Wake-Up Call: USF's rise impresses ESPN's James

The Wake-Up Call greets you each weekday with news, views and a few Tampa Bay area sports offerings to anticipate for the day and night. We encourage suggestions and contributions.

Good morning!

ESPN's Craig James, who will work tonight's Cincinnati-USF game at Raymond James Stadium, was guest speaker at Wednesday's Outback Bowl Deloitte Kickoff Luncheon. He's also author of a new book, "Game Day: A Rollicking Journey to the Heart of College Football."

Before Wednesday's luncheon, James spoke with the Wake-Up Call about the Cincinnati-USF game and a variety of topics in college football:

Wake-Up Call: What do you think about the rise of USF's program?

Craig James: I remember coming here for an Outback Bowl function about 15 years ago. People were asking me if I thought USF had a chance to be anything. Could they stick around and be any kind of a factor? Man, how time flies. Look at them now.

Wake-Up Call: How did USF get on the national map like this?

Craig James: They're going out and getting players away from the big schools. They're recruiting against Miami, Florida State, LSU, Georgia - and getting these guys to come. That speaks volumes. Then they go and beat Florida State with a brand-new quarterback (B.J. Daniels). That impressed me. I think Jim Leavitt has done an incredible job. He has been so tenacious. You have to be that way just to start a program and sustain it. But I'm not talking about going 4-7 every year. They're beating people and getting a national ranking. I don't care if they're located in Florida or wherever, that's pretty hard to do. But USF has done it.

Wake-Up Call: Who do you like in the Cincinnati-USF game?

Craig James: I don't expect USF to win the game, to be quite honest, but it's going to be a great game. I want to see if Cincinnati is as good as I think they are. I've got them as a top five team. If USF has the athletes we think they have, they will fly around and play with Cincinnati. It doesn't mean they'll beat them. You've got their experienced quarterback (Tony Pike) going against a freshman quarterback (Daniels). I want to see if Cincinnati can continue to put up the stats for real on the field against a good, fast, physical defense.

Wake-Up Call: How good of a story is Cincinnati?

Craig James: It's a different kind of story, maybe similar to how USF has gotten on top. Brian Kelly came in, when there was a pretty good foundation, and he started recruiting athletes to fit his system. People talk about their offense, their speed, how quick they can score. Let me tell you something. Cincinnati is physical. You watch and see. People don't appreciate how physical they are.

Wake-Up Call: How does the Big East stack up against the other BCS conferences?

Craig James: The Big East has been maligned, but it is much better this year. Cincinnati and USF - we all know about them. I did UConn and Pittsburgh last week. UConn is a good football team. Pitt has elevated their talent level. There's a lot more eye candy - bigger and faster athletes. I also did West Virginia-Colorado. West Virginia is one of the fastest teams you'll see. They can flat fly. They are a nightmare to defend.

Wake-Up Call: What do you make of the latest chapter in the Tim Tebow story?

Craig James: He keeps adding layers to his story. He's Superman. I mean, he's coming off a concussion and to play like that in a setting like LSU? I'm really glad, as a dad, he didn't get hit in the head. That's how I watched the game. Not as a football analyst, but as a dad. Whenever he started running with his head forward, I kind of cringed. I'm glad to see he made it out of game without getting nailed. I like Florida to win it all and Tim Tebow is the reason why. He separates them from the rest of the teams in the nation.

Wake-Up Call: Some people are calling for Bobby Bowden's head at Florida State. What's your opinion?

Craig James: It's unfortunate there's a small group of Florida State folks who are really squealing right now. What they need to remember is all the work Bobby Bowden put into that program. All the sacrifice, all the dinners, all the autographs he signed, all the goodwill he spread, all the great teams he built. That is why FSU football is on the radar. I don't think you should take a snapshot of what's happening in 2008 or 2009 and leave it at that. Remember the totality of what he has done. As for the team, the coaching staff needs to coach better. The players need to take more pride in it. They've got the players. They shouldn't be like they are (2-4).

Wake-Up Call: Is Miami football all the way back?

Craig James: I saw them on a Thursday night when they really slammed Georgia Tech. I was highly impressed. Then they turned around and fell apart at Virginia Tech. I think they need to stop reading the newspapers and listening to the commentators who are saying how great they are. They're making a major step this season with a good young quarterback (Jacory Harris) and a team that overall seems very comfortable with itself. They need to keep Randy Shannon. Sign him up. You're not going to get a better coach for Miami than Randy Shannon.

