With the upcoming Maryland/F$U game, there's been a lot of coverage of the Semi's in the Washington Post in which BikeJocks, J T, et al. may be interested. I'll post some of these links in this thread, such as Chief Hypocrite (Finally) Faces the Media and the Rehabilitation of Darnell Dockett.

Though I despise Dockett, I think that much of the blame is with the Chief Thug, defensive coordinator, Mickey Andrews. And...how sad that the coaching staff has so lost control of the team that it takes the university president to take the players to task.

That being said, though, good article about TK and Dockett. I actually wish them both the best (except on that one day in December wink ).

GATOR Jamie

[ September 02, 2003, 08:59 AM: Message edited by: GatorJamie ]

CrocJamie.... you know what they say about people who have massive obsessions with something they say they hate... could you possibly be a closet Seminole Lover????? eek!

Jim (ducking)

Hello all:

I have to jump in here, becaue I have witnessed the continual attacks against Bobby Bowden. Now, I want to make one thing very clear, I AM NOT a Florida State fan, not at all. That is kinda strange, since my final choices of Colleges to play at came down between Florida State and Arkansas. I had 2 in-home visits from Coach Bowden, and what impressed me the most about this guy, is the total love that he has for his players, and the total honesty that he enbodies. Here was a coach that seriously wanted me to come to Florida State, but would not tell me what I wanted to hear to play there. Arkansas' Ken Hatfied had already told me that I would play my freshman year, baring injuries. Bowden looked me straight in the eyes, and said "I know what Arkansas has promised you, but I cannot make that promise. If you come to Florida State, you will not play until your Junior Year probably." Most coaches in today's college football will say whatever they have to say to sign a recruit. Here was a Coach that was totally honest about things. Now, many people continually trash him, partly because he has been a mark for media and FSU haters for years. No one is hated more than someone who is continually successful. But there are people out there who genuinely feel that he is a very bad coach. I cannot speak about his other dealings, but on a personal level with me, he always treated me with total respect and honesty. Although I have grown to dislike the FSU team, I will always have respect for the man, and the coach. I hope everyone can differentiate between the team and the coach.

David
Exfballplayer

Gator Jamie ... Until you actually suited up in the lockerroom, worked in a college athletic department, and/or worked for a bunch of egotistical a--holes in college administration ... don't throw stones at glass houses. During my 18 years in college administration, I have worked with some of the best people in the world and some of the worst people in the world.

Dave ... Very good views about Coach Bowden and your personal thoughts to me about Coach Hatfield in a email last year As a former academic tutor at FSU under Coach Bowden, Martin (Baseball), Assoc AD Bob Goins (now AD at Cincinnati), and AD John Bridgers and Hootie Ingram, I witnessed very dedicated administrators and coaches who tried to do the right thing every day and learn from their mistakes when they make them and admit it. Everyone is human in this world.

GJ ... Your alumni needs to tone down the rhetoric against your head coach and AD. It is becoming a laugh stock in college administration.

So I guess no one read the TK article or my positive take on it? Whatever.

JT- If you've bothered to read more than one thread, you would have seen that I have never attacked Zookie. In fact, I've been a staunch "give-him-timer."

You would have also seen me blast Horseteeth Foley on more than one occasion re his handling of the Andrea Zimbardi (sp?) situation. As for his hiring of Zook - again, see above.

Tell ya what: you rein in the blowhard F$U boosters and I'll do the same for Gator Boosters.



[ September 03, 2003, 06:37 AM: Message edited by: GatorJamie ]

Hey, they had a favorable article on Dockett & Wetherell. I thought you'd be interested, and added a link to the previous day's Bowden article. Whatever.

GJ ... I just had a bad day at work so I am sorry!

Two good articles ... TK is one of the good persons as a politican, leader, and college president. He built TCC into a community college powerhouse when he was running it back in early and mid 90's. Also, this is his background as a college administrator. I have seen TK in action on the hill when he was the Chairman of the Education Committtee of the Fla House of Reps and Speaker of the House (back in good ole days when the Dems ran Fla)!

