Did you know the media LOVES Florida State?

Maybe I’m missing something. Or maybe it’s ESPN who’s completely off their rocker. I can’t tell. Either way, one of us is going to eat some crow in a few weeks – and I don’t believe it’ll be me.

I can’t get over the recent headlines. I’ve never read more Florida State propaganda and hype, with nothing to base it on.

ESPN.com had St. Bobby on its homepage with the headline, “Slap In The Face.”

The gist? That the old man still has some fight in him. That 8-5 isn’t good enough. That things are on the up and up in Tallahassee.

I’m not sticking a fork in the Noles by any stretch of the imagination. They’re still a player. Solid recruiting classes are the norm every February and Florida State won the ACC in 2005, going 7-4 in the regular season. They went on to beat Virginia Tech in the ACC Championship game and fell to Penn State in the Orange Bowl Classic, wrapping up their season 8-5.

What I don’t buy here is the media hype. Why now? Where is it coming from? It’s not as if 8-5 in 2005 was a huge departure from where the Noles were the early part of this decade. 9-3 in 2004, 10-3 in 2003, 9-5 in 2002 and 8-4 in 2001.

Now, suddenly in 2006 that’s all going to change? The program is going to do an about face?

I ain’t buying it.

Every pre-season, the talk out of Tallahassee is that Florida State is ‘back’ and primed to make a run.

Last year, some ESPN yahoo even picked the Noles to get to the Rose Bowl for the National Championship game. Not quite, brosef.

This year, the hype machine is again in full force. Here are some of the current headlines and plot lines on ESPN.com in the past day or so:

>>> A video clip titled “Bobby Bowden Happy to Have An Experienced QB.”

>>> Gene Wojciechowski’s “Bowden operates on his own terms.” A fluff piece about St. Bobby being a good churchgoer and sweetheart of a guy on the outside, but a fierce competitor inside. The road schedule is a cake walk (outside of the trek to the Orange Bowl), the ACC title game is in nearby Jacksonville and that the Noles are motivated to win the conference… again.

>>> Mark Schlabach’s piece on the state of the ACC in 2006. He gives his five predictions for how it will all shake down. He mentioned that Florida State will win the ACC, beat Miami on Labor Day, will finish two games ahead of Clemson in the Atlantic division and will beat Miami again – this time, in the ACC Championship game. Schlabach also calls QB Drew Weatherford the most “dangerous offensive weapon” in the ACC and states that the Noles will be one of the last undefeated teams this season, in contention for the BCS title game.

Again, maybe I’m missing something. Or maybe it’s certain folk at ESPN who are completely off their rocker.

In regards to the “experienced” quarterback comment – how is Weatherford “experienced” yet Kyle Wright is still green? Both were first year starters in 2005.

Wright won nine games, Weatherford won eight. Wright lost three games, Weatherford lost five.

Wright threw for 2,403 yards with 18 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. He had 180 completions on 307 attempts. Weatherford threw for 3,220 yards with 18 touchdowns and 18 interceptions. He had 276 completions on 469 attempts.

The biggest glaring difference? Offensive coordinator. Miami fired Dan Werner for not producing. Florida State has no plans to rid of Jeff Bowden.

The Canes were scoreless in the second half of all three losses last season. In the Peach Bowl, Miami couldn’t even muster up a second half first down against LSU.

Rich Olson is now ‘the guy’ at The U as well as new quarterbacks coach Todd Berry. Olson brings NFL experience to the table – as well as Miami history. Between 1992-1994 he was both a receivers coach and offensive coordinator. Berry will strictly work with the quarterbacks and help bring them along.

Conversely, J.B. is still calling the offensive plays in Tallahassee. The same junior Bowden who’s credited for never developing Chris Rix and who’s partly responsible for Florida State’s 44-20 record since 2001. Yet somehow, entering 2006, the Noles are credited with having an experienced quarterback while getting their swagger back.

