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The Oracle M O N D AY, A P R I L 1 8 , 2 0 1 6 I V O L . 5 3 N O. 8 4

Inside this Issue

w w w. u s fo r a c l e. co m

The Index

Opinion.......................................................4 Classifieds..............................................8 Lifestyle......................................................5 Crossword..........................................8 sports.........................................................12

U N I V E R S I T Y O F S O U T H F LO R I DA

Share-A-Bull bikes used, abused often

By Morgan Blauth C O R R E S P O N D E N T

L I FE STYLE

Cats run rampant in USF Botanical Gardens.

Page 5

Montage

S P ORTS White team cruises to 32-19 victory in annual spring football game.

BACK

Students ride bikes around USF campus every day. More and more, though, people are riding the same type of bike— the Share-A-Bull bike. These green cruisers can be seen all over campus as a partnership between Campus Recreation and the Social Bicycle program.

Despite being one of the most used Social Bicycle systems in the world, the program is still hitting some bumps.

The program has faced challenges with students misusing the bikes or not locking them up in the proper place. Some of the reported issues include more than one student riding the bike at a time, taking them down stairwells and placing the bikes in repair mode when they don’t need repairs.

In response to these issues,

Share-A-Bull bikes have seen wear and tear since the beginning of the program, but students have started to fight back by sending in pictures of others misusing the bikes. This is in an effort to create accountability for the damages. ORACLE PHOTO/ADAM MATHIEU students have started to take matters into their own hands.

The program has been receiving pictures of students misusing the bikes.

“We get two or three emails a day of people taking pictures,” said Francis Morgan, assistant director of outdoor recreation.

“Either of people not riding it

properly or not locking it to a bike rack or whatever, because people want the bikes to be available so they’re doing what-

n See BIKES on PAGE 6

Takei tickets still available

Tickets for actor, social media icon and social justice activist George Takei’s lecture are still available. General public tickets for the 100, 200, and 300 levels are $25 each through Ticketmaster. Tickets for the main floor are currently sold out. Takei’s lecture will focus on his journey as a victim of Japanese Internment by the U.S. during WWII, his career as an actor, his rise to social media fame and his activism for the LGBT community. Special to the Oracle

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State legislature funds higher education through new bill

By Miki Shine C O - N E W S

E D I T O R

In the constant struggle for university funding, Gov. Rick Scott signed a bill on Thursday that will increase state funding for high performing schools while also working to help students.

The bill, coined a “wide-ranging education bill” by Fox 13, solidifies the concept of performancebased funding. The program looks at metrics such as graduation rates and enrollment in areas of strategic interest in order to allocate funding to each university.

“The model requires a level of accountability designed to make the state university system stronger,” Adam Freeman, Media/Public Affairs Manager, said in an email to the Oracle. “The strategic investments of state leaders will provide USF with resources to support its commitment to preparing graduates to meet the needs of a highskilled, highly paid workforce in Florida.”

Also, additional funding for universities comes from the preemi-

nent research classification, which USF is approaching along with the University of Central Florida.

Currently, only two schools in the state are classified as preeminent; Florida State University and the University of Florida.

USF currently meets the qualifications to be an emerging preeminent state research university.

“Meeting six of the 12 required benchmarks, USF is proud to qualify for this designation and become eligible for the associated additional state investments,” Freeman said in an email to the Oracle.

While official designation as emerging preeminent requires approval by the Board of Governors, the university plans to seek this title and the corresponding $5 million in additional state funding.

“We are grateful for the legislature and Governor’s continued investments in the state university system of Florida, and especially for the support of its world-class research universities through the preeminence program,” USF system President Judy Genshaft said in a press release.

Gov. Rick Scott signed a bill to increase funding for top performing schools across the state through performance-based funding and emerging preeminent research universities. Special to the Oracle

Opinion

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UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA

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the Oracle Dishonesty amongst Tampa Bay restaurants the University of South Florida’s student newspaper since 1966

Editor in Chief Grace Hoyte oracleeditor@gmail.com Managing Editor Adam Mathieu oraclemeditor@gmail.com

Breanne Williams COLU M N I ST

In an attempt to lure in conscience-driven customers, many restaurants across the Bay area have been lying about the origins and quality of their prodNews Editors ucts, according to “Farm to Fable,” Miki Shine an investigative report published Abby Rinaldi Sunday in the Tampa Bay Times. oraclenewsteam@gmail.com Food critic Laura Reiley spent months heavily scrutinizing 54 Sports Editor restaurants that fell under her Jacob Hoag oraclesportseditor@gmail.com radar and found a disgusting reality. In many cases the food being served was not even close to what Opinion Editor was being advertised.

