Florida basketball to start season against USF in Jacksonville I would really like to make this game.
Don't know who they are bringing back, but their team and coach did a heck of a job last season. They went 25-8/16-2. Defeated UCF, then lost to VCU in the NIT. In season they beat FAU, UNT, Memphis, some other good teams and beat FSU by 16 on a neutral court (we beat FSU by 21 at home). If USF is anywhere near as good as they were last season, they will present a challenge.
Not sure who they brought in but I did read that their best three players all transferred out, including one kid to Alabama.
Anyone remember WAAAAYYY back when we participated in an annual Florida Four tournament for a few years? The participants were UF, FSU, Miami, and (I think) Jacksonville. I think Lakeland was the venue. The idea was to try and build interest in basketball in the state. Didn't really succeed at that. Poorly promoted, poorly attended, and no TV coverage. I don't know if it would generate much more interest if it were resuscitated, but there would be a stronger basis for something similar. I could envision an experiment with a "Florida Eight" of UF, FSU, Miami, Jacksonville, USF, UCF, FGCU, and FAU. Play it in Orlando (but not on UCF's court). At least there would be decent attendance and TV coverage of all the games. Nah, who am I kidding? A better tournament would be a Florida Invitational, featuring UF and one team each from the Big East, ACC, Big 12, Big 10, PAC 12, Mountain West, and Atlantic 10. Now that would draw some serious interest, like the Maui Invitational.
I remember it. At least one year I think was played in Jax. It would fare better these days, I suspect. No one does doubleheaders anymore but I'd be intrigued by Florida and Florida State jointly hosting one in Orlando or Tampa. Gators play in the early game one year, the 2nd game following year. Or, we could do this with UCF or USF.
Went to the Milk Challenge a couple two or three times...I don't recall it was only UF and those nolies
I may be wrong. I believe that's what they called it when it was just UF and FSU at the since-demolished Orlando Amway Arena (I got to see Jason Williams in that game). Maybe there were other teams included but not in a true tournament format. Then they created a tournament at the Disney World of Sports venue featuring multiple teams (of which we were never included), and I think they called it the Milk Challenge also. T.G. Lee is headquartered in Orlando and sponsored the thing, so that's why it was called the Milk Challenge (IIRC).
I dunno. It's a wild guess each year who will be the top teams from there. Oregon State was pretty good this past season but have been pretty soft in prior seasons. UCLA, USC, Washington, Utah... any of them maybe. Arizona is usually good to very good.
Nah, that's not it. I knew that there were some defections from the PAC-12 but I missed the memo that it had collapsed entirely.
I hate how the PAC12 dismembered, i get it cuz everyone is greedy its human nature. Need $$$. But i liked when conferences were based on regions not money driven. ACC is gonna be a mess with Big 10 atleast SEC is somewhat regional
