Forward Chin lands at Cal State-Fullerton
The last unclaimed player from the slew transferring out of USF's men's basketball program has found a home. Forward Orane Chin, granted a release from USF after one season, has signed with Cal State-Fullerton after making a campus visit last week. He'll sit out this season and have three years of eligibility with the Titans.
"We think he can be an outstanding player for us in the Big West Conference," Titans coach Bob Burton said in a statement. "He's pretty athletic and a pretty good shooter. We're real excited to get him. His numbers weren't overwhelming but if you can start in the Big East as a freshman, that's an indication he can be a pretty good player for us."
To wrap up where everyone's landed: Zaronn Cann last summer to Division II Eckerd College, Dante Curry in December to Georgia State, Solomon Bozeman to Arkansas-Little Rock, Aaron Holmes to Sante Fe Community College and Amu Saaka to Furman.
-- Promising news for USF soccer and coach George Kiefer, as today's Boston Globe has a profile on Mike Soboff, a talented midfielder who the Bulls have landed, beating out Big East power Connecticut and 2006 national champion Maryland. We've got calls out to Soboff today, but here's a highlight clip of him from Youtube. Here's a short one of him showing off his juggling skills -- notice he doesn't quite pull off the ball-resting-on-back-of-neck deal the first time. More to come there ...
-- Defensive tackle Richard Clebert's stay with the CFL's Montreal Alouettes didn't last long. He was cut June 15, barely a week after joining the Alouettes in preseason camp. Former USF safety Jeremy Burnett was cut this week by the Saskatchewan Roughriders, leaving receiver S.J. Green as the Bulls' lone representative in the CFL.
-- USF should know by the weekend if pitching coach Lazer Collazo is leaving to become head coach at Florida Atlantic, but there was another Bulls pitching coach in the news recently. Russ McNickle, the Bulls' top assistant under Eddie Cardieri in 1999-2000, is the new head coach at Saint Leo in eastern Pasco County.
-- Hey, Mike Lakeland! This might be old news for my Polk County readers, but USF has added three billboards in Lakeland, for a total of 21 trumpeting the upcoming football season. Locations? North 98 by I-4 on the left-hand side; South 98 and Winter Lake Road on the right, by USF's Lakeland campus; and where else but S. Florida Avenue, past the Outback on the left side. And if you haven't seen USF's TV commercial touting season tickets, it's made its way onto Youtube as well. That shot of Jim Leavitt watching film on a projector is clearly staged -- you can tell because there's no Pepsi in sight.
Times sportswriter Greg Auman, who covers USF, will post news and thoughts on the Bulletin and we invite your participation in the comments area.
I've heard about the Pepsi... USF's deal with Coca-cola is cramping Leavitt's style!
Posted by: cg | June 26, 2008 at 02:16 PM
how 'bout some 'boards for south of the bay!
Posted by: 941 | June 26, 2008 at 02:43 PM
Good for Chin that he gets a 2nd chance at a not so bad school.
I hope that this whole experience has humbled him and he learns from his mistakes he made hear.
Athletic talent has opened up another door for him, make the best of it young man.
Posted by: The Champ | June 26, 2008 at 03:24 PM
Champ, AP english might not be in your future with that hear mistake, but good luck this summer. I thought it was nice Dad let's you go to 6 events a year.
Here is a good question for you Champ, or maybe Greg.
Where do the USF guys play during the summer? What rec leagues or whatnot? Just wondering where they are going to play to improve. The guys at Rutgers, St. John's, and Seton Hall are able to play at the Rucker or the Jersey Shore League, just wondered where the USF guys play.
Posted by: Reality | June 26, 2008 at 04:00 PM
Neither will AP English be in your future, Reality.
"Let's" is a contraction meaning "let us."
I do believe you mean "lets."
The irony of you lambasting another's grammatical prowess is splendid.
Posted by: Daniel Webster | June 26, 2008 at 04:22 PM
Nice youtube clip and high five to mike crambone(r)
Posted by: TJ | June 26, 2008 at 04:53 PM
To avoid future red faces the first rule of spelling smack is proofread your smack post.
Posted by: BadAssBull | June 26, 2008 at 06:07 PM
Wow with so many posters suffering with our grammar including the great reality(cough, cough, wait....cough, cough) it may be time for G.A. to add an edit feature to this blog if possible.
Posted by: The Champ | June 26, 2008 at 06:10 PM
The second rule of spelling smack is proofread your smack post. Just those two rules.
Posted by: BadAssBull | June 26, 2008 at 06:28 PM
Can USF put some billboards in Miami Orlando, Pensacola, Jax, NYC, Baltimore, LA, San Fran, TX, etc. AKA not in the Bay Area. People know about us in our 100 mile radius. We need expose outside of that, kinda like what Butgers has done.
Posted by: DELdaBULL | June 27, 2008 at 07:18 AM
Thanks for the shout-out, Greg! I was not aware of two of those billboards, but I did see the one at South 98 and Winter Lake Road last night. It's one of those LED ones!!!
DELdaBULL - of course national exposure would be great, but we are trying to sell season tickets right now. I don't think too many Jacksonians or Baltimorians would be buying sets...
Greg - Coke or Pepsi? I prefer Pepsi from a can or bottle, but Coke from the fountain.
Posted by: Mike Lakeland | June 27, 2008 at 08:33 AM
I don't really have a preference, but don't make the mistake of giving Leavitt a Coke.
Posted by: G.A. | June 27, 2008 at 08:46 AM
When I'm kickin' it on the bass, I always reach for an ice cold RC Cola.
Posted by: Danny Bonaduce | June 27, 2008 at 11:23 AM
There is a third rule: Be right. Greg can arbitrate. Loved that jell and gel, Greg. Thanks.
Posted by: Ken | June 28, 2008 at 08:45 AM