Breanne Williams The Mermaid Tavern pretended oracleopinion@gmail.com its cheese curds were homemade, Maritana Grille claimed to get its Lifestyle Editor pork from a farmer who in reality Jasmin Faisal doesn’t sell to them at all, and The oraclelifestyleeditor@gmail.com Mill in St. Petersburg — one of the trendiest restaurants in the area Copy Editors that claimed all of its food was Zach Lowie bought within a “250-mile radiIsabelle Cavazos us” — actually used meats from Wyoming, Idaho and Colorado.

Scientists at USF DNA tested Graphic Artists many of the “local” crabs being Luke Blankenship served and found they were not Destiny Moore in fact the Florida blue crab being advertised at all, but rather the Advertising Sales swimming blue crab from the Lauren Alford Indian Ocean and West Pacific.

Alyssa Alexander The fraud, Reiley found, was in Adriana Covate several major area restaurants.

Destiny Moore This deception is deplorable.

Dylan Ritchey There is a reason people are switching in increasing numbers to supporting local restaurants and The Oracle is published Monday and Thursday during the fall, spring and summer semesters. vendors. Food that was picked or raised in the local community The Oracle allocates one free issue to each student.

Additional copies are $.50 each and available at the ensures it is fresher, safer, healthOracle office (SVC 0002). ier and yields a smaller carbon footprint.

BY PHONE Not to mention, added freshMain . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

974-6242 Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

974-5190 ness means added flavor. Plus, News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

974-1888 many would prefer to spend a Sports ................

974-2842 little more to support their local Advertising . . . . . . . . . . . .

974-2620 community than save a buck and Classified . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

974-6242 get items from a different state or Website: usforacle.com country.

Facebook: facebook.com/usforacle “They say if you spend your Twitter: @USFOracle money locally, it gets multiplied CORRECTIONS three times,” said Michael Novilla, The Oracle will correct or clarify factual errors. the owner of Nova 535 event Contact Editor in Chief Grace Hoyte at 974-5190.

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What you said UCF Knight News tweeted “UCF’s spring game attendance was 23,147. USF’s 4,418.” USF has had a history of low student attendance and Opinion Editor Breanne Williams asked students what they think USF needs to do to get students to go to football games.

space in St. Petersburg who often will go out of his way to buy local, from “soup to soap,” according to the Tampa Bay Times.

Customers are aware of the price of such criteria, as it will “If they had easier force the restaurant to charge transportation due to more for locally based dishes.

(Raymond James) being so However, as venues across the Bay have proven, they’re willing to pay far away it would help.” a higher cost for better food.

To find out the eateries cher- Eesha Hasan, a senior ished by so many have been lying majoring in public health through their teeth to make a profit is infuriating. If you’re going to serve sub-par food, have the decency to be honest about it.

Unfortunately, there are over 40,000 restaurants in Florida and only 191 inspectors. Thus, it is “The distance from here to going to continue to be easy for Raymond James is huge establishments to pull the wool If we had a stadium on over customers’ eyes without ever campus that would increase getting caught. student attendance.”

It is not only dishonest, but also dangerous for such deceitfulness to go unprosecuted. Many people - Shawn Callahan, a senior struggling with food allergies stick majoring in marketing to restaurants where they know exactly what is going to be on their plate.

For example, those who have a peanut allergy must be careful to not only avoid dishes with nuts, “If USF allocated more but also items that could have possibly been processed with the funds for tailgates and had offending food. By eating locally a lot of engaging games and sourced food, this caution isn’t free food students would be needed. more likely to go.”

Local fare isn’t processed, so it is safer to eat and many of us let our guard down when we go - Kecia Walden, a senior to order. Being lied to could cause majoring in public health this logic to fail and end up seriously hurting customers.

