will never overlook anyone in the this conference for the rest of the season, and Pirate Nation is alive and well.

We feel accepted and respected for the achievement on and off the field in the American Conference, we feel at home. #AmericanRising

For that reason I want all ECU fans to enjoy the wins but not rub it in to our conference mate's face.

(09-23-2014 01:30 AM)billybobby777 Wrote:  

(09-21-2014 05:32 PM)CyberBull Wrote:  

(09-21-2014 01:06 PM)AACtopER Wrote:  I have been a pirates fan for just 3 years yet I grew to love the school and become a life time supporter of ECU, after all they just gave me my degree :) . I have seen and heard it all: the directional stigma, titled as the lesser school, red headed step child.

Today the Pirate nation is proud to be in the American Athletic Conference with some premium members namely UConn, Cincinnati, UCF, Memphis. We all seem to be fighting for the same cause, that ticket out of the conference to green pasture, the "P5." However, I rather enjoy this than being some mid-of-the pack SEC or ACC team. UCF and ECU have shown us the pride that surges playing with a chip on your shoulder. The national recognition since the start of this season has been unprecedented. We will never overlook anyone in the this conference for the rest of the season, and Pirate Nation is alive and well.

We feel accepted and respected for the achievement on and off the field in the American Conference, we feel at home. #AmericanRising

For that reason I want all ECU fans to enjoy the wins but not rub it in to our conference mate's face.

It's exciting to see ECU enjoying some success but your "premium" member comment is baffling considering that USF has beaten many ranked 'Name' programs not that long ago while many of those premium members you named above couldn't get out of their own way.

Every school in this conference has potential to do great things....and ECU fans more than anyone should understand the ups-and-downs of college football. So I would be more careful about some of your comments...especially when you have some hungry programs like USF and Houston who have shown they can play some ball.

comparing USF and ECU in football in incredibly insulting. We ve never had any help, in fact we ve been blocked every step in of the way by the NC schools, legislation etc. We ve earned every thing we ve ever got and USF is the LUCKIEST school in the history of college football. You never earned a thing. Not only have you only had a football program for 15 years you got a BCS league invite after 2 seasons of division 1 play!! You didn't even have to build a stadium...Im still amazed that the big east did that (that decision alone was the single most important reason the big east broken up imo) the power league schools didn't respect you guys due to the lack of a college football culture. It s so ridiculous to me the Tampa bay buc stuff, pirate ship ----we re the pirates, you re the bulls--NFL crap when watching a college game. I don't care what anyone says, I'll never back down when a USF fan criticizes ECU. USF is a hungry program??? A "hungry program" builds a stadium. A hungry program has fans show up to the games

Seriously, what the hell is wrong with you?? Okay you hate USF, we get it. If you want to constantly b!tch about USF, take it to the smack board. There is an NFL stadium a few miles away, so we play in it. Get over it. We got a Big East invite. Get over it. First, like we should have declined it, just to make you happy? Second, (and you obviously don't get this part...) your issue, if you didn't like USF in the Big East, is with the PEOPLE WHO GAVE THE INVITATION. Not the people who took it. Unless you're just a jealous kid.

Now can the rest of us please talk about the American Conference without this nonsense again? I love this conference, I like every school in it (including ECU). If ECU makes a BCS bowl, I'll be cheering as loud as anyone for you.

Edit for everyone else: Frankly I'm embarassed we're even talking about this on a pro-ECU thread. Apologies to everyone else, but I had to respond to this. Hopefully no more threads get hijacked.)

We are blessed and fortunate to be where we are at this point in the season as well as to be part of what could turn out to be a very solid conference moving forward. Personally I've got nothing negative to say about any team or its fans in this conference. A loss for SMU stings almost as much as loss for ECU. A win for UCF feels almost as great as a win for ECU. I want all the teams in this conference to do well and I want this conference to break the stranglehold the contract conferences have over college football. Every team in this conference has potential and an athletic history that can serve as the foundation for great things down the road. The Pirates are having a great year thus far, but our success is only one piece to the puzzle. There are NO "premium" teams in this conference. Some may have an edge when it comes to future realignment, some have been better in football, some have been outstanding in basketball, etc. but at the end of the day it's the accomplishments that this conference achieves as a whole that will help get us the national recognition we all know we deserve.

