Dan Hawkins Can't Take It Anymore

I thought I had heard just about every rant until I heard this one from Colorado head coach Dan Hawkins. FSU plays Colorado on Sept. 15 at Colorado.

Hawkins was addressing the media and was telling them of an anonymous letter that he had received from a parent of a player complaining about not having enough time off before their conditioning program.

Here is the audio clip: Dan Hawkins Rant

Where Are Noles Headed?

Is FSU headed in the right direction? Or is it more of the same-"woulda","coulda","shoulda". Dave Hart should evaluate the basketball program with the same intensity as he did the football program.

If you look at how Florida's Billy Donovan did in his first five years and how Leonard Hamilton has done in his five years, the picture is pretty clear:

Billy Donovan:
Florida 1996-97 13-17
Florida 1997-98 14-15 NIT First Round
Florida 1998-99 22-9 NCAA Sweet 16
Florida 1999-00 29-8 NCAA Championship Game
Florida 2000-01 24-7 NCAA Second Round

Leonard Hamilton:
2002-2003 14-15
2003-2004 19-14 NIT
2004-2005 12-19
2005-2006 20-10 NIT Sweet Sixteen
2006-2007 17-9 ?

Yellow Jackets Sting The Noles

In what has become too common an occurence for FSU basketball, the Noles lost to Georgia Tech at home 63-57. This was one of those must have wins and the Noles did not get the job done. A scoring drought of nearly 10 minutes in the second half proved too long to overcome for the Florida State men’s basketball team. This was the third straight loss for the Noles.

Freshman point guard Javaris Crittenton scored 11 consecutive points in a 13-0 run for Georgia Tech, which snapped its 17-game road losing streak. Crittenton had 29 points on 10-of-17 shooting and outdid FSU’s Isaiah Swann, who sank four 3-pointers and finished with 23 points.

After suffering a 68-67 loss to Boston College on Sunday, FSU (17-9, 5-7 ACC) took another hit in the chase for its first NCAA tournament bid since 1998.

Warren In Tennessee

Florida State standout tight end Brandon Warren has left school, his mother told a Florida newspaper on Monday, and apparently will continue his career elsewhere, most likely Tennessee.

"He's home, and, as far as I know, he has resigned (from all his classes)," said his mother, Deidre.

Bowden On Hot Seat

Who are the longest currently tenured coaches at a BCS Conference school that haven't guided their program to a BCS bowl game? There are currently three in the ACC and it is safe to say that they are on the proverbial hot seat with their respective schools and fans.

The number one ACC coach feeling the most heat is probably Clemson coach Tommy Bowden. Perhaps that is why Clemson and Bowden are supposedly looking into the Markish Jones decommit. The following are the coaches in the ACC who have not been to a BCS bowl game:

1.Tommy Bowden (Clemson)- Hired in 1999
2.Al Groh (UVA)-Hired in 2001
3.Chan Gailey (GT)-Hired in 2002

Game Day Buzz

Florida State, which has won 13 of its 15 games played at home in the Donald L. Tucker Center this season, plays host to Georgia Tech on Tuesday at 8:00 p.m. in a game televised regionally by Lincoln Financial Sports. The Seminoles are 4-2 at home in their six home conference games with two remaining - Tuesday against Georgia Tech and next Saturday (Feb. 24) against NC State.
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Probable Starters for FSU
F #12 Al Thornton (18.8 ppg, 6.7 rpg; 20 pts and 7 rebs vs. Georgia Tech, Feb. 20, 2005)
F #41 Uche Echefu (7.2 ppg, 4.0 rpg; 13 pts and 3 stls vs. Georgia Tech, Jan. 13, 2007)
G #3 Isaiah Swann (8.8 ppg, 3.3 apg; 13 pts and 3 rebs vs. Georgia Tech, Feb. 9, 2006)
G #10 Ralph Mims (5.0 ppg, 2.3 apg; 6 pts and 3 asts vs. Georgia Tech, Jan. 13, 2007)
G #25 Jason Rich (11.2 ppg, 3.4 rpg; 12 pts and 4 asts vs. Georgia Tech, Feb. 9, 2006)
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Fsu vs. Ga. Tech-The Last Game
Freshman Javaris Crittenton scored 23 points, senior Mario West scored 18 and Georgia Tech overcame a slow start to defeat Florida State 88-80 on Jan. 13 at Alexander Memorial Coliseum in Atlanta. Florida State trailed by as many as 13 in the opening half before closing to 41-34 at the break. But the Seminoles got off a sloppy start in the second half, turning the ball over on six straight possessions at one point, and never got any closer than five points the rest of the way. Georgia natives Toney Douglas and Al Thornton led the Seminoles. Douglas scored 22 points, while Thornton had 20.

