Hey! Watch the Sun Bowl all over again

Not sure that many Bulls fans want to go through Monday's 56-21 loss to Oregon in the Sun Bowl again, but if you do, I have exciting news: CSTV is rebroadcasting the game -- Sunday at 7 p.m., Monday at 1 a.m. and 4 p.m. and Tuesday at 2 p.m. ... I still haven't made it all the way through the CBS broadcast, because I feel a need to write things down when they call USF the "Bulldogs" or say that Carlton Mitchell's a true freshman or throw A.J. Love's mugshot up as Nate Allen's. I'm getting there.

Got a ton of comments -- far more than I'd ever imagined -- off Thursday's story on Ben Moffitt's divorce and his wife's admission she took online classes and wrote papers for him at USF. Trying not to upset as many people this time around, so if you're not interested in reading anything more about the topic, then absolutely, positively do not click here. (Those of you with kids, this reminds me of Grover's "Monster at the End of the Book.") Anyway, the link is Saturday's update. Read it if you want, or be just as proud not to, and by all means, offer up your comments, but be polite to all parties involved. Please.

Saturday's a big day for USF basketball, with the men's game at Syracuse on WFTS Ch. 28 in Tampa at noon, then a huge game for USF's women in the Sun Dome at 7 against West Virginia. The Mountaineers are ranked, but haven't really posted an impressive victory yet this year, much like USF. It'll give one team a great start in the Big East, and one win might be the difference between 9-7 and the NCAAs or 8-8 and a trip to the Women's NIT. Can USF's men go into the Carrier Dome and win? It'll take a huge game by Kentrell Gransberry, who ranks fifth nationally in rebounding but faces a tough rebounding frontcourt from the Orange, who lead the Big East in scoring. Some outstanding freshmen in this game, from USF's Dominique Jones to Syracuse's Donte Greene and Jonny Flynn. I should be blogging live from the women's game ...

-- Thought I had an intriguing new possibility for a player joining USF's football roster next week, but just as quickly as he appeared, he was gone. USF had gotten a release from Auburn defensive lineman Bryant Miller, who did not play in two seasons with the Tigers but was a nationally touted recruit out of Miami Central two years ago, playing in the same class with Bulls linebacker Sabbath Joseph. Miller is looking to transfer, but it won't be to USF. Defensive line remains a major priority for the Bulls ...

Oh, and since I got an e-mail from at least one person who thought this was real, I'll offer a link to the Cheetos Unification Bowl, which is getting some fun advertising during this BCS week. My vote is for Crunchy, easily the best option ...

Comments

[Ari Hinkelberger]

You had every single right to publish that story. Don't let the green and gold crew dissuade you. That was pure journalism. YOu got a story that has been pushed and pushed and pushed.... and a solid journalist sheds light on a truth.

Sometimes the hard stories are the ones that need to be written.

Good Job.

[wow]

The next story should be why an institute of higher learning has no safeguards in place to prevent academic dishonesty in online courses. I think it is pretty naive to think that this is an isolated issue given the issues that have recently come to light with online courses at both the HS and College level. You might recall the diploma factory issue from Jacksonville and Miami where recruits were getting supplemental courses from questionable sources.

[Jen]

What about the online courses high school students take to be able to graduate from high school? What safeguards are in place there? What is to prevent parents or friends from taking those tests?

[Woody Paige]

Holy crapola Ari, how many times are you going to flip flop on your opinion of Greg writing this story? One second your saying he shouldnt have written it the next you are saying he had every right.

Ari H. said that the person who bashed greg for the article was just using the name Ari and it was not really him.

[Ari Hinkelberger]

I think it was a horrible idea to write this article. Showed no class. It has zero journalistic credibility. I think Greg should be fired - honestly.

[Mike]

Greg is a reporter, his JOB is to report the news. If he did not someone else will, and probably will do a worse job. I love USF and Bulls Football, but if somebody elects to take a scholarship, they accept the fact that what they do may end up in the public eye.
The only problem I had with Greg was posting the story in the Bulls Blog in the USF sports area. This should be in with the other news stories. Keep the blog for Program impacting stories only, and as of the 31st Moffit does not have any impact on the USF 08 Football season...
How about some recruiting news??

[Deep Throat]

the definition of 'newsworthy' is as liberal as the journalists that make the judgement on it.

I don't think the fact news about the divorce was released is a problem, it's the use of a family photo with the children, and clearly taking a bent side of the argument using virtually all of comments and insinuations of his wife- but not articulating that this is a lovers spat/divorce and the comments should be weighed accordingly.

The news is fine provided it's reported as 'news' and not some great discovery like the knuckleheads at the sports desk are Woodward and Burnstein...

[G.A.]

"Burnstein." Very nice. They aren't family photos. They were taken by another newspaper's photographer for a previous story. You have no reason to think I used all the comments from the wife; hardly so. I made the same attempt to reach Ben and was directed to his attorney, who had little to nothing to say.

[John H]

Greg,
You are just doing your job. You don't have to defend yourself. You are a professional reporter, not a professional USF fan. If I hadn't already read the story in the newspaper, then I would certainly have wanted to read it here. Unfortunately, it does involve USF athletics, so it is relevant. I hope there are no further repercussions on the school from this incident. Perhaps they will institute better safeguards to reduce the chance of these kind of accusations being made in the future. If they are true, then shame on both the Moffitts and anyone else who knew about it.

[Times eats it]

GA, why do you think his attorney had little to say? A little hint for you and the scoop team, divorces are messy and little can be trusted that have come out of either side.

For example some of what you've printed from his wife is an outright lie. You never bothered to investigate the facts behind it.

But you reporters deal in semantics I suppose, a wife tells a man he's not allowed to see the children because they're divorcing, then tells you he hasn't seen the children and you slant it your way....get the pic? So just because he chooses not to comment then you automatically assume the other side is telling the truth because they're the only side that would speak with you?

How original. I guess when dealing with the media the old adage is true, damned if you do, and damned if you don't.

[Clarence Thomas]

Anita Hill pulled the same crap with me. Hang in there Ben