"The Athletics Department Has Isolated Itself From The Community"

"In our opinion, the Athletics Department has isolated itself from the community, which in turn has inhibited effective communication with other University officials and departments".
Summary of the Inspector's General's report which was made public in June 2003 after a review of the athletics department was requested by T.K. Wetherell

Note:Some wonder why Hart is being asked to leave. This is not a knee jerk decision as some would have you believe. This Inspector General's summary illustrates the corporate culture in the FSU athletic department.

For Whom The Bells Toal And Tigers Are Hurting

Injuries have taken their toll on Boston College linebacker Brian Toal. Toal, who is probably the Eagles' most physically gifted player, will more than likely redshirt this coming season, new Eagles coach Jeff Jagodzinski and Toal said Thursday. Toal underwent surgery to repair a torn labrum in his right shoulder in early March and hasn't fully healed. The Eagles are scheduled to begin preseason practice Aug. 5.

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Four Clemson football players have sustained injuries in recent weeks that will limit their off-season workout schedule.

Linebacker Kavell Conner, and running backs Ray Ray McElrathbey and Ronald Watson, Jr, all have had arthroscopic knee surgery in the last week. Freshman Drew Traylor suffered a broken ankle at home in Alabama before he came to Clemson last week.

Conner and McElrathbey are expected to be ready for the beginning of preseason practice on August 4, while Watson may not be ready for that first practice. Traylor's return to the team is unknown at this time as he is still in a cast. He is enrolled in classes at Clemson for the second session of summer school.

Assistants To Hart Leaving And No Need To Feel Sorry For Hart

The Tallahassee Democrat reported that two Florida State senior athletic administrators have submitted letters of resignation effective Oct. 1. In response to a public records request, the letters of resignation were submitted by senior associate athletics director Charlie Carr and associate athletics director Pam Overton.

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According to published reports, two of the biggest items guaranteed in Dave Hart's contract are a $50,000 annual tax-free annuity and a $300,000 retention bonus. These items are mostly covered by money annually placed into the Athletic Developmental Fund that is part of the Seminole Boosters' budget.

My View: "Sweet Home Alabama"

Nick Saban's favorite song must be "Sweet Home Alabama." With his new $32 million contract, Saban got everything he wanted with the exception of replacing the Bear's statute with one of him. That might be in his new contract. We have Alabama fans that pack a spring game while their state is at the bottom in education funding. See anything wrong with this picture?

As I have said before, I love college football but the salaries paid to coaches and apparently athletic directors is absolutely ludicrous. And the only ones that are going to be able to stop this are the university presidents at the major universities.

The question will be if they have the political courage to buck their fans and booster groups who want to hire the next new "coach of the month" that will be the saviour for their program. Does anyone really believe that Nick Saban's compensation can be justified? Or the salary of other coaches at the major football schools. Oklahoma's Stoops makes an ungodly amount of money and we now see that Oklahoma has to forfeit an entire season of wins that occurred under Stoops. I guess that was money well spent.

Closer to home, we now learn about Dave Hart's lucrative compensation package. Apparently according to sources, the search for a new athletic director will probably require $400,000 and more likely over $500,000 to attract a worthy candidate. This is ridiculous. How can a university justify these outlandish compensation packages while the state is cutting back on its budget and college tuition continues to escalate in Florida.

Insanity is the modus operandi in professional sports in terms of salary and now it seems to be permeating college football.

FSU Verbal Commit Back In Hunt And Taiwan To Stay Nole

Altoona,Pa. athlete A. J. Alexander has had a change of heart, putting himself back in the middle of the recruiting game.

The Altoona Area High School standout has backed out of his verbal commitment to Florida State, citing a desire to test the waters a little more before making his college choice.

Alexander is considered the most heavily recruited player in Altoona history, fielding offers from dozens of major programs around the country. The Seminoles remain in the hunt for his services, but now four other schools are back in the mix, including Penn State.

This illustrates the fact that football fans should not put too much faith in these verbal commitments.

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Taiwan Easterling, Mississippi's Mr. Baseball for 2007, says he won't sign a professional baseball contract this summer and will instead play football and baseball at Florida State.