Don’t lie to customers, many of whom eat only organically and locally for integrity and health reasons, in an attempt to profit “It comes down to location. from the growing trend. You want Most students don’t want to to be able to brag about supportdrive to Raymond James and ing local farmers and fishermen?

Then make the effort to only buy subsequently pay to park… from local vendors.

They should at least offer free

parking for students.”

Breanne Williams is a junior majoring in mass communications.

- Connor Vice, a junior majoring in biomedical sciences

Lifestyle

UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA

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Garden keepers with nine lives

By Kristen Schade C O R R E S P O N D E N T

A flash of orange slinks inside a small greenhouse. It passes an array of orchids and other green plants but pays them no mind. To this colorful character, home is where the dinner is.

The cats that reside at the USF Botanical Gardens seem to have no interest in who comes to visit them and admire the flowers. Even so, they do show an interest in time.

Every day around 4 p.m., they come to the greenhouse for a meal, provided by the gar-

den’s director, Laurie Walker.

While Walker enjoys their company, she is troubled by the fact that some of the cats once belonged to someone else.

“I don’t want to be a repository for unwanted pets,” Walker said. “Unfortunately, people have a tendency to dump animals here, and that is not good.”

Most of the six cats living on the property are feral and not socialized. Through the Humane Society of Tampa Bay, all known cats on the property have been spayed or neutered and vaccinated.

But one cat named Rafters, who passed away a year ago, held a special place in the staff’s hearts at the gardens.

Walker believes she was once a pet because of her social tendencies.

She speculates that more pictures had been taken of Rafters than any of the flowers in the gardens.

Rafters was well-known even to the children

who visited.

“I would look out and there would be little kids running through the garden carrying her,” Walker said.

Kevin Slaughter, senior groundskeeper at the gardens, also admired and enjoyed the company of Rafters while she was around. However, he stands on the fence with the issue of feral cats living on the property.

“Having feral cats is not really an environmentally friendly thing, especially since we have so much wildlife,” Slaughter said. “They’re part of the garden and having them as part of the character of the garden is a good thing, but then there’s the other side of it.”

The other side involves the issue of the cats hunting and killing native animals that also call the gardens home. Despite this, rescue organizations like Second Chance Sanctuary say that feral cats exist because they have been abandoned. If they’re going to live, they must

find food. These feral garden cats are, in increasing volume, finding their needs met at USF. The staff provides for the felines — it’s ritual by now. Walker bangs tin bowls together and calls out. Cats dash underneath plant stands, avoiding the footfall of any nearby human being. A grey male named Bat Kitty slinks towards a tin of fresh cat chow, glaring at a woman who picks up a hanging plant across the greenhouse.

While these feral cats may be king of the Botanical Gardens, people have dumped unwanted pets of other kinds.

Slaughter mentioned an embarrassing event in which he had to chase down a rooster and some hens. All of the birds were successfully given a new home, but were not easily caught.

“Here’s this grown man chasing a chicken around with a rake,” Slaughter said. “It was embarrassing, but we finally got rid of them.”

Rabbits were another of

the animals left to fend for themselves in the gardens.

Their fate was unknown, but Slaughter could only assume what happened to them.

“I saw them hopping around and I couldn’t catch them,” Slaughter said. “And I’m sure the hawks got them. If not, the alligators. If not, they just couldn’t make it.”

Staff at the gardens do not recommend or endorse the notion of dropping off unwanted pets. But there are still hungry feline mouths to feed. The money spent on keeping the cats from going hungry comes right from Walker’s own wallet.

To help staff keep up with taking care of the grounds as well as feeding the cats, volunteers are always welcome to apply and attend orientation.

“We have wonderful volunteers that help us,” Walker said. “Many of them are from the community, but a lot of them are students and we really encourage students to come out and volunteer.”

Six feral cats call the USF Botanical Garden’s their home. SPECIAL TO THE ORACLE.

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BIKES

Continued from PAGE 1

ever they can to make [the program] successful.”

Campus Recreation is also doing its best to keep the bikes available for students.

