Greg Schiano Pulling For Rutgers Tonight
September 13th, 2012
There may be few people you know that are bigger college football fans than Joe. Why, it’s not uncommon for Joe to inhale 12 hours of football on a Saturday (and untold beers).
It’s not uncommon for Joe to go to a watering hole with two giant HDTVs in front of him, and Joe’s Google Nexus 7 tablet on the bar streaming a game so Joe can watch three games at once.
Shoot, Joe’s such a college football whackjob, he’s even caught himself watching Hawaii games in the small hours of a Sunday morning.
Often, Joe looks forward to watching college football on Thursday nights, partly because it is a harbinger of a long work week near its end. However, given the choice of a Big Least game and a powerful matchup between two iconic NFL rivals, Chicago at Green Bay, it’s a no-brainer for Joe.
Ice up the beers and watch the battle of the Midwest.
Greg Schiano, however, is not in the same boat. If he does watch any of the Rutgers-South Florida game played at the stadium on Dale Mabry Highway tonight, Schiano boasted he will be cheering for the Scarlet Knights, not hometown South Florida, as noted by Greg Auman of the Tampa Bay Times.
@gregauman: Amazed folks in Tampa are surprised/offended Greg Schiano is pulling for Rutgers tonight vs. USF. Spent 11 years there. Deep personal ties. To have any expectation for him to actively cheer against Rutgers is to say you have no understanding of who Schiano is.
Exactly! It is not like Schiano is trying to Pearl Harbor Skip Holtz and his program. Schiano has deep, personal relationships with probably every player on the roster for Rutgers.
Schiano isn’t a fraud like Bobby Petrino, he’s a standup guy. Had Team Glazer not come calling, it’s highly probable that Schiano himself would be coaching Rutgers tonight.
To unload on Schiano for sticking up for his former players, players he considers extended family, is highly myopic if not narrow-minded.
September 13th, 2012 at 11:23 am
Exactly. Anyone who thinks that just because Schiano is head coach of the Bucs he owes allegiance to USF is a total dimwit.
September 13th, 2012 at 11:44 am
FLBoyInDallas:
When FSU plays USF later this month at The CITS, does anyone expect former Bucs great and Storm president Derrick Brooks to pull for USF?
September 13th, 2012 at 11:51 am
Big Least… good one Joe
September 13th, 2012 at 11:56 am
These same people who are offended and surprised are probably the same ones who dont go to the Bucs home games.
September 13th, 2012 at 12:03 pm
Joe:
Right on. For us fans who are natives of the Tampa Bay area it’s one thing, but for these guys who have very strong and deep ties to other institutions it’s another thing entirely. Family is family, and that doesn’t stop just because you move to another city.
September 13th, 2012 at 1:09 pm
Couldn’t agree more Joe and FlBoy. i was astounded when I heard the local yacks disparaging Shiano for rootin’ for his guys, some of whom he’s known for 5 years, many of whom he’s met their parents, sat in their living rooms, developed life-long relationships with. My God, the local yacks have no idea how foolish they look. Have they already forgot Eric LaGrande?
I strongly believe many of the problems the Bucs have with developing a strong fan base, especially since Dungy/Mckay, are squarely on the backs of the worst sports writers in the country. These yacks seem to revel in anything and everything they can find to put the Bucs, its players, and coaches in the most negative light possible.
September 13th, 2012 at 3:22 pm
Go Bulls.
September 13th, 2012 at 4:14 pm
Great articles lately, Joe, especially this one. Solid takes all around, with some great laughs thrown in, as well. Good stuff.
Have y’all noticed, the better the article, the better the comments seem to be?
Hell, each and every one of the above comments (sans David’s) is insightful AND well written! I can hardly believe it!
Well done gentlemen.
September 13th, 2012 at 4:28 pm
Piratic:
Thanks man. Much appreciated.
September 13th, 2012 at 6:10 pm
Joe,
There’s nothing at all wrong with watching Hawaii games! Keep an eye out for us this Saturday (I guess Sunday for you) as we tackle the mighty Lamar football program.
September 13th, 2012 at 8:16 pm
go bulls!
packers/bears snore…
September 13th, 2012 at 8:45 pm
freeman sighting at the game on rutgers sideline. his old kstate oc is now at rutgers, i believe they said.