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Baseball’s Florida Four is here ... what about a basketball Florida Four?
Posted Feb 25, 2010 by Scott Carter
Updated Feb 25, 2010 at 01:44 PM
A few members of the media had a conference call earlier today with the four baseball coaches involved in next week’s inaugural Florida Four at Steinbrenner Field.
USF’s Lelo Prado, Florida State’s Mike Martin, Miami coach Jim Morris and Florida’s Kevin O’Sullivan all voiced support for the event, one that Tampa Bay Sports Commission executive director Rob Higgins is working to make sure isn’t a one-hit wonder.
They say it’s good for college baseball, good for recruiting in the talent-rich Tampa Bay area, and good for their programs to face strong competition early in the season.
I agree on all counts. College baseball needs all the publicity it can get, and I think the programs are smart to get involved in this event and work toward making it an annual showcase.
USF faces Miami in the first game Tuesday at Steinbrenner Field, and Florida plays Florida State in the second game. I remember covering a FSU-Florida game in Jacksonville in 2007 that set the all-time attendance record (12,280) for a college baseball game in the state of Florida.
The stadium was packed. Fans were excited. The teams were pumped. It was a great event, but momentum from the buzz about the game faded and college baseball in the state searched for another signature event. The Florida Four could be it one day.
If this can be done in baseball, why not basketball too?
Why not get Florida, FSU, Miami and USF together for a two-day event at the St. Pete Times Forum or in Orlando at the Magic’s new arena. Each team plays two games. The first-day winners meet in the final game to determine a state champion.
Heck, I’d be for a three-day Florida Elite Eight event in which UCF, Florida Atlantic and Florida International participate, with perhaps Florida Gulf Coast or North Florida rounding out the field.
Michael Jordan might even show up since his son Marcus plays for UCF, a coach he tried to hire with the Washington Wizards is at FAU (Mike Jarvis), a coach he basically fired is at FSU (Leonard Hamilton), and a coach he doesn’t like too much (Isiah Thomas) is at FIU.
Considering that we all know we live in a football-crazed state, the state’s college basketball programs are always fighting for more attention and relevancy. This is one way to make it happen.
What do you guys think? Would you like to see an annual basketball event similar to the one in baseball at Steinbrenner Field next week? Do you plan to show up Tuesday for the baseball Florida Four?
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Reader Comments
Por (Miles) on February 25, 2010 (Suggest removal)
Florida Four in baseball is a great idea. Anytime you can get the “Big 4” together for a sporting event, it’s going to succeed. I just wish it was on a weekend so an out-of-towner like myself could attend. I hope the Tampa Bay community will embrace it, we know there are some avid baseball fans in Tampa.
Suggest removalPor (Miles) on February 25, 2010 (Suggest removal)
Here is my idea for a Division I Florida only basketball tournament. UF, FSU, UM, USF, UCF, FAU, FIU, FGCU, North Florida, Jacksonville, and Stetson. That’s only 11 so throw West Florida in there too. Make it a Friday-Sunday tourney at Times Forum or Orlando Events Center.
Suggest removalPor (Scott Carter) on February 25, 2010 (Suggest removal)
Miles, like the idea…if Florida schools promoted basketball more, it would be more popular in the state…look at what Philly does with the Big 5—LaSalle, Villanova, St. Joe’s, Penn and Temple…it’s a hoops hotbed because the schools/city leaders promote the game…Drexel is also in the mix…maybe some day we’ll have a Florida hoops extravaganza
Suggest removalPor (Terry_Lucas) on February 25, 2010 (Suggest removal)
Not a bad idea Miles… but draw the teams out of a hat… if USF and UF meet the first day, so be it. This could be incorporated in softball as well. Heck, a school like FGCU has the talent to knock all of the major Florida schools off in softball. We should probably even let UCF in the mix…
Suggest removalPor (Joey Johnston) on February 25, 2010 (Suggest removal)
There actually was a Florida Four basketball tournament in 1981 and 1982. USF, Florida, FSU and Jacksonville (Miami had yet to resurrect its program). Lee Rose’s USF team won them both—at the Sun Dome and Gainesville—and those trophies are still in the case at the Sun Dome’s Green and Gold room. In fact, Sports Illustrated wrote a two-page article about the first one. Then the idea kind of went away. Imagine a weekend tournament with all the teams participating, kids clinics, autograph signings, past state greats making an appearance, maybe some big-name sponsors emerging.
Suggest removalPor (High Tech Bull) on February 26, 2010 (Suggest removal)
Joey Johnston beat me to the punch about the old Florida Four. USF used to hang those champion banners in the Sun Dome, but I think they stopped hanging them.
Suggest removalEven though those Florida Fours were way before my time at USF, even back in the 90’s we used to brag about it to fellow UF & FSU friends. Especially since we still played UF & FSU every year back then.
They really should put them back up as a point of pride. If they are old and worn, then commission some new ones and hang them with the other men’s & women’s NCAA & NIT banners.
Por (Scott Carter) on February 26, 2010 (Suggest removal)
Joey, I should have consulted your encyclopedic memory before the blog…really like the idea of turning the event into something more with hoops clinics, autograph sessions, etc…see if you can make it happen
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