Additional mechanics are being hired to keep up with the demand of repairs with approximately 30 of the 100 bikes currently in the repair shop.

“People love [the program] and so that’s great, but the downfall is the bikes get all this use and so that’s part of the daily wear and tear,” Morgan said. “Some of the repairs are just because things wear out because they’re getting used more than any bikes in the world are.”

Of the 37 Social Bicycle systems in the world, Share-A-Bull bikes is the most popular. Data from Campus Recreation shows that USF’s bikes are used for an average of 12 rides per day, while bikes in the next highestused Social Bicycle system are taken on less than one ride per day.

“We couldn’t have anticipated this, nobody could have

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anticipated, you know, 12 rides per bike,” Morgan said.

Even students who have never used the Share-A-Bull bikes program are excited for the opportunity to have a bike available if necessary.

Justice Rodriguez, a sophomore majoring in dance, said, “I appreciate that [the bikes] are there if I need one.”

Share-A-Bull bikes are a great addition to the services offered

by Campus Recreation. There are also plans to expand the rental bike program with week, month, and semester-long rentals.

“We are also transforming the other bikes that we own; we are going to make them a rental system versus a free system. So we are upgrading those bikes and by August we will have a fleet of really decent bikes that will be rentable,” Morgan said.

For now, Campus Recreation plans to keep the program at 100 bikes.

“We’ve had them for just about six months now so we… want to operate them through at least fall term before we decide if we want to expand the [ShareA-Bull bikes] program,” Morgan said.

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Lifestyle

Same day movie streaming the future of cinema?

By Jasmin Faisal L I F E S T Y L E

E D I T O R

During CinemaCon, held Monday through Thursday in Las Vegas, Nevada, a variety of both industry workers and audience members who were present, showed their disdain for Screening Room, the latest idea from Sean Parker and Prem Akkaraju.

Screening Room is a piracyproof box that will allow movies to be streamed to the owner’s home on the date of their theatrical release. According to Variety, the box would cost $150, while each individually streamed movie would cost $50 a piece.

According to Mashable, the business plan for the idea was Parker’s — Napster and

Facebook co-founder — and was leaked a day before the convention. Since then, those in Hollywood have not been happy.

Screening Room has sparked outrage from a number of industry professionals, including director James Cameron, Walt Disney Studio Executive VP of distribution Dave Hollis, director Todd Phillips and the National Association of Theater Owners chairman John Fithian.

“Despite the noisy suggestions otherwise,” said Sen. Chris Dodd, MPAA chairman.

“The cinema provides a unique and powerful experience that just cannot be truly re-created elsewhere.”

However, not everyone in Hollywood is against the idea.

Parker has gotten the support of famous directors Steven Spielberg, J.J. Abrams and

“The cinema provides a unique and powerful experience that just cannot be truly re-created elsewhere.”

Sen. Chris Dodd MPAA chairman and chief lobbyist

Peter Jackson.

“Much has been said of technologies that threaten the theater experience,” said Abrams during the convention. “I’m open to all good ideas.

“We need to do everything we can in this age of piracy, digital technology and disruption to be thoughtful partners

in the evolution of this medium. We have to adapt. We need to meet that challenge with excitement, and create solutions, not fear.”

According to Variety, one in four consumers said they would pay for a service similar to Screening Room, however others were put off by the price, saying that instead they would be willing to pay a maximum of $35 to see new releases from the comfort of their home.

If Screening Room is to become a reality, it already faces a challenging road ahead, with many studios, filmmakers and fans opposing it.

“I assure you,” said Kevin Tsujihara, chairman and CEO of Warner Bros. Entertainment.

“We are not going to let a third party or middle man come between us.”

J.J. Abrams is one of the few supporters in the industry of the movie streaming device, Screening Room. SPECIAL TO THE ORACLE

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Classifieds

UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA

To place a classified ad go to

Crossword

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http://www.usforacle.com/classifieds

HELP WANTED

PETS & ANIMALS

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Entry Level Part Time Environmental Laboratory Positions

Help Wanted Luxury Boarding Kennel needs 5 people to help in the day to day operations of a upscale boarding kennel. 3 jobs will be for summer. 2 are for immediate openings.