The wins over VaT / UNC were great, but like Ruff's 24 hour rule.............it's time to look at the next opponent and now we are the hunted.

So speaketh ECUPirated.................

(09-23-2014 10:35 AM)Bull Wrote:  

(09-23-2014 01:30 AM)billybobby777 Wrote:  

(09-21-2014 05:32 PM)CyberBull Wrote:  

(09-21-2014 01:06 PM)AACtopER Wrote:  I have been a pirates fan for just 3 years yet I grew to love the school and become a life time supporter of ECU, after all they just gave me my degree :) . I have seen and heard it all: the directional stigma, titled as the lesser school, red headed step child.

Today the Pirate nation is proud to be in the American Athletic Conference with some premium members namely UConn, Cincinnati, UCF, Memphis. We all seem to be fighting for the same cause, that ticket out of the conference to green pasture, the "P5." However, I rather enjoy this than being some mid-of-the pack SEC or ACC team. UCF and ECU have shown us the pride that surges playing with a chip on your shoulder. The national recognition since the start of this season has been unprecedented. We will never overlook anyone in the this conference for the rest of the season, and Pirate Nation is alive and well.

We feel accepted and respected for the achievement on and off the field in the American Conference, we feel at home. #AmericanRising

For that reason I want all ECU fans to enjoy the wins but not rub it in to our conference mate's face.

It's exciting to see ECU enjoying some success but your "premium" member comment is baffling considering that USF has beaten many ranked 'Name' programs not that long ago while many of those premium members you named above couldn't get out of their own way.

Every school in this conference has potential to do great things....and ECU fans more than anyone should understand the ups-and-downs of college football. So I would be more careful about some of your comments...especially when you have some hungry programs like USF and Houston who have shown they can play some ball.

comparing USF and ECU in football in incredibly insulting. We ve never had any help, in fact we ve been blocked every step in of the way by the NC schools, legislation etc. We ve earned every thing we ve ever got and USF is the LUCKIEST school in the history of college football. You never earned a thing. Not only have you only had a football program for 15 years you got a BCS league invite after 2 seasons of division 1 play!! You didn't even have to build a stadium...Im still amazed that the big east did that (that decision alone was the single most important reason the big east broken up imo) the power league schools didn't respect you guys due to the lack of a college football culture. It s so ridiculous to me the Tampa bay buc stuff, pirate ship ----we re the pirates, you re the bulls--NFL crap when watching a college game. I don't care what anyone says, I'll never back down when a USF fan criticizes ECU. USF is a hungry program??? A "hungry program" builds a stadium. A hungry program has fans show up to the games

Seriously, what the hell is wrong with you?? Okay you hate USF, we get it. If you want to constantly b!tch about USF, take it to the smack board. There is an NFL stadium a few miles away, so we play in it. Get over it. We got a Big East invite. Get over it. First, like we should have declined it, just to make you happy? Second, (and you obviously don't get this part...) your issue, if you didn't like USF in the Big East, is with the PEOPLE WHO GAVE THE INVITATION. Not the people who took it. Unless you're just a jealous kid.

Now can the rest of us please talk about the American Conference without this nonsense again? I love this conference, I like every school in it (including ECU). If ECU makes a BCS bowl, I'll be cheering as loud as anyone for you.

Edit for everyone else: Frankly I'm embarassed we're even talking about this on a pro-ECU thread. Apologies to everyone else, but I had to respond to this. Hopefully no more threads get hijacked.)

I said that I LL respond to any USF fan that tells us we need to know our place. Bull, YOU brought up ECU, I responded.