FSU Number Five In Latest Collegiate Baseball Poll

1. Clemson (0-0)

2. South Carolina (3-0)

3. Vanderbilt (3-0)

4. North Carolina (0-0)

5. Florida St. (6-0)

6. Rice (2-3)

7. Nebraska (0-0)

8. Cal. St. Fullerton (5-1)

9. Arkansas (4-2)

10. Virginia (2-1) 472

Dudley Does In Noles

Although Jared Dudley did not score the winning bucket for the Boston College Eagles, the big man scored 23 points for the Eagles, who came into the game tied for the ACC lead with fifth-ranked North Carolina. Dudley also had 10 rebounds to help BC to a 39-31 advantage.Dudley leads the ACC in scoring and rebounding.

Clean Sweep

FSU kept the dogs locked up as the Noles swept the series over UNC Asheville in a lopsided 15-1 game

The series gave the Seminoles plenty of chances to get hits at the plate. Tony Thomas hit his fifth and sixth doubles of the young season before being pulled after four innings. Thomas had just eight doubles last season.

Noles Come Up Short Once Again Against BC

Former Florida High grad Tyrelle Blair came home to haunt Florida State. Blair hit a 15-foot jumper with 3.3 seconds remaining, handing the Seminoles a 68-67 loss to Boston College today at the Civic Center.

FSU’s Ryan Reid grabbed the rebound after Al Thornton blocked BC freshman Shamari Spears. But Sean Marshall dislodged the ball from Reid in the paint and the ball went out of bounds off FSU’s freshman forward.

That extended the possession for Blair, who made his only basket of the game count. The 6-foot-11 junior center had six rebounds and six blocked shots for the Eagles (18-6, 9-2 ACC), who gained sole possession of first place in the conference.

FSU nearly answered right back but an inbound heave to Al Thornton was dropped and that was the game.

FSU (17-8, 5-6) was playing its first game without point guard Toney Douglas, who broke his right hand Wednesday against Clemson.

Time For Payback

Florida State, which has won four consecutive ACC games at home, plays host to Boston College in the third meeting and first ever game between the Seminoles and the Eagles at the Donald L. Tucker Center in Tallahassee at 3 p.m. on Sunday. The Seminoles have won five of their last seven conference games and enter Sunday's game with a 5-5 record in conference play after losing their first three ACC games of the season.
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Probable Starters for FSU:
F #12 Al Thornton (18.8 ppg, 6.6 rpg; 37 pts and 6 rebs vs. Boston College, Jan. 14, 2006)
F #41 Uche Echefu (7.3 ppg, 4.1 rpg; 10 pts and 5 rebs vs. Boston College, Jan. 23, 2007)
G #3 Isaiah Swann (8.6 ppg, 3.3 apg; 13 pts and 7 asts vs. Boston College, Jan. 23, 2007)
G #10 Ralph Mims (5.0 ppg, 2.3 apg; 3 pts and 4 asts vs. Boston College, Jan. 23, 2007)
G #25 Jason Rich (11.0 ppg, 3.4 rpg; 15 pts and 4 rebs vs. Boston College, Jan. 23, 2007
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Game Three:FSU-UNC Asheville

Game Time: 1:00 PM
FSU Starting Pitcher: Bo O'Dell

The Seminoles have now posted multiple runs in 15 innings this season and have scored at least one run in 21 of the 40 innings they have played this year. Florida State has struck early in the first five games of the season outscoring its opponents 25-5 through the first three innings.