Duties include cleaning, exercising and assisting in daycare operations. We have two shifts, one in am from 7am - 2pm, other shift from 2-7 pm. Must be available for 1-2 weekends per month. Need one person for receptionist duties. Can be student or non-student. Must have great computer and telephone skills. Apply in person: The Lodge at New Tampa 15403 Morris Bridge Road Thonotosassa 1/2 mile south of the Cross Creek/ Morris Bridge Road intersection. Application available on line at: thelodgefordogs.com

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Advanced Environmental Lab inc (AEL) is a NELAP certified, fullservice environmental analytical laboratory firm, headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida, with additional offices in Tampa, Orlando, Gainesville, Tallahassee and Miami.

We are looking to fill an entry level parttime position involving; Microbiology, Wet Chemistry, sample receiving and pick-ups.

This position will involve weekday and weekend days totaling, 20-25 hours. Please send your resume via email only to mcammarata@aellab.com File Clerk for Busy Law Firm Law Firm is seeking a full/ part- time file clerk; with ability to work a minimum 28 hours during regular Monday through Friday 8:30am- 5:00 pm work week.

Responsibilities include filing, errands, and copy projects.

Applicant must have valid Florida driver’s license with reliable transportation for running errands and professional appearance.

Please email resume to tampa.jobs@rissman.com and reference “File Clerk” when replying to this post.

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WNBA

Continued from PAGE 12

team wants me? Where will I live? Now I know the answers.”

Williams said the selection came as a bit of a surprise. She hadn’t talked with the Mercury – one of the original eight franchises in the WNBA – nearly at all prior to the draft.

Williams, a 5-foot-8 WBCA All-American in 2016, will have to adjust her game once in Phoenix. Rather than being the focal point shouldering the weight of running the offense, she will be a part of the supporting cast on a team led by one of the league’s best players.

“Diana Taurasi plays there,” Williams said. “It will be great to play with her and learn from her.

“I just want to go there, fit in and do my thing,” Williams said. “I have no idea what comes next, but I’m ready to play and ready to work.”

Using what she saw in games

against national champion UConn, ESPN analyst Carolyn Peck, a former WNBA coach, has no doubt she is ready for the next level.

“Connecticut is the closest that you’re going to be able to measure how a player can perform in the WNBA without actually playing in the WNBA,” Peck said. “Because of her quickness and ability to elevate, I think this season she also demonstrated not only is she a scorer, but she has the ability to pass.”

It was a night 21 years in the making. Flanked by her parents, Michelle and Donald, as well as USF coach Jose Fernandez at the draft ceremony, the moment began to sink in.

“This was always a dream for me and now it has come true,” Williams said. “I’m very grateful to everyone in my hometown and everyone at USF who has been of part of this. I want to give them all something to be proud of.”

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UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA

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WINSTON

it was a good scrimmage.”

Play of the day

Continued from PAGE 12

the crowd. “Just like our football team, we’re getting better.

The fan base is getting better, everyone’s getting excited.

That’s kind of how it all works, you start winning, start showing people some signs of life that you can win and people get excited.”

The White team shined on offense, with wide receiver A.J. Legree catching seven passes for 73 yards and wide receiver Tyre McCants catching six passes for 83 yards and two scores.

Despite junior Marlon Mack and senior Rodney Adams, the leading rusher and receiver from last season, playing for the Green team, the offense was held to six points in the first half.

“I thought the Green team played sloppy, there was a lot of penalties,” Taggart said. “A lot of balls on the ground, some turnovers. But, I thought overall Junior running back Darius Tice led all rushers with 80 yards on 14 carries. ORACLE PHOTO/ADAM MATHIEU

BY THE NUMBERS

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Running down the right sideline, Legree turned around with the football nearly in his chest. The senior wide receiver brought his hands up in the nick of time and got his feet down to secure the catch.

“I was supposed to run a stop route, but I ended up running a comeback and luckily he held it a second later and he hit me right on time,” Legree said. “I told him if he put it anywhere else, I don’t know if I could have caught it.”

Keeping an edge Even with an 8-win season behind them and a spike in fan support, junior linebacker Auggie Sanchez made it clear the Bulls aren’t satisfied with what they’ve accomplished yet.