Miami is 53-9 in that same time span and was proactive in firing several coaches after unacceptable, back-to-back 9-3 seasons. A new offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach are on staff, to help Wright and back up Kirby Freeman in their development. Still, as far as the media is concerned – questions still surround the Miami program.

Oh yeah, and Mark Schlabach – did you not get the memo that Miami has beaten Florida State six of the last seven meetings? The lone Noles’ win came in a 10-7 slugfest where the Canes muffed a snap and blew a shot at overtime. Rather bold – and foolish – of you to predict that Florida State will beat Miami both in the opener AND in the ACC Championship.

Of all the crow being served up in a few weeks, I hope you get the biggest piece.

Regarding Wojciechowski’s piece on Bowden’s resurgence, again I say, based on what? Florida State has underachieved and struggled to develop talented players since 2001. A three-loss season in Miami caused heads to roll. Three-loss seasons in Tallahassee have become the norm and are probably welcomed after four and five-loss seasons in 2001, 2002 and 2005.

While I have no issue with Gene’s writing – I don’t buy the hype.

You know what I see? The hype machine in full force. The media’s love affair with college football’s all time winningest coaches, Bobby Bowden and Joe Paterno, is at an all-time high as both coaches are entering their glory years.

JoePa got his fairy tale ending last year. A stellar one-loss season. A few big time upsets. A thrilling triple OT victory over Bowden’s Seminoles in the Orange Bowl. The media gushed over Paterno last season – a mere year after many were calling for him to retire, felt the game had passed him by and chastised him for the way he handled the referees and some questionable calls.

The media will now swing some of that love back St. Bobby’s way. They feel it’s his turn. Two championships in a coaching career which has spanned four decades. Close, but no cigar for Florida State on numerous occasions. Not to mention all the heartbreak at the hands of mean ol’ Miami.

Bowden has a career record of 12-19 against the Canes; almost half of those wins coming when Miami was on probation between 1995-1999.

Funny how no one is mentioning Larry Coker in all this. The Miami coach who jumped out to a 24-0 start and was one bad call away from 25-0 and back-to-back National Championships. A year later, 11-2 in 2003, with two wins over Florida State.

2004 and 2005 brought back-to-back 9-3 seasons and Hurricane nation turned the heat up on the coach who could do no wrong in his first two dozen games. Coker canned most of his staff, made some key hires and is intent on righting the ship in Miami. Whether he pulls off the feat or not, he’s proactive and shaking things up.

What has changed in Florida State’s culture in this off season to suggest that the Noles are the team to beat – let alone a National Championship dark horse in 2006? Nothing outside of the fact that 2005 was Paterno’s time to shine and now the media hopes 2006 is Bowden’s year.

The fact remains that Bowden continues to promote nepotism at its finest; allowing his inept son to run a bland offense. Players aren’t being developed as they were back in the Mark Richt and Chuck Amato era. Since losing two of its top coaches, Florida State has struggled to reclaim their place a top the mountain.

Still, based on Bowden’s mettle, experience and senority – the media simply assumes that afer 8-5, enough is enough and a change is gonna come.

I’ll believe it if and when I see it.

Florida State is tough on defense, has some question marks on offense – but remains a national power.

Similar to Miami. Still, the Hurricanes never get the benefit of the doubt nor the praise which comes with having the all time winningest head coach. Miami has to earn everything. Florida State grabs the headlines and gets the ‘feel good’ articles all off season.

Again, Miami will have to get out there and take theirs on Labor Day. Ranked behind the Noles in both polls (#11 FSU/#12 Miami in the AP, #10 FSU/#11 Miami in USA Today) it’s getting to be a common theme. Even though Miami has been the much more successful program the past five seasons and has finished ahead of Florida State in every season ending poll.

So be it.

Bulletin board material is pointless in a rivalry of this nature. Both teams are already fired up to play. It’s Miami v. Florida State in the season opener. It’s the only show in town that Monday night. It’s a big step towards a conference title and a small step towards a National Championship.

This game means everything.

Though, should the Canes need to add any fuel to their fire – there’s sure plenty of it out there.

.:Canes305:.

Comments

comments