(09-23-2014 10:35 AM)Bull Wrote:  

(09-23-2014 01:30 AM)billybobby777 Wrote:  

(09-21-2014 05:32 PM)CyberBull Wrote:  

(09-21-2014 01:06 PM)AACtopER Wrote:  I have been a pirates fan for just 3 years yet I grew to love the school and become a life time supporter of ECU, after all they just gave me my degree :) . I have seen and heard it all: the directional stigma, titled as the lesser school, red headed step child.

Today the Pirate nation is proud to be in the American Athletic Conference with some premium members namely UConn, Cincinnati, UCF, Memphis. We all seem to be fighting for the same cause, that ticket out of the conference to green pasture, the "P5." However, I rather enjoy this than being some mid-of-the pack SEC or ACC team. UCF and ECU have shown us the pride that surges playing with a chip on your shoulder. The national recognition since the start of this season has been unprecedented. We will never overlook anyone in the this conference for the rest of the season, and Pirate Nation is alive and well.

We feel accepted and respected for the achievement on and off the field in the American Conference, we feel at home. #AmericanRising

For that reason I want all ECU fans to enjoy the wins but not rub it in to our conference mate's face.

It's exciting to see ECU enjoying some success but your "premium" member comment is baffling considering that USF has beaten many ranked 'Name' programs not that long ago while many of those premium members you named above couldn't get out of their own way.

Every school in this conference has potential to do great things....and ECU fans more than anyone should understand the ups-and-downs of college football. So I would be more careful about some of your comments...especially when you have some hungry programs like USF and Houston who have shown they can play some ball.

comparing USF and ECU in football in incredibly insulting. We ve never had any help, in fact we ve been blocked every step in of the way by the NC schools, legislation etc. We ve earned every thing we ve ever got and USF is the LUCKIEST school in the history of college football. You never earned a thing. Not only have you only had a football program for 15 years you got a BCS league invite after 2 seasons of division 1 play!! You didn't even have to build a stadium...Im still amazed that the big east did that (that decision alone was the single most important reason the big east broken up imo) the power league schools didn't respect you guys due to the lack of a college football culture. It s so ridiculous to me the Tampa bay buc stuff, pirate ship ----we re the pirates, you re the bulls--NFL crap when watching a college game. I don't care what anyone says, I'll never back down when a USF fan criticizes ECU. USF is a hungry program??? A "hungry program" builds a stadium. A hungry program has fans show up to the games

Seriously, what the hell is wrong with you?? Okay you hate USF, we get it. If you want to constantly b!tch about USF, take it to the smack board. There is an NFL stadium a few miles away, so we play in it. Get over it. We got a Big East invite. Get over it. First, like we should have declined it, just to make you happy? Second, (and you obviously don't get this part...) your issue, if you didn't like USF in the Big East, is with the PEOPLE WHO GAVE THE INVITATION. Not the people who took it. Unless you're just a jealous kid.

Now can the rest of us please talk about the American Conference without this nonsense again? I love this conference, I like every school in it (including ECU). If ECU makes a BCS bowl, I'll be cheering as loud as anyone for you.

Edit for everyone else: Frankly I'm embarassed we're even talking about this on a pro-ECU thread. Apologies to everyone else, but I had to respond to this. Hopefully no more threads get hijacked.)

Bull, I have nothing against you, any USF grads or students. Yes, your right I'm mad that USF got the Big East invite in 2003, yes I'm mad that ECU has been passed over so many times by the big east. you're right on those points, but I don't hate USF. One thing I'll admit about USF is good academics in some areas and the research $ you've been able to pull in such a short period of time is very impressive. There's been a few years where you guys pulled in more than a few AAU schools. There, I said something nice about USF!

(09-24-2014 04:56 PM)billybobby777 Wrote:  

(09-23-2014 10:35 AM)Bull Wrote:  

(09-23-2014 01:30 AM)billybobby777 Wrote:  

(09-21-2014 05:32 PM)CyberBull Wrote:  

(09-21-2014 01:06 PM)AACtopER Wrote:  I have been a pirates fan for just 3 years yet I grew to love the school and become a life time supporter of ECU, after all they just gave me my degree :) . I have seen and heard it all: the directional stigma, titled as the lesser school, red headed step child.