Wake-Up Call: Who do you have in the BCS Championship Game?

Craig James: As long as Tim Tebow is around, I'm going with Florida as one of the teams. Who else? Nobody from the Big Ten or Pac-10, I don't believe. Texas? I don't know. Texas is missing something. They've got to step up. Alabama is a great team and they will play Florida in the SEC title game. How about a rematch? Can Florida and Alabama turn around and play each other again? The way it has gone so far, I wouldn't be shocked.

Wake-Up Call: OK, who are you picking for the Outback Bowl?

Craig James: I have no idea. I do know it's the SEC against the Big Ten. You're going to have a good matchup here. When you have those two conferences matching up, that always makes for an interesting bowl game. I know if I was still playing college football, I'd love to come to the Outback Bowl. The players and coaches who come here will have those memories for the rest of their lives.

UT men's soccer ranked No. 2

The University of Tampa men's soccer team (10-0-1, 4-0 Sunshine State Conference), coming off a 4-1 win against Eckerd College, is up to No. 2 in the NSCAA Division II national poll.

UT faces a huge game on Friday night at No. 9 Rollins College (13-0-1, 5-0).

Bulls Frenzy on Friday

College basketball practice begins this weekend and USF's version of Midnight Madness - Bulls Frenzy - opens Friday night at the Sun Dome. Free food is offered outside Entry 2 beginning at 7:30.

The USF men's and women's basketball teams will be introduced at 8.

There will also be entertainment - by Status Quo from America's Best Dance Crew Season 1 and some USF athletes.

Jock Sanders speaks

West Virginia junior wide receiver Jock Sanders (St. Petersburg Catholic), who leads the Big East Conference in receptions with 41, spoke with reporters for the first time since his February DUI arrest.

Sanders, suspended until late in the summer, worked out on his own. He met a number of conditions brought forth by the university and Mountaineers coach Bill Stewart before he was allowed to return.

"Me and Coach Stew, we had a close bond and the process when I was suspended was we kept at each other and kept a close relationship," Sanders told the Charleston (W.Va.) Gazette. "I thought I ought to be back, so I wasn't really focusing on not coming back. I was just preparing each day to make myself better.

"It wasn't about me proving myself to (Stewart) or anyone else. It was about me getting the trust back from my teammates. That's a big factor to me and I thought if I could restore the trust of my teammates, everything else would fall into place. When I came back everyone was happy for me and I was happy to be back. I'm going to continue to work hard to build that relationship with my teammates."

Baldelli's time up with Red Sox?

Former Rays outfielder Rocco Baldelli, who had a hip flexor injury and didn't play in the three-game American League playoffs loss to the Los Angeles Angels, might be done with the Boston Red Sox. But he said the one-year stay was enjoyable.

"I don't know what my future holds," Baldelli told the Providence Journal.

In 62 games, Baldelli batted .253 with seven home runs and 23 RBIs.

"He was a fantastic guy to have around. He's just a terrific human being and teammate. It was a pleasure having him here this year," Red Sox general manager Theo Epstein said. "We knew it would be a challenge for him and the organization to balance health, availability and contributions. That proved to be the cause just because of what he has to deal with, but he always worked as hard as he possible could to be ready."

Baldelli, who made a comeback to the Rays in 2008 after being properly diagnosed with a cell disorder, said he felt healthier than ever. He had three stints on the disabled list and never really got into a big-time rhythm with Boston.

Birthday wishes

Happy birthday to former Bucs outside linebacker David Lewis, a second-round pick in 1977 and a key component in Tampa Bay's No. 1-ranked defense of 1979. Lewis turns 55 today.

The Answer Man

Here's the answer to Wednesday's trivia question:

Spoto High School is named for Dick Spoto, a retired educator. Spoto made his reputation as a head football coach at Jefferson High School.

Thursday trivia

Here's our daily sports trivia question, featuring a Tampa Bay/Florida spin. Try your luck by commenting below.

While with the New England Patriots, Craig James had a two-touchdown, 96-yard rushing game against the Bucs at Tampa Stadium in 1985. He also played against the USFL's Tampa Bay Bandits in 1983. James was a member of which USFL team that season?

Check for the answer in Friday's Wake-Up Call.