On Jeremy's troubles at uf, we don't know what goes on behind closed doors especially when you get HR involved and other people with the women's softball program. However, Jeremy has built your alma mater as a superpower when it comes to facilities, programs especially adding on to the women's sports programs while not cutting men's program, and hiring the right coaches (some of the times ... I mean the softball coach).

On the uf's president issue, I think the BOR and Adam Hubert made a mistake in forcing Lombardi out at uf. Looked what it did ... it poisoned the place because no one will take the position.

I put the blame on FSU's troubles with the "flagpole" management style under Sandy, Dave Hart, and others in the athletic department. In my previous post, I mentioned Dave Hart's days are numbered at FSU because TK has come in and reorganize the department after the McPherson's incident.

Coach Bowden has always been the same way in his 40+ years of coaching regarding integrity, honesty, and fairness. I know! He must be hurting with inside regarding his son. I am not one of the alumni who is outside Doak with the rope because it takes patience sometimes to turn around it when you hit a bump in the road. Back in 1980's at FSU, we had some 6-5 and 6-4-1 seasons with Coach Bowden but nobody panic in administration (Thank God for Bernie Slaughter).

Hey Gator:

Yeah buddy, I have heard you take up for Zook many times, and I am glad that some people are thinking that way. To be honest though - something tells me that if Florida doesn't win the East this year, Zook will be out. That is really too bad too, because he is a great coach. If Florida does let him go, that will just give me more reason to not like that team. LOL I am actually kinda rooting for Florida now that Zook is there - and I never have done that before!!! LOL Well, I wont be rooting for Gators when they come to Fayetteville this year!!!

David
Exfballplayer

That's more like it, guys! wink

I'm off to Rehoboth Beach, Del. for the weekend, so enjoy the games...

gj

p.s. JT, perhaps you meant Bernie Sliger... wink

[ September 03, 2003, 09:18 AM: Message edited by: GatorJamie ]

With your "retitling" of the article and your stated routine of "daily insult of FSU", it does tend to put one on the defensive.

JIm

Poor semi's. All those meanmeanmean sportswriters sayin such meanmeanmean things. They must be makin it all up.

[ September 04, 2003, 05:46 AM: Message edited by: GatorJamie ]

Interesting profile of Chris Rix in the Post this a.m.:

"Not sure he can be trusted to take care of himself, Chris Rix, starting quarterback for the No. 11 Florida State Seminoles, this week moved out of the campus dormitories and into a guest room in the four-bedroom home of Pastor Ron Miller of Morning Star Christian Church."

I'm not sure what sort of troubles he's avoiding -- the article says he doesn't go to parties and he doesn't drink.

Link to article.

Interesting. Hope it works out for him. I just get nervous whenever any player gets so involved with religion eek! and wonder how this is gonna help him to bond better with his teammates... :confused:

More coverage...

Before reading the article, I was suprised at who he was living with. 1) I recall seeing somewhere that Rix was a devout Roman Catholic. 2) The pastor he is living with is not Clint Purvis, the FSU Football chaplain, recognizable as being in nearly every sideline shot with Rix the past two seasons.

However after reading the article it makes sense. Pastor Ron Miller will provide the discipline and stability, and former FSU hoopster Ron Miller will give hime the old 'rah rah, responsibility to your school' routine.

With his search for discipline and stability, sounds like what he really needs is a Daddy. I'd have been glad to go up there and provide him with THAT! (I bet his problems are nothing that couldn't be taken care of with good regular spankings and good regular.... well, you get the idea.)

Jim

I wish the guy well with his obvious coming of age problem. And I hope he eventually achieves the independence to think and make decisions for himself rather than depending on the discipline of others. I think these sort of personal crises are normal for many young people about his age. I also hope he doesn't allow the unfortunate narrow interpretation of spiritual values so often espoused by evangelical religions to influence him to become judgemental of others who have been judgemental of him. That's an important step for achieving maturity. Good luck.