Easterling, a football and baseball star at Oak Grove High School, was taken in the sixth round by the Florida Marlins in the Major League Baseball draft last month and has until Aug. 15 to sign a contract. He's enrolled at FSU, however, and is attending summer workouts.

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Center John Frady is on crutches following surgery to correct an ankle problem. His status for the preseason and early part of the season will be determined later.

Weatherford Goes From Mild Mannered To Man of Steel

Some have compared Drew Weatherford to Clark Kent. A mild mannered man during the day and then rip off the suit and he is on the field doing rigorous summer workouts under new Strength and Conditioning coach Todd Stroud.

The Clark Kent part refers to Weatherford's job as an intern in the Florida Governor's Office of Legislative Affairs. Weatherford works from 8 to 11:30 a.m. each day, fielding phone calls from Florida citizens who have questions about legislation in the state's Senate and House of Representatives.

After work, Weatherford returns to Florida State's campus to take classes and work out with his teammates in preparation for two-a-days and training camp, which begin Aug. 7. He is one of the players that Todd Stroud has singled out as one of the players that has performed at an exceptional level this summer. Now he needs to turn that into exceptional play on the field in 2007.

Wetherell Letter To Hart Short And To The Point

In response to a public records request, FSU President T.K. Wetherell’s staff released a copy Tuesday of the letter Wetherell mailed athletic director Dave Hart in late May to inform Hart that he would not be retained when his contract ends in January 2009.

Here is the letter, dated May 29, 2007:

Dear Dave:

As we move forward this year, I would like to share with you important information so that you may plan ahead. In an effort to provide you as much notice as possible, this is to advise you in writing that your employment agreement dated January 27, 1999, will not be renewed.

While we look forward to continued successes and progress with the Athletics Department at Florida State University during this period and beyond, in an abundance of fairness I wanted to provide you this notice for your own planning purposes.

Yours truly,

T.K. Wetherell

"No Further Comment"

"There will be no further comment at this time on the athletic director’s employment contract, which concludes in January 2009."
FSU press release regarding Dave Hart

New Poll Regarding T.K. Wetherell Decision

Please vote in the new poll on whether you agree or disagree with T.K. Wetherell's decision to not renew Dave Hart's contract.

FSU To Play In Orlando And True Pride Tees Launched

Florida State University has reached an agreement with Florida Citrus Sports to play a neutral site football game in Orlando, pending a renovation of the city's Florida Citrus Bowl Stadium. The game, which would pit the Seminoles against a quality non-conference opponent, would be played in either 2012 or 2013.

Although details of the prospective game will not be finalized until later this summer, the game would be a coup for Central Floridians and area businesses.

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The Seminole Student Boosters, in conjunction with Florida State University and Seminole Athletics, launched its TRUE Seminole campaign Tuesday afternoon at a press conference at the Moore Athletics Center.

Fact Sheet:

The TRUE Seminole Campaign is a student initiated movement to unite the Seminole Community and harness what is best about FSU: our Unconcerned spirit and our one sense of core values.

Vision: Inspire SPIRIT and SERVICE in the Seminole Community through students, alumni, faculty and friends.

Mission: The TRUE Seminole Campaign aims to build tradition and respect by unifying the Seminole community to achieve excellence. It is an honor to represent the Unconquered Spirit of the Seminole Tribe and we strive to uphold the ideals of our namesake and our University.

Values: Tradition, Respect, Unity, and Excellence
The TRUE Pride Tee program is just one of the first projects the campaign aims to implement.

Portions from every shirt sold will be donated back to Seminole Boosters, Inc. In turn, monies will be donated to a SGA financial aide account to help benefit need-based students. The other monies will be place into an endowment fund for student athletic scholarships.

The concept for the inaugural t-shirt design came from the whole idea that we are a "Seminole Community" and as a single person we each are Seminoles, but together We are Florida State.

Head Coach Bobby Bowden:
"When I first came to Florida State 31 years ago, we were always thinking of ways in which we could get spirit going. Remember when we used to take the balloons out there and release the balloons? I can't think of anything finer than to have the students come up with something like this that will really unite our fans and boosters and everything together, so we thank you for that."