Today the Pirate nation is proud to be in the American Athletic Conference with some premium members namely UConn, Cincinnati, UCF, Memphis. We all seem to be fighting for the same cause, that ticket out of the conference to green pasture, the "P5." However, I rather enjoy this than being some mid-of-the pack SEC or ACC team. UCF and ECU have shown us the pride that surges playing with a chip on your shoulder. The national recognition since the start of this season has been unprecedented. We will never overlook anyone in the this conference for the rest of the season, and Pirate Nation is alive and well.

We feel accepted and respected for the achievement on and off the field in the American Conference, we feel at home. #AmericanRising

For that reason I want all ECU fans to enjoy the wins but not rub it in to our conference mate's face.

It's exciting to see ECU enjoying some success but your "premium" member comment is baffling considering that USF has beaten many ranked 'Name' programs not that long ago while many of those premium members you named above couldn't get out of their own way.

Every school in this conference has potential to do great things....and ECU fans more than anyone should understand the ups-and-downs of college football. So I would be more careful about some of your comments...especially when you have some hungry programs like USF and Houston who have shown they can play some ball.

comparing USF and ECU in football in incredibly insulting. We ve never had any help, in fact we ve been blocked every step in of the way by the NC schools, legislation etc. We ve earned every thing we ve ever got and USF is the LUCKIEST school in the history of college football. You never earned a thing. Not only have you only had a football program for 15 years you got a BCS league invite after 2 seasons of division 1 play!! You didn't even have to build a stadium...Im still amazed that the big east did that (that decision alone was the single most important reason the big east broken up imo) the power league schools didn't respect you guys due to the lack of a college football culture. It s so ridiculous to me the Tampa bay buc stuff, pirate ship ----we re the pirates, you re the bulls--NFL crap when watching a college game. I don't care what anyone says, I'll never back down when a USF fan criticizes ECU. USF is a hungry program??? A "hungry program" builds a stadium. A hungry program has fans show up to the games

Seriously, what the hell is wrong with you?? Okay you hate USF, we get it. If you want to constantly b!tch about USF, take it to the smack board. There is an NFL stadium a few miles away, so we play in it. Get over it. We got a Big East invite. Get over it. First, like we should have declined it, just to make you happy? Second, (and you obviously don't get this part...) your issue, if you didn't like USF in the Big East, is with the PEOPLE WHO GAVE THE INVITATION. Not the people who took it. Unless you're just a jealous kid.

Now can the rest of us please talk about the American Conference without this nonsense again? I love this conference, I like every school in it (including ECU). If ECU makes a BCS bowl, I'll be cheering as loud as anyone for you.

Edit for everyone else: Frankly I'm embarassed we're even talking about this on a pro-ECU thread. Apologies to everyone else, but I had to respond to this. Hopefully no more threads get hijacked.)

Bull, I have nothing against you, any USF grads or students. Yes, your right I'm mad that USF got the Big East invite in 2003, yes I'm mad that ECU has been passed over so many times by the big east. you're right on those points, but I don't hate USF. One thing I'll admit about USF is good academics in some areas and the research $ you've been able to pull in such a short period of time is very impressive. There's been a few years where you guys pulled in more than a few AAU schools. There, I said something nice about USF!

First, my original post didn't take a shot at ECU but rather addressed the condescending tone of the original poster, intended or not.

Secondly, USF started a program after nearly 50 years of being told no and had almost instant success, so spare us the sob stories. This is the FIRST rough patch for the program on and off the field and like most schools we will survive this and grow stronger from the experience.

It's actually pretty sad that you admit that the only reason you hate USF is b/c you are jealous that you got passed over. Deal with it....

Btw, USF has more than good academics in "some" areas...as we are a Top 100 public and great research institution, which is amazing since most universities we compete with have at least a 100 year head start. I guess you think we are undeserving of yet another record year of research funding as announced yesterday....