“We didn’t win the AAC championship, so there’s always that edge,” Sanchez said. “Last time we looked, Houston was

Points scored by the winning White team compared to just 10 in last year’s game.

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celebrating, not us. We didn’t really do anything yet and we lost our last game, so we’ve got a long way to go and we know that. The people patting us on the back is kind of irrelevant.”

Taggart echoed Sanchez’s thoughts, saying there’s still plenty left for USF to accomplish in 2016.

“Our guys are still ticked off about our last game, we didn’t play well at all,” Taggart said. “We haven’t accomplished everything we want to accomplish here. We got better and we’ll continue to get better, but we want to win a championship and we know it’s going to take a lot of work to do that.

“We’re in uncharted waters right now, we’ve never been in the position where people patting us on the back and telling us how good we are, not since I’ve been here. Every year it was how bad we were, how we weren’t going to do this and that. We’re in a different position now and everyone expects big things, but we’re not going Quarterback Quinton Flowers completed 68 percent of his passes going 15-22 for 125 yards.

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UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA

The Rundown

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Spring game

Williams picked eighth in WNBA draft

Outside USF

USF spring game attendance still falls short Despite the optimism of drawing twice the fans as last year (4,418) for its annual free spring game inside Corbett Soccer Stadium, USF is still trailing other state universities.

Florida State set the bar fairly high when it hosted its spring game in Orlando due to renovations to Doak Campbell Stadium in Tallahassee on April 9. The ‘Noles boasted an announced crowd of nearly 50,000 fans in the Citrus Bowl, who purchased $5 general admission tickets.

UCF held its free spring showcase on Saturday in front of a record-crowd of 23,147 inside Bright House Stadium, coming off a 0-12 season. Despite the Bulls’ 8-4 showing last season, it continues to be a struggle to get fans in the door.

Number to know

1

The USF softball team has given up only one run in its last 50 innings. The Bulls swept Memphis over the weekend and haven’t allowed a run since April 8 against UConn.

Women’s Basketball

Jameis Winston (left), quarterback for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, attended the USF spring football game Saturday to support longtime friend LaDarrius Jackson. Also pictured: Former quarterback Matt Grothe (bottom-right) and current starter, junior Quinton Flowers (top-right). ORACLE PHOTOS/JACKIE BENITEZ

Bucs’ Winston takes in USF spring game

By Vinnie Portell S T A F F

W R I T E R

Among a crowd of 4,418 at Corbett Stadium on Saturday stood Tampa Bay Buccaneer quarterback Jameis Winston, wearing a green Bulls tee while he watched the White team defeat the Green team 32-19 in USF’s spring game.

“That’s big time,” Taggart said of Winston wearing USF gear in support of longtime friend LaDarrius Jackson. “We’re getting better, I mean that says a lot about USF football.

“I know he came over to watch his friend and support

his friend. It was great to have a Buccaneer here to support the Bulls.”

With Winston watching as part of a crowd nearly double the size of last year, USF quarterback Quinton Flowers’ play firmly established his hold on the starting quarterback position.

Flowers led the White team out to a 17-0 start, finishing with 129 yards on 15-of-22 passing with one touchdown and one interception. He also added 45 yards on 10 carries.

“Awesome, totally awesome,” USF coach Willie Taggart said of

n See WINSTON on PAGE 11

“I know he came over to watch his friend and support his friend.

It was great to have a Buccaneer here to support the Bulls.”

Willie Taggart USF football coach

USF guard Courtney Williams was selected eighth overall to the Phoenix Mercury in Thursday’s WNBA draft. ORACLE FILE PHOTO/ADAM MATHIEU

By Jacob Hoag S P O R T S

E D I T O R

For the past four seasons, guard Courtney Williams has carried her team, taking USF to four postseason appearances, leaving bits and pieces of school records in her wake.

On Thursday night, Williams was drafted eighth overall in the WNBA draft to the Phoenix Mercury. A lifetime of work finally evolved into one of the best moments of her life.

“I had no idea where I might go, so it was very nerve-wracking,” Williams said. “I tried not to think about it too much. But those are big questions. What

n See WNBA on PAGE 9