Where you can purchase the true Pride Tees:

"He Will Be Judged On Who He Replaces Dave Hart With"

"Let me tell you the one thing that is important for people to understand. President Wetherell will not be judged on what he does with Dave Hart. He will be judged on who he replaces Dave Hart with."
Palm Beach lawyer Peter Mettler, a former board member of Seminole Boosters Inc. commenting on Dave Hart situation

FSU 2007 Football Schedule Posters

The Seminoles have selected "The Awakening" as the theme of this year's effort. There are two different schedule posters. One has the Unconquered Statute and the other only the FSU field.

Hart Wants To Stay And FSU In Top ACC Games For 2007

An article in The Tallahassee Democrat reports that Dave Hart has released a statement saying that it's his desire to"finish my athletics administration career as a Seminole." Hart and Wetherell are scheduled to meet later this week.

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If you were planning on going out to purchase Athlon or Street & Smith to see where FSU is ranked in their top 25, save the money. The answer is that FSU is absent in both.
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According to one of the many sports sites, FSU is involved in three of the Top 10 Games Involving ACC Teams:
3. FSU at. Clemson

4. FSU at Wake Forest

8. FSU vs. Alabama

Bama Self-Reports And Gators Take Disciplinary Actions

The University of Alabama has self-reported three secondary violations committed by its football program since Oct. 16, 2006, according to documents obtained by The Birmingham News.

Two of the violations occurred after Nick Saban was announced as the Crimson Tide's coach on Jan. 4, though one of those happened "unbeknownst to (Saban and his) staff," documents say. Two of the violations involved a representative of athletics interest (booster) having an impermissible contact with a recruit.

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Colorado head football coach Dan Hawkins is eager to have the football season begin. "I just see much more assertiveness, much more confidence, much more twinkle in the eye," he said. "I know we're going to be a lot stronger than we were last year. That will help us just physically."
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Florida offensive lineman Ronnie Wilson has been suspended for the 2007 season and running back Brandon James is suspended for Florida's opener because of separate off-the-field incidents, according to The Gainesville Sun. Wilson is facing misdemeanor charges after allegedly taking a rifle from his trunk and firing it in the air to intimidate a man during a disagreement.

"Everybody Is Getting Stronger Because Of It"

"We don't have as many exercises, but we're a lot heavier on everything we do. There's a lot more of the core exercises that everybody did in high school Ð squat, bench, power cling, pull-ups. . . . I think everybody is getting stronger because of it.”
Drew Weatherford regarding new football conditioning and strength coach Todd Stroud's summer conditioning program

My View: It's About Time

A story in the Tallahasssee Democrat today indicates that T.K. Wetherell does not plan to renew Dave Hart's contract when it expires in 2009. The only thing that I can say is that it's about time.

I have written several My Views regarding Hart and the FSU program. On April 4 of this year, I criticized Hart because of his lack of leadership regarding the basketball program. At that time, I said that I had..."had enough Hart. It is time for someone new." Apparently T.K. thinks so also.

Dave Hart in many respects has gained what influence he has by being in the right place at the right time. He has been able to ride Bobby Bowden's coattails for all these years. However, when you look at those things that he actually did, the proof as they say is in the pudding. His hires relating to the basketball program have been awful. His inaction regarding to the Jeff Bowden situation and the subsequent payoff of Bowden were examples of his lack of leadership.

Dave Hart has been a great promoter for Dave Hart. A lot of fluff but very little substance. The decision by T.K. Wetherell to say goodbye to Hart if the story is accurate is good news. We need an athletic director who can take FSU to the next level in all sports.

FSU In Middle Of Pack According To Some For 2007

Rivals.com apparently doesn't think much of FSU's football team for 2007. They have FSU ranked 23rd in their Top 50 countdown.

In addition, their most overrated player is Greg Carr who"can frustrate coaches with his inconsistent effort." Their most underated player is De'Cody Fagg.

Stadiums Of 2007 FSU ACC Foes: Boston College Alumni Stadium

FSU has another payback game when they take on Boston College at Boston College on November 3. The Noles lost at home to the Eagles 19-24 in 2006.

Opened in 1915 as "Alumni Field," Boston College's first stadium was located just south of Gasson Quadrangle, on the site of the present "Campus Green", better known as the "Dustbowl." While today that area of BC's campus is grass-covered and landscaped, the Dustbowl nickname originated as a description of Alumni Field in the years when it was intensely-used not only as a gridiron, but a practice field, a baseball diamond and a running track. Formally dedicated "as a memorial to the boys that were" on October 30, 1915, Alumni Field and its distinctive "maroon goal-posts on a field of green" were hailed in that evening's edition of the Boston Saturday Evening Transcript as "one of the sights in Boston."

On September 21, 1957 Alumni Stadium opened on Boston College's lower campus. The new stadium incorporated a football field encircled by a regulation track with a seating capacity of 26,000. The dedication game, a match up with the Midshipmen of the U.S. Naval Academy, was orchestrated with the help of BC benefactor and then-Massachusetts Senator John F. Kennedy. Kennedy, who had received his honorary degree at Commencement Exercises in Alumni Field the previous year, would return to Alumni Stadium on a number of occasions over the course of his political career, including a 1963 Convocation Address, one of his last public appearances. Alumni Stadium has hosted numerous intellectual and cultural luminaries, religious leaders and heads of state as the venue for Boston College's annual Commencement Exercises since 1957.

As the home of the Boston College Eagles, Alumni Stadium has been the site of numerous notable moments in Boston College football history. On September 17, 2005, Alumni Stadium hosted BC's inaugural game as a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference

No Ducking This List

Under the heading of Can't accuse these teams of ducking anyone, ESPN has the Noles schedule ranked as the second toughest in the nation behind Wshington.

Happy Fourth Of July!

Want to wish everyone a safe and Happy Fourth!

"Bowden Bowl" Sold Out And Another List

The Clemson Athletic Ticket Office announced that the highly anticipated match up against Florida State is now Sold Out. The Kick Off packages went on sale to the public Monday, July 2nd, 2007. The Florida State game is scheduled for Monday, September 3rd, 2007. Kickoff is set for 8pm and will be televised on ESPN.

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Sporting News columnist Tom Dienhart did a subjective ranking of The Top 40 ACC Players. Here are where he ranked Nole players:

10. Andre Fluellen, DT, Florida State

16. Myron Rolle, S, Florida State

22. Antone Smith, RB, Florida State

25. Greg Carr, WR, Florida State

30. Geno Hayes, LB, Florida State

40. John Frady, C, Florida State
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Scottsdale, Az. Notre Dame Prep quarterback Sean Renfree has given Georgia Tech a commitment to play football.

Renfree was set on leaving the state from the beginning, but the push that Arizona State made under new coach Dennis Erickson made his decision more difficult.

"The Bubba Bowl" Makes A List

Apparently someone else has a lot of time to kill.

The MZone(a Michigan blog)posted 100 things to look forward to this college football season. There are some FSU moments:

10. Antone Smith trying to become Florida State's first 1,000-yard running back since Warrick Dunn in 1996.

15. The Bowden Bowl on Monday, September 3.

16. The Bubba Bowl (i.e. Alabama vs. Florida State in Jacksonville) on Saturday, September 29.

94. Watching Myron Rolle continue his progression towards superstardom as he patrols the defensive backfield for the Florida State Seminoles.

"We Have To Do A Better Job Locally"

“Coach Fisher told everybody that Coach (Bobby) Bowden told him that if we're going to get this thing back like we need to do, then we have to do a better job locally.”
Godby Head Coach Shelton Crew's comments after Jimbo Fisher spoke to a meeting of local coaches as quoted in The Tallahasse Democrat

Defining Moments

Ivan Maisel of Sports Illustrated has too much time on his hands and decided to put together The 100 Moments That Have Defined College Football. Here are the ones that involve FSU:

11. Raising Cane: Miami's fourth-quarter comeback knocks out Florida State. (Oct. 3, 1987)

47. Twice As Nice: FSU holds off Nebraska for Bobby Bowden's first title. (Jan. 1, 1994)

52. Well Dunn: 79-yard TD catch/run by Noles Warrick Dunn seals Florida's fate. (Nov. 27, 1993)

60. Wide Right I:: Trailing Miami by 1, FSU's Gerry Thomas misses 34-yard FG. (Nov. 16, 1991)

84. Road Kill: Nebraska fans applaud FSU after Noles upset Cornhuskers. (Oct. 4, 1980)

86. Death Valley Deception: Florida State's puntrooskie to topple Clemson. (Sept. 17, 1988)

Clemson And Auburn To Play Again

University of Maryland junior offensive lineman Jared Gaither has decided to apply for entry in the 2007 NFL Supplemental Draft, head coach Ralph Friedgen announced Thursday.

"It's a decision he's put a lot of thought into," Friedgen said. "He's expressed a desire to get his degree, but I think the opportunity to make a living and the chance to be successful at the next level was a deciding factor.

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Clemson and Auburn have announced a two-game football series that will be played during the 2010 and 2011 seasons. The first contest will be played at Auburn and the second game will be played at Clemson. The Auburn series replaces the two-game set that had been scheduled with the University of Pittsburgh during the same seasons.

This will be the first time the two teams have met on the gridiron since the January 2, 1998 Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl in Atlanta. Auburn won that contest 21-17 in the Georgia Dome thanks to a fourth-quarter comeback. Terry Bowden, the brother of Clemson Head Coach Tommy Bowden, was the head coach at Auburn for that game.
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Clemson offensive tackle Barry Richardson and defensive tackle Dorell Scott are both ranked among the top 10 players in the nation according to position rankings in the 2007 preseason college football issue of The Sporting News. Running back C.J.

Spiller was also named as one of the top 11 candidates for the Heisman Trophy and offensive coordinator Rob Spence is listed as the top offensive coordinator in the ACC.

S.I. Is Nuts

Sports Illustrated has a Mascot Power ranking on their site. Chief Osceola and Renegade only rank eighth in the poll below a fake alligator(Albert), a poisionous nut (Brutus Buckeye), and one of the ugliest dogs ever (UGA). Are they out of their minds?

FSU Recruits And Player In the News

According to the Orlando Sentinel, four Florida State University football prospects who were kicked out of Downtown Disney for loitering last week and banned for life from Walt Disney World can now come back. The four recruits were Avis Commack, Vincent Williams, Nickolas Moody, and Nigel Carr.

Disney World announced Thursday that it has decided to reduce the sanctions against the four high-schoolers, whose banishment last weekend amplified a controversy about Disney's recent efforts to reduce teen loitering and sparked accusations of racial profiling. All four of the students are 17 years old and black. When the Orlando Sentinel obtained 46 Disney World trespass-warning documents from the past two weekends, all but one turned out to have been issued to black or Hispanic visitors.

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Paul Griffin, the projected starting nose tackle for Florida State, was arrested this week for failing to appear at a violation-of-probation hearing stemming from a DUI last November, the Leon County State Attorney's office said. He was later released on bond. FSU's code of conduct states that athletes facing misdemeanor charges will be disciplined at the discretion of the coach, with Athletic Director Dave Hart's review.

"They Are Going To Tell Me What I Need To Hear"

"I'm pretty intelligent, I like to think. So (offensive coordinator Jimbo Fisher and I will see eye to eye. I'm a competitor. I'm not going to be afraid of playing in the Miami game or anything like that. I see a lot of similarity (in Fisher) that I see with coach (Darnell) Moore at my high school. They are going to tell me what I need to hear not what I want to hear.”
E.J. Manuel regarding his commitment to the Noles

Noles One Two Punch Secures Manuel Commitment

E.J. Manuel becomes the 12th commitment for FSU's 2008 recruiting class. It goes without saying that his commitment will be a big boost to the Noles recruiting and their pitch to other recruits.

Manuel's high school accomplishments are impressive. He passed for almost 2,000 yards as a junior and completed 56 percent of his passes last season for 15 touchdowns and seven interceptions

This illustrates that Bobby Bowden is still a terrific recruiter and the fact that Jimbo Fisher is the offensive coordinator was certainly a great attraction to the 6'5", 210 pound Manuel. It was thought until recently that LSU was the school to beat. The Bowden mystique and the Fisher asset were a perfect fit to attracting a five star athlete and from all accounts a great kid.

Manuel Picks The Noles

Virginia Beach(Va.)Bayside quarterback E.J. Manuel announced his decision before friends, family and teammates on Wednesday evening at his high school. The nation's No. 2 quarterback picked